Meeting the new CEO

Posted on Sat Oct 31st, 2026 @ 7:48pm by Captain M'Mira & Lieutenant Commander Kenji Mori

2,227 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Mission 6 - Candy Leads to Cavities
Location: Captain's Office
Timeline: MD01 - 1000

Candy's arrest was a complication. At least M'Mira had finally explained herself to her Chief Strategic Operations Officer. Hopefully she would get some decent intelligence out of her. True, it would not be Candy intelligence which had so much more ground work and a lot of supposition but at least she would not be completely blind to everything going on in the sector.

She would have to speak to Aer, the Chief of Intelligence and her XO's wife. It was going to be a delicate conversation, especially given that Jack did not care for Candy and basically told M'Mira that she was an idiot for trusting Candy despite their eight years of knowing each other. She did not like Jack's willingness to make snap decisions.

Then again, so many others did where Candy was concerned. Candy was a constant but necessary headache in times such as these.

So, seeing something normal on her calendar, a new CEO coming to meet her was a welcome break from the rest of what would come today. M'Mira gave a toothy grin as she heard the chime and said to her new CEO, "Welcome, Commanderrr Morrri. I am Captain M'Mirrra. Please take a seat. Can I get you anything to drrrink?" The Caitian Captain's tail swished, a gold ring on her tail swooshed reflecting light as it moved from side to side.

Kenji returned the Captain's grin with a smaller smile of his own as he stepped properly into the room. He had met Caitians before, although never served directly under one, and the movement of M'Mira's tail briefly caught his attention when the gold ring around it reflected the light. He wasn't entirely sure whether looking at someone's tail counted as staring, and decided it was probably safer not to find out on his first morning. "Thank you, Captain. A cup of hot sencha tea, please." It was easier to be specific, or so he found anyway. He took the offered seat, settling into it comfortably. Twenty-five years in Starfleet had largely removed any nervousness he might once have felt about meeting a new commanding officer, although there was always something slightly strange about arriving somewhere new and not knowing the dynamics. Engineering was easy enough to figure out...people were not.

M'Mira haded to the replicator and ordered, "A cup of hot sencha tea and a white Rrrussian with extrrra crrream." When the computer provided the drinks, she promptly strolled over to Kenji, handed him his drink, and then sauntered back to her chair. She settled in comfortably and asked, "So, what brrrings you out to ourrr neck of the woods?"

He took a sip of the tea, to buy himself a moment to best say it. He lowered the cup, watching the Captain. "I thought it was time for a change. I've spent most of my career on ships, but I have never served on a station before. When this position opened...it made sense to me."

The Caitian tilted her head questioning his words. "How? A position in hostile territory on a starrrbase? How does that make sense?"

He looked down into the cup, a small smile coming to him for a moment before he met her eyes, the smile fading. "Vice-Admiral McQueen said you needed an experienced Engineer. Being in hostile territory makes it even more important."

The Caitian visibly shivered. To steady herself, she took a large gulp of her drink, cream landing on the top of her upper lip, as she inquired, "Did she, now?" Admirals were trouble, but Vice-Admirals were doubly so. What were the bureaucrats doing? "Well, we have had a lot of new activity lately," M'Mira replied vaguely.

"Have you," Kenji said as he looked at her, but he did not ask for details. He'd either be given them, or they would be considered not his problem. And he was not one to go digging on the first day.

"Therrre is neverrr a shorrrtage of activity herrre," the Captain answered, not bothering to lick the cream off her upper lip. "You will undoubtedly hearrr that Candy Templeton, FNS Rrreporrrterrr, was arrrrrrested this morrrning. The marrrrines came herrre not too long ago and now I have one as my XO."

He gave a small nod, more to show that he had heard what she was saying. "I suppose it could be worse. At least the Marines are in theory Starfleet," he said, not trying to spin it too positive. "What happened to your previous XO?"

"Trrransferrrrrred," M'Mira replied with a shrug. "People that come herrre do not tend to stay herrre. It is rrratherrr strrressful for a lot of people. Howeverrr, this place has grrrown on me and I have not decided to move frrrom it, despite the challenges."

She leaned forward, and let her tongue brush across the top of her lip, picking up all the remaining cream. "You have a grrreat engineerrr in Connorrr Turrrnerrr. He has been herrre almost as long as I have. He's a bit on the shy side, especially with women, but he knows what he's doing. Not cerrrtain how he will be feeling once he learrrns of Candy's arrrrrrrest."

Kenji almost asked how shy with women even came into it, but dismissed the thought instantly. It was none of his business. "I will see him after this, get an understanding of the department. I take it that Connor Turner has run the department while there was no Chief?"

"He has," M'mira confirmed. "He's quite good with the computerrrs. He says they like each otherrr." The Caititan Captain shrugged. "I do not think we have had an engineerrring mishap since he taken overrr, which, I am cerrrtain that you arrre awarrre, is quite rrrarrre."

"No, that's just a rumour us engineers put out, so that you appreciate our work more," he said, but then smiled to show he was joking. "He sounds like a true asset. Why not promote him to the position permanently?"

"I was an ops Caitian, myself. I came to the planetarrry station and rrran it until I was prrromoted," M'Mira told Kenji. "As to Misterrr Turrrnerrr. He is a verrry good engineerrrr. Howeverrr, he is much betterrr with machines than people. He is not comforrrtable in commanding otherrrs. He would rrratherrr do things himself. He needs to learrrn to delegate and he needs to learrrn how to be morrre of a leaderrr. It also might not do him harrrm to serrrve somewherrre else. He had only one prrriorrr posting. He gets comforrrtable easily and that could be a bit of a prrroblem. Does that make sense?"

