I See, I See (Judy/Stryker)

[Stryker]

Sven's quarters

"Huh?" he shrugged, "I guess it's a good thing that ship got mothballed huh?

[Judith Eastman]

[Judy & Max's Quarters]

"Yeah, absolutely," Judy replied. "A ship is only as strong as her crew."

Judy leaned back.
"How would you say the crew of the Athena is?" she asked. "Would you say the crew around you is a good one?"

[Stryker]

Sven's quarters

"Off the record, or are you going to send a report to the captain on my thoughts?"

[Judith Eastman]

[Judy & Max's Quarters]

"Our meetings are always off the record," Judy reminded Sven. "If I start sharing things you say, even just with Max, they can and will fire me."

She uncrossed and re-crossed her legs, causing her housecoat to rustle a little bit.
"In other words, your honest opinion. It won't leave the room."

[Stryker]

Sven's quarters

The engineer took a deep breath,

"Well, I don't trust the captain to make sound decisions. He's been involved with too many things that I think, when he is back in the same situation, he chooses poorly. The XO is nice enough, but her and her husband express public displays of affection too often and at inappropriate times. The science officer drives me insane. She treats me like some scared child, constantly trying to 'cheer' me up and offer words of encouragement. I'm not 12. Plus her, and the new operations officer has some serious past history. The two of them are volatile together and personally I don't think they can put that stuff behind them especially when things become stressful.

He took another deep breath,

"The new chief of engineering seems okay, but I didn't appreciate her bringing with her her 'little' crony. It's like she doesn't trust the existing engineering crew to do the job right. So, she served on the Tempest, but this is the Athena. A whole 'nother beast."

He didn't talk about the flight officer.

[Judith Eastman]

[Judy & Max's Quarters]

"Well, PDA is just a fact of life. A hug here, a kiss there, some words peppered throughout, that's only to be expected. As long as they're not doing the nasty in the passageways, you just have to grin and bear it," Judy explained. She had some skin in the PDA game, albeit not on the Athena, and as such was naturally inclined a certain way.
"As for the chief engineer, let's dialogue about that. What do you reckon the transition was like for her?"

[Stryker]

Sven's quarters

He thought about that for a minute.

"Wouldn't discussing Chief Engineer Ozu be a conflict of interest. She is, in fact your friend?"

[Judith Eastman]

[Judy & Max's Quarters]

"No, actually," Judy replied. "A conflict of interest would be discussing something related to my career or my finances. Since Saya isn't on my payroll, nor is she in my chain of command, there's no conflict of interest."

She crossed her arms, hiding some disappointment with what seemed like a hamfisted dodge.
"Now, let's try to understand it from her perspective. How do you suppose moving to a new command is for her? You, as someone who isn't close to her on a personal level."

[Stryker]

Sven's quarters

"I don't know. How can I be assured you'll keep an objective view of things if I say something about your friend that you don't like, or agree with?"

This wasn't an attempt to dodge the question. It was a legitimate concern, backed by a real fear from his earlier life.

He fidgeted with his fingers looking both worried and deeply concerned for his well being

[Judith Eastman]

[Judy & Max's Quarters]

"I can't promise you 100% objectivity, Sven. You know that as well as I do," Judy answered. She slowly realized that there was a legitimate chance that he wasn't dodging.
"That said, you know I believe in constructive dialogue. I'm not the kind to retaliate in some childish way over something you say that I don't like. You've criticized my drinking and my parenting and I've forgiven you, why would criticizing my friend be any different?"

[Stryker]

Sven's quarter

Sven bit his lip, worried and concerned. He decided to swollow his fear and go with it. Worse case, Judy would tell Suya everything and she would make his life a living hell.

"Okay. I suppose that she's feeling upheaved. Maybe nervous about running a new department. Or maybe she's got a power complex and feels like this would be a good time and excuse to exert dominance. Maybe a bit of both?"

He was conflating something that he actually experienced in his past, namely with his father with what most normal people experience.

[Judith Eastman]

[Judy & Max's Quarters]

Sven started off well... and then took a complete nosedive into the trash can.

"A power complex?" Judy asked incredulously. "That's quite the accusation to make of anyone. Has she given any sign of that?"

[Stryker]

Sven's quarters

"Ya. That brute of a henchman she brought along. George."

[Judith Eastman]

[Judy & Max's Office]

"So the fact that she brought a crewmember with her makes her power-hungry?" Judy asked incredulously. This logic was ridiculous, and she wanted to show as much to Sven.

[Stryker]

Sven's quarters

"You didn't see what happened." he said.