YE/D01 - Briefing Room

[Paul]

==

[Peter Jensen]

When they'd entered the briefing room, Peter adressed the computer:

"Computer. Seal the door, and engage privacy settings. No records of the following conversation. Keep this until I or the Captain countermand.", he instructed, then looked at Black. He was fairly certain that he wasn't about to be assassinated, and he knew that whatever it was had to be pretty darn unusual for her to have wanted to talk to him alone without the Captain present.

"Go on", he said calmly. "We're alone. Nothing but the two of us, and the bulkheads", he finished, trying to bring in a very tiny bit of humor into what he had a feeling was going to be a very tense few minutes.

== Tag   ==

[Theresa Black]

== This might, get a little dark. ==

>> Bridge >>

Entering the briefing room, Black waited as Jensen secured the room. There wasn't any need for such precautions, but she waited for him to finish.

"Go on, we're alone.” He said. “Nothing but the two of us, and the bulkheads"

The walk from the helm across the bridge to the room was only a few yards, but it took her a huge effort to make the trip.

“I'm sorry, Sir,” She began as they stood face to face an arms length apart. “I know it's against protocol while on duty, but I just received a personal message.”

To her eyes, and in her head, the Commander looked as stern and straight laced as he ever was. But in the chain of command he was her direct superior officer, and he had to be informed regardless of whether they got on with each other or not. And she wasn't too sure how long she could remain composed on the bridge in front of the rest of the crew. Especially when he'd likely discipline her for breaking protocol. But he had to be informed.

And so she just said it. “My um... My Mum died.”

There was a tremble in her voice as she looked down, that showed she was holding back the initial shock of just saying it out loud and trying to keep her composure as best she could. There's never a good time for bad news.

== Tag ==

[Peter Jensen]

Peter had expected...well, he didn't know what to expect. But certainly not that. And immediately his face changed.

And not because of the fact that she'd received a personal message on duty. The fact that she started by apologizing for that gave Peter something else to think about:

Am I really seen as so hard-arse that I'd come down on something like that?

His whole demeanor changed in an instant when she gave him those news. And he swallowed. Hard.

"I'm....truly sorry to hear that, Leftenant", his voice softened considerably, as his mind raced as to whether or not they had someone who could function as a counselor...and reached the  conclusion that the closest equivalent would have to be Beinn, given the almost inviolable Doctor-patient-confidentiality.

"I don't think you should finish your shift today", he said softly. "If we could afford to, I'd ask the Captain to take us back to DS9 so you could go home", he sighed, "But we can't. If it had only been a matter of updating star charts....but it isn't. I'm really sorry.", he sighed again and looked at her, his eyes soft now.

"Take the rest of the day off. T'Lari is more than capable of covering for you. Let me know by the start of next shift if you need to work to distract yourself, or if you need to take some more time. There is no shame if you're not. Something like this....", he shook his head then sighed again.

"Don't worry about the Captain. Shove your shift.", he said, in an uncharactaristic display of lack of protocol that one would not have expected from him. "Go.....do whatever you need to do. I don't think we have a counselor, but Beinn is  bound by Doctor-patient-confidentiality, so if you need someone to talk to, he's likely the closest thing...", he finished.

== That was the LAST thing I expected to happen. Plot twist! And tag! ==

[Theresa Black]

The Commander swallowed when Maz spoke. The news would have been hard for anyone to take so suddenly.

"I'm....truly sorry to hear that, Leftenant" He said surprisingly softly compared to his trademark clipped cadence, before he continued with; "I don't think you should finish your shift today. If we could afford to, I'd ask the Captain to take us back to DS9 so you could go home", he sighed, "But we can't. If it had only been a matter of updating star charts....but it isn't. I'm really sorry."

The initial shock had begun to wear off her now, as away from the rest of the people and the bustle of the bridge, she could centre her thoughts a little better.

