Murphy and Harper had been at a Tongo game for just over an hour. Harper had picked up the game rather quickly.
"So Pat, what do you think of your boss?" said the young engineer to his roommate.
"The Commander seems all right, but I don't really get him," said the equally young Irish security officer.
"What's not to get?"
"Well, I don't know. He is the first officer I've ever served under, but I don't know, I think maybe I've pissed him off, y'know?" Harper said, his accent only showing through a little.
"Why do say that? Has he put you on a bad duty shift?" Haper's roommate Murphy asked.
"No, that's not it. It fact he has put me on the night shift. So when I'm on the bridge, he's off and the security office is closed. That's a lot of responsibility"
"So what's the problem?"
"Well at the academy the officer's seem friendly and positive. Every time I try and have a conversation, Commander Nevar seems kind of cold, almost distant. I don't think he likes me."
"Y'know what I think?" Woodrow said as he placed the winning tile down, "I think you should focus more on the game and less on Commander Nevar"
Across the station, Nevar had reported to the Commander Jeffrey's office as ordered.
"So laddie, how ya settling in?" the Commander asked.
"Just fine, Sir?" Nevar replied.
"You will be happy to know, Starfleet agreed with your idea, and made SB901 a tax free haven. They have answered on the all the news services. As for the other ideas, about the law stuff, they are still considering it."
"And how about the ship? With the Son'a about again, you're going to need that even more," the young bajorian remarked.
"Don't you mean 'we', son?"
Perplexed, Nevar spoke in almost dulcet tones "Sir, we have been over this before. My tour is almost up. I'm here to help you get set up, and then I'm gone. That's one of the reason's I took crew quarters. I don't want to get too comfortable here."
Equally as perplexed, now it was Jeffery's turn to speak "Why lad? What's wrong with settling down here for a while?"
"Sir, with all due respect, my motives are my own."
"Ok lad, we'll move on. I want to discuss with you the incident in sick bay."
"You mean with that patient, Lebou. He's harmless. Just a burnt out marine, looking for a place to die."
"Actually, I meant your incident, with Doctor Galor. The one with the five hyposprays," the Commander replied.
"She reported that?" Nevar said with contempt in his voice.
"She's obligated too. You know that. Now I'm more than a little concerned"
"Sir, once again, this is a personal matter. There is nothing illegal about the narcotics I ordered."
"You're right" Jeffreys said as he steepled his hands in thought. "But none the less, I want you to report to Doctor Carter for a check up and then I want you to see our new counsellor"
"That's not necessary sir. I'm perfectly..," but before Pol could finish his sentence, the Commander cut him off.
"Ladie, for better or worse, I'm in command of this station, and while you're on it you'll follow my orders. UNDERSTOOD?"
Nevar, unhappy with the way this was going, jumped to his feet, snapped to attention and replied loudly "Sir, yes, Sir"
Commander Jeffreys steepled his hands once again and tried to size up his temporary Chief of Security. It was no use, the young Lieutenant Commander refused to meet his glance. Instead the two just sat (or in Pol's case, stood) in silence. This was not going well for either of them. After a while Jeffreys had had enough. Uncomfortable with the prolonged silence, he broke first. "Dismissed Commander," at which point the Bajorian officer turned on his heels and marched out the door, leaving the commander of SB901 to his thoughts.
Rubbing his eyes, Jeffreys thought to himself, It was so much easier as an NCO. He tapped his comm badge, "Jeffreys to Counsellor Nugent. Kindly report to my ready room."