Another Day, Another Shuttle

Posted on Saturday March 5th, 2022 @ 1:32am by Commander Kanaka Shakura & Lieutenant Nicholas Coleman & Lieutenant Serran

4,436 words; about a 22 minute read

Mission: S1-A1-Ep. 2: Our Foremost Virtues
Location: Shuttlecraft Aztec/USS Poseidon
Timeline: En-route to Starbase 129; Stardate 72143.6
Tags: Cultural Division, Serran, Nicholas Coleman

[ON]

Coleman was at the helm of the Shuttlecraft Aztec and input a few commands as the shuttle was at warp. He was heading to the USS Poseidon, which was in route to Starbase 47 to ferry some Cardassians back to Starbase 129. It gave Nick some time to look over the crew logs, cadet information, and brush up on the basics from each and every department since he was going to be working with cadets from each.

Coleman had accepted the position of a Cultural Officer onboard the USS Poseidon, a Miranda-Class Starship serving as a Cadet-Training Vessel. Coleman was excited for the change because, after a few decades in the Department of the JAG, he needed a change. Not that the JAG offices were amazing, it was just getting to the point where Coleman felt it was the same types of cases over and over again. Imagination took over and finger-pointing was something that had become more common and the JAG had to investigate each case for its merits.

Thus, Nick decided to go back to something similar that he felt passionate about. Diplomacy. Mix that with cadets from around the member worlds of the United Federation of Planets and you had a Cultural Officer. However, Nick felt this posting was going to be even more than that. He couldn't put his finger on it and that was another part that excited him.

A beeping on the panel in front of him brought Nick out of him zoning out. It was the onboard computer letting him know that the shuttle had come out of warp and was approaching the destination. As the shuttle grew closer, Nick could see out of the front viewport his new ship. It might not have been the most glamourous ship or the newest, but it was still impressive.

Nick opened a channel to the Poseidon's Operations Department and got permission to come aboard. Once he was cleared to come, he came around the back of the ship to Shuttlebay One, which was opened and ready for him. They took control of his shuttle as it was coming in, so there wasn't any incident or injuries to anyone. It only took a few moments for the shuttle to get inside and the doors to close behind them, allowing Nick to open the shuttle up and walk onto the deck.

Nick walked over to the Quartermaster on deck, getting his assignment for quarters, and went down there to make sure everything arrived safely, as well as put his duffle bag onto his bed. Once everything was safely accounted for, Nick knew he would have to report to the XO. He had studied the schematics of the ship before arriving and headed up to the XO's Office and touched the bell pad, waiting to be invited inside.

"Come!" A loud, calm tone called from inside.

Upon entering, Nicholas would enter to see a room that was designed to be professional but also inviting: along the walls hung a variety of artworks and pieces evoking the variety of cultures and species aboard the Poseidon. Behind the Commander's desk upon the wall were her qualifications and commendations from previous tours. A modest bookshelf offered a selection of literature predominantly around the social sciences, and in the corners of the room, there were pieces of sculpture and large potted plants diagonally opposed to one another. Even with all this, the space was large, and otherwise only equipped with a straightforward but comfortable-looking pair of lounge chairs and a table in the centre of the room. What only added to the sense of enormity in the space were the large viewscreens on the far side of the room, which invited in bright lights of the stars and nebulas beyond as the ship continued its journey across the Alpha Quadrant towards the edges of Federation space.

Standing behind the desk was Commander Kanaka Shakura, who was almost a foot shorter than Nicholas yet had a built stature and fair face with a strong jawline, which gave her quite an immediate presence - notwithstanding the Commander pips on her blue officer's tunic. Her deep black eyes looked intently at the Lieutenant as he entered, and at the same time, she placed the PADD she was holding down on her desk and held her left hand behind her back as she walked around and approached him.

"Lieutenant Coleman, I presume?" The Commander smiled politely as she offered him a firm handshake. "I'm Commander Kanaka Shakura, the Executive Officer and Chief Counsellor of the Poseidon. I trust your shuttle journey from Starbase Forty-Seven was painless enough? I apologize that we just missed picking you up ourselves, we're working on quite a tight schedule." Her tone was formal, yet very sincere.

