Commander Toryn Raga - Perspectives
Rameses
((47 Lounge, Starboard Catamaran, USS Ronin, Lolagi IV))
Toryn’s brow raised in that vulcanoid way as he looked up from his curry towards Knight. It was amusing how often people seemed to forget how sharp his hearing was.
Ryen: Gunner Sergeant. ::inclines his head slightly:: A pleasure.
Raga: I shall be sure to inform the good Major of your opinion about her leadership. I imagine it’s been a while since the entirety of the flight deck was scrubbed by hand. Wouldn’t you agree, V’Len?
An entirely mischievous smirk curled one corner of his lips that he directed towards Kel.
Kel: I heard some of our sickbay personnel might have volunteered for that job. ::turning to Ryen:: How are you adjusting, Ensign?
Ryen: I have only just come aboard, Commanders. I am still acclimating to the Ronin. She is a beautiful ship, though, and I can see myself being very happy here.
Knight: Welcome aboard, then. I came aboard last shore leave, and I’m still developing my system down with the Ronin, as I had to make adjustments. The USS Chiahoga was an old Excellsior II Class, one of the last few remaining, and I’m pretty sure she’s getting decommissioned.
Jace gave a small, thoughtful nod.
Ryen: An Excelsior II Class ::a faint note of recognition crosses his face:: I studied their refits at the Academy. They were designed for longevity. It is unfortunate to hear one may be nearing the end of its service. Though I imagine transitioning to the Ronin presents... new efficiencies.
Raga: Well, welcome aboard Ensign. She’s as beautiful and fierce as they can build them. And she’s seen more than her fair share of battles. Not surprising since we’re in a warzone.
Kel: ::looking at Raga:: I hear there working on a Lattice Alliance campaign ribbon.
Toryn met his friend’s gaze and nodded simply.
Knight: I’m one of the very few Kerlians to join the Marines. Well, for one, our gravity is heavier than most worlds, so the only time I get to feel the gravity is at home, is in my personal quarters. But if someone who is not from a world such as ours, I would accommodate. This also makes me stronger than the average humanoid.
Toryn’s brow raised slightly. He had forgotten that Knight was Kerlian. Which, aside from Toryn’s family that was on board, meant he was the only other person here that he could recall offhand from a high-G world.
Ryen: That would suggest increased bone density and muscular development. A significant physiological advantage in both strength and endurance. Though I imagine operating in lower gravity environments requires a degree of control to compensate.
Raga: Quite. While I can’t speak for the Gunny beyond the fact that he hasn’t broken anything to my knowledge, we also have to contend with having a higher mass than most. Suffice it to say, the average Starfleet issue chair isn’t exactly rated for such bulk. And I don’t know about the Gunny, but the atmosphere on the ship isn’t quite the same as home. My quarters have their own environmental and gravitic systems so my family and I can spend at least a portion of the day in our natural environs.
Toryn was also curious to know if the Gunny had similar asthmatic issues from the lower gravity and thinner atmosphere that they lived in on the ship. He hadn’t seen him with a hypo or inhaler so he assumed the atmosphere of his homeworld was closer to Earth standard than Leya-I.
Kel: So what exactly is that you have on your plate?
Knight: Oh, the sub? There was a little sub shop in San Francisco that made the best Italian Subs in the quadrant, trust me, the Marines run on their bellies. ::he chuckled::
Toryn chuckled at that.
Ryen: I have not yet had the opportunity to explore much of Earth's regional cuisine.
Raga: It’s diverse like any world but most of it’s too bland for my liking. However that’s not through any fault other than my species diminutive sense of taste and smell. Cajun food is nice, but mild. And ghost peppers make a good snack from time to time. ::he nodded::
Kel: This chilidog and root beer combo is very good, but if I'm cooking I prefer food from the Earth's Southeast Asian region. The flavor combinations are most impressive.
Knight/Any: Response
Toryn savored the longfish curry through several bites before he replaced the spoon into the rice and picked up the mug beside the plate. Wisps of steam arose from it as he brought it up to cradled in his hands a moment.
Ryen: If I may return to an earlier point. Mork from Ork. I would be interested in understanding the origin of that reference.
Raga: Ah, an example of Terran culture’s pervasiveness. ::he grinned at Kel::
Kel: ::shrugging his shoulders:: All I know is that my brother got the name from a holovid. I guess it's about an alien visitor to the planet. I guess?
Knight/Any: Response
Ryen: What would you say is the most important thing for a new officer to understand about this crew?
That was a good question and one that he was glad the Ensign was curious about. When the Vulcan glanced briefly toward Knight, Toryn took a sip from his tea to wash down his meal.
