Comparing Notes

Posted on Saturday 3 December 2016 @ 00:45 by Lieutenant Commander David Tan & Lieutenant JG Martin Landau

Mission: Old, New Ship
Location: Deck 5 : Tactical Information Center
Timeline: MD9 : Morning
1367 words - 2.7 OF Standard Post Measure

ON :


=== Operations Center ===


... Having accompanied Lana, Mackenzie, and Mia to their first day at the newly commissioned school, David had gone to Operations ...

He spoke at length with his Assistant Operations Officer Lysia T'Seng and had gone through the mornings' workload. Various departments were making good use of the relaxed power appropriations to conduct tests, renew systems, and a myriad of other things. Stellar cartography had requested long-range sensors be taken off-line during the ships' night shift as they wanted to make corrections to the current star-maps stored within the Merlin's computer core. These modifications would then be sent to Starfleet Command, and from there to every vessel in the System.

"Did you complete your report and assessment from your stint in Strategic Operations ?" Lysia asked, knowing full well that the report, not an official requirement, but something he had wanted to put together for the new Strategic Operations Officer, Lieutenant junior grade Landau.

"Oh, yes, I've just got a few things to add then while I have time, given you are apparently kicking me out of my own office, I may go up to the TIC and hand it over personally, it will give me a chance for a better talk with Lieutenant Landau as we only had moments to pass over the Department."

"Good, and I was not 'kicking you out' as you put it, I was pointing out that this is supposed to be your free time, you wanted the day to be with Lana and the girls in I'm correct."

"Fair enough." David said, grinning as he took the PADD off her, waving it in her direction, "I will go through this and drop in on mister Landau on my way to my quarters ... That OK with you, mother ?"

"Fine." Lysia said, grinning as she went into the Operation Center leaving him in his office ......


=== Tactical Information Center ===


Taking the turbo-lift up to Deck 5, David re-read his report. While this wasn't something he was required to do, he wanted to have a basic record of his time in the Department during the Hayes Proving Grounds incident. He had made a few minor changes to the configuration of the room while there, just to make things more practical from his point of view. The main change being how the six screens provided information to the TIC Officer. When sat in the Center seat of the almost circular room, he could see his Staff on a lower level. His seat could be rotated to view any particular console or screen, depending on what the Chief wanted. He'd asked Lysia to ensure all the most relevant information come to the main screen directly opposite the Chief's position, with secondary or non-essential information being displayed on the five peripheral view-screens suspended from the ceiling. he had also set up a continuous Comm link with the Bridge, namely Tactical, Weapons, and of course the Commanding Officer and his Exec.

Realising the turbo-lift had actually halted and the doors opened, he stepped out, making way for two crewmen, who had seemingly been waiting patiently for him to decide on staying or going ..... happy with his report, he signed it off and sent a copy to Lieutenant Landau for his files.

Entering the Tactical Information Center he felt a kind of Déjà vu, this being the location of his first Departmental Command role during the Hayes incident, he was surprised that a small part of him missed the role he'd undertaken temporarily whilst awaiting the arrival of Landau. Looking around he could see the Lieutenant stood next to one of the consoles and approached:

"Lieutenant, I'm not disturbing you am I ?" he asked as Martin turned to face him, "I had meant to send this to you so you can go over my time in your seat at your leisure, but as I was on my way to my quarters after my assistant pointed out that I am actually not on the duty rota until tomorrow, I thought I'd drop in to give it to you in person. I did send it so you should have it anyway." ...

"I only popped in to sign some urgent stuff before returning in the afternoon for the shift but by all means do carry on" Martin explained signing yet another padd placed on the desk by a passing crew member.

... I just wanted to drop by to see if you needed anything regarding the modifications I made to your information systems during the recent issues. I rearranged how information was sent to your screens, of course the default settings are in your computer so I assume you can simp ..." he said, looking around the TIC and specifically the display screens. As far as he could tell, the Lieutenant hadn't changed anything, which was a feather in Tans cap he supposed, "Sorry, Ii just noticed you have left the displays as I'd arranged them." he said, stepping away from Landau's desk so he could get a better view of the circular departments' two tiers and the centrally located seat. After the Main Bridge, this was technically the most important room on the vessel.

"OK, I've sent all this to your files, plus it's on the PADD there. If you don't have any questions I'll let you get on with it. I have a 'meeting' with the Ships Councillor later and need to have everything ready." David said, smiling at the Lieutenant and waiting for his reply ...

"Cheers to be honest id rather be on the bridge where all the action is rather than cooped up in here reading screens which id rather prefer to read on the bridge" Martin explained signing another padd in the pile.

... "Well, to be honest, I imagine that's where you would spend most of your time. I was at Ops when Commander Barstow sent me down here, and to be honest I was more than glad of the change." David said, walking towards the doors at the rear of the department, Landau next to him, "You're qualified Lieutenant, otherwise you wouldn't have been assigned the position. I know this is something of a 'black hole' in the scheme of things, but by it's very nature it has to be. You'll find that the next time the Merlin comes up against multiple adversaries, you'll be thankful for this room .... This room, thankfully, is used at reduced operational status during times when it's not needed, so the Staff you have down here are pretty much looking out for the ship and any shuttles etcetera that we have outbound. It comes into it's own though, believe me, and you'll be grateful you ave it one day." David said, knowing it was time to leave the man to his work unless Landau needed to speak to him further ...

"Sounds to me like your referring to it as what some navigators on old craft had to be in the coal hole in complete darkness." Martin explained then continued " I have already decided to rotate my time between here and the bridge on a regular basis when I schedule it in. I think it helps give me some bridge training using the system on there and to have a change of scenery once in a while"

... David looked at the Lieutenant, no clue as to what he was referring to. not that it mattered, the department was his, so apart from his Duty Shifts on the Bridge it was his choice as to where he spent the rest of his time.

"It's possible we'll be engaged in something before long, this lull isn't going to last indefinitely." he said. hoping his premonition wasn't going to be forthcoming anytime soon, "So you're happy the have the department how you want it, that's good. A lot different to Operations that's for sure." he finished as they reached the double doors, bidding the Strat' Ops' Officer farewell they parted ways, after agreeing to meet for a drink when time permitted ... David had a Psych Evaluation to prepare for .....


OFF :


Lieutenant David Tan
Chief Operations Officer
USS Merlin

Lieutenant JG. Martin landau
Chief Strategic Operations Officer
USS Merlin