And I'm Doing This To Myself Because......?

[Capt Rian Kwai 0]

Rian’s eyes tracked Commander Kawalas-Ace as she left the room. It was only when the door shut that she allowed herself to relax and exhale the breath she’d been holding since dismissing her mission XO.

 

“Well, either I’ve lit a fire under her, or ….” Rian massaged the back of her neck. “…we’re on to plan B. Or is it C? D, maybe? Huhboy.”

 

The Trill did not like being put in this position. Taking over the spot where Kania should be. It felt like every day Rian reported to duty, she was rubbing the Commander’s nose in it. A colossal guilt trip with every glance at the OPS station. Sheesh.

 

But she wasn’t about to shirk off duty either. Or sabotage a mission. Either Kania was going have to exhibit some gumption to retake her post, or Rian was going to have to find another way to motivate the Bajorian.

 

Rian exhaled again, reflecting on the current mission status. She’d just authorized a smaller away team mission, with a less trigger happy security detail, and a more definitive objective. For lack of a better description: A poop patrol.

 

Either this was going to be a stroke of brilliance for the information they’d garner. Or she was going to be teased mercilessly about this directive for a long time.

 

Joined gods, as long as everyone returned safely this time she didn’t give a darn what they teased her about. At least they’d be one step closer to completing their mission objectives. And she’d be one step closer to completing her command test.

 

In the meantime, with a to-do list that stretched the memory capacity of her PADD, the Trill headed for the bridge herself to monitor the fact finding mission.

 

Never in her life had she wished more to be a carefree Ensign on brig babysitting duty.