Finally a little peace and quiet, Saffyia thought as she slumped down on the chair in front of her desk. She had spent the day trying to prepare for Hina’s arrival, and stooped to sweet-talking the computer into making her a cup of the chai tea she craved ever since arriving aboard the Cupertino. 

If her crew needed her, they knew how to find her. Though that would require them to stop avoiding her. 

She shook her head, trying to clear her mind. Which was when she noticed a notification of an incoming call, one she hadn’t expected at all… 

Daily reports done, Vilgi was on a little bit of a nosy into the goings on of the fleet, and quickly found himself in the personnel changes and the new commands section. Scanning the list a name jumped out, but the reason was a little slower to come. Nassar, he mulled the name over and then it came to him. Engineer, a gifted one at that if he recalled, the Kongo had figured large in her career for a while, then the command transfer. Of course they crossed paths briefly while she was on the Saint something or other, now a command of her own.

Vilgi leaned back for a moment, considering making contact once more, not all new commanders were as open to old faces reappearing, he recalled. But this time he felt would be different. Sent the communication request though the duty ops officer, no sense hogging the comm array, if vital transmissions needed to be made. 

“Saffyia Nassar as I live and breathe. Captain now isn’t it? You remember an old lecturer dont you?” Vilgi asked by way of introduction, it had been while, so he figured on being helpful and toss in the ‘where they first met.’

Saffyia wasn’t amazing at remembering faces, or names, and even worse at matching the one to the other. It took her a second or two to regain composure and not look too confused, slowly putting things together. Lecturer. Academy. Oh right.  

“Of course.”, she replied sheepishly. She wondered why he was calling her now, and for a brief moment worried that her reaching out to old acquaintances to help her sort things, had somehow made rounds. Then again, most people probably had more interesting things to gossip about. “It’s been a while. How have you been keeping?”

“You know, seeking out new life, or showing the up and coming officers how to seek out new life. Which is basicly the same thing.” Vilgi responded with a smile, his answer was perhaps a little general, but it would do for now. He launch into the reason for his call with a couple of searching questions “Running around in a california-class at the moment. You’re in the same class at the moment? How was the ship left for you?”

Saffyia hesitated for a moment. “Uh.”, she started. Let’s say… it’s definitely a challenge.”, she allowed herself a sigh. “Okay, seriously, is this always as much of a mess like this? Nothing, really nothing, is working. I don’t know why the former captain left, and if the condition of the Cupertino had anything to do with it, but I would love to find him and have a friendly talk with him to find out.”  

“The challenges of being an engineering captain.” Vilgi responded with a slight grin, even though to his mind the state the ship  was passed on to her sounded like a raw deal. Right now Safira needed encouragement and pointers, as opposed to someone stoking the frustration she clearly felt. “Sometimes you get the fixer-uppers. Treat it like a big engineering project, with a bit of leadership thrown in.” He carried on his advice, it was basic, but that was often a good start point. “What would you say is the biggest need at the moment?”

She thought about that for a moment, not quite sure where to start. Hina was en-route to help her with the computer, and talking about that weird reporter was already on her list. “I am wondering whether to keep my senior officers or to see if transfers can be managed.“, she admitted. “I feel like they’ve spent the past getting through with way too much, and I am not sure if they can adjust to a new Captain, or if they will poison any additional incoming crew.“ 

Vilgi sat back for a moment, problem officers could be just that a problem, or an opportunity. His expresion gave away how much thought he put into the responce. “Your concerns are valid of course, any leader would act in the best interests of the crew. But that applies to the serving crew as well. Cleaning house should be measure of last resort.” Feeling that last point while needed was hard hitting, so Vilgi shifted tack and tried to find the base for her concerns with a couple of direct questions. “Have you sat down with each one of them individually? Have you had a conversation that doesn’t revolve around the status of their department?”  

“Well, let’s see… my XO is not even present. She accompanied the former Captain and asked for short-term leave, which she then approved herself.”, Saffy rolled her eyes. “Which means I am currently missing a First Officer, which is already not great. The thing is… ”, she paused, sighed, and reclined in her chair. “I don’t know if this is the time to be strict. People are still people, we don’t have a pressing mission – next up is a science assignment, but whether that happens today or in a week or two doesn’t really matter, and I can justify any kind of delay. If the former Captain left due to some kind of family issue, it’s a touchy subject to start with. If the XO accompanied him, maybe the support is needed. I don’t want to judge or take action before she’s back.”

“It sounds like you have an opportunity to go at a pace that you’re comfortable with regarding crew evaluations and actually getting out there.” Vilgi started off, going for the commend and then correct approach,  it was one he used frequently enough, including with his own XO, to know it worked well. “It might be a bit more work in the short term but, it might benefit you and them to take on the crew relations part of the XO’s role. In fact right there you have an opportunity few captains have, get to know your staff better.” A pause to let that part sink in before the word of warning. “Regarding the outgoing CO and posabliy XO, there no longer your concern, don’t waste time and energy worring about things out of your control.” Vilgi paused again, and took a hard look at the woman on the screan trying to gauge her reaction and hoping his well meaning advice found a receptive ear.

She replied with a nod, and a moment of consideration. “You know, I like to do things by the book. Tried and tested, and deviations only when said approach doesn’t work. It’s an engineering thing, I think. Some human saying about not reinventing the wheel.” She explained, taking a moment to formulate her thoughts. “So if something is imperfect and not done by the book, but has been approved and is currently working – or at least not harmful – should I just… let those things be?” 

She was thinking about, for example, that random reporter she had on board. The former Captain had okayed her presence, the crew liked her, and as much as Saffiya wanted to kick her out because it made her uncomfortable to have her here, perhaps that would do more harm than good. 

“It’s an approach that’s worth trying.” Vilgi responded with a smile, glad of being able to steer the new captain towards a more constructive line of thinking and potential course of action. “I need to be at a consult with my chief engineer and operations manager in ten. I will check back in with you in a week or so, see how you’re getting on..” Vilgi pointed out and made a suggestion for a follow up contact.

“Thank you. I would like that.”, Saffiya stated simply, but if you knew her, you could tell that she really appreciated the gesture. She needed help, and she needed someone not on the ship to talk to when things didn’t go as planned. 

They ended their call, and she got up, feeling like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Not all the weight, but some of it. And that was worth a lot.