Got Milk?

Posted on Sun Jun 21st, 2020 @ 3:51am by Lieutenant Kalin Brennan-Griffin PhD & Lieutenant Commander Janet Glyndar
Edited on on Wed Jun 24th, 2020 @ 7:02am

Mission: New Moon Rising
Location: USS Pandora | Executive Officer's Office

Typically, when boarding a new ship, it was standard procedure to check in with the ship's Executive Officer before settling in to unpack, though for Shae, she had been met by the Captain in the shuttlebay, so that kind of put a kink in standard procedure. Even still, she felt it to be good form to check in anyway as the chain of command dictated that she deal more with the Executive Officer directly than the Captain, so it was always good to get the introductions out of the way in a casual way rather than waiting for a situation to arise that would demand the XO's attention; definitely not the best way to make a first impression! And so Shae made her way to the XO's office and rang the chime, hoping that she wasn't catching the woman at a bad time.

Anytime was a bad time for the Xenexian woman. Between being a Starfleet Lieutenant Commander assigned to the USS Pandora as her Executive Officer as well as being a single parent of a newborn, Janet Glyndar was rarely every having that great of a day, and there hardly ever seemed to be that much time in the day. In her office, Janet sat behind her desk with limited mobility as her newborn child fed from her chest. It was Xenexian custom to do so. Of course it need be there was formulas and nutritional milk alternatives that could easily be replicated. However, the 'bonding' between mother and child was something highly encouraged on Janet's homewolrd. On a world with warring tribes and clans, family and community was important.

She was also not the least bit embarrassed to take a more natural approach to nursing her child. She was not quite on duty, though she never did really learn to stop and take a break, especially with new crew still arriving and an abundance of things to do. When the chime to her office rang, she instinctively responded with a simple "Come in" without so much as a second thought about her present situation and slight exposure until after the doorway started to open. She immediately reached for the jacket part of her uniform that was hanging on the back of her chair, and pulled some of it over her chest, to 'cover up' and make herself at least partially presentable.

"Oh" she said with a bit of a sigh of relief when she saw the woman enter her office. She was just thankful that it had not been the Captain, but she felt slightly more at ease with a fellow female officer in her presence in her current situation. A partially devoured bowl salad sat atop the desk on a tray with a glass filled with an amber colored liquid. "You caught us during lunch time. I haven't quite been able to finish mine yet...somebody got a little hungry and is not showing any signs of stopping" she said shaking her head.

"Oh dear, I have come at a bad time," Shae replied with a light blush, but she offered a gentle smile to show that she didn't mind the state mother and child were in. After all, babies must be fed when they wanted to be fed! "Here, if you don't mind a little help..." she offered, picking up a baby blanket that was clearly outside of Janet's reach and brought it over, taking the jacket covering Janet and draping the blanket over her shoulder for the woman' modesty, not at all bothered by her superior's brief exposure in between. "There, that's better. That jacket was probably too heavy for the little one," she said softly, adjusting the blanket so the baby wasn't completely covered.

Janet appreciated the assistance and made that known. "Thank you" she replied, something she rarely did. A thank you from her carried weight as she never said it without meaning it fully. "I am new to this...to all of it in terms of being 'motherly'' she added in an attempt to explain herself. "I helped raise my younger siblings, but this is very different. I have been reading everything I possibly can to ensure I do not fail my child."

The First Officer sighed. "I'm sorry. I have not even asked you who you are?" she added, her purple eyes locking onto the woman.

"Lieutenant Kalin Brennan, or simply Shae if that's alright, and I was assigned as the Chief Science Officer," Shae said as she moved around the desk to get to the replicator to get a glass of water for Janet; nursing mothers had a tendency to get very thirsty! "And you have no reason to apologize, your attention was right where it needed to be. Besides, it's a commonly accepted fact that all new parents' brains briefly turn to mush in the first few months of having a child," she offered with a bright smile as she set the glass of water on the desk within easy reach for Janet. "I never got to do this with my daughter, but I'm still quite familiar with what to do here; I was raised in a large family, lots of aunts and cousins, so I've helped out with plenty of newborns... If you relax your arm a bit, you should be able to rest it on the arm of your chair, it will help prevent strain in your shoulder as you hold him- uh, him or her? Anyway, you should be able to free up your other hand enough for you to be able to eat as well," she continued as she moved things around on Janet's desk so that she had easier access to her half eaten lunch.

