<USS Avalon> "Consultation with the Captain"

    By Captain Joseph Flubb and Ensign Lexie Daros

    Lexie sighed, pushed a strand of hair that had escaped her ponytail behind 
her ear and shoved her uneaten lunch away.  She couldn't get the situation with 
O'Neal off her mind.  The situation was too volatile and she wasn't sure just 
what to do.  She really didn't know anyone yet except for the team and Gregory 
Orten and she really didn't want to discuss this with him, not at this point.  
So where to go?  Well, there was one ultimate authority on a ship, one person 
who should be used to handling ticklish situations with crew members, so that's 
where she'd go.  And it would kill two birds with one stone, as her Terran 
ancestors would have said.  She could get some advice and introduce herself at 
the same time.

    She got up from her seat, dumped her dishes and left the lounge.  She went 
directly to a 'lift and strode in. "Bridge."  It took the lift no more than a 
few seconds to deposit her at her destination.  She took a moment to look 
around and then headed for the center seat, realizing she should have checked 
to see if he was there.  He was.  She stopped next to the chair, cleared her 
throat and when his head turned, rushed ahead.  "Captain, I'm Ensign Daros, 
your new Forensics officer.  I have a problem, Sir and I'd like your advice."

    Flubb looked up at her, "Ensign, Aboard, welcome."  He stood, and headed to 
his ready room, "Talk, we shall.  The crew, time for, I have."  As he entered 
the ready room, he turned to her, "Couch or chair?"  This probably had been the 
easiest thing for any of the crew to understand.  He knew that the universal 
translators were unable to pick up his dialect to make it easier for them to 
understand.

    She'd been warned by Greg about the Captain's...interesting manner of 
speech.  It took her a moment to translate his first statement as they walked 
to his ready room. His question was easy.  "Couch, Sir."  And she took a seat, 
wondering exactly how to start.  Might as well admit that and go on.  "I need 
to speak to you concerning one of my team.  There is a situation and I'm not 
sure I'm...I don't know how to handle it.  There is a personal background 
between us and I am wondering just what to do about it."

    A personal background was something that made things interesting, though if 
one party held a grudge against the other, this caused for the problems.  
"Above personal issues, would put duty, as member of Starfleet.  Hope that, I 
would."  He tried to be to the point. without delving too far into the issues.

    She frowned for a moment, deciphering his words.  If this conversation 
didn't give her a headache, nothing would.  "Of course, I put my duty first.  
It's just that...we went out on a date when we were at the Academy and I ended 
up breaking his hand.  Not that he didn't deserve it, he did, but still...and 
now here he is on my team.  I'm not sure how to handle this situation."

    "Relations, sexual.  Duty difficult, these make.  Do grudge, they hold, not 
duty, that perform?  "  The Captain thought for a moment, "Off Avalon, 
transfer, can be."  Then he thought further on the subject.  "Disappear, make 
situation.  Or.  With situation, Learn to live."  Flubb nodded when he was 
complete.

    She was beginning to get the hang of his manner of speech, but this gave 
her pause.  "Sexual? Oh, no, not in this lifetime.  Or the next."  She fought 
down an urge to say more and tell the Captain just what she thought of O'Neal.  
"I would prefer not to have to transfer or have him transfered, but as a last 
resort, thank you." She nodded and rose.  "I will make the situation disappear, 
Captain.  I promise you that."  She waited to be dismissed, thinking her next 
encounter with Warrant Officer O'Neal would be an interesting one.

    "Ensign, nothing else, dismissed then.  For Rydyn Delegation, must 
prepare."  Flubb stood and walked to his desk, though carefully watching Ensign 
Daros for anything further.  "Ensign, aboard, welcome, again."

    She nodded.  "Thank you, Captain." And exited the ready room, determined to 
settle things once and for all.

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