Executive Soundproofing

Posted on Tue Nov 27th, 2018 @ 12:14pm by Captain Benjamin Ingram Dr & Lieutenant Commander Mara Ricci & Lieutenant Commander Meilin Jiang

Mission: S1E1: Welcome Home, Now Go Away
Location: Commander's Office
Timeline: MD1 12.30 PM

Looking up at the glass-fronted office that overlooked the entirety of Station Command, you would think Commander Benjamin Ingram was a man moored to the solid rock of calm. He stood facing out from his office, hands clasped behind his back. His lips moving in a way that suggested he was speaking, but not in the animated tomfoolery of a raging egomaniac.

That was what made the soundproofing of his office so exquisite.

"How do you like it? The office I mean? To be fair I only moved into it recently but the desk is nice. Walls are a little plain if I'm honest, but I'm sure something folksy can be found to hang upon them. I am, of course, asking for input on this topic. I'm not much one for useless tat, but I know some like to see it. Ties a room together, so I'm told."

He turned from the glass wall, and with a wave of his hand, the glass darkened to be utterly opaque. In the near glossy black reflective surface of the wall, the rest of the office could be seen. The long curving desk, the two guest chairs, the LCAR's holographic terminal. A flagpole stood off to one side, the limp United Federation Of Planet's standard hanging from it rather sadly.

And Mara and Meilin, still in their EVA suits, standing on the far side.

"Now," Ingram said slowly, settling into his own chair. "That was a prime example of someone asking for constructive input on a situation. 'What do you believe will tie this room together, and portray a sense of authority and fairness'. In it are the stated intent of the exercise, a list of requirements, and a hopeful outcome. And I hope, clear as day, no hint what so ever that unilateral deal making is to take place with disruptive elements foreign to the stations make up that might very well have endangered all our lives."

He steepled his fingers, his mannerisms as calm as his voice and glacially cold.

"I requested a structural survey," he said softly. "I would very much like one of you to tell me why I have ended up with a gypsy ghetto instead."

"Because Commander Jiang is the one who spoke to them," Mara replied unabashedly. "And if I'd been doing the negotiating, you'd probably be less a science officer and engineer."

Meilin allowed a small puff of satisfaction to flush her cheeks, but otherwise maintained her professional bearing and demeanor. "It would appear that we had stowaways throughout the entire transport process. Perhaps you should redirect your question to the cargo haulers."

"I would if I could, but given they are over eight thousand light-years distant, I will have to settle for the pair of my senior officers who have put it upon themselves to turn Canopus Station into a seedy Orion starport motel," Ingram closed his eyes, and rubbed his fingers into them as though trying to force a thought back into his head. "Just so that the record is clear, what exactly have you agreed to on behalf of Canopus Station? Omit no detail, regardless of size."

"Nothing that was not already promised to any other civilian resident," Meilin said. "Free quarter to pursue personal and commercial business. You may be pleased to know they seem to prefer the sanctuary of their own vessel as opposed to our residential quarters. We also left an EmVU in their possession on loan as a symbol of our agreement. It must be returned in as good or better condition--for this, they agree to abide by our governance as hosts." She exhaled as if to punctuate her words. "Do these terms please you, Commander?"

"They would have been more pleasing had I been present at the negotiation," Ingram said, getting up from his seat and pacing back to look out of the window. It was a good window to loom beside, allowing the office the sense of space and confinement at the same time. A place for big thoughts, but contained from distractions.

"The Rish," Ingram said the word slowly, his lips curling around its bitter syllables. "Mark my words they won't stay on their ship for long. Before you know it we'll have lost a few decks to them, and we'll have the devils own time keeping law and order. Oh, it'll start with buskers in the Medina with songs and sleight of hand, but before you know it there'll be parts of the station you can only go in Marine hard shell."

He mused for a second, before turning to look at the pair of them.

"You've brought me a puzzle with a simple solution," he said with a smile. "Congratulations, you are now the primary stakeholders in the Canopus Station Community Outreach Team. You two will liaise with the Rish and keep an eye on them, and the civilian settlers. And with any Messier 4 locals who we might find taking up our hospitality."

He nodded thoughtfully at this. It distanced himself and his administration from direct contact and provided a neat firewall for what the nature of the Rish came to the fore. It started with folk songs, it would end with grand larceny and societal decay.

Meilin grinned at the commander's words. Not only because she would have an ample opportunity to pursue her social studies as the locus of her scientific duties, but also because she suspected that Ingram intended for his decision to be punitive. For Meilin, at least, it was the opposite.

"You can count on us, Commander Ingram." It was tempting to correct his many false assumptions, but Meilin knew as a scientist and a Taoist both that a man's presuppositions cannot be changed through argumentation. She would have to demonstrate the inferiority of his snap judgments. And that began with her customary bow. "May the Tao inject itself directly into you and bring only those coming with great benefit into your presence."

As she bowed, a smiled played at her lips with the private thought that the Tao's definition of 'great benefit' would indubitably differ from Ingram's own.

"Thank you," Ingram said through a smile so forced it was nearly holographic. "Now, please leave my office. I'll be assembling the senior staff in five hours for the breaking burn and a status briefing. Plus we'll have the representative from the colony to coddle as well. Chief Ricci, I want a report on our power generation limit and what sort of life expectancy we can get out of our store deuterium. As for you Commander Jiang, try not to barter away more of the station between now and then. I hear the mess hall workers are forming some sort of tribal union even as we speak, so heed my words."

"No doubt the Commander will prevent any workers from uniting under his watch," Meilin said sweetly.

With a nod of understanding to Ingram, Mara allowed an amused grin, but said nothing. She had no complaints and nothing to add, so why muddy up the moment with words?

"As always Commander Jiang, you are correct in your way."