[sb118-khitomer] Lieutenant Charles Matthews - Lieutenant Matthews Reporting...
Shakeel Hussein
((Main Bridge, Deck 1, USS Khitomer – docked at DS33))
The turbolift ground to a halt and the doors opened with a woosh. Charlie stood for a moment, hands clasped behind his back, casting his brown-eyed gaze on what he could see of the Main Bridge from the relative safety of the turbolift pod. He had not been to the Bridge of the Khitomer all that often; once or twice at best, passing through after a briefing was the most recent of those, just before all hell had broken loose with the ships systems whilst it was in the Lagoon Nebula.
Letting out a weak sigh, Matthews released his hands and allowed them to hang naturally at his sides before taking his first step out of the turbolift and down the sloping floor that went past the two Science and one Intelligence stations. As more steps followed his first, he momentarily looked at the curved Tactical station behind the trio of seats at the centre of the Bridge. It reminded him of his station on the Astraeus, the same station he’d collapsed against on Frontier Day; just before he dropped to the floor and passed out. In fact, the whole Bridge was very, very similar to the Bridge of the Galaxy class vessel, albeit with a more modern aesthetic, which made the control centre of the Khitomer look more like a Sovereign class design.
Coming to a stop at the door to the Captain’s Ready Room, Charles paused and took a slow, deep breath. This was the second time he was meeting a new Commanding Officer, and he wasn’t sure if he was more nervous this time around or when he had met Captain Delano as a somewhat fresh-faced Ensign. He had seen his new Captain at the Dewitt wedding, and at the following gathering after it too, but Matthews hadn’t gotten to speak to the man, not really, and he was very much interested in doing so. Randal Shayne, despite being only seven years older than Charlie, was a very experienced Officer. He had an extensive history within Starfleet, he was well decorated; hell, he even had a manoeuvre named after him from his early days on the USS Gemini. Matthews really hoped he would be able to learn from such an Officer, in a similar way he’d hoped to learn from Captain Delano and others from his time on the Astraeus.
Feeling at least a little composed, the Lieutenant raised his right arm and pressed at the chime next to the deep red door in front of him. He waited as the dull sound reverberated through the door, and he lowered his hand, waiting even further for a response from the Captain.
Shayne: Response
His eyes widened as the door slid open, and he entered the room, taking a few larger strides and stopping just in front of Captain Shayne’s desk with, yet again, his hands behind his back.
Charles: Lieutenant Matthews reporting, Sir.
Shayne: Response
Charles: Thank you, Captain.
Charles nodded, stepping around one of the seats and planting himself in it, sitting with his back firmly pressed against the back of the chair and not knowing what he should do with the hands that were clasped together just a second ago. In the end, he rested them on his legs, just on the curve of his knees.
Shayne: Response
Charles: ::smiles weakly:: Of course. I appreciate the opportunity to talk to you, Sir. There wasn’t much of one at the wedding, and it has been a little chaotic since.
Shayne: Response
TAGS/TBC
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Tactical Officer
USS Khitomer NCC-62400
A240012CM1