Expert Advice

Posted on Mon Jan 20th, 2025 @ 12:42am by Lieutenant Commander Shoniara T'ghann-Dex. Doctor & Commander Alec Hunter

1,995 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: The 'Eagle continues.
Location: Bridge

Shon woke early, walked and fed Puss, worked out and meditated, all before her shower. She had had trouble sleeping the night before realising she seemed to know very little about her new post of 2XO. After her ‘bridge experience’ with Karadis her new mentor she felt woefully inadequate although she had completed the exercise. Today she was to spend time with Alec Hunter the actual XO and, although she had spent some time with him on Romulus and he had seemed kind and a gentleman this, she felt would be different.

Stopping by sickbay she chatted to the few members of her staff and discussed the day. The department was having a quiet time looking after those crew members who had been spending their down time obtaining injuries from various off duty activities. She was beginning to understand how the different members of staff worked and who she could rely on and whom she needed to watch. She knew she could no longer prevaricate and made her way to the bridge. The day shift had just begun and everybody seemed fresh and awake. As she entered the bridge Commander Hunter was seemingly involved in something so she stood quietly waiting for him to acknowledge her.

Alec had finished talking to the CONN officer and turned to walk back to the center seat when he saw see Shon patiently standing there. "Dex!" He greeted her pleasantly a bright smile on his face. "This is a surprise. What can I do for you?"

"Commander Hunter," She walked forward. "Sir I am sure you know I have been offered and accepted the 2XO position on board the ship. My Mentor is Commander Karadis and we have, or at least I survived a war scenario on the holodeck. Having completed this I realise how little I know about Command and, was hoping you would also mentor me regarding this?"

"Yes. I do know and congratulations. You will do just fine. I am sure of it." He paused for a moment then continued. "If Karadis is your mentor, I am sure you have been fully guided and shown what your role and duties are. As for me mentoring you, I would be delighted. " Alec finished pleasantly, "What would you like to know or begin?"

Shon gave an inner sigh of relief. "Thank you Sir, to begin with i would like to know the general running of the bridge NOT in an emergency. She smiled. "Commander Karadis is big on emergencies."

Alec smiled, "Yes, I imagine she would be. However, the very first thing you do is sit in the center seat. Go on sit down. Get a feel for it. When you are in that seat you are in charge. The responsibility is yours. You command the bridge and the ship."

Shon approached the chair, appearances were deceptive, she thought. It looked just like an ordinary chair but it held such memories and fascination as well as horror. She sat down full of Vulcan self control for the moment.

"Okay, now that your settled, now look over the duty logs from the previous shift see if there are any standing orders you need to continue or implement. Once done, check your duty roster, make sure everyone assigned is here and if they aren't why not and is there a replacement officer manning the station."

'Yes Commander," she said looking at the large PADD on the arm. It looked straightforward. standing orders were to continue crew rotation and remain in place waiting for new orders from the Captain or first Officer. She looked around, not knowing some of the bridge crew she checked them off verbally. Ensign Mcnally on science was not present but Lieutenant Chalres was.

"Standing orders remain in situ Commander and all bridge crew present. Orders are to maintain position."
She realised she had been holding her breath all the time. She stood, "Commander I am not sure I should be here?"

"Oh? And why pray tell are you not sure you should be here Dex? I can't show you bridge operations from Sickbay, can I? So, please tell me why you aren't sure you should be here? I am really very interested." Alec replied waiting to hear Dex's reply.

Shon wondered how to put it. "It is a strange feeling Commander, I feel...an..intruder here on the bridge. In sickbay i know what i am doing and who I am but here I feel a stranger full of what ifs. I'm not sure you can understand?"

Alec shook his head, "Dex, you underestimate me. I understand all too well how you feel. This is out of your comfort zone. In Sickbay you are master. It is your domain, and you hold sway. This is unfamiliar to you, so you have doubts. It is normal. A few shifts under your belt and you will be as home here as you are in Sickbay." He assured her.

She smiled, "I have never given up on anything and I did accept this post so I will try to side my doubts. Thank you Commander, please continue."

"I told you Dex, you are going to do fine, Take a couple of deep breaths. Settle your nerves and here's a little aside. Never let them. see you sweat. When things are tough and it seems, everything has gone to hell in a handbasket. You have to be the epitome of cool. Warp core breach? You got this. Life support failing? No big deal. My point being the bridge crew is looking at you. You are in charge. Never, ever forget that. it's fine to get opinions, but your word is final." Alec replied,

Shon nodded, what he had said was eminently plausible. At times of stress the crew look to those in charge. "What is next Commander?" she asked.