Ryen: The Marines seem to value adaptability and resilience.
Then the Ensign looked toward Kel and Toryn.
Ryen: But the Ronin as a whole appears to operate with a great deal of cohesion. I would prefer not to be the variable that disrupts that.
Raga: Very astute, Ensign. A significant part of that cohesion, aside from our Starfleet training, is due to the sheer amount of conflict this crew has faced. Between the Lattice Alliance and the Consortium our crew has been in more battles than most in a short order. We’ve had to repel boarders multiple times and while the rest of the fleet more or less was facing the Borg during Frontier Day, we, along with the Khitomer’s crew defended Deep Space Thirty Three from the Alliance. Shared adversity and reliance on one another is why this crew is as close as we are. We’ve given more than a few todays for other’s tomorrows. ::he sat back in his seat slightly, mug in hand in front of him:: It can be summed up even beyond our ship’s official motto, to the one not on our commissioning plaque. Ronin strong.
Kel: ::rolling his eyes at Raga:: Now how am I supposed to follow that? ::pause:: I believe that this crew operates like a family. There's a lot of trust we have for each other to give our best and do what's asked. I think that "esprit de corps" helps us meet the challenges we face.
Knight/Any: Response
Ryen: Cohesion formed under sustained stress conditions tend to be highly resilient. I will make sure that I do my part to earn that trust.
Toryn sipped slowly from his mug and enjoyed the savory and sweet mix of the spiced tea and the Saza berries.
Raga: Trust in your Academy training and learn from your colleagues. The rest just takes time. That being said, if you haven’t I would read through the ship’s database on our run ins with the Alliance and Consortium. Particularly about the latter’s spiderbots. They vary but the smallest is Mork’s size and all of them are deadly. I also recommend you keep up with your phaser qualifications. Given our past experiences everyone needs to be able to handle one competently since our foes don’t have any qualms about firing on anyone. Since you’re Security, you understand I’m sure.
Kel: I'm working on that particular skill. I'm more adapt at putting people back together rather than taking things apart.
Ryen: I'll make that a priority sir. If they're as adaptable as you say, I'd rather not learn about them the hard way.
Knight/Any: Response
The Al-Leyan offered a smile. Were the Ensign not Vulcan, or at least half, he’d be concerned about having scared him with that.
Raga: We’ve had our fair mix of surprises that didn’t involve fighting either. Let’s just say, we’ve had a visit from Temporal Investigations Department. And explored a few phenomena as well. I for one hope this recent encounter of yours while the Captain and I were away doesn’t result in TID lurking through the corridors again. If they do, I'm sending them to you, Commander. ::he chuckled::
Kel: I've dealt with temporal investigations and for the record I don't believe the Ronin moved through time at any point. I hope that keeps them out of it.
Toryn occasionally received reports or heard scuttlebutt about crew swearing they just saw one of those two temporal agents out of the corner of their eye when they walked by a corridor or doorway sometimes. Their own poltergeists.
Ryen: I'd prefer to avoid attracting their attention if possible. I've read enough reports to know how thorough they can be.
Knight/Any: Response
The Al-Leyan set down his mug and scooped up a quick bite of longfish curry and devoured it before he dabbed his mouth with a napkin.
Raga: We even have a Starfleet Ranger on board. Though, I imagine now that we’re on leave again Osiris might disembark for a while. Since he’s the only one in the Isles, he can only stay on board for so long and still be effective. He’s little more than extra Security here. Speaking of, I’m curious why you chose Security as your Prote, Ensign? ::he quickly clarified:: Was that your first choice of duty assignment?
Ryen: It was. It just felt right to me. Being in a position where I can help protect the crew and keep things from getting out of hand. All of that matters to me. But, I have to admit, engineering also has a strong appeal.
Knight/Any: Response
Kel: On that subject how are you finding Lt. Kessler. We've served together before so I'd be happy to give you some insights.
The new Ensign nodded and seemed thoughtful for a moment.
Ryen: He seems solid. Straightforward, focused. I appreciate that. I'd definitely take any advice you might have, however.
Raga: He hasn’t been here long, but Commander Kessler has made an impact and become a valued member of our crew. I’m sure there’s a great deal you can learn from him.
Any: Response
Kel: Jack's a great guy, Starfleet brat through and through, in fact his father's ship is still missing in the Gamma Quadrant.
Toryn chuckled at the brat comment. He’d heard that term used to describe generational members of Starfleet, another Human quirk.
Kel: He takes the ships safety very seriously I can tell you that much.
