It only took a few moments for Sky to reemerge on the bridge.  Looking for Lt. Rilota, he motioned for her to meet her in his ready room before sequestering himself again.

“Mayweather, you have the conn while I go talk to the captain.” Exxa stood and straightened her uniform.  While first impressions were over, she'd always heard from the old man that keeping up the image in front of your captain was important. 

Sindari looked over at Exxa as she walked over to the ready room.  She'd heard her heartbeat start racing when she was called over.  While she wouldn't say she was worried about Exxa, she was one of the few that was more tolerable than the others.  Not to the extent of likability, mind you.

Exxa had entered this room a number of times before, under her now-deceased previous captain.  If pressed, she'd say that it was an unremarkable room, full of the Captain's memorabilia of a sub-standard career.  It was almost sad, seeing how little he'd accomplished in his 24 and a half years as a captain.  Now the room was sad for another reason.  The wall that used to hold a plastic swordfish, of all things, now just contained a small model of a ship.  The desk had been moved, she noted, to the opposite wall, so you'd come in facing the captain on entry.

Sky, for his part, noted the Lieutenant's nervousness. “Easy there XO.  I promise I don't bite.  Take a seat, looks like we need to get this crew organized and moving.”  His comment seemed to startle her at first, before she quickly took a seat.

“Now, from what I can see here, this ship is normally crewed by about 200 to 250 people, correct?” Sky leaned forward, sliding a PADD across the desk or Exxa to see.

“I'd say so sir.”

“And now Starfleet wants us to make do with 150.”

Exxa sat a little lower in her seat. “I think they just don't have anyone to send.”

Sky looked her in her purple crescent eyes.  “Not like it's your fault Starfleet's having staffing issues.  We can securely blame that on the Borg.  So, who do we have for senior staff.  There's you and me obviously, but who's the third officer?”

It took them two and a half hours to go through each and every important position on the crew.  By the end their eyes were getting tired of the text on the PADD.

“Ok and for Chief Medical officer?” Exxa rubbed her eyes.

Sky looked at the PADD in front of him, “How about Raiden?  He's got all the certifications, despite his young age.”

Exxa frowned.  That name sounded familiar.  “Wait, which PADD have you been reading from?” she pulled it over, “Sir, Raiden died during the Borg incident.  Even says here, cause of death: stabbed by large plastic fish.  Perhaps a better option would be to take G'tan?"

“Finally, we're done.” Sky tossed the PADD on the desk, “I think we can make this work.  XO-”

“Exxa.”

“I'm sorry?” Sky was confused? “XA?”

Those nerves appeared to have returned.  “My name, sir, is Exxa.  Not Exxo.  I thought maybe you'd misread the files or something.”

“Oh, sorry, Exxa.  XO is just what I've been calling my first officers this whole time.”

Exxa just blinked at him a couple of times.

Back on the bridge, the crew had swapped for the evening shift.