Yoshi
Inactive Member
Sokokaze
As she came aboard the ship, she was messaged by Jayne telling her office was ready along with her quarters. Sighing Saeko started for them, she knew her quarters had a shower, and she had left orders for her belonging to be put away per standard regulations. Knowing that she knew that her office was stocked but her personal items were still in a box, and her clothes were stowed into the lockers just like they were on her old ship. Tiredly she thanked Jayne.
Entering her office she laid her shawl over the back of a chair and looked around. She had a model of the YSS Casper she wanted to put somewhere, but she wasn't sure if she wanted it on the desk or on a shelf.
Elsewhere on the Soyokaze, Ise Nenene sat behind her desk in her office, reading a tablet, scrolling across the information on various things and such. She had programmed the computer to inform her when the captain returned to the ship and now it did so. She inquired of the new commanding officers location and packed up what she was working on, giving the new captain a few moments to settle in before she sought her out. Nenene had not had a chance to meet the new CO yet and needed to do so before they set out on a new mission, which she assumed would be fairly soon.
Nenene checked to make sure her white paneled uniform was immaculate and correct before she set out. She arrived at the captain's office a short time later and tapped the chime button, requesting admittance.
She had just set the model on the corner of the desk and had turned on the magnet plate to keep it in place when the chime sounded. "Who the hell..." She looked at the clock on the desk seeing how late it was. "Come in..." She stood there in her strapless green dress with the guns of her tattoo poking out of the top of it.
Nenene stepped through as the door opened. She bowed respectfully as she crossed the threshold. "Chui Ise Nenene, executive officer of the Soyokaze" She introduced herself
"Hellos" Seako said as she studied the officer with her blacked out eyes. She paused for a moment before reaching over and pulling her shawl to her. "What can I do for you this evening?"
"I thought it best that we meet" Nenene replied. "Since we did not have the chance when you first boarded the Soyokaze"
"Uhh.. thank you... for coming..." She looked down at what she was wearing and knowing how she must have smelled. "If you would come into my quarters I would like to take a quick shower... I just got back to the ship." Saeko hoped she didn't sound like a raving idiot.
"Of course" Nenene replied with a nod of her head. She stepped out of the office and awaited Saeko.
The Captain pointed to a door in the back of the office. "This way." She keyed a code into the pad and the door opened to her cabin. As she walkedin she stopped at her closet and pulled a uniform and a change of undergarments. "I want to apologize for how I look, I was out... With another new crew member, I didn't think he had anyplace to be during leave so I took him out to dinner." She blushed sharply before turning to the bathroom, "I'll leave the door open please feel free to talk.
"No need to apologize" Nenene said, "What one does on leave" she shrugged.
"Yeah..." The green haired neko said a bit tired sounding. As she walked into the bathroom she asked, "How is the ship? Will she be ready once everyone gets back from leave?"
"She will" Nenene replied. "Most of the major repairs are completed and the crew we lost have been replaced" she explained. "Once the crew is all back on ship, Soyokaze will be ready to depart"
As her new XO spoke Saeko had stripped and stepped into the shower. "That is good, I've read some of the reports from the dock crews, but I've always been leery of believing them." She was quick to wash up and get everything clean, but she didn't get out right away. The hot water was relaxing and made the concerns she had earlier a little easier to think through.
"I made sure they did their work" Nenene replied, having settled into a chair. She waited for the captain to finish.
"Good good." She called out as she shut off the water and reached for her towel. "So Tell me about yourself."
"Not much to say" Nenene replied. She had not decided yet if she was going to let the new captain in on her status as a SAINT operative yet. She had read the woman's file, but did not know, or trust her yet. "What do you want to know?" she asked.
Saeko paused as she dried herself off and peeked around the corner at Nenene, "About you... Who are you, what do you do, what do you do off duty. Tell me about yourself." She smiled before reaching around to the drawers and pulled a kimono, she had decided it was late and this meeting was happening during leave time, so she didn't need her uniform.
"Well" Nenene replied, "My name you have already, I am a bridge officer and have served aboard the Soyokaze for one mission" she explained, "Before that I worked a while in the fleet headquarters complex on Yamatai."