Janet was able to breathe a sigh of relief and able to resume eating her lunch. She had gone hours without a proper meal, unlike her newborn who did not seem to go more than a few without wanting held and nursed or at least so it seemed. "You're a very useful science officer" commented the Xenexian. "No offense. I'm just more used to tactical and security officers, this is only my second time as a Executive Officer, and the first time was only brief stint aboard the USS Challenger" she said to the woman. "If only I could reassign you to be my Yeoman" teased Janet.

"Oh my!" Shae replied with a giggle. "No offense taken, and sadly I can't be your Yeoman, but I can get a few things together that will help make your days a little easier, and a few tips if you don't mind," Shae said, returning to replicator to start replicating a few things. "I'm putting together an emergency bag, for those times when the power goes out and you can't replicate something you might need, diapers and the like; I'm also tossing in a bottle and some water and powdered formula in case he gets hungry and you aren't available to feed him," she said as she pulled things from the replicator and organized them into a bag, then stowed the bag by the couch where it was easily accessible in the event of an emergency. She also left a small stack of diapers and other similar essentials on the couch for immediate use, as well as a change of clothes for the baby in the event of any accidental messes, then she returned to Janet to set a tastefully decorated scarf-like cloth on the desk. "This will become your new best friend; it's a sling and I recommend you wear it whenever the opportunity affords it, like when you're here in your office or back at your quarters. It makes feedings and comforting easier, and it's soothing for the baby because the warmth and the sway and hearing your heartbeat is like being back in the womb for him, and bonus for you, it will free up your hands so you can get some work done. I can show you how to wear it later if you require the assistance, but for now, do you have a caretaker lined up to help for when he absolutely cannot be with you, like when you're on a bridge shift?"

Janet had to try to conceal a smirk and fight off a chuckle at the woman's lengthy response and peculiar quirks, but she was quite appreciative of the woman. "Well, if only all ships came with someone so damn prepared" quipped Janet. "All good and appreciated, Lieutenant. However, there is a care provider aboard to take care of my child when I am on duty and unable to be here such as when I am on the Bridge or commanding an away team" she explained. "Now, how about we discuss what it is you wanted to before you came in and saw a helpless and possibly hopeless new mother?" inquired Lieutenant Commander Glyndar.

"Ah, sorry if I'm going a bit overboard, but I- well, I missed out on so much with my daughter, and I just got her back, so I guess my maternal instincts are in overdrive right now. Anyway, it's good you've got a caretaker already. You would be surprised at how many new parents don't think ahead about certain things, and it just causes more frustrations down the road," Shae said sympathetically, finally coming to rest in one of the chairs across from Janet. "And really, I just came by to introduce myself. It's procedure to check in with the XO when boarding, but I was met in the shuttlebay by the Captain; even still, it felt right to come by and get the introductions out of the way before we got to the Expanse and all hell broke loose."

The First Officer smirked and nodded "Yeah, the Captain is something else. He's more of a people person than most Commanding Officers...I've seen him shake hands and meet with some of the crew, even the enlisted ones, and he treats them no different than any of the officers. He's the crew's Captain for sure" she commented. "I appreciate you coming to check in with me procedure or not" added Janet. "This starship has a lot of personal meaning to me, so I hope we do not see too much hell breaking loose."

"Yeah, I've noticed, he's very inviting and personable. I like him," Shae replied. "And you used to be the Security/Tactical Officer, right? I've found some of the logs from the former CSO, Will Lynch, he's mentioned you and a number of other Officers; it sounds like you were all so close," she said in observation.

Janet nodded "I was head of the Department as Security Chief and Chief Tactical Officer for a time. I stepped down for a while when I was attempting to become pregnant. I did not want to risk myself too much at the time. In general, the Pandora was very much like a family."

"And now you've got your own family," Shae remarked with a warm smile, looking at the green child still nursing contentedly. Children were amazing like that, able to take up residence in a person's heart with such effortless ease; Aoife was her own shining example of that with the way she seemed to capture the hearts of whomever she met. "I hope I can live up to the legacy this ship seems to hold. I'm not looking for 'family', but it does seem like I've got some pretty big shoes to fill."

The First Officer wanted to say something encouraging to the woman. She was not sure what exactly. So, she mustered her best Merith. "Lieutenant, you have no shoes to fill here other than those of your own" said Janet with a small smile peaking through. "This starship has had its fair share of history, many missions, and so many faces that have come and gone. Don't worry about fitting in or not fitting in with the crew immediately. The Pandora has a way of finding you rather than anyone finding it."

"I like the sound of that," Shae replied softly. "Well, I just wanted to check in, and I've done that and then some. Ah, I guess I'll leave you be so that you two can finish your lunches. Unless either of you need anything before I go?"

Janet shook her head. "Oh, no. You have been more than enough help, Lieutenant. Thank you."