Nathanial sat in his makeshift office in Science Lab 4 on Deck 3. With his office on deck 8 being damaged sevearely in the attack, he now sat at a sparsely populated desk, just a few PADD's and a terminal.
He picked up the PADD sitting infront of him, he looked at it and then began to spin it between his two hands. It contained some information that had torn Nathanial. He and Thomas had started to build a relationship more born to friendship than station, but as Nathanial seemed to be constantly reminded, they were on a Startship of the Federation, and not some social gathering. Thomas had broken protocols, had disobeyed orders and had endangered the crew, and as his superior officer, he had to act upon it.
Nathanial had advised the Ensign to report to his office at 09:00hours, he glanced at his watch, three minutes to go... He placed the PADD down on the desk and waited for the door to chime.
It had been an interesting couple of days. There had been and endless stream of work to get done. However right now he was on his way to see his superior, he had more than a hunch that he was going to cop a lashing for his actions regarding the probes; he had tried to keep himself occupied and not think too much of the upcoming meeting, the workload had given him some reprieve from his own brooding, however he had a feeling he wouldn't be able to just take a dressing down on the subject like he should if he wanted to try and get minimal reprisal from the chief of science.
Like deck 8 which apparently looked like the site of a warp core detonation Thomas had been avoiding Science Lab 4, deck 3, as he felt both locations could potentially be adverse to his health. However he wasn't going to refuse a direct request from his superior to be there. Pressing the chime to Nathanial's makeshift office he awaited permission to enter.
Nathanial heard the chime, he had been expecting it, but yet it still startled him slightly. He quickly glanced at his desk, he moved the PADD's off to one side, and turned in his chair two or three times to find the right place for his slender frame to rest.
"Enter" He said in a firm and clear voice, this meeting was a starfleet meeting, and he would conduct it as such.
As instructed Thomas entered the room, greeted by a seated Lieutenant Doyle, he took enough steps in to allow the door behind to close, placing his hands behind his back, one holding the other to prevent any fidgeting, he began. "Hello Lieutenant, you wanted to see me?" He couldn't help but feel he was already being defensive. Why didn't he feel he could be joking around with the man behind the desk? He had managed it while their lives were in jeopardy. Then he couldn't help but feel drawn to the two pips on the lieutenant's collar.
Nathanial saw Thomas standing there, it reminded him of the countless times he himself had found himself asked to the commandants office back in the Academy, he remembered how a few seconds could feel like an eternity. He wondered if this was what had gone through the commandants head when he had a cadet standing at his office door, and that this was the whole cause of the "stance of eternity" as they had nicknamed it back at the Academy.
"Yes Ensign, take a seat." he said while gesturing to the seat across the desk from him.
As Thomas took his seat not much more than 15 seconds could have passed since he entered however the methodical almost robotic interaction that was happening between Nathanial and himself was making it feel like he should almost be at the end of his duty shift that was still hours away. His hands made their way over his lap one hand clasped over the other, his fingers tapping the back of his hand to an unknown rhythm.
Nathanial pickup up one of the PADD's, he had no reason to actually pick it up, as he had gone over this meeting at least a hundred times leading up to it actually transpiring. He just needed something in his hands. He glanced down at the PADD giving the impression that he was reviewing the contents, even though he knew what he had to say, he was still in conflict, after all, wasn't it just a few days ago that they had worked so harmoniously together. He silently cursed, why did you have to go and do it Thomas? He asked the figmented image of the Ensign in his mind.
"Do you know why I called you here today Ensign?" he asked looking up from the PADD and directly at Thomas.
He picked up the PADD sitting infront of him, he looked at it and then began to spin it between his two hands. It contained some information that had torn Nathanial. He and Thomas had started to build a relationship more born to friendship than station, but as Nathanial seemed to be constantly reminded, they were on a Startship of the Federation, and not some social gathering. Thomas had broken protocols, had disobeyed orders and had endangered the crew, and as his superior officer, he had to act upon it.
Nathanial had advised the Ensign to report to his office at 09:00hours, he glanced at his watch, three minutes to go... He placed the PADD down on the desk and waited for the door to chime.
It had been an interesting couple of days. There had been and endless stream of work to get done. However right now he was on his way to see his superior, he had more than a hunch that he was going to cop a lashing for his actions regarding the probes; he had tried to keep himself occupied and not think too much of the upcoming meeting, the workload had given him some reprieve from his own brooding, however he had a feeling he wouldn't be able to just take a dressing down on the subject like he should if he wanted to try and get minimal reprisal from the chief of science.
Like deck 8 which apparently looked like the site of a warp core detonation Thomas had been avoiding Science Lab 4, deck 3, as he felt both locations could potentially be adverse to his health. However he wasn't going to refuse a direct request from his superior to be there. Pressing the chime to Nathanial's makeshift office he awaited permission to enter.
Nathanial heard the chime, he had been expecting it, but yet it still startled him slightly. He quickly glanced at his desk, he moved the PADD's off to one side, and turned in his chair two or three times to find the right place for his slender frame to rest.
"Enter" He said in a firm and clear voice, this meeting was a starfleet meeting, and he would conduct it as such.
As instructed Thomas entered the room, greeted by a seated Lieutenant Doyle, he took enough steps in to allow the door behind to close, placing his hands behind his back, one holding the other to prevent any fidgeting, he began. "Hello Lieutenant, you wanted to see me?" He couldn't help but feel he was already being defensive. Why didn't he feel he could be joking around with the man behind the desk? He had managed it while their lives were in jeopardy. Then he couldn't help but feel drawn to the two pips on the lieutenant's collar.
Nathanial saw Thomas standing there, it reminded him of the countless times he himself had found himself asked to the commandants office back in the Academy, he remembered how a few seconds could feel like an eternity. He wondered if this was what had gone through the commandants head when he had a cadet standing at his office door, and that this was the whole cause of the "stance of eternity" as they had nicknamed it back at the Academy.
"Yes Ensign, take a seat." he said while gesturing to the seat across the desk from him.
As Thomas took his seat not much more than 15 seconds could have passed since he entered however the methodical almost robotic interaction that was happening between Nathanial and himself was making it feel like he should almost be at the end of his duty shift that was still hours away. His hands made their way over his lap one hand clasped over the other, his fingers tapping the back of his hand to an unknown rhythm.
Nathanial pickup up one of the PADD's, he had no reason to actually pick it up, as he had gone over this meeting at least a hundred times leading up to it actually transpiring. He just needed something in his hands. He glanced down at the PADD giving the impression that he was reviewing the contents, even though he knew what he had to say, he was still in conflict, after all, wasn't it just a few days ago that they had worked so harmoniously together. He silently cursed, why did you have to go and do it Thomas? He asked the figmented image of the Ensign in his mind.
"Do you know why I called you here today Ensign?" he asked looking up from the PADD and directly at Thomas.
[To be continued]
Lieutenant Nathanial Doyle
Chief Science Officer
USS Charon
&
Ensign Thomas Clipper
Assistant Science Officer
USS Charon