Taking her hand and shaking it, Coleman replied, "Yes, Ma'am. I'm reporting on board as the Assistant Chief Cultural Officer. I hope that I'm not infringing upon anything important that you were working on. Like you said, it seems like you guys had a tight schedule and I didn't mean to make you guys late for anything." Looking around, Coleman could tell that she was definitely a shrink and he didn't know how to feel about it.

Coleman was never truly good around shrinks and counsellors. Growing up and not wholly knowing about his past until adulthood, Coleman went to several counsellors throughout his life. When he found out that he was a member of a species that had been scattered throughout the known galaxy, it just added an extra flair for him and more counseling sessions.

However, Coleman felt safe here, too. So, he was excited to see what was to come from this posting.

Taking a step back and taking it all in, Nick said, "This posting seemed rather interesting and I was studying up on your cadet compliment. I hear that you're getting a few more en-route to Starbase 47. Can you tell me about bit more about who is on board and what their fields of study are?"

The Commander listened intently to the new Lieutenant's tone as he responded to her greeting, and noted his over-politeness when he apologised for 'intruding', which she found curious since this had been a time specifically scheduled to meet both him and his counterpart. For now, she would just put it down to nerves, but as he took a clear look around her office it was clear that there was probably a lot more on his mind.

"The Poseidon is definitely something of a special posting. She's an old - albeit retrofitted - ship, but she has a strong history and has proven herself to be reliable. In a lot of ways I've come to appreciate why they chose this ship specifically to serve as an Academy Training Vessel; it has that aura that all Cadets dream of when they think of a starship, and I think that capitalises on both their excitement and their eagerness to do well."

While her tone was still formal there was a spark of genuine warmth and fondness in her voice. Having been Executive Officer for over a year now, it had really grown on Kanaka. It was never something she had originally striven for - all she wanted originally was to be a Ship's Counsellor, and a good one at that - but the fates had destined more for her, it seemed. Despite some challenges, she had come to be grateful for the chance to be Executive Officer of this ship in particular.

Gesturing for Nicholas to take a seat in one of the lounge chairs, she continued, "I can certainly tell you more about the other cadets that are on-board, but before I do I think it best we wait for your Chief to arrive first. It'll be great to go over everything with you both present. They were scheduled to arrive not long after you, so I doubt they'll be too much longer."

"I heard that our new Chief Cultural Officer was a Vulcan. I've lived among the Vulcan people while I taught at the Vulcan Science Academy, so I hope that I can make a good first impression on him," Coleman said, sitting down on one of the chairs that the XO had offered.

Serran could have chosen to sit up front with the pilot, rank having its privileges and all, but he had declined. It was not that he was jaded, he loved to watch the stars go by and had specifically requested a room with a viewport. But, he had chosen instead to spend time meditating and reading. His book of choice Being And Nothingness, Satre was unique, even by Terran standards.

Interesting and if he were being honest, a bit depressing.

He put the book aside and checked his PAAD to make sure that his aquarium had arrived on board and had been taken to his quarters. He would head there as soon as his meeting was concluded.

Just before the shuttle's arrival, he changed into a freshly replicated uniform, pulled his hair into a ponytail, and stepped into the Poseidon He had been a department head before, but this was different. This was, up until that moment, the apex of his career It would be a challenge. Logically, he knew he was capable. But there was a fear, one he tried to keep buried far beneath the surface, that he wasn't up to the task. He'd already failed once, in a personal relationship, when didn't want to fail again in a very public one.

He tapped his hand to his comm badge to let the XO know that he was on his way. Technically, he was late, though that wasn't his fault, so he moved quickly to where the computer had told him where the meeting was being held.

Quirking a brow, he stepped into the room.

"Greetings," he said in a cool, practiced tone, "It is agreeable to see you. Holding his left handing the traditional Vulcan gesture, he continued, to the room's two occupants, "Live long and prosper."

"Live Long and Prosper", Kana returned the gesture back to the Vulcan who had just strode into her office. She did it with such ease and comfort that it was almost a dead giveaway she had once been under the tutelage of a Vulcan herself, and there was a time when such a greeting was almost a daily occurrence.