She had been tyeing her sash as she walked out of the bathroom, "I got all of that from your jacket. Along with who you really work for and the fact you are the only of your sisters who is in a normal neko body." She smiled before taking the chair next to Nenene. As she sat back she raised one leg over the other.
Nenene frowned. "I see" she replied. It would have been nice if command had not given away a bunch of information about her that was supposed to be kept a bit quiet.
"Yes you do. But sadly other then your service records, I don't know much about you. Hence me asking my new XO who she is" She smiled trying to make Nenene feel more comfortable.
"All the relevant information should be in the file, if you have the full one" she replied, not feeling any more comfortable. She was not one for social events or interaction outside being with her sisters, save for maybe a cup of tea in a quiet coffee shop, and even her sisters called her the quiet one.
"So when you clock off you head to your cabin, hang yourself up in your locker and wait for the next shift, like a good officer." She smiled before continuing, "Good to know, I would hate to find out you were a person and had anything to do outside the bridge." With a flick of a frown she got up and went over to a cabinet and pulled out a bottle. "Would you like something to drink?" She didn't wait for an answer, pulling out two glasses she poured them with a bit of amaretto.
Nenene frowned at the new commanders comment, but did not respond to the obvious taunt. "If you insist" she finally did say to the offer of a drink, which it looked like she was not going to be able to turn down.
"That is good, I would have hated to drink both of them myself." She winked before handing Nenene the second glass, before settling back down in the chair and looked at the XO. "Well then, what should I know about the ship or her crew?"
Nenene took the glass, looking at the alcoholic drink. She did not normally drink alcohol, preferring tea or fruit juice instead. She glanced back at the captain, "The crew is a mix of new and experienced hands. They know their jobs and work fairly well together" she said. "The previous mission tested them to the limits and they did well"
"So I have read... Though officially I guess I still don't know much about your last mission, There were time gaps in your files and logs." She shrugged hoping Ise was going to give her a brief on it.
"Yes, there would be" Nenene replied. "The last portion of the mission was classified"
"So I have been told..." she sighed and ran a hand on the back of her neck. "So during this classified time a crew member died for classified reasons, and the ship continued drilling holes through space around a Gas Gient." She frowned and took a drink thinking.
"I'm sorry, I cannot divulge what happened unless I know you have been granted proper authorization" Nenene replied and she was sorry, but no SAINT operative would ever violate their oath to secrecy and be able to remain SAINT.
"I guess then I'll just have to trust the reports I have on the missing time." She looked down at her bare feet for a moment. "Well any questions for me?"
Nenene thought for a moment, taking a slow sip of the offered drink. "I am curious what changes you wish to make to how the Soyokaze is run. Every commanding officer has their own style and way of command"
"Donno." she looked again across to the XO. "I don't know how it runs now. How can I make changes without knowing how it functions?"
"I understand" Nenene replied. "What would you like me to know about you, as a commanding officer?" she asked.
"Well First of all, when I reach the bridge in the morning I want to have a full report of the past twenty-four hours ready for me. You don't need to write it, any junior officer can, but they need to be standing at my chair ready to give the report to me along with a verbal brief of it." She straightened up a little. "They need to be loud enough for the whole of the bridge to hear, I like this happening so that both me and the whole of the bridge crew have the full idea of what is going on."
She set her glass down on the table next to her before continue. "As for when I'm off duty, I will spend most of my time either roaming the ship, or in my office. If I'm here the door is open, even if I have it shut. I want it made clear to the whole of the crew to know and understand that they can come to me to discuss both duty related or personal matters."
The purple haired neko nodded. "Understood" she replied.
"Past that I can't imagine anything. Though..." She sighed and turned her head to look back to wards the bathroom, she wanted to talk to someone about what happened but she wasn't sure how to.
Nenene watched her new captain for a moment, spotting the concern in her face. "Is something the matter?" Nenene asked after a long few moments silence.
"A lot of things." Saeko spoke before taking a sip of the drink in her hand. "I really don't know who to go to talk to about it." She frowned before turning her eyes toward the XO.
