Chapter Four and a half: Crew Meeting on the Queen

[BackworldTraveller]

Requested by the Captain

[joertexas]

Requested by the Captain

Thank you

Waiting for everyone to arrive...

[cybersavant]

Indrani pops out of her cabin, where she's been making a list of things to buy - including cleaning products and tools.

Before the meeting, Indrani cleans and straightens the crew area as much as she can. At 1000, she's ready and waiting for everyone at the crew area table. She seats herself at the middle of the table, not at the end.

Reven Stiilpahth is already seated in the crew lounge when the Captain arrives. "I hope you quarters are acceptable. I cleaned what i could last night with what we have." Reven watches as the Captain sits in the middle instead of the end, but waits to take a seat himself until others arrive.

[ateno]

Pranit sits down next to the Captain, opens his computer and sets up a vid field to take notes.

Quietly

"So we need four specific positions and insurance, I suspect a steward or 3 if we take passengers. How many engineers do we need for main prop and aux?"

[joertexas]

Pranit sits down next to the Captain, opens his computer and sets up a vid field to take notes.

Quietly

"So we need four specific positions and insurance, I suspect a steward or 3 if we take passengers. How many engineers do we need for main prop and aux?"

"A ship this size can run with one person, but they won't get any but the most vital maintenance done," Indrani replies. "I'd prefer two engineers, not counting myself."

[joertexas]

[
Reven Stiilpahth is already seated in the crew lounge when the Captain arrives. "I hope you quarters are acceptable. I cleaned what i could last night with what we have." Reven watches as the Captain sits in the middle instead of the end, but waits to take a seat himself until others arrive.

"I saw that someone had been working," Indrani replies. "We will need to have a shipwide cleaning day, I think, ight after we buy some equipment and supplies." She wrinkles her nose. "And new sheets. Definitely new sheets."

[joertexas]

Present:

Indrani
Pranit
Reven

Anyone else, yet?

[Bluetongue]

Arnwulf & Nalani

Pranit sends a message to every shareholder except Sparks naval force, Cloud bank or Hebden Cull's Lawyer.

"*Please meet at the bay of the Queen of the Belt tomorrow at 10am if you are interested in being a crewman of the vessel. Please have an idea of what position you would like to hold. Thank you. Pranit, XO.*

So Arnwulf came via the message received by Nalani, who should be present also. (not being a shareholder he never received the message directly). But he has expressed his availability.

Of the others: Noor I think communicated to Nalani that she was 'otherwise engaged'. I believe Tiberius passed his phone over so she could talk to Indrani directly. Tiberius has gone to the police press conference regarding Jusu.

Jinja Busai is with the police. Ms Busai commented in the hotel about 'moving on from the ship and using her shares for Assana's college'. So that would imply she doesn't want to enlist as crew, Jinja expressed before about passing the engine over to someone else.

That leaves Ngora Kole, who had expressed before she would not join the crew.

I think that summarises everyone.

[BackworldTraveller]

10:00 arrives and the group at the table is Mustered except for Tiberius and Noor who have good reason to be elsewhere. All present or on duty.

Outside, Ulrika of Sparks News is joined by a second News Crew and some youngsters with electric bikes running up and down the corridor. Indrani has received a message from the news company asking for a statement about the discoveries yesterday.

[ateno]

Good morning everyone, Queen, confirm that the outside newsies cant hear whats going on.

Pauses

Alright, Captain, you have some opening words?

Pranit

[joertexas]

Good morning everyone, Queen, confirm that the outside newsies cant hear whats going on.

Pauses

Alright, Captain, you have some opening words?

Pranit

"Thank you, First," Indrani says to Pranit. "Good morning, everyone. As you all know, we're still facing some challenges to make the Queen operational again. Some of you have served aboard her before, and we will especially need your insight to more quickly reach that goal. We all have an interest in seeing that happen, so let's be about it.

"The first order of business is establishing the crew. I accepted the captaincy on the merits of my naval service, and on my current certifications, to serve as master of this ship. However, this is our ship, not mine. I will take us where we want to go. If there are command decisions to be made, then we as the ship's officers and owners will, as much as humanly possible, make those decisions by consensus, not by fiat."