Coleman stood up and offered the Vulcan salute back. "I'm Lieutenant Coleman. I'm the Assistant Chief Cultural Officer. Might I assume that you're Lieutenant Serran, the new Chief Cultural Officer?" Coleman said, looking at the colour of the tunic and the rank pips the blonde-haired man had on his collar. Coleman realized that he was being rude by looking his superior over, but after living on Vulcan for a number of years, he had yet met a Vulcan with blonde hair before. So, it was a unique experience for him to meet one.

Kana decided to allow herself to fade into the background for just a moment, so she could quietly and politely observe the ensuing interaction between both Lieutenant Serran and Lieutenant Coleman. Having reviewed both their profiles during the scouting process for desirable applicants for the leadership of the Poseidon's specially tailored Cultural Division, the both of them had stood out head and shoulders above the rest.

What she had hoped to gain from this meeting though - and why she had scheduled it so that she could see them both together, aside from efficiency - was to gauge how well they would interact as individuals. The first interaction between two new acquaintances often gave quite a few important tell-tale signs, which the Chief Counsellor was more than ready to look out for.

"Greetings Lieutenant, your assumptions are correct, I am Serran and your conclusions are logical. I am indeed the Cultural Division Chief."

Serran noticed the man's stare but chose not to broach the subject. He was not the only human. or other being to do so. He assumed it was mere curiosity.

He held out his hand. "I believe this is the human custom. I'd like to get off on the right foot."

Coleman looked down at the other man's hand that was held out to shake. It made Coleman look at it for a moment, as confused. But, it wasn't confusion as much as it was curiosity. Serran was almost like the best of both worlds, Human and Vulcan. Deciding that it would be rude to keep the other man any longer, Coleman extended his own hand and shook Serran's.

Looking back up at the other man, Coleman said, "I hope that you don't mind it, but I've got a few ideas for our cadets. If the both of you would like to hear them?"

At this point, Kana saw right to speak up again. "Of course. Please, both of you, take a seat."

She smiled warmly and patted the backs of the two lounge chairs she had set beside each other on one side of the lounge table that she had close to the centre of the room. On the table, the Commander had laid out a spread of light snacks and fresh tea, brewed in a ceramic teapot decorated with intricately painted Betazoid symbology. She sat on the other side from them, the large viewports behind showing the lights of all the stars and nebulas as the ship continued its journey to Starbase 129.

Lifting the teapot, she began to pour them both some tea, before pouring some for herself. As she did so, she explained, "As you both well know by now, you've both been assigned here to head up a department that's quite a new concept in Starfleet. What we've taken to referring to as the Cultural Division is an amalgam of educational and social welfare responsibilities for all the Cadets aboard the ship as part of its role as an Academy Training Vessel..."

She paused for a brief moment to allow all the information she was offloading onto them to sink in, before she continued, "Both of these responsibilities you share in concert with the rest of the Departments aboard this ship; the Departments to which all the Cadets are assigned in regards to their vocational education, and my Counselling Department in regards to their welfare. You will both help lead and oversee the integration of these efforts. In regards to their standard Academy education outside of their hands-on experience, that is solely your domain."

Taking another pause to have a sip of her tea and resting the warm cup in her hands, she then continued some more, "There's also the matter that both of you have been selected for your experience in diplomacy, and so the ship's Diplomatic Corps has been assigned to your Division. Therefore, in the event of a diplomatic mission, we will turn to your expertise to help coordinate that effort. Your diplomatic experience, we believe, will also serve you well in helping to foster cross-cultural unity aboard the ship, especially between Federation recruits and non-Federation exchange officers."

At the mention of that, she briefly thought of Lieutenant Commander T'vek - their Romulan Chief Medical Officer - before concluding, "Obviously this is a tremendous amount of work, but the integration with other Departments should make it possible to share the workload where required. It's also our hope that, while you retain the traditional positions of Chief and Assistant Chief respectively, you'll both foster a cooperative style of leadership."

