Chat with Specialists
Posted on Sun Sep 27th, 2020 @ 7:37pm by Lieutenant Paul Michael & Lieutenant Elen Diari & Lieutenant Josh Randall
Edited on on Sun Sep 27th, 2020 @ 11:29pm
1,733 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
Episode 10 - New Home, Same Pioneers
Location: Engineering office
Timeline: MD004 1030 hrs
"Oh, hello , you must be Paul. The blonde Bombsite said, you might be calling. I'm T'gar, He's Surek, and... well, you don't need to know who Doug is, as he's wandered off" The Trakan said, a broad smile coming over his cat-like face, motioning to the Vulcan opposite, and an empty chair.
Paul nodded. "Happy to meet you all." He pulled out his PADD. "I'm rather nervous about the new drive. I've been doing diagnostics, everything appears normal. but I still have this nasty feeling that something isn't right."
"Perhaps we should discuss the output to the master system display, to see if things are configured correctly." Surek suggested, "What is the XY variance ? It is in the top right corner, usually reported in fractions of a micron, that is how well the dilithium crystals are centred in the drive."
T'gar saw the look of confusion on Paul's face "Don't confuse him, Surek, Tactical, right ?" he motioned to the colour of the uniform "OK, why do you tell us why it doesn't feel right, is something missing, or just not fitting tight enough ?" He paused, "knowwhat, press the icon for the person that's going to pop up on screen, we'll holoconference, means we can alter things, and Surek can read the numbers for himself"
Paul nodded to T'gar. "Actually, sir, I am an operations officer. So my job is to make sure that the ship is perfect operational order, and that no major loss of power occurs. So my concern, is that when the new drive kicks in, the ship doesn't lose power to critical systems. I'm not an engineer, but I work closely with the engineering section, so I'm sure your calculations are correct, and that I am probably being very paranoid about what happens to the ship."
"As an old Romulan friend of ours said- you can never been too paranoid, especially about power systems. It's why El's bells has been working on the power grid during the installation, bending poor Doug's ear off in the process. She's used to her luxuries- replicators, sonic showers, lights, and doesn't want to lose them just to go a bit faster- rather have chocolate than transwarp, So she's separating the systems. Don't blame her, no point in doing Andoria to Tellar in a day if you stink when you get there as no shower." T'gar replied.
"Indeed. Oracilus' maxim is true. You were wise to voice your concerns, especially with the modern approach of integrating ship's power into one unit, which we agree leaves vulnerabilities in regards failure." Surek chimed in. "But we have been warned professionally from voicing our opinions on the matter."
Paul looked at Surek. "Are you saying that your careers may be in jeopardy if you bring up any opinions about the safety of the new drive?"
"Not the safety of the drive, all the proper protocols and testing has been done, and we think it is within safety parameters, just the current trend of making the warp drive the only source of power for the ship, with no secondary systems. We are some of the few who support the idea of fusion reactor networks for ships systems, which is against the prevailing view." Surek answered.
Paul thought about what the man just told him. "Question, would you be on board during a test flight, and if no, should I go to my captain and tell him to cancel the flight?"
"We would like very much to be board for test flights, or given our present station based role, flights in general. Our worry is if the drive is offline, means a lack of power generation on the ship, and batteries only last so long." the Vulcan answered.
Paul thought about what they were saying to him. "Please excuse me. I have to speak to Lt Diari on an urgent matter." Paul left the specialists and rushed over to Diari's office. When he got there, he didn't wait for her to say "enter" and he rushed in. "We have to tell the captain to cancel the test flight immediately!"
Elen had her arm round Dr. Randall, pointing at a picture over what passed for her desk "And this is my Nephew, Saraan, he's about a month old, five-eighths Andorian, We're still working out how his father managed to breed, not from a genetics way, more of a zero skills with women...." She cut off when she sensed Paul "Ok, Paul. Not signed off on the flight yet, so no need to see the captain. What have you found ?"
He saw Diari with her arm around the new doctor....is it possible that she is smitten with him? "I've been speaking to those specialists you mentioned, none of them feel that having the new drive as the ship's sole system is logical. If we lose the drive, the ship is powerless." He looked at them. "We need to cancel the test!"