"Well, as your executive officer, it is my job to assist you in any way I can" Nenene replied. "If you like, you can talk to me. I can assure you on my honor as a SAINT operative that you can speak to me in complete confidence"
A sly grin formed across her face as the Green haired neko looked over at the Saint operative. "You do understand how much of an oxymoron that sounds like?"
Nenene raised an eyebrow in question.
"As SAINT aren't you suppose to be reporting on me and the rest of the crew?"
"Well" she thought over the best way to reply to this. "In a sense, yes, but if it is not something related to official issues, like personal matters, I do not have to go into detail" she said.
She eyed Nenene for a second thinking."Fine.." She sighed before taking another sip. "I interviewed a new crew member earlier. And we since we both were new to the ship, I thought I'd take him out for dinner. I had to wait for my stuff to catch up to me."
Nenene relaxed in her chair and listened, nodding. "Alright"
"I really didn't grasp that he'd been flirting with me until we were at a club dancing and having post dinner drinks." She sighed and looked down at her bare feet.
"Did you have a good time?" she asked.
"Yeah a bit to much... We ended up in a hotel room, hell I left him there after he feel asleep."
Nenene nodded. She was not really phased by this. By their own nature, Neko's tended to be more...open... in those ways, especially the earlier generations, so she was not unaccustomed to learning that her shipmates, or even senior officers had fraternized with other members of the crew, even in the same chain of command.
"Do you see any issue to this?" Nenene asked.
"I've never..." She paused trying to come up with a way to explain her lack of experience.
Nenene smiled softly. "Did you enjoy yourself?" she asked and sipped her drink.
Blushing brightly Saeko nodded, she looked like a child who had be caught with her hand in the cookie jar..
The purple haired neko finished her drink and set the cup down. "Well, I am glad you had a good time. I don't think there is any reason for you to worry about anything" she said.
"But..." she sighed and looked over at the glass by her XO. "Would you like another?"
"Yes, please" Nenene replied with a nod. "What is concerning you about this" she asked, referring back to the subject at hand once more. "I can tell something about this is nagging at you"
"Well I've never been in this position before." She stood and took the empty glass along with her partial one and refilled them. As she stood there facing away she spoke softly, "How do I send him to the field if I have feelings... Hell I'm not sure what feeling I have..."
'I see" Nenene replied, "Remember this, like with us, he has a mental backup, so he really is not in any permanent danger" she suggested. "So feelings or not, it should not be an issue. Also, remember, the wellbeing and operation of the ship has to come before any personal feelings towards any member of the crew"
"So I have been told before." Saeko put the bottle back and brought the glasses back over before sitting back down into her chair. "I guess what is really bothering me here is, Ive never been with or felt for anyone like this."
The exec smiled. "Everyone has their first time" she commented, remembering her own as she accepted the glass and took a sip.
Sticking her own tongue out Saeko smiled. "Yeah well I wish I wouldn't have been so impulsive."
Nenene laughed a little. "Well, it happens" she said. "You're going to have to keep an eye on that yourself."
"Isn't that why I have an XO for?" Saeko giggled before continuing. "Poor kid is still at the hotel.. I left a message for him, but I just left him there."
"You could always go back" Nenene suggested.
"I could, but what if he awoke to find me gone already?"
"Well, I think he would understand if you had to go, you are assuming command of a new vessel and have a lot to do here, also, doubt he would have much issue of you coming back. In fact he may be happy if you did so" Nenene shrugged.
"Maybe I should." She thought for a moment. "Maybe I'll leave him be for the night and find him in the morning." She smiled a little.
Nenene nodded. "That works" she said and smiled.
"I don't know..." She hung her head and took a sip of her drink.
Nenene sank back into her chair a bit and watched the new captain in silence for a few long moments. She was not liking the lack of self confidence the new commanding officer was showing, this didn't bode well for the ship if Saeko had no confidence in her self, how could she be trusted to have what was needed to command the Soyokaze in a dire situation.
"I don't know, I kind of want to go back tonight." She looked back up at her new XO. "I kind of want to see what the morning would bring, when waking with him."