After that long address, she turned in her seat to Lieutenant Coleman, crossing one leg as she did so. "Before I go on to tell you both about the cadets onboard, you said you had some ideas you'd like to share?"

"Well, something I had in mind, with permission, of course, was to pair up the cadets on board and make a buddy system for them. I don't know if they're all fourth-year cadets or not, but it would be helpful to have someone to lean on when there's something stressing you out or when you just need to talk to someone about stuff going on in your life. Maybe, do it by department or by year at the academy. That way, the cadets would have something in common with the cadets they're paired with. That's why I was asking about the cadet complement too. I wanted to see how many cadets we should pair with one another," Coleman said, looking at his fellow officers, trying to gauge their response to his idea.

Coleman remembered back to his academy days, back in the 23rd century, and remembered when he was stressed out, there weren't a lot of people he could talk to. The Counseling programs didn't start picking up steam on Federation Starships until after his academy days and thus, a buddy system while on the training cruise would have been beneficial for him.

"It's just that...back in the times when I was at the academy, there wasn't much support for Cadets during their cruises on Starships and Starbases. Even though it's a lot better now, it couldn't hurt to have someone going through the same stuff you're going through to lean on for support," Coleman said, trying to convey some of the emotion behind his idea.

Serran nodded as Coleman spoke. "I believe you've come up with a good idea, with that buddy system of yours Lieutenant. My suggestion would be to do it by year rather than a department. It might be more advantageous for them if they were sharing general concerns rather than...talking shop."

"I have a similar idea as well. A mentor in their department, that they can discuss those issues specifically towards their department. I've personally found that the practical application of the lessons and principles learned at the Academy is often complicated, sometimes even frustrating."

"As to the XO's suggestion, I think that is a sound and logical suggestion that we share responsibility."

Listening to them both speak, Kana was pleased to hear them both agree on their ideas and to have thoughts that seemed to be progressing in a similar direction. A great first sign.

"You'll both be pleased to know, then," she responded to them both, "that when the Cadets first came aboard, they were all quick to find a comradery amongst each other across departments. So I think your plans - given a formal structure - would be received quite well. I wouldn't suggest splitting anyone up if they're already happy with their current roommate, however."

On one end of the table, there was a stack of three PADDs. At this point, she grabbed them and handed one to each of them, and kept one for herself. "These PADDs contain the profiles of all our current Cadets on board; I've taken the liberty of highlighting some choice cases, one's that I think reflect the diversity and make-up of the cohort we have onboard. Each of them promising but also complex in their own way. Take Cadet Graydon, for example..."

With a flick of her fingers, she used her PADD to bring up the file on the Operations Cadet Freshman Chloe Graydon on both Coleman's and Serran's PADDs. "Sixteen years old, very bright. Daughter to the Marine Commanding Officer and ship's Second Officer, Phoebe Graydon. Has shown tremendous promise in her role and studies. She is also, currently, working through an early pregnancy..." Kana allowed that last bit of information to hang for a moment.

"I'm already working with both her, her mother, and the father - who we shall get to in a moment - to help support them through what is obviously a stressful time for her. We've made every allowance to ensure this does not affect either her duties or her studies. This is just one key example of the sorts of factors you will have to bear in mind when carrying out this role."

She paused for a moment to allow either of them to react or ask questions before she continued.

Coleman looked at Serran and Shakura for a moment and put up a finger like he wanted to ask a question, but kept himself quiet for a moment. He looked at the PADD for information about the situation before going back to ask his question.

Coleman asked, "I know this might be a strange question to ask, but what about the father of the child? I know that there can be some touchy situations with the father of the children and I don't want to cause any more stress on the mother of the baby if he's not going to be in the picture or if there's something else that going on with him. Especially with a younger mother."

Taking a look over the current cadet list, Coleman liked what he saw with the manifest aboard the Poseidon. There was a good mixture of different departments and different levels of Cadets aboard. Looking back over at Serran and Shakura, Coleman said, "As for the idea about a buddy list, we can keep their current roommate assignments as they are, especially since they've been together for this long already. Maybe what we can do is assign some of the cadets that have been on board that are on the same level to some of the newer cadets onboard. I'm seeing here we got at least one new cadet onboard, a fourth-year in your own department Commander. Cadet Cody Matthews. It's something that can turn into a mentoring program of sorts and maybe help with the transitions to life on a Starship."

