Checking in at the Office
Posted on Mon Nov 10th, 2025 @ 12:38am by Lieutenant JG Zhederious (Zhed) Sciven & Lieutenant Alistair Nicholas
Mission:
Take My Hand
Location: Main Security
Timeline: Current
1899 words - 3.8 OF Standard Post Measure
The turbolift slowed to a stop and the doors parted smoothly, allowing Zhederian to step out onto deck 5. There were additional security offices elsewhere on the ship, along with assorted armory's and weapons lockers, but this was the main security complex onboard. Unless the security chief wanted to assign him a post down in the bowels of the ship, this was probably where he would be spending most of his, besides reporting to disturbances onboard and making sure the power cells in the weapons lockers were fully charged. Away missions were possible, though those would probably just include the security chief, or whatever officer was due up for the experience. As the newest onboard, Zhed would probably be at the very bottom of that particular list.
Entering main security, Zhed gave a nod to the ensign at the front desk. "Lieutenant Sciven, just transferred onboard," he said, offering her the PADD he held with the details of his transfer orders, so at least she wouldn't think he was unauthorized personnel trying to gain access to a secure area, and throw him in the brig.
"Ahh, welcome aboard Lieutenant," she said as she called up the information on the PADD, then back to compare it with what was in the ship's database. "Ensign Higgs," she said, introducing herself with a nod. "Good to see another gold shirt joining the team." Finalizing her work, she handed the device back. "I've got you logged, and we'll get your credentials cleared and authorized as soon as the chief gives the okay."
"Speaking of, are they in? I need to check in anyway."
"Sorry, they're flagged as 'Do Not Disturb' right now. Maybe later." Higgs studied her workstation for a few moments, then glanced over her shoulder. "The assistant chief is in, however." She waited for Zhed to give a nod, then pointed back over her shoulder. "Second door on the right."
Padding in the direction indicated, Zhederian glanced at his uniform and picked at a couple stray hairs from his collar as he walked, wondering for the umpteenth time if maybe he should have shaved. Sometimes, it was hard to tell what a new boss might put up with; would they tolerate a new officer that was prone to occasional shedding? Only one way to find out, he decided, before stabbing at the chime beside the assistant chief's door.
The door slid open before a response could be had, and from the depths of the room, a low "Come on in," could be heard.
Zhederarious paused a moment at the threshold, enough time for someone to close the door again if they'd changed their mind about him, then straightened up and stepped inside.
Walking into the office would have met with a lack of decor, save for a couple of framed childrens' drawings on the far wall of various depictions of scribbles and tree-like objects. At the desk were all sorts of crafty-type projects, similar in style and talent level to the renditions on the walls. Seated behind the desk was a dark-haired man, horn-rimmed spectacles on as his attention moved to the new arrival. "Uhm. Hello."
"Greetings, sir," Zhed replied as he stopped in front of the desk and restrained himself from studying the crafts on the desk too closely; last thing he needed was to make an accidental comment about his kids making the items, only to find out they were all actually his own work. "Lieutenant Sciven, just transferred in from the Bainbridge. I figured I would check in now that I'm onboard, and the chief is busy, so I suppose you're the lucky one stuck with me instead."
"Sciven. Sciven." Alistair pushed his glasses up his nose before picking up a PaDD and nodding. "You are on all the official documentation. It will be another hour or so before your security clearance clears - something about everyone new having to go through an extra layer of Intel security. Nothing to worry about," Alistair added with a lopsided smile. "More an extra precaution than anything else. Lieutenant Nicolas. I hope you found the offices easy enough, we have had a recent refit. Oh, uh. Yeah, sit. Forgot that."
Zhed nodded as he stepped around the chair and took a seat, being careful not to sit uncomfortably on his tail in the process. "Thank you sir. Security was easy enough to locate, though it'll take me a little time to start memorizing where everything else is onboard. Vesta might have less internal volume than a Galaxy class, but it's still twenty five... twenty six? ...decks to commit to memory. Fortunately, the computer seems to know where everything is, and can point the way in the meantime." He studied lieutenant Nicolas for a moment, silently wondering if he was one of the unlucky few that was allergic to Retinax, or if he just preferred to use spectacles. "What was that you mentioned about going through an extra layer of intel security? Is that something to do with our current mission, that requires additional precautions? I haven't received any details on what our mission is." Zhed paused, then gave a soft grunt in the back of his throat. "And I suppose if there are extra security precautions in place, you won't be able to tell me anything more until I've first been cleared by intel. I presume they're taking care of that on their end, or do I need to pay them a visit?"
