Campus Faculty Staff Meeting Part 1

Posted on Mon Sep 24th, 2018 @ 1:33pm by Ambassador Geminik Odar & Commander Thavanichent th'Dori & Lieutenant Cole Dering M.D., M.S. & Samantha Fraiser-Odar & Captain Madeline Sanchez & Captain Karyn Dallas R.N. & Commander Sonia Dalca & Commander Jacob Bannerman
Edited on on Mon Sep 24th, 2018 @ 1:36pm

Mission: My Place In This Universe
Location: Faculty Conference Lounge, Magellan Campus
Timeline: 2388/08/20 0915 (August 20 2388 0915)

Maddie stood by the large picture window looking out over the campus. The planet was beautiful and it was proving to be a potent salve to her battered soul. Regardless of the inner turmoil that she felt towards her new boss, she felt a deep peace within as if the planet were healing her. The last few weeks had been a whirlwind of activity as preparation for the new term had progressed full steam ahead and here they were, their first staff meeting. So lost was she in her own thoughts that she didn't hear the doors swoosh open behind her.

Jake Bannerman entered the conference room as if he owned the place, his eyes falling on Maddie immediately. She was a fine looking woman and feisty too. Realising they were alone, he wandered over to her and said "Pretty isn't it?"

Jumping slightly, Maddie turned to him and replied "Very."

"And not the only thing that's beautiful around here either." he added, blatantly running his eyes the entire length of her body.

Immediately stiffening, Maddie narrowed her eyes and said "Can it Mister Bannerman, your rather obvious moves won't work on me and neither are they wanted."

"Feisty...I like that in a woman." Jake grinned at her, totally unphased by the rebuff. "Not to worry, we have plenty of time here, maybe one day I can change your mind." he winked at her just as the door swooshed open again.

Entering the Conference Lounge, Devin's eyes swept over the two people currently present. He took note of the woman's body language and the proximity of the male next to her and his base analysis was that his attention was not wanted by her. Yet, he chose not to interfere; if the male was foolish enough to escalate anything in public during a faculty meeting, he would not be here long. Still, he made a mental note after memorizing the man's face to check his personnel file later.

Offering a neutral smile, Devin went over to the table and helped himself to a glass of juice. Looking at the conference table, he chose a seat at random that wasn't at the head of the table and picked up one of the PADDs in front on him.

"Never gonna happen." Maddie hissed in response to Jake before plastering a smile on her face and approaching Devin, "I don't believe we've met." she held out a hand to him in greeting, "Madeline Sanchez, Assistant Dean."

Devin took the offered hand and gave a shake before releasing it. "Lieutenant Commander Devin McCall, your new Intelligence instructor. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"You too." Maddie smiled warmly, "I trust you're settling in okay?" she asked, finding Devin a welcome distraction from Bannerman.

"As well as can be expected," Devin said with a smile. "I just got in yesterday and trying to get set up for the influx of Cadets. It was interesting observing them at the station before coming here to get set up."

"I bet it was." Maddie smiled, turning as she heard the door open again.

Commander Sonia Dalca, the Earth Romanian Security Instructor walked in as Devin was heading for Maddie and did her own assessment of the attitude of those in the room including Bannerman's smirk. She noticed a new face and it felt odd not to know who it was but she wasn't security here. That would take getting used to. "Hello everyone..." She glanced at Maddie and glanced at Bannerman as one hand brushed a pocket, the one she kept her pocket phaser in. She and Maddie were known well enough to each other that Maddie got the subtle cue of "I can just stun him you know, we'll call it an accident."

Maddie gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head towards Sonia and smiled at her before asking "Have you met Commander McCall?" She didn't bother mentioning Jake. Everyone already knew who he was...at least, all the women did and not in a good way.

Sonia hid a grin and replied, "Not yet..." following Maddie's lead. She knew Bannerman and his playboy attitude. She sensed there was more to him but wasn't sure it was worth it to her to find out. She turned her attention to the man in the suit. She gave a polite but curious smile as she held out her hand. "Commander Sonia Dalca..." She said in her accented English. "Security Department Head." out of not so old habit her eyes skimmed him, the room quickly analyzing tactical options but kept her face polite as she did so.

Devin accepted the offered hand and gave a brief shake. "A pleasure, Commander Dalca," he said with a smile. "I'm the new Intelligence instructor."

"Well we can always use more of that..." She replied, meaning the ever present need for intel then realized the multiple ways that could be taken and gave a little shrug as she returned the smile. "Welcome to the Academy. You find it suits?"

Devin laughed. "Couldn't everybody? Yes, the Academy is quite nice from what I've seen, but that'll change once the Cadets get here, yes?"

