Promoting from within

Posted on Tue Jan 5th, 2021 @ 7:26am by Captain Taliserra Tigran & Lieutenant Nilo Rodis & Petty Officer 1st Class Miranda Fry
Edited on on Tue Jan 5th, 2021 @ 12:03pm

Mission: To catch a thief
Location: Deck 1- Captains ready room
Timeline: 3rd April 2395 1315hrs

ON:

In her ready room Taliserra poured over personnel files although it was the last thing she wanted to be doing right now, she'd received a communique from Starfleet about some new crew that were supposed to be assigned to the Wolff; they wouldn't be showing up any time in the near future. So now she needed to find some crew to fill vacant spots including a new chief operations officer from her already existing crew for the foreseeable future.

"What do you think Miranda?" Taliserra asked her yeoman who sat nearby. "The most obvious choice would be Binea, she has practically been my chief ops for the last six months."

"It's not my place to decide for you Captain, Binea would be a good choice but sometimes the obvious choice is not the best one," Miranda replied.

"What about this Lieutenant Nilo? I don't remember seeing him around." Taliserra asked though she tried to get to know all of her crew sometimes a few slipped through the cracks.

"He came on board a few days after we got back to the Starbase, he's new to the ship but has the experience," Miranda said after bringing up his file on a PADD of her own. "Was assistant chief ops on the Capitoline for three years before dropping down to come here."

Taliserra glanced up at Miranda for a moment. "What do you think made him want to drop down to an older ship."

Miranda shrugged slightly. "I think that for that, you will have to ask him."

"I think I will," Taliserra said before tapping her combadge. =/\=Tigran to Lt Nilo.=/\=

Nilo was working away on replacing the ODN Sensor input inside one of the junction points on deck four, as per his maintenance schedule within the Operations department, when he heard his combadge beep for attention. What caught him by surprise a little was the fact that it was the Captain calling for him.

=/\=Lt Nilo here Captain, what can I do for you?=/\= tapping his combadge, Nilo asked in a polite way. It was the first time that the Captain had called for him since he'd boarded the Wolff. Up until now, the Bajoran Operations Officer had been going about his work as per the daily work schedules that were being handed out.

Once he was finished with replacing the sensor, Nilo pulled out a tricorder from his tool kit and began a diagnostic on the new sensor he'd fitted.

=/\=Please report to my ready room.=/\= Taliserra replied as she got up to fetch more tea from the replicator, anything to keep herself from yawning.

Nilo nodded as he completed the diagnostic on the sensor and then realised that he was nodding to himself. =/\=Understood Captain, I'm on my way, Lt Nilo out.=/\=
Nilo secured the tools and the tricorder away before heading to the nearest turbolift and selecting deck one as his destination.

He also noted during the brief trip that he hadn't been up to the Bridge so far during his transfer to the Wolff and was mildly curious to see how the Bridge layout on a Luna Class Starship differed from that of a Vesta class starship. Once he arrived on the Bridge, Nilo took a slow step out and took in the view around him as he could see the various Senior Officers and Bridge crew all working away at their various stations.

As he recalled the deck layouts he'd been studying recently, Nilo made his way to the Captains' Ready Room, taking note of the Bridge layout on the way. He thought it best to commit this to memory, not being sure when he would be required to return here again. Once he arrived at the Captains Ready Room, Nilo pressed the chime, and then pulled his duty tunic tight to make sure he was presentable.

"Come in." Came the Captains voice from the other side.

Once he heard the Captain, Nilo walked into the Captains Ready Room and stood to attention before her desk. looking over could see another officer in the room, but chose not to question as to why he was there in front of them both.

"Lieutenant Nilo, reporting as ordered Captain," Nilo said.

"At ease Lieutenant, please." She motioned to the chair opposite her desk. "I know you have not been a member of my crew for long but I understand you have a lot of time served in the Ops department."

Nilo took the seat as offered and set his tool kit down beside the chair. "Thank you," he said before making sure he was seated comfortably. "That's correct, I've spent the whole of my career working in the Operations Department since I graduated from Starfleet Academy in fact. I felt that my talents would be better put to good use in making sure that starships keep flying instead of trying to be one of those out there giving orders to put others to work."

Nilo tried to make sure that he was clear and carefully so about it when he explained why he'd been in the same department on three different starships so far and now being in Ops on the Wolff, that made four. "It's a department I have found that requires not just engineering skill, but also skills in other areas that often come in handy or of use and I look to make sure that I can do that here on board the Wolff," he added.

"You are preaching to the choir there Lieutenant, I was an Ops officer on this ship before taking command of it." She told him. "What would you say if I told you I was in need of a new Chief for the department?"