Alistair looked to his left, eyes narrowing at the dead space. "We do also have... what do we call her... the Security Training Hologram... if you have issues navigating. She was on the Nelson and the chief was so happy with her that he demanded she be put in place here. That said, no. None of the extra security measures are due to our mission. Flagships, especially those with Admirals on board, require it due to the sensitivity of what we do. Our current mission will be in a debrief document once I get you shuffled through. You are right in believing that I will not be able to tell you much more until then, but that should be sorted out soon." He took the moment to take the glasses off his face and set them down on the desk. "What has you transferring all the way out with us?"
"A bit of a... change of scene," Zhed replied carefully. He was somewhat curious about the Security Training Hologram that lieutenant had mentioned, but he would probably learn more about it in due course. "One of my people -the Juran-Ti- ended up aboard my last ship, and they... took exception to my mixed ancestry." It was as polite a term as he could manage; generally his people were as open-minded as any other, but the so-called Purists could be awfully fanatical when sufficiently offended at something. "At that time, they were essential for the mission at hand and I wasn't, so I requested a transfer to make things easier for everybody. As for ending up on the Vesta itself, I don't know if there were some specific vacancies that needed to be filled, or if my last captain might have pulled a string or two to get me assigned here." He gave a slight shrug. "At any rate, I'm grateful for the opportunity to be here now, and I'm ready to get to work. If you need someone to man the most out-of-the-way security post onboard, I'm happy to do it."
Alistair nodded along, stopping two beats after Zhed finished. It took another four beats for him to reply. "Nothing here is truly out-of-the-way. Someone will eventually find you, and you may become the next officer who ends up with a pile of children to entertain." He offered a quirked sideways smile. "I won't say that people here are all accepting, but I'm not personally a fan of 'taking exception' to people based on the way they are. If anyone disagrees, they can come find me." His slow baritone had a hint of polite annoyance to it. "I don't take kindly to that. What if you see something the rest of us don't because of your experiences? You could save some tushies that way, Lieutenant. And you can't exactly do that in the out-of-the-way security posts."
Another moment and Alistair squinted at one of the PaDDs in front of him. "Duty roster has a few openings here and there, but I'll get you in some good rotations. Maybe a bridge shift or two, if you're comfortable. If you're not, I'll give you one at some point... just not first thing."
'Tushies'? Zhed considered inquiring further, then decided it must be a reference to a species onboard he wasn't yet familiar with, and he could always look it up himself at a more appropriate time. "If assignment to the bridge is where I can do the most good, then I'm more than ready to do my duty. However, I'm well aware that being the newest onboard with the security department puts me at the very bottom of the seniority ladder. Anywhere you put me, I'll be meeting the crew and learning the ship, so there's really no bad place to be stationed." And it was true; even the most out-of-the-way security post would be an opportunity to learn about that particular out-of-the-way location on the ship, along with the civilians and crew that typically lived or worked there. When serving aboard a city-sized ship like the Bainbridge, he'd learned that one could commit deck plans and schematics to memory, to become actually, intimately familiar with a big ship's layout and all its little nooks and crannies, took time and walking a lot of patrols. Granted, the Vesta was no Galaxy class, but over six hundred seventy meters and twenty-six decks of ship, it was no slouch on interior volume either. "Put me where you will."
"Oh, don't worry. You'll have your fair share of just about every shift. It doesn't make sense to put the same people on the same task all the time." It was duty assignments that fell on Alistair since the change of department head, and he liked the variety. "What might seem normal to some might end up being a security risk to the right eye. You'll have regular assignments, but don't expect it to be all the time either." He tapped the top of the console in front of him. "You'll get the packet when you settle in, but we do have plenty of activities to immerse yourself with the crew. I am myself trying to start regular cooking nights."
Alistair trailed off, then rested his hands on his desk. "But you're not obliged to a thing but your duties. Any questions for me?"
The lieutenant shook his head. "No sir, not at this time. Give me a couple days onboard, and once I know what I don't know, I'll probably have plenty of questions then." Sensing the unofficial ending of the impromptu meeting, Zhed pushed his chair back to stand. "I appreciate your time, sir. I'll probably work on familiarizing myself with the public spaces onboard until the packet comes through, then we'll see where we're at." He offered his hand to the assistant chief, and after a firm shake, quietly made his way back out of the security complex.
