Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Mar 8, 2021 4:58:41 GMT
[Devra Kul - Front Ear - Turbolift]She gave an understanding smile as the lift doors slid closed. "That is the downside to places where everyone knows everyone, or at least knows of everyone." Like many aspects of society, that was something that never bothered Betazoids. When everyone in your life could read your thoughts and emotions, even the idea of trying to hide something was ridiculous. But she understood why a Captain wouldn't want all of her subordinates to see her as anything other than strong and in control. The turbolift came to a halt, and she shifted to the side to let Judy lead the way.
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Judith Eastman
Civilian
Grandma
Posts: 2,593 Likes: 84
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: Civil Servant
Species: Human
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Post by Judith Eastman on Mar 8, 2021 5:28:49 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams) - Turbolift -> Commanding Officer's Quarters]"That it is," Judy agreed. She always felt encumbered in public, to appear a certain way, to be herself, but a cool, controlled version of herself, not the one who was about to crack. The doors of the turbolift came open, and Judy silently led the way to her quarters, grinning broadly as the door came open and the corgis sprang up from the couch. "We surprised you, didn't we?" she cooed as she set her things down, and took off her sneakers. "They usually get a heads-up from the chime, but we got them."Judy nonchalantly draped her unzipped sweatshirt on one of the chairs, and felt the need, in her emotionally off-center state, to overshare. "You know, after my heart replacement, back... a year and a half ago, I had to go through a lot of physical therapy, to build my strength back up. At some point, I got the idea to start working out in... cheekier duds, to really own my recovery," she explained, as the corgis left her to inspect Devra. Past therapists (and Max) had identified in Judy a tendency, when she wanted to talk about something that weighed heavily on her, to share struggles she'd overcome, as a sort of emotional warmup act.
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Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Mar 8, 2021 5:40:59 GMT
[Devra Kul - Front Ear - CO's Quarters]As the corgis ran to greet them, Devra knelt down to let them thoroughly inspect her, laughing softly as they seemed confused by the vast array of smells likely carried with her from the shop. Following the other woman's example, she slipped her own shoes off before stepping further into the room. The comment about heart replacement surgery certainly made previous comments about her health make sense, and she nodded at the explanation. "Any recovery is something to be proud of, but regaining such good shape after such a taxing event is especially so." While Devra had been lucky to not have any major health problems yet, it had been a long time since she'd been anywhere near capable of meeting Starfleet fitness requirements. She doubted she'd even be able to run a mile, let alone in under the thirteen minutes that Judy's assistant was able to do.
Tag Judith Eastman
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Judith Eastman
Civilian
Grandma
Posts: 2,593 Likes: 84
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: Civil Servant
Species: Human
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Post by Judith Eastman on Mar 8, 2021 5:56:21 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams) - Commanding Officer's Quarters]Judy smiled proudly, accepting the praise. She had every reason to be proud, of her muscles, of her stamina, and of how quickly she was cleared for space duty (although some parts of the fitness requirements were still waived for the sexagenarian). "I'm not done with the universe just yet," she summarized, leaning against the bulkhead. "Before I unload about everything that happened on Caldonia, how familiar are you with the big picture? The politics, the repression, the attack last summer?" she asked. Then, with a smile, she reached for her apron. They had, after all, come for lunch, and food was a self-diagnosed coping mechanism of hers. "And how do you feel about omelettes?"Seeing movement towards the kitchen, the corgis ran eagerly in.
Tag Jovireh Velal
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Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Mar 8, 2021 6:09:02 GMT
[Devra Kul - Front Ear - CO's Quarters]"I really don't know much at all about Caldonia," she answered truthfully. She'd heard a bit in passing here and there, Jovireh had mentioned a couple rumors, but that was about it. "I know they provide a necessary resource for the Federation, which complicates matters. But Jovireh is always very careful not to give out specific details when talking about Starfleet business." She was never sure if that was because her daughter wasn't sure what all she was allowed to divulge, or if she was trying to find a balance between sating Devra's thirst for knowledge and keeping her career separate from her personal life. "Omelets sounds delicious," she replied, following Judy towards the kitchen. "Is there anything I can help with?" She had a feeling the answer to that would be no, but she felt awkward not at least offering.
