That made Lyt'n laugh, and he set his plate and drink down, assuming he could sit and stay a while. At least she had a sense of humor, good. They'd mesh well. Last thing he wanted was a stone-faced Captain.

"Nearly," he grinned, though with the dimmer contacts, it didn't seem as bright. "But I did end up making it to my room. Didn't stay long, wanted to take a look around. She's a beaute. I'm going right after this meeting is over, though." He popped a grape into his mouth, grateful for the food. He hadn't had anything since his meager lunch out with his friends.

"Oh," he mumbled around the grape. He was intelligent, but didn't mean he was known for his manners. Or any of them, for that matter. "You've got a couple of my people on the Security detail," he offered. "Just a few, but they'll be really useful to you, I think. We're pretty good at manhandling," he waved a hand. Well, they were. He was a little too svelte to compete with them, but, he didn't mind. He fit in small places to fix wires, that's all he asked for.

She grinned, "I noticed that. It looks like Security is pretty much wrapped up. I haven't met any of them yet, but I plan to after this meeting. Being onboard here is really different from my usual assignments. Normally I am out with a team doing some other, less civil, things. So this is hopefully a good change of pace."

The Commander walked into the room. Quietly, she took a seat at the head of the long table. Those standing around the room slowly made their way over to seats. Her second-in-command stood next to her. They were so completely different. She was a wee little thing that didn't come up past most people's chest. Still, her quiet voice easily reached everyone in the room. "Welcome, I'm Commander Testarossa. You will address me as Commander Tessa, or not at all. This is my Second, Captain Kalinin. We welcome you aboard."

Captain Kalinin took over, "We are happy you could each and every single one of you join us. Every person here was chosen very carefully. In case there are any questions about the 'pecking order' on this ship, I will be the one flying it. But all decisions made by Commander Tessa are final. If she decides to change direction or missions as any time for any reason, spoken or unspoken, do not question her." He was tall with graying hair. A contrast indeed to Tessa's youth.

Lyt'n almost replied, but that was when the door opened up and the Commander and Second came in. The words died on Lyt'n's lips, and he settled back in his chair. His amusement faded, and he switched effortlessly into Professional mode, sitting a bit straighter, adjusting his shoulders.

There really wasn't a kind way to say he wasn't surprised. She was so young -- not that he wasn't, but she...well. To be a commander? Wow. She was so tiny, too. But he kept his surprise and opinions to himself, listening intently. While the Captain introduced himself, he laid his data pad he'd been carrying on the table and pulled up a note recording app so he could write some things down.

Trinity leaned forward as Commander Tessa began talking again. "As you are all aware, this is a rather secretive operation. I must apologize that it will remain that way a little bit longer. In 24 hours, we will meet here again. In about 6 hours, we take flight. In about 12 hours, we will be clear of this station's communications. In about 18 hours, there shouldn't be any other vessels in the area. We will be utilizing cloaking technology, hopefully, at that time. Then you may meet here for further orders. I highly suggest you get to know the other offices, but particularly those who work under you. You can't do your jobs without them."

Lyt'n couldn't help his fidget. Six hours they'd be shipping out, and his shift began immediately after this meeting. He'd get them roaring, get this girl purring like a happy cat. Check all the systems, send the get-go...and they'd be off. He sighed slowly through his nose, rolling his shoulders.

Secret or not, he had a job to do. And by God he'd prove there was a reason he was selected.

Trinity heard his sigh and glanced at him. Was he that restless already? They had only been on the ship for a few hours. "You are not eager to be back on the station already are you?" She asked as general conversation filled the air.

Reaching over her plate for her tablet, she pulled it over, "Here, check this out" and pulled up pictures she had taken of her main living quarters. "Do this with your place and it will be home in no time."

"Are you kidding, I'm ready to be out in the Void," he grinned, then watched her gather up her data pad. As she searched for pictures, he tucked a chunk of a roll in his mouth. When she offered the data pad, he brushed his hands off on his slacks and took it to look through them. One dusty brow lifted.

"This looks really nice. Mine's like...the size of your living room." He snorted and offered it back, eyes bright. "I love it, I do have a little love seat though. It's nice. I'll probably order some relics from home. Mine's pretty nice though, even if it's bare. Warm and dark, "h hummed. "Do you want to come see the Core? See what it is the ships driving with. it's a marvel, this one."

She looked over at him curiously, "We both are officers. I'm surprised our rooms are not the same size. That is curious." She mused as she accepted her tablet back. Perhaps they were pushing her towards trying out a home for size. Anyrate, walking seemed like a good idea. She grinned and accepted, "I could use the exercise. Show me your baby."

