Checking In

Posted on Fri Mar 29th, 2019 @ 3:26pm by Lieutenant Cheyanne Harrison & Commander Walter Prescott

Mission: A Day in the Life
Location: Engineering; Deputy Chief's Office
Timeline: Following New Day

ON: [[Deputy Chief’s Office, Starbase 332, 0754 Hours]]

Cheyanne had just gotten done with her medical, she wanted to get that out of the way so she could focus on her work. She found out where her office was going to be and had some of her things brought there already. She made her way there, she had her hair tied back into a low pony tail to where it was out of her face. Once she arrived she looked at her office and smiled, she was very organized so she figured she set up her office the way she liked it. She started to visualize where she wanted her things and meticulously started to put everything in it's place. She was very OCD about things being where they ought to be and would get upset when they were not, though she would not let it show.

[[Primary Engineering Bay]]

Despite having done his best to establish a “normal” routine since coming aboard, Prescott found that he still was not getting around to the different parts of the station as often as he would have liked. Something would invariably come up that demanded his attention and the whole day’s plan would end up for nought. Welcoming the newest member of his staff, however, seemed like more than a good enough reason to adjust his schedule.

Prescott entered the primary engineering bay just as the last of the teams were breaking up from their morning briefings. He passed engineers and technicians going over the latest status reports or getting started on projects for the day. Some paused what they were doing and straightened up a little when he passed. He nodded in their direction, offering a smile or a word of greeting as he did so.

Eventually, he came to the door that separated the deputy chief’s office from the rest of the compartment.

[[Deputy Chief’s Office]]

As the door chimed she looked up from her organization of her office, "Enter." Harrison replied.

The door opened and Prescott stepped into the room. Right away, he noticed the marked difference between the present occupant’s style and that of her predecessor, which had often seemed less that of an engineer and more an artist. The entire space seemed much more...ordered...than it had the last time Prescott had visited.

“Good morning, lieutenant,” he said, turning his attention to the woman standing near the desk, “Looks like you’re already settling in well. Everything go alright with the transfer yesterday?”

"Hello Commander," she replied with a smile. "Yes everything went well and we got settled just fine thank you." Harrison replied as she stopped what she was doing for a moment. "Would you care for something to drink Commander?" She offered him as she walked over to get herself a cup of coffee, black.

Prescott laughed a little. “I’ve had two cups already this morning, but thank you.”

She nodded as she ordered her cup and then walked back over to her new chair in her new office, "so what do I how this pleasure of your visit Commander?" She asked looking at him as she took a sip of her coffee.

“Mostly, this is me wanting to make sure we had a chance to see one another face-to-face,” Prescott said, “You know what these transitions can be like...a few quick hellos and then it’s off to the races.”

They both moved over to take a seat across from one another near the desk. Prescott rested the PADD he had been carrying face-down on his lap, keeping his focus on Harrison.

She raised an eyebrow, "I have gotten used to those over the years." She said as her reaction was that collected. She had learned over the years to expect the unexpected and always hoped for the best. It was how she survived her years at the Academy, and after the Academy.

Inwardly, Prescott couldn’t help but smile a little. Her collected reaction was to be expected from someone so new to the realities of station life. “You’re going to find living and working aboard a station, especially one like Starbase 332, is very different from what you’ve experienced aboard a starship,” he told her, “I know that probably sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many folks don’t really understand it until they’ve been around a few months.”

"My work is my life, besides my husband." Cheyanne said as she looked at him, "I understand that a Station is way different then a Starship but if I can handle an Odyssey-class Starship I am sure I can handle a Stardock-class Starbase." She said as she looked at him. "I might be organized, I do have a method for my work and it's worked well and it will continue to work." She added as she took another sip of her coffee.

"Maybe you're right about that. We'll just have to see..."

Prescott admired the lieutenant's confidence. When reviewing possible candidates, he had come across several that seemed like they might fit with where he hoped to be taking the department leadership. In the end, however, it was Harrison's service record that had stood out to him above all the rest as having the greatest potential. Her supervisors described her as a hard worker and a good problem-solver, but it was her strong sense of motivation that really put her over-the-top. She believed she had what it took to make things work.

"I know we only spoke once or twice before you arrived," he continued after a moment, "Did you have a chance to read over the orientation information I sent you?"

She looked at him and nodded, "Yes I did." Cheyanne said as she looked at him and smiled. "Read it three times," she added as she was the type that liked to read things more then once just in case she had missed something the first two times. "It's a habit," she added looking at him.

This time, Prescott really did smile. "I can't say I expected anything less from you, lieutenant," he said. The information he'd sent her was inspired by a little something he'd put together for himself several years back. After one too many times coming into a position and feeling under-prepared, he decided there had to be a better way of doing things. It worked so well that he'd used it ever since.

"When I first came aboard, things were a little...chaotic," Prescott continued, "This station's been through a lot - a terrorist bombing, a plague, an attack. I think a lot of the people who live here have just been doing whatever they could to keep up. If we want to help them, then we need to take a step beyond 'just keeping up' and actually chart our own course again."

"That does sound like a lot, but it also seems that everyone has pulled together to keep this baby together and everyone else in it." She said as she took a sip and placing the cup down on her desk on a coaster. "I will help keep her that way as well," she added with a smile as she was looking forward to it. It was her life, her passion besides her own husband.

"Glad to hear you say that, lieutenant..."

Prescott reached for the PADD that had been laying across his lap. The moment he flipped it over, the device came to life and lines of text appeared on the screen. He checked briefly to make sure the information was still correct, then turned the PADD around and held it out for Harrison to take. "Have a look," he said.

She took the padd from him and took a few moments to read it while he talked, she also listened to what he had to say as well.

"I'm not sure if you've noticed, but we are the biggest department around," Prescott told her as she read over the material, "Everything from power generation to supply requisition to support services falls under our jurisdiction. The division you'll be responsible for is one of the largest within our department, which means you're going to end up having a lot of influence. I trust you won't let it go to your head..."

She chuckled, "I promise I won't," she said as she winked as she finished reading the padd and set it down on her desk. "I do have my work cut out for me, plan on meeting my team later on this morning after I read some reports to get caught up on what's going on," Cheyanne replied as she looked at him.

"...and I'll make sure we have some time at the next staff meeting for you to get to know the other deputy chiefs," Prescott assured her. He didn't want Harrison thinking it was all on her to familiarize herself with the department. While he hoped at least one or two of the chiefs might take it upon themselves to visit her, the regular staff meeting seemed as good a place as any to make certain it got taken care of. "Did you have any questions for me before I let you go?"

"When is the next staff meeting?" She asked as that was the only question she had for him, "other than that I don't have any further questions at this time." She added as she stood up from her chair. She had her work cut out for her and she had a lot of work to do before lunchtime.

“We usually meet Monday mornings, try to get a sense for the week ahead,” Prescott said, “and usually once more later in the week to make sure we’re all still on the same page. Obviously, we can always call a meeting if we need to.”

"Sounds good," Cheyanne said with a smile. "Well I do got a long day ahead of me better get started," she said with a smile. "It was good meeting you and look forward into working with you." She added with a smile.

"Likewise, lieutenant."

OFF

Lieutenant Commander Walter Prescott
Chief of Operations
Starbase 332

Lieutenant Cheyanne Harrison
Deputy Chief of Operations, Engineering
Starbase 332