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 Apr 17, 2021 23:30:01 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams) - Runabout Roundabout - en route to LZ-2]The runabout Roundabout cruised towards the surface, piloted ably by the Captain herself. She made a point of flying herself, so long as she was able. The picturesque landscape of the coastal plain, including the pristine white sands of the beach, was visible on the viewscreen. Also visible was the construction site of the new colony, including a collection of low-rise buildings already assembled. Judy looked up for a moment from the control panel, to the man who'd be accompanying her today. Ensign William Waring, of Ops, was to conduct a quality assurance inspection, under the Captain's watchful eye. "Have you worked a construction site before, Mr. Waring?" Judy asked.
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William Waring
Engineering/Ops
[TI20]
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
Rank: Ensign
Position: Operations
Species: Human
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Post by William Waring on Apr 21, 2021 7:12:17 GMT
[Runabout Roundabout] Will was doing his best to not fidget and be a general annoyance to the Captain as the runabout made it way towards the surface of the planet. Apparently they were to conduct an inspection of the colony and he was chosen somehow. He wasn't an engineer or a specialist, he was Operations! He was a glorified clerk, yet here he was checking the supplies for the nth time so he, again, didn't have an opportunity to be a general annoyance to the Capt. Eastman. She was generally an accommodating person (or so he was told) but he had a talent for inadvertent irritation. He stood back up and was moving back towards the front of the craft when the Captain had asked him a question. "Oh... uh... no ma'am. I was a space boomer, ma'am. Longest time planetside was during my academy days but never on a construction site... ma'am." he said trying not to be too nervous in his response "Why us for this task or rather why me? Surely others are better equipped for this task then I".
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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 Apr 21, 2021 15:35:32 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams) - Runabout Roundabout]Judy straightened her glasses with one hand. "Well, to put it briefly, construction management is about organization, about making sure the right crews are in the right place, doing the right thing. It's very much Ops' domain," she explained succinctly. "Trust me on this one. I've been in project management since dinosaurs roamed the earth."She brought the shuttle to a smooth landing on the beach, with a series of structures, some assembled, appearing nearby. "Now, since this is your first time, I suppose we should cover protective equipment. You need a hard hat, a reflective vest, and you should keep safety glasses on you."Judy had her own personal supply, including a hard hat with plenty of stickers, and safety glasses that clipped neatly on top of her prescription specs. She put these on.
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William Waring
Engineering/Ops
[TI20]
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
Rank: Ensign
Position: Operations
Species: Human
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Post by William Waring on May 5, 2021 22:36:47 GMT
[Runabout Roundabout] “If you say so ma’am. I still have lots to learn yet. Heh...” he replied while gathering the supplies the Captain had mentioned and put them on for safety. He only caught a glimpse of how he looked when he stood near a darkened LCARS panel. “I look like a children’s holodeck character.” He giggled to himself before looking over to the Captain and stammering “Uh... I mean I am ready to disembark ma’am!”
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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 May 6, 2021 0:56:28 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams), PhD - Runabout Roundabout -> LZ-2]Judy straightened her vest. Sure, it was her size, but these things were always loose-fitting. "You're an Ensign; you're supposed to still be learning," she said, as a longtime veteran of the fleet. She chuckled at the comment about the ridiculous appearance of safety gear - though she could tell it wasn't meant for her - and then motioned for Will to head out, as he was ready. "Let's head out, then."With her handbag in hand, she led them out, onto the sand, and then began to walk inland. "The first thing we need to look at is that lot over there, where they're building the hotel. Right now, they're laying down all the pipes, the plumbing and whatnot, so we're mostly looking at that, health and safety-wise."
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William Waring
Engineering/Ops
[TI20]
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
Rank: Ensign
Position: Operations
Species: Human
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Post by William Waring on May 6, 2021 1:59:10 GMT
[LZ-2] Will did a final check of his gear as he disembarked from the shuttle and followed the Captain "I hope they comp us free buffet dinner after it is finished. These new places have the best food from what I hear." he said as he followed a few steps behind the Captain, just looking at the surrounding area. It was like something you'd see on a postcard or in a holodeck simulation. He didn't necessarily see the purpose of his being here (despite the Captain assuring him that this is an Operations task) but he wasn't going to complain so long as he got this view. "You ever just take a step back and take in the fact that we have the technology and ability to colonize these places? Hundreds of years ago they struggled to colonize parts of their continent and now we take these alien worlds and conquer them. Not with force but with terraforming and construction." he asked, closing the distance between the Captain and him "My first year at the academy I took my spring break on Upsilon Felis III. Shroni zh'Share and I spent a week on a planet just like this but untouched by civilization. During the day we would explore the caves as she never liked the heat, and during the night we would build a fire explore the shoreline before ending the day by sleeping under the stars." he reminisced with only a twinge of pain in his voice "Anyway... where should we begin. I'm eager to get that comped meal!"
