[Cmdr. Vanessa "Van" Caro]
Standing at the far end of the bright room, staring out at the view was a tall (relatively speaking) man. Her new captain. Van felt a small, small amused smile pull her lips and lift the corners of her eyes.
“Commander Vanessa Caro of the Starship Lexington, reporting for duty, sir,” she said calmly and clearly, enjoying the cadence of the words though her small smile neither grew nor faltered. It wasn’t the most musical thing she’d ever said, but saying the words ‘of the Starship Lexington’ pleased her immensely. It was going to be her home for the near foreseeable future, after all.
Van stood attention, waiting to be recognized.
Adams turned and faced her, smiling slightly. There was being polite and then there was stretching it. …Being a captain, he decided he might as well take the initiative himself. That in mind, he strode towards her, purposeful strides carrying him to her. He reached out a thick hand to her.
"Commander Caro, a pleasure to meet you. Com...Captain Ben Adams."
Van returned her new captain’s handshake firmly. She’d never appreciated soft, dainty handshakes although she’d use one if the situation called for it. Sometimes people were more willing to do what you asked when you seemed to be soft and dainty yourself. There were many times when Van had seen her mother go from ruthless haggler to dainty maiden in the course of an hour.
She returned her captain’s smile as well. Apparently this captaincy was very new, if that near slip-of-the-tongue was any indication. That he’d left the windows to greet her instead of compelling her to go to him was noteworthy as well.
"I apologize for being the lone member of the welcoming committee. It seems the rest of the senior staff is...well, not here at the moment. Hopefully that will be changing...soon."
Van’s smile slowly widened into an easy grin. “Actually, sir, I’m surprised we aren’t meeting on the Lexington. Captive audience, you know.” She released Capt. Adams’ hand, though her stance was still fairly formal. “Have you had a chance to take a tour of the ship, sir? I’ve reviewed the specs, of course, but it’s not the same as doing your own walkthrough. I admit I’m looking forward to reviewing the science labs.”
The doors behind them opened. Van’s smile reverted to her more usual expression of friendly curiosity. She noted that the other woman had, unfortunately, been saddled with a close-necked version of the dress uniform. If she remembered correctly, the skirt was less likely to ride up but the fabric was too stiff—and thus too tight—around the neck. It was enough to make you wonder who designed the dress uniforms. The standard, everyday uniforms were much more comfortable. Apparently there was something wrong with simply adding the appropriate embellishments to an already proven design.
Showing posts with label meeting the crew. Show all posts
Showing posts with label meeting the crew. Show all posts
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Meeting the Crew I
The captain had been lost in thought, forehead leaning on his arm as he peered out into the cool grey mist of the Bay. He let out a breath, briefly fogging the transparent titanium which comprised the wide expanse of the wall at Headquarters. The eyes reflected there narrowed a bit. Admiral Waverleigh had put him in a position. A bad position.
He knew first-time starship commanders never got to pick their new command crews. He knew that but still, to have to say to his friends, his comrades, the men and women who had saved his ass time and time again that on this, the moment of his greatest achievement, he couldn't share the moment with them was disappointing, to say the least. Instead, he was being drawn in with a bunch of strangers. He had no idea what to expect from them. Obviously they were all competent, otherwise well, they wouldn't be here.
Speaking of them being here, where.... a voice called out, breaking him from his thoughts, a firm feminine voice.
Commander Caro, hm? Adams turned and faced her, smiling slightly. There was being polite and then there was stretching it. She probably hadn't wanted to bother him and instead opted for the loud voice style of introduction. Interesting. Being a captain, he decided he might as well take the initiative himself. That in mind, he strode towards her, purposeful strides carrying him to her. He reached out a thick hand to her. Some traditions die hard.
"Commander Caro, a pleasure to meet you. Com...Captain Ben Adams." He smiled but winced inwardly. Damn, that half stripe of braid was taking some getting used to. He sized her up. Short, but not overly so. Pleasant enough face, strong voice.