Serran too had a question about the father but saw no reason to bring up his own curiosity since Coleman had already broached the subject.

He glanced down at his PADD, "It looks like there is another cadet as well, one who just came on board. He is in the medical department, a Loren Finanhad. He's been assigned to be Cadet Matthews, so that would be a natural fit.

"And I think we are all in agreement about the mentoring program in principle. Commander, would you be willing to be a mentor? Can you recommend others of the crew, that would have the time and interest in such a program?"

To Lieutenant Coleman's first question about the father of the unborn child, Kana responded. "The father is also a young freshman cadet onboard; Caleb Johnson, no relation to the Captain." She flicked her wrist again and this time the young Johnson's profile appeared. It showed his record for a hard work ethic, but also his own difficult past. It was clear that the young man had no intention of causing anyone harm, but that he did struggle with the weight of social responsibility sometimes.

"Caleb is committed to being there for both Chloe and their unborn child. But that of course puts a lot of pressure on them both. As I said, I will be here to support them from the psychological welfare side of things; I'll be depending on you both to help them with their studies and social welfare."

At the mention of being a Mentor for the programme that Coleman was putting forward, Kana responded. "Since the senior officers are all acting as mentors in some sort of unofficial capacity anyway to the cadets in their department, I'd suggest we start with them. If needs require, that mentorship role can be passed onto a junior officer. As XO, I consider myself a mentor to all the ship's crew, but for the explicit purposes of your proposed programme...I'd suggest I start by continuing my work with Cadet Freshman Grade Daisy Stanier, who works as my Aide and you both likely passed outside. Cadet Senior Grade Cody Matthews is also likely to be someone I support, alongside Lieutenant Commander T'vek."

Content that they had covered all the most important points, the Commander stood. "Is there anything else either of you would like to discuss or do you feel sufficiently briefed?"

"I think I am satisfied," Serran replied. What about you Lieutenant?" The Vulcan turned to Coleman. "Would you prefer me to call you Nicholas, or do you have a nickname?"

"For the moment, I'm satisfied. However, I think we're just beginning our journey Lieutenant Serran. As for the name, you can call me Nicholas or just plain Nick, if either of you'd like. That's what my mother calls me unless she's upset," Nick said with a smile on his face. He was excited to begin this journey and begin to interview the cadets on board to see what their lives were like and to begin the mentoring program and buddy system. Nick was happy that he was able to mentor these young men and women, helping shape them into what he knew they could become.

Looking over at Lieutenant Serran, Nick said, "Sir, after we get settled into our quarters and start our next duty shift, I would like to begin talking to the cadets with you. There's a lot of them and I want to introduce ourselves as soon as possible. How does a meeting between you and I sound at 0900 hours tomorrow morning sound?"

"That will work for my schedule. Let's make it my office if that is acceptable."

Content that they were both in a strong enough position to begin their work together, the Commander finished her tea and stood as she began making her way back towards her desk, in a polite gesture of saying that it was time for them both to leave. Her initial impressions of them both were that they were a perfect complement, something that she hoped would be proven right in short order.

"I shall leave you two to coordinate your next few steps amongst yourselves. The Cultural Division Annex is on this same deck; it comprises the Diplomatic Corps Offices and the Theatre Complex, which can function as both Chapel, Lecture Hall, and Theatre on any given occasion. I eagerly await reports of your progress; you will find me first thing in the morning in the Bridge Foyer should you need to appraise me of anything on any given day. Otherwise, hail me should you need anything."

Coleman nodded and looked forward to the future of the program onboard the USS Poseidon.

[OFF]

Cmdr. Kanaka "Kana" Shakura
Executive Officer & Chief Counsellor
U.S.S. Poseidon

&

Lt. Serran
Chief Cultural Officer
USS Poseidon

&

Lieutenant Nicholas Coleman
Assistant Chief Cultural Officer
USS Poseidon

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