Business as Usual

[Charlotte Matsumura 0]

Business as Usual

 

CDR Left Ear JoNs

 

ENS Charlotte Matsumura

 

***

 

Commander Left Ear JoNs had finally extricated herself from the after briefing crew conversations in the main hanger deck, and now jogged at a steady pace down the corridor on deck 2 that lead to her private office; she had an on the fly appointment to keep with a new transfer to the Excalibur. Leaning against the bulkhead, Ensign Charlotte Matsumura continued to scroll through the small, portable PADD of information on her latest assignment. Nothing out of the ordinary -- mostly the regular dossiers she would be able to access aboard the ship. She had just completed scrolling through the profile of one Commander "Left Ear" JoNs when she caught motion in her peripheral vision.

 

The JoNs in question came zooming around a separation bulkhead and slowed her walking pace when she caught sight of the junior officer. Brown furred, athletically muscular, and sporting a high and tight military cut to her mane, Left Ear was nonetheless shorter then the new crewmember that she was do to process. The Caitian panther flipped an ear back and extended a wide and powerful forepaw. "Ensign Charlotte Matsumura?"

 

Charlotte took the offered paw firmly, but not too much so, and shook it once with a firm nod. "Commander JoNs, I presume?" She offered a slight smile to the senior officer.

 

"Aye. Welcome to the Excalibur. Shall we?" She indicated her closed office door with a wave of her free paw, then diseganged from the handshake and turned to enter her quarters. The retina scanner immediately recognized Left Ears unique iris pattern and the entry way door slid to the side to allow access to the private office. JoNs led the way, and indicated that Matsumura take one of the office chairs facing the desk.

 

Dark, almond-shaped eyes took in the surroundings as Charlotte followed the Caitian, taking a seat as indicated. She was impressed but not intimidated by the panther's overall size and stature. She smiled inwardly, thinking of another Caitian she had met and befriended during her time in training. Given the similarities in appearance and the familial name, she wondered if the two were related. It was a question that would wait until much later.

 

She placed her duffel to the deck and looked to the XO, offering the PADD with her orders. "My orders, ma'am."

 

Left Ear quickly perused the information on the data PADD, scrolling through the content with a practiced eye. "References in order, recommendations, psych evaluation ....," am uncharacteristic smile spread across her muzzle, lighting her eyes with amusement, "I see you enjoy making things go boom per your security specialties section, Ensign?"

 

Eyes mirroring the executive officer's, Charlotte nodded. "Yes, ma'am. An affinity I developed very young, as my profile states. My parents currently rue the day they gave me my chemistry set."

 

"Good. Boom is good. Have a seat, Ensign Matsumura."

 

JoNs settled in on the chair set behind her desk, still scrolling through the PADD as she did so.

 

Charlotte tossed the long braid back over her shoulder, wishing she had tucked it in her typical fashion before boarding the Excal. She lowered herself into the seat, remaining alert, but attempting to match the XO in manner. "Thank you, ma'am."

 

JoNs wasn't completely familiar wtih the Human races of the Earth, but if she were to take an educated guess, what with the darker hair, shape of the eyes, the skin tone and bone structure, Charlotte Matsumura hailed from ancestral Asian stock. The panther XO was satisfied with what she had read in the biograpical profile, and now turned her attention to the actual officer in question.

 

"Ensign, currently, the crew of the Excal is in transition. We are due to ship out on the USS Union in one week. You came on board in the middle of the maelstrom so to speak."

 

Nodding once, Charlotte laced her fingers and let her hands rest on her crossed legs. "So I understand. Station scuttlebutt is widely speculative as to what will happen to the ship since her return. Transfer to the Union is something of a surprise."

 

She winced inwardly. She was sounding a bit too much like her mother for her tastes. "Are we transferring with specific orders?"

 

"The short version is we are to head out to retrieve salvageable technology that interested the quadrant commanders out this way." Left Ears tone was open, yet held a certain command edge that indicated any further questions regarding the mission were not necessarily classified, but definitely on a need to know basis.

 

Ensign though she may have been, Matsumura recognized the tone. She had certainly encountered it enough growing up, and then while at The Farm. She would merely have to be patient and attentive; everything else would reveal itself in time. Not that she liked the prospect of flying blind...but it was what she was trained to do now.

 

She also understood well enough the drive for new technology -- especially out of this sector. Much like the dawn of the nuclear age, the key powers were searching for the right edge to gain ground over their adversary. The ever-shifting political nature of the area made it imperative. She made a mental note to check the latest intel reports as soon as she could, to get a bead on what they might be chasing.

 

"Sounds... intriguing," was all she offered aloud.

 

"Indeed it is that Ensign. So, your specialty is Security studies? Your department lead is Lieutenant Mark Garrison, and you won't serve with a finer department then our security crew."

 

Charlotte nodded. "So I've been led to understand. I've done a cursory glance at the crew roster, but I'm afraid a have a lot of faces to place with names.

 

"I'm certainly looking forward to meeting with Lieutenant Garrison."

 

"Well then Mister Matsumura, I'll let you loose to track down Lieuteannt Garrisoon, although knowing him, he may be looking for any of his new transfers right now as well. Again, welcome to the Excalibur. We are done here, I'll sign off on your assignment transfer, and I'll forward your credentials onto the Captain."

 

The address of "mister" always threw Charlotte off, given her love of naval history, but if she was ruffled, it didn't show. "Thank you, ma'am. I'll seek out my division officer then, and leave you to you work." Rising, she nodded once, reaching down to grab her duffel bag.

 

The Commander gave the new security ensign a curt yet polite nod. "See you out about the Union, Ensign."

 

"And you, Commander." Knowing she was dismissed, Matsumura slipped out of the office, now in search of one Lieutenant Mark Garrison.

 

***