She sighed and leaned back into her seat. "So I have a question about the ship..." She paused letting the XO a moment to adjust to the new topic.
"What is your question?" Nenene asked.
"Why is that civilian on board? Any where did she get the idea that her arrogant mouth would win her anything here?" Saeko gritted her teeth for a moment before relaxing and allowing the anger to wash off.
Nenene knew exactly who Saeko was talking about, "That civilian is a SAINT asset" she replied.
"I know, but she waltzed into my office acting like she owned the place."
"I see" Nenene replied. "Please, tell me what she did, in detail"
"Well she first walked in and flopped down into a chair with out much ado, then took my lunch and started inhaling it. Every time she spoke to me it was of a braggart and she slapped the fact she belonged to SAINT, in my face as if it allowed her to speak and treat me as something under her. When I informed her that I expect some respect from her and that she was aboard at my pleasure she again told me that SAINT would make my life difficult." She was paraphrasing the bulk of the conversation but she did send the XO a copy of her own memories of the interview.
Saeko put down her glass before she shattered it in her hand. "If I knew I could get away with it I would leave her here when we ship out."
Nenene frowned as she listened to the captain's brief overview and reviewed the file sent to her. She was not fond of people who threw their weight around, nor those that openly spoke of their being part of a clandestine organization, let alone used it as a hammer to force their way.
"I see" she said again. "I will talk with her. Unfortunately, SAINT has not sent me any additional instructions pertaining to what I should do with her, for now I am just to keep her for observation."
"As you saw I gave her a job aboard. I want you to personally make sure she stays out from underfoot. If she screws up or causes problems I'm sure you'll solve the problem before it gets to me, or she'll and you'll have a lovely vacation in the scullery scrubbing pots." Saeko's face was stern for a moment before returning to her more neutral look. "That being said, If you want we can always strap her on the hull until we get to a place to drop her off at."
"I see" Nenene replied. She was not overly happy about being threatened by her new CO with possible punishment for someone else's actions. As it stood, she could not find herself liking the new captain with how this conversation had been going.
"I figure you have to be a decent officer to hold this position. That is why I give you this job. I trust that she won't be a problem. And there for this part of our talk is just idle speculation and theory." Saeko smiled and winked. "any ways we have our orders,. We are to head to the Mevar system and join the new Task Force. Once we jump in system they will send a unit to attack us, FULL SIM, and we will run a fighting battle to the planet, and then drop a infantry unit to assault the base."
"Alright" she said, "Do you have a plan in place already, or did you need me to work one up for the training?"
"No and it is a courtesy to you that I spoke to you of this. I want the crew to go in unaware other then who ever is in charge of the ground team, and the armory who will issue training rounds." Her smile grew, "I want to see how the crew will deal with the operation."
"Alright then" Nenene replied. "When shall we head out then?"
"Once leave is over. Then we will push from the docks and head out."
"Alright. Anything else you need?" Nenene asked
"Other then you for your advice and wish you a good leave. Are you going off ship at all?" Saeko looked over at her XO hoping they would at some point become friends.
"I may" Nenene replied. "I have not decided yet" she shrugged.
"You got family you can visit? Or are you just a single off neko?"
"All my family is off on assignment" Nenene replied. "They are all off on other ships scattered across the empire"
"That is a shame. maybe you all can get together for Yule." She smiled, "anyways I hope you find something relaxing for you to do."
"Maybe" she replied. "Though most of them are pretty busy"
"One always find time for family, which I think answers my dilemma we were discussing." She smiled and stood up setting the glass on the table.. "I think I'll finish a few reports and then head back to the hotel. she put her hand out to Ise.
Nenene stood up and accepted the offered hand.
"Well like I said, I hope you have a relaxing time. Try to put off business until we get ready to leave." Saeko lead the XO back to the Office and then to the door. "If you need just drop me a line I can set you up with a off base hotel room spa package or something."
Nenene nodded. "Thank you" she said.
"It isn't much but at least it can be a gift to my new XO." Saeko knew the SAINT officer would be looking for the ulterior motive with it, but it was a legitimate offer and gift.
