Smooth Running

Posted on Sat Aug 20th, 2016 @ 6:16am by

580 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: New Faces and Terror Beyond
Location: Main Engineering
Timeline: Current

I was sat in my little hide away booth/office area in Main Engineering and I'd just finished the last of the maintenance reports. I held remarked surprise at the quality of work, for the most part was above standard ratings but a few areas needed some touch up works from my teams. I'd sent a complete readiness report to Commander Bawden who as I checked the computer was still listed as First Officer of the ship.

It outlined the usuals, efficiency rating, fuel consumption, crystal integrity, overhaul reminders if there were any and temperature records.

It was one of those rare moments that all engineers knew of, experienced a few of them even when everything was running as it should be, ran as it should, operated as designed and intended. Now most engineers would call it a day at that and for the most part I'd slip into that regime every now and then. Today was one of those times. Having just had a complete review, systems update and shipwide maintenance while the whole JAG issue was going on I didn't feel the need right now to go poking holes in systems. I was in the mood of 'If it isn't broken, don't fix it.'

I checked the time and it was only 7 minutes to knock off, I'd pulled the night shift to make sure that when this new Captain of ours pushed the go button, we went. Had to admit though that there is something graceful about the warp core singing in harmony with its twin siblings propelling a starship, the largest in the fleet through the starts. Like a heartbeat beating life to into the ship and we the crew as the blood vessels keeping the whole thing working.

Those 7 minutes drifted by but when they were done my coat hung up and I was out the door. I was quick about it because if I didn't I'd be collared and stopped at every step of the way with last minute questions and such. I was tired and I wanted to go home, eat and then sleep because tomorrow I was reverting back to my day shifts.

Bradshaw's Quarters

"Computer, messages?" I asked and to my surprise there was two waiting for me.

"One Message."

I read it only to find a detailed report on the fuel consumption efficiency curve from the USS Bradbury. I knew the Chief Engineer there and we often tried to tweek the engines just a little, just enough to get ahead of the other. We'd been doing this for some time now and even though since taking on the Ascension, knowing that winning the curve was out of the question at that point it was still something between us Engineers to keep us entertained.

I may have sacrificed the contest of most efficient engines but I had the biggest engines, on the biggest ship in the entire fleet, that was worth some points.

My teams had been working hard making sure everything was in order for the new CO. Rumours were he seemed ok enough, having only met him once it was hard to form an opinion. Still I thought that if I did my job, kept the ship running and cores burning then I was doing something right at least.

As much as I missed the Admiral I could only hope that this new CO knew what he was getting into and more importantly, put the crew first.

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