Kenji gave a nod, because it did make sense. "The posting may not be the issue...a starbase in, as you describe it, hostile territory, may be worth ten ships." He also considered saying that at first, no one was comfortable in commanding others. But if Turner was interested, Kenji did not mind at all getting the other man used to it. Life was a lesson after all, each day something new to learn.

"Perrrhaps," M'Mira replied. "Or, perrrhaps, we may both be too comforrrtable." The Caitian shrugged lightly. "I will let you decide when you get comforrrtable herrre."

The Caitian allowed her legs to sprawl across her desk as she leaned back in her chair. "So, tell me morrre about yourrrself." The Captain then took down her legs and tucked them back under the desk. "In fact, I do not rrrecall asking anything about yourrrself, now that I think about it. So, tell me about yourrrself. Not the borrring stuff about yourrr carrreerrr. I can rrread that."

Kenji shifted back a little on instinct, before he met her eyes. "I am afraid I am as boring as my file says," he said with a small smile. "I have spent my adult life in Starfleet. I am from Juhraya, joined Starfleet at 18...and have remained ever since. I have several hobbies, no spouse or children. And no ambitions towards a Captaincy."

"Come now," M'Mira replied. "Cerrrtainly therrre is morrre to you than meets the eyes. Tell me about Juhrrraya. What was it like? What did you do therrre? What arrre your hobbies? Arrre yourrr parrrents still alive? Do you have any siblings? Why do you not want to move up higherrr in the rrranks?" The questions flowed from her mouth as naturally as water from a waterfall.

"No siblings, parents are still alive, they live on Earth," he said as he watched her, almost with amazement at how quickly she was rattling off the questions. But he did not speed up to compensate, deciding to answer properly. "Juhraya was a colony. I was born there, but my parents come from Earth. I...suppose I mostly studied. My father worked in security back then and he taught me kendo. I spent a lot of time doing that growing up. I also enjoy reading and swimming...." he paused, considering the last question. "I have no desire to command a ship, I belong close to a power source. And...I don't want to play the game of command, of climbing the ranks. I have little patience for it."

M'Mira nodded understandingly. "Yes, Captaincy has definitely interrrferrred with finding a mate orrr family. So, why have you not found anyone forrr yourrrself?"

He looked at her with surprise at the personal question, a small pull at the corner of his lips. "I suppose it is just one of those things," he said, lightly, taking a sip of his tea. "You know how it is to be a lifer in Starfleet."

"I do," M'Mira confirmed, wondering at his facial expression. "Though, I suppose that I wonderrr about missed opporrrtunities and I think that it is imporrrtant for my crrrew to find happiness. Therrre is a lot that goes on out herrre. Moments of calm arrre few. Take advantage of them."

Kenji looked at her before the smile emerged. "You have a good heart, to worry about that for your crew," he said before he took a deeper breath. "Although I think acceptance of one's self is one of the paths towards happiness. Not the one...just one of many. We all arrive at it from different places."

Flattery always got people everywhere with M'Mira. Her tail swished happily. "I think we will get along well. Perrrhaps I have detained you too long.... You should meet yourrr deparrrtment. The XO, as well."

"I'll make a note to see him...the Marine, correct?" Kenji checked just in case he had misunderstood. His own department? Yes, he was looking forward to meeting them, especially the man who had been in charge of Engineering and was now going to step back down into an assistant role. He wondered if Turner would be resentful.

"Yes, he is a marrrine. It is parrrt of the continuing experrriment by Starrrfleet to see how the two orrrganizations can interrract. Therrre have been positive rrrreviews on the USS Pioneerrr. Trrrying it herrre was a logical next step given ourrr higherrrr potential for militarrry action," M'Mira replied as she rose from her chair.

She walked towards Kenji and said, "He's only been herrre a few morrre days than you and his wife is the Chief of Intelligence. She is going to have cubs soon!" M'Mira replied, her eyes widening along with her smile.

"Is she?" he said as he watched her, taking the cue to also stand, meeting her eyes. "How wonderful." Although the potential for military action made him...not frown, but look more thoughtful. He better have a walk around the engineering areas, to see how they were fortified for...action.

"It is!" M'Mira answered with a wide smile. "I do hope that I will get a good deal of time to meet with them. They'rrre such a blessing."

"I am sure that can be arranged. You are the Captain after all," he said with a small smile. "And I thank you for the warm welcome."

M'Mira put a claw on her chest, slightly aghast. "I would never impose on prrrivate lives like that unless invited." She then thought and said, "Well, I would not use my official powers to do anything like that. So, do you have any otherrr questions for me?"

"No, Captain M'Mira," he said with a small shake of his head. "I appreciate you taking the time to see me. And I am sure I will settle in quickly. I will go to Engineering first."

"I am cerrrtain that you wish to see yourrr deparrrtment. That is only naturrral," she told Kenji. "Howeverrr, do not neglect the XO, please." There was something behind that please that indicated there was more to her request than she was allowing to be expressed verbally.

He met her eyes for a moment before he gave a firm nod. "I shall make it a priority," he promised, because he could tell...she was considering it a priority.

"Thank you, Kenji," she addressed the Commander informally. "I have another meeting momentarrrily...." The Caitian Captain seemed apologetic and reluctant to end the conversation.

"Of course," he said and nodded, giving her a small smile at the words. "I will see you soon then, Captain." He took the moment to give her a nod of recognition before he left.

Captain M'Mira
Commanding Officer
Faltan Station

Lt. Commander Kenji Mori
Chief Engineer
Faltan Station

 

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