As she came aboard the ship, she was messaged by Jayne telling her office was ready along with her quarters. Sighing Saeko started for them, she knew her quarters had a shower, and she had left orders for her belonging to be put away per standard regulations. Knowing that she knew that her office was stocked but her personal items were still in a box, and her clothes were stowed into the lockers just like they were on her old ship. Tiredly she thanked Jayne.
Entering her office she laid her shawl over the back of a chair and looked around. She had a model of the YSS Casper she wanted to put somewhere, but she wasn't sure if she wanted it on the desk or on a shelf.
Elsewhere on the Soyokaze, Ise Nenene sat behind her desk in her office, reading a tablet, scrolling across the information on various things and such. She had programmed the computer to inform her when the captain returned to the ship and now it did so. She inquired of the new commanding officers location and packed up what she was working on, giving the new captain a few moments to settle in before she sought her out. Nenene had not had a chance to meet the new CO yet and needed to do so before they set out on a new mission, which she assumed would be fairly soon.
Nenene checked to make sure her white paneled uniform was immaculate and correct before she set out. She arrived at the captain's office a short time later and tapped the chime button, requesting admittance.
She had just set the model on the corner of the desk and had turned on the magnet plate to keep it in place when the chime sounded. "Who the hell..." She looked at the clock on the desk seeing how late it was. "Come in..." She stood there in her strapless green dress with the guns of her tattoo poking out of the top of it.
Nenene stepped through as the door opened. She bowed respectfully as she crossed the threshold. "Chui Ise Nenene, executive officer of the Soyokaze" She introduced herself
"Hellos" Seako said as she studied the officer with her blacked out eyes. She paused for a moment before reaching over and pulling her shawl to her. "What can I do for you this evening?"
"I thought it best that we meet" Nenene replied. "Since we did not have the chance when you first boarded the Soyokaze"
"Uhh.. thank you... for coming..." She looked down at what she was wearing and knowing how she must have smelled. "If you would come into my quarters I would like to take a quick shower... I just got back to the ship." Saeko hoped she didn't sound like a raving idiot.
"Of course" Nenene replied with a nod of her head. She stepped out of the office and awaited Saeko.
The Captain pointed to a door in the back of the office. "This way." She keyed a code into the pad and the door opened to her cabin. As she walkedin she stopped at her closet and pulled a uniform and a change of undergarments. "I want to apologize for how I look, I was out... With another new crew member, I didn't think he had anyplace to be during leave so I took him out to dinner." She blushed sharply before turning to the bathroom, "I'll leave the door open please feel free to talk.
"No need to apologize" Nenene said, "What one does on leave" she shrugged.
"Yeah..." The green haired neko said a bit tired sounding. As she walked into the bathroom she asked, "How is the ship? Will she be ready once everyone gets back from leave?"
"She will" Nenene replied. "Most of the major repairs are completed and the crew we lost have been replaced" she explained. "Once the crew is all back on ship, Soyokaze will be ready to depart"
As her new XO spoke Saeko had stripped and stepped into the shower. "That is good, I've read some of the reports from the dock crews, but I've always been leery of believing them." She was quick to wash up and get everything clean, but she didn't get out right away. The hot water was relaxing and made the concerns she had earlier a little easier to think through.
"I made sure they did their work" Nenene replied, having settled into a chair. She waited for the captain to finish.
"Good good." She called out as she shut off the water and reached for her towel. "So Tell me about yourself."
"Not much to say" Nenene replied. She had not decided yet if she was going to let the new captain in on her status as a SAINT operative yet. She had read the woman's file, but did not know, or trust her yet. "What do you want to know?" she asked.
Saeko paused as she dried herself off and peeked around the corner at Nenene, "About you... Who are you, what do you do, what do you do off duty. Tell me about yourself." She smiled before reaching around to the drawers and pulled a kimono, she had decided it was late and this meeting was happening during leave time, so she didn't need her uniform.
"Well" Nenene replied, "My name you have already, I am a bridge officer and have served aboard the Soyokaze for one mission" she explained, "Before that I worked a while in the fleet headquarters complex on Yamatai."
