Change of heart

Posted on Tue Aug 2nd, 2022 @ 8:36pm by Captain Maia Sterling & Lieutenant Commander Sheena Toran-Blake & Lieutenant Commander Ryan Blake & Lieutenant JG Marina Tanger

Mission: Shore Leave
Location: Ready Room
Timeline: 239507.22.1

Marina approached the ready room, it was with much deliberation that she had decided to step down from being Chief Intelligence Officer. The arrival of T’Plana-hath had proven just how out of the loop she was, having been undercover with the Caliphate for so many years. Pressing the chime she waited for admittance.

"Enter"

Walking into the office Marina stood pensively in front of Maia’s desk. “Captain, I...would like to request that I drop back to being an Infiltration Officer for the Leto. I’ve come to realize that I’m too out of touch with events over the last few years to be Chief of Intelligence.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I do possess the necessary skills to make a good field medic for times when I’m not needed in Intel.”

Maia looked at her and gave it some thought.

"Marina, please sit down. I want you to tell me why you think you cant manage the intel department or its personnel," Maia asked.

Marina took a seat sitting quietly for a moment before speaking. “The arrival of T’Plana-hath has proven to me just how out of touch I am. I was recruited for undercover work with the Caliphate straight from the Academy. I don’t have the experience that other people in Intel do, except in Infiltration. I feel...” she let out a sigh. “Out of my depth.”

"She has a skill set you don't, you have more experience in infiltration, She has experience in gathering Intel, you are her superior officer part of your job is to manage the Intelligence you get and filter it out. She gets a lot of raw data another part of your job is to apply your practical experience to the raw data and figure out if it's true or not. Think about it. How useful would T'Plana'hath be to you if you had the exact same skillsets?" Maia asked.

“No, of course not” Marina offered an embarrassed smile. “But my reasoning still stands Captain, I spent four years in deep cover those four years were straight from Academy graduation. No one makes Chief of a department four years after graduation, I’d have been lucky to make Lieutenant in that time if I was serving aboard a ship.” She paused. “Don’t get me wrong I feel proud and very fortunate to have been given the responsibility, but right now I’m just not ready for it. I plan to earn the rank I now hold and work my way back to Chief. I know it won’t be a quick process.”

"You have earned the rank you now hold. With greater rank comes greater responsibility," Maia replied.

=/\=Commander Blake and Commander Toran please report to the Captain's ready room=/\=

Ryan arrived a moment after his summons as he had been at the mission ops station reviewing data on the Rutledge incident. "Lieutenant Commander Blake reporting as ordered Captain."

Sheena was right behind Ryan in entering the ready room.

"Please take a seat commander. Apparently, Marina wants to go back to being an Infiltration specialist, Do you know anything about this?" Maia asked.

Ryan glanced at Marina for a moment before turning back to Maia with a shake of his head. "This is the first I am hearing about it."

Marina looked toward Ryan. “Apologies Commander, I should have voiced my wishes to you. I know it’s a sudden decision but it’s what I feel is right for me right now.”

"This is also news to me as well. Marina why the sudden change? You are a good officer and a very capable intelligence chief. Why the change of heart?" Sheena asked.

Marina paused. “To be honest...I don’t feel I’ve earned it. I’m only a handful of years out of the Academy, and all of those have been in deep cover. A lot of that was a time under the influence of mind-controlling narcotics...” she shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not ready to lead, not yet.”

"Very well, Marina, I can't make you take a promotion, so I will reduce you in grade back to Lieutenant Junior Grade and you can resume your duties as an infiltration specialist." The Captain said.

Marina nodded. “Thank you, Captain. I’m not giving up on being Chief, I just want to feel I’ve earned that right, and that I’m ready to be in charge. For now, Infiltration is what I do best, and if needed I can be a field medic too.”

Ryan took a deep breath before addressing Maia. "I can head up the Intelligence Department until Lieutenant Tanger feels ready or a suitable replacement is appointed. I handle the analysis of intelligence and political data anyway as head of Strategic Operations."

"Very well Mr. Blake, I didn't mean to dump this on you, but I appreciate you stepping up." The Captain replied.

[OFF]

---------------------------------------

A post by:

Captain Maia A Sterling
Commanding Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916

&

Lieutenant Commander Sheena Toran
Executive Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916

&

Lieutenant/Lt jg Marina Tanger
Chief Intelligence Officer/Infiltration Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916

&

Lieutenant Commander Ryan Blake
Chief Strategic Operations Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916