Down To Business

Posted on Fri 20th Jan, 2023 @ 3:59am by Commander Mikaela Locke

954 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: A Fresh Perspective
Location: Deck 11 - Captain Navarra's Ready Room
Timeline: MD 01 - 1300 hours

Following the official piping ceremony, Commander Locke had escorted the new base commander to the main operations center and then, shortly after, the pair had retreated to the base commander's ready room, at the rear of ops. They walked in silence, through the little anteroom-cum-office with a single desk and two comfortable chairs, the one that, during alpha-shift, was occupied by her yeoman. The doors on the other side of the waiting room slid open and Locke followed Navarra in.

"Apologies," Locke began, "We've not had time to redecorate the room to your specifications as yet, but we're hoping to have it done in the next forty-eight hours."

Elena looked around the ready room. Her attention was immediately drawn to the huge screen on the wall with the projected live image of the space around the station. She instantly fell in love.

"It is alright Commander Locke, I am sure you will see to its completion. Would you like to officially transfer command of the station over to me now?" Elena asked asked she turned away from the screen and looked ever over to her second in command. Elena had to admit that she was impressed with her personal record. She wondered how the intelligence offered ended up here.

"Of course, sir," Locke replied, giving no hint of the slightest pang of loss that welled up inside her. While she had never really wanted command of the station, at least not in the long term, this was the second time she had had to officially sign it over to someone else and, for some reason, it had stung both times. "Computer," she began, "in accordance with the order from Admiral Rosalyn Nechayev, Chief of Operations, Starfleet; effective, this date, I am relinquishing command of Starbase 109 to Captain Elena Navarra."

"Order located and verified," the station computer replied. "Provide access code for command transfer."

"Locke-nine-zero-two-one-zero-alpha-blue," Locke replied.

"Confirmed," the computer replied again. "Provide access code for command accession."

"Navarra-three-two-four-zero-eight-bravo-bravo." Navarra looked at the wall-sized monitor and saw the Starfleet seal appear with confirmations scrolling across the screen.

"Access accepted. Station command transferred to Captain Elena Navarra."

"I have command." Elena said to Locke with a smile on her face.

"Indeed you do, sir," Locke replied, a semi-gracious half-smile on her face.

"Commander, do you have a few moments to talk with me?" Elena asked as she made her way to one of the covered seats in the office. She yanked the sheet that was protecting both seats and threw the sheet to the ground. Elena motioned to Locke to have a seat in one of the chairs.

"Of course," Locke replied, already beginning to move around to the chair the Navarra had indicated.

"Commander, I am going to be quite frank in our conversation here, so please do not take offense." Navarra took a seat beside the Commander's chair and face towards Locke. "Did you want command of this Starbase?"

Mikaela breathed out a heavy sigh as she sat down. "The truth is..." she paused, as if still trying to decide in that very moment what the answer to that question was. "The truth is," she finally said, "I don't know." Having finally been able to answer she relaxed a little more in her seat.

"I've been here seven years," she continued. "I was one of the youngest XO's in fleet history. You are my third base commander now - and I have been acting CO in both interregnums. Part of me thinks I deserve it. I know, by CO standards, I'm still young and that I've not commanded a ship or a smaller facility before, but I know this station and this crew - probably as well as anyone."

She stopped, mulling the negatives as well. "That said," she continued, "Colonel Drake gave his life as commander of this base, and I watched first-hand as the job took it's toll on Captain Suzuki. With respect, sir," she said, knowing full well that Navarra knew full-well that what she was about to say was true, "the role requires a fine balance of soldier and diplomat. Horatio... I mean, Colonel Drake," she corrected herself, "was an excellent soldier, but a lousy diplomat - it's what got him killed. Captain Suzuki discovered being both in equal measure was almost impossible. From what I understand of you, sir, you're diplomatic skills are second-to-none. I, on the other hand, am more in the 'soldier' vein - if a little less 'bombastic' than most.

"I'm an intel. officer at heart," she said, again knowing full-well that Navarra would know that, "I'm much more comfortable commanding from the shadows than from a platform." She paused, suddenly aware she'd been talking for a long time. "I don't know if that really answers your question..."

Navarra sat there and took in everything she could from Locke. The way she talked about herself, her position on the station, and how she viewed herself. In particular, she found it interesting how Locke thought of herself as a soldier first.

"OK Commander, tell me your strengths, then I believe we all thrive when we play to our strengths." Navarra already had thoughts and plans about how her relationship with Locke could be. But she needed to see where Locke put herself in those plans.

Cowley stood at ease by the door, taking in the conversation, but not making notes. This time, he would listen so he could give feedback to the Captain, if she asked for it. He hadn't been on 109 for more than a few months, but he did have impressions of her as a leader. He would only share them if he were asked.

 

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