Meeting the new Security detail

Posted on Mon Sep 7th, 2026 @ 9:30am by Commander Zaiden Isaac & Lieutenant Jeksyne Vale

2,218 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: The Last Space Station on the Left
Location: USS Equitas, Deck 5 - Security Offices
Timeline: MD 00

ON:

[Deck 1 - Ready Room]

Zaiden had implemented an open-door policy: anyone who needed something, whether it was just to talk about something mundane or if it was an actual work-related request, he had made a promise that he would be available for it.

"Commander?" Came the quiet voice of the yeoman he was beginning to trust as his assistant. He'd recently learned her name was Laura and that it was her first time aboard a ship, so she was anxious to not let him down, which Zaiden had to assure and reassure her she wouldn't.

"Yes, Laura?" Zaiden responded with an easy smile.

She walked in to stand in front of his desk and presented the padd with transfer details on it, "I've got another transfer here for you: it's for the Chief of Security this time. One," her eyes scanned the first few lines and looked up again before handing it over, "Lieutenant Jeksyne Vale. I think he's just come onboard and will most likely be located on deck five around the Security Offices."

"Thank you, Laura. Appreciated as always." Zaiden replied as he took the padd from her and reclined back into his chair to read it. Laura excused herself and he watched as the door shut behind her before he began to read through the files.

"Dominion War, classified missions, just recently finished serving as a tutor at Proxima Colony... Interesting," he said to himself after a few minutes of reading. Looking into his coffee mug and seeing there was only a mouthful of coffee left, he finished it in one gulp and decided to stand up and pay the Lieutenant a visit. Hopefully this visit was going to be less chaotic than that of Lieutenant Drei's.

[Deck 5 - Security Offices]

Within a few minutes, the turbolift had taken Zaiden down to deck five and he was walking along the corridors. They were still somewhat quiet but starting to get busier with the countdown to launch getting closer and closer. A quick confirmation with the computer advised him that the Lieutenant was located in the Security Offices, which wasn't at all surprising. He walked past the Chief Intelligence Officer's officer and wondered if or when the crew would be getting one, but until that happened, he knew the office would remain empty unless it was repurposed for use with the Security team.

Finally stopping at the Chief Security Officer's office, Zaiden took the opportunity to make sure his uniform was straightened, pips were aligned, and that he was radiating every ounce of authority he was still learning to muster successfully. The chime to the door was pressed and he waited for the response from within.

Jeksyne had been on ship for a little over twelve hours and in that time, all he managed to have accomplished was a decent rest, some gym time and starting to unpack his office. It wasn’t that bad of an office space, though Jeksyne doubted that he’d actually use it for anymore but storage and a place to meet with his department officers.

Still, he organized his office as a space that was professional in appearance and ready for the task ahead of the security department and the defense of the ship.

He was in the process of organizing his books, mostly novels and several tactical manuals. A battered worn copy of “In The Raptor’s Claw” and the “Starfleet Special Operations Manual of Procedures” which was covered in handwritten notes, annotations and little color tabs sticking out of the book. Clearly well read and loved volumes.

He heard the chime in the mist of this, turning his head just slightly.

“Come in” He called out to whomever was at his office door.

Zaiden strode into the office with ease and a smile on his face. The security offices were somewhere he wouldn't often visit unless absolutely required, and this was one of those times. He noted the cleanliness and order to it before his eyes fell on the Lieutenant himself.

"Lieutenant Vale?" He asked as he came to a stop shortly after. "Welcome to the Equitas, I'm Commander Zaiden Isaac, your CO. I thought I'd come down and meet you in person rather than having you come all the way up to the Ready Room." A curt nod and a smile remained, but he didn't offer to shake hands out of respect

While standing there, he clasped his hands behind his back; something that was easily becoming a habit when he met his new officers. "How are you settling in so far?"

Jeksyne turned on his heels, quickly moving to attention. Very proper, very military. The sound of his heel snapping to attention on the deck radiated though the office which was a mostly metal area. Lamarr classes were all metal on the interiors.

“Quite well, sir. I should have things squared away before we cast off from dock.” Jeksyne replied as he was trained to do. He was a professional, a seasoned officer who had busted his ass to come up from the enlisted men.

"Excellent," Zaiden replied as he acknowledged the formality of the Lieutenant. "I would expect that the next few days will see the rest of your team come aboard and you'll have an opportunity to meet them and get things sorted training wise, yes?"

“Aye, Sir.” Jeksyne nods in the affirmative. “I have training plans drawn up. Standard Visit, Board, Search and Seizure procedures, Small Group tactics and training, phaser range qualifications on both Type 2 and Type 3 phasers. I have already submitted requisitions for the armories, small arms and our torpedo and shipboard phaser ammunition as well.”

"I appreciate you've done that, thank you. Once it's all acquired, please make sure you let Operations and Commander T'Maas know so everyone is across the board with what we've got and don't have." Zaiden was pleasantly surprised that his Chief of Security was across everything so fast.

"Okay," he clapped his hands together, "Down to more personal business now that we've got the job related stuff out of the way. Tell me about your story, what makes you, you. And forgive me if I conduct this wrong in any way but I haven't conducted many one on one welcomes yet as I'm still fairly new to this whole process." Zaiden wasn't ashamed to admit that he was new to a command approach to talking to people.

Jeksyne gestures to a chair in front of his desk. It was a modern looking chair, steel and black leather. Like an Eames chair. Jeksyne sits in the chair to the side of it.