"I apologize for being the lone member of the welcoming committee. It seems the rest of the senior staff is...well, not here at the moment. Hopefully that will be changing...soon." If she was adept at all at reading somebody's body language, she might notice a little tightening of the muscles on the last note. Obviously the captain was not thrilled at the situation he found himself in.
He knew first-time starship commanders never got to pick their new command crews. He knew that but still, to have to say to his friends, his comrades, the men and women who had saved his ass time and time again that on this, the moment of his greatest achievement, he couldn't share the moment with them was disappointing, to say the least. Instead, he was being drawn in with a bunch of strangers. He had no idea what to expect from them. Obviously they were all competent, otherwise well, they wouldn't be here.
Speaking of them being here, where.... a voice called out, breaking him from his thoughts, a firm feminine voice.
Commander Caro, hm? Adams turned and faced her, smiling slightly. There was being polite and then there was stretching it. She probably hadn't wanted to bother him and instead opted for the loud voice style of introduction. Interesting. Being a captain, he decided he might as well take the initiative himself. That in mind, he strode towards her, purposeful strides carrying him to her. He reached out a thick hand to her. Some traditions die hard.
"Commander Caro, a pleasure to meet you. Com...Captain Ben Adams." He smiled but winced inwardly. Damn, that half stripe of braid was taking some getting used to. He sized her up. Short, but not overly so. Pleasant enough face, strong voice.
"I apologize for being the lone member of the welcoming committee. It seems the rest of the senior staff is...well, not here at the moment. Hopefully that will be changing...soon." If she was adept at all at reading somebody's body language, she might notice a little tightening of the muscles on the last note. Obviously the captain was not thrilled at the situation he found himself in.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Commander Caro
Vanessa "Van" Caro tugged at the bodice of her blue dress uniform as she strode down the hall in the company of an ensign. She might have made a face, too, but she was fairly certain that the ensign looming over her (it was tough being 1.5-plus meters in an often 1.8-plus meters world) was part of her new crew and wouldn’t understand. It also wasn’t a good way to inspire confidence. He’d been glancing at her from the moment she first stepped out of a small gathering of officers, all waiting for their assignments.
“Commander Caro?”
She’d dimmed the smile she was flashing at Lieutenant Commander Felix and turned politely inquiring eyes on the blond young man in red. “That’s me. You my escort?”
The poor young man had tried to hide his surprise with mixed results. “Um, yes ma’am. I’m to take you to meet Captain Benjamin Adams.”
“Aw, Van, leaving us so soon?” Felix had crooned. A chorus of laughter had followed
She’d joined in, turning briefly toward the group. “As if you won’t be sorry to see me go, Jorge. You still owe me from that last game of poker,” she’d said, eyes flashing.
“I was hoping you’d forget.”
“Ha! I’m expecting my winnings plus interest when I see you next. In five years.”
That had inspired another round of laughter, as Van got her things together. Lt. Cmdr. Felix had sighed, catching her hand as she turned away. “You wouldn’t be so mean, would you, Van?”
“If I give you a break, Jorge, everyone will want one.”
Van had left to the sound of laughter and promises to make sure Felix paid up, matching the strides of the (to her) very tall ensign who now had pink ears.
No, making faces as the strode down the hall would not engender confidence. She was glad, then, that she had gone for a more severe hairstyle than she might have chosen otherwise. Her black hair was pulled away from her face, braided and coiled close to the back of her head in overlapping figure eights. It was pretty enough from the back, but fairly austere and reserved from the front. She wore the bare minimum of makeup on her permanently sun-kissed skin—partly out of respect to Starfleet regs, and partly so that she wouldn’t have to worry about it later. Trying to remember that she couldn’t wipe her sweaty forehead with her sleeve or rub her eyes because of her heavy foundation was more trouble than it was worth.
