USS PATRIOT: Holodeck ("New Responsibilities")

From: Katie T (kayteese_at_gmail.com)
Date: Thu Aug 23 2007 - 03:57:50 PDT


=/\=
"New Responsibilities"
(Continued from Bethany's "Aftermath")
=/\=

Location: USS PATRIOT
Stardate: 2.70823.10.23
Scene: Holodeck (Gym)

The PATRIOT's new Chief Engineering Officer sat on a mat in the middle
of a small gym. Her right leg was bent awkwardly up and back, so that
her knee lay against her shoulder blade while her foot rested
(comfortably?) against the back of her neck. Ginny's eyes were closed
and her breathing deep and regular. She remained in that position for
several minutes, then slowly and without opening her eyes uncurled her
leg and set it down in front of her. After another moment's pause she
lifted her other leg and seemingly without effort placed the left foot
behind her head this time.

"That's impressive. I don't think I've ever seen anyone with bones
this flexible," a voice said. Ginny opened her eyes. Tam Niala was
leaning against a near wall.

Ginny had been so engrossed in her stretching and breathing exercises
that she hadn't heard the counselor come in. Now she uncurled her
limbs and stood, briefly flexed her arms and legs and then smiled at
the Bajoran woman. "It's both the bones and joints that are more
flexible. That's one advantage of being part feline."

"Did you know that T'ial was dying to find out whether you had a
tail?" Niala asked with a chuckle.

"Was she really?" Ginny laughed out loud. "She could have just asked!
Instead she kept grilling me about where I grew up, how much I knew
about my Caitian relatives and whether my mother was expected to come
visiting anytime soon."

"I think she considered it part of the fun to find out for herself. Of
course she would never have admitted feeling either the exasperation
of not knowing or the elation at finally finding out. Vulcans!" Niala
commented with another chuckle. "Anyway, I came to ask how you are
settling in as CEO. I can come back later though if you'd prefer to
tie your legs in yet another knot."

"It's called yoga," Ginny admonished her good-naturedly. "Not quite
the classic style but enhanced with some exercises an Orion friend at
the academy showed me and a few ideas of my own. I was just finishing
up anyway."

She picked up a towel from where she had flung it on the floor earlier
and the two women left the gym together.

"So how does it feel to be CEO now?" Niala started anew.

"Weird," Ginny admitted. "You see, one day I was this lowly cadet
still in training, taking orders from anyone who'd bother to notice
me. And suddenly all these people are supposed to take orders from
*me* and regard me as their superior. Some of them are twice as old as
I am and graduated from Starfleet Academy before I was even born!"

"And do you feel that that will be a problem?"

The newly promoted ensign chewed her lip thoughtfully. "I'm not sure.
Most of them seem okay with it. I mean, it's not like I'm the first
ACT graduate ever to cross their way, so they know that I worked hard
to reach this position. But one or two have hinted that they don't
believe any "elite program" can make up for their superior life and
work experience. And I can't really blame them. Due to ACT I've just
bypassed years of grunt work and reached a level of responsibility
which most officers can only hope to attain after at least 10 or 15
years of loyal service. It's no surprise some of them are jealous."

The counselor considered this. "It's not, no. However, you do realize
that you can't let your sympathy for their feelings get in the way of
how you run your department?"

"What do you mean?"

"It sounds to me like you are doubting your right to occupy the Chief
Engineer's post."

Ginny considered this. "Maybe," she finally admitted.

"Why would you?" Niala countered. "Did you pull any favors to get the
post? Are you related to anyone in Starfleet Command who would have
the authority to appoint you to this position regardless of your
qualifications? Did you kill the previous CEO?"

"No, no, and no," Ginny laughed. "I get what you're saying. I
shouldn't doubt myself and I shouldn't take any slack from those who
don't like me for one reason or another."

"Good girl, that's the spirit." Niala patted the younger woman on the back.

The walked in silence for a while until finally Tam looked at Ginny
sideways and asked, "So, do you?"

"Do I what?" Ginny asked innocently.

"Have a tail!" the counselor exclaimed in mock exasperation, grinning
as she spoke.

"Oh, wouldn't you like to know..." Ginny giggled as she disappeared
down a side corridor, purposely swinging her hips a little more than
necessary and drawing stares from passing crewmen.

Tam gazed after her, then shook her head and walked off in a different
direction.

=/\=
NRPG: I figured I should really get a post out one of these days, and
while we're waiting for the new mission to start I came up with this
little filler.

I noticed that the PATRIOT website doesn't list any engineering staff
yet. Does that mean I can just make them all up?

BTW, congratulations to Erik for being CO now!

Bethany: I hope I did okay with Tam!

=/\=

Katie T.
Ensign Eugenie LaGrande
Chief Engineering Officer
USS PATRIOT

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