Ryen: That kind of perspective probably shapes how he leads. Especially in the field of security.
Raga: No doubt. Everyone’s experiences lead to different perspectives. Take Starfleet Marines for example. ::He gestured towards Knight:: Exceptional at “kicking in doors” but most are far more capable than just their ability to fight. It’s similar to Security. Though they don’t have to deal with the forensic or policing side of Security generally, they have a lot of secondary skills. Case in point, I believe Chief Solana built and designed her own knives.
Knight/Any: Response
Kel: Believe it or not I started out in Medical. My shift to Chief Science Officer is fairly recent.
Toryn sipped from his spiced tea.
Ryen: That's quite a shift. Still, I guess it gives you a different way of looking at problems. I have often second-guessed my decision to pick Security. Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for the position, and I believe I will succeed at it... But the thought of tinkering with engineering problems, well, it does cross my mind often.
Raga: While that’s somewhat strange to me, only because for my people once you know your profession that’s what you do for the rest of your life. We don’t ever change jobs. That said, this is Starfleet. If you like to tinker I’m sure Commander Tucker wouldn’t mind having some extra help from time to time. Even if it’s in downtimes outside your duties in Security.
So long as the crew didn’t shirk their assigned duties, as far as he was concerned they could expand on their secondary education from the Academy. His happened to be related since he’d taken both Security and Tactical.
Knight/Any: Response
Kel: Well that's one reason I enjoy Starfleet, it never gets boring.
Raga: That, my friend, is an understatement.
Knight/Any: Response
Toryn’s chuckle faded as he savored another spoonful of his curry. The spices used in the recipe from the equatorial region weren’t as intense as those from his home in the polar regions since they tended to need spicier foods. It helped keep the edge off the cold.
Ryen: If I'm being honest, I didn't originally think I'd end up in Security. I grew up working on an old ground vehicle with my father. We were always fixing something, engine faults, structural wear, whatever broke that week. It taught me how systems fail, and how to put them back together.
Raga: We’re all shaped by our life experiences. ::he nodded:: And if you like tinkering that much, don’t be afraid to request an assignment in the Armory. There’s always phasers in need of tinkering or minor repairs.
Kel/Knight/Any: Response
Toryn smiled at the Ensign while he told them of what led him to be where he is now.
Ryen: But the more I learned, the more I realized I wasn't just focused on the systems themselves. I was thinking about the people using them. How failures affect them, how quickly things can go wrong. That's when it started to shift toward security for me.
Raga: I was always protective of my Haemachuo brothers and sisters, which I think is what led to me being assigned to the Guardian Prote. I had an affinity for our Sore* martial arts as well, which is likely why the teachers there came to their conclusion to set me on this path.
Kel/Knight/Any: Response
Ryen: Security felt like the natural extension of that. You don't just react, you anticipate, you protect, you make sure small failures don't become catastrophic ones. Thought, I suppose... if something does break, I still like knowing I can fix it. Old habits are difficult to abandon.
Raga: Sounds like you’ll fit right in, Ensign.
Kel/Knight/Ryen/Any: Response
Toryn finished up the last of his meal and after a quick dab of his napkin, scooped up his mug and sat back a little, mug cradled in his palms.
Raga: Not quite. To my knowledge, there’s less than a dozen Al-Leyans in all of Starfleet. My people are isolationist and a little xenophobic. As far as I’m aware, my sister and I are the only Al-Leyans in Starfleet that aren’t also Exiles from home. In my case, this was technically part of my rehabilitation. My sister joined years before me with approval of our Council to be a liaison of sorts. She started as an exchange officer.
Kel/Knight/Ryen/Any: Response
Toryn’s brow raised slightly. A few years ago he would have been hesitant to explain further on his rehabilitation but the teal eyed vulcanoid merely smirked ruefully.
Raga: Attitude Readjustment Therapy. To put it simply, if one of my people show signs or otherwise blatantly work outside their Prote, their assigned profession, and family or friends can’t dissuade them we’re given a surgical and psychological procedure to correct that. I believe I’m one of the few to have had it done more than once.
Kel/Knight/Ryen/Any: Response
Raga: Everyone has that reaction. ::he sighed:: My people have their reasons. And I’m here, and happy. If you’re that curious I can explain more though that’s a conversation for another time. ::to Kel:: Changing subjects, I don’t suppose you’ve heard anything back from the Constitution about that prosthetic for Sylara?
Kel/Knight/Ryen/Any: Response
[Tag/TBC]
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Commander Toryn Raga
First Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
Writer ID: A239410TR0
https://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php?title=Toryn_Raga