Tag Judith Eastman
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Judith Eastman
Civilian
Grandma
Posts: 2,593 Likes: 84
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: Civil Servant
Species: Human
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Post by Judith Eastman on Mar 8, 2021 6:30:52 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams) - Commanding Officer's Quarters]"In the kitchen, there's very little to help with, but you can choose the wine," Judy offered. She'd normally take the extra pair of hands, but there wasn't much for them to do. "There's a lot that's been... ahem... declassified recently, and Captain Eastman isn't really supposed to have opinions on it," she prefaced her geoppolitical explanation. She unpinned her commbadge and set it on the edge of the counter, in a symbolic act. "Caldonia is home to two sentient species: the Caldonians and the Kurjarians. The Caldonians run a nominally technocratic society, with a rigid caste system and a sort of fanatical, almost religious fervor directed towards what they consider 'knowledge'. It's a horrible place to live, unless you happen to be of the upper castes. The Kurjarians are used as slaves, especially in the mines. It's a lot like what the Cardassians did on Bajor. Trillium, the material that they mine, is, as you said, a resource we're kinda dependent on, so we haven't challenged their brutality."As she spoke, Judy crushed some garlic, oiled up a pan, and cracked three eggs onto it. Her face turned red, not with personal shame this time but with national shame at the situation she described. "Last summer, a group of Kurjarian extremists took hostages on our Promenade, during what was supposed to be a peaceful exchange. Thankfully, we were able to take them out without losing any hostages, and they're all in jail, but their act raised awareness of the situation on Caldonia, so that Starfleet had to at least pretend to do something about it. What they did, was send us to hold some talks, as an act of theater, really, and that's what we were doing."It was a long background explanation, and Judy was more comfortable treading this high-level, abstract ground; clearly, her pain did not come from this realm.
Tag Jovireh Velal
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Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Mar 8, 2021 6:56:07 GMT
[Devra Kul - Front Ear - CO's Quarters]Devra wandered over to the wine rack and began to peruse the selections with interest, but still glanced over at Judy as the woman spoke to show she was paying attention. She definitely understood now why her daughter hadn't gone into many details. For one, she hadn't been on the station during the time of that hostage situation, and likely felt it wasn't her place to spread rumors she couldn't verify personally. Secondly... the conditions Judy described on Caldonia were enough to raise justifiable emotions in any Federation species, and she could understand the mixed feeling about turning a blind eye for the sake of trade. Selecting a bottle, she set it on the table, turning a chair to face the kitchen so she could still see Judy while she cooked. "In your public address you mentioned that members of your team acted on their own," she stated, but really wanted to clarify. She doubted she needed a step-by-step playthrough of what led up to that moment in order to understand what was troubling Judy about the situation.
Tag Judith Eastman
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Judith Eastman
Civilian
Grandma
Posts: 2,593 Likes: 84
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: Civil Servant
Species: Human
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Post by Judith Eastman on Mar 8, 2021 15:24:02 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams) - Commanding Officer's Quarters]Judy took a deep breath, as Devra guided her back towards the heart of the matter. That was why they were here, after all. "They did, but... there's more to it than that," she quivered. "Before... they left the summit, Matt Harmon - the Intel officer - told me... in a very... roundabout, hint-hint nudge-nudge sort of way... that something was afoot. He's a young man... more idealistic than most people think, so as his Captain, I... should've pressed him for details, tried to... make sure he wasn't going to... do anything reckless. But, I just wink-winked and... looked the other way. I just... assumed... it would be fine, and I assumed wrongly."As Judy wiped off a few tears, she made to herself the observation that her mistake was trusting Harmon's judgement, in a situation where perhaps it was not reliable. "I know... if I'd tried to interfere... they would've told me to go to hell... and done it anyway... I admire that, but... I can't shake the feeling that... had I done something... instead of nothing... they'd be here."Judy flipped the omelet, still able to do this skillfully despite her trembling hand. Then, she walked to retrieve some arugula, gruyere cheese, and turkey breast, to use as a filling.
Tag Jovireh Velal
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Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Mar 11, 2021 2:23:29 GMT
[Devra Kul - Front Ear - CO's Quarters]There is was, the source of the guilt that plagued the other woman. Devra listened quietly, not even needing to use her empathy to know how strong the emotions were. She was grateful that Judy felt comfortable enough with her to open up on her own. "Has Matt Harmon ever given you a reason to doubt his judgment before?" In her experience, age had very little to do with whether or not someone could be trusted to make good decisions. Someone didn't get to be Intelligence Officer of a starbase by being impulsive and reckless. She also knew plenty of people older than herself that she wouldn't trust to tie their own shoes in preparation for a dangerous situation.
