Promotions
Posted on Wed Jun 21st, 2023 @ 11:11pm by Commodore Tyler Malbrooke & Rear Admiral Thomas Rice & Petty Officer 2nd Class Sofia Cipriani
0 words; about a 1 minute read
Mission:
Episode 14 - The Poseidon Adventure
Location: Various USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD005 1000 hrs
Tyler stood at the airlock and was rather flustered. A rare state of being for the commander of the Pioneer. His yeoman Sofia Cipriani stood next to him. Tyler had no idea what entirely was going on. All he was told was Sector Commander Rear Admiral Thomas Rice wanted a tour of the flagship and Tyler was to give the tour. As it was short notice Tyler decided to forgo the dress uniforms. "We have just arrived and rather than going to enjoy myself on my babymoon with my wife I am here waiting for Admiral Rice because he wants a tour. I mean I know the Pioneer is special. But if you have seen one Intrepid have you not seen them all."
Sofia nodded. "I've only seen one and this is perfect for me." She commented as she then picked a bit of lint from his shoulder. "Maybe he just loves Intrepid classes and doesn't see enough of them. Maybe he's heard of you and wants to meet you." She smiled.
Tyler could hear the airlock doors beginning to hiss open and he made sure to put a smile on his face. He watched as the Admiral made his way through the air tight umbilical. "Sof get ready... We only have one chance to make a first impression on the sector commander."
As Admiral Rice stepped through the doorway Sofia held up the bosons whistle and gave it her best shot at making Tyler proud, and maybe alleviate some of the tension and anxiety from him.
Tyler mustered to attention and when the whistle finished began to speak. "Admiral on deck! Rear Admiral Thomas Rice now boarding the USS Pioneer. Welcome aboard Admiral!"
Although he would never admit it, Tom relished the extra attention. He strode onto the main deck of the Pioneer, a padd tucked snugly under his arm. Standing tall and confident, he made his way towards Captain Malbrooke. "Captain, may I request permission to come aboard?" the Admiral asked with a formal tone.
As he approached the captain, Tom couldn't help but give him a quick once-over, taking in the details of his uniform and appearance. He couldn't afford to miss any details, as he was well-aware that even the smallest thing could provide valuable insight into the state of the ship and its crew. Satisfied with his visual inspection, he turned his attention back to the matter at hand and awaited the captain's response.
"Of course Admiral and welcome to the Pioneer. This is Petty Officer Third Class Sofia Cipriani, my Yeoman. We are glad to have you aboard. Most of the crew has been dismissed for their shore leave. Is there something you would like to see first. Perhaps the Marine Barracks. We are the first ship in the fleet to integrate Marines into the command structure of the ship." Tyler said with a small amount of pride in his voice.
Sofia stood to attention a little too quick and she felt a pang of pain up her back. She even told herself she needed to chill out. Giving a respectful nod and a "sir" to the Admiral she hoped the man would enjoy his time on the Pioneer. The Captain wanted so much for this to go well, and so did she, for him.
Tyler felt that one of the duties a Captain had to a Yeoman was to show them how the fleet interacted. At the moment he felt that this would show Sofia that one can enjoy themselves while showing deference to rank. He felt that she seemed stiff sometimes around senior officers and perhaps she could loosen up a tad.
"Captain, I'll follow your lead," Tom said with a smile, gesturing down the corridor. "After all, this is your ship," he added, his tone deferential. Tom was well versed on the Pioneer's history and knew her current missions, but that wasn't why he was here today. He was here for something more personal, one of the few perks of his job.
"I must admit I am not a fan of integrated crews," Tom replied, "There has always been a fine line there, but after seeing how it works on the station and reading reports from your ship I suppose some lines are ready to be removed."
Tyler nodded his agreement with the sentiment about integrated crews. "I was originally against the idea myself. However, over time I have found that the different way that Major Tremble looks at things is an invaluable resource. There is a lot of training that Marines are put through that we are not, they have a unique view." The group stepped on the turbolift and made their way to deck nine. In short order they found themselves in front of the Snake Pit. "Welcome to the Marine Barracks, affectionately nicknamed the Snake Pit. This is home to our Marine Detachment The Cure." Tyler led the way through the door and a Corporal mustered to attention, practically throwing the PADD that they were reading on the floor. "Officers on deck!" he shouted and everyone in the room came to attention.
