Providing Opportunities

Posted on Sun Mar 15, 2020 @ 6:42pm by Ensign Jonathan Baker & Lieutenant Zekori Dosan

Mission: The Nanjing
Location: Deck 5, Chief Operations Officer
Timeline: MD 1 || 1130 Hours

Lieutenant Zekori Dosan had taken a moment to review his department's personnel records. He wanted to take time to call in the shift and station supervisors across his department. The first on his list was the Transporter Room Chief. Ensign Jonathan Baker. He tapped his commbadge "Lieutenant Zekori to Ensign Jonathan Baker."

=^=Baker here, Chief. What can I help you with?=^= Came the Ensigns response a moment later.

"When you have a moment could you please see me in my office? I would like to sit down for a meet and greet."

=^=On my way, Sir.=^=

"Great, see you soon. Zekori out." Dosan tapped his commbadge and rose to his feet. He walked over to the replicator, "Kava juice. Large, on ice." His order replicated. He picked it up and took a sip from it and brought it over to his desk.

A few minutes later, the blond haired transporter chief came to the Department Head's door and pressed the chime.

"Enter," the Bajoran Chief Operations Officer called from his desk. He rose to his feet as the door swooshed open and gestured to the door, "Could I order you a cold or warm refreshment from the replicator?"

"Iced Earth mocha with a shot of caramel, please," Jon said as he studied the new Bajoran officer. It was clear the man had had a long path behind him at his current age, and the human planned to give him the respect he deserved.

"Coming right up," the Lieutenant answered. He made the order for the Ensign and brought it over to his desk. The Bajoran offered him his drink and a seat, "Take a seat."

"Thank you, Sir," Jon said politely as he accepted the drink and took a seat.

The Lieutenant sat down and took a sip from his glass of kava juice. "How are you liking it aboard the Triumphant?"

"I've been with her since her launch and I plan on staying with her until the day they tell me I have to cash out," the human told him in a matter-of-fact voice before he took a drink of his beverage.

The Chief Operations Officer appreciated and enjoyed the young man's answer."Where do you see yourself in five years?"

"Career wise? I'd like to work my way up through the ranks again and maybe see how I'd be as a Chief," Jon said. "On this ship, of course."

The Bajoran chuckled lightly. He was delighted to hear the young man had aspirations to go up through the ranks and stay onboard the Triumphant for the entirety of his career, "Have you taken the bridge officer's examination yet?"

"No, Sir," the Transporter Chief answered, a bit confused. He'd just finished with OCS not long before that and had his career as an enlisted prior to that.

He nodded his head understanding. The Lieutenant grabbed the PADD with the Transporter Chief's personnel file. "I see that you recently completed your officer training. Congratulations are in order. I've gone through something similar myself with several career transitions from the Resistance to the Militia and presently to Starfleet." It may have not been the same but the Bajoran smiled and fondly appreciated the young man's dedication to the uniform. "Would you be interested in a mentorship?"

"You have dedication that most only dream of, Sir," Jon said respectfully after listening to him. "Thank you, but isn't Bridge officer training limited to Lieutenant Commander and above? I know other officers can serve stand-in, but that's a long way away for me."

"I can't even taken the bridge officer test," Zekori chuckled. "I was merely assessing to know how much you know, Ensign." The Bajoran readjusted his uniform while raising a leg over another to reposition himself in his chair. He took a sip of his kava juice before continuing, "You have dedication of your own, Ensign."

"Uh, Sir, you are a bridge officer. Department heads have their own pass there," Jon replied as he took a sip of his super sugary coffee. "As for my dedication, I have a daughter that looks up to me."

Zekori smiled at the young man. He had a daughter himself but they haven't spoken a word to each other in almost eight years, "How old is your daughter? I have one of my own as well."

"Andi, 'Rawei', is one," Jon said with a smile. "She was born on Rigel V because she couldn't wait for me and her Mom to make it to Risa."

"They usually have remarkable timing. When, my daughter, Tiza was born. Her mother and I were on the way to carry out an attack on a Cardassian supply cache."

"That's perfect timing," Jon chuckled. Inwardly, he wondered why a heavily pregnant woman would be on a mission to carry out such a dangerous attack. "Andi's mother, Ashley, went into labor on a Danube class runabout, the Mesopotamia. The pilot said he couldn't get us to Risa on time, but could make it to Rigel V and we did. She was ready to pop as we were setting down. The Doctor gave her the name Rawei, which is an honored name on Rigel."

"Rawei is a beautiful name. What is the meaning?" Zekori inquired. He hadn't visited the planet Rigel V or even the paradise vacation planet Risa. Hopefully one day he'll visit both of these worlds.

"I don't know," the human responded. "The Rigellian Doctor said it was a name of honor on Rigel V. Her actual name is Andi Paulette Baker. My wife also runs The White Lotus on the Promenade part time."

"A lovely name," the Bajoran Ops Chief smiled. "I will have to check out the The White Lotus at some point. I haven't made it to the Promenade yet."

Jon shook his head and looked at him half in pity, half in amazement that he hadn't been there yet. He looked like he wanted to warn him about something, then decided to. "When you do, don't make any plans for later in the evening. One of a hundred places will suck you in and keep you."

"Quite a reputation for a promenade then," Zekori recalled memories of the promenade on the space station Deep Space Nine he visited on a recreational leave from his assignments on Bajor. He made a note to explore the promenade soon, "I believe you. I'll make sure that I have an escape plan or go with a friend."

"Take an experienced friend," the transporter chief advised. "With that out of the way, would you like to go over the transporter relays and upgrades since we were last refitted?"

"Understood. Certainly, fill me in on the transporter relays and upgrades since the last retrofit." He took a sip of his kava juice and grabbing one of the PADDs he recalled seeing something briefly on them.

For the next hour, the Ensign walked the Chief over every step in the transporter network and left nothing untouched, answered every question like he'd been the one to install most of the new components, and was very knowledgeable.

"Thank you for the debrief, Ensign." The Bajoran folded his hands together on his desk. "I know that you're happy in the transporter room. I would like you to consider being my bridge Operations relief officer if during the Alpha Shift, I have to leave the bridge on away missions and so forth. What do you think, Ensign? It will give you some more bridge experience. And I'll be there every step of the way if you have questions or concerns."

Jon blinked. Not one time in his service did any other officer above him in rank offer to train him for a position he never thought he could reach. Now it was being handed to him. "I accept, Sir," he said, his voice just a little awed.

"I am glad to hear it." The Bajoran's hand extended across his desk for the young man's, "Congratulations. I look forward to training you. Report to me on the the bridge tomorrow for Alpha Shift."

"I'll see you then, Sir," Jon replied as he shook the Chiefs hand. "And thank you again, Sir."

"The pleasure is mine, Ensign. See you bright and early tomorrow morning."

"Yes, Sir," the Transporter Chief said with a smile before he turned and headed out.