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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 May 6, 2021 3:29:36 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams), PhD - LZ-2]There was a certain tendency, Judy had noticed, for those lower in the ranks to be star-struck by the presence of a captain, like those four shiny pips transformed her into a giant of some sort. Some got tight-lipped, others went on and on. Granted, with age, she'd grown quite loquacious herself, which suited her for dealing with both types. "I don't have to think about hundreds of years, Ensign. I'm old, and I've seen things move in my lifetime. You see this conduit right here?"She pointed out a conduit with a network of slender pipes, framed by an elaborate plastic truss. "To lay this kind of thing right at the water table, we've had to develop design techniques that didn't exist when I was your age. On that note..."She looked up from the conduit at one of the locals. "This ditch should be cordoned off! Someone could fall in!" she scolded. "That's what we're here for, young man. They're supposed to have a line of cones with a red ribbon through them to mark off this ditch, and they don't, so we tell them off and write it down. That's how you earn the burger that's waiting at the end of this thing."She took a PADD out of her handbag with a checklist, and marked it up. "I should say, we subcontract the catering out to restaurants on the station. Today, it's going to the restaurant my husband works at, actually."
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William Waring
Engineering/Ops
[TI20]
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
Rank: Ensign
Position: Operations
Species: Human
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Post by William Waring on May 6, 2021 3:49:59 GMT
[LZ-2] Will nodded as the Captain took the lead on the safety infractions. He quietly observed and wrote the infraction down incase it was needed for later. "I cannot fathom what will exist in a few decades. We may have colonies that build themselves so when the Federation arrives it is ready to begin, no setup required!" he pondered as he viewed the safety code and looked around the worksite "I do feel we don't really appreciate what we have until it's gone. I mean think of these workers. I'm sure having us correct them on the work they did is a pain, but if we weren't here it may be unsafe to work in. I feel we are the same way with ourselves in general. We don't really appreciate what makes these colonies possible."
He took a few more steps before getting tripped up on an exposed pipe sticking a few centimeters up out of the ground. He spotted a local and gave a loud whistle to get their attention "This pipe should be marked over with a cone or flagged to prevent tripping." he informed to an particularly uninterested looking worker. As he continued he made a few more notes of minor infractions to give to the foreman if he saw them. "I haven't had a burger since my last day as a Cadet, so that will be a welcome change of pace ma'am. Half a dozen coffees a day and fists full of mini bagels aren't exactly the healthiest of opinions I must admit."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 May 6, 2021 19:59:13 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams), PhD - LZ-2]Waring's comment about his eating habits, more than anything else, troubled Judy. Here was another young man full of bad habits after four years in San Francisco. "We're going to have to change those eating habits, and I imagine a whole suite of life habits. The fleet teaches you many things, but durable adulting isn't one of them," she said, all motherly. "Let me tell you, I was, like yourself, a coffeholic in my youth; I was a 10-cups-a-day gal at my worst, back in grad school. I got by on very little sleep, and I paid for it with two heart attacks. Wasn't worth it."Artificial heart aside, Judy was a good example of healthy aging, a fit and active woman ably performing high-stress work in her mid-60s, with no sign of stopping. She knew what worked.
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William Waring
Engineering/Ops
[TI20]
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
Rank: Ensign
Position: Operations
Species: Human
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Post by William Waring on May 9, 2021 0:46:05 GMT
[Ens. William Waring - LZ-2] "I was never big on regular meals even before I joined Starfleet, ma'am. I usually was forced to sit down and eat when my parents would find me elbow deep in an old terminal or comm relay in a doomed attempt to try me hand at bringing them back to life. Then again I suppose growing up on a starship may have also played a part. As you said, Captain, Starfleet has a habit of making bad habits." he said while pointing to an unoccupied by actively running (not that you could hear it) crane. It was obvious that someone saw him making a note of it as they came running back to the crane and tried to climb back to the operator's deck to avoid an infraction. "I have an odd relationship with coffee, truth be told. I used to drink hot chocolate or iced tea if I required a beverage yet one day I just recall having coffee. I don't know if it was because of the academy workload or if the replicator gave me the wrong drink but that was it. I was already up to multiple cups a day by the time I graduated and now I've even experimented with my own blend" he admitted while marking up some more minor infractions that existed. "I never even thought about the health problems that would come along with my consumption (though no doubt his doctor would tell him) but then again I've been known to suffer by my own mistakes before. I even have the scars to prove it!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 May 9, 2021 2:22:09 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams), PhD - LZ-2]Judy couldn't help but wonder what Will was like on dates. The way he talked at length reminded her of boys of that age. "Allow me to tell you a story from my youth, back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth," she began. "I started off college with many of the habits you have now: coffee addiction, sporadic meal times, horrid sleep schedule, and so on. I got on fine, mostly, got good grades, made it out to most of the parties that I wanted to, got in a lot of protests; I was one of those hippies studying at Berkeley, across the bay. However, my mind tended to lapse sometimes; I was prone to brain farts, like, say, leaving a pipe on a sloped surface."Clearly, that wasn't an example from Judy's youth, but rather from the job site right now. A worker hurriedly tied down the pipe in question. "At some point, I got saddled with a 7 AM lecture every day, that more or less forced me to adopt a normal sleep schedule. Along came a normal meal schedule, and then I picked up home cooking, and lo and behold, the brain farts disappeared, so that now, I wouldn't just stack those panels at a slant so far high."Noticing the Captain's finger pointing at a leaning stack of metal panels, about two meters high, two workers rushed to it. "I'll add, on the topic of home cooking, that it's great for your health, and it's therapeutic in its way."
