06-12-2024, 05:09 PM
== Angriest Unicorn ==
There was a grin on Mara’s lips as she made Tyra laugh. The Bandaran’s habit of keeping people at arm’s length until she started to trust them meant that this side of her was rarely seen, but the sense of humour was there and she could be warm and engaging when she wanted to be. Her upbringing had taught her to keep that aspect of her personality under wraps and it was a lesson that was taking a while to unpick.
"We should get that on a patch. A unicorn dual wielding chainsaws would make quite the impression on the Cardassians the next time we see them," the Captain said with a chuckle.
“I think I know someone who can draw. I’ll call in the favour,” Calleja replied with a waspish smile.
The Amazonian officer drained her coffee mug and set it down on the table. She caught the waiter’s eye and ordered a round of refills with a nod and a thumbs up.
"Any ideas for where to look for an acting Chief while we find a more permanent solution?” Tyra had gone almost poker-faced. “Damian could fill the role if needed but he already has a lot on his plate and everyone reaching out with recommendations are all giving me ridiculously young and idealistic officers. My track record with idealistic security officers isn't great…"
Mara tilted her head. She was an experienced interrogator and liked to think she could read people and their intentions. Most of the nuance in her profession wasn’t just what was said. It was how it was said, and what wasn’t said. And there was a lot going on here under the surface.
What’s she askin’ me? she thought to herself. She knows the department because it used to be hers. She’s got friends and people she trusts all through the ranks. She knows who’s good and who isn’t. So I don’t think she’s askin’ me for recommendations. She’s got someone in mind. Someone ’young and idealistic…’ That could apply to a lot of people though. If I narrow it down to people that I can actually give an opinion on and could be in the frame for this…
There was the faintest trace of a twitch on her face as a thought struck her. Calleja suppressed it quickly but not quick enough to hide it from a seasoned pro like Crawford.
Fuck. It can’t be me, can it? I as good as told her to fuck off in the middle of her own briefin’! And I’ve had that assistant job for like 10 minutes. Her mind raced as she tried to dismiss the very idea of it. But… I have got the job, and it does give me seniority. I’m clingin’ onto my 20s and that little rant I went on woulda made me look idealistic. Maybe she sees somethin’. She already said she sees similarities… Shit. How do I play this? Do I ignore the possibility? Play it straight and work through names? Or just fuckin’ go for it. If there’s even half a chance the big job is on the table, I’ve gotta shoot my shot. How often do these chances come up?
“That’s a loaded question,” Mara replied eventually. “You don’t strike me as someone who asks somethin’ like that unless you’ve already thought about it. So yeah, I could sit here and we could go through the pros and cons of the senior officers we already got, plus the obvious candidates we could poach from outside. But I think you already know all of that, and you want to be convinced one way or the other about someone you’re mullin’ over.”
She paused, taking the time to pick her words as best she could.
“I also don’t think you have an objection to young officers in senior places. Look at Mayfair, Miller and Grant. You can still mould younger officers, steer them to do things the right way. I do think you’ve been burned by idealists before though. And to an extent we’re all idealists. We’re not out here for the money or the power. We’re doin’ it ‘cause we believe in the cause. Even those of us that might look bitter and cynical wanna make a difference, leave the place a little better than how we found it. But it’s temperin’ those ideals with a heavy dose of pragmatism and common fuckin’ sense. Those are lessons you have to learn the hard way.”
There was a moment’s hesitation. Calleja found that she couldn’t quite bring herself to come out and say what she wanted to say, and she cursed herself for tripping over her own tongue at the last moment.
“But yeah. I think you do have someone who could fit the bill. They are a work in progress. They have rough edges still that need to be worked on. But they could also be the one to give you some long-term stability at COS. The potential’s there, they want to learn and they want to stick around. If their name comes up in recommendations, make sure those doin’ the recommendin’ have been psych assessed recently. But there are definitely worse options out there, glowin’ recommendation that that is right there.”
She cracked a wry smile and shook her head slowly, still irritated at herself and her talent for self-deprecation.