She had been tyeing her sash as she walked out of the bathroom, "I got all of that from your jacket. Along with who you really work for and the fact you are the only of your sisters who is in a normal neko body." She smiled before taking the chair next to Nenene. As she sat back she raised one leg over the other.
Nenene frowned. "I see" she replied. It would have been nice if command had not given away a bunch of information about her that was supposed to be kept a bit quiet.
"Yes you do. But sadly other then your service records, I don't know much about you. Hence me asking my new XO who she is" She smiled trying to make Nenene feel more comfortable.
"All the relevant information should be in the file, if you have the full one" she replied, not feeling any more comfortable. She was not one for social events or interaction outside being with her sisters, save for maybe a cup of tea in a quiet coffee shop, and even her sisters called her the quiet one.
"So when you clock off you head to your cabin, hang yourself up in your locker and wait for the next shift, like a good officer." She smiled before continuing, "Good to know, I would hate to find out you were a person and had anything to do outside the bridge." With a flick of a frown she got up and went over to a cabinet and pulled out a bottle. "Would you like something to drink?" She didn't wait for an answer, pulling out two glasses she poured them with a bit of amaretto.
Nenene frowned at the new commanders comment, but did not respond to the obvious taunt. "If you insist" she finally did say to the offer of a drink, which it looked like she was not going to be able to turn down.
"That is good, I would have hated to drink both of them myself." She winked before handing Nenene the second glass, before settling back down in the chair and looked at the XO. "Well then, what should I know about the ship or her crew?"
Nenene took the glass, looking at the alcoholic drink. She did not normally drink alcohol, preferring tea or fruit juice instead. She glanced back at the captain, "The crew is a mix of new and experienced hands. They know their jobs and work fairly well together" she said. "The previous mission tested them to the limits and they did well"
"So I have read... Though officially I guess I still don't know much about your last mission, There were time gaps in your files and logs." She shrugged hoping Ise was going to give her a brief on it.
"Yes, there would be" Nenene replied. "The last portion of the mission was classified"
"So I have been told..." she sighed and ran a hand on the back of her neck. "So during this classified time a crew member died for classified reasons, and the ship continued drilling holes through space around a Gas Gient." She frowned and took a drink thinking.
"I'm sorry, I cannot divulge what happened unless I know you have been granted proper authorization" Nenene replied and she was sorry, but no SAINT operative would ever violate their oath to secrecy and be able to remain SAINT.
"I guess then I'll just have to trust the reports I have on the missing time." She looked down at her bare feet for a moment. "Well any questions for me?"
Nenene thought for a moment, taking a slow sip of the offered drink. "I am curious what changes you wish to make to how the Soyokaze is run. Every commanding officer has their own style and way of command"
"Donno." she looked again across to the XO. "I don't know how it runs now. How can I make changes without knowing how it functions?"
"I understand" Nenene replied. "What would you like me to know about you, as a commanding officer?" she asked.
"Well First of all, when I reach the bridge in the morning I want to have a full report of the past twenty-four hours ready for me. You don't need to write it, any junior officer can, but they need to be standing at my chair ready to give the report to me along with a verbal brief of it." She straightened up a little. "They need to be loud enough for the whole of the bridge to hear, I like this happening so that both me and the whole of the bridge crew have the full idea of what is going on."
She set her glass down on the table next to her before continue. "As for when I'm off duty, I will spend most of my time either roaming the ship, or in my office. If I'm here the door is open, even if I have it shut. I want it made clear to the whole of the crew to know and understand that they can come to me to discuss both duty related or personal matters."
The purple haired neko nodded. "Understood" she replied.
"Past that I can't imagine anything. Though..." She sighed and turned her head to look back to wards the bathroom, she wanted to talk to someone about what happened but she wasn't sure how to.
Nenene watched her new captain for a moment, spotting the concern in her face. "Is something the matter?" Nenene asked after a long few moments silence.
"A lot of things." Saeko spoke before taking a sip of the drink in her hand. "I really don't know who to go to talk to about it." She frowned before turning her eyes toward the XO.
