SD241708.27, COPS Duty Log, Cmdr Rebecca Dawes

Posted on Sun Apr 29th, 2018 @ 8:43pm by Commander Rebecca Dawes

574 words; about a 3 minute read

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=/\= Deck I13, COPS Office =/\=

The usual cadre of departmental advisors which had encircled her standing desk watched Dawes with muted anticipation as Commander Gamez - the senior present - posited the inquiry. "Chief... are you alright?"

Dawes blinked, brought back from seeming unconsciousness at the question. No sooner had she made mention that Gamez and T`Lar has performed "admirably" station-side during her excursion on the Endeavour had her mind drifted to the curious mention by Grey at the staff meeting of Amiral Cerywyn. She had not thought of her in some time, but it had been the Admiral who had brought her aboard during her brief tenure as commanding officer - who had believed in her ability to run and refurbish what was left of Versailles. "As short a time as it was, I must've gained ten pounds from the catering alone," she thought, then looked to Gamez. "I'm fine. Just a bit of lag is all." She picked up her mug and took a long sip of coffee.

"Ah," he nodded, clasping his hands behind his back. "Understandable."

"Now I get that it's my first day back, and I appreciate protocol and the thoroughness of all your reports... but unless there's something really pressing," she pleaded, planting her elbows on the desktop and propping her head up in her palms, "could I just get the highlights?"

"All systems functioning within operating limits, the Yards are running on schedule, and T`Lar has fully implemented her new training protocols." Gamez straightened up slightly, highlighting the creases in his tunic which seemed extra sharp this morning. "The first batch are going through their paces now."

"I take it she's tending to the project with her usual vigor?"

"I'd say it's somewhat tempered. Only three reports of crying."

"The week is young." Dawes stood up and looked to her various team leads, smiling somewhat wearily. "Unless any of you have anything to add, I need some time to get reacquainted. So if you wouldn't mind...?" She nonchalantly motioned towards the door as she picked up her nearly empty mug and moved towards the replicator. The gaggle muttered quietly as they made their way out, with Gamez bringing up the rear. Once the room was empty, she took a cleansing breath and set the cup back into the replicator for another round.

After finally getting used to a routine, the whirlwind of recent activity had been a mental and physical drain that was completely unexpected. The trip on the Endeavour, the events in which she had participated, the sudden reassignment of the captain - not to mention the commodore, which she had discovered upon her arrival - left her longing for a day or so of boring paperwork or mundane maintenance in a far flung Jeffries tube, away from prying eyes. With a fresh cup of coffee in hand, she moved back towards her desk and reached into the hip pocket of her work blues to rummage for a handy field ration bar. "They stay crunchy, even in milk."

As she unwrapped what some would graciously deem a confection, the relative calm she had found was interrupted by the notification from General Grey. Dawes sighed inwardly for a moment then glanced upwards at no one in particular and took a defiant bite out of the bar. "Figures."

=/\= End Log =/\=

Cmdr Rebecca Dawes
Chief of Operations
Starbase 99 "Versailles"

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