“It’s not much of a story I’d reckon. Enlisted shortly before my 18th birthday. Wanted to get out of the stacks of Memory Alpha. When you grow up as a son of researchers and historians, you kind want to do more than read books and write papers.”

Jeksyne chuckles a bit, “Don’t get me wrong, my brother Jeksenri made a fine career out of it, Starfleet Academy professor. Me, I wanted action, a bit of adventure” Jeksyne continues before pausing a moment, somber like.

“First taste of adventure, I’m on the Chekov and we're barreling at high warp to Wolf 359.”

Zaiden nodded his understanding and didn't miss the tone shift in Vale's voice but decided not to push things - it wasn't his place to do so, unless it impacted on Vale's position as Security Chief. "I understand the need for adventure, I myself am the son of the civilian trader and a mother who was once a gypsy. Parents have a way of being the influential forces behind the path you make as an adult, I like to think."

"From my understanding, you served in the Dominion War and undertook multiple classified missions after it too. Is there any insight you'd be able to give me on your involvement with them?" It was a question he'd been trying to formulate as nicely as possible, but didn't want it to come off as too straight to the point. "Or is there anything you can tell me that about your service history that would be worth knowing about that isn't in the file?"

Jeksyne nodded.

“I was behind the lines when Betazed fell. This was 2374. My team and I were in the forests outside the capital city. Jem’hadar everywhere. We were stalked through the forest for months. Always on the move, always trying to keep ahead of the Jem’hadar. We got pinned down during this brutal rain storm, barely could see 3 feet in front of you. One of the new guys got pinned by this hulk of a Jem’hadar, looks almost as big as our commander, McEntyre, almost 7 foot tall and a massive wall of muscle this Jemmie was. It took me and my battle buddy, Harkin to pull this huge sumbitch off of the new guy, all while under fire.”

Jeksyne looked up at the two plaques that held his Pike medals.

“Ended up with a Pike medal for that, pulling kids out of the fire. Kids who shouldn't have to know war or strife. Seems the rest of the galaxy didn’t get the message that War shouldn’t be the solution to issues.”

Jeksyne paused a moment, “Though some in the galaxy and beyond our galaxy don’t share that opinion. My last tour of duty showed me that. There are some who would leverage the innocent to achieve their goals. Though I should let you read that for yourself in my after action reports that were filed on Galahad.”

"I appreciate your service, Lieutenant." Zaiden nodded. "And I agree: war shouldn't be the only solution to issues. I believe wholeheartedly in finding a resolution that doesn't end in conflicts emerging. But we can't ignore the reality that's set in front of us," his voice softened slightly, "There will be times where diplomacy falters and when every peaceful option is exhausted, and that's when we'll be there to stand between the innocent and those who would wish to do them harm."

“In that Captain, we are in agreement. Though I’m curious why you’d select someone with my background?” Jeksyne asked with a curiosity that was usually reserved. He was former Special Forces, a Soldier. Damaged goods.

"Well," Zaiden drummed his fingers against themselves, "I was given the choice of who I wanted on my crew, and I appreciate crew that don't come from cookie cutter backgrounds, so to speak, and I believe that everyone should be given a chance either to prove themselves or redeem themselves."

He paused for a moment and looked at Jeksyne, "Which of those two categories do you believe you fit into, Lieutenant?"

"Everyone should have a chance to do both. I stand ready to serve, Captain." Jeksyne replied professionally, yet with some bluntness to his reply in that he doesn't sugarcoat truths.

"I'm not looking for a pledge of allegiance, I'm looking for someone who has loyalty to the Fleet and their crew, and someone who will choose to ensure the safety and security of everyone on board until they believe they can no longer fulfil the requirements of the role." Zaiden's expression became more neutral, "And I believe you're the right person to do that. Hence why I'm here and we're having this conversation."

"Yes, Ma'am. Crew is Priority One, always. SpecForces taught us that to leave a man behind is to fail the mission. We don't fail that mission. Everyone comes home end of day." Jeksyne nodded in agreement.

"Excellent." Zaiden replied. "I'm glad we have you with us then. I'm sure the Equitas is going to be in safe hands, but I do have to ask the question. What are your backup plans if things go wrong, let's say your team comes under attack and there isn't anyone available to render assistance? What do you think the outcome will be? Will the safety of the ship and its crew be compromised?"

"No Ma'am. There are always plans for when the plans go wrong. One of my mentors once said that in extreme cases, retreat is more often that not, the logical choice. I do not do last stands and no one gets left behind." Jeksyne affirmed to his captain.

"Thank you for that confirmation, Lieutenant." Zaiden nodded his approval. "Like I've said previously, I know the Equitas is going to be in safe hands. I will, however, get it noted down to arrange for some training of the more common scenarios to ensure the readiness of you and your Security team, more so we've got it officially on paper so to speak than anything else." He clasped his hands together in a soft clap, "But for now, I'll leave you to do what you were doing before I interrupted, and I'll take my leave. I will be in touch with some dates and times over the next few days."

"Understood, Ma'am. I'm looking forward to it. We won't disappoint." Jeksyne snapped to attention before returning to his work.

"As you were, Lieutenant." Zaiden said with a nod before turning and disappearing out of the room.

::OFF::


Commander Zaiden Isaac
Commanding Officer
USS Equitas

Lieutenant Jeksyne Vale
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Equitas

 

RSS Feed