"First Mission"

As the conversation moved to a more lengthy topic, Greggory took the seat in front of the captain’s desk. “Fortunately, Captain sh’Orthamu had already requested such a discussion before her untimely departure.” Pulling out his own PADD from a pocket along his thigh, he called up his prepared report, syncing it with Lea’s PADD.

“Raikon Achaea certainly has the experience to be the 2XO, but I know personally how busy being Chief Engineer can be. He’s a fine bridge officer and can handle the CONN, but in an emergency, I wouldn’t want to take his focus away from coordinating engineering teams. Korn Zaje has a similar problem, although his command experience seems rather recent.”

Greggory shifted in his seat as he read the final report on the captain’s PADD. Finally, he pushed it back towards Lea and looked at her confidently. “Honestly, no one knows this ship as well as Commander Achaea and myself EXCEPT Shirik Lektar, probably better if you include personnel alongside technical systems. She’s just as capable of coordinating departments as she is balancing systems, so adding the duties of XO wouldn’t distract her from her position at Ops. She IS a bit abrasive, but she stays calm under pressure and is capable of making the hard decisions.

“I’m aware of her history, both before joining Starfleet and the disciplinary actions in her record. We worked together for a while aboard the Constellation and I can attest that, while she might react strongly to personal threats, she doesn’t use violence without provocation. I’ve never even seen her draw her Kemla unless training or fighting off a boarding action.”

He offered a bit of a smile to Lea. “She’s a strong-willed, no-nonsense officer who isn’t afraid to speak her mind, just like what you asked of me. There’s no one on this ship I’d rather have backing me up as my XO.”

“When we’re in this room, you’re always free to speak, Commander.” Léa answered, giving her full attention to her new Number One, her crystal-blue eyes intent on his mannerisms as he began.

He could—and would—speak his mind, she realized immediately.

Good, she thought.

A moment later, when he had finished his carefully measured declaration, in which Léa found more than a little common ground, she offered him a modest smile of affirmation. “I’m glad to hear it, Commander. And indeed, if you can abide such an arrangement—as you have outlined, and as I have put forth—then I don’t see why we wouldn’t find success together.” She laced her fingers together, set her hands atop her desk, and leaned forward a little, seemingly pleased by this early exchange with the man she would have to rely on more closely than anyone else in the weeks and months ahead, however long her assignment to the Vanguard lasted.

“Now, I understand Captain sh’Orthamu had not yet named her second officer, and I would be remiss if I allowed our ship to enter circumstances that might threaten the chain of command without completing that task. We do not know what awaits us in our search for the missing Kepler.” For a moment she glanced right again, at the stars streaming past the ready-room viewport. “And as I am to rely on you as my first, you—should something happen to me—would have to rely on someone else among our senior staff to act as yours. Which is why I would like your input in naming them.”

She leaned back a little, her hands parting as she reached for a particular PADD among several on her desk. “There are three names that immediately stand out to me as suitable candidates: Commander Achaea, Commander Lektar, and lastly Lieutenant Korn.”

She set the PADD at the front of her desk for Griffith to review. “All three have potential, but each comes with drawbacks. Commander Achaea is our chief engineer, and may already have his hands full. Lieutenant Korn would need to be promoted if we named him, though that is a minor issue. And Commander Lektar…” Her voice trailed off for a moment as her thoughts returned to the warnings she had read in the private communiqué from Admiral Hargrove at Starfleet Intelligence. “…as chief of operations, naming her second officer is a natural thought, though I’m not sure how familiar you are with her history. Suffice it to say, some concerns have been raised.”

Léa leaned back once more, crossing one thigh over the other as her hands came to rest in her lap. “Can I assume Captain sh’Orthamu approached you with this dilemma before her resignation, and have you had time to consider these options?”

She tilted her head slightly, inviting a response. - (OOC Notes: Specifically mentioned @Greggory Griffith, @Raikon Achaea, @Shirik Lektar, @Zaje Korn.)

At the sound of the doors opening, Léa looked up from the reports she had been reading at her desk. “Yes. Please, have a seat.” She motioned toward either of the chairs on the opposite side of the desk.

“Commander…” She paused a moment, leaning back in her chair, her eyes shifting to the viewport and the stars streaming by outside. “…I wanted to make something clear to you about my expectations for you as my Executive Officer.” She knew better than to obfuscate the sort of guidance and advice she would want from her Number One, and she decided against mincing words with Griffith. She needed to be forthright about any concerns she had, and in turn trust him to act with the confidence she would expect of her right hand. Her own experience as an XO shaped her decision-making here.

“I have read your files. I have seen the mission reports from Captain sh’Orthamu. They were, of course, satisfactory—but I want to avoid the mistake of making assumptions.” Her gaze returned to him. “You should know that I intend to count on you for your honest opinions, because I will in turn share my own, whether or not they ruffle feathers. If we are going to be successful in this mission, and in any future missions, then we must ensure that the command relationship between captain and executive officer is one of trust, and a willingness to embrace that honesty. I am not looking for a yes-man when decisions need to be made. I will want your input.”

After a short pause, she allowed her expression to lighten slightly. “Of course, I am not asking you to be obstinate either. There is a balance a Number One has to find in the role, and I am sure you will find it.”

“But for the time being, can I count on your due diligence with regard to the honesty I am seeking from you?” - (OOC Notes: Specifically mentioned @Greggory Griffith.)

Seated comfortably at what was now her desk, Lea had already logged into the computer terminal with her credentials, and as the databases updated, she sipped at a tiny cup of espresso.

“Computer, shipboard time, please?” she inquired.

“The shipboard time is oh-eight-twenty-two,” the computer answered.

With a succinct nod, she took another sip to finish the last of her much-needed caffeine boost, and after setting the cup back onto its saucer, she snatched the accompanying bit of chocolate biscotti and popped it into her mouth to munch on as she scrolled through the list of files that had so far been transferred. She worked quickly, highlighting those the Admiralty had forwarded with regard to their mission, and began sending them out to their respective department heads as additional briefing material. Simultaneously, she began making requests for status updates from each of them, wanting to ensure their departments were ready for whatever lay ahead.

When she resumed scrolling through the other information that had been forwarded, one file in particular — marked Captain’s Eyes Only and sent by Admiral Hargrove at Starfleet Intelligence — elicited a sigh from her.

She’d read it once already, recalling the concerns voiced regarding a particular member of her new senior staff, but truth be told, Lea wasn’t sure how much stock she could put in everything it warned of. Lea had dealt with Starfleet Intelligence at times during her career, especially during the Dominion War, and knew well how oversensitive and suspicious they could sometimes prove to be. Sure, there had been times when that suspicion was warranted, but she couldn’t help but wonder if this was truly one of those times. In a way, the brief from the Admiral read as though it had been tinged with a heavy sense of xenophobia, and that troubled her immensely.

Regardless, she knew she would have to make her own assessments, and swore to herself that she would not let her sense of impartiality be tainted by what she’d read, no matter how potentially distressing some of it appeared to be.

The captain of a starship had to be fair in her judgments. - (OOC Notes: No characters specifically mentioned, though if you write a Departmental Chief, feel free to allude to the flurry of messages coming in to you from Lea if you'd like.)