You coward…
== To you! ==
There was a grin on Mara’s lips as she made Tyra laugh. The Bandaran’s habit of keeping people at arm’s length until she started to trust them meant that this side of her was rarely seen, but the sense of humour was there and she could be warm and engaging when she wanted to be. Her upbringing had taught her to keep that aspect of her personality under wraps and it was a lesson that was taking a while to unpick.
"We should get that on a patch. A unicorn dual wielding chainsaws would make quite the impression on the Cardassians the next time we see them," the Captain said with a chuckle.
“I think I know someone who can draw. I’ll call in the favour,” Calleja replied with a waspish smile.
The Amazonian officer drained her coffee mug and set it down on the table. She caught the waiter’s eye and ordered a round of refills with a nod and a thumbs up.
"Any ideas for where to look for an acting Chief while we find a more permanent solution?” Tyra had gone almost poker-faced. “Damian could fill the role if needed but he already has a lot on his plate and everyone reaching out with recommendations are all giving me ridiculously young and idealistic officers. My track record with idealistic security officers isn't great…"
Mara tilted her head. She was an experienced interrogator and liked to think she could read people and their intentions. Most of the nuance in her profession wasn’t just what was said. It was how it was said, and what wasn’t said. And there was a lot going on here under the surface.
What’s she askin’ me? she thought to herself. She knows the department because it used to be hers. She’s got friends and people she trusts all through the ranks. She knows who’s good and who isn’t. So I don’t think she’s askin’ me for recommendations. She’s got someone in mind. Someone ’young and idealistic…’ That could apply to a lot of people though. If I narrow it down to people that I can actually give an opinion on and could be in the frame for this…
There was the faintest trace of a twitch on her face as a thought struck her. Calleja suppressed it quickly but not quick enough to hide it from a seasoned pro like Crawford.
Fuck. It can’t be me, can it? I as good as told her to fuck off in the middle of her own briefin’! And I’ve had that assistant job for like 10 minutes. Her mind raced as she tried to dismiss the very idea of it. But… I have got the job, and it does give me seniority. I’m clingin’ onto my 20s and that little rant I went on woulda made me look idealistic. Maybe she sees somethin’. She already said she sees similarities… Shit. How do I play this? Do I ignore the possibility? Play it straight and work through names? Or just fuckin’ go for it. If there’s even half a chance the big job is on the table, I’ve gotta shoot my shot. How often do these chances come up?
“That’s a loaded question,” Mara replied eventually. “You don’t strike me as someone who asks somethin’ like that unless you’ve already thought about it. So yeah, I could sit here and we could go through the pros and cons of the senior officers we already got, plus the obvious candidates we could poach from outside. But I think you already know all of that, and you want to be convinced one way or the other about someone you’re mullin’ over.”
She paused, taking the time to pick her words as best she could.
“I also don’t think you have an objection to young officers in senior places. Look at Mayfair, Miller and Grant. You can still mould younger officers, steer them to do things the right way. I do think you’ve been burned by idealists before though. And to an extent we’re all idealists. We’re not out here for the money or the power. We’re doin’ it ‘cause we believe in the cause. Even those of us that might look bitter and cynical wanna make a difference, leave the place a little better than how we found it. But it’s temperin’ those ideals with a heavy dose of pragmatism and common fuckin’ sense. Those are lessons you have to learn the hard way.”
There was a moment’s hesitation. Calleja found that she couldn’t quite bring herself to come out and say what she wanted to say, and she cursed herself for tripping over her own tongue at the last moment.
“But yeah. I think you do have someone who could fit the bill. They are a work in progress. They have rough edges still that need to be worked on. But they could also be the one to give you some long-term stability at COS. The potential’s there, they want to learn and they want to stick around. If their name comes up in recommendations, make sure those doin’ the recommendin’ have been psych assessed recently. But there are definitely worse options out there, glowin’ recommendation that that is right there.”
She cracked a wry smile and shook her head slowly, still irritated at herself and her talent for self-deprecation.
You coward…
== To you! ==