A Commanding Baseline

Posted on 15 Apr 2023 @ 3:41pm by Lieutenant T’Mari Rael & Commodore Harvey Geisler

1,843 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Milk Run
Location: Ready Room
Timeline: Mission Day 2 at 1030

Having gone through the records of the crew, T’Mari had spotted that it had been a while since the last baseline evaluation of her new Captain. Baselines were more informal than main evaluations. Heading up to the bridge she walked over to the ready room and pressed the chime.

The moment his former command was drydocked and he was given command of this smaller Black Hawk, Harvey had focused entirely on launching his new command. This required him to put just about everything regarding Belvedere on hold. And now, with the Black Hawk escorting a convoy to Gavara IV, a mission with seemingly no value, Harvey discovered that the best way to handle the mission... was not to handle the mission at all.

After all, what better excuse was there to catch up on weeks of paddwork, mission reports, processed intelligence, and so much more. One look at his desk, and Harvey found himself wishing for a qualified yeoman to help him stay organized. He missed Mila, but such were the casualties of decommissioning starships.

The door chime interrupted his thoughts as he was pushing through a rather dry update from the Valcour. As much as he wanted to catch up, he was grateful for the distraction. "Come in," he instructed, rising to head across the room where a carafe of coffee awaited.

Walking inside T’Mari offered a polite smile. “Forgive the intrusion Captain, I was just catching up on some paperwork and, Well I was hoping we could talk?”

The Captain scoffed as he stood in front the carafe. "Well, time is something I certainly have plenty of at the moment, Counselor. What's on your mind?" Before she could answer, he turned, met her gaze, and gestured to the coffeepot, a nonverbal way of asking if she'd like something to drink.

T’Mari nodded and smiled. “A hot chocolate if I may please Sir.” She moved across to a seat and sat down. “I was hoping to get to know you better, and give you a chance to get to know me better as well.”

Having finished refreshing his coffee, Harvey moved over to the replicator to place the counselor's drink order. "I suppose now is as good of a time as any," he surmised. "New counselor, new ship, basically a full crew. Medicine and psychology may be rooted by fact, but any person's gut instincts tends to play a role in diagnosis and care."

“Exactly” T’Mari nodded. “It’s all very well having personnel files, and medical records, they don’t give me an insight on the real person. That’s why I don’t tend to go by medical and counselling records, people change over time. I prefer to get to know people in the here and now.”

The replicator finished, allowing Harvey to pick up the produced beverage. He carried the steaming cup over to T'Mari and delivered it. "That's probably for the best," he said, deciding to sit on the couch rather than behind the desk, thinking that if he sat behind the desk that he'd project that he had something to hide. While Harvey had rarely cared for counselors, he knew all too well that their opinions mattered should he wish to keep the four pips on his breast. "Where would you like to start? Or I suppose I should ask, what would you like to know?"

T’Mari sipped her drink before placing it down beside her. “Well for starters what made you change direction just then? You were about to go for your desk as most Captain’s do, but instead you decided to sit on the couch. Was there a particular reason?”

His eyes blinked twice. While he had deliberately chosen this location, Harvey hadn't expected to be called out so quickly for it. Rather than try and suggest anything else, he answered, "I thought that if I were to sit behind the desk, it might be perceived that I put up a wall or barrier in preparation for this conversation."

T’Mari nodded. “Fair enough, I was simply curious as to your reasoning. There are those who prefer to have that barrier between, not seeming to want to be too close, too friendly, with their ship’s Counsellor. I’m happy to be as professional, or informal as you choose, I’m here to be your advisor, or simply a sounding board anytime you need it.”

"I have to admit," Harvey confessed, "my relationship with counselors has been a bit of a mixed bag. I didn't have to interact with them much until the war, and for several years there, I couldn't avoid them. Vulcans are rather cold and logical, and Tellarites like to get confrontational. I think the first counselor I was ever comfortable with was Doctor Stuart, but as with all of my former crew, the good ones tend to get reassigned all too quickly."

“Well this Vulcan isn’t cold and logical, and I don’t ever intend to be” T’Mari grinned. “Plus I have no plans to be going anywhere else. I don’t like to bounce around ships, and Starbases, it happens all too frequently for my liking. I plan on being here for as long as I’m needed.”