"Take the rest of the day off.” Jensen was now saying. “T'Lari is more than capable of covering for you. Let me know by the start of next shift if you need to work to distract yourself, or if you need to take some more time. There is no shame if you're not. Something like this... Don't worry about the Captain. Shove your shift.", The words now coming from the Commander were seemingly rushed. Maz wasn't sure if it was the Commander who was in need of a sit down now.

"Go.....do whatever you need to do. I don't think we have a counsellor, but Beinn is bound by Doctor-patient-confidentiality, so if you need someone to talk to, he's likely the closest thing..."

All the while, Maz had moved around the table and taken a seat as the Commander was talking.

Taking a deep breath, she slowly exhaled. A technique taught to her by an old friend. Who she wished was here now. After a second breath, she looked up at Jensen.

“I can continue with my shift, Sir.” She began. “It was just the initial shock I think. I needed to... Just, you know... If I hadn't looked at the message, I'd have been none the wiser right now.” She said pulling out her PADD and offering the message for Jensen to read himself is he chose.

“It was sent just over two weeks ago. If I started back right now in a shuttle, I wouldn't reach Earth for three months.” She'd quickly calculated in her head. “And if I take the rest of the day off, all I'm going to do is stare at the walls of my quarters. I think I need to finish this shift and keep occupied until you're back aboard and safe... Then, if you can arrange it for later please, I'll need a priority one channel to call my Dad. I don't think he'd like it if my reply takes another two and half weeks to get to him.”

Until you're back aboard and safe? Why did I just say that?

Then standing up again, she stepped around the table back toward Jensen. “I am sorry to have to drop this on you just as you're about to lead an away mission.”

Then glancing over at her reflection in the wall panel, she asked. “Do I look okay? I guess I want to look like I have some measure of decorum left when I go back out there.” She said with a small smile.

== Tag ==

[Peter Jensen]

Peter nodded at her reassurance that she could finish the shift. He wasn't entirely sure about that, but...well, he trusted Braggins enough to step in if it became necessary. It wasn't his job - for the moment - to be "that guy".

"Don't apologize, Leftenant", he said in the same tone he'd used since they got here.

"I would rather know when something like this happens, so I can keep it in mind. No one would blame you for being a bit...distracted right now. But if you feel you're able to continue your shift, then by all means.", he went on, and that wasn't empty words. They might have gotten off not just on the wrong foot, but the wrong freaking leg and butt.
However, that was immaterial right now.

He took the PADD from her, but didn't read the message, just locked the screen before handing it back to her. He did not expect anyone to lie about such things. Not anyone wearing a Starfleet uniform, anyway.

Now, a Ferengi? A Ferengi would fake the death of his whole family if he thought it'd net him a few sympathy purchases

"Yeah, you're not going to leave in a shuttle, Leftenant", he said with a bit of a chuckle. "If we could afford to leave the system and weren't weeks away from DS9, I'd do my best to convince the Captain to grant you LOA, and take you there to find a transport back. But as things stand....", he didn't finish the sentence.

"I will do my best to get you that priority channel, though", he said, deliberately choosing his words carefully, also noticing the apparent concern in her voice about him getting back from the mission safely. He didn't expect her to care all that much about him, but he also didn't sense any deception in her voice. He sighed.

"If you're certain you're good to continue, then let's go", he said, entering a few commands on a console on the wall, to disable privacy mode and unseal the doors. "And you look as well as anyone under the circumstances", he said, honestly. "It's clear that something has shaken you, but luckily no one on the bridge can read minds. At least not unless I've forgotten some basic xenobiology", he gave her a little smile, and then stepped aside so she could exit. Once she'd done so, he headed for the transporter rooms, hoping everyone would arrive soon.

[Theresa Black]

"I will do my best to get you that priority channel." He said. "If you're certain you're good to continue, then let's go."

Maz put on her best face and nodded.

"And you look as well as anyone under the circumstances. It's clear that something has shaken you, but luckily no one on the bridge can read minds. At least not unless I've forgotten some basic xenobiology.”

That made her chuckle a little. “Okay. And, thank you.”

And with that they exited the room. Jensen to the transporter, and Maz back to the bridge.

>> Bridge >>