Ensign Juliet Banks: Despair, not feast on thee
Juliet Banks
((Juliet’s Quarters, Room 142, Deck 14, USS Khitomer, docked at DS33))
Quiet guitar music floated through Juliet’s quarters as she sat at her desk, staring at one of many PADDs scattered around her. She felt like she’d read the same lines over and over; nothing was sinking in, and it felt like decades since she’d written these notes. The file datestamp from less than two years ago seemed unthinkable.
God, she was going to get them all killed.
She dropped the PADD with a frustrated huff and picked up another from the pile. TAC 270: Combat, Major Starships the header read. Her Academy notes. Maybe she’d have more luck with this one.
Her notes were sparser than the last PADD; so much of the course had been practical. She’d found it stressful at the time, but it was necessary for helm officer qualifications. She’d never truly expected to end up at the helm of a capital ship under pressure, but Commander Hobart hadn’t hesitated to ask her to rise to the occasion. It was hard to escape the growing certainty – the coiling knot of tension in her stomach – that it would happen again.
Was it too late to claim there had been a terrible mistake and run for it?
Banks: Darjeeling tea, black, lightly steeped. Hot.
She took the cup once it had shimmered into reality, and moved to the couch, PADD in tow.
Was it too late? She’d told her brother he had to know what he was coming out here for, or it would end in tears. Staying because of inertia wasn’t any better. Nor was staying because the alternative was admitting defeat.
Unbidden, Commander Hobart’s words came to mind. He’d encouraged her to explore all the possibilities open to her. “Enjoy this, and stay open,” he’d said. “You’ve got one full pip, now, and until you’ve got two of them, let your experience guide you.” She’d appreciated that so much at the time she’d nearly cried. Where was that spirit now?
Okay, so she didn’t feel up to the challenge in front of her. That didn’t mean she couldn’t do it, otherwise she wouldn’t have passed her classes. She wouldn’t have graduated, and she wouldn’t have been given an HCO posting. It just meant she needed to know she could do it.
And, okay, a refresher couldn’t hurt. She checked the time – mid-morning, not too anti-social, good. She tapped her combadge.
Banks: =/\= Ensign Banks to Lieutenant Charles Matthews. =/\=
She sipped her tea as she waited for a response. It was shore leave, it wasn’t like anyone was expecting comms calls.
C Matthews: Response
Banks: =/\= I hope this isn’t a bad time, Lieutenant. I wanted to enquire about the possibility of a Tactical flight refresher. =/\=
C Matthews: Response
Banks: =/\= Oh, yes – I’m qualified, but I didn’t do a lot of piloting in combat in my last posting, and I’d rather brush up on my skills now than when everything’s on fire. =/\=
She felt badly about interrupting his shore leave, but she’d feel a lot worse about failing to do her job.
Banks: =/\= I can be available any time that suits you, sir, and I have leftover holodeck training hours available. =/\=
C Matthews: Response
Banks: =/\= Understood. I’ll check the available timeslots for the holodecks and let you know when it’s booked. Thank you, sir. =/\=
((Corridor outside Holodeck 2, Deck 15, USS Khitomer, docked at DS33))
Juliet straightened as she saw Lieutenant Matthews approaching down the corridor, and gave him a bright smile as he neared.
Banks: Afternoon, sir! The Holodeck’s empty, the last booking left a few minutes ago, so we are good to go. And ::a beat:: thank you for making time for this. I really appreciate it.
C Matthews: Response
Tag / TBC
Ensign Juliet Banks
HCO Officer
USS Khitomer
K240206JB1