Expectations (Part 2)

Posted on Thu May 28th, 2026 @ 3:03am by Captain Kaede Kayano & Lieutenant JG Talissa Solwick
Edited on on Thu May 28th, 2026 @ 3:03am

2,331 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Back Into Action
Location: USS Yamato, Transporter Room & Ready Room

"Oh you were serious about that!" Talissa said a little surprised. She assumed the captain asked that question, to cut the ice, and learn the quirks of her senior staff. She stood there for a moment. She then asked, "What's your favorite blend of tea, Captain?"

"Going straight to the hard questions," Kaede laughed. "I like pretty much every type of tea. But it has to be fresh of course. If I had to pick a favourite, I suppose you can't beat a good simple black tea. It brings back fond memories of long ago. Plus, its simple and often overlooked. My second choice would have to be the calming arome and taste of peppermint tea. It's always a good choice when you need to refocus your thoughts." She explained. "Speaking of tea..." she picked up the pot, and began to pour it out into the cups.

It was dark coloured, yet had a floral and fruity fragrance. She slid one of the cups over to Talissa. "Try this. Its Sakura Tea. Often referred to as Japanese Black Tea."

"I do like Peppermint Tea, so soothing. I have never had Sakura tea." Talissa takes a small sip. She is caught up in the taste, wow! She thought to herself, so so smooth and bold at the same time. She was impressed. She took another small sip, savoring the moment.

"Good huh" Kaede said as she also took a sip. "If you take a small sip, keep it in your mouth for a few seconds you'll get an enhanced flavour. Plus, make sure you smell it too. The aroma helps make it even better." She said giving her a wink. "Whilst you do that, my next question for you is..."

"Hmm..." she thought as she took a sip of her tea. Then after a few seconds swallowed it. "I could sense immediately that you were nervous when you first walked in here. How do you feel now?"

"A little better, Captain." Talissa grinned, as she took another sip. "This is very good." She said, as lifted her cup. She grinned from ear to ear. "Thank you for sharing this tea."

Kaede smiled as she took another sip of the tea. "Oh its no problem. Most Captains would be sat here demanding to know if you can fly a ship, or ask you if you've ever served on a Sovereign Class before yada yada yada. I however, know that if you didn't know how to do that. Then you wouldn't be in this office with me." She explained as she took another sip. "I believe that in the end, we're all in the same boat... or starship in this case." she chuckled. "I believe its your turn?"

Talissa smiled for a moment, thinking on what the captain had just stated. "I have never served on a sovereign class, last assignment was on a luna class starship. I am a decent pilot. Oh yes, my turn for a question." She thought for a moment, then went on to ask. "Where is a good place to vacation in the galaxy? Not that I am looking to party, just yet."

"Well, that depends on the person." Kaede replied. "If you want to sit on a beach all day or bask in the sun like a reptile. The obvious place anyone would say is Risa..." she smirked. "Its also a good place if you really want to have fun in a more sexual way." she added.

"As for other good spots. Bajor is a nice place to go. Nice people, their world holds its own beauty. However, my personal favourite is the ancient forests of Alpha Centauri VII. Thousands upon thousands of miles of old trees, and nothing around you. If you find a good clearing, the night sky is one of a kind view." Kaede added with a fond smile. "Thats if you like camping that is."

"I have really never gone camping. I was born and raised on Betazed. My family's idea of roughing it was going to the farm lands, and most of the time they did that, to re assure the farmers their voices were being heard." Talissa suggested to the captain. Because of those visits, that's where Talissa got her love for growing things.

"That would explain why you like growing plants," Kaede replied. She took another sip of her tea and then a mischeavous smirk spread across her face. "Ok, so. You're still young, that I know and not from your file. So, do you have a boyfriend or girlfriend? We might as well have a little girl talk." She added giving her a cheeky wink.

"Girl talk, Captain?" Talissa said a little guarded. So far there conversations were mostly surface level. This would change that dynamic. The captain was good, at getting her to open up. "Been a while since I have participated in that. Spent the last two years, trying to prove myself to command that I can handle running my own department. So no real time for a boyfriend. Not really into girls." Talissa said, wondering what she was doing? She never talked about her feelings or opened up like this.

"There's more to life than running a department." Kaede replied as she took another sip of tea, the smirk still on her face. "You see, most young officers these days are so focused on their careers that they forget to actually live their lives." she explained. She had finished her tea, so gently placed it down on the saucer. "Unfortunately, my lifespan far exceeds mosts, so I don't have to rush. Not that it ever stopped me of course. I only ask because you seem like someone who could use a good partner, or perhaps a companion to lift you through difficult times. Am I right in assuming that? Or did I completely miss the mark on that one?"

Talissa smiled briefly, then she started to think. "I really have not given it any thought, honestly. Captain, you are right about life being short. You see though in my culture we are typically paired off at a young age, but my family gave me a rare gift, the chance to choose for myself. And I want to make sure that I make the right choice." She said, knowing in part it was a cop out, but in a bigger part, it was the truth.

