Preflight checks

Posted on Wed Jul 10th, 2019 @ 8:54pm by Lieutenant Commander William Rogers & Captain Abigail Laurens

Mission: Getting To Know You
Location: Captains Ready Room
Timeline: Prior to launch

Having tossed his duffel on the bed in his quarters Bill made his way straight to the bridge for the first of his arrival meetings - reporting to the CO. He pressed the chime and waited to be called in.

"Enter," Abigail called, looking up from her desk with a smile. For the nth day in a row she was starting to feel a bit like a human yoyo, bobbing up and down to greet each new person as they came. She could feel the dull ache in her hamstrings and quads already, but still she smiled. As the newcomer entered her ready room, Abigail held her hand out. "Welcome to the Astraea," she said warmly. "I'm Commander Abigail Laurens."

Bill saluted before he stepped forward to shake the commander's hand. His grip was firm, but not so much so that he risked crushing her hand. "Lt William Rogers, Ma'am. I'm to be your new head of Flight Control."

"Oh, yes," Abigail smiled as she shook his hand. "I had heard you had come aboard. Take a seat," she said, motioning toward the chair opposite her. "Can I get you something from the replicator? I don't know about you but I need a latte. I swear I must replicate dozens of them a day but I'd be lucky if I finish one or two," she said with a laugh.

"Glass of water, if you dont mind, Ma'am." Bill lowered himself onto the seat and placed the PaDD containing his transfer orders on the desk in front of him. "Never developed a taste for those myself. Usually take my coffee black."

Replicating the two drinks, Abigail carried them back to her desk, handing his to him before she sank back into her own seat. "I was actually just not long ago reviewing your records," she said with a smile. "You have a very... unique set of circumstances."

"That's one way of putting it." Bill laughed. "Although if you listen to the boys and girls at Temporal Displacement youd think they're always fishing people from my time out of cryo."

"Honestly, you're the second I've encountered, but let's just say you're the first who's told the tale," she said with a chagrined smirk. "I can't even begin to fathom what your adjustment period must have been like, to suddenly come to terms with a whole different reality?"

"Wasn't easy." Bill shook his head, but his smile remained, the sharp edges of the memory smoothed by time. "Circumstances of my recovery made it sink or swim."

Abigail nodded slowly. "i want you to check in with sickbay, make sure you get together with Lieutenant Morgan, he's the Chief Medical Officer. Run him through your medical history so that he's fully across everything. He can brief his staff if he feels it necessary. I want you to make sure you set aside time to meet with Lieutenant Engels as well, he's a little unorthodox but it'll be good to have him across your history." She paused momentarily and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I wasn't intending to make you sound like you need handholding, I just want to make sure you have your support network in place before we leave the station."

"It's not a problem Ma'am." Bill took a leisurely sip from his glass. "I'll add the doctor to the list. Temporal Displacement like me to check in with Counselling whenever I start on a new ship too. Planning to do that after I see the CIO. Would that be Lt Engles?"

Abigail nodded. "Engels is the counselor, he'll make sure you're in good hands. Intelligence is Lieutenant Voroshilov, I'm sure you'll find him, well, interesting," she said with a restrained smile.

Bill grinned. "I'll take interesting over default any day of the week, Ma'am."

Suppressing a laugh, Abigail nodded. "Well, lets see if you still feel that way after meeting him," she said politely. "Do you have any questions or concerns about your assignment?"

Bill nodded. "I was wondering how you saw Flight and the Starfighter Wing fit with one another?"

Abigail sighed and reached up, running her hands through her hair. 'Honestly, I've not even thought about it. I haven't had to deal with a Fighter wing previously so I'm sure we're bound to have a few teething issues while we sort things out, but I'm sure we can work through them. I'm also completely open to suggestions and ideas. If you want I can schedule a meeting between yourself, Lieutenant Carver and I and we can work it out together?"

"That sounds like a good idea to me." Bill smiled. "I've not served on a starship with a Fighter Wing myself, although I did some time on an aircraft carrier during the War. Maybe that'll come in handy?"

"Quite possibly, Lieutenant Carver seems quite capable, but I'm sure he's not stubborn enough to throw away the offer of help." Abigail smiled. "I'll get a meeting set up, though it may take a day or two, I'd like to give them all a chance to get settled and make sure they're set up before I start throwing too much at them."

"Of course, Ma'am." Came the reply. "I ought to look to getting the corners turned down in my own department first as well."

"I'll have Mister König sort something out and let you both know when it will be, but I don't anticipate any problems. If anything does arise in the interim though, just let me know, or see Commander Gail, we will both be available at all times," Abigail said with a smile. "If you have no other questions, I'll leave you to get settled before we depart."

"Copy that, Ma'am." With that Bill drained his glass, stood, saluted and left.