Tom made a gesture, "Please, stand at ease. As you were." He then turned his attention to Malbrooke and commented, "The snake pit - quite an interesting choice." Tom proceeded to walk around the barracks as he asked the Captain, "I'm curious, how did you manage to integrate the Marines with your security department? Typically, those two groups tend to be very territorial and don't always play well together." Tom then directed his gaze towards one of the Marines in the room.
"The Marines do not handle anything that has to do with Security. That is the Security Chief and their people's job. In fact the only security they handle is in line with Starfleet Regulations. Two Marines are posted guard in front of our Intelligence Suite. The Cure mainly deals with operations that our Security is not trained for. Search and Rescue missions, as well as miliary reconnaissance. We have further stomped out the fires of turf wars by integrating Marines into the command structure of the ship. As you are no doubt aware the Executive Officer and Chief of the Boat are both Marines. All that said there is still some sibling rivalry of sorts that happens." Tyler looked around the room and although the Marines seemed to be at ease, one could tell that they were not used to having the senior officers present. Tyler spoke proudly of The Cure and all that they have accomplished together.
"I've heard nothing but good things." Sofia spoke as both the Captain and the Admiral spun their heads to look at her. There was an audible gulp heard as she had intended on that comment being internal. However, she now felt the need to justify it. "Sorry, I mean as an Petty Officer we are more open with how we speak to each other and word gets around that most on the Pioneer are quite happy with the integration. It's taken a bit of time but even if the officers, and some of the older enlisted, find some things to grumble about they are slowly starting to come around. I've even seen some relationships begin to form." she looked around in hope of someone, anyone else to stop her from speaking.
At the mention of relationships beginning to form Tyler smiled softly. He knew that Sofia and one of the Marines had started seeing each other. "There is nothing to be sorry for Sofia. You know I encourage everyone to speak their mind. That is if the Admiral does not mind?" Tyler had gotted so used to running his ship that he forgot to yield to Rice's rank.
"Certainly, Captain," Tom nodded respectfully. "I'm merely a figurehead in this situation. I'm here to conduct the official inspection and offer my congratulations on your well-deserved promotion to Commodore. I've thoroughly reviewed your file, and it's evident that this promotion has been a long time coming." Tom nodded as he continued to walk, leaving the Captain and his Yeoman a few steps behind him.
Tyler knew that the promotion had been coming down the pike. However, hearing the Admiral say it changed everything, it made it real, tangible. He jogged to catch up with Rice. "Thank you sir! It is truly an honor. I feel I would be remiss if I did not point out that I would not be in line for such a promotion would it not have been for my crew." Tyler paused and noticed for the first time that the Admiral too had been promoted. "Sir, my apologies. It seems that congratulations are in order for you as well. Well deserved sir. Very well deserved."
"Tyler," Tom adopted a more casual tone, "be cautious about what you wish for, my friend. With higher rank," he pointed to his collar, "comes greater responsibilities." He nodded appreciatively and smiled, saying, "And I appreciate it, Commodore." The Admiral glanced around the Marine Barracks one final time before gesturing towards the door. "So, where are we headed next on our grand tour?"
"Perhaps a stop at the local establishment. The Galaxy Class had Ten Forward, and so on Deck 11 in the aft section we have After 11. Could use it to wet our whistles and then perhaps a look at the SCIF. That is unless you would rather see the Spooks first." Tyler smiled broadly at his commanding officer. He had never thought he would obtain flag rank and yet here he was and he was ready for anything and everything it would have to throw at him.
Tom responded, "I believe paying a visit to your After 11 would be fantastic. Maybe the tour could encounter a slight delay," he shrugged playfully, adding, "One can never be certain."
Tyler smiled as he led the group to After 11. He could not wait to see the look on Chloe's face when they arrived. Thus far the Admiral was not what he had expected, however, Tyler was glad for it. He did not think he could serve under one of those stuffed shirt Admirals.
Sofia laughed softly, she could just imagine Chloe's reaction to an Admiral. She could already hear it, "An Admiral? Are you compensating for something with that fancy uniform and those bars on your collar?, with a sly wink and a smirk as she said it.
A Joint Post By
Commodore Tyler Malbrooke
Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer
Petty Officer Third Class Sofia Cipriani
Captain's Yeoman, USS Pioneer
Rear Admiral Thomas Rice
Sector Commanding Officer
Poseidon Station
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