06-17-2026, 10:37 PM
“...particularly if there is a bonfire to appreciate at the end.”
She didn't quite know what to make of the man sitting across from her, though she only allowed a twitch of her eyebrow to escape her control. He was clearly trying, in a dry and subtle manner, to distinguish himself from a full Vulcan and yet, she wasn't certain that was making her feel any better about her choice. There was at least predictability in a full Vulcan; she had no idea what the expectation here was.
Not allowing those thoughts to ruminate in silence, she hummed slightly. "I prefer my bonfires with a side of whiskey but to each their own."
“If I may, Captain, I would like to… ‘clear the air’, to avoid any misunderstandings. It is obvious that there is some tension. I suspect the Admiralty to be behind that. I can assure you that I am not here as a mole or informer. To the contrary, I intend to perform my duties as a First Officer faithfully. That is, to serve the Artemis, her crew, and you, with diligence and discretion. For as long, or short, a time as required.”
Tyra paused to allow that to settle, weighing the words with careful consideration. Part of her wanted to take them at face value. After all, it didn't take much for her to put herself in his shoes. Years earlier, she had been the newly minted FO dropped into a fraught and untrusting environment. She could remember that first meeting Derrick, watching him from across the desk as she tried to convince him that she would be loyal. Nothing she had said had tipped the scale in her favor but Derrick's brutal honesty had at least given her context. She supposed she could give this man that much, even if he did bend to the pressure of those on high.
"You would not be incorrect," she stated after a moment of consideration. "I have recently found myself to be a pawn in a game that I have not desire to be a part of but alas, I have little say in it. Much like, I'm afraid, you won't either if your assignment to this ship is just another move in this ridiculous admiralty-led chess game."
She folded her hands on her desk as she leveled her gaze at him with a seriousness that caused her lips to press together.
"I won't hold that against you but I also don't trust you. That is not a slight on your integrity or on your stated intentions. I just know how this game works and it's rarely in my favor."
"I also do not intend to go out of my way to make your job difficult or you miserable. At this point, I'm miserable enough for both of us and in this instance, misery does not love company," the last was stated with the briefest of self-deprecating half grins.
"With that out in the open, do you have any questions before we begin our respective launch duties?"
== Tag! ==
She didn't quite know what to make of the man sitting across from her, though she only allowed a twitch of her eyebrow to escape her control. He was clearly trying, in a dry and subtle manner, to distinguish himself from a full Vulcan and yet, she wasn't certain that was making her feel any better about her choice. There was at least predictability in a full Vulcan; she had no idea what the expectation here was.
Not allowing those thoughts to ruminate in silence, she hummed slightly. "I prefer my bonfires with a side of whiskey but to each their own."
“If I may, Captain, I would like to… ‘clear the air’, to avoid any misunderstandings. It is obvious that there is some tension. I suspect the Admiralty to be behind that. I can assure you that I am not here as a mole or informer. To the contrary, I intend to perform my duties as a First Officer faithfully. That is, to serve the Artemis, her crew, and you, with diligence and discretion. For as long, or short, a time as required.”
Tyra paused to allow that to settle, weighing the words with careful consideration. Part of her wanted to take them at face value. After all, it didn't take much for her to put herself in his shoes. Years earlier, she had been the newly minted FO dropped into a fraught and untrusting environment. She could remember that first meeting Derrick, watching him from across the desk as she tried to convince him that she would be loyal. Nothing she had said had tipped the scale in her favor but Derrick's brutal honesty had at least given her context. She supposed she could give this man that much, even if he did bend to the pressure of those on high.
"You would not be incorrect," she stated after a moment of consideration. "I have recently found myself to be a pawn in a game that I have not desire to be a part of but alas, I have little say in it. Much like, I'm afraid, you won't either if your assignment to this ship is just another move in this ridiculous admiralty-led chess game."
She folded her hands on her desk as she leveled her gaze at him with a seriousness that caused her lips to press together.
"I won't hold that against you but I also don't trust you. That is not a slight on your integrity or on your stated intentions. I just know how this game works and it's rarely in my favor."
"I also do not intend to go out of my way to make your job difficult or you miserable. At this point, I'm miserable enough for both of us and in this instance, misery does not love company," the last was stated with the briefest of self-deprecating half grins.
"With that out in the open, do you have any questions before we begin our respective launch duties?"
== Tag! ==