A Working Relationship

Posted on Sun Jul 31st, 2016 @ 6:02am by Lieutenant Commander Mira Jayde & Lieutenant Tristan Balor

1,562 words; about a 8 minute read

ON

Once Jayde was settled in, she began to check on the senior staff. She would need to meet them all at some point so she would know how best to meet their needs. Not everyone appreciated the role of security, and Jayde knew part of her job was to keep everyone not only safe, but informed.

One of her first stops was to meet the new Chief Intelligence Officer. He'd come aboard at the starbase, so meeting him right away would be a good way to start off their working relationship. She had no intention of stepping on Intel's toes, but she was also not one to sit back and let Intel do her job.

Once she ascertained that Commander Balor was in his office, she headed for Intel to introduce herself.

Tristan was in his office, but not in his chair. He was sitting on the floor in an Indian position with his eyes closed. In front of him was a lit candle and a small device which he placed the fingertips on. The lights on the device were flashing slightly.

Jayde rang the door chime and waited.

His eyes opened slowly as he looked over toward the door. As he rose, he picked up the candle and small device, placing them on his desk. Tristan finally walked over to the door and tapped on the small keypad on the side to unlock it. As the doors opened he gave a smile before nodding his head. "Lieutenant Commander. Please come on." He gestured to the chair in front of his desk. "May I offer you something to drink?"

Jayde immediately smelled the candle and glanced at the desk. "I'm sorry to interrupt," she said quietly, stepping in the room as directed. "Would you prefer that I return at another time?"

"No. Nonsense. You are here now. It would be pointless to send you away, only to return for something that has already been interrupted." Tristan replied as he pulled out the chair for her to sit in. "Besides, what has been easily interrupted can just as easily begin again once you leave. As they say no harm was done."

Jayde inclined her head in agreement. She couldn't argue with his logic. "I am Mira Jayde," she said after she took the proffered seat.

Tristan pulled the seat forward slightly as she sat down before walking around the desk. "Tristan Balor." He replied with a smile. "Tristan if you prefer. I am the Chief Intelligence Officer, which you should know since this is his office and you came to it." He added a slightly laugh before gesturing to the replicator. "Allow me to not draw further attention to my own mistake and offer you something to drink again."

Jayde couldn't help smiling. "Then I am glad to have found the right office as I wished to speak with you. And please, if we are being informal, I prefer Jayde. As we will likely find ourselves working together at some point, I thought it prudent to meet and see how I can best be of service."

Tristan nodded his head as he approached the replicator. "Jayde, you and I are placed in the positions we are in due to our skills and training. Those who are in charge of assigning officers to their posts saw a potential in us that would, not only benefit the ship, but also ourselves." He paused slightly before looking over to her. "Unless it was done by picking names from a hat, in which, we were assigned by luck of the draw. Nevertheless, what has already been established is our need to serve and where best to provide that service, what we establish now is a means of understanding each others strengths and weaknesses in order to best decide how to use the strengths to our benefit and cover the weaknesses." He looked over to the replicator and continued. "Computer? Tea with honey." As the replicator formed his drink, he took it and walked back to the desk.

"Should that not be our quest in general?" she asked. "To better ourselves and make the most of our circumstances? But to answer your question, my job is to help protect the crew of this ship and, when necessary, the ship itself. Some of what I have learned in my...career...may also be of benefit to your department, if you wish."

"We are all on a quest, Jayde. The question is, do we really know what the quest truly is about and where it exactly does it end?" Tristan replied as he sat down in his chair and took a sip from his tea. "Yes, that is the definition of your job, but do the methods define you or you define the methods? After all, you are what makes your job unique. What one person may see as the solution to a problem, you may view something far different. Where a Klingon would decide that fighting is the best course of action, a Vulcan may look for a more peaceful and logical course. A Ferengi may look for a way to exploit and gain the financial upper hand, while a Borg would just assimilate and obtain what they want and more without understanding the true value of what they obtained. I believe that our careers are benefited by what we learn, and what we teach. Just because we have stepped out of the building, doesn't mean the galaxy isn't, in a sense, an Academy in its own right." He took another sip before looking over to her for a response.

She considered his words for a moment. "Indeed. Life itself is a journey. Where that path begins is chosen by the circumstances of our birth. Sometimes, our path crosses that of others. It can be for a moment, or for a lifetime. Our choices along the way define who we are and what we leave for other travelers. We can choose to be a light or a stumbling block. I believe we have an obligation, whatever our path may be, to make our path a little better than we found it and to continually learn." She nodded towards the candel. "I assume that you were meditating?"

"In a manner of speaking." Tristan replied, nodding slightly before looking back to Jayde. "In my mind I was riding along the plans back home on my horse, my guide by my side. Even though it was all in my mind I could still feel the wind against my face and smell the bloom of the coming season."

"Your guide?" she asked.

Tristan nodded. "Yes. My people have a practice which places those who follow it into a deep, meditative, state. In this state, we are placed into familiar surroundings and a met by ancestors, or even, an animal guide that accompanies us. This guide is said to protect us during out life's journey and will offer guidance and a friendly ear when needed. It's been proven to be very helpful. In my studies, at your academy, I learned that this method is also done by various other species and people along the years. Although the rituals are different, the outcome is always the same."

"Many of the early American tribes believed in animal guides," Jayde said. "I have read of such things, but never experienced them myself."

"It is strongly believed that each being, whether human or alien, carries with them a guide in one form or another. Whether they make it known to them or not is entirely up to them, but it doesn't change that they are there. Some of them guide us when we require them on where to go or what to do. Some believe it is their unconscious mind making speaking to them, but what this tradition does is gives that guide form. A body. A voice all its own. One does not have to believe in them, for them to believe in you." Tristan replied softly as he placed his hands behind his back and gave her a smile. "I am allowed to teach you how to contact your guide, but there are rules that must be followed and you must adhere to. If one does not, your guide, may be insulted and no longer appear to you."

Jayde raised an eyebrow. "I am familiar with some ancient customs. I have always respected nature and traditions."

"The option is yours." Tristan replied softly. "Should you wish to attempt it I can be located here or in my quarters. It would only take me a moment to gather the things I require."

"I would like to try," Jayde replied quietly.

"I would like to try," Jayde replied quietly. "It may only take a moment for you to gather what you require, but it will most likely take more time for a successful attempt." She glanced at the chronometer, realizing that she'd spent far longer than she expected with the Intel officer. "I am free this evening if you would like to try then. The security holosuite is available from 1900 on. I will meet you there."

She stood and bowed to Tristan. "Until then, Lieutenant."

____
OFF

Lieutenant Commander Tristan Balor
Chief Intelligence Officer

Lieutenant Commander Mira Jayde
Chief Security/Tactical Officer

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