Thea Baker
Command
[TI12]
Posts: 1,448 Likes: 46 
Rank: Captain
Position: Commanding Officer
Species: Human
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Post by Thea Baker on Jul 2, 2021 16:59:55 GMT
[Thea & Isaiah's Quarters - Front Ear] Between her CO duties, being a girlfriend and returning to the station after her unexpected trip to Earth. Thea was looking forward to catching up with the rest of the Command team. However rather than have some formal meeting in one of their offices, Thea had invited Felicity and Judy to her and Isaiah's quarters for an informal get together involving alcohol, an assortment of cheeses and various accompaniments to go with the selection that she had chosen. She may of gone a bit overkill but considering that she didn't get to host often, she was winging it slightly. Although if there was anything left, it wouldn't get wasted by the couple. Dressed in a loose fitting green off the shoulder maxi dress, with her auburn mane flowing around her shoulders. Thea finished laying out the fruit and the last of the cheese, a variety from home, before taking out glasses ready for her guests. Now all she had to do was wait for Judy and Felicity to arrive.
Tag Felicity Ellis 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 Jul 2, 2021 18:13:55 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams), PhD - Thea & Isaiah's Quarters]Judy walked into Thea's quarters with a weight seemingly off her shoulders. She had had a number of things to deal with, and having her team - her friends, her colleagues in command - help her with at least one of them (Josh and Tony) was quite a relief. It was also a relief to see Thea working again, dealing with the grief like the strong woman Judy knew her co-Captain was. Clad in a shimmery steel-blue dress, she approached Thea, arms outstretched, inviting for a hug. "I'm so sorry about your mother," she said.
Tag Thea Baker, soft Felicity Ellis
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Felicity Ellis
Command
Cap'n Mum
[TI11]
Posts: 719 Likes: 59
Rank: Commander
Position: XO
Species: Human
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Post by Felicity Ellis on Jul 2, 2021 19:08:24 GMT
[Felicity Ellis - Thea & Isaiah's Quarters]Dressed in her usual off-duty casual uniform of black leggings, black ankle boots and a simple over-sized cream jumper, Felicity stepped inside after Judy. She was the last to arrive, though not by much she noted, as Judy was offering condolences and a hug. She hung back, a small smile on her lips, and waited to take her cue from Thea. Some people responded well to sorries and affection, others, like Felicity herself, did not. She did not want to overload anyone at this early juncture, so she'd wait. "Good to have you back," she said by way of greeting once it was polite to do so, and found her eyes drawn to the spread that had been laid out. "This looks amazing... Actually, it looks like just what I needed. It has been a long week. I have a sneaking suspicion you both will concur." She paused for a moment, the added, "Long year."
Tags: Thea Baker , Judith Eastman
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Thea Baker
Command
[TI12]
Posts: 1,448 Likes: 46
Rank: Captain
Position: Commanding Officer
Species: Human
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Post by Thea Baker on Jul 3, 2021 9:03:30 GMT
[Thea & Isaiah's Quarters - Front Ear] Unsure whether to stand or sit until the others arrived, Thea hesitated for a moment, before the decision was made for her. Offering Judy a warm smile as the older woman approached and offered Thea her condolences, before doing something that Thea hadn't expected. Unless you counted Isaiah and her family back on Earth, Thea rarely received hugs from anyone else. However that didn't mean that she disliked getting them and so accepted the hug from Judy as Felicity arrived moments after her. " Thank you, both of you and I'm glad that we're getting to do this" Thea replied sincerely after Felicity had also spoken. At the compliment regarding the spread and how it was just what she needed. Thea understood that completely, especially when Felicity continued. " Amen to that as it's definitely been something like that and I had a feeling that I couldn't go wrong with cheese, all the trimmings to go with it and alcohol. I also have desserts thanks to Brooke".
Tag Felicity Ellis 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 Jul 3, 2021 14:59:14 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams), PhD - Thea & Isaiah's Quarters]Hugging was, for Judy, the natural reaction, knowing Thea as she did (though she often erred on the side of affection in general), but - aware of Felicity's arrival - she didn't drag it on. "I'm just glad we have booze," the older woman quipped, picking out a syntheholic beer from the lineup. "I suppose we all need it."The thought briefly fluttered through her mind to shotgun the beer, if only to see if she was still capable of such a feat, but she promptly realized that she was assuredly not up to it. Only a devious glint in her eyes - or was it the light bouncing off her glasses? - hinted at her thoughts, as she poured it into a glass, and then began to sip, in a boringly age-appropriate manner.
