Facing the Music

Posted on Sun Apr 3rd, 2011 @ 6:45pm by Lieutenant JG Malia Jacy & Vice Admiral Iluvar

Mission: Episode 2.1 - "Unanswered Questions"
Location: USS Pandora; Ready Room
Timeline: Shoreleave 02, 0704

ON: [[USS Pandora, Ready Room, Shoreleave 02, 0704]]

Velia's (PNPC) face was a mask. She didn't want to look guilty and start off on a more wrong foot with Captain Iluvar than she was pretty sure she was already on. On the other hand, she didn't want him to think she was making light of the situation either. It didn't take an Intel officer to figure out why he'd requested she appear before him; she just hoped that whatever the consequences were, they weren't so severe that she couldn't make up for it. "Crap," she sighed softly as she rang the chime. She straightened her jacket, altered her back so that her shoulders were straight, and waited.

"Enter," a voice called from within as the door spread apart to allow Moretti access to the room. Iluvar turned from where he was standing near the viewport and focused his attention on the woman standing just inside the doorway. "Have a seat, ensign," he said, motioning to one of the open chairs before his desk.

"Sir," Velia took a seat on the edge of the offered chair. She folded her hands in her lap and tried not to vomit on his desk.

As Moretti took a seat, he lowered himself into his own chair and surveyed the woman before him. He could tell that she was rather nervous about having been summoned to the captain's ready room. After having read the report on what had transpired during her little excursion, he could understand why she might have felt that way. It certainly wasn't the type of thing one wanted their commanding officer to hear about. "Care to explain to me what happened out there," he asked.

"Sir," she began firmly. "I accepted an offer to go on patrol with the starbase squadron. Major Walsh was trying to be ... kind," it almost hurt her to say that word, "and offered to show me some of their simulated fight maneuvers. He offered to allow me to try them, and I failed to communicate to him my level of flight system experience. It was my mistake with the controls that caused the incident. Sir." Velia tried not to let her fingers dig into her hands as she spoke. She wasn't about to let Walsh get into more trouble than he had coming to him, regardless of what she'd wanted him to think when she left the base.

"I see," Iluvar said, folding his hands on the edge of the desk before him, "and just what is your level of flight system experience, Ms. Moretti?"

Velia looked him straight in the eye. "None, Sir."

Nodding slowly, Iluvar took a moment to consider her reply. Her explanation had been more or less in agreement with the report he had received regarding the incident. Those differences that did exist could easily be explained by the subjectivity of her personal point-of-view, which is what he had been hoping would be revealed by asking the question in the first place. "As an individual with no prior flight system experience, you accompanied a certified fighter pilot on a training exercise," he said, summarizing what he had gathered from her explanation and his reading of the report, "is that not correct?"

"That is correct, Sir." Velia's palms began to sweat. She had an inkling that Walsh would come out worse for the wear on this than she would; though she wasn't exactly sure what all that entailed. But the way the captain had asked that question made her unsettled.

"Would you care for something to drink," Iluvar offered, motioning to the replicator terminal on the opposite wall from where they were seated.

"No, Sir. Thank you." She couldn't help but wonder if he was dragging this out on purpose or if he was attempting to make her more comfortable.

Iluvar nodded again in affirmation of her response and proceeded to fold his hands again. "I fail to see any reason this incident should have a noticeable effect upon your permanent record," he said, looking her directly in the eye, "If what you say is true, which the report does seem to confirm, then it would appear this is nothing more than a simple case of trainee error. Considering this is your first offense, I see nothing wrong letting you off with a warning. In the future, should you choose to participate in flight systems training, try to familiarize yourself with the system before you leave the hangar bay."

"Yes Sir." Velia nodded. "I can safely promise you that it will never happen again." Her fingers relaxed slightly. She hesitated a moment, as though she wanted to speak, but then decided to keep silent.

"Was there something else," Iluvar asked, sensing Moretti's hesitation.

The ensign cleared her throat. "Sir, I was just wondering if ... did ...," she paused and collected herself before continuing. "Sir, would you have heard what Major Walsh has received because of this?" She didn't want to know, but if she were directly responsible for ruining someone's career, she felt that she ought to know. For the first time in a long time, Velia felt as though she may have a reason to pray.

Iluvar raised an eyebrow at the inquiry, but did not immediately respond. He studied the woman seated opposite him for a moment before finally saying, "I have not been informed as to what course of action is to be taken with Major Walsh. It would be reasonable to assume that decision rests within the authority of either Commander Richardson or Captain Lange."

"Yes, Sir," Velia nodded again. She tried not to show her disappointment; she'd hoped for confirmation that he wasn't packing at this very moment. "Of course." The Intel officer, having her very first shipside meeting with a commanding officer burned into her mind, waited patiently to be dismissed.

"Don't take yourself too seriously, Ms. Moretti," Iluvar said with a kind smile, "We all have our strengths and our weaknesses...and we all make mistakes. The important thing is that we learn from them."

OFF:

A JP

by

Ensign Velia Moretti (PNPC)
Intelligence Officer
USS Pandora
Played by: Lt. JG Malia Jacy

and

Captain Iluvar
Commanding Officer
USS Pandora