Busy busy busy
Posted on Wed Jul 8th, 2026 @ 3:11am by Lieutenant Commander Rafael Montoya & Commander Craig Braxton
1,401 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
A Day In The Life
Location: Prancing Pony
[Sick Bay]
Raf was just finished with a patient who had had an antigrav unit fail and come down on his foot. There had been serious damage, compression fractures of the metatarsals, tendon ruptures, and contusions but nothing that couldn't be repaired. He had ordered him kept overnight for observation and limited duty for a few days for a few days as a precaution but he didn't foresee any issues.
After sending notification to Rynna about one of her people and finishing up some other reports he closed his terminal. On his way out he let Lilly know he was heading to the lounge to grab something to eat.
[XO's Office]
Craig rubbed his eyes and looked at the old wall clock he had put up in his office. " I need a break from these crew reviews." He said to the empty office, He got up and went to the prancing pony for what he was wanting at the moment.
[Prancing Pony]
He arrived and ordered his lunch of a hot pastrami sandwich with 300 grams of pastrami, swiss cheese and stone ground mustard. Creamed spinach on the side and pom frits with Mayo on the side. and a liter of a German synth ale wash it down with. He spotted a table that had just opened up and sat down to enjoy his meal.
Raf had debated on what to have on his way to the lounge and settled on some Italian food. Placing his order for spaghetti with meatballs, extra garlic bread, a salad, and some wine he waited as he scanned to lounge for a place to sit. Spotting the XO, he decided to see if he wanted some company. Moving off towards the XO, "Mind if I join you Commander?"
Craig looked up from my sandwich. " Doctor Montoya, please sit down, I don't mind some company for lunch. It is still lunch time isn't it? It's hard to keep track at times when your buried under Crew reviews, transfer orders, ordering supplies and meeting with department heads and whatever else starfleet throws at me. And before you say anything I know that I'm a few months behind on my annual physical and will be in sometime this week.
Raf chuckled as he sat. "Thank you sir, and yes it is still lunch time. You sound a bit over whelmed." Pausing as his food arrived. "Perhaps I could prescribe an assistant? Either way we could use this as our meet and greet...kill two birds with one stone as it were."
Craig chuckled. "Didn't you know Doctor that being overwhelmed is Starfleet's way of training future captains? And as for an assistant, are you suggesting a Yeoman as an admin office assistant? She'd be putting in a lot of hours if she did. And I believe you mentioned that you wanted to do our department head meeting with the new XO at the same time? I have no objections to that Doctor Montoya, Or do you prefer Rafael for informal meetings like this?"
Putting his napkin over his lap, "Raf is fine for informal situations or casual conversation." Taking his fork in hand he cut up a meat ball before twirling up some of the spaghetti. "Even a Captain needs someone to help keep things straight and he or she just runs the ship. An XO has to deal with all the departments and the entire crew...if anyone need someone to help him out it's the XO. Hell my older brother met his wife as that way when he was XO."
Craig smiled. "So you come from a Starfleet family then Raf? There have been many Braxton's that have served in Starfleet and it is something we are proud of, I was a department head when I met my wife. " He stated without emotion. But as you well know an X.O's life is training to be a ship's captain one day and has to learn every aspect of the ship and crew."
Raf smiled as he took a drink. "Mmm..." Lowering his glass. "...My point exactly. An XO has a lot on his or her plate." Mixing and poking at his salad. "Managing the day to day operations of the ship, its resources, personnel, away missions, all on top learning to be a Captain, as well as having to fill in for the Captain when the need arises..." Lifting his fork, if an XO doesn't need a Yeoman then who does."
Taking his bit he finished his thought as chewed. "But...that is of course your decision. My job is considerably easier, I just have to make sure to keep everyone healthy. And," grinning as he gestured with a piece of bread with a slightly raised brow and good natured grin, "see that they don't push themselves too hard."
"So do you honestly think that i need a Yeoman? I know that I have a ton of paperwork to do almost everyday, But that is training to become a captain. I am learning all of the in's and outs of running a starship and all about the crew and being responsible for each and every one of them. That and learning to make the hard calls, If I have to order someone close to me to go in and do a job and i know they won't survive, I still have to send them in because losing one person to save the ship and the rest of the crew is acceptable. I might hate myself later for it, but that is a burden of command that I will have to bear."
Raf leaned forward, "Sir. This isn't your first rodeo. Getting help organizing your paperwork or keeping a schedule is vastly different than the life and death decisions of command." Putting a hand on his chest, "When I'm in surgery do I pass things off to med tech? Hell no. But when it comes to the day to day I leave that to my staff.
"When I was the CMO on DS4 there was no way possible for me to oversee everything." Counting off on his fingers, There was the primary medical center, specialty wards, 10 auxiliary sickbays, medical labs, the supply needs for all of that, over 180,000 crewmembers and civilian...not to mention the starship traffic.
Gesturing to the man across from him. "You can't oversee EVERYTHING any more than the Captain can. Both you and the Captain depend on the various department heads to do there job. But if we need something we go to you with that request. Under normal circumstances it probably wouldn't be a problem. Things is, this isn't a normal circumstance. Getting a starship ready to launch has a whole other set of i's to dot and t's to cross, all on top of everything else.
"You're not going to any of us any good if you are running yourself in circles. Put together a launch prep team that can prioritize requests, coordinate needs between the ship and spacedock, summarize reports, keep all the todo's on a calendar, etc.. As we get closer to launch...dissolve the team."
Leaning back he pick up his glass, "I wouldn't be doing my job, if I let you run yourself ragged now would I?"
Craig gave out a slight huff and shook his head.
"You're right. Can't let that happen. Wouldn't be good for the Captain to have an XO run ragged. Though will have to look into getting a yeoman for Rutherford. Someone to handle the small details."
Craig stroked his chin, as he thought about it. "Whoever it will be, will have to be approved by the Captain. He strikes me as being a bit particular."
Raf still leaning back lifted his glass. "Everyone has their unique traits, but even if so whether it be a departure team or standard yeoman to help with the paperwork...there's no harm in asking."
"This is true indeed." Craig taking a drink from his own glass. Setting it down, he spoke quietly. "Speaking of which, I need to go check in on my kids, and getting them ready for bed. Its a nightly routine."
Raf nodded his head. "Completely understandable. Hopefully they aren't too much of a handful. Evening Sir."
"Thank you for the meeting." A brief smile from Craig, he nodded and left.
Commander Craig Braxton
XO
USS Orcrist
Lt. Commander Rafael Montoya
CMO
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