Sonia tried not to roll her grey eyes as they sparkled with humor "I remember being a Cadet, I'm still not sure why we aren't issued cattle prods..." She said only half joking...

"We do," Devin said with a mischievous grin . "It's called Setting One."

During their conversation, the doors had opened and Commander Thavanichent th'Dari walked in. Giving everyone a sideways glanced, his antennae slightly turning, he went over to the replicator and ordered himself a Katheka, an Andorian stimulant drink that is very similar to Terran coffee.

Not far behind him was Cole Dering. At Sonia's comment and Devin's reply, he smiled as he took a seat.

As the room was filling up Sonia went to find a place to sit.

Always looking serious, Anichent sat down next to her and picked up the the datapad that laid on the table before him. He inputted his access code and looked over the information there.

Devin looked over at the two new people and took a seat. Introductions would wait, and the Andorian hadn't seemed interested in talking to anyone. Giving a mental shrug, he picked up a PADD and pulled up the faculty staff roster.

As Devin sat nearby she noticed what he was doing and hid a grin, it's what she would of done. To make it easy Sonia told him sotto voice, "Engineering and Acting CMO...."

Devin gave her a smile and nodded his thanks; meanwhile, he had pulled up the file on Bannerman to see if the man had a history of abuse with females. While not finding that, he did note the death of his parents and adoptive father, and the fact that his foster father was Intel. He also noted that rather than stay in Intel, the man had gone into Flight Control instead. He made a mental note to do a bit more research and closed the file. Looking back up at Sonia, he gave another quirky smile. "Here I thought it was because I wear the grey that no one likes."

Sonia smiled, back and said thoughtfully and quietly "If it's one think I knov it's reaktions aren't alvays for what you vould think and this group is more likely to tell you to your face if they don't like you than not..." She paused, "Though I expect you'll be treated a bit like a counselor...no one likes to be analyzed..." She was a little more tolerant than some as she was in security, part her job was being able to analyze people and threats.

Devin nodded to Sonia. "It isn't like that with me. When I don't like someone, I usually find a way to make them disappear." He gave a grin to let her know he was kidding.

Sonia smiled back puzzled in the back of her mind. As a rule one did not figure Intel people to be friendly. Her father was but he hadn't been a career man, just for the war. At the thought of her father, her face fell a little and she turned to focus on her own PADD.

Having realised that Maddie wasn't going to fall for his charm...at least not yet, Jake took a seat at the table nearest to the window. He let the chatter flow around him as he gazed out over the campus. Was he really going to spend the rest of his working life attending dull meetings like this, teaching snotty nosed kids how to fly and missing out on a life of excitement? The answer was yes. It was the only way that she could be safe and he would never ever put her or the kid in danger. So if it meant living a mundane existence where the only thrill was in a cockpit, at the bottom of a whiskey bottle or with a cheap date then so be it.

Counselor Karyn Dallas entered and spotting Maddie, offered an apologetic smile. "My apologies, I got caught up reading crew files." She met most people's gazes as she scanned the room and offered a polite, "Hello all," before guiding her hoverchair over to the replicator and requesting a raktajino. She was a bit preoccupied with her conversation with Brady, but she was determined to stay focused.

Devin looked up as the new person entered, taking a moment to look her over and finding himself liking the red hair and blue eyes, betting to himself that she's fiery in every way. Clearing his head, he closed the personnel files and turned his attention back to the rest of the room as he waited for others to come in.

Sonia had been quietly whispering to Devin filling him in on who was who but the latest newcomer she didn't know. She heard they were getting a new counselor last week but Sonia had been so busy with her own duties she'd yet to met the other. Sonia smiled politely but warmly at their new counselor and looked generally supportive, coming to a new post was always a challenge of new things to learn and Sonia usually tried to reach out when she could. She put her own pads away wherein she had been studying advanced training tactics for better understanding. She made a mental note to practice more. If she was going to stay ahead of her students she would need every edge.

Devin gratefully soaked up the information that Sonia was giving him, making a mental note to stay on her good side. It was good to have a friend - or at least a friendly associate - in the unknown, and he looked over at her cup. "Do you need a refill?"

Sonia always made a habit of knowing security related things like who was who, where the exits where and other things. Though she was no longer working as such she did try to keep her skills up somewhat and made another mental note to see if the Security Chief here would let her train with the Academy's Security Department, just to keep skills up. She glanced down at the half drunk cold coffee and sighed, "My meditation instrutkor vould be furious vith me, I am supposed to be praktikcing mindfulness and I forget my coffee. Is it my fault all attention is on my surroundings?" And it was too, she could describe everyone in the room, where they were and what she might do if someone became a threat. It was too ingrained for her to stop now. She looked at him, "Nevermind I babble, perhaps I have had too much caffeine and so not should not have more." She smiled, "but I thank you."

