Captain Takato Office

The PADDs kept piling up as another assistant placed a few on her desk. Ryoko rubbed her template, trying to read the PADD she had in her hand. “Thank you” She briefly responded without looking at the Petty Officer. She bowed and left the Captain’s office, but within a minute, she returned.

“Captain, a Commander Towalr is demanding to speak with you?” She is standing at the door awaiting a reaction from her boss.

A sigh came from Ryoko’s direction as she lowered the PADD and clicked her tongue in disapproval, looking outside her window. “Let him….in” She said, resisting the urge to decline it. She knew why he was here. It was bluntly obvious after receiving so many messages already.

The Petty Officer nodded and looked behind her, giving a nod to the Commander who passed her into the office. “Captain Takato, I thank you for your valuable time. But I am here concerning the Tokyo change of command. It seems my message was misunderstood, and I am here to explain it better,” Towalr stated, stopping in front of the Captain’s desk. 

An exhalation of breath came out of Ryoko, and she turned her gaze at the Commander, slowly sitting back in her chair. She placed the PADD on the table. “Sure…humor me” It was the duty of a Captain to listen to her people, but this guy was pushing his luck. 

“Thank you, Captain” The Rigelian man stated with a slight nod to her. “Captain Jameson loss has hit our crew deeply, and they need more time to adjust. The assignment of Commander Yun is premature, and she seems like a hardworking woman, but we believe she is not a good fit for Tokyo. The Tokyo needs special care and a Captain that understands these needs” 

Staring at the Commander briefly, Ryoko saw him getting nervous and then shook her head gently. “Then I understood you clearly the first, second, and third time.” She raised her fingers, counting it. “Request denied for change of command, Commander. I am not going to have this argument any longer. Captain Yoon-Jung is arriving soon at Deep Space 47 to assume command. Do I make myself clear?” She made the name clear so as not to be mistaken again.

Towalr shrugged at that comment. “Is it not better to …assume someone to command at the Tokyo itself? Rather than let someone from the outside take command?” He tried his best to defend his case in front of the Captain. 

The man did make a sound argument regarding the situation of Tokyo. She moved her hand over the desk and grabbed a PADD. Taking a look at it “Ahh Tokyo…the New Orleans class that was previously under the command of the decorated Captain Jameson. Captain Jameson died during Frontier Day.” She paused briefly and looked at Towalr, who nodded to the information. “Assuming your ….observation…” 

She looked back at the PADD. “We got Lieutenant Commander Ibrix, Chief Medical Officer, who is a seasoned officer but shows no interest in command. In my opinion, we got Lieutenant Commander Deem, who shows interest in command but is still green.” She placed the PADD down and sat up, looking at him. “And we got you… While I know your records very well, you have not completed the command course that every Captain requires. Aside from that, you have yet to prove to yourself that you can command in dire situations”

“I am doing the command course, Captain, and have proven myself countless times.” Towalr was shocked at the accusation that he hadn’t proved himself after all that time.

“Did you now if that would be the case, then the damage to the Tokyo would not have been severe, and I wouldn’t be dealing with filling the gaps with the crew list?” Ryoko crossed her arms. “Potentially, Captain Jameson would be still standing…” 

He looked in horror at her. “Are….are you accusing me of not saving Captain Jameson?” 

“I am not saying that, Commander. If you stepped up and did your job as a First Officer rather than shoving it to someone else, I am saying that. Then he might have lived” Ryoko had read all she could about the Tokyo and their situation. When the junior staff shot Jameson, Commander Towalr cowered himself away for his sake and left the Captain to die, ordering officers to protect him. Ryoko would rather give him the boot, but she was limited on personnel as it was. 

“Well…it was ….chaotic moment and …I believe I did what could be done.” Towalr was barely holding a front against this lioness of a Captain. “What is so special about this, Commander Yoon-Jang” 

‘is this guy for real….he truly believe that?’ Ryoko thought as she shrugged and shook her head again. “Commander Yoon-Jung…” Ryoko corrected him again “Stepped up her game on the USS Wakefield, when it lost its First and Second Officer and some key senior staff during Operation Sundered Wings. She proven herself also during the invasion of the Lost Fleet at Deneb and managed to stand her ground at the Frontier Day crisis.” Ryoko was tired of this as she rubbed her template to ease the upcoming headache.

Trying to find any other reason to dismiss this transfer “The crew won’t accept her!” Towalr threw out at the seasoned Captain.

“Then, is it not your job to make it so that they do accept her?” Ryoko counter the Commander back with narrowed eyes “Look, I will state this one time and very clearly, so you understand it. Commander Yoon-Jung will arrive at Deep Space 47 to assume command of the USS Tokyo. She will Captain this ship, you will be her First Officer, and I hope for your sake I will not see a rapport of disobeying commands from her or help me might force of the galaxy. I will transfer you to a remote outpost. Do I make myself clear?!”

He wanted to respond but saw the anger in Takato eyes. “Understood, Captain” Towalr acknowledged “But the crew needs its mourning time…” 

Standing up and grabbing a PADD, “I got no time for this, Commander. Everyone is mourning their losses. Meanwhile, Fourth Fleet is dealing with Deneb region.” Ryoko stopped at the side of the desk and looked at him. “Or have you not noticed?! People lost their lives in the Lost Fleet invasion and Frontier Day, and it was not only Tokyo that lost good people. I am understaffed, have limited resources, and you are wasting my time.” She was not holding back. She barely slept for 4 hours in the last 48 hours. “Now get back to your ship, welcome your commanding officer, and stop bitching about it. I got an appointment with Rear Admiral Grayson. Good day” She left him behind to get to her appointment. 

Towalr was left stunned behind, looking at the stars outside. What did he do wrong? Why would the Captain not understand him? He would have been a better fit to replace Captain Jameson. He even said it himself. Maybe this Commander is befriended with Captain Takato? Possibly, she pulled strings to get this command. Yes, that must be it. Towalr bolded his fist and walked out of the office. He would not let some green Captain take command of his precious Tokyo.