02-01-2025, 07:33 AM
Peter had of course expected the courtesy he'd paid Jadaris - meaning it too, no mistake, but it was still a courtesy - to be returned to him.
What he had not expected, however, was what followed - the compliment to his leadership. He smiled gratefully and gave a nod of appreciation in response to the comment.
"Thank you", he answered, and then looked out at the assembled crowd:
"It is a fine crew, and I'm proud to serve with them."
For a lot of the assembled, that was certainly true. There were few here and there which he had doubts about, but he was not going to voice any of those doubts.
He then turned to Campbell
Yeah....no commissioning ceremony. About that...
"It...is a bit of a long story", he said in the tone of voice that said that he would rather not elaborate too much at the moment, and it would be prudent to not enquire further.
It had indeed been a wild ride. Too wild, in fact, to relate to a Midshipman fresh out of the Academy. Some of the choices, decisions, facing hard facts, and reversals of those facts, that had gone on in the recent past was just too much to lay on a fresh recruit, probably still starry-eyed and not yet tested in the field.
Peter didn't blame the man for any of this. He vividly remembered being the same when he graduated. But....real life and actual experience had a way of sneaking up on someone and changing their perspective.
It certainly had done his!
When Elliot arrived, Peter greeted him with a warm smile and a nod. He had nothing but good things to say about the engineer who had been so invaluable when they'd rescued the last of the remaining Starfleet captives from the Cardassians. He certainly didn't take any offense to Jadaris being recognized and not him - it would be a lie to say that he didn't have an ego, but he did not have that big of an ego.
Instead, he let them focus on their conversation and scanned the room, looking as if taking in the scene. He gave a small nod.
This was his crew.
He was responsible for all these people. Sure, the buck didn't stop at him, but it only stopped one step above him. Which, as far as he was concerned, made it every bit as much his responsibility, especially considering that as XO personnel issues were, indeed, his responsiblity at the end of the day.
We're ready for whatever happens next he told himself. We have to be.
What he had not expected, however, was what followed - the compliment to his leadership. He smiled gratefully and gave a nod of appreciation in response to the comment.
"Thank you", he answered, and then looked out at the assembled crowd:
"It is a fine crew, and I'm proud to serve with them."
For a lot of the assembled, that was certainly true. There were few here and there which he had doubts about, but he was not going to voice any of those doubts.
He then turned to Campbell
Yeah....no commissioning ceremony. About that...
"It...is a bit of a long story", he said in the tone of voice that said that he would rather not elaborate too much at the moment, and it would be prudent to not enquire further.
It had indeed been a wild ride. Too wild, in fact, to relate to a Midshipman fresh out of the Academy. Some of the choices, decisions, facing hard facts, and reversals of those facts, that had gone on in the recent past was just too much to lay on a fresh recruit, probably still starry-eyed and not yet tested in the field.
Peter didn't blame the man for any of this. He vividly remembered being the same when he graduated. But....real life and actual experience had a way of sneaking up on someone and changing their perspective.
It certainly had done his!
When Elliot arrived, Peter greeted him with a warm smile and a nod. He had nothing but good things to say about the engineer who had been so invaluable when they'd rescued the last of the remaining Starfleet captives from the Cardassians. He certainly didn't take any offense to Jadaris being recognized and not him - it would be a lie to say that he didn't have an ego, but he did not have that big of an ego.
Instead, he let them focus on their conversation and scanned the room, looking as if taking in the scene. He gave a small nod.
This was his crew.
He was responsible for all these people. Sure, the buck didn't stop at him, but it only stopped one step above him. Which, as far as he was concerned, made it every bit as much his responsibility, especially considering that as XO personnel issues were, indeed, his responsiblity at the end of the day.
We're ready for whatever happens next he told himself. We have to be.