The Captain raised his mug as if he were about to make a toast. "Spoken like a true Starfleet officer." He brought the mug to his mouth and took a sip. "There was a time I felt the same way. At this point in my life, I think the only way I'm going to get away from the chair is to resign, and it's going to take a lot for me to do that."

T’Mari nodded. “I’m not one of those Starfleet Officers that has plans to make Captain, and go flying off in my own ship. I’m a Counsellor by heart, I’m not saying I don’t want to climb the ranks I’m just not in any hurry.” She smiled warmly. “So how many years have you served in Starfleet Captain?”

"What year is it?" Harvey asked, looking up at the ceiling for a moment. It'd felt like a lifetime ago since he begun wearing the four pips on his uniform, even though it hadn't been that long ago. "I've had the center chair for about three and a half years," he answered, looking back at T'Mari. "But that journey started as a Commander. I was promoted to Captain six months after taking command of the Black Hawk. The first one anyway."

T’Mari nodded as she listened. “It must have been hard losing the first Black Hawk, but at least you have this one now.” She smiled warmly.

He chuckled, offering a defeated smile in the process. "The first one isn't lost at all. She got cratered beside New Bajor, and Starfleet turned her into a monument to remember the Consortium Crisis." He didn't mention the fact that Starfleet had gutted much of the ship to be recycled amongst the ships still assigned to the Gamma Quadrant. "And the last one got sent back to the Alpha Quadrant to be salvaged."

“Ohh I see” T’Mari grinned. “Makes a change to be scrapped. Let’s hope this ship lasts longer than her predecessors!”

"Let's hope so too," Harvey agreed. "And, to be fair, I hope this is the ship I get to retire from."

T’Mari nodded. “How long do you plan on serving before retirement?”

The Captain shrugged and offered an honest answer, "That's a good question. I've been thinking about it for a while, and I can easily say that I would step down whenever Joey gets a command of her own. I'd keep the uniform only if I could have a position like I have now, commanding a task group, and I could do it from aboard her ship."

T’Mari smiled. “It’s nice to talk to someone whose actually got an idea of what he wants to do. Normally a question like that leaves people in somewhat of a quandary. It’s good that you have a clear vision.”

He considered her words for a moment. It was only then that he realized that he did have clarity regarding the direction of his life. "I guess so," he admitted. "If you'd found me a couple years ago, I'd definitely say that I didn't have clear vision. The only thing I cared about was the uniform, and that was largely because I had nowhere else to go."

T’Mari smiled. “Now you’re settled in, and it’s you to have that clarity of mind. That’s a good thing.”

Harvey returned the smile, and found himself thankful. He took a deep breath, and exhaled, saying, "Settled in... Yes, I suppose I am. Thank you for helping me see some perspective."

“That’s what I’m here for” T’Mari grinned. “To remind you of what you may have forgotten, as well as be your sounding board, advisor, and confidant, where needs be.”

"That's much appreciated," Harvey remarked before looking across the room to T'Mari. "What do you think, Doctor? I know you've only scratched the tip of the iceberg, but what's your professional opinion thus far?"

“Thus far?” T’Mari looked serious before grinning. “I think I’ve found a Captain whose right where he needs to be, who knows what he wants, and that I’m looking forward to getting to know, and learn from.”

He chuckled at the thought, not entirely sure what to make of her observation. "Well, don't tell all of my former therapists and counselors. They'll think you've been commandeered, possessed... whatever the technical term is these days. Or, worse yet, they'll think you've become another victim of the demon ship of the Gamma Quadrant."

“There’s no such thing as being possessed by this ship!” T’Mari grinned. “Yes, I like it here but that’s just me.”

Harvey offered a soft laugh, finding both amusement and satisfaction in her response. "Well, I certainly hope it stays that way. I will caution you, as this ship ventures further out in the Gamma Quadrant, we'll see phenomena like no one's ever seen. It takes a toll on the crew. You might wind up with your hands full in no time."

T’Mari nodded. “I’ll do my best to keep everyone mentally fit and healthy Sir, don’t worry about that.” She smiled warmly.

Harvey rose from the couch, his drink fully consumed. He approached the carafe to refill his mug and glanced over to the paddwork on his desk. "I'll do my best not to. Anything else on your mind?"

“Not particularly, to be honest it’s been nice getting to know you better.” T’Mari smiled warmly.

The Captain smiled, a fresh cup of coffee now in hand. "In that case, I should return to these status reports from the Task Group. If something does come to mind, please let me know."

{OFF}

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