The Heart of the Ship
Posted on Fri Apr 1st, 2022 @ 7:56pm by Lieutenant Elen Diari & Captain Edmund Merrick
Edited on on Tue Apr 5th, 2022 @ 2:31am
1,709 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
Episode 12 - Risin' To Risa
Location: Main Engineering - Deck 11 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD004 1130 hrs
He wasn't paying any mind to where his feet led him until he found himself just outside of Engineering. Edmund froze slightly realizing where he was at. Engineering, he gave a shake of his head, then decided to step inside. It was probably strange for someone not of engineering to come in here, but then again, he didn't know how people worked on this ship, not as of yet. He looked around glancing about, taking in the scent of the place, it bringing up memories. He paused and asked one of the engineers that were there if the Chief Engineer was there. Perhaps she was in her office, or not. Either way he was going to walk around just for a moment just to look about.
El looked up from the main engineering table, where she was working on the week's rosters- well that was what she'd say if anyone asked, hopefully they wouldn't notice the science journals on the padds instead.
"Hello there" she smiled, coming over "come in, make yourself at home."
Merrick's brows rose, "Um thanks, hope you don't mind my coming in to take a look around. Some chief engineers can take umbrage if someone who's not wearing gold to come in. Been told not my country so stay out." giving a wry smile. "I still went in anyway." chuckling. "Oh by way of introduction, I'm lieutenant Edmund Merrick, XO of the Marines."
"Hi. El Diari, Chief engineer." she offered out a hand " It's fine, we're not busy just now, usually we have a marine at the door to keep the riff-raff out, but Valeria is away on a supply run with the guys."
"Would I be considered riff raff?" an amused expression in his eyes. "Though one could think that I could be that sort." Edmund giving a chuckle. He looked about some more. "Looks like you've got this place humming rather well."
El Shrugged "Valeria does the vetting, ask her next time she's in the playpen with the rest of the Marines. We've just a had a refit to put that monstrosity in, so it's a case of getting things back to running normally, still got a few glitches to iron out, so it's a bit deceptive that things look as good as they do." She answered, gesturing over at the Quantum drive.
Edmund walked over to get a better look at it. "They certainly didn't have anything like this on the ship I had been stationed on years ago. My wife would have loved to have gotten a close look at this drive." A wave of nostalgia swept across him, as he gazed at the piece which kept the ship alive. "yes, she would have loved this." he turned and gave a small smile. "She used to tell me all about what she'd had to fix. Anything from a glitchy replicator that only put out grape jelly to a part of the ship that had no gravity at all."
"These would be the bane of her existence then," Elen came over to him, putting two little blocks on the rail around the drive, "Microcontrollers, red ones in replicators, yellow ones in grav plating. Go on, tell me about this great engineer."
Her query gave Edmund a pause, his eyes scanning hers then decided to tell Elen a little bit about Vivian.
"Vivian was about your height, and a fine engineer." he chuckled, "She had dark almost black hair which reached just below her shoulder blades. Dark brown eyes, definitely rather lively personality. And rather determined." he turned to look once more towards the warp engine. "She wasn't afraid of doing what she felt she needed to do, and we did get along with each other rather well. Sure we got in the normal sort of some spats, comes with married life, but we didn't stay angry with each other. She was very eager to find out the more advanced developments where engineering was concerned. She even took pride in the energy output from the engines as well." a broad smile appeared, then it faded away. "My wife, she loved the ship so much that she did what she needed to do to save it." he turned slightly to look at Elen. "She went in after the ship had been in a fight, the ship had taken heavy damage. There wasn't much of an opening to get into Engineering. If she didn't go in, all of us would have died." his voice cracked with emotions. "She was a hero." He swallowed hard, and turned his gaze back to the warp engine. He had placed his arms on the railing. "I had to give her a boost into there." he stopped and lowered his head. "It had to be done, there was no way around it."
He cleared his throat. "She loved to dance, and loved to go camping. And she loved me."
