Outside of the Box - Part Two

Posted on Fri Mar 6th, 2020 @ 4:16pm by Jennifer Coulson & Company Sergeant Major Jeffery "The Mountain" Duval

Mission: Mission 63: Second Nature
Location: Various Locations - USS Roanoke
Timeline: 1000Hrs - Feburary 20th, 2392

Jeff Duval regarded the human beauty before him, he guessed that she was two thirds of his own age which made her close to forty years old, she was also an old friend of T'Nae's and while she was here on unrelated business to her meeting with Duval, he decided that it was time to deal with the situation that was brewing before him once and for all.

When she came in, she was wearing a business suit and pants, her shirt was clean and pressed under the jacket, she shook his hand before she handed him a PADD with her resume on it, on the sheet was a list of previous employment and the like, he gave it the once over and saw things in there he liked but like everything else, there were several things he disliked as well. But Duval would give her a fair chance, same as all of the other people.

Duval had a short list of some seven candidates, many of who Duval had rejected for various reasons because he felt they didn't have experience or didn't have the skill set he felt he required for the job at hand. "Alright... Well I'm looking for a lounge manager to take over from where I left off... as with a little luck, I'll be heading back into the Marines to some Battalion or Regiment somewhere so I'll be wanting to turn over my business empire to someone full time." he explained to her.

Coulson smiled as she nodded. "I see.." she responded. "I have run several businesses before. You have a franchise with several mess halls and lounges sharing the same name with staff employed by yourself... " she responded evenly.

"So... Tell me a little about yourself.?" Duval inquired. "Something thats not included here..."

Jen Coulson raised an eyebrow. "Well Lets see... My date of birth is May Eleventh and I try to get along with everyone I meet." the taller then average woman responded. "I never wanted to serve Starfleet, my siblings did as did three of my children... I'll always respect the service though... I know people in my line of work who don't."

Duval nodded. "Yes I've run into people like that myself.. I've been expanding my business recently, into ticket sales and events on our homeport at Watchman Station." he explained. "I have a good foothold on various ships and Squadrons in Independant Fleet Operations and I've started talks with Jake Yamaguchi who presently commands IFO to expand my operations into the other Squadrons that make up IFO's main fleet." Duval explained. "T'Nae recommended you which is why I'm seeing you now rather then making you wait a week or two."

"I ran the lounge on the Shield of Vega for four years. T'Nae is a friend of mine..." Coulson responded with a smile.

"She spoke very highly of you. Thats why I called you in the first place."

"I see." Coulson responded with a smile. "So.. What does the position entail?"

"The post is the candidate takes over and then replaces me as manager of my little business empire. I need to be able to trust this person to manage what I have built thus far... My business was only established last year so I have a lot to gain and a heck of a lot to loose."

"I understand..." her smile was infectious. "I relish the challenge then."

Duval regarded her. "Alright..." he responded. "Give me an idea of a major issue you faced and how you resolved it.?"

Coulson had been expecting this one as she regarded Duval. "Well there were several... The worst was an incident in the Kitchen on the USS Shield of Vega. I don't know if T'Nae told you about this one but... I'll assume she has not."

Duval nodded his head, he knew about the three major incidents that had taken place in this kitchen. "The head chef didn't seem to be intrested in the job and as a result he was causing problems... Food wasn't being looked after and the standards were slipping as a result." she sighed. "I decided to intervene after about a week of the first signs appearing. So I called him into the office and I asked him straight out about it. He said that he was burned out and needed a change of venue.. So I was left with little choice but at least he didn't make a scene of it so I terminated his employment at that point. he left to pack and I promoted a new guy to become the new Chef of the kitchen.. He began sorting out the issues in the kitchen and once things got sorted out, life went back to a semblance of normality for all concerned."

Duval did know of this incident. T'Nae had told him at length about this incident. "I see.." he responded in a flat tone of voice that indicated nothing.

"I was able to talk to another friend of mine and I helped him land a job as part of the crew of a merchant freighter as the ships cook." she explained. "I didn't really owe him but... I wanted to help him."

"I can understand why you did what you did. Its a hard choice to make.." Duval paused. "Very well... You are hired.. When can you start?"

"I can start tomorrow. I will need time to sort out what I am to do with my personal ship. Its a modified Danube Class Runabout rigged to haul cargo rather then personal."

Duval nodded. "I'll talk to the Hanger deck guys and see if I can't get you a berth for your permanent use."

"Thank you Jeff." Coulson as she rose to her feet. Duval did likewise and they shook hands before she took her leave of his office.