"Well, as your executive officer, it is my job to assist you in any way I can" Nenene replied. "If you like, you can talk to me. I can assure you on my honor as a SAINT operative that you can speak to me in complete confidence"
A sly grin formed across her face as the Green haired neko looked over at the Saint operative. "You do understand how much of an oxymoron that sounds like?"
Nenene raised an eyebrow in question.
"As SAINT aren't you suppose to be reporting on me and the rest of the crew?"
"Well" she thought over the best way to reply to this. "In a sense, yes, but if it is not something related to official issues, like personal matters, I do not have to go into detail" she said.
She eyed Nenene for a second thinking."Fine.." She sighed before taking another sip. "I interviewed a new crew member earlier. And we since we both were new to the ship, I thought I'd take him out for dinner. I had to wait for my stuff to catch up to me."
Nenene relaxed in her chair and listened, nodding. "Alright"
"I really didn't grasp that he'd been flirting with me until we were at a club dancing and having post dinner drinks." She sighed and looked down at her bare feet.
"Did you have a good time?" she asked.
"Yeah a bit to much... We ended up in a hotel room, hell I left him there after he feel asleep."
Nenene nodded. She was not really phased by this. By their own nature, Neko's tended to be more...open... in those ways, especially the earlier generations, so she was not unaccustomed to learning that her shipmates, or even senior officers had fraternized with other members of the crew, even in the same chain of command.
"Do you see any issue to this?" Nenene asked.
"I've never..." She paused trying to come up with a way to explain her lack of experience.
Nenene smiled softly. "Did you enjoy yourself?" she asked and sipped her drink.
Blushing brightly Saeko nodded, she looked like a child who had be caught with her hand in the cookie jar..
The purple haired neko finished her drink and set the cup down. "Well, I am glad you had a good time. I don't think there is any reason for you to worry about anything" she said.
"But..." she sighed and looked over at the glass by her XO. "Would you like another?"
"Yes, please" Nenene replied with a nod. "What is concerning you about this" she asked, referring back to the subject at hand once more. "I can tell something about this is nagging at you"
"Well I've never been in this position before." She stood and took the empty glass along with her partial one and refilled them. As she stood there facing away she spoke softly, "How do I send him to the field if I have feelings... Hell I'm not sure what feeling I have..."
'I see" Nenene replied, "Remember this, like with us, he has a mental backup, so he really is not in any permanent danger" she suggested. "So feelings or not, it should not be an issue. Also, remember, the wellbeing and operation of the ship has to come before any personal feelings towards any member of the crew"
"So I have been told before." Saeko put the bottle back and brought the glasses back over before sitting back down into her chair. "I guess what is really bothering me here is, Ive never been with or felt for anyone like this."
The exec smiled. "Everyone has their first time" she commented, remembering her own as she accepted the glass and took a sip.
Sticking her own tongue out Saeko smiled. "Yeah well I wish I wouldn't have been so impulsive."
Nenene laughed a little. "Well, it happens" she said. "You're going to have to keep an eye on that yourself."
"Isn't that why I have an XO for?" Saeko giggled before continuing. "Poor kid is still at the hotel.. I left a message for him, but I just left him there."
"You could always go back" Nenene suggested.
"I could, but what if he awoke to find me gone already?"
"Well, I think he would understand if you had to go, you are assuming command of a new vessel and have a lot to do here, also, doubt he would have much issue of you coming back. In fact he may be happy if you did so" Nenene shrugged.
"Maybe I should." She thought for a moment. "Maybe I'll leave him be for the night and find him in the morning." She smiled a little.
Nenene nodded. "That works" she said and smiled.
"I don't know..." She hung her head and took a sip of her drink.
Nenene sank back into her chair a bit and watched the new captain in silence for a few long moments. She was not liking the lack of self confidence the new commanding officer was showing, this didn't bode well for the ship if Saeko had no confidence in her self, how could she be trusted to have what was needed to command the Soyokaze in a dire situation.
"I don't know, I kind of want to go back tonight." She looked back up at her new XO. "I kind of want to see what the morning would bring, when waking with him."
