Have a seat [4/6]

Posted on Wed Sep 2nd, 2026 @ 2:10pm by Captain Jaro & Lieutenant Commander Riaani ek'Meru

1,072 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Episode 1: The Fissure
Location: Bridge - Deck 1 - USS Amazônia

To her credit, ek'Meru didn't attempt to mask her curiosity. If anything, she wore it with intention, each slightly-elongated stare betraying layered scrutiny that was both practised and concise. What was more difficult to discern were her conclusions, mere glimmers of unspoken calculation that seemed more a process of prioritising queries than actually arriving at any kind of preconceived evaluation. Her interaction with Lieutenant Khatri had been quite brief in the end, the pilot had seemed reluctant to hang around once her official escort reached its intended destination, but there had been enough hints in the woman's scant introduction to the notion of senior officer quarters for Riaani to surmise that personalised decoration was, if not encouraged, then at the very least expected. It was a novel concept, one that the Kodaaj'ek supposed made sense if you considered the extended duration of this crew's ongoing service. Amongst her own people, even the long-range deployments weren't really considered anything more than a professional prerogative and the idea of taking anything of any personal value into a high-pressure environment would have been considered foolish. Khatri had seemed surprised by the new arrival's lack of luggage; Riaani was starting to understand why.

After a moment of hesitation, lost in the whimsy of her own quiet exploration, Riaani brought her attention back to Jaro's openly inquisitive stance and offered the man a faint smile. Even his words invited a mindset that would take some getting used to. Home had never been amongst the stars, which seemed to represent the separation from one's roots rather than the source of them. Riaani had always felt comfortable navigating the distance required to do her job and often enjoyed the quiet and definitive solitude of space travel. She wasn't sure she'd ever thought of it as being home, however.

"The list of everything I have to learn seems to accumulate entries every time I turn my head a different direction," she admitted. "I won't be at a loss for things to occupy myself with at least."

Jaro chuckled softly, a knowing glint in his eyes as he nodded in appreciative agreement.

"If it offers any comfort, Lieutenant Commander, you are in exceptionally good company," Jaro replied, his voice carried by the easy cadence of a seasoned explorer. "I may sit in the Captain's chair, but every morning I look at our navigational telemetry and realize just how many unknowns remains. For all of the Federation’s collective knowledge, this entire quadrant is functionally a blank slate to us. We are stepping into a region where almost every culture, every anomaly, and every star system represents a complete revelation."

He turned his head slightly toward the viewport, where the pale ribbons of warp-stretched starlight glided by in silence.

"So do not feel as though you are the only one standing at the beginning of a long journey. In truth, I suspect I have just as much exploring ahead of me as you do—and I consider myself profoundly fortunate that we are striking out into the unknown together."

He paused, a sudden flash of self-deprecating humor smoothing across his features as his hospitality caught up with him. He slapped his knee lightly with one hand.

"Ah, but listen to me waxing poetic while leaving my First Officer parched—where are my manners?"

Rising smoothly from his armchair, Jaro gestured toward the wall-mounted replicator alcove built into the bulkhead. "Can I offer you something to drink? A hot tea, a fruit juice, water? Or, if you are feeling particularly adventurous, I can whole-heartedly recommend an espresso. The replicator's database has also been updated with what we understand of Kodaaj'ek cuisine, so please, do not hesitate to name your preference."

As effortless as Jaro had made the transition, there was a palpable delay in ek'Meru's willingness to oblige with a response. Not that she offered any kind of protest, the Kodaaj'ek remained silent and visibly pensive without necessarily succumbing to any obvious irritability. It was more a deliberate hesitation that bought time for her to consider his opinion, a pause to actually think about the comparisons he'd drawn and an opportunity to commit the interaction to memory so that it might inform any future exploration of the man's sensibilities. It was a subtle and unassuming process, devoid of guile and seemingly unaware of its own conspicuousness. For a second, it almost seemed as if Riaani might halt the attempt at topic change to satiate curiosity's eagerness but she eventually dipped her head in acquiescence.

"I will heed your recommendation, though perhaps I should cultivate the habit of checking first what I'm getting myself into." Her eyebrows lifted in gentle amusement. "Is it customary to seek sustenance during a duty shift or is this an exception for social purposes?"

Jaro smiled, turning toward the replicator with a brisk step. "Two espressos, doppio, hot."

The machine hummed briefly before materializing two sleek ceramic demitasses, wafting aromatic steam into the room. Retrieving the small cups by their handles, Jaro walked back to the seating area and carefully set them down upon the low glass coffee table between the couch and his chair. He settled back into his seat, gesturing toward one of the steaming cups with an open hand.

"To answer your question: yes, it is entirely customary. Starfleet policy holds that maintaining personal well-being—whether that means a quick meal, a glass of water, or a hot cup of espresso—is encouraged while on duty, provided it does not interfere with operational readiness or distract from one's immediate responsibilities. We have long found that officers think more clearly and perform far better when they are allowed to attend to their basic physical needs without needless delay for the sake of rigid decorum."

He leaned back, resting his arms comfortably on his chair, his tone reflective. "Because Starfleet is fundamentally a volunteer organization, our entire operational framework rests on mutual trust rather than enforced coercion. Crew members rarely abuse such privileges, simply because taking pride in one's posting inherently carries an understanding of balance. We trust our officers to manage their personal comfort responsibly while keeping the ship running smoothly."

He tilted his head slightly, his tone becoming more inquisitive. "I take it from your question that the Osha'Thaar Union maintains a somewhat stricter boundary between the professional and personal?"

[TBC]

Captain Jaro
Captain
USS Amazonia

Lt. Commander Riaani ek'Meru
On-loan Executive Officer
USS Amazônia

 

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