Out in the corridor, just outside one of the doors that lead into the conference room, Ambassador Geminik Odar placed his hands gently onto the shoulders of his fiancée. He gazed down at her with an understanding look in his eyes, "Samantha," he said quietly, "I know this isn't easy." running his hands down her arms before taking her hands into his, and he smiled in hopes he could make her do the same. Samantha was semi-retired, no longer active as an Admiral, no longer in charge, no longer a part of department head meetings...and was having a bit of a hard time adjusting. Gem had to stop her from entering.

Sam looked at him her body tense as she fought the need to be in there with him "I know that they are Fleet and my mind tells me to trust them ..." She shook her head as she turned her head away slightly as she whispered painfully "How can I protect you if I'm no where near you?" The feeling was making her absolutely miserable, she felt like she was failing him by not being there and the others by not trusting them. If that wasn't bad enough her mind was already plotting ways to use the link to keep a closer tab on him.

"I'm perfectly safe, I assure you," Gem continued to smile, but inwardly sighed. He loved her, he adored her, but this was the one side of her that drove him...a bit nuts at times.

Sighing she laid her head on his shoulder trying to relax "I know I'm being irrational .. and I trust you and them up here." She pointed to her head "But here." Her hand moved to her heart "....may take a bit longer to get used to the idea." She had cared about him so long and nearly lost him too many times to trust unconditionally and let her guard fully down.

"I understand," Gem said, "and I have every faith in you." He bent down to kiss her temple before they parted.

Hugging him Sam smiled before slowly going back to their rooms to read while he was in the meeting.

Back in the meeting room...

Devin looked around at the other instructors and back at his PADD. So far, he had checked each of them out and nothing stood out as extraordinary in ways that his mind was trained to detect. Setting the PADD down, he leaned back and closed his eyes, thinking on his assignment and wondering where Doctor McKinney was.

Sonia saw Devin's action and smiled softly to herself. It was an old tactic, the 'hurry up and wait'. They were were here but no doubt the Dean had been delayed so came the waiting. It wasn't the first meeting that was like this and wouldn't be the last. She left him to his half rest and turned her attention to talking to others in the room she knew. Technically he wasn't late, they had just been early, well used to ships where things could go wrong at the drop of a hat and things always seemed to be cropping up. This other pace would take some getting used too.

Geminik walked in, and as he took in the room, he smiled, "Good morning, everyone." and approached Devin. "We haven't met." he said pleasantly, extending a hand out for the man to shake, "I am Ambassador Geminik Odar, the Diplomatic Corps department head."

Opening his eyes at the sound of a male voice near him, Devin saw a hand extended his way. Politely shaking it, he smiled. "Lieutenant Commander Devin McCall, the new Intelligence instructor here at Magellan. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ambassador."

"Thank you, Commander. The pleasure is mine,." Gem replied, "I would like to meet with you sometime tomorrow, if you're available."

Sonia had started to stand as everything about Gem screamed 'VIP' but she checked the impulse as from Gem's body language (those who really liked such things exuded a feeling of self importance) he wouldn't prefer it. So she nodded instead but kept quiet as he was not talking to her.

"Anytime you'd like to meet is fine with me, Ambassador Odar," Devin said. "Is there anything in particular on your mind? I love to be prepared for anything."

Gem nodded, ""Of course, I understand, Commander. Well, as Support Departments for Command, there are often times Intelligence and Diplomacy work together. What I have in mind is for you and I to design a course in regards to this," he raised an eyebrow, "If you would be interested."

"Intelligence and Diplomacy?" That got Devin's attention. "Usually the two departments rarely talk, and if they do, it's to disagree on what should be done. However, I would be honored to take part in it."

Gem lightly smiled. "Diplomats are overt intelligence collectors, Commander, and the end-product of diplomatic reporting and clandestine intelligence-gathering can be the same." He put out his hand for them to shake again, "I look forward to our working together."

Devin gave a laugh at the Ambassador's words. "Okay, I'll concede to that. Just a trickier way of doing Intel, if that's possible." He stood and shook the man's hand. "I do as well, Ambassador. It's been a pleasure speaking with you and I'll see you tomorrow."

Gem nodded, excusing himself, and then headed over to the table where there was the pitcher of fruit water, and poured himself a glass before sitting down.

The remaining departments heads or their representatives walked in, shaking hands and/or talking to others for a moment before taking their own respective seats.

Meanwhile, Connor and Teri walked out of the Dean office, heading for the meeting.


To be Continued...