Elen came over and put an arm round Merrick, "Sounds like a great person, you take as much time, or as many visits here as you want- a place to remember her, and talk if you want to. Can't promise she'll reply, but I'm here. Sad to say, I've lost friends here in a similar way" pointing out a brass plaque on the rail "Dana died in one of the nacelles of radiation and plasma burns, we nearly came to blows to stop her going.... we're a pretty stubborn lot in gold."
Merrick nodded, "Thanks." and he also looked at the plaque. "I am sorry for your loss as well. And..." he got a bit of a smile. "Don't I know it about a stubborn lot." feeling a bit better, Elen's demeanor definitely helping out. "I think she would have liked you. And I also wore gold as well. I used to be in the security department."
"So, what prompted the move ? The promise of big guns, or the chance to use them in new and interesting places ? That's the reasons I usually hear" She joked.
"Those are good reasons." Merrick giving a laugh, then the smile faded, "My reason though, came from being on an away mission that went wrong. It was an unknown situation, and the away team got into trouble. We were attacked by insurgents, several of the team members got injured, one of them being the XO. I did what I could but, I wasn't trained for that sort of situation. Plus there was lack of information as well. We got back to the ship and I resigned my commission and went into the Marines. I needed more training and it was the best thing I could think of to do, and to do my duty to the fullest."
El was speechless, a rarity for her, and she just squeezed Edmund more tightly "geeze, you've had it rough. If it were up to me, I'd chuck you into a Klingon cuddle dungeon with someone of a pleasing gender and leave you there." she finally said, feeling sorry for the marine.
"Eh, others have had it more worse than I have." Returning the embrace, then Merrick let her go. "I am appreciative of what I have now, and I'll just press on moving forward. As for tossing me somewhere with a pleasing gender, I'd have to decline. I'm just a little bit prickly."
"Of Course" El rolled her eyes "One of those hard nut marines. Body of steel, like the marine commandoes I have a picture of in my office, all of them tough and prickly, having a tea party with a young girl who used to be on this ship- all glitter and shiny stuff. Sure one of them still has the unicorn sticker on their armour."
Edmund laughed outright, "I would love to see that image. You certainly have the answer for my excuses don't you." a twinkle in his eyes. "I have this feeling that what the Captain said to me early on, this ship will be a life changer. And sooner or later I won't be able to resist its siren's call." his gaze darkened slightly, "Just hope I don't end up being the one who draws someone forward onto sharp rocks." he looked at Elen, "Don't worry, I will be talking to a counselor though. I don't want to keep myself locked up in the past."
"The picture's over there" Elen gestured in the area of an alcove " Right hand side, second shelf down. Don't whatever you do help yourself to one of the chips in the dish next to it, that unlock the replicators, otherwise everyone will want one. As for answers, well, used to excuses, am an engineer after all. As long as you talk to somebody, doesn't have to be the counselor, maybe the cute Doctor O'Rouke ?"
Edmund walked over and took a look at the image of the hardened Marines having a tea party with the little girl. He grinned as he saw the smiles of everyone in there. He glanced back at Elen, "Are you working on playing cupid?" turning fully around and walking back to her side, with a teasing smile. "Doctor O'Rourke is a lovely woman."
El mockingly put her hands up in surrender " You got me. My evil plan was to keep Hermia's mind and other parts occupied, so she forgets about the yearly medicals."
This caused Edmund's eyebrows to raise towards his hairline, as he gave out a mocking gasp. "I knew it!" clapping his hands to the side of his face, then he laughed a deep belly laugh. When he finished Edmund wrapped an arm around El and gave her a heartfelt one armed hug. "Thank you, I truly thank you, I needed that." he cast one more look around Engineering, then he released El. "I'll see you around. Don't be too surprised if you see me again." With that he strode out of engineering with some pep in his step. Edmund was most definitely feeling better.
A Joint Post By
First Lieutenant Edmund Merrick
The Cure Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Elen Diari
Chief Engineering Officer, USS Pioneer
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