“Ladies and Gentlemen: Welcome to the first introductory dinner for the new crew of the Perseus!”

Naturally the event was decked out to the nines, with everyone in their finest versions of dress uniforms; and of course, Katlina was the natural center of attention. Fortunately though, it was Dimitri who was the keynote speaker. The Star Colonel had heady words of praise for the courageous team who accomplished the takeover of the ship, and a few more solemn words for the crew of the Eclipse and the half dozen or so aerospace pilots who gave their lives to help achieve this stunning victory.

Most annoyingly, Dimitri followed the standard practice of introducing the crew starting from the lowest ranks and working his way up to the more important people. Fortunately the engraved program listed officers in a more useful order, starting with Katlina at the top. The list ran:

Captain: Katlina
First Officer: Nelson
Navigator: Doreen
Pilot (Manual): Randolph
Chief Engineer: Andrea
Science Officer: Vanessa
Security Officer: Lawrence
Damage Control Officer: James
Comm Officer: Stephanie
Chief Medical Officer: Tamiko
Aerospace Captain: Marshall
Away Team Commander 1: Annette
Away Team Commander 2: Dominic
Officer, Protomech Star: Frederick
Officer, Elemental Star 1: Lisa
Officer, Elemental Star 2: Eric
Weapons Officer, Fore Arc: Janet
Weapons Officer, Fore Dorsal Starboard: Sarah
Weapons Officer, Fore Dorsal Port: William
Weapons Officer, Starboard Broadside: Milano
Weapons Officer, Port Broadside: Aguilar
Weapons Officer, Aft Arc: Abigail

That was only the first page, but it was all she really needed. Virtually every other position on the ship reported up the ladder to this set of individuals, and they directly to her.

At the dinner, once everyone had been introduced, they were seated. Katlina saw that the tables had been arranged with her and the main bridge crew at one long table on a slight dias in the front of the room, the rest of the crew at tables turned at right angles to theirs and occupying the rest of the room. She herself was seated in the middle, with First Officer Nelson on her right and Navigator Doreen on her left.

At last the meal was served. It was the first opportunity for the lead chef to take charge, and he did so masterfully. Conversation died down for the first fifteen to twenty minutes of the meal, then slowly regained steam as the diners completed stuffing themselves and relaxed. Fine wine or champagne and strawberry sundaes were presented for dessert, and this, too, kept conversation to a minimum until all appetites were sated.

But once the meal was completed, guests who were not a part of the crew (mostly senior officers and their XO’s and wives) began to pass by the table, offering congratulations and an occasional social question of some sort. Many questions were repeated, such as queries about how long she and Nelson had worked together, and then did she anticipate any difficulties doing so since they had not. Nelson himself seemed quite at ease deflecting such concerns: “I have no doubt that such an excellent Captain as Katlina has proven to be shall be quite capable of directing me, regardless of any personal foibles on either of our parts.”

Many opportunities for conversation did present themselves over the course of the evening as Katlina met her crew for the first time...

As soon as they had jumped out - and the other side deemed safe - Katlina had ordered the ship's crew to stand down, start and / or finish the clean up and take some rest. As for herself, she had handed the ship's con over to the watch's pilot but not to rest since not only she wasn't all that tired but more importantly, she had a lot to do. Namely go through each of the ship's systems, pestering engineers to get to know her prize better and make sure not only that everything was in order, but also that she wouldn't have any surprise, good or bad, when the time came to be serious. Plus, seeing the captain in every part of the ship would send a message to the crew that she wasn't going to stay in her ivory tower and ignore what was going on in her ship.

It had been what she had mostly been doing, leaving the get-to-know-the-crew for later as she felt it was less important. Or at least, less urgent: she knew what to expect from her crew, and if she called the navigator by her function and not her name for the time being everyone would survive that. Which explained why she arrived at the dinner with the barest of knowledge regarding her crew.

As such, she paid close attention when Dimitri introduced everyone, trying to give the impression that of course she knew perfectly well who was who while making sure to associate names and faces correctly at least for those she'd have to work closely with.

When they were done with the meal, Katlina held a glass up and said, “Compliments to the Chef, that was masterful.” She had never eaten anything like that in fact. Granted, she had pretty much came direct from the Sibko to the ship so even a normal meal would have felt palatial to her, but it still seemed extraordinary.

Through all that followed, she listened more than she talked: first because it prevented her from saying something she'd regret and preserved an image of infallibility, second because it was always best for a captain to allow everyone under her to talk first - when time was no issue at least - but third and more importantly because it allowed her to learn more than she'd have had she been doing the talking.

Plus… What would she have talked about? Her life in the sibko? That was hardly news to any of them here. Instead she asked questions about previous affectations, feats of arm and so on, anything really that could allow her to get to know more of the people under her without giving the impression that it was exactly what she was doing.

The only thing of note she did say was to add to her XO's deflection that “Since Nelson knows perfectly well what is expected of him, I don't even foresee the need to direct anything.” After all, her role was to do everything she could to achieve the mission, his was to make sure she had everything she needed to do so. And if he had been put in that position, she was confident he knew his job inside and out.

He certainly wasn't the pilot she was, and thus could never become the captain she was, but she had no doubt that as far as managing a ship he'd be the one directing her. Tactfully, and only suggesting - privately! - whatever he felt was needed, she hoped for the both of them, but it was in his interest at least as much as it was in hers that he managed to teach without seeming to what she needed but didn't yet know. Though of course, if foibles there were… She was the captain: she didn't have to care about his but he'd have to deal with hers.