Tag Judith Eastman
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Judith Eastman
Civilian
Grandma
Posts: 2,593 Likes: 84
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: Civil Servant
Species: Human
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Post by Judith Eastman on Mar 11, 2021 2:48:46 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams) - Commanding Officer's Quarters]Judy took a series of deep breaths. In. Out. In. Out. In. Out. "He's... or, he was, one of the best people I have on this crew. I'm lucky to have him," Judy answered, hesitant about her tenses, as she prepared the filling, carefully slicing and laying it out. "But you know, with the benefit of hindsight... I find all these things that look like smoking guns, and I know they aren't, but I can't convince... myself. I knew Matt feels very strongly about... the plight of the Kurjarians, and... I knew he's his own man, and skeptical of authority when he disagrees with it. I... admire, I did then and I do now, those qualities, but it is... a pattern," she added. She leaned against the kitchen counter for a moment, catching her own breath. She thanked her lucky stars that Mabel was so out of shape, because at least she'd come into the conversation with most of her energy to her.
Tag Jovireh Velal
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Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Mar 11, 2021 15:44:45 GMT
[Devra Kul - Front Ear - CO's Quarters]Ahh... Hindsight. They say it provided clarity, but in Devra's experience it was often tainted by emotions. It seemed Judy's clarity was tainted by her guilt and sense of responsibility over her crew. "Had they succeeded in what they set out to do... Had they all come back, unharmed, and without endangering the Summit... Would you still feel like you should have stopped him?" Devra chose her words carefully. She didn't know the people involved, and she didn't want to make presumptions about them. But she felt strongly that Judy needed to see a perspective other than her own.
Tag Judith Eastman
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Judith Eastman
Civilian
Grandma
Posts: 2,593 Likes: 84
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: Civil Servant
Species: Human
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Post by Judith Eastman on Mar 11, 2021 17:30:58 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams) - Commanding Officer's Quarters]"Well...Judy trailed off. That was... complicated, and the answer was... yes, and also no. She rolled her shoulders and sighed deeply. "I suppose... I would be more dispassionate about it. It's still a... reckless, dangerous thing, even if it had worked, but... no, it definitely wouldn't feel like the biggest screw-up of my career."As a professional engineer, Judy often prided herself on cool-headed analysis, though this was complemented by her deep emotional sense of love and responsibility. In this case, the one had totally overwhelmed the other. With the omelet nearly ready, she put the fillings in on top of it, so the cheese could melt in during those final moments of cooking.
Tag Jovireh Velal
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Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Mar 12, 2021 7:42:36 GMT
[Devra Kul - Front Ear - CO's Quarters]Thankfully Judy was able to see the situation in a more rational light, albeit with a little prompting. Devra wasn't done yet, though. "Think back to that moment, when your Intel Officer hinted something was going on. Was there anything in that moment that conveyed the severity of what he was planning?" She spoke of smoking guns, but what she had already listed didn't seem to have been part of that particular conversation. The aroma of the omelets nearing completion was mouthwatering, but the Betazoid woman kept her focus on the conversation. It was the real reason she was here, after all.
Tag Judith Eastman
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Judith Eastman
Civilian
Grandma
Posts: 2,593 Likes: 84
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: Civil Servant
Species: Human
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Post by Judith Eastman on Mar 12, 2021 17:19:10 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams) - Commanding Officer's Quarters]"Nothing in that moment, no," Judy answered. She switched off the stove, and folded the omelet in half. Then, after slicing it in two, she loaded both plates. She had a brain full of ifs and buts, excuses for why she should feel like crap, but while they felt true, they also felt silly. "Thank you, thank you for... listening to me. You know, I have to be strong, for the crew, and Max is a great listener, but he's also... hopelessly biased," the Captain voiced her profound appreciation of the conversation they'd had, ready to move forward. She set the plates on the dinner table, and then went to retrieve utensils. "We have wineglasses in that cabinet right there," she said, implicitly asking Devra to get them for her. The dogs began to gaze eagerly at the women, as well as the food, expecting treats.
Tag Jovireh Velal
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Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Mar 12, 2021 20:36:28 GMT
[Devra Kul - Front Ear - CO's Quarters]The Betazoid smiled, able to tell by the steadiness returning to the other woman's voice that the new perspective had helped, at least for now. She stood and moved to the cabinet to retrieve the wine glasses, tsking a little at the dogs that nearly tripped her. "Always so hopeful..." she said to them endearingly. Her attention turned back to Judy as she brought the glasses over to the table and went ahead and poured the wine. "You are always welcome. I do believe I have a more unique perspective, being both a civilian and the mother of one of your crew." While she had some knowledge of how Starfleet worked, and the sort of dangers they got into, she was still able to think of those situations as a person, rather than an officer. "Jovireh told me she has a friend there, and make no mistake - we're both well aware of how easily it could have been her. But she trusts you, and she told me that you never would have left that planet without them if you had any choice in the matter." Devra hoped her words were as reassuring as she meant them to be. "It speaks a lot of your character, and ability as a leader, for my daughter to be so willing to set aside her own protective nature and harbor no anger towards you."
Tag Judith Eastman
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