Into The Lion's Den

Posted on Sun Apr 11th, 2010 @ 4:58pm by Lieutenant JG Hannah Andeti & Commander Earlond

Mission: Episode 1.2 - "A House Divided"
Location: Executive Officer's Office
Timeline: MD09 1630 (same time as 'Into the Mind of Intelligence')

Ens. Nezar (NPC) was wondering what exactly he was supposed to say to the Commander, but he glanced down at the PaDD the counselor had given him with a sense of curiosity. Even if he wanted to read it, he highly suspected the commander would be onto him in about half a second and as uncomfortable as he was with their mission, the last thing he wanted was to be floating home. He scowled vaguely and looked up as he approached the commander's office. Alright. He would be in-out and wouldn't say anything that could get him cashiered out of the service. He took a breath and pushed the chime.

"Enter," Earlond said from his desk. Setting aside a PADD - he seemed to have a lot more of them since he became XO - he looked up towards the door.

Myrin stepped into the office with extreme trepidation. He had only met the Commander the one time but all he had heard about the man only worsened his already existent sense of discomfort around the higher-ups. He looked at the man and immediately his mind began turning over a myriad of ideas about this man's apparent friendship with his boss. He didn't notice that he was staring.

"Is there something you require?" Earlond asked coldly. The man staring at him looked familiar, but Earlond couldn't quite place his face.

Myrin blinked and his half-smile appeared automatically. "Oh, sir." He laughed. "Lt. Andeti asked me to bring you this." He held up the PaDD, but didn't hold it out to him. "Sir." He'd always had trouble with his nerves around figures of authority and he was well aware that he wasn't making a good impression, but his mind was moving slowly and he couldn't figure out what he had done to earn quite the look that he was receiving from Cmdr Earlond.

"And is there a reason you're still standing there?" Earlond asked, not sharing in Myrin's laughter. "Who are you, anyway?"

The counselor glanced at the PaDD and felt himself going pink. Could he look anymore like a first year cadet today? "Sorry sir." He passed him the PaDD. "I'm Ensign Myrin." He blinked. "Ensign Nezar, Myrin Nezar." He grinned again. "We met the other night when you and Hannah were having drinks." He blinked again and his smile began to fade. "Lt. Andeti, I mean." He shifted. "I mean you can call her Hannah if that's your pleasure." The only thing Myrin seemed to be able to think about was how grateful he was for the absence of any women in the room. "Not you're pleasure, no, I mean." He stopped, somewhere close to both tears and hysterical laughter. "I mean here's the PaDD." He jerked it towards the Commander.

Earlond sighed. "Mr. Nezar," he said, taking the PADD. "When you're going to speak, please take a moment to think about what you want to say before you open your mouth."

He laughed a lot harder than he had intended and it had a strangely high note. He cut it short. "Yes sir. Of course, sir."

"Are you going to say sir after every other word?" Earlond asked dryly. "Or were you just practicing?"

It took Myrin a moment to understand that he was joking and when he did Myrin released the same high laugh again. He didn't know what to say. "I don't know, sir," he shook his head and looked frustrated. "Commander."

"Anything else?" Earlond asked. Surely even this ensign couldn't manage to put his foot in his mouth again.

"Not unless there's something you'd like Hannah to do." Myrin swallowed hard to stop himself from correcting himself. Instead he felt himself begin to go red. Could he help it if everything that came out of his mouth seemed to contain double entendres? "Or that you'd like me to do, sir."

"Well, Ensign," Earlond said, "you'd best hope I don't find something for you to do." He leveled an even gaze at the younger man, wondering how much Myrin knew about Earlond's past tendencies.

"All . . . alright, sir." He shifted on the spot.

"When did you graduate from the Academy, Ensign?" Earlond asked. "They used to teach cadets how to stand at attention before a superior officer."

The counselor came strictly to attention. "Two years ago, sir," he responded, unsure about whether or not it had been a rhetorical question.

"Why are you at attention, Ensign?" Earlond demanded. "You think I want every junior crewman jumping to attention every time I talk to one?" This was getting to be almost fun. Iluvar probably wouldn't approve, though.

Myrin was so confused that his head was beginning to ache. He didn't, drop out of attention, however. The truth was that he had completely forgotten most of the basic procedure in the three years since graduation and didn't want to get yelled at again. "I . . . um . . . I don't know what you want, commander."

"At ease, then," Earlond said coldly. "And if you don't have anything else for me, dismissed!"

"Thank you, sir." Myrin took a deep sigh of relief and turned to leave the office.

"Straighten your back!" Earlond barked. "Your posture is terrible!" Only as the doors hissed closed behind Myrin did Earlond lean back and allow himself a small smile. Yes, ensigns were quite amusing. Best not to let Iluvar know, though.

[OFF]

by

Commander Earlond
Executive Officer
USS Pandora

and

Ensign Myrin Nezar (NPC)
Assistant Counselor
USS Pandora
(played by Counselor Andeti)