Tag Felicity Ellis , Thea Baker
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Felicity Ellis
Command
Cap'n Mum
[TI11]
Posts: 719 Likes: 59
Rank: Commander
Position: XO
Species: Human
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Post by Felicity Ellis on Jul 6, 2021 19:53:37 GMT
[Felicity Ellis - Thea & Isaiah's Quarters]"Definitely in order," she agreed with the others as she turned her attention toward the beers. Having polled each other, it appeared that a fondness for beer was something all three had in common. Felicity picked up a bottle, twisted off the top and then located a glass to pour it into. The sound of the liquid hitting the glass, then the muted fuzz triggered a large number of pleasant memories, while the amber colour and the addition of the white to the head of a good pour brought on the sudden thirst. She took a sip, then grinned. "That'll do. Cheers." She held up her glass to the others n a toast. "To three heads being better than one."She didn't wait to be told to sit; she just sat. "So, what's first on the agenda for this evening, ladies?"
Tags: Thea Baker and Judith Eastman
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Thea Baker
Command
[TI12]
Posts: 1,448 Likes: 46
Rank: Captain
Position: Commanding Officer
Species: Human
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Post by Thea Baker on Jul 6, 2021 20:14:02 GMT
[Thea & Isaiah's Quarters] " Booze always makes it better" Thea added to the comments that had been made. Any night in always had to include alcohol in some form and Thea was equally happy that beer had been their booze of choice. Although did have harder stuff should the need arise later and dependant on how much they drank. Picking up a bottle and deciding to be a rebel by not using a glass. Thea grinned as Felicity toasted them. " Oh yes most definitely and hmm how about we sit comfortably and get the unpleasant stuff out of the way?" Thea suggested, thinking it might be best for all of them. Of course that might lead to more booze than originally intended, but at least she wasn't have to deal with any issues alone.
Tag Felicity Ellis 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 Jul 6, 2021 23:23:50 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams), PhD - Thea & Isaiah's Quarters]"I'll drink to that," Judy agreed with Felicity's toast. Then, Thea suggested to go for the unpleasant stuff first. "Straight for the jugular. Good thinking," she said, settling down on the sofa. "Unfortunately, ladies, we must begin our evening with a stroll down toxic masculinity lane. Frankly, none of what I have to say is surprising, but we have to deal with it."The comically floral phrasing almost made the topic bearable. "On Arkaria, most of the crew did good work, with two exceptions: Tony Sleebaggo and Josh Niles. Niles volunteered to investigate the prison that Du Toollamé escaped from - that is, the crime scene - which would've been an admirable gesture, except he's still not good at detective work. On top of that, at one point, he started issuing orders, even with two superior officers standing right there, which I think crossed the line from initiative to insubordination. Sleebaggo, I can't speak to his skills, but he handled the investigation quite lazily, so between those two, I had to enlist Charlie Fox to do the heavy sleuthing for me," she recounted, not going into too much detail, as she gesticulated with a half-empty glass in her hand. "But the biggest thing was the fighting. Those two went at each other over and over again. The kind of dick-measuring I'd expect from high-school boys, not officers."With Niles, after his past issues, Judy no longer had the capacity for further disappointment. With Sleebaggo, expectations were set low from the man's arrival.
