Post 337: First Impressions

Stardate: 70731.1238
Subject: First Impressions
Author: Lt. Cmdr. Maak
Scene: Tactical Office, 1800 hours.
Time: Current

Maak entered the office at exactly 1800, precisely when his stomach decided it was supper time.

{rumble, gurgle, rumble}

"Lt. Cmdr. Maak reporting for duty sir."

Maak said stiffly in Universal Standard, holding to attention as well as any cadet.

His new Commander eyed him judiciously.

*Old and fat.*

That had been the silent summation of the new officer in K'pajeks mind from their previous brief meeting.

"At ease. Can you read my thoughts?"

Realizing rumors about him were already starting around the ship, Maak was not surprised at the question.

"No sir. I cannot read or sense thoughts or emotions."

"Are you going to waste all day long talking to the furniture?"

"No. I will be used to my surroundings soon, sir."

"Will you follow my orders?"

The Department Head said in Klingon as he drilled a stare into his new assistant.

{rumble gurgle ruggle urrrrg}

"Now and to death."

It had always amused Maak that the ritual answer to a superior officer was very vague as to whose death was being referred to.

K'pajek switched back to Universal Standard.

"You speak like a farmer, can you not take the stones from your mouth?"

Maak grinned. He knew his provincial agrarian accent was thick enough that people raised in the metropolitan areas of Q'noS often had trouble with it.

"ENG-lish is not my strong suit sir, though I have had many teachers for many years. But as you wish, as I do not want the rumblings of my throat to confuse you."

{rumble rumbler gurglert rumble}

"I do not confuse easily, Mister." K'pajek said, not rising to the mild implied insult. Of course the new man would be assessing him as well as the other way around.

"One would not expect as much sir, from what I've read of the V'taran."

K'pajek now did in fact rise just a bit.

"And just what have you heard?"

Maak however was not intending to be insulting at all, but knew his clumsy word choices had perhaps given that impression.

"Glorious battles, great acts of honor! I have read Battle Records from that vessel. It makes for grand entertainment sir. So if one such as yourself had served on such a ship, then one such as yourself would not be very susceptible to confusion at all. The tactics for example shown by your H'oD in the Battle of Tarsid IV were..."

"That battle is classified by the Imperial Navy. How did you come to read it?"

Maak wished he could start this interview over again, it was not going as he intended or planned or imagined or anything.

No sense in prevaricating the answer, it would only give an even worse impression than he already had.

"The Emperor arranged a copy for me sir."

{rumgle rungbumgle gurrrgle gurrrlge rumble}

"Oh yes, of course. The Emperor! Good friends with you I'm sure!"

K'pajek laughed out loud feeling sure his new man was jesting with him.

Now it was Maaks turn to rise up indignantly, but he did not want to appear to be bragging about social status.

He decided on answering with emotionally neutral truth.

"Yes sir. We have met several times. My house has served the Imperial House for over a thousand years."

"We ALL have Mr. Maak. That's why they called him an Emperor."

{rumble ruummbbble GURGLE!}

K'pajek frowned.

"This is intolerable. Let us eat so your brain can work again. Perhaps we can discuss Tarsid IV. Yes, it was my H'oDs mission to be sure, but the tactics you refer to were mine! I can have the galley send us something up fresh, I grow tired of replicated food and I want to get you better acquainted with my department policies and procedures."

Maak did not know why the tone had changed of a sudden, but was glad that it had.

It was always a bit tricky when a superior officer was younger than oneself, but Maak had done it before with no problems.

"I don't suppose there are any barbecued alligator ribs available?"

"Hardly! I have heard rumors of fresh gagh coming our way however. Do you know anything of that?"

Maak did know. It was HIS gagh shipment from HIS farm, originally intended to be off loaded at Arcadia after having delivered most of the harvest to the Emperor.

"I don't think that vessel as arrived yet sir. Really, anything is fine."

Maak patted his ample belly, he did tend towards fat though he kept it down as best he could.

"I am not a slave to my stomach K'pajek, it is a slave to me. I make it work very very hard!"

K'pajek threw Maak a chunk of dried meat.

"Here, start with that and go over the preset tactical maneuvers, I intend to test you on them at the end of the shift."

"Aye sir. Thank you."

The chair groaned and complained as Maak sat his bulk on it to settle in front of the LCARS, but Maak did not answer it out loud. It made people too nervous.

He concentrated instead on his meat and his task at hand.

Lt. Cmdr. Maak
Tactical Officer
USS Independence
Soulfleet Division
Starfleet
UFP