Elen looked over exasperated "Paul, Honey. I know. I had the same discussion with them, oh, two weeks ago, Why Hairy Doug isn't there just now. I've been separating the power generation system from the warp drive. We're just about done, Doug's away getting some specs for me for emergency patching together if we need to. And I'm trying to snaffle a backup standard drive, but you didn't hear that from me."
She gave Randall a peck on the cheek. "Excuse me, Darling." As she reached over him for a Padd, "Here. this is the grid schematics. Independent of the drive."
Paul took the Padd and sat down and started reading....in El's office.
El smiled "Comfortable Pauly ?" She moved round him in the cramped office to reach a metal tin from the shelf over Paul's head. Opening it, she pulled out a handful of isolinear chips, and then shook the tin until a blue metal ring fell out.
"Did you know Josh, that Paul here is getting married soon, to some poor ensign, Lyna, I think. Hopefully she'll not hurt him too much, saw her coming back from the holodeck with a pretty sweet naginata."
She continued. "This is my old wedding ring- long story, time warp, alternate future- don't worry, Honey, technically it didn't happen, but I'm not drunk enough to give the full report just now, but Paul, it's now yours, well... Lyna's. Hope it brings you a long and happy marriage like it did for me." Throwing the ring onto the padd.
Paul picked up the ring, and looked at her. "This is extremely generous of you, lietenant, but I can't accept something so personal like this." He took a peek at the doctor. "What if you wanted to get married again?"
Josh looked up when he heard "marriage". He looked at El. "You were married before?" He wasn't looking to jump into anything so quickly.....
"Kind of. Was stuck in a time wedgie as an ensign, lived 25 years in there, made lt. commander, married, three kids, then we -the ship- got out, time reset, two weeks had passed. I was 24 again, ensign again, no kids, and only I can remember it all. The guy I married, Danzil, he's in hospital still, eight years later, mind's gone completely." Elen explained "Still get confused by it sometimes. But going by the proper timeline, no, and a medical scan would show never had kids. Made that ring as was used to wearing it, but haven't worn it in years, so better it on someone's finger than in a tin, tarnishing."
Paul looked at her, then the ring. "It's a generous offer, lieutenant. I'll talk it over with Lyna and get back to you." He put the ring in a safe place, then looked at the PADD again. "This changes things, lieutenant. Looks like you have everything covered, so I will withdraw my request." He stood up. "Can I help you with anything else?"
"Just one thing. Could you turn off the call with TG and Sur ? Bit weird having them wandering around here holographically" Elen replied, looking out into engineering, where her friends holographic figures were setting up for a game of cricket.
"I'll get right on it, chief." Paul left the office and headed towards the main console panel.
Once Paul left, Josh went over and hugged El from behind. He whispered in her ear, "Now, where were we before we were intrupted?"
"Inter-species genetics ?" She replied coyly, unzipping her jacket "But maybe we should talk about it somewhere private, or at least with a door."
Josh smiled at her. "Your place or my place, darling?"
"We'll mine has chocolate, and a hot water bubble bath, but it's up to you." Elen smiled over her shoulder, walking towards the exit of engineering.
Josh started to follow her. ~bubble bath?~ When he caught up to her, he took her arm, "Your place sounds acceptable."
"Oh, Sorry Josh, was wittering away there telepathically, I tend to do that. Was just saying it's good to be docked for getting these little luxuries." El smiled at him, inviting him into the opening turbolift door.
Josh entered the turbolift behind her, and when the doors closed, he embraced her, and moved to kiss her.
El sensed this "Oh, go on then" she said pushing her hair back out of her face.
====*====
Up on the bridge, the ensign at tactical noticed something on the internal sensors "Sir, turbolift 4 seems to be shaking as it's travelling up from engineering to deck 3." They told the lieutenant in the command chair.
====*====
The turbolift arrived on deck 3, and the both of them were, shall we say, not in complete proper uniform, but luckily, there was no one around when the lift doors opened.
El got out of the turbolift,and started pushing bits of her body back into her clothing, that had somehow fallen out in transit. "Josh, ready for round two ?" she asked, heading towards her quarters.
Josh held her hand as she led him to her quarters. "Anytime, anyplace." He smiled at her.
A joint post by;
Lieutenant Elen Diari
Chief Engineering Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Josh Randall
Surgeon, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Paul Michael
Chief Flight Control Officer, USS Pioneer
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