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by The Nation of Commonwealth of Baker Park. . 2 reads.

A-One Four Five--Pt 6

The quartet did a lot of collaborative work for the rest of the afternoon, with discussion and trading of information from their notes, agreement on formats for internal communication (including establishing a common password among the four of them for their office LAN files), a rough outline of how they would approach the immediate timeline once the ship was berthed at Newport Yard, and Marie instructing them how to synch up their mobile phones to the server.

The phone rang about 3:45 and Purvis picked up the call. "Yes...Commander O'Brien's office?"

He never hesitated after listening to the information on the other end. "Understood. Bring it up immediately. Thank You." He laid the receiver down. "The equipment you requested from the Supply Depot is here."

Marie stared at him for 20 full seconds without changing her expression, then looked at Keith, and then Davidson, returning to cast her gaze on Purvis; an involuntary upturn of the corner of her mouth led to her licking her lips, which led to her covering her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Purvis, I'm going to make sure you make Senior Chief if you bring that kind of attitude to this project from here on."

The other two laughed, but the Boatswain's Mate still was a bit unsure of why doing his expected duty was seen as unusual.

Marie spoke to the immediate issue; "OK, we are going to need to have a consistent identity for use on the phone and in general paperwork & verbal communication--let's just call it the A145 Project Office. At least until we come up with something catchier".

A few minutes later, a knock at the door brought the men from Central Receiving of FCHQ with several pieces of equipment to be delivered--the mini-refrigerator, a dry erase white board, a small document cabinet--and Marie used the intervening time to motion Purvis into the hallway outside the office.

"I want you to have the confidence to speak as though I am instructing you to say whatever you need to get a message across. You don't have to identify yourself as Boatswain's Mate Purvis, but rather to express that Lieutenant Commander O'Brien wants something done. As a PA, and as the voice of our office, that's the confidence you should show. Obviously, if someone calls in and you know who they are--Mr Matson, the Admiral or some other senior officer--you should reply accordingly. But the definitive tone you used just then, keep that in mind. Understood?"

Purvis nodded and thought about the instruction he was being given. "Yes ma'am. I appreciate the trust you have in me."

She grasped his shoulder and smiled. "Always project a quiet, positive confidence and an air of authoritative respect. You'll be a PO3 soon enough, and I need you to be able to make quick decisions in my name. I've got your back, Steven, and I want you to remember that."

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