Improper Dress Code

Posted on Sat Sep 23rd, 2017 @ 6:01pm by Commander Isabella dei`Silvisi & Lieutenant Commander Akira-Ri Sato & Lieutenant JG Zoe Ellija

1,102 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Memento Mori

Isabella leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes briefly before she opened them again and tried to rub the sleep out of them. She had been trying to catch up on her paperwork ever since she had been released for duty by medical, only to find out that she had grossly underestimated just how much paperwork could build up in a few short weeks. If anything, Isabella now knew why Captain McKeon spent so much time in his ready room trying to wrestle with the mountain of PADDs that seemed to invade his desk. She had a similar invasion occurring on her desk. Most of it was routine ship-wide reports and status updates, nothing that seriously needed her attention, but Isabella preferred to read through everything completely. Too many times she had caught someone trying to sneak something by the command staff by adding in a promotion or transfer request at the end of a boring report on the expiration dates on each food ration package in the escape pods.

Picking up a random PADD and thumbing it to life, Isabella glanced at the contents and blinked. The contents had been sent to her from the captain and contained, much to her surprise, two promotion requests. Reading through each, Isabella nodded in agreement at each and set the PADD down. Touching the control panel on her desk, she activated the communications controls.

"Commander dei`Silvisi to Lieutenant Sato and Crewman Ellija, report to my office immediately," Isabella said.


Zoe had been nursing a cup of hot chocolate in the port side observation windows on deck ten. While not really a lounge, the two large view ports on either side of the ship were more thought of as observation areas. It was really an enlarged area where two corridors met, a small round table with an internal holographic fountain, a replicator and a few chairs. Zoe had been spending time there more often since she had been back on the Endeavour, mostly because there was very little traffic and the few people that did come this way often hurried by and didn't pay her any mind. So when the first officer's voice beeped through with an order to report to her office along with the chief of security, Zoe sighed. She had been expecting this. Standing, she set her mostly full cup in the replicator reclamation and started towards the turbo lift.


Jogging through the corridors wasn't something Akira liked to do, but with the gym full and the holodeck booked as well, she hadn't had much choice. Besides, it helped her find her way through the jungle and maze that was the Endeavour's corridors more easily. Everyone tasked with defending the ship was supposed to know the layout of the ship like the back of their hands, and unfortunately, even with the Endeavour being a rather small ship by Starfleet standards, most people didn't know anything beyond what they needed to know. Deck eight was the perfect area of the Endeavour for a nice jog, though. The twisting corridors and literal maze of rooms meant that Akira could run until she was exhausted and it would be a good run, as long as she didn't veer into one of the boarding port ways. She was rounding a corner near the deuterium injector bay when the voice of Commander Silvisi made her pause. Listening, she frowned and slowed to a brisk walk. She wished that it wasn't immediate, since she was dressed in her PT shorts and a T-shirt, but a ship's executive officer you didn't keep waiting. She hurried to the turbo-lift and hoped this wasn't about the incident with Connor.


Zoe somehow arrived first, which surprised her since she had tried not to hurry and she had crossed half of the ship. But she arrived and was about to tap the door chime when she hesitated briefly.


Akira arrived, having caught her breath and thanking the internal air conditioning system for cooling her off. Seeing Crewman Ellija already there, she smiled as she stepped up beside the helmsman. "Have you buzzed the door?" she asked.


Zoe jumped a little and shook her head. "No, Ma'am, I just got here and to be honest, I kind of chickened out for a moment," she replied.


Akira smiled and reached out to tap the door chime. "It's alright. Everyone gets called to the principal's office. At least it's not the captain in a bad mood," she said with a laugh.


Isabella called for the door to open as she heard the door chime. It opened to reveal Crewman Ellija in uniform and Lieutenant Sato in PT shorts and a sweat covered T-shirt that clung to the woman's every curve. Isabella started to raise an eyebrow, but instead she simply tilted her head and motioned for both women to enter. "I'm afraid I call you both here to address a serious matter," she said.


'Oh, shit, please not the Connor issue, please, please, please' Zoe thought quickly, hoping that there weren't any telepath anywhere nearby.


"May I ask what matter that may be, Ma'am," Akira asked.


"Neither of you are in proper uniform," Isabella replied, trying hard not to let the serious expression on her face slip with a huge grin. "I'm afraid that it's improper for a lieutenant commander and a petty officer to not display their proper ranks, and I believe that the charges of impersonating a Starfleet officer and a Starfleet crewman are serious charges."


"I'm sorry, commander, but I am a crewman, first class," Zoe said, not understanding.


"Not as of yesterday. The captain didn't bother to warn me and I just found out today, so," Isabella took a step forward with a smile as she reached out and removed the three straight slashes from Zoe's collar and replaced them with the single chevron of a petty officer, third class. "Congratulations, Petty Officer."


"Thank you, Ma'am," Zoe said, feeling her depression lift somewhat as she let her fingers brush the raised chevron of her new rank.


"And now," Isabella said as she turned to her desk and picked up a small black box. Turning towards Akira, the Italian woman smiled. "Naturally, I can't add this since you're not in uniform, but the next time I see you wearing it I expect you will be sure to wear this as well. Congratulations, Lieutenant Commander."


"Thank you, Commander," Akira said as she accepted the box. She opened it to reveal the single gold lined black pip, and then snapped the box shut with a snap.


"Dismissed," Isabella said with a smile.

 

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