Tag Felicity Ellis , Thea Baker
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Felicity Ellis
Command
Cap'n Mum
[TI11]
Posts: 719 Likes: 59
Rank: Commander
Position: XO
Species: Human
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Post by Felicity Ellis on Jul 7, 2021 20:13:17 GMT
[Felicity Ellis - Thea & Isaiah's Quarters]With everyone settled and drinks poured, the true business of the evening got underway. One of the first things Felicity had done when she arrived back on Front Ear was to read every command report compiled since the week she'd left. It had been a lot of information; some disturbing, some victorious, but she had noticed several mentions of the issues with Niles. She listened as Judy gave a succinct version of events on Arkaria. She had not been there herself, but the trend she'd seen in the reports seemed to match the trajectory she'd envisaged from the first one to one conversation she'd had with the Sec/Tac Officer. She'd come across him trying to rather painfully remind an NCO of his place: which was apparently beneath his boot. She had tried to remind the young ensign that respect was earned, and while it could be demanded, true leaders didn't ever need to. It would seem that she'd been entirely too subtle in her lesson. "I'm disappointed. But I'm not sure I'm entirely surprised. I'd say it might be an age thing, but Sleebaggo should be well passed the arrogance of youth at this stage." Felicity vehemently disliked Tony. Harmon she could work with - had worked with. She made a mental note to raise that for discussion later. First, the matter at hand. "Seems to me that neither Officer is capable of doing the jobs they've been assigned." She looked from Judy, and then to Thea, waiting for her to add her experience.
Tags Thea Baker and Judith Eastman
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Thea Baker
Command
[TI12]
Posts: 1,448 Likes: 46
Rank: Captain
Position: Commanding Officer
Species: Human
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Post by Thea Baker on Jul 7, 2021 20:55:38 GMT
[Thea & Isaiah's Quarters] Sitting down had definitely been the right idea as Judy and Felicity agreed to the suggestion. Wondering if it was worth the risk to down her drink in one as Judy began to regale them with the start of the unpleasant business that they wanted to get out of the way. Appreciating her choice of words and the warning about not being surprised as to who it involved. Two names, one she wasn't overly familiar with, whilst the other well... she wasn't surprised at all and they could no longer ignore it. This was just the latest in a series of issues that had Niles' name on it and to hear what had happened on Arkaria, not to mention the issues it had caused. It could of potentially cast a shadow on the Mac's reputation as well as the fleet. Their behaviour had been unacceptable and it couldn't go unpunished. Thea shared the sentiments of both her friends and fellow command officers as she took a sip of beer and offered her own thoughts. " Can't say that I'm surprised either, they both should know better rather than let their egos get the better of them. This isn't the first time that we've had problems regarding Niles and I think that him and Sleebaggo need an appropriate punishment. We can no longer ignore or let this kind of behaviour continue".
Tag Felicity Ellis 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 Jul 7, 2021 21:24:44 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams), PhD - Thea & Isaiah's Quarters]Judy nodded at what both Felicity and Thea had to say, agreeing with every word. "I think we can focus on Niles for the moment, and circle back to Sleebaggo in a minute," she suggested, and then downed the rest of her beer. "I'm not above admitting that promoting him was probably a mistake, and promoting him a second time was definitely a mistake - my mistake. I agree with you both - that he's unfit to do his job, and that he must be punished - and I think both of those birds can be killed with one stone."After taking a breath, Judy explained. "Niles - and Sleebaggo too, for that matter - has a lust for, dare I say an obsession with, status, and therefore covets the trappings of power. especially the center chair. Since Mr. Niles has neither the breadth of competence, nor the temperament, to occupy that position, I think taking that privilege away from him has to be a part of whatever we do."In all her years of service, Judy never did gain the appreciation for having one's butt in that chair that so many of her fellow fleeters had. She appreciated the value of command, but the center chair was just not all it was hyped up to be.
Tag Felicity Ellis , Thea Baker
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Felicity Ellis
Command
Cap'n Mum
[TI11]
Posts: 719 Likes: 59
Rank: Commander
Position: XO
Species: Human
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Post by Felicity Ellis on Jul 10, 2021 14:40:10 GMT
[Felicity Ellis - Thea & Isaiah's Quarters]Felicity nodded and placed her glass down for a moment to help herself to something from the spread. It had indeed been a mistake to promote Niles, but she wasn't sure that the entirety of his issues had yet to materialise at those earlier stages. She considered the problem as she took a cracker and spread one of the softer cheeses on it. "Agreed. The chair is synonymous with leadership, and those who are proven not to have the appropriate traits or abilities should not be in it." It was dangerous; as a precedent and as a practise. "The rank he has obtained comes with certain expectations. The question now is, if he cannot meet those expectations, or refuses to, why should he retain the rank?"She shrugged and finally took a taste of the morsel in her hand, and her mood took a turn for the better.
