Lieutenant Jack Kessler - A Leap of Faith
Joel Cannistraro
((Medusa, Argo-Class Shuttle,Somewhere in the Skelter Mountain Range, Proxima Sigma IV))
Jack had made his quick rounds on the Ronin to meet several department heads and one person in particular he wanted to meet was Ensign T'Fearne Elaazni. One of his Security officers. During his flight from the Butler to the Ronin, Jack had reviewed every one of the duty files for his Security and Tactical team. One stood out above the rest and ironically she was on the Butler at the moment. In fact, Jack had to track her down and found that she was in a mountain range down on Proxima Sigma IV. Doing what, he was not entirely sure but considering the ships scans of the region placed her in a very awkward area and in a position Jack would normally find himself if he was on leave, he decided a shuttle might be the best option for meeting this Ensign.
Her file indicated she was a Vulcan/Beatzoid hybrid. Jack paused to think about those implications and how they might serve him and the Security on the ship. She had already seen plenty of action since leaving the academy according to her file and she had been awarded commendations eleven times since coming aboard. That had drawn his attention, but so had the fact that in her short time aboard she'd received two Purple Hearts for injury during service to the ship. The latter could have been for any number of reasons and Jack did not let those affect the thought that he wanted her in a higher position on his team. Of course that was assuming she was even interested in what he had to offer.
Tapping Winters on the shoulder who he had asked to tag along for this meet and greet, Jack pointed to a somewhat flatter face on the mountain wall and Winters slightly changed her angle of approach.
Winter: What is she doing up there?
Kessler: Either enjoying life or evading trouble. ::beat:: bring us around and slightly under her. Bring us around for a manual boarding.
Jack got up from the co-pilot's seat as Winters maneuvered the Argo-Class shuttle around and into position. As she did, Jack reached the back of the shuttle and entered a command sequence that released and activated the rear ramp. The Argo-Class was a large shuttle, capable of carrying a large amount of cargo and often used to transport an all-terrain vehicle for ground assignments. The entire back side of the shuttle was a large loading/unloading ramp that for this recovery was the perfect choice.
The whining of the shuttle's engines made it difficult to hear as Jack stepped onto the ramp and looked slightly up to the individual hanging onto the side of the mountain.
Kessler: ::yelling:: Ensign Elaanzi, Come aboard.
T’Fearne: :: yelling over her shoulder :: What?
The womens hair danced on the wind as Jack stepped out on the ramp a little further and held out a hand. He caught her black obsidian eyes locking on to his and could only imagine the inquiry running through her mind. Holding out a hand and using the other to hold onto a rail on the shuttle Jack yelled back to her.
Kessler: ::yelling louder:: JUMP!!!
T’Fearne: :: Yelling over her shoulder:: Jump? Why? Can’t you use the transporter?
Kessler: Emergency recovery protocols Ensign. JUMP!!!
Emergency recovery protocols were standard training for Starfleet officers but generally conducted on a planned course or assignment. Jack had not given her any warning nor did she know him. He was either friend or foe in disguise and considering what the Ronin had been through he probably would have thought the latter option as well.
T’Fearne: :: shaking her head:: I—I can’t! It’s too far! oO I’m too tired Oo
Kessler: ::leaning as far out as he could and tapping his combadge:: Michele, you're clear back another meter, then hold. ::looking to T'Fearne:: JUMP Ensign, that's an order.
T'Fearne: response
Personally, Jack would not have been happy to meet his new superior in this manner but he was testing the officer clinging to the rock face. Would she jump or second guess who he was and what he was doing there?
It only took a moment and then the women sprung from the rock face towards Jack and the shuttle. His eyes never lost contact with hers as she seemed to fly from the rock face to the Medusa and in the blink of eye her hand grabbed his arm and in reciprocation he grabbed her arm as her feet landed on the ramp deck. Keeping his grip on her arm and the shuttle railing he guided her back into the threshold of the shuttle rear compartment and depressed the ramp secure control. As the ramp started to close Jack smiled, beamingly at the women.
Kessler: Lieutenant Jack Kessler, your new Chief. That was a nice jump Ensign. If we were on the training course at Yosemite I'd give you high marks.
T'Fearne: response
It was a fair question and Jack would have asked it as well. He was already starting to like this officer.
Kessler: I am not your typical Security or Tactical officer. I do not like surprises that catch my team off guard. Therefore I plan for those situations by staging real world unannounced training just like this. ::grinning:: And you are just what I am looking for.
T'Fearne: response
Jack turned to face the front of the shuttle and nodded to Winters who in turn returned to her flight controls and began moving the shuttle out and away from the rock face and back into a flight pattern over the treetops.
Kessler: I have read your file Ensign and I want you as my backup on the Security detail for the Ronin. Not just another Security figure in the shadows and based on your Citations to-date I think you are the best fit for the job I want you to fill.
T'Fearne: response
Kessler: You can ask anything you want. I'll answer or I won't but I'm pretty much an open book.
Jack was not one who kept too many secrets from those he depended on. He believed that the more you knew about someone the more you know how they would react to different situations. Especially knowing someones personal side rather than just their professional side. So he made himself open to pretty much everyone. It was a tactical risk with some and it had burned him once before but it had also gained him access to some very important information when he had been a prisoner of the Zet.
T'Fearne: response
Tags / TBC