Moving Up in the World
Posted on Fri Apr 17th, 2026 @ 7:13pm by Captain Kelly O'Connor & Lieutenant Axel Heskin
1,568 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Mission 9 - Unearthing Life
Location: Captain's Office
Timeline: MD01 - 1800
O'Connor continued to pour over the records of the prior mission. With shore leave having been granted, she had some time to do it. She thumbed through the records and finally made a decision. Over the comm, she announced, =^= Lieutenant Heskin, report to my office, please. =^=
The Captain smiled almost immediately after she ended the comm. She could almost imagine the ticker tape going wild over this announcement and what they might be implying. On the other hand, others would think, "Axel must have really screwed up if he's being called into a private meeting with the Captain." Either way, creating the tension was delicious to the Captain.
Axel was just putting together his ruck sack to go down to the planet when he got the call from Amanda. He crooked up a blonde eyebrow, curious and also wondered if he was going to be called on the proverbial carpet.
"On my way, Captain," he answered. Good thing he hadn't changed out of his uniform as of yet.
Axel noticed the glances from the other crew, as he passed by. This was giving him a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. After all, he did challenge her on the bridge to a foot race when they got to the planet. He had stepped out of protocol, looks like he was going in for a reprimand.
A press of the chime, to announce his arrival, then stepped inside when the door opened. Axel tugged at the lower seam of the tunic.
"Ah, Lieutenant Heskin, come in." O'Connor told him, giving him a crooked grin. She stood behind her desk, waiting for Heskin to come in.
O'Connor's office is clean, spare, and deliberately ordered, but not sterile. There is no indulgence in sentimentality. There are no childhood keepsakes, no family photos, and no nostalgic indulgences. There's not even a hint of any past romantic daliances. Above her desk is a set of shelves with alcoves built into it. The alcoves are faced so that visitors cannot see within them. Behind her desk is a framed Starfleet citation. On her desk appears to be some sort of console with lights that is blipping on and off.
There is a mahogany bookshelf that has a cabinet underneath. The two doors ring handled doors guard something within, but they are not locked. On the shelf are a number of books. Most appear to be in pristine condition with the exception of one well worn book with a number of papers sticking out from it. On the bulkhead opposite of it is a simple practice bokken, mounted horizontally.
On a circular glass table nearer to the entrance is a simple marble chess board. The pieces are arranged on the table and appears to have been stopped mid-game.
Stepping in further, Axel took in the Captain's ready room, liking what he saw. His eyes paused upon the chess set. Something he'd not truly done much with. He only knew the basics.
Axel's attention went back to the Captain, his shoulders straight, back slightly stiffened. He was waiting for her to pass whatever sentence she was going to place upon him. There was no outward appearence of worry, concern. Only a calm exterior.
"Captain." Axel acknowledged her.
"Sit, Heskin," O'Connor instructed him.
Axel dutifully obeyed, taking a seat and resting his hands upon his lap. He was mentally bracing himself for what was to come. To him it was more of having challenged the captain right there on the bridge.
"We left that avian planet so quickly that I never had an opportunity to tell you about the impressive job that you performed in finding that cure. Had you not, I would have hated to discover how much more awkward situations some of the America crew would have found themselves in."
Axel was stunned, this definitely wasn't something he was expecting. He blinked rapidly as his mind was catching up to what O'Connor had just said.
"Uh thank you, Captain." Axel managed to say, as he stared at O'Connor. "and you are welcome."
"For God's sake, Heskin!" O'Connor exclaimed boisterously, her Irish accent starting to display itself as she became more animated. "This is not the time to be humble. If you have the wherewithall to challenge me, have the wherewithall to accept a bloody compliment and the spoils that come with it. If you can't do that, then I'll have to retract my entries and that will be a bloody administrative mess. Don't make me call my yeoman in here to fix it!"
"Captain, I thought you were calling me in to torch my tail feathers for daring to challenge you on the bridge. And no need to call the yeoman in to change all the paperwork. You caught me flatfooted. Glad I was able to help--" he stopped "Wait, all the spoils?" his mind leaping forward. "Am I getting a raise in my rank?"
"Oh, look! The man has a brain!" O'Connor responded with a crooked grin. "Yes, and you're going to be my new Chief of Science, as well, unless you don't want that position..." she told him with a teasing tone.
"Chief of Science? Woah." Then he quickly added, "Oh no! Don't take it away, thank you!" Axel grinning from ear to ear. "Unexpected, but I am very happy!"
"Unexpected?" O'Connor asked peering down at him, despite her being much smaller in statute. "Why would you say that?" She scrutinized the man before him. As she did so, she started to make her way to the cabinet.
"I take you are surprised that I didn't expect a raise in rank and being made Chief of Science on this vessel. I hoped for that to happen, sometime so, therefore this came unexpectedly." Axel watched as Kelly went towards the cabinet, admiring the way she moved and well, her figure.
O'Connor sighed. "You 'hoped.'" Her eyes furrowed at Axel, a clear warning sign that his life might be on the line. "Do you not believe in yourself? Do you think that things just 'happen to you'? Where's the ownership of your deeds?"
"I know that I did really good but it was a joint effort with coming up with the cure for the crew. Do you really want me to brag as to how great I am in figuring out things? Do you really want me top pound my chest and say, oh captain you need to put me into the position of Chief of Science as I am the greatest of all time?" Axel was a little bit baffled as to why she was getting upset with him.
O'Connor shook her head. "No, but that's not the point. The point is you hope. You don't accept the accolades that you deserve. If you want to get further up the ranks, you're going to have to work on your self respect and accept your accomplishments." She reached into the cabinets and pulled out a bottle of Irish whiskey. "Tell me that you drink."
"I do drink," Axel refraining from making a flippant comment of "aww, you do care." The captain was someone he was trying to figure out and just what he could say or do. Well do was another matter. She seemed to be a bit particular.
O'Connor's crooked smiled returned. She poured a couple of shot glasses full of the Irish whiskey and handed one over to Axel, "To moving up in the world!" she toasted.
Accepting the shot glass of whiskey, Axel grinned. "Indeed, moving up in the world!" he agreed, drinking the whiskey. "This is excellent!"
"Ah! You do have taste!" O'Connor approvingly replied. "It's from back home in Ireland. Nothing but the finest for times like this."
"I look forward to partaking of it." Axel giving a smile. "Would you be willing to share a bottle of liquor from my home sometime? Since you are sharing with me, I would like to return the favor."
"If you're buyin', I'm tryin'," O'Connor replied with a small wink.
Axel's eyes widened a little bit, what was going on with the Captain? He then grinned.
"Just give me the word and I'll have the bottle ready when you are," the chief science officer responded with a twinkle in his eyes. "For now, what would be a fitting toast where you are from?"
"I'm always ready," O'Connor responded with a crooked grin. "As to a toast, try this: May the winds of fortune sail you. May you sail a gentle sea. May it always be the other guy who says, ‘this drink’s on me.'" She raised her shot glass and downed another shot of her whiskey without blinking an eye.
"I'll drink to that." Axel responsed tossing back his own shot.
He loved it. "This is truly wonderful!" he eyed the bottle, then his shot glass. He shook his head. "I think it is time for me to take my leave. Don't want to wear out my welcome." Axel remarked, with a crooked smile.
"As you wish, Heskin. Just do me a favor," she told him with a dramatic pause. "Don't make me regret this decision."
A lift of his glass towards O'Connor. "I can only do my best, and then some." then Axel drank the last part of the glass.
Lieutenant Axel Heskins
Chief Science Officer
USS America
Captain Kelly Jean O'Connor
Commanding Officer
USS America
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