Thibideaux meets T'Lul
Posted on Tue May 12, 2026 @ 3:06am by Lieutenant Commander Curtis Thibideaux & Lieutenant T'Lul
2,210 words; about a 11 minute read
Mission:
Jubilee
Location: Counselor's Office
Timeline: A week before the comets arrival.
If T'Lul was being honest with herself, she would have to say that the reason that she did not reach out to Lieutenant Commander Curtis Thibideaux prior to this moment was because after meeting Cara Lestul, she was somewhat gunshy of the new Command Staff. T'mpest was acceptable but T'Lul could not understand how Cara Lestul rose to her position. She seemed to be a verifiable psychological mess that refused any logical assistance. However, duty could not be ignored and it was time to meet and evaluate the Commander.
She tapped her commbadge and said, =^= Lieutenant Commander Curtis Thibideaux, this is Lieutenant T'Lul. Would you kindly come to Counseling? =^= T'Lul's study of humans indicated that they liked pleasantries, like the word "kindly" that she inserted in her request. Logically, that should assist the Commander with complying with her request.
Curtis stepped out of the shower, toweling at his head as the brown eyed Bajoran woman...Netti she called herself rolled over on his bed and said, "Your name is actually Thibideaux? That's one I haven't heard before." She was wearing even less than he was and Curtis shrugged, choosing to leave his lone towel draped over his head like a cowl for a moment. "Computer, acknowledge the Lieutenant and tell her thirty minutes. End."
"The last name is Thibideaux..the Curtis part," he drawled slightly from beneath the towel/cowl, "Might-could be my evil twin. Now Netti. Do I make the good doctor wait or..."
Netti giggled at him, saying,"You were the one that decided to shower."
"You," Curtis said, "Were sleeping. And technically, I'm on Administrative leave till I decide I'm not. I have a few hundred hours built up..."
"No, you showered. So go see your T'lulz..." she chuckled deeply, looking him over, upside down as she stretched on his bed. A lieutenant commander...well well. "If I'm here when you get back, then we can continue, how did you put it. A cultural exchange at the horizontal level? And if I'm not, well then you'll have to find me."
"I might do that," Curtis said as he tossed the towel in the general direction of the fresher and opened his uniform locker. It huffed with air as it pressurized and he pulled out one of the tailored sets he had. "Though isn't your ship pulling out later tonight?"
"It is," Netti stated. "But if you wait that long, it'll just make it more difficult. We'll be back around in a month or two I'd imagine."
As he sat to pull on socks and boots, he glanced over and down into her laughing eyes. The curly dark amber locks of her hair were very tussled and gave her an even more mischievous look. "I'll have to keep that in mind."
She ran a hand up his bare back and grinned as he leaned back into it. "Oh, you do that Mr. Thibideaux..or Commander I suppose I should say."
Curtis leaned over and gave her a kiss, then stood, stamping to settle his boots and began pulling on his undershirt, then uniform tunic. When he looked back up, she was still watching him and he winked at her before stepping over to run a comb his hair. His uniforms were all treated with a cologne ahead of time, so he didn't have to fiddle with that, at least. He'd shaved in the shower and after a last look in the mirror, decided he was presentable.
Turning he saw she was sitting up now, regarding him with those beautiful brown eyes, though they were partially hidden by cascading curly locks . "Well then Netti, I'll see you when I do, yeah?"
Netti liked him in the uniform. And out of it...so she said, "Yeah. Sounds right. Mind if I nap? It's a good bed."
Chuckling, Curtis said, "Go ahead, get some rest." His contact came back online after he rubbed at the top of his eye absently and his HUD had stabilized by the time he reached the corridor. "Computer," he said as he began making his way toward the nearest lift. "Update my ETA to whatever my transit time will be to Lieutenant T'lul's location."
In his ear, the computer confirmed the update. Told him he'd been removed from leave status and provided a Follow-me routing on his contact's HUD. Humming, he refocused his mind.
Back to the grind.
"T'lulz," he said to himself.
That was kinda funny.
Roughly fifteen minutes from when he'd received the message he had his HUD reach out to the annunciator to T'Lul's office, triggering his approach. His booted feet were fairly quiet as they scuffed along on the carpet runner and he pulled at the cuffs of his under shirt and smoothed his tunic. "Thibideaux has arrived," he quipped.
The Vulcan counselor looked over the second officer and gave him the Vulcan greeting, "Live long and prosper, Lieutenant Commander Thibideaux. Please come in and make yourself comfortable. I know that I should have introduced myself sooner, but I believe that your file said that you were on leave. I did not desire to intrude on that immediately. Do you consider yourself on leave still?" The Vulcan asked curiously.
"Thank you for the invite, Counselor," Curtis said, slipping into the indicated proffered seat and rolled his shoulders. "My status shifts per the need of the service, to be honest. My duties require me to be on call when I'm not attending to business, so my schedule is fluid. But that's the life of a Fleet officer, don't you think?"
"I do not believe that is accurate," T'Lul answered simply. "There is a hierarchy in place for when any officer is unavailable. Logically, there is someone who is just below you that would take over if you were unavailable for any reason."
Slouching purposely into the chair, Curtis said, "That all sounds good in theory. But when the feces hits the flywheel, especially when getting a handle on a new duty station and posting, you need to adapt. An officer who just switches off and trusts others will actually handle things more times than not has more to do when you switch back on." Shrugging, Curtis eyed the Vulcan and said, "How are you doing?"