"With that said, Pranit, as Executive Officer, supervises everyone else. I don't think we're large enough to have formal department heads, although we do need to assign positions of record, most notably a Chief Engineer." She looks to Pranit once more. "Thank you, First, you may proceed."

[ateno]

"With that said, Pranit, as Executive Officer, supervises everyone else. I don't think we're large enough to have formal department heads, although we do need to assign positions of record, most notably a Chief Engineer." She looks to Pranit once more. "Thank you, First, you may proceed."

Thank you Captain, I researched the CSR and a ship our size needs four official positions to operate. A Captain....."

Pranit points and declines his head to Indrani.

"A astrogator, a pilot and a engineer, the Captain would like two engineers though.

So I don't have everyone's licenses, but who is qualified to be Pilot and wants the job, Astrogator or Head Engineer."

"Engineering would be split up between main propulsion, in charge of engines, and Auxiliary would be in charge of life support and fixing the caff pot."

Smiles.

"I think we should start out at union pay, which includes experience increases."

A increase of 10% base pay for every skill level over 1.

So do we have any takers?

[The Bindoner]

Nalani announces I am a fully qualified Pilot, and a paid up member of the Space Pilots Association. I spent four years flying the Queen. I am here to reclaim my seat.

Her gaze passes from Pranit to Indrani

I was not certain I would want it when the Navy put two of their own officers in charge. It seemed rather like a second confiscation, so it was pleasing to hear you do not intend to run my friend the Queen as though she were a warship. I have no interest in serving under military discipline.

[joertexas]

Nalani announces I am a fully qualified Pilot, and a paid up member of the Space Pilots Association. I spent four years flying the Queen. I am here to reclaim my seat.

Her gaze passes from Pranit to Indrani

I was not certain I would want it when the Navy put two of their own officers in charge. It seemed rather like a second confiscation, so it was pleasing to hear you do not intend to run my friend the Queen as though she were a warship. I have no interest in serving under military discipline.

Indrani leans forward a little in her chair. "I expect everyone to act in a manner that benefits everyone here, including the ship. We are all here of our own will, and I am confident that we can work together without the need for any of that." She sits back, silently returning the meeting to Pranit's control.

[ateno]

Indrani leans forward a little in her chair. "I expect everyone to act in a manner that benefits everyone here, including the ship. We are all here of our own will, and I am confident that we can work together without the need for any of that." She sits back, silently returning the meeting to Pranit's control.

"The only thing I ever commanded was boarding actions, though I am ex-Navy I plan on doing my job as a merchant civilian but will echo the Captains comment about acting in a way towards crew and Queen benefit.

That being said, unless anyone else wishes to throw their hat in for the job."

Pranit pauses in case.

"Queen, please designate and recognize Nālani Shiraishi as the Pilot Crewman."

Pranit Stands up and bows head, "Congratulations Pilot."

Chief Engineer or Astrogator?

Prainit

[The Bindoner]

"Queen, please designate and recognize Nālani Shiraishi as the Pilot Crewman."

Pranit Stands up and bows head, "Congratulations Pilot."

Replying to Pranit Nālani lapses into her Belter accent: Nah. Nah “crewman”, Second Officer, yah? We have that conversation just yesterday, remember? I work hard, long years to sit in that chair, some stranger on my ship don't tip me out of it so easy.

Regaining her composure ( and her precise diction ):

We both risk making the same bad first impression a second time, but these are busy days and I will put it down to overwork and lack of sleep. I am sure neither of us intended offense. I regret letting a simple lapse of memory irritate me, please accept my apology Mr. Kilrane-Bewoor.

Addressing the room at large:

I believe all of us shareholders want to make a success of this second chance the Queen has been given. I certainly intend to. I have been a Pilot of Merchants for nearly a decade, and a trader longer. I think I know enough of the market to find profit in it for us.

[Bluetongue]

Arnwulf

Listens to the bidding for positions.

"Can I offer the following?

