Meeting the Double Check

Posted on 15 Dec 2025 @ 7:43pm by Senior Chief Petty Officer Morgan Harrison & Crewman Apprentice Thobius Chaluk

2,145 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Shakedown
Location: Morgan's office

Morgan watched as Petty Officer Lisa Meadows left his office, and made notes on her file. He had met a good portion of the non commissioned crew so far. He knew most COB's wouldn't bother. In fact, he'd spoken with one on the Starbase where he'd served before, and they had told him that there wasn't a point, since being a COB wasn't that important, and the Captain barely listened to their COB anyway.

Morgan had found himself disgusted by that viewpoint, and he'd ensured the man had been replaced. He hadn't wanted to leave Mal Reynolds with a piss poor officer on the base that had been his home for years. But he had been disturbed to find out that it was a common view on Fleet Ships. He had made a vow to not be like others.

After all, for years he'd ran the Vindicta Corps, and he'd made sure everyone had their roles there. It still ran, and he owned it, making some profit from it, but he trusted his people. Yes, he was quite wealthy, but as Mal had told him years ago, Starfleet wasn't a job, it was a meaning. It was purpose, and he had found his purpose.

He heard the door chime as he was waiting for his next meeting, Thobius Chaluk, known as Double Check, for his method of always checking everything twice. Morgan actually respected the kid for that; he knew more officers needed that mindset.

"Enter," he said, pouring himself a glass of orange juice. He always kept fresh supplies in his quarters, using a stasis unit. He always kept enough to last a year of his drinks, and other supplies. It didn't take much room in the cargo bay, but Captain Bane had allowed it, understanding how some things were better fresh and not replicated.

He also replicated a drink for Chaluk, Romulan spiced tea, which, according to his record, was his favourite, and he watched as the young man walked in, standing stiffly. "As you were," Morgan said, indicating the chair and drink. "Drink?"

Chaluk hesitated for half a heartbeat at the sight of the glass already waiting for him: Romulan spiced tea, steam just barely curling from the surface, before his training reasserted itself. He stepped in smartly, boots stopping just inside the threshold, back straight, hands clasped behind him.

“Aye, Senior Chief,” he said, then corrected himself a fraction of a second later. “Chief of the Boat." Chaluk didn't know how to address such a senior ranking enlisted man, and certainly not the Chief of the Boat.

"Just Chief when on Duty, Morgan when not on duty," Morgan replied, with a smile. "I know it's not normal for COB's to meet with every enlisted crewmember, but I like to do things different. From what I hear, you're kind of particular as well with how you work," Morgan said, as he leant back in his chair, taking a sip of his juice. "And please, relax a little. I just want a chance to get to know you," Morgan added, with a warm smile.

Chaluk nodded once, sharply, even as the instruction to relax worked against drilled habit. He moved to the chair, lowering himself into it with deliberate care, spine straight, shoulders squared. Only after he was seated did he reach for the glass.

“Thank you, Chief,” he said, choosing the form carefully. His fingers wrapped around the warm ceramic, and for a moment the familiar scent of the spiced tea grounded him. He took a measured sip, not too fast, not hesitant either, then set the cup down precisely where he could reach it again.

“I’ve heard that too,” Chaluk continued, a faint edge of dry humor slipping into his voice before he could quite stop it. “About being particular, I mean. I don’t see it that way. I just don’t like things going wrong when they don’t have to.”

He paused, eyes lifting to meet Morgan’s. There was no challenge there, just sincerity.

“I check my work twice because someone usually has to live with the consequences if I don’t. Sometimes that someone is me. Sometimes it’s the ship.” A brief shrug. “I’d rather be slow than wrong.”

Chaluk shifted slightly in the chair, easing a fraction of tension from his shoulders, though his posture remained disciplined.

“I wasn’t expecting this meeting,” he admitted. “Most Chiefs of the Boat don’t bother with junior enlisted unless there’s a problem.” A beat. “So… I appreciate it.”

"Yes, I heard about that from a couple of others. Personally, that kind of attitude doesn't sit well with me. You're supposed to trust me with your lives and career, and how can you do that if I don't know anything about you, and if you don't know about me?" Morgan asked, smiling. "I hope the file was right about your choice of drink," he added, indicating the Spiced tea.

"Oh," Chaluk stated, with a start, and grabbed the mug again. "Yes, quite right. I must admit I am surprised anyone reads those files so closely. I really appreciate that, Chief. Thank you for that extra effort." He took another measured sip. It tasted so real and brought an immense amount of satisfaction to him.

"I updated the replicator code. Before I joined Starfleet, I ran Vindicta corps. One of my people loved Spiced Tea, and I tend to keep the code. Now, I've been wanting to meet you. From what I hear, people call you Double Check, because you double check your work. That's a mindset I want to encourage among the enlisted crew. Making sure the job is done right is what we need to do to make sure everything moves smoothly. It's why I want you to help me with a new project, in getting people to ensure all their work is checked and double checked."

Chaluk felt a faint tightening in his chest at the words help me with a new project. Not fear—surprise, mixed with something uncomfortably close to pride. He kept his expression neutral, though his grip on the mug firmed slightly.

