Questions Questions

Posted on Fri Aug 18th, 2017 @ 4:49pm by Lieutenant JuniorGrade Fethraie D'Darra & Lieutenant Junior Grade Ethan O'Donoghue

Mission: S01E01 - At the Brink of Night
Location: Security Office
Timeline: Current

Feth sat in her chair in the Security office. Earlier, she had sent an electronic memorandum to the help requesting the presence of…looking at her terminal…Ensign Ethan O’Donoghue. The Petty Officer of Security, Martin Truex, she had sent on an errand as she preferred these sit-downs to be one-on-one.

Looking at her terminal again, Feth eyed the time. It was still some minutes until the time she requested his presence. She readied her tablet for note-taking. It was time to be the Chief Security Officer.

Ethan had been sat at the helm for about two hours acquainting him self with the functions. Ethan was getting ready for the mission at hand, the only way he knew how preperation. In about 5 minutes he was scheduled to meet with the chief security officer. He looked at the young ensign next to him “I’ll be back soon” he said as he moved off towards the turbo lift. Stepping in he he smiled as he left the bridge. Getting out of the turbolift he made for the the security office.

Walking into the office he knocked on the wall “Ensign i was told you wanted to see me?” he said as he there smiling.

The Vulcan looked up from her PADD. “Ensign O’Donoghue, yes. I am highly appreciative that you answered my summons so promptly. Enter,” Feth stood. With a motion with her hand, she offered him to enter and take a seat. “I have only a few questions if you have the time.”

Ethan walked in and took a seat “ and ill answer as best i can ensign” he said smiling as he looked around the security office, this was the first time he’d been asked into the security office, but he remained hopeful that this was routine “So how can i help you Ensign” he smiled as he fidgeted in his seat a sign of a little nerves.

“Relax Ensign,” Feth said as she sorted through some files on her PADD, “this is only a routine practice. Something I was taught to do whilst at the Academy.”

Feth realized the young age of the man before her. Also, realizing that some human were so emotional that they succumbed to those emotions and that a clear sign of ease was typically in order to help create a relaxed atmosphere. With that in mind, Feth forced a small smile. “Ethan. May I call you Ethan? We are both Ensigns here, so why should we not operate on a first name basis?”

Ethan relaxed into his chair when feth mentioned it was just routine, ethan had been known to panic sometimes in the most inaudible of moments, like this one clearly nothing to fear but ethan worried purely because it was the security office “I much prefer Ethan Or EJ, Ej is a nickname ive had for a long time so if your going to call me anything EJ would be the best” he said smiling.

Feth kept her small attempt at a smile a bit longer. She looked down at her notes, made an adjustment, then looked back up at Ethan. “EJ it is then. You may call me Fethraie.” She took in the man in quick detail. Inside and deep down she felt Ethan was quite handsome for a human. He was a bit young though Feth understood that she appeared to be the same age. Ethan definitely appeared to be a bit nervous. She secretly wondered if he ever knew a woman’s touch. “Or you may call me Feth if that is your preference.”

Ethan remained seated, he studied the Vulcan. His bunk mate and best friend was a Vulcan so he was quite accustomed to there dry way of talking and stoic emotions " I'll call you feth" he said smiling Vulcan names were always hard for the young ensign to pronounce, his irish accent was sometimes the bane of his existence.

“Of course,” her expression returned emotionless, “within the presence of senior officers, both of our first names will be Ensign.” It was time to get down to business. “I asked you here, AJ, just for a few routine questions. Something that I was taught to do at the Academy. I see here that your father was an officer aboard a starship. Is he the reason for your desire to join Starfleet?”

Ethan smiled as the question was posed “ My father was stationed aboard an intrepid class ship during the romulan war, he was the chief medical officer for one of the long serving ships of the romulan war” he said as he remembered the man his father had come home after the war “But in a way his service lead me down my path, i was obsessed with navigation equipment compoasses, maps you name it i was obsessed thats how i found my self in starfleet acadamy” he said as he relaxed a little more in his chair.

“I see,” Feth focused on her terminal and typed out a few things before continuing. “I assure you, I am neither approving or disapproving nor am I launching any form of judgment, but I feel I must ask. You religious beliefs. What religion convention do you subscribe to and how devout are you to defend what you believe?”


Ethan was taken aback by the question “ my religious belifs Feth?” he srunched up his face a little a sign that he was getting angry “My religious beliefs have always been of a nature orientated religion, its called Paganism, i will defend my people but that dosent mean im about to go out on a extremist run and kill a bunch of non believers” now he was angry “ you will do well to remmber that i do not like people judging my religion or the people that cling to those beliefs, we have faced persocution for years” he said now sat bolt upright in his chair “ Even going as far to hunt my people and hang them for crimes that they dident commit” ethan calmed down.

Feth did not react to his outburst at all but sat there taking mental notes.