Tags: Thea Baker and Judith Eastman
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Thea Baker
Command
[TI12]
Posts: 1,448 Likes: 46
Rank: Captain
Position: Commanding Officer
Species: Human
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Post by Thea Baker on Jul 10, 2021 15:07:04 GMT
[Thea & Isaiah's Quarters] Considering that Niles was their biggest problem at the moment, Thea thought it made sense to focus on him first, then discuss Sleebaggo after. Promoting him might of been a mistake especially in the second instance, but the blame didn't solely lie at with Judy. They had no way of knowing it would come to this or get to this point, but at least they were all in agreement that now was the time to put an end to it. Punishment was the only option open to them and for the Lieutenant to finally realise that his behaviour came with consequences. Reaching for a slice of the cheddar as Judy spoke about both officers, their obvious thirst for command, the centre chair and all the trappings it came with. Thea couldn't argue with that as she was correct, specifically with Niles. So taking that privilege away from him, was something they should definitely include with his punishment. Felicity also made a good point in regards to his rank and whether he should retain it, because of him failing to meet the expectations required for that position. Eating the delicious piece of sharp dairy goodness, it gave Thea a moment to appreciate it before adding her own thoughts. "Taking away his centre chair and officer of the watch privileges is definitely a start. As for retaining his rank.. perhaps we can put him on probation for however long and if he makes no improvemebt, then I see no issue in giving him a demotion".
Tag Felicity Ellis 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 Jul 11, 2021 4:11:36 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams), PhD - Thea & Isaiah's Quarters]Following Felicity and Thea's lead, Judy helped herself to the spread, finding a block of gouda that seemed to be calling for her. She sliced off a piece, placed it on a cracker, and relished the sharp, nutty flavor of this delicacy. However, cheese was no escape. "You know, Felicity, I think we can take that one step further. Someday, he will be transferred elsewhere, and his rank will be taken by his next command team as a certificate of quality. Beyond the fact that he doesn't deserve those pips, it's misleading to whoever will get him next; it's about honest labeling, I think."Judy was certain that Josh would have another command team. She doubted he'd retire, but she also expected that if - as now seemed likely - he found his career dead-ending at Front Ear, he'd seek a transfer. "I do like the probation idea, Thea, because maybe the threat of consequences will motivate him, but if it doesn't, I'd go beyond just a simple demotion, to a double demotion, for all the same reasons and in light of the severity of the matter."To some extent, a double-demotion down to Ensign appealed to Judy as at least a gesture towards the futile goal of unscrambling the proverbial egg, but it was also a practical matter of constraining the authority of an officer who could not be trusted to wield said authority.
Tag Felicity Ellis, Thea Baker
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Felicity Ellis
Command
Cap'n Mum
[TI11]
Posts: 719 Likes: 59
Rank: Commander
Position: XO
Species: Human
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Post by Felicity Ellis on Jul 11, 2021 19:54:20 GMT
[Felicity Ellis - Thea & Isaiah's Quarters]"His next command team will have access to the same information that we do," she reminded Judy, not wanting them to get too caught up in the notion of controlling other people's perspectives, or taking more blame than they needed to. She wasn't sure, either, about the procedure or precedence for double demotions, but she knew herself that if it came to such drastic action, it would be because they had no other choice. If Niles continued down this path she would not be comfortable with him having any authority, whatsoever, and that meant getting kicked all the way back down to the first rung of the ladder. If he requested a transfer before or after such an event, she'd do her due diligence, file the reports and leave whoever inherited him to it, knowing they'd done what they could. "Probation, then. Six months?" She didn't need to mention that she was all too aware of how just the threat of a demotion could motivate a person; she'd lived through it. She picked up her beer again and drained the glass. Felicity was due to head out with the Mac in the next couple of days, and Niles was on her roster. Knowing what she knew, and hearing how thoroughly displeased both Judy and Thea were with him, she knew she'd be taking no prisoners. No chummy chats or mentoring, no heart-to-hearts - just do the job or get off the ship. The last year away from her family; both blood and crew, had hardened her in several ways. Her patience for idiocy was not what it once was. "Last Chance Saloon."
Tags: Thea Baker and Judith Eastman
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