After Franklin

Posted on Thursday June 9th, 2022 @ 9:39pm by Lieutenant Finchley Kerr

Mission: Days of Our Lives
Location: Main Engineering, USS Oberon

Finchley wanted to get to know about the crew of his new home, so as Acting Captain, he felt it was his duty to tour the ship and meet the Department Heads. For him, the beating heart of any vessel was Engineering, so that was where he headed first and to meet the Chief Engineer.

Walking through the doors, he heard the familiar hum of a warp core and watched as the crew there went diligently about their duties. He didn't want to disturb them doing so, so he set about trying to find Lieutenant Brolga, the Klingon Chief Engineer.

Brolga was, evidently, not very difficult to find. Klingons stood out. Klingons were not usually engineers. So a Klingon engineer stood out like a sore thumb while he stood behind one of the enlisted officers and watched them enter some code on a console. The Klingon's eyes shot up towards Kerr as the man came into view. Brolga was always watching. Always on edge. Living in the wilderness for a few years as a child can do that to you and a Command officer walking around the engineering department was much easier to spot than a beast hiding in the shadows of a forest. "Sir," Brolga spoke to his superior as he took a step away from the console. The crewman glanced up just a moment later and it took them a couple seconds to realize who Brolga was speaking to before they, too, stood at attention.

"At ease Gentlemen, this isn't an official visit, I'm just making my rounds, getting to know the Department Heads and their staff" Finchley said. Placing his hands behind his back, he looked at Brolga, and thinking the Chief would appreciate directness he asked "So Chief, how are thing running in Engineering...I meantruly running...not a polished turd answer, is there anything you need?" he asked.

The crewman sat back down at the console and continued typing, though it was obvious that their attention was on the acting captain and that a new sort of nervous energy punctuated their work.

"Everything is running well here. Though that does not say too much, as the ship is not currently under much stress." The engineering crew on this ship was fairly small, compared to the crew of the station that Brolga had worked on before, and therefore relatively easy to manage despite the unique difficulties that came with it being a ship. "As for anything I need, well, I have sent in my requests to the operations department. Most recently, a request for better thruster control circuitboards and a few smaller pairs of magboots." The Klingon spoke with dutiful formality, not the manic enthusiasm towards machinery that some other chief engineers might display. "Is there anything that you need from me, sir?"

"I'm just doing a walk round Chief, making sure all Departments have everything they need, getting to meet those who work there" Finchley replied "Though, now that I'm here, I would like to ask you a favour. Starship engineering was never a strong point for me at the Academy, so I was wondering, only when you had time that is, if you could take me through a few training modules. Nothing fancy, just the basics of this Luna Class. Would you have the time?"

"It would be an honor, sir." The Klingon responded in a neutral voice. He would just have to assume that the acting captain had good intentions... not that he was just learning because he didn't trust Brolga to do his work. Brolga let out a small breath. No. That was just the paranoia in him speaking. "I would definitely have the time." It wasn't like he had many friends here to hang out with, after all.

"I'm very grateful Chief" Finchley replied "Can we take a quick tour of Engineering just now?"

"Sure thing, sir." Brolga nodded, stepping away from the console. Of course the first place he walked towards was the warp core. It was just such a visible, fascinating piece of the engine. "Here is the warp core." He spoke simply.

"Yes, I understand the mechanics behind how the ship is powered Chief" Finchley replied "I was thinking more the nuts and bolts of the internal machinations are, how the ship systems operate" he finished.

Brolga looked over at Finchley, quiet for a moment. To Brolga, the warp core was the most fascinating part. Despite not showing much enthusiasm outwardly, Brolga was gushing over the machine. Having only worked on stations before, this alone in the engineering room was new. Novel. Maybe Brolga's first paranoid assumption that Finchley was here because he didn't trust Brolga to do the work was correct after all. "Well. A lot of the internal machinations are directly related to the warp system, considering how energy intensive the containment of it is. I thought this would be a good place to start. If you want more literal nuts and bolts, though, I can show you the ship integrity monitor over here -" Brolga motioned towards another console, his annoyance barely visible behind his regular coat of quiet dutifulness.

Finchley moved across to the monitor, and leaning over it he began taking in the readings on the screen. As he squinted a little to read the screen he asked in an almost teacher like way "So tell me Lieutenant, how is kilojoules output for the ships integrity field offset against power demand for the other critical systems, is there a special reserve for the integrity field, or a separate system even?"

Brolga closed his eyes for a second and then opened them, looking at the man. He wanted to leave. This man was obviously just toying with him, trying to get him worked up. He didn't sound like he really cared about the engineering of it. As an engineer and as a person, Brolga wanted to de-escalate, but as a Klingon, such might be dishonourable. Damn honour. "Sir. If you really want to know: the fields are on a flexible power source, with a base amount of power decided towards them unless manually directly towards other systems. But if you are just here to quiz and belittle me, I will have to warn you that my culture does not take kindly to such." Although Brolga did, in fact, feel a little anger he spoke with a calm, collected tone as if he were simply stating facts.

"I really was wanting to know Lieutenant, and thank you for explaining it" Finchley replied, then stood directly in front of Brolga "Don't ever speak to me like that again Lieutenant, is that understood. I was asking a genuine question because I wanted to know, making a threat against a Senior Officer is not taken lightly by me, you're warning me? I'm willing to overlook what you said this time, but try it again and you'll find yourself in the brig. Get back to your duties, dismissed."

Finchley watched as the Klingon Officer walked off. He had no idea what his problem was, he was honestly wanting to know about the systems of the ship and how they operated, but that serious show of disrespect wasn't going to be tolerated. Leaving Main Engineering, he decided he needed a cup of tea and a sit down, so he headed for the Mess Hall.