"Mine's larger than a lot of the crew, I've got a senior officer's suite," he stood and grabbed his plate, more than happy to oblige her request. It would grant him his first look into the bowels of the ship, and that was nothing short of exhilarating. "You're a Captain though, you get larger quarters. Come on," he motioned, grabbed his own Data Pad and lead the way down the hall. As they walked, he launched into a bit of a ramble.

"The only thing I don't like abut ships is their lighting," he motioned overhead. "I mean it looks flawless, and it is. But it's so God Damn Bright. A lot of species--yours included--have such small, stiff lenses. Your Runan underlings will be wearing lenses, like mine, that dim the light. So if they're training and one needs to fuss with their eye, please let them. It's not his fault, we're just. Sensitive, is all." He chuckled. "That's weird to say, but true. The temperature is a little cool, but I kind of like it." He paused by the lift doors and hit a button to wait for one. "So, I've got to ask. You said you were doing some...uncivil things?"

Less than pleased with the switch in topics, Trinity wondered how to compensate. He was asking well after it was just polite to do so. The likelihood that he was sincere in his interest then was high. So she could say a little bit perhaps and gauge his comfort level with such things. If there was one thing she didn't want to do, it was cause him any negative reactions or feelings.

"Well, most people prefer to talk things out in a diplomatic way. Everything I did was what some would term bullying. It was the necessary side of politics I suppose that is never talked about. I was trained at Telos Academy of Higher Learning, a rugged place with rugged terrain. From the moment I joined at 14 until graduation 8 years later, I was taught how to be what I am today. How to get people to do what you need them to do, or if the threat warrants it, how to bring an end to the threat. I'm not an assassin, but I am in many ways a soldier. They said we were elite security. I suppose my group was disbanded though. I'm here afterall." She glanced at him, hoping that the idea that she was some sort of badass fighter didn't worry him.

She would be pleased that it didn't bother him if she was a fighter, not really. Lyt'n was, after all, Runan. Soldiers were what most of their people became, especially men. While their women did prefer to join in military endeavors, they were almost the more Scholarly side of things. Well, unless you could Lyt'n. He was hardly an exception though, some males were born smaller, some females born stronger and larger, and they followed that accordingly.

Lyt'n was, for his species, very svelte. And...he didn't like to fight. He could, and man was he good at it. But he didn't like to fight. He much preferred the delicate work of computer hardware and software.

The bullying idea in politics, though. That made him frown a bit. The lift doors opened and he stepped in, keying in the request for Engineering. His dimmed eyes looked at her, thoughtful. Soldiers his people were, but justice was also something they prided in.

"Interesting," He said after some consideration. It wasn't that he didn't expect some...coercion, in some political dealings. But, he didn't like to think about it. And he sort of hoped this pretty ship wasn't on a mission for...that. "So you're spec-ops, then. Or, were, I suppose. You content with settling into the life of a captain?"

She glanced at him, grateful there was no judgement there. "I'm not sure. I have known no other life for a long time. I suppose I must be. Why else would I enjoy decorating my cabin as if it were a home." She bit her lip. She had tried to make a home on the moon she had last been stationed on. However it hadn't gone smoothly. A politician had learned of it and had sent thugs to ransack it. She had jailed the thugs and stole in the night to his place to return the favor. Maybe this time it would be smoother.

Stepping out of the lift, she asked as they walked, "What about you? You are Runan. I don't see much of your kind in this tinkering business. What is your story?" Anything to get away from some of the darker memories. She might be adjusting to this better than she thought?

"Maybe because you have a surpressed talent," He shrugged and smiled at her again, leading her down a maze of hallways. He tucked his data pad under his arm to press his fingers to a scanner, and input his information. Once that was done, he lead her into Engineering. There were already a few people working now, running scans and such. He'd get to know them soon.

"Me? Well, it goes along sort of with your Darwinian ideas of Reproductive Fitness, but...more refined. I'm small, for my people. Or, rather, for men. Not that I'm small by most other race standards." And he wasn't, not really, with broad shoulders and an inch over six foot tall. "But I'm not burly, I'm not the strongest in my class. But I had a mind for tinkering, and not much of a want to fight. I got the same training, sure, everyone does as a youth. But I had more fun with the building of our training facilities than training within them." He shrugged, pausing at a panel to squint down at it thoughtfully. "So I went to the Engineering Academy in our quadrant, scored top of my class. The Station hired me right out of school. Runan are rare in my field, with our distain for electricity. But I can get to a lot of places softer species can't, and I'm...a little bit faster on my feet," he looked up at her. "So I'm here. I can work the engineering room, and protect him better than a lot of other species could. So. I'm twofer."

