In Search Of Stuff

Posted on 05/14/2020 @ 1:25am by Ensign Noah LeBlanc

Mission: S1E3: Visit to Starbase 375
Location: Deck 5: Chief Operations Officer's Office
Timeline: Day 1 at 1100

The claustrophobic Chief Operations Officer's office was filled with boxes and spare parts. It was evident to Noah that the previous Chief Operations Officer barely used it. Of course, he hadn't found the time to unpack yet. With all of the red tape and meetings he'd been in over the past few days, he had to play catch up with a great deal of work. His uniform was partially unzipped as he leaned, hunched over the computer terminal. The black glass desk was filled with PADDs of various sizes. Thirty-five new crew members were coming aboard, with that same number transferring off. He'd been messaging back and forth with the different department heads, attempting to get a unified shift schedule coordinated.

She wore her hair, brown and impossibly straight, in a loose braid that hung well below mid-back; she was slender and on the high side of average in height. She walked with purpose and determination in a ground-eating stride that brought her to the office of the Chief of Operations before she'd had enough time to think through a good argument. Not that she'd need one but still, better to be prepared.

She pressed the chime and waited, her dark brown gaze directed toward the floor, as she organized her thoughts and sent up a silent prayer that whomever was in charge of directing stuff would have mercy upon her.

"Come in," Noah responded, standing up from behind the desk. His eyes were burning from the display screen. He quickly zipped up his tunic and fixed his longish brown hair. "Hello, may I help you?" he asked, "Dr. D'Anvers, correct?" He knew he saw her face, but after reading about a dozen personnel rosters he would be surprised if he put the correct name to the face.

"Yes," Leonie said as she edged in, moving gracefully among the detritus that made the small room seem almost claustrophobic, "that's me. Do I know you?" She paused, searching her memory, "I apologize for forgetting. There was such a rash of minor injuries of late. I haven't had a chance to really get to know anyone."

"No, you don't," Noah responded, "Please." He offered her the one chair in front of the desk and sat down, "But as Chief Operations Officer, I need to be familiar with all personnel aboard, both Starfleet and non-Starfleet. I've seen hundreds of faces and names and now I need to put them together," he smiled, "I've been trying to make heads of tails of the duty roster all morning."

"Oh well, that's a relief then," Leonie said, flashing a wry smile, as she sat down, angling her legs slightly to the side, ankles crossed and tucked back under the seat. "I wish I didn't have to add to your workload, Ensign, but I do need a bit of your expertise."

"Not a problem at all Doctor," Noah responded, returning the smile, "If I may be of any assistance." He tried, unsuccessfully to clear some space on the overloaded desk.

"Key and I ... well, the Captain and I ... we were on vacation, you know? First one in I don't how long and our ... stuff ... was all packed up and waiting for our next assignment. Can you imagine? A month of dong whatever you want ... I had all these plans." She sighed softly, shaking her head as she did so, and then drew a breath. "Anyway. Key ... I mean the Captain ... was ordered back to duty. So, we drop everything and come to the Crazy. Only thing is ... our stuff? Didn't come with us and well, I want it. Our stuff I mean."

"Heh, I spent a month rotting on DS20," Noah responded wishing he had the luxury of a vacation, "I understand completely." He looked at his computer terminal, "I will need dates, locations and shipping services used. If it is sitting in a warehouse somewhere, I should be able to reroute the containers to DS20... Hopefully before we ship off. Worse comes to worse, it'll be waiting for us on our return."

Leonie visibly blanched at the thought of what she needed to turn nondescript quarters into a home being left to rot in some warehouse somewhere. She drew a breath in preparation for the labyrinthian task ahead. "Last I heard it was shipped for Key ... I mean the Captain's ... last command to a holding facility on Earth pending his assignment. He wasn't due to receive a new command for another month; Commander Ysayne's departure changed things ... though not apparently for whomever is in charge of stuff."

"Hmm," Noah responded as he tapped a few keys on the desktop. Supply chain was one of the key features of Operations, but one he always found a tad aggravating. "It looks as though the crates were shipped from Earth." He tapped through the tracking information, "Looks like it's on the cargo transport... S.S. Fortunate." He looked through the ship's manifest and then the schedule. "Looks like they will arrive to DS20 in... Three days," he added.

"I suppose its impossible to hurry it all along," Leonie said, more to herself than to the Ensign. "Three days and who knows how long before we get back this way again?"

"I'll try a few methods to speed things up," Noah responded, "The docking master here is a... Simple man... I'll try convincing him to give priority and maybe cut a few bureaucratic measures. No promises but it may speed things up by at least twelve hours. Unfortunately this ships only cruise around warp five."

Dark brown eyes, awash in the hope of reunion, fastened on the Ensign's face. "Thank you. Anything you can do would be greatly appreciated. Tell you what, you get my stuff here and I'll make you something. I'm a good cook, you know, and a better baker."

"Ah, sounds good. I will try my best," Noah responded with a smile, "I also enjoy cooking... I grew up working in my parents' restaurant. Then at the academy I worked as a waiter... Had to find something to do with my spare time."

"I'm more self-taught," Leonie said. "Well, after having it all drilled into me by my parents and grandparents and various assorted relatives." She chuckled softly as memories surfaced in her mind. "Nothing like an honest family that loves big meals. Critics every single one."

"I understand completely," Noah responded with a smile, "It is even tougher to convince strangers to come and then to come back. It was a knack my father had down pat, but it wasn't something I wanted to do my entire life. There is more to the galaxy than a restaurant on the river... But who knows, twenty years of this may convince me otherwise."

Leonie nodded in agreement as he spoke. "Cooking is a gift I give to family and friends. Medicine that's my real calling."

"Ah ok," Noah responded, "We all have our talents. Medicine is definitely not mine." He smiled, "Apparently my talent is bureaucracy, if you observe these piles," he said and then chuckled.

Leonie smiled though, in truth, bureaucracy had never been a talent of hers. "Its a heroic thing," she said, her voice bubbling with warmth and sincerity, "wading through bureaucracy. Its a thing of wonder to come out the other side unscathed." Her mouth quirked upward into a wry grin. "Decidedly not something I'm capable of achieving."

"I suppose it's from the years of being yelled at in a kitchen," Noah responded with a grin, "Not much phases me anymore." He stacked a few more PADDs, "I really should compress all of these onto one PADD... Would be easier, although I wish these were paper..."

"Well," Leonie said as she rose from her seat, barking her shin in the process, "I'll leave you to your work ... and I look to hearing from you about my stuff."

"Much appreciated," Noah responded, "There is quite a great deal unfortunately. I am certain your stuff will arrive soon." He smiled as she left the office. One more thing added on to the pile, but favors always come around again in the end.

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A Post by:
Ensign Noah LeBlanc
Chief Operations Officer
USS Crazy Horse

and

Leonie D'Anvers, M.D.
Medical Officer
USS Crazy Horse