Meeting the Chief Navigator

Posted on Wed May 8th, 2019 @ 2:38pm by Captain Cynthia Jackson & Lieutenant Catriona MacGowen

1,981 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Mission 0 - Christening of Legacy and Crew Arrival
Location: Bridge

Cindy had been enjoying her day meeting people. However, she felt the need to get back to her new home on the bridge. The six foot tall, long legged, athletic blonde haired Captain in her yellow miniskirt sleeveless uniform stepped back onto the bridge. Her platinum blond locks flowed easily behind her. As she got to the Captain's chair, she saw someone before her at the Navigation station that she had been hoping to meet more than anyone else. If memory served her, Lieutenant Catriona MacGowen, her Chief Navigator was raised a mere one hundred miles West of her.

Few people were prouder of their state that Michiganders. The United States might be ancient history but Michiganders hung tight to their traditions. She approached the fellow blonde haired woman and said, "Excuse me, I'm looking for a fellow Troll." She held out the palm of her right hand for MacGowen to see and pointed near the lower right side of it. "I'm from here."

“You found her!” Cat grinned, taking this as a sign she was finally home. “I should have known that a ship this well commanded would have someone from the Great Lake State in charge.” The moment the captain had called her a troll she had relaxed. “I was there before I got the call to come here, they are having a really hot summer, pushing almost a hundred when I left.”

Cindy shrugged regarding the weather and then moved her finger on her hand towards the left. "If I recall, you're more from here" and then she started singing, "Oh, I've got a gal...in Kalamazoo-zoo-zoo-zoo-zoo-zoo...."

“You had to sing it,” Cat took a deep breath. “Don’t want to boast, But I know she’s the toast...” she laughed. “Our claim to fame. You go to the University or head straight to the Academy?”

"Straight to the Academy," Cindy answered with a wide, warm, and friendly grin. "They say that timing is everything. Probably a good thing I did it when I did or else I would probably be waiting for another 20 years to be a Captain. Of course," she said reflecting with a sad smile, "I hate it to be at the expense of so many. Between Nero, the decimation of the fleet at Vulcan and then Khan killing off the Admirals.... It is a wonder that we still have any experienced officers. I'm very fortunate to have you."

“I knew some good people who shouldn’t have died so young,” Cat said solemnly. “I am glad to be here. I am looking forward to working with the helmsman and making this my home.” She needed this, to try and make friends, to have something other than the job.

"You SHOULD think of this as your home," Cindy replied vehemently. "It will be for five years and I really, really hope that I can make everyone comfortable." She then took a mock stern tone with Cat and said, "So, no Debbie Downers! And for God's sake, please call me Cindy."

“Yes, Cap... Cindy,” She replied with a smile. “How can anyone help but be happy here. We are from Michigan, the friendliest state. I will do my part to help where I can.”

"I'm sure that you will. So, why don't you tell me all about yourself? One never gets enough from a bio. That just says what you have done."

Cat thought for a moment. “I was raised pretty much at a flight school. My Mom died when I was young and I hung out with my brothers and Dad. I guess it is why I’ve never had close friends but I am determined to change that.” She grinned at a memory.”I spent a summer once with our Scottish relatives in the Highlands of Scotland. I learned how to swing a sword and I found out men in kilts are really sexy.” She looked around and lowered her voice. “Some of them wear nothing underneath!”

"That is seriously hot," Cindy agreed. "Then again, most men with swords or in sports are hot, well, except in baseball. They really do not have to be fit for that sport," she replied laughing, throwing her hair back with her a snap of her head as she laughed. "I'm sorry about your mother, though."

“Thanks,” she replied. “I like to be called Cat. I have always been called that. Did my file say that though I love navigation, I love flying as well? They are both in my blood.” She looked at Cindy for a moment. “You aren’t conventional at all, are you?”

"Well, Cat, I'm sure that you're going to be flying this treasure quite a bit," Cindy told Cat, beaming. "As to conventional, what's that?" she asked with a giggle. "If Starfleet knew half of the thing that I intend on this ship, they would freak."

“We should meet up later and have a Vernors,” Cat grinned. “I have a secret stash.”

Cindy's eyes glowed a brilliant blue. Cat could have been certain that when she met Cindy, they were green. "That would be to die for! Phil did not abide by it. Said it was rubbish." She laughed. "Oh, well. He did not get to come on this ship. Still stuck as a Starfleet professor." She put a hand to her chest and said, "I should not be babbling so much right now but, well, you're practically a sister, right?"

Cat grinned. “Yes!” It was like that with Michiganders. They were a friendly lot. “Babble away, I am a good listener.” She liked Cindy’s approach to her crew. This was going to be one hell of a ride.”I don’t know who Phil is but one always needs A secret stash.”