“Im sorry i lost my temper but its hard to shake religious persocution when youve faced it all your life” he said as he relaxed again, religion infuriated him to a point its why he chose a non organised religion.

“I see.” She typed away as she spoke. “Again, you will find no judgment here and if anyone ever does prove adversarial toward you because of your beliefs, you will be sure to let me know.” She finished typing away and focused solely on him. “I am only asking these questions to get a better feel of who we have at our helm. For the safety and security of this vessel, it is imperative that we know and trust each other. I have been comparing your answers to what is displayed in your profile. There is however,” she eyed her terminal, “a discrepancy. Your profile says you were raised Catholic. I can only assume that you never fully subscribed to that, but only accepted it so as to keep whatever persecution to a minimum. Am I correctly in that assumption?”

After a moment, Feth narrowed her eyes at the young ensign. "EJ," she decided to use the name he seemed to prefer, "is this an uncomfortable topic for you?"

Ethan remained composed and breathed " My mother and father may have raised me catholic, that dident mean i had to follow them" he said breathing out again " If my parents had adhered to their ancestral beliefs then maybe i wouldent have been forced to turn coat" he said he was much calmer now " I dont blame them, thats not what im saying, i made a choice to deviate from the path set out for me" he said relaxing into his chair "The religious war in northern Ireland has been raging since before my birth, its a stupid endeavour both factions are exactly the same thing just choose to do things differently, so forgive me if i wanted no part in a war that wasent even my choice" he coughed and let out another breath "If i'd of told my parents that i decided to change my religion i would of been thrown out on the street" he said as the thought of that almost rocked him " Its a very serious thing for Irish families, my brothers much like like me want no dog in this fight and they are the only ones who know and now you" he said as he got up and began pacing.

Feth noted his monologue and his mannerisms. Upon finishing, she pushed her PADD to the side and switched off her terminal monitor. "I dare say that we may get along famously, you and I. You see EJ," she turned her head to follow him as she watched him pace, "we are in similar situations. I come from a community of Vulcans living in the remote reaches of Vulcan. They are a community who practice logic and the suppression of emotion just like all Vulcans, but they also reject anything technological. The day I set foot outside the community walls in my quest to join Starfleet was also the day they decided to forget me, to cut me out as though I never existed among them." A small whimper produced itself in her voice. "Though I can always go back to Vulcan, I can never go back to the people I grew up with. So, in a way," she let a satisfying sigh escape her lungs, "I know what you are going through. I am by no means a ship's psychiatrist but I can honestly tell you that you are not alone." Feth stood from her chair. "I can see that this discrepancy in your profile is no security risk. I shall not approach you with the topic of religion again. Please accept my apology in putting you through this uncomfortable discussion."

EJ Stopped mid stride as he herd Feths story, he was astounded and shocked, how could a sect of the vulcans be not so dissimilar to his own people " Feth you dont have to worry about approaching me about the subject of my religion, infact id much prefer to speak to you about such matters i feel that we have some form of moral understanding, our backgrounds are not dissimilar" he said as he came to sit back down "If anybody ever persecutes you vulcan or human for leaving your sect you can rest assured this irish man will punch anybody in the face who questions it, us renegades have gotta stick together" he said winking.

Feth looked away in contemplation as she processed his words. "Renegade," she said to herself. "Not at all logical but I understand the connotation in which you use that word. She stood erect, with hands clasped behind her back, and not a shred of emotion showing. "I would find it agreeable if, off duty of course, you were to aid me in understanding what being a 'renegade' means to you. I find the acquisition of insight into the many cultures involved in the UFP paramount in my own growth, both as a person and as a Vulcan."

Ethan smiled "It'd be my honor Feth, Maybe i'll give you some Irish history books and you can research the 100 years war" He said laughing his oh so famous irish laugh "No body does war like the irish" he said as he winked at her "Maybe i can also give you you an Irish delicacy called an irish coffee made with coffee and whiskey its great in the winter" he said smiling as he looked at the other ensign.

"Whiskey?" she said. "Oh. A wheat-based alcoholic recreational beverage if I am not mistaken. And fifty percent alcohol by volume. Alcohol is both a motor function and mental function inhibitor. As I am not the most disciplined Vulcan, I realize I may perform the illogical at times, but I cannot partake in the consumption of alcohol. Apologies, but I will have to pass on the whiskey. I am open to other ideas however." In an awkward attempt to relate to him better, she said, "after all, we are still renegades here," and she topped that off with a forced wink as she attempted to mirror his body language as well as his words.

EJ Laughed a little " We'll hold the whiskey feth, maybe we'll start off on tea" he said laughing as he did so "Maybe we can have some food in the mess hall later and we can discuss things further" he said smiling " Should probably get back to the helm" he said as he winked again "We'll discuss the renegades things later" he said smiling again.