She grinned and clapped a hand onto his shoulder. He was taller than her, so it was a bit awkward to do. Trinity didn't mind though. "I'm glad to have you guarding this place. It sucks having people get in here with weapons that might do the ship harm." Even if he didn't enjoy it, he could protect something and this dream paradise of his would be worth protecting. Even if all she saw was metal and plasma and other such strange nonsense.

Lyt'n wrinkled his nose, ran his hand slowly across the console. The idea of someone getting in here and screwing with his beloved instruments made him skin crawl. And how much of a geek did that make him? That thought made him laughed softly and he looked over at her. "With my life, Captain. You know my passions, I'm pretty easy to read. What about you, what do you like to do when you aren't being a bad-ass?"

Bad-ass? That thought made her laugh, though not loudly. Musing for a moment, humor twinkling in her eyes, she teasingly spoke so that he wouldn't take her seriously, "Oh the normal things old fashioned people want women to do:cook, garden, and sit quietly at home reading or drawing." It was said in jest. But all of it was true. She figured if he ever came over someday, he was be astonished to find that she had been serious. That was, if he remembered this conversation.

Just then, her earpiece buzzed. Pausing, she tapped it and listened to what was being said. A frown making her eyebrows burrow slightly.

He didn't contain his laughter, just outright snorted and grinned at her. Stiff as she may be, she had a great sense of humor. He could just imagine her, eco-suit and all with a fancy little apron making cupcakes. It was a hysterical image, and he highly doubted it. However, Lyt'n went along with it.

"Oh, I'm sure you make a mean cheese-ca--" When she touched her ear he went quiet, and conveniently enough, someone ran over with a data-pad asking him to look over the shift list for his subordinates for the Alpha Shift. He thanked the young woman and took the pad, looking over it while Trinity was preoccupied.

Turning to apologize to Layton, she said, "Hey I'm sorry Layton. We are not even underway and I'm needed at my post. We can catch up later." Seeing some more of his employees approaching, she switched to a more formal tone. "Until later then, have a good one chief." Turning on her heels, she strode quickly from the room. Out in the hall, she paused to take a breath and then continued her brisk walk. No time like the present situation in security to get to know her own crew and how they handled themselves.

When she started speaking, Lyt'n looked up with a vaguely surprised expression. He schooled it though into polite indifference and stood a little straighter, making a vaguely salute-like motion as she explained and bid her farewells. He, too, could see the other subordinates approaching. And so would begin his first shift.

"Aye, Captain. Best of luck." He watched her go, thoughtful, before his attention was drawn away to multiple people introducing themselves and coaxing him to bury himself (quite happily) in his work. He hoped their spec-ops security Captain would be able to settle into Starship life easily, and conversely hoped it would be nothing like her previous...explorations.

Reaching the security office, Trinity walked in with her shoulders back and chin up. Yet her muscles felt strained. Two of her security were standing there, looking a bit relieved to have her on the scene. In the middle of the room was the main security desk where a security sat in case someone walked in for a reason. She had her office behind and off to the side, glass windows and doors between the two rooms. Off on the other side was another door, which was where she was headed now.

Walking inside, she approved of the layout. At the door was what resembled a pulpit with sides. There was a console inside of it that a security guard monitored. On the wall adjacent to the door were several cylinders that had energized force fields for holding people temporarily. On the opposite wall were several "rooms" with force fields as the 4th wall. They allowed prisoners that were long term or in groups to be kept. In one of those rooms was a man, plumb drunk and raving like an idiot.

"Captain, ma'am, he is on the personnel list. Biometrics and ID all match up. He is supposed to be onboard."

She suppressed a grimace, "Not like that he isn't."

Turning, she went back into Security Reception and headed into her office. Checking his name with her records, she looked to see if the Commander has specifically asked for him or not. Seeing that she hadn't, she looked up his superior officer's name and placed a call. A few minutes later she was back out in Security Reception. "He is released from duty aboard the Ebonhawk. Escort him off and have the station security take over responsibility for him." They nodded and went to fulfill her orders.

While Trinity was telling her men to escort the disorderly personel off the ship, she'd feel it. Feel it well before she heard it, like a shaking beneath her feet. It spread from the center core of the ship and out, a brief shuddering, before the thrumming began within the walls. Walls lights lit up, ceiling lights dimmed a fraction, warming the entire essence of the ship as she began to breathe, as she stretched her engines. She was coming alive around them, preparing for the take off in just a few short hours.

Lyt'n had his eyes closed, hands resting on the main control console. His smile was small, but exceptionally pleased. The men and women around him whooped and high-fived, and more than one shook his shoulder. All around him the sounds of happy crewmen...and the heart beat of a vessel.