She sighed and leaned back into her seat. "So I have a question about the ship..." She paused letting the XO a moment to adjust to the new topic.
"What is your question?" Nenene asked.
"Why is that civilian on board? Any where did she get the idea that her arrogant mouth would win her anything here?" Saeko gritted her teeth for a moment before relaxing and allowing the anger to wash off.
Nenene knew exactly who Saeko was talking about, "That civilian is a SAINT asset" she replied.
"I know, but she waltzed into my office acting like she owned the place."
"I see" Nenene replied. "Please, tell me what she did, in detail"
"Well she first walked in and flopped down into a chair with out much ado, then took my lunch and started inhaling it. Every time she spoke to me it was of a braggart and she slapped the fact she belonged to SAINT, in my face as if it allowed her to speak and treat me as something under her. When I informed her that I expect some respect from her and that she was aboard at my pleasure she again told me that SAINT would make my life difficult." She was paraphrasing the bulk of the conversation but she did send the XO a copy of her own memories of the interview.
Saeko put down her glass before she shattered it in her hand. "If I knew I could get away with it I would leave her here when we ship out."
Nenene frowned as she listened to the captain's brief overview and reviewed the file sent to her. She was not fond of people who threw their weight around, nor those that openly spoke of their being part of a clandestine organization, let alone used it as a hammer to force their way.
"I see" she said again. "I will talk with her. Unfortunately, SAINT has not sent me any additional instructions pertaining to what I should do with her, for now I am just to keep her for observation."
"As you saw I gave her a job aboard. I want you to personally make sure she stays out from underfoot. If she screws up or causes problems I'm sure you'll solve the problem before it gets to me, or she'll and you'll have a lovely vacation in the scullery scrubbing pots." Saeko's face was stern for a moment before returning to her more neutral look. "That being said, If you want we can always strap her on the hull until we get to a place to drop her off at."
"I see" Nenene replied. She was not overly happy about being threatened by her new CO with possible punishment for someone else's actions. As it stood, she could not find herself liking the new captain with how this conversation had been going.
"I figure you have to be a decent officer to hold this position. That is why I give you this job. I trust that she won't be a problem. And there for this part of our talk is just idle speculation and theory." Saeko smiled and winked. "any ways we have our orders,. We are to head to the Mevar system and join the new Task Force. Once we jump in system they will send a unit to attack us, FULL SIM, and we will run a fighting battle to the planet, and then drop a infantry unit to assault the base."
"Alright" she said, "Do you have a plan in place already, or did you need me to work one up for the training?"
"No and it is a courtesy to you that I spoke to you of this. I want the crew to go in unaware other then who ever is in charge of the ground team, and the armory who will issue training rounds." Her smile grew, "I want to see how the crew will deal with the operation."
"Alright then" Nenene replied. "When shall we head out then?"
"Once leave is over. Then we will push from the docks and head out."
"Alright. Anything else you need?" Nenene asked
"Other then you for your advice and wish you a good leave. Are you going off ship at all?" Saeko looked over at her XO hoping they would at some point become friends.
"I may" Nenene replied. "I have not decided yet" she shrugged.
"You got family you can visit? Or are you just a single off neko?"
"All my family is off on assignment" Nenene replied. "They are all off on other ships scattered across the empire"
"That is a shame. maybe you all can get together for Yule." She smiled, "anyways I hope you find something relaxing for you to do."
"Maybe" she replied. "Though most of them are pretty busy"
"One always find time for family, which I think answers my dilemma we were discussing." She smiled and stood up setting the glass on the table.. "I think I'll finish a few reports and then head back to the hotel. she put her hand out to Ise.
Nenene stood up and accepted the offered hand.
"Well like I said, I hope you have a relaxing time. Try to put off business until we get ready to leave." Saeko lead the XO back to the Office and then to the door. "If you need just drop me a line I can set you up with a off base hotel room spa package or something."
Nenene nodded. "Thank you" she said.
"It isn't much but at least it can be a gift to my new XO." Saeko knew the SAINT officer would be looking for the ulterior motive with it, but it was a legitimate offer and gift.
