Making First Impressions

Posted on Tue Mar 3rd, 2009 @ 11:30am by Lieutenant Commander Wesley Kemmer

907 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: In The Dark
Location: Intelligence Office
Timeline: Just after the staff briefing

"No sir," Arkham said stiffly, sipping at her scotch. "I do believe we've said everything that needed to be said here. You're all dismissed -- congratulations on getting through the easiest part of your jobs, gentlemen and ladies. It only gets harder from here."

As the senior staff filed out of the briefing room, Wesley Kemmer was one of the last to leave. As he did so however, he couldn’t save himself from stealing a glance back at the room, the inhabitants and the other ‘props’. He also couldn’t help thinking about Commander Arkham’s last words; briefings, meetings, even seminars, were definitely not the easiest part of being in Starfleet. In fact, these things were the hardest things to get through; his job was the easiest part. Doing his job, he largely didn’t have to worry about anything, or anyone else but himself. That was another hard thing about serving on board a starship, and being a department head in general – he had to worry about staff.

He had managed to avoid looking into his staff for almost two days. This wasn’t really something to be proud of as a department head but it served his purpose of seeing what his staff were capable of while not being overseen. Kemmer hated micromanagement with a passion, almost as much as he hated sickbays and routine investigations into his psyche, and as such since he was introduced to the effects of it, refused to go through it with anyone who worked under his command. Command; that was almost a joke, he was an Intelligence operative, he liked what he done and that he was good at doing it, but his recent injuries forced him to live his duty tour behind a desk. But it was time to see what that desk had on it.

The doors to the Intelligence office on deck three opened with their familiar shush. It looked empty. Wes peered in before entering the office fully and while glancing around one terminal, a sprightly young ensign came round another to greet him, “Lieutenant Commander Kemmer sir,� Wes swung round almost nose to the top of her head as she looked up to his full height, “Ensign Jessica Emry commander reporting for duty.�

It was all Kemmer could do to stop himself from lightly tapping her on her head like you would a five-year old; she was so petite and cute. Instead he held out his hand in the traditional humanistic handshake gesture, “Ensign,� he said with an almost curious smile, “I would say welcome aboard but you’ve been here longer than I have.�

“Not much longer commander, I only came aboard shortly before we left stardock. Lieutenant Leetar has been heading up the division for about four months before you came on, sir.�

“Ah, and where is the lieutenant?� Wes asked politely.

“He had a meeting with the senior strategic operations officer, sir, perhaps the two of you have met?�

A question; Wes was looking more for answers at this point, and side stepped it. “When is he due back?�

“Momentarily sir. Is there something that you wanted me to do in the mean time?�

This really made him curious, and while not consciously, his face must have got sterner as the Ensign’s demeanour changed. “Do, ensign? What have you been doing thus far?�

Ensign Emry started to falter a little, “Um, well sir, we’ve been continuing our investigations into the conflict so far, species biographical data, technologies involved…�

“Have you contacted anyone from the Citadel sectors?�

“I’m, I’m not sure sir.�

“Then that is what I would like you to do…� The doors to the Intelligence offices interrupted his train of thought for a moment and a Bolian male entered, they gray of his uniform and the Lieutenant junior grade pips on his collar telling him that this was Mister Leetar. “Mister Leetar I presume,� Wes greeted the Bolian.

“Lieutenant Commander Kemmer, I was wondering when you were going to be coming down here.�

“Really? I was wondering who was going to be checking in with who first, obviously you guys are very busy� flash glancing to Emry and then turning his attention back to Leetar, “very busy indeed. Before Ensign Emry here contacts our CIC and other staff involved in the Citadel sectors, have you done this already?�

“Not since we left sir. I spoke directly to the commanding officer of the Nagasaki just before we launched and obtained the current status reports.�

“Well there’s a start. Alright, I need to check in with the captain and first officer in an hour with some sort of update. Under file three-one-four-alpha-two, you’ll find what I have so far. I want you, the both of you to contact the current local CIC for updates on the situation there; I know that there have been outbreaks of violence in the capital among other places. Add whatever you find no matter how small or insignificant it might seem to the file, while I try to determine why our run to Citadel Prime has been so quiet so far.�

“Yes sir� Emry and Leetar both said in unison as Kemmer left the office. “You ever get the impression this is going to be a lot tougher assignment than you thought it was going to be lieutenant?�

“You’ve met the first officer… you tell me.�

 

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