Nilo considered his next comment carefully as his train of thought was curious to see where the Captain was going with this line of enquiry. "I'd say that would explain why it seems our duty rosters & work schedules seem to be determined by Engineering, but I'd also guess that could be the norm," he said.

Pausing for a moment, Nilo continued. "What would you be looking for in an officer who would take up the role of Chief of Operations?" he asked.

"Someone with experience in the position, with a good deal of time served." Taliserra started then took a sip of tea. "Technical skill is good but people skills are just as important."

Nilo nodded as he listened to the Captain explain what she was looking for in this role. "Well, with your calling me here, it almost sounds like your ready to offer me the role, Captain, " he said, trying not to be presumptuous but recognising that his career and experience showed that he could be a good fit for the role.

"Would you take it, if it was offered?" Taliserra said then decided to get to the point, she was really wanting to go get some rest. "I do need someone to take the position."

Nilo thought for a moment when asked the question. He did appreciate the Captains directness that suddenly came about but could also understand why she had spoken of the role first.

"With my previous background in the Department and my time working as an Assistant Chief Of Operations on the last two vessels, it would make a nice change to be the one in charge," he said. "I'm happy to accept the position if offered it, Captain."

Nilo felt a sudden rush of warmth inside him as if all of the previous year's effort were now about to amount to something he could get his teeth into. It wasn't often he allowed pride in but, in this case, he felt is was a suitable time.

Taliserra smiled. "Then it's yours, congratulations."

Nilo smiled as the Captain made her decision. "Thank you, Captain, this feels like a great honour that you have chosen me for. I promise that you'll get nothing less than my best," Nilo said. "I'll admit that I wasn't expecting that today."

"I was not expecting to be woken up at 0200 this morning to cancel our shoreleave and come and see why this research base had gone quiet either," Taliserra said trying not to yawn as she spoke. "But sometimes we have to go with the cards we are dealt."

Knowing that saying only too well from when he had learnt about it at the Federation school that was set up in the Lonar Province after the Cardassians withdrew from the planet, Nilo understood that one perfectly. "Then it's been a very long day for you, and I thank you for taking the time to raise this with me," Nilo said. "Is there anything else I can do for you?" he asked, now aware that he was a senior officer.

"Get to know Lieutenant Binea," She told him. "she has essentially been my chief ops for quite some time, she'll get you up to speed on everything that is going on."

"Understood, Captain, I'll make arrangements to speak to her as soon as she has some free time," Nilo answered. "It'll be good to understand the current situation with the Operations Department on board and what priority we have during the current mission." Nilo was happy that he now had a way forward and knew that he would be in a better position once he spoke with Lieutenant Binea.

"Good." Taliserra smiled again. "I may require you for bridge duty later today but until then check out your new office and get used to the crew that is now yours to command."

Nilo nodded as he stood up before her desk. "Very well Captain, I'll be checking out the office and also looking into the crew that I have," he said before picking up his tool kit. "After then, I'll see you on the Bridge? I feel I need to get myself up to speed there and get used to being there when on duty."

With that, Nilo slid his chair back and stood before the Captains desk. "Just one last thing, Captain, whilst I obviously respond to Lt Nilo, as is Bajoran custom, my first name can also be used. Please, feel free to call me Rodis, if you feel that's necessary," he offered. "With your permission Captain, I'll get underway?"

Taliserra grinned slightly at the man's eagerness. "You do have a lot of catching up to do Lieutenant, so get to it. Dismissed."

"Thank you, Captain," Nilo said and with that, he nodded to both the Captain and the woman in the room before turning and leaving her Ready Room. As he re-entered the Bridge, Nilo recalled where the Bridge Operations station was from the schematics he'd read cone coming aboard and walked over to the station, where a chief was on watch.

As she looked up, she asked "Are you here for my relief sir?" and Nilo shook his head. "No, no Chief, carry on, I'm not due to Bridge watch until later on today," Nilo explained.

He watched the activity on the bridge for a few moments before heading to the turbolift, happy that he knew where his new workstation was. Nilo suddenly stopped when he noticed someone he hadn't seen for some time walk out of the turbolift walk out of the turbolift

"Summer?" he said quietly as she walked past him. As she turned to look back at him there was a smile on her face. Nilo wondered why she was on board and added that question to his list of things to do after seeing his new Operations Office and also speaking with Lieutenant Binea.

OFF:

Captain Taliserra Tigran
Commanding Officer

Lieutenant Nilo Rodis
Chief Operations Officer

Ensign Miranda Fry
Captains Yeoman