Captain: Indrani Carter
Pilot: Nalani Shiraishi
Astrogator/Navigator: Pranit Bewoor
Engineer: Reven Stiilpahth
Gunner/Cargo: Arnwulf Lugersen

Which leaves you to perhaps consider offering fellow shareholder Noor a role stewarding and finding a role that best serves Tiberius skills. He owns more of the ship than the rest of you put together. I can't imagine he doesn't want to be involved in whatever trading we set too.

Steward/Media/Marketing?: Noor aka Sam Vizier
Accountant/Crew/Researcher?: Tiberius O'Hare.

As for pay and bonus structure. I want equal share. Renegades chasing Jusu Saffa's inheritance are going to be trying to hijack this vessel in search of clues to his scientific treasures and multi-million fortune. Crewing this vessel is a risk we all take equally and should all be rewarded equally for. I don't want to be paid less for changing a gasket while another gets paid more for plotting grid references or making tea."

[ateno]

"Well Pilot, I understand your comment. My thoughts were we are all crewmen on this ship. Captain Crewman, Engineer Crewman, etc."

I'll let the crew decide if they want to designate a 2nd officer.

But first we need a crew, so in the meantime I will change designations to singular so I will change you to 'Pilot' instead of 'Pilot Crewman' for now. Fair?"

We will need a steward or two and a medic perhaps for taking on passengers, There are others that are not personally represented here that might cover there.

Pranit looks around.

"Nālani, i'm still a bit military, forgive me."

[cybersavant]

Reven Stiilpahth looks around at those gathered at the table. "In my experience in the Merchant Marine and PLDES, positions tended to go with skill and specialty. I know that for a small crew, that isn't always possible. I tend to have a lot of skills, rather than a few highly rated; though i'm best at arrogation, comms, mdrive and mechanics. I'm also good at remote ops, life support, power, explosives, piloting, robotics, planetology, and vacc suit. i also have concerns about the current mdrive. The Manoeuvre Drive is an old, no longer manufactured version. Parts are going to be hard to come by." Reven looks at Nalani, then the Captain. "Crew titles matter little to me. I just need to know the command structure and reporting procedures."

[The Bindoner]

"Well Pilot, I understand your comment. My thoughts were we are all crewmen on this ship. Captain Crewman, Engineer Crewman, etc."

Is that how the military think civilians title themselves? No wonder we have an Executive Officer Crewman. I am happy to be plain Pilot if I do not have to call anyone anything like that.

"Can I offer the following?

Captain: Indrani Carter
Pilot: Nalani Shiraishi
Astrogator/Navigator: Pranit Bewoor
Engineer: Reven Stiilpahth
Gunner/Cargo: Arnwulf Lugersen

I like these titles. More like how the Queen ought to be, no more Officers and Crewmen.

Which leaves you to perhaps consider offering fellow shareholder Noor a role stewarding and finding a role that best serves Tiberius skills. He owns more of the ship than the rest of you put together. I can't imagine he doesn't want to be involved in whatever trading we set too.

Yes, roles for our biggest shareholder and our most illustrious one must be offered.

Reven looks at Nalani, then the Captain. "Crew titles matter little to me. I just need to know the command structure and reporting procedures."

Nālani's eyes are on Reven when she speaks, though her words are addressed to the room: Titles matter when they are being issued. If someone calls themselves Officer and labels you Crewman it matters. To them, and therefore to you, because they care about rank and treat people accordingly. You were on the Queen with me Reven, did we ever call each other anything but our names? Official titles didn't matter then. Hopefully they will not now. But if they do I will not relinquish mine.

As for pay and bonus structure. I want equal share. Renegades chasing Jusu Saffa's inheritance are going to be trying to hijack this vessel in search of clues to his scientific treasures and multi-million fortune. Crewing this vessel is a risk we all take equally and should all be rewarded equally for. I don't want to be paid less for changing a gasket while another gets paid more for plotting grid references or making tea."

Equal shares, yes. This is fair, I think. After the cost of running the Queen is paid, and a percentage put into the company account for shareholders, the remaining profit should be divided equally. I am prepared to forego a wage and take an equal share of profits, so long as my living expenses are paid.