Answering the last question first, T'Lul answered, "The appropriate proverbial response is that 'I am well.'" She then moved on, "I have been in the proverbial situation that you have spoken where the feces hits the flywheel and ended up taking charge. Regardless, you are new here and do not know many things. So, how do you plan on learning about all the others? I am used to being avoided as many avoid doctors and counselors like the proverbial plague."
Curtis considered the doctor and her questions then said, "This station is kinda like how they used to describe an old-Terra flying machine called a helicopter, Doctor. A vulcan or very correct engineer would, after reviewing the old designs likely say that a helicopter is or was a collection of rotating and reciprocating parts that are all constantly trying to move in different directions, requiring high levels of maintenance to keep them in sync."
Smiling as his eyes roamed over her, then shifted to her office to take in how she'd ordered things. "Wags in the field said the machine was ten thousand parts moving in different directions at the same time. Mechanics and pilots broke it down a bit differently. They claimed it was ten thousand parts revolving around an oil leak in close formation. When you went hands on, you just had to convince the mass to move in the direction you wanted through a light touch and persuasion."
Bringing his eyes back to meet her rather pretty brown ones, he said, "That's how I see the station. As to how I'm going to learn about the others, I've spent the bulk of my evenings reading personnel files. Most of my duty hours are spent roaming the place, meeting people and letting my feet know the place. It's going to take some time and there are a lot of people. My office is a closet for a reason. I'm rarely in there."
The Vulcan silently mused at Curtis words and wondered why his eyes seemed to linger on hers for a slightly longer than a normal moment. "That is a slow but effective method and often builds trust with those that you will work with. Who have you met with thus far? And how can I assist in your onboarding?"
Shrugging, Curtis reigned in the obvious openings that would likely wiff over her head. Or be seen as something to study...a way to pick through his psyche. Ego. Or Id. No just handing over ammunition.
"Slow and steady. That's me," he smiled. "I've met the ops team of course. I work with the Commodore and XO. Talked to the wing commander and security chief. Working through the whole lineup. As I said, it's going to take time. I figure a year or so and I can relax," he said straight faced.
"You have met the ops team?" T'Lul asked curiously. "Have you met Lieutenant Ace Cannon and Ensign T'Vren, then? And why do you believe that it will take you a year to get through the entire 'lineup,' as you call it? This is a deep space station. There are numerous changes on a daily basis. I might recommend starting with all the chiefs, then assistant chiefs, and do what you can thereafter if you are serious about meeting as many beings as you can."
"I've read the Lieutenant and Ensign's files," Curtis said dryly. "I'll get to them. First rounds are to Department Heads. Then you see how their departments run and see how the whole works together. Since I'm not the station's XO, my purpose is to evaluate how those pieces might effect Strategic Operations. Seeing how this station lives and breathes is a side project. Force projection throughout the system and even beyond, in correlation with Fleet and any allies is the primary. So, people I'll take as I get to them. You could be a big help in that, counselor."
The Counselor's eyebrow raised and she straightened even more than her posture had been before. "Oh? Explain."
Grinning, he said. "Have dinner with me one of these next evenings."
"I am uncertain how that would be helpful. Perhaps you will explain how I can assist at dinner, then?" T'Lul wondered aloud. "When would you like to have dinner?" she inquired of Curtis.
His contact picked up the mention of days and Curtis's calendar popped open on his HUD. "I'm actually free tonight and day after tomorrow. Then we're into a three day patrol on the Ararat followed up by who knows what. If your schedule is open tonight, or day after...."
Smiling again, he said, "And as to helpfulness...well it can't hurt. I'd like to hear your take on the station's crew. Impressions obviously, since confidentiality plays a part right up until we run into fitness reports. Honestly, being new around here it would be nice to have some company for a meal."
"Very well," T'Lul answered. "Your reasoning is quite logical. I could have dinner with you tonight. Is there a particular time and place that you would like to have dinner?"
Considering, Curtis said "How does twenty hundred local sound? As to where, I don't know. I am kinda the new kid on the block. Any place you can suggest?"
"Twenty hundred is acceptable. I was recently at Giuliani's which is a well thought of Italian restaurant. There also is the Box of Delights, which is a bar and gaming area. There's Pierre's Patisserie which is a bakery." Her eyes moved slightly upwards. "Those are places that I have been at with some regularity. If you have a particular interest, we can research it."
Curtis let his mind churn for a moment and grinned, "Perhaps a new experience then. I've just remembered a friend I met during the recent problems with animals. Have you ever had a hot dog, Counselor? There's a band of monks that have recently drifted onto the station and vend a wide variety of cooked sausage and fried potatoes. A walk on the promenade with a barely set destination to see what might interest us?"
"Like most Vulcans, I am a vegetarian," she explained. "Therefore, a cooked sausage would not be within my dietary restrictions. However, fried potatoes would be. A walk would be acceptable, as well."
"Brother Boyle has vegetarian dogs as well," Curtis said pushing himself to his feet. "I look forward to introducing you to him and the food. I look forward to it. Unfortunately, I'd better get back to my rat killing," he added with a smile. "By your leave, Counselor?"
Rat killing? What does he mean by that? I believe that I lost control of this conversation somewhere. I will have to do better while we are reviewing the station. "Until tonight."
A Joint Post by:
Lieutenant Commander Curtis Thibideaux
Strategic Operations Officer
DS 5Thi
Lieutenant T'Lul
Chief Counselor
Deep Space 5.
OOC: Need a time for this....
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