A Meeting of the Minds

Posted on Sat Nov 5th, 2022 @ 11:14pm by Commander Isabella dei`Silvisi & Lieutenant James 'Jim' Faraday & Ensign Zara Ross

957 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: The Return

The Sovereign class star-ship was imposing and Zara couldn't help but look about in awe as she made her way through the corridors. Having recently boarded to take her position as a science officer, she felt as if she was both unprepared and out of her element as well as very lucky. Few graduates from Starfleet Academy were assigned to ships such as the Endeavour for their first assignment, but Zara had graduated in the top five of her division and clearly that had caught someone's attention. As she finally found the doors to the main science lab, she stepped through and paused just inside the door as she took in the sight of the impressive lab.

Jim moved from the console he had been running a diagnostic at to another where a complex mathematical computation was running and silently whistled at the computer capabilities of the Endeavour. The new advancements in computer capabilities that Starfleet had recently made and installed in the new Endeavour still impressed him, and it also made his job easier. He could perform multiple operational tasks at the same time and not worry about crashing the computer matrix, something he had done at least twice on the previous Endeavour. Glancing up, he noticed the attractive blonde at the door and moved over. "Can I help you?" he asked.

Zara smiled towards the lieutenant and handed him her orders. "I've just been assigned to the Endeavour as a science officer, Sir, and I have to admit that I'm just a little over whelmed," she said.

Jim quickly checked the ensign out before he took the padd and glanced through the orders. "Well, you would first need to report to the XO or chief science officer, fortunately the boss lady should be back in a minute. What is our field of study?"

"I didn't specialize and any particular field, but rather I took the advanced basic courses as my primary studies and generalized courses in pretty much every field," Zara answered. "I didn't want to be tied down to one field for the duration of my career."

Isabella walked into the primary science lab reading a Padd and sipping a spiced tea. She had more or less settled in and put the science department in order, although there were still a few tasks that needed to be completed before departure. At the very least, she could safely say that the majority of the Endeavour's science department and its associated equipment was ready for active duty. Glancing up as she entered the science lab, she noticed Lieutenant Faraday speaking to a woman she hadn't met before. Curious, Isabella walked over and smiled. "Lieutenant Faraday, I hope you're not teaching this young ensign how to break the computer core matrix," she teased.

Jim sighed and shook his head as he handed the ensign's padd over to the chief. "Not yet, that's a special skill I only teach to the worthy," he said. "This is our newest science officer."

"I'm Ensign Zara Ross, ma'am," Zara said as she braced to attention. She took the moment to size up the newcomer, who clearly had to be the chief science officer. Although short, the beautiful woman before her wore the rank pips of a full commander and seemed more sure of herself and more comfortable with the other officers.

Isabella accepted the new Padd and slid it on top of the one she had been reading. Using her thumb, she scrolled through the pages and raised her eyebrow. "You're certainly the most generalized science officer I've seen in a long time," Isabella said. "And I see that you graduated top of your class." Looking up towards Ensign Ross, she smiled. "I'm Commander Isabella dei`Silvisi, chief science officer. I see you've already met Lieutenant Faraday."

"Jim, call me Jim," Jim said with a nod.

"Thank you, Ma'am, Sir," Zara said with a smile and a nod towards each in turn.

"There's no need to stand on formalities in the labs, at least the majority of the time," Isabella said as she handed Ensign Ross her Padd back. "But everyone has their own preferences and you'll have to learn them as you get familiar with everyone else. I think I'll assign you to shadow Lieutenant Faraday for a few weeks, that way you can learn the ship and crew better."

"That would be wonderful. Thank you, Commander," Zara said as she accepted her Padd back and smiled.

"That also means you'll be on the bridge from time to time," Jim said. "Around all those bridge officers and higher ups."

"Don't scare her," Isabella said. "And don't teach her any bad habits."

"No crashing the computer matrix, I got it," Jim said with a sigh.

"I'm confused by what that means," Zara said as she tried to follow the conversation between the two officers.

"Jim here has a history of somehow crashing a star-ship's computer matrix," Isabella said as she finished her tea. "In fact, he crashed the previous Endeavour's computer core matrix at least twice that I can recall, and he slowed the processing capabilities for a week."

"I didn't think that was possible," Zara said, somehow surprised and in awe of such an accomplishment.

"It's a special talent," Jim said as he shook his head. "Alright, I'm not teaching the newbie my bad habits. But I'm due for running a diagnostic on the bridge systems interface controls, so I guess we better get to it."

"Good luck, then," Isabella said with a smile. Moving to the side so that they could head out of the lab easily, she headed to her own workstation desk and hoped that the rest of the day went as smoothly as it had begun.

 

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