"Ah yes of course." Kaede replied. "The old Betazoid traditions of marrying off the daughter to another house. My Human side culture used to do that centuries ago. Luckily, they don't practise that these days." She explained softly. "I hate to break up the chain of 'to me, to you'. However, I do need to ask. You want to make the right choice. What is the choice you are yet to make? Being in Starfleet? Seeing the universe? What path do you want that choice to take down?"

"Yet to make, Captain?" Talissa rhetorically asked, not sure how to respond to that question. It caught her off guard. "A partner and friendships are the choices I have yet to make. Been distracted on my career. I feel like I have chosen Starfleet and the choice to see the stars. But what little girl growing up, does not look to the stars and say, someday I am going to explore the stars!"

"Originally, me." Kaede chuckled. "I had no interest in joing Starfleet when I was younger. I trained as a doctor. Starfleet was only going to be a place where I gained my fullm doctorate. Apparently something inside my head told me to stay, and here I am." She explained with a shrug. "Of course, I did take fourteen years out of the service. My main ambition is to help others, and deep down I'm still a doctor at heart. However, if you want to work your way upto command. How about we start you climbing that ladder? Do you need me to give you the 'leg up' as they say?"

"I prefer to get their on my own two feet. I do appreciate the offer. And your right, I do want to command my own ship someday." Talissa said, as she looked around the ready room. "Someday I hope to have an office similar to your office, filled with memories. I am just not sure if I want to be an Admiral, but I do want my own command." She explained, as she looked to Kaede. What her captain was in this moment, is who she wanted to be when she was older.

"Trust me, being in the admiralty is over-rated." Kaede told her. "I made the rank of Commodore before I retuired. Its far easier being back to this rank again." She explained. "However, I can see that you have a bright future ahead of you. Now, you've got a new ship, and a chance to shine. You seem like a diamond in the rough, I think with some hard work, some polish and determination you'll soon find yourself in that chair sooner than later." she assured her.

"Thank you, I think?" Talissa said, not really sure how to take that comment. A diamond in the rough? She heard humans say that saying, but it was not a phrase she heard a lot. She hoped it was a good blessing. She felt a little courageous as she decided to ask. "Any advice for a newly minted senior bridge officer?"

"Hmm." Kaede thought. "I would say, don't be afraid to speak up. If its to me, or any of the other bridge officers. The bridge can be a scary place to be, especially in a pinch. However, you are the Chief of Flight Control. You know how the ship handles better than I do. I'm not a trained pilot, you are. So if you know something is risky, or have an idea in a situation that may help. Let others know. If you keep it to yourself, then its no good to anyone. That doesn't mean however question every order I make, unless of course its something stupid. Just like everyone else, Captains can make mistakes."

Talissa paused for a moment, trying to figure out what to say, after several seconds she decided to say. "You don't seem like the person to make a mistake. Small tea pot blunders aside, you seem pretty squared away, and full of wisdom. You have really made me open my eyes. You made me realize, I need to find a partner, there could be truth in what you said, about me needing a good partner, and their being more to life than duty."

Kaede let out a small laugh. "Oh sweetheart, I am by no means perfect. I make mistakes every day just like everyone else. But, I am a firm believer that mistakes are fine to make as long as no one gets hurt, and that you learn something from them." she explained with a smile. "However, I have lived longer than most Captains. But I would hardly say that I am the next Jean-Luc Picard by any means. I speak from the heart and that is one of my true strengths."

"I think I am going to learn a lot from you!" Talissa suggested to her captain. She knew she would learn more from her, than she did from her previous captain. She thought her previous Captain, was good. But Kaede made him seem like an insensitive and socially distant man in comparison. For a Vulcan, he was open on his thoughts and opinions but he was never as warm as Kaede was. This was very refreshing change of pace.

"And I am willing to help you learn. A day is wasted if you don't learn something. Afterall, thats why we're out here isn't it? To explore the universe as well as ourselves." She replied giving her a smile. "Oh, but I think I've taken up far too much of your time! You need to go and get settled in, not sitting here listen to an old woman like me ramble on about anything and everything! Go and get your quarters in order. Put the curtains up, rearrange the furniture how you want it, that sort thing. Oh and don't forget to check in with sickbay, I know its the one place most people don't want to be, but you do need to ensure they have all your records and stuff. Best to get it over and done with."

"Re-arrange the furniture, nice and of course Captain. Sickbay will be my next stop. Permission to leave, Captain?" Taliissa asked as she snapped back to the position of attention. She had really enjoyed her conversation.

"Of course. Go and do what you need to do. Also, before you go. My door is always open if you need someone to talk to. I'm not just a Captain. I like to see myself as the leader of a community. Now go, shoo, do what you need to do!" she said waving her hand with a smile.

Kalina snapped to the position of attention, did a direct about face, and started to head out of the ready room. She started to make her way out. As she left, she kept replaying in her mind, what the captain had said. You need a partner, how did the captain know, she had been thinking about that? Was it really on her mind so anyone could see, or was it her long life of el-aurien skills of being able to read a room, and see a face and know how to help someone. First though she needed to make more friends, not just the Captain and her cousin. She left the ready room and the bridge and headed to deck six to find her quarters, as the scene starts to fade away.

Posting by:

Captain Kaede Kayano
Commanding Officer
USS Yamato

Lieutenant JG Talissa Solwick
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Yamato

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