There was, quite literally, nothing else like it.

It was as though the engines coaxed his own heart to beat, the rumbling of the warp drive as it began to charge and power up. Of the ship switching from auxiliary power to standard. People called to him from their stations and he opened his eyes, listening to their reports. Warp core eight percent charged, main thrusters warming up, everything is going as per usual, Chief. He looked down at his console as the numbers, graphs and data flooded it, telling him everything from light efficiencies to Warp Core temp to phaser power reroutes. The sleeping Panther was waking up, and she was readying herself to leap into action.

"Keep an eye on the exhaust, it's putting off a little too much a little too soon. Cool of the core a few degrees."

"Aye Sir."

He let the grin come, split his face in half. This was why he wanted on a ship.

The ship seemed to come alive around her. Trinity paused in her report to listen to the Ebonhawk begin to breathe. She looked down at her computer and whispered, "Good girl. Listen to Layton." The she turned back to her report. She explained the lack of discipline and the possible security breaches that could have occurred by the presence of the belligerent drunk.

It didn't take long. She filed the report and sent copies to those who needed them. Then standing, she went on out to the main room. It was when shifts were to change. Those who had been here all day along with all those who had boarded since were there. She nodded to them, "I'm Captain Trinity. As security, we are counted on to make sure that everyone else is safe so that they can do their jobs." She went on with her prep talk a few minutes more.

Then she moved on to rules. There were plenty that the security already knew and were givens. She had a few personal ones that she meant to include that would be new though. "Ten minutes until the end of your shift, the next shift will arrive. Both of you will stay there together until ten minutes after their shift has started. This way, there is little confusion and no empty posts or duties at any time. If someone does not show at the end of your shift, alert your supervisor who will send a squad to you. This will start a procedure for ensuing that the ship is safe. If there are any inconsistencies, they will be sent to me. I will decide from there if we need to alert the Commander to a higher security alert." That was something she wanted down flat. It had always worked with her elite team back when they went on missions and saved their butts more than once.

Dismissing them, she let the next shift come on duty. Pleased to see that some of Layton's species were there, she took a moment to dim the lights on her way out. They would probably perform better for it. Heading out into the corridors, she started to walk about. Becoming familiar with the ship, familiar with the crew, picking up any cultural elements that each crew was bound to create among themselves, and to see what safety protocols were in place in storage. It was always storage where problems eventually arise. Someone sneaking in or out.

It was while she was observing the ship in the upper decks when someone would collide rather firmly with her shoulder. He wasn't much taller than her, nor would he weigh much more. But he was bony and lithe, and did a dainty spin before turning to face her. His hair was long, very long, down his back in smooth, black inky waves. It was tied, though, in a pony tail, and high on his head at that. His skin was almost too-pale, a bit of a bluish tint beneath his eyes. His cheekbones were sharp and high, highlighting the bright blue eyes within.

And he smirked at her. Black slacks and a pair of thick-soled boots. A dark grey long-sleeve turtle neck, and over it, a dark green t-shirt made of a stretch, spandex-like material. Both accentuated the narrowness of his waist, how long his legs were.

He very obviously gave her a once-over, head to toe. "Mm...Captain McCarthy. What a pleasure to see you again."

It was unlikely she'd recognize him, as he'd hid well in the back of the senior officer's meeting earlier in the day. But he recognized her. Obviously.

Running into someone was not how she had planned to go about her walk. One hand had already moved to her gun and rested on it out of habit. She raised the other in a caution sign. Seeing that all was well, she straightened and nodded, "My apologies sir. You seem to have me at a disadvantage. You know who I am, but I am not aware we have met." Recalling to mind her studies of the personnel, she offered, "You are a Chief Medical Officer, though I can't recall your name at the moment." Offering her hand, she asked, "I trust you are settling in Doctor?"

Weatherford looked endlessly amused, dark blue eyes sparkling with mirth. He glanced at her hand then back at her before taking it. Though, he didn't shake it. Rather, he bent at the hip and kissed her knuckles, lips unusually warm. With that done, he let her hand go and straight back up.

"I always have the advantage, Captain. I'm settling in wonderfully, even more so now that we've had the...pleasure, of meeting personally. You may call me Ford. Or Weatherford...but only if you want to scream it." He winked at her. She was aesthetically pleasing for a woman, a bit more...bulky, than he usually shot for. But she looked strong, and he was alright with that. He'd seen her having a good chat with the Runan down in engineering, and wasn't he an odd one. No matter, he had no intent towards the dear Captain. Didn't mean he couldn't have his fun.