“Yes, Chief,” he said carefully, after a moment to consider his words. “I… appreciate the confidence.” He took another sip, slower this time, buying himself a heartbeat to organize his thoughts. His eyes dropped briefly to the surface of the tea, then lifted again. “If you want people to double-check their work, it can’t feel like punishment,” Chaluk said. “Or suspicion. Most crew will assume it means you don’t trust them. I’ve seen that attitude shut people down.”

He straightened a fraction, hands settling around the mug. “But if it’s framed as protection, of the ship, of each other, it works. Checklists. Peer verification. Quiet redundancy. Nothing flashy.” His lips twitched, just barely. “People don’t mind checking twice if they understand why.” Another pause, then, more cautiously, “I don't have any authority or rank to make people do this, Chief. But if you want someone to help design a system that catches mistakes before they become problems…” He inclined his head slightly. “I can do that.” Chaluk hesitated, then added, more softly, “And for what it’s worth, this tells me you’re serious about knowing the crew. That matters.”

"Thank you, Thobius. Is it okay if I call you by your first name?" Morgan asked. "And that's exactly what I'd like. You're right, it has to be about protecting the ship. The line can be fine, and almost invisible to some. I've seen when people don't work well together. I've seen some people build a wall against others if things go badly. And I want this crew to be a family. We're Starfleet, and we've got a mission, but to succeed, we need to work together," Morgan explained.

"And I appreciate your confidence in me," Morgan added, smiling.

Chaluk blinked once, the request catching him off guard in a way he hadn’t expected. He considered it for a brief moment, then gave a small, precise nod. “Yes, Chief. That’s… that’s fine,” he said. “Thobius is acceptable.” He shifted slightly in his chair, not quite relaxing, but no longer rigid either. The word family lingered in his thoughts longer than he liked; Starfleet used it often, but rarely backed it with action. This felt different. Earned.

“I agree with you,” Chaluk continued. “About walls. Once they go up, people stop talking. And when people stop talking, small mistakes don’t stay small.” His gaze steadied. “If this is done quietly, without calling attention to individuals, it can strengthen trust instead of weakening it.” He glanced down at the mug, then back up, surprised the contents were almost gone. He hadn't remembered taking more sips of the drink. He must have been enjoying this conversation as much as he was the drink. “I don’t need authority for that,” he added. “I just need permission to observe how departments actually work, not how they say they work, then I can report back to you. Patterns show up quickly if you’re looking for them.”

A beat.

“And… thank you, Chief. For trusting a junior enlisted like me with something that matters.”

"Thobius, you've earned this. I've seen your record. You haven't been out of boot that long, and already you've got a dedication that a lot of officers should cultivate. And I'm glad you're here on this ship," Morgan said. "You've got my permission to do what you need for this. If you see patterns, tell me, and let me know your recommendations for improvements. I respect your dedication. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise," Morgan told him.

"Aye, Chief," Thobius stated, his chest swelling a bit. "Thank you, Chief."

"You're welcome. You'll find I never give undeserved praise. And I've seen a lot more than most Fleet Officers. Before Starfleet, I ran, and still own, Vindicta Corps. I've seen the darkness in the galaxy, and honestly, Starfleet is a light that the galaxy needs. It's not always perfect, but that's why we must always be the better people, and keep our work steady," Morgan said. "What brought you to Starfleet?"

Chaluk drew in a slow breath, the question settling more heavily than he’d expected. He straightened, then deliberately eased back again, forcing himself not to retreat into pure formality. “I wanted something that meant something,” he said after a moment. “Order, I suppose. Not imposed, but earned.” His fingers traced the rim of the mug once before stilling. “I grew up around systems that worked because people paid attention. When they didn’, things failed quietly, and then all at once.”

He lifted his eyes to Morgan. “Starfleet isn’t perfect,” Chaluk continued, echoing the words back without thinking. “But it tries. It documents its mistakes. It corrects them. That matters to me.” A brief pause, then more plainly, “I didn’t join to be important. I joined to be useful.” His lips pressed together, then relaxed. “And if I can help keep this ship running the way it should, if checking twice means one less emergency, one less person hurt, then that’s enough for me, Chief.”

Morgan nodded his approval. "I wish I had twenty more like you, Thobius. That's a positive, strong mental attitude, and something that needs cultivating. Starfleet is better off with you in it. Had you joined the Academy, you'd make a damned good officer, but honestly, I'm glad I've got you on this ship," Morgan said.

"If you need any extra resources, or if anyone asks about what you're doing, come see me. You have my complete confidence in this, and with some luck, we'll see improved systems quickly," Morgan added.

"Aye, Chief," Chaluk said, standing up, placing his mug back on the table as he did so, recognizing the meeting was now at its end. He went back to rigid attention and waited to be dismissed. He has his orders from the top guy himself - well, the top enlisted guy, which by Chaluk's reckoning, was just next to the Captain and First Officer, and that was good enough for him.

"Dismissed, Mr. Chaluk. And godspeed," Morgan said. He watched Chaluk leave, and made a note on his file. Chaluk was wasted as an enlisted man, but then, people often underestimated the enlisted. Morgan never did, and he would make sure that the hard work the young man was doing would be noted, especially by himself, and by Captain Bane.

After all, he was the Enlisted Commander, and that was a great power, which meant a great responsibility.


OFF

A JP by


Senior Chief Petty Officer Morgan Harrison
Chief of the Boat
USS Cygnus


and

Crewman Apprentice Thobius Chaluk
Security
USS Cygnus

 

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