They took another corner and Van found herself tugging at the dress uniform again. It wasn’t that she disliked dresses or dress uniforms, she had her fair share of booth in her wardrobe, however she preferred dress uniforms for less…mobile occasion. They had a truly annoying tendency to ride.
“Here we are, Commander.”
Van inclined her head and gave the ensign a reserved, professional smile, quite unlike what he had seen before. “Thank you Ensign…”
“Curtis, ma’am.”
“Thank you, Ensign Curtis. You are dismissed.”
He nodded. “Ma’am.” She watched him march off until he turned a corner, then entered the waiting room.
Standing at the far end of the bright room, staring out at the view was a tall (relatively speaking) man. Her new captain. Van felt a small, small amused smile pull her lips and lift the corners of her eyes.
“Commander Vanessa Caro of the Starship Lexington, reporting for duty, sir,” she said calmly and clearly, enjoying the cadence of the words though her small smile neither grew nor faltered. It wasn’t the most musical thing she’d ever said, but saying the words ‘of the Starship Lexington’ pleased her immensely. It was going to be her home for the near foreseeable future, after all.
Van stood attention, waiting to be recognized.
“Commander Caro?”
She’d dimmed the smile she was flashing at Lieutenant Commander Felix and turned politely inquiring eyes on the blond young man in red. “That’s me. You my escort?”
The poor young man had tried to hide his surprise with mixed results. “Um, yes ma’am. I’m to take you to meet Captain Benjamin Adams.”
“Aw, Van, leaving us so soon?” Felix had crooned. A chorus of laughter had followed
She’d joined in, turning briefly toward the group. “As if you won’t be sorry to see me go, Jorge. You still owe me from that last game of poker,” she’d said, eyes flashing.
“I was hoping you’d forget.”
“Ha! I’m expecting my winnings plus interest when I see you next. In five years.”
That had inspired another round of laughter, as Van got her things together. Lt. Cmdr. Felix had sighed, catching her hand as she turned away. “You wouldn’t be so mean, would you, Van?”
“If I give you a break, Jorge, everyone will want one.”
Van had left to the sound of laughter and promises to make sure Felix paid up, matching the strides of the (to her) very tall ensign who now had pink ears.
No, making faces as the strode down the hall would not engender confidence. She was glad, then, that she had gone for a more severe hairstyle than she might have chosen otherwise. Her black hair was pulled away from her face, braided and coiled close to the back of her head in overlapping figure eights. It was pretty enough from the back, but fairly austere and reserved from the front. She wore the bare minimum of makeup on her permanently sun-kissed skin—partly out of respect to Starfleet regs, and partly so that she wouldn’t have to worry about it later. Trying to remember that she couldn’t wipe her sweaty forehead with her sleeve or rub her eyes because of her heavy foundation was more trouble than it was worth.
They took another corner and Van found herself tugging at the dress uniform again. It wasn’t that she disliked dresses or dress uniforms, she had her fair share of booth in her wardrobe, however she preferred dress uniforms for less…mobile occasion. They had a truly annoying tendency to ride.
“Here we are, Commander.”
Van inclined her head and gave the ensign a reserved, professional smile, quite unlike what he had seen before. “Thank you Ensign…”
“Curtis, ma’am.”
“Thank you, Ensign Curtis. You are dismissed.”
He nodded. “Ma’am.” She watched him march off until he turned a corner, then entered the waiting room.
Standing at the far end of the bright room, staring out at the view was a tall (relatively speaking) man. Her new captain. Van felt a small, small amused smile pull her lips and lift the corners of her eyes.
“Commander Vanessa Caro of the Starship Lexington, reporting for duty, sir,” she said calmly and clearly, enjoying the cadence of the words though her small smile neither grew nor faltered. It wasn’t the most musical thing she’d ever said, but saying the words ‘of the Starship Lexington’ pleased her immensely. It was going to be her home for the near foreseeable future, after all.
Van stood attention, waiting to be recognized.
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