StarDate 241510.12 Joint Log: Chief Helm Officer and Science/Operations Cadet

Posted on Fri Nov 13th, 2015 @ 4:37am by Ensign Elanawen Valenar & Lieutenant JG Daniel Holland

1,134 words; about a 6 minute read

Elanawen felt a bit out of place as she stepped into the mess lounge. Her cadet’s uniform stood out, and she couldn’t help but feel that it stood out more than her civilian clothing had. Her subspace classes were progressing well, and it had been hinted that there might be more cadets that would be assigned to the Endeavour to finish out their training as well. Glancing through the few people in the lounge, Elanawen didn’t recognize anyone so she ordered herself breakfast from the replicator and sat down at one of the smaller tables in the corner by the window.

Holland entered the mess lounge with an unhappy scowl on his face. Since being forced by the XO to 'take some time off', he couldn't really do anything remotely resembling work without being insubordinate. Still, he had not really slept well and he couldn't stand being cooped up in his quarters anymore either. It was almost a relief when it had been time for breakfast. A few more hours and he could go back on duty. He got himself some milk and chocolate flavoured cereal and went in search of a table. He immediately spotted a familiar face and approached her.

"Good morning, mind if I join you?" Holland asked smiling at the somewhat contemplative expression. He wondered what she was thinking about. The events of the last few days seemed to have made most of the crew in a more serious mood, and with good reason.

Elanawen looked up from her plate and noticed the young Officer who had visited Stellar Cartography with Lieutenant Sato before the battle. She pressed her lips into a thin line while she tried to remember his name, and then smiled when she remembered it. Silently, she scolded herself for not remembering it sooner, since there were less than a handful of helmsmen on the Endeavour, and only three were even Officers.

“Good morning, Lieutenant Holland,” Elanawen said. “Please, have a seat.”

"Thank you," Holland said and sat down opposite her, "And please, when we're not working, 'Daniel' works better than the mouthful that is 'Lieutenant Holland'."

“I’m sorry, Sir . . . Daniel,” Elanawen corrected herself with a noticeable scowl. “It’s just that my Academy instructors are very strict on protocol, on duty and off, and my mother is the same way. She doesn’t see the difference between the two, sometimes.”

"Oh, I can empathise with that," Holland said with a wry chuckle and took a bite of cereal before continuing, "My father was the master of a civlian cargo liner and he was stickler for protocol. I guess that is part of why life aboard a starship and in Starfleet suits me so well. A starship is home to me." He shook his head, "But, we are not our parents, though they certainly influence us, and in the end we are who we choose to be."

“That almost sounds like exactly something my mother would say, only she would try to turn it into another reason why I should either join Starfleet or not,” Elanawen said as she shook her head. Having only seriously known her mother during the most recent years, especially during those years following the Dominion War, Elanawen had never known her mother to be the loving type, only the teaching and guiding kind.

"It seems that you've already made that decision," Holland remarked indicating the cadet tabs on her uniform. "Whether it is the right one, only time will tell. Speaking only for myself, I couldn't imagine doing anything else. My life is out here, on a starship, sitting at the helm and guiding us forward."

“I joined Starfleet so I could see the stars, get out and see what’s out there. I know it’s a decision that I won’t regret, I just hope that the timing is right,” Elanawen said.

"You have concerns?" Holland asked with a curious raised eyebrow, wondering why the 'timing' might not be 'right'. Elanawen seemed way too young to be having concerns about such matters. To him, it seemed she still had her entire life ahead of her.

“It’s difficult to explain. If there’s one thing I learned from my mother it’s to stand by your choices and commitments. I’ve made a commitment to join Starfleet, which to me is a long term endeavor. But there’s so much that I won’t experience, and of course while there are some things I can still do, doing those things while being a member of Starfleet is . . . not advisable,” Elanawen said.

Holland frowned in thought, thinking through what she had said and then asked with a shake of his head, "Like what exactly? Unless it is something that will endanger this ship or the Federation it serves, surely you can still pursue it. I mean...unless it is illegal?"

“Illegal, unethical, or just plain and simple unique,” Elanawen said with a faint smile.

"Being a Starfleet officer, I cannot condone anything illegal or unethical," Holland said with mock sternness. Then he laughed and shrugged, "But, if you ever need company for any 'unique' activities, you know where to find me."

“Oh, I’m sure there will be plenty of things that fall under the category of being unique that we’ll come across on our own. I can rest assured of that,” Elanawen said with a small giggle.

"I think you are exactly where you are meant to be," Holland told her with a nod of reassurance, "Your assistance during the planning for the battle was invaluable. You've already made a difference and you are still only a cadet. There are not many who can say that."

“Why, thank you,” Elanawen said, her cheeks blushing slightly at the compliment. So far, very few people had bothered to even speak to her, much less compliment her. She had spoken with a few of the senior officers shortly after the battle, but since then she had tried to stay under the radar in an effort to avoid attention. Cadets weren’t always highly thought of, and so far she had avoided drawing unfriendly attention to herself.

"You are welcome," Holland replied with a nod, trying to hide his amusement with her reaction. Having finished his breakfast, Holland rose and added, "I need to be going, but if you ever need help with anything, on or off duty, don't hesitate to ask."

“I’ll remember that,” Elanawen said with a smile. After the chief helm officer had left, Elanawen turned towards her breakfast and quickly finished eating before she stood and turned her tray back in to the replicator recycling system. Glancing at the time, she muttered before hurrying out of the mess hall and towards the science lab.

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