"Hush, you!" Cindy conspiratorially pulled Cat aside and took her to her ready room. When the doors closed behind Cindy, she said, "We can gossip here. I do still have to keep some sense of decorum on duty. But here, or off duty, we can be normal human beings."

“I love that about you,” Cat grinned. “You really know how to run the show. Who is Phil?” This as going to be her new improved Cat, asking questions instead of sitting on the sidelines.

"Do you have a stuffy British professor at the Academy that taught tactics?" Cindy asked, answering a question with a question.

Cat thought back for a moment. “Yes.” She nodded. “It wasn’t one of my favorite classes.”

"Mine either. I was terrible at it. For whatever reason, I could never really wrap my mind around it and I knew that I had to do well in order to eventually get a Captain's Chair. Well, Phil, you probably called him Professor or Commander Wilson, gave me some private lessons.... And before you start getting a dirty mind about it, he was the perfect gentleman. I actually asked him to be my XO but his war injury kept him from being permitted to come aboard."

She sighed. "God, I have the worst crush on him.... No idea why but we somehow got close. Of course, I don't think he would ever admit it. He's all too proud and stuffy. I was hoping having him out here...." She shrugged. "Ah, well."

“It is his loss,” Cat declared. “Why anyone would walk away from someone as amazing as you are, I don’t understand.” She smiled then.”We will find you someone so much better that will treat you right.”

"That's kind of you to say, Cindy told Cat. "He wanted to come. StarFleet wouldn't let him come. So, I guess it was not meant to be. Besides, I'm not sure that he even knew how I felt. Guys are stupid that way. When I'm friends with them, they want to be in my pants. The ones I want don't seem to notice. Weird, huh?"

“I have a hard time understanding them as well,” Cat nodded. “There are so many frogs, it is hard to sift them out. But I am not giving up.”

Cindy shrugged. "I'm not giving up," she told her Chief Navigator. "But I'm not actively looking, either. I guess that if someone interesting comes along, I hope that he'll know that he's interesting to me. Right now, though, I have this lovely ship to run. So, no Phil, no worries." Her platinum blond hair bobbed with Cindy enthusiastically.

“We think alike,” Cat grinned. “I love my job and I am happy but if some beefcake comes along we will see what happens.” McGowan likes the strength the captain had. It was important in her position.

"So, tell me about this ideal beefcake," Cindy goaded Cat conspiratorially and with a giggle.

“Dark hair, brown eyes,” Cat smiled. “Someone who can balance work and a personal life and appreciates that my job is important to me. Must be willing to meet me halfway and not be all about themselves.”

"So, someone that doesn't exist," Cindy replied with a laugh. "Any interests that are important” that he shares?"

Cat smiled. “Well, He is a dream man so he needs to love everything I do.” She laughed. “And must love Michigan.”

"Of course!" she confirmed. "That would be a dream. I miss Ann Arbor sometimes but I would much rather be out here where there's so much new to experience and discover!"

“This is my home now,” Cat smiled. “I wouldn’t mind a visit but I love it out here.”

"As do I. You would not happen to be active in sports, too, would you? I mean, if you were, that would make you too perfect!" She paused and then laughed. "Have you seen all that you've wanted here or would you like a bit of a tour?"

“Never really been into sports.” Cat replied. “But I’d love that tour.”

"Guess you're not perfect, but you're close enough," Cindy concluded. "So, where would you like me to take you first?"

“Surprise me,” Cat replied. “I love surprises.”

"Oh, I do too!!! I'll try anything once!" Cindy said proudly. "Come on! I've got just the place!"

Cat was interested in what Cindy would show her first. It seemed to be somewhere she took great pride in.

Indeed, it was somewhere that Cindy took the most pride: the science department. She visibly gasped when the doors entered. "I wish that all of this was here when I was coming up through the ranks," she told Cat. She slowly twirled around the room with her arms wide out. "Oh, the things that I could have discovered.... Everything here is state of the art. The best of the best in the fleet. Don't tell the chief science officer that I'm jealous, alright?"

“It is impressive,” Cat said sincerely. “I’m not even science and I am jealous.”

"I used to be," Cindy answered. "This is what we are supposed to be about: discovery. But with the fleet needing to be rebuilt and Klingons and Romulans out there with their neutral zones...." The Captain gave a reminiscent sigh. "So many things that could be...."

“We will get back there,” Cat said with determination. “Or better than that, be the discoverers we are supposed to be, it won’t be easy but it will happen.”

"I hope so," Cindy answered. "I would like to think that there's much more to life than defending territory."

“There has to be,” Cat agreed. “We are here for more than wars and defending our part of the Universe.”

Cindy firmly placed her hand on a chair near a scanning instrument. "I have to believe so, too, Cat. This is the sort of thing that I should be doing, whether as Chief of Science or as the Captain. There's so much to discover." She grinned at Cat.

“Then we will do it,” Cat grinned back at her.

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