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William Waring
Engineering/Ops
[TI20]
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
Rank: Ensign
Position: Operations
Species: Human
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Post by William Waring on May 10, 2021 0:02:44 GMT
[Ens. William Waring - LZ-2] Will took the lull in the inspection to look over at the Captain as she recounted her experiences from her youth. The mention of parties did surprise him when it was mentioned, however, as the Captain didn't seem to him like someone who would've been a partier or a protestor. It was a bit of a biased assessment though as the Captain was, well, his Commanding Officer and thus was naturally seen as an authority figure to him and with the notable exception of a few Starfleet Captains it was not common for the Commanding Officer to party. He nodded and input the infraction into his PADD when the Captain mentioned the pipe and immediately went back to listening intently and immediately made a face of dissatisfaction when the topic of The Early Lecture was mentioned. He recalled his own class schedule from the academy and how the early lecture always seemed to have the most boring professor as if they were trying to get you to fall asleep. In fact he did fall asleep once but was nudged awake before the professor noticed... or so he was told. He made another record of the stacked panels and perked up when the topic of cooking was brought up "I don't have a massive list of recipes I can make from scratch, but I learned a lot from my uncle after my parents were killed during the War and I was sent to his colony. I didn't stay on the planet much, being space-born and all, and I was serving aboard the orbital outpost as an Acting Officer, so cooking was one of those things that my uncle and I could really use as a medium for our grief." he glanced at his PADD for a second and looked back "Oh... I don't know if that's how you meant it... sorry" he said sheepishly "I do make a mean meatloaf though..."
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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 May 10, 2021 0:27:08 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams), PhD - LZ-2]Judy's cheeks flushed slightly red as it became apparent that she'd brought up a sensitive topic. War orphans happened to be a sensitive topic for her too, as several of those who died under her command left kids behind; she herself had kids at home when she went off to the front lines. "Well, Gosh... I didn't realize..." she started, finding herself at a loss for words. After a moment, her maternal instinct kicked in with full force, through the professional veneer. "Let me give you a hug."Judy very rarely hugged her crew, reserving that treatment for her family. She was the ultimate grandma, a gentle but firm hugger with the slight smell of fresh cookies about her (or did her perfume just happen to smell like cookies?).
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William Waring
Engineering/Ops
[TI20]
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
Rank: Ensign
Position: Operations
Species: Human
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Post by William Waring on May 10, 2021 0:57:15 GMT
[Ens. William Waring - LZ-2] Will saw the moment the Captain became aware of what he had said "It's-it's not your fault Captain. It's not in--" his sentence intended to ease the Captain's thoughts was cut short by the request for a hug, which he accepted with a nod after a few moments of thought. He could tell right away that what he had said was of some personal significance to the Captain from the way she reacted, so he knew it was as much for her as it was for him. It was then that the realization hit that Judy had likely served with officers who had children and had seen them killed in combat. As far as he knew he could've been the first child of that lost generation that she had served with. "Valley Forge. My parents were on the Valley Forge in 2375 when weapons fire hit the compartment they were in." he said, unprompted "A severe case of really bad luck that turned into a driving force. They are the reason I am here. It is my way of carrying on doing what they felt was an honorable cause, a cause they were willing to die for. The way I see it, I could've spent my life on a freighter or I could do what they did and give an oath."
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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 May 10, 2021 3:00:21 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams), PhD - LZ-2]As she stepped back after that hug, Judy's hands trembled slightly. This was clearly an emotional topic for her, and she tended to be quite open with her feelings. The war was becoming more and more distant, but never less heart-wrenching. She listened intently as Will shared his parents' story with her. "That's very honorable of you. I imagine they're proud of you just for taking the dive into Starfleet," she said softly. "Let's go sit down somewhere."She began to walk off the site, to a bench by the recently paved road. "I served on the Whirlaway as First Officer. We didn't lose many people, numerically speaking, but when it's your crew, your people, every single one feels like a thousand," she shared. She was still in touch with some of the families.
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