Alec nodded, "You've done all the prelim work and now you're in charge. One of your duties as second officer is to manage ship resources which include system resources. You can increase or decrease power allotment to any system. 99 percent of the time you don't have to do anything but in thar 1 percent emergency Karadis is so found of you may need to reroute power from another system. Just something to keep in the back of your mind."

"So, for example if engineering requires extra power for, say warp tests for example detailed numerical analysis, it would be up to me to either allocate resources from somewhere or refuse if possible warp activity is needed." she carried on, "so i would need to be aware of the Captain's, or your orders. so in a way it is like a dance, know all your steps and do not bump into anyone." she laughed embarrassed.

"That is very well put Dex. very well put. I am impressed but not just any dance Dex, more of a waltz. Where you are constantly aware of everyone and what they are doing. Which is why you check duty logs when you start your shift, to see any system tests are being, done what systems will be affected and for how long. It is all about managing your resources and not catching yourself in a bind. Always think ahead. and sometimes that is hard."

"Commander how hard is it to run say a scenario when the ship is in danger, does your thought process change?" Shon was now becoming very interested in the physical changes and mental ability that may effect her if in Command.

Alec didn't rush an answer. After a moment he answered. "For me, not hard. I don't say that to brag. It's just I flown fighters, and I have flown starships. I've made quick snap decisions. Now that being said and to answer your question. While I think most would say everything speeds up for them everything slows down for me. I know what I want to do, I see what I can or can't do and proceed accordingly. You're a doctor. You've operated in tense situations. The bridge is just another version of the operating room."

"Yes, so running a bridge is just like running sickbay smoothy, you know where everyone is, what they are capable of, what you are capable of but, more than anything you have to know what to do when something new is thrown into the mix. " Shon went and sat once again in the chair. It's a responsibility that I want to take so, how do I do it? Commander Karadis is going to take me through simulation after simulation but I feel the real way to learn," she patted the chair, "the real wat to learn is by sitting here."

"Karadis can take you through a pleather of simulations Dex, nothing is a substitute for the real thing. Oh, simulations can prepare you for what may occur, and they can sharpen your reaction time but no matter how real they are or more importantly how much you screw one up, you can always hit the reset and do it again. Here, you get one chance, and you best not screw it up." Alec smiled at her, "You want experience? You got it. You're in command of the bridge. You hold the center seat. Nothing beats on the job training." He grinned at her.

"you mean now Commander..." Shon asked as she looked around.

"Yes, I mean now Dex. Something wrong with now?
Alec lightly joked. "However, if you don't feel that you are ready. I understand." He said hoping to spur her into action.

"No, I'm ready, I have to do it, I want to do it." She sat there. "Helm status?"

"In Polar orbit around Volta 4 as per orders sir. No problems to report." Shon tapped the report into the left hand PADD.

"Security status?" Shon asked.

"No active shields but T one hundred percent if needed, weapons cold but phasers and photon torpedos at full strength and available. No persons in the brig currently sir."

"Thank you" Shon said and noted it. She looked at Commander Hunter.

Alec nodded, "Anyone in Sickbay?" He prodded. " Check with Engineering as well."

Shon slapped her temple with her palm. “Of course. “Sickbay any change in our patients?”

‘One patient with a broken wrist, one patient with two broken ribs. Both healing now and will be able to return to duty tomorrow. “

“Very well check with the patient’s duty roster and inform their department head of today’s injuries, Thankyou.” She entered it on the PaDD.

“Bridge to engineering. How are we doing down there?” Shon asked

Who is this, you are not Commander Hunter?” The Chief sounded suspicious. “This is Lieutenant Dex in the chair for Commander Hunter.”

“Oh, right Lieutenant Engineering Chief here requesting to take the warp core off.one in order to realign the coils?”

Shon was going to ask Commander Hunter but then she thought, why not, I’ve checked everything else and there seems to be no risk in doing so. “How long will you need Chief?” She asked.

“Three hours Sir.” The Chief reported.

“Very well, three hours.” Shon entered it into the PaDD.

Alec watched Shon as she dutifully entered everything in the log. "Very good Dex, very good indeed. How do you feel?"

She laughed, “I feel as though I have made a breakthrough thanks to you Commander. Is there anything else I need to do?”

Alec grinned. "You did very good Dex and this should give you confidence for the next time you sit in the chair. Just remember no two shifts are ever the same."

“You have given me a lot more confidence and a basis to build on. Thank you Sir, now you have won yourself preferential treatment in sickbay whenever you need it.” There was a slight giggle heard at the comm position.”

"Why thank you Dex." Alec replied smiling. "Never know when I might need preferential treatment. Though I hope I never do."

 

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