Posted by Lieutenant Meredith Monroe (Chief Engineer) in Captains Ready Room - Lt Monroe reporting

Posted by Captain Felix Rhodes (Captain) in Captains Ready Room - Lt Monroe reporting

Posted by Lieutenant Meredith Monroe (Chief Engineer) in Captains Ready Room - Lt Monroe reporting
Posted by… suppressed (9) by the Post Ghost! 👻

Snip

Meredith followed the Skipper, ducking slightly under the lintel of the door by reflex. She lowered herself into the seat opposite him.

“Don’t mind if I do, nearly time for elevenses after all.” She said, selecting a plain looking oat biscuit. She took a nibble, wistfully wishing for some tea to dunk it in. The Old Man seemed a decent sort, even if he was a sassenach.

“It’s good to be back on the auld girl I must say, I did a Cadet cruise aboard her myself, a fine ship, once you get to know her ways.”

Lt Monroe - CHIEF Boiler Monkey

Felix had narrowed his eyes slightly and paid attention to the biscuit she chose. Oatmeal. Oatmeal was traditional, even old fashioned. It wasn’t particularly adventurous but could always be depended on to do what it was supposed to, and most people liked them. Sometimes oatmeal could be paired with another flavor to make something amazing, but at the end of a bad day, oatmeal was always the best to sit down with and relax.

The tall, sturdy Hebridean redhead surprised him with her oatmeal choice, but he rolled up the paper bag and put it to one side. “Yes, I saw it on your file. It’s one reason your name was put forward for the position, Monroe. What kind of Tea do you like? I expect with a term like elevenses you aren’t a fan of the black gold.”

Captain Rhodes, CO

“Breakfast tea, hot, milk, two sugars, pint mug.” Meredith looked slightly surprised as her usual replicator order sprouted almost automatically from her lips.

“Sorry Sir, I had been thinking exactly at that moment how much I could murder a good cuppa.”

Lt Monroe - Chief Engineer

“Well it wouldn’t do to murder one, that would be a waste,” Felix replied dryly as he turned in his seat and then stood and moved to the replicator. “Breakfast tea hot with milk and two sugars, in a big mug, and a Rhodes Number 1.” He barely finished the order when the large mug of tea and and equally large cup of coffee appeared in the small replicator pad, and moments later he was back at the desk with the tea before Monroe and his coffee sitting beside him. The unmistakable smell of hazelnut drifted from the large mug.

“So tell me about the Challenger,” he cradled the mug and leaned back to listen. “What stands out to you from your own Cadet cruise?”

Captain Rhodes, CO

“She’s a fine solid ship, fast when well handled.” Meredith pulled out her PaDD and reviewed some notes.

“I reviewed the logs on the way over, I see the left dorsal nacelle still fluctuates at speeds under warp 4, despite numerous diagnostics and recalibration. Also, I felt that she still does that ever so slight hesitation when going to warp, like a skittish horse tackling a jump. Minor stuff, part of her character, but good as a teaching experience for the cadets.” She glanced up from her notes and took an appreciative slurp of her tea.

“And I see that they finally got the comm system to stop playing “Hail to the Chief” every time the Skipper makes a shipwide broadcast though, the parting gift of a previous cadet that we never could completely purge from the system.”

Lt Monroe - Chief Engineer

“It did what?” He said, pausing slightly as he was about to take a sip and pursed his lips in thought. “Make a note if anyone tries that on this ship their next posting is going to be a garbage scow working the Orion sector.”

“Aye Sir, dinnae worry though, the Cadets’ll have to get up pretty early in the morning to pull that sort of thing while I’m here.” Meredith said with a firm nod.

He finally took a sip of his coffee and looked at Monroe a moment. “So what’s your feelings on taking these cadets out of the Academy for their first real run as bona fide crew on a starship?”

Captain Rhodes, CO

Meredith took a moment to consider and frame her next answer. Her mind running over the crew manifest.

“They’re no a bad bunch of lads and lasses at first impression, some have some rough edges that need smoothing off, others need a little roughing up if you get what I mean Sir?”

Lt Monroe - Chief Engineer

Felix raised an eyebrow and looked at the tall redhead with a relatively blank expression. “I assume you don’t mean encouraging the latter to a round of drinking games in that secret space next to Main Engineering that certain Cadets tend to use to set up home made breweries, no?” Whether or not Felix had ever had any personal experience of any such named behaviour would be nigh impossible to tell.

Captain Rhodes, CO

“I couldn’t possibly know that to which ye refer Sir” Said Meredith, her face so carefully neutral that a career in diplomacy or professional poker beckoned.

“I may have encouraged the cadets to fraternise and get to know each other off shift, purely as a team building exercise. As to the ‘home brew’, as an Isley native I find the idea morally offensive Sir, were I to take a wee dram, it would be only the finest malt my island can produce.”

She reached into the kitbag resting against her knee.

“A Monroe family tradition Sir, when setting sail with a new crew, we always make the same gift to the Captain, a bottle of our local produce. Isley has for generations made two things, sailors and whiskey. I understand ye may not imbibe yourself Sir, but please accept this wee gift for the sake of tradition and a fair voyage.”

She produced a bottle filled with amber liquid, the printed label read ‘LAGAVULIN’

Lt Monroe - Chief Engineer

“Is that?” Felix paused a moment, looking at the bottle in wonder. “Lieutenant, I hope the Captain of every family member who has served has appreciated that gift as much as I do.” He stood, and walked around the desk to end up leaning on the edge beside her chair, and carefully, almost reverentially took the bottle and turned it over slowly.

“10 year malt,” he remarked, his smile light. “Real, too. You know how hard it is to get this out there?” His head inclined towards the window slightly, out of which the view was only stars. “Even back on Earth at Headquarters, it wasn’t something that was commonly available. This, is very much appreciated Lieutenant. I thank you for it.”

Captain Rhodes, CO

“Ye are more than welcome Sir, I’d like to say that the gesture is purely one of respect for yourself, but in truth it be at least 20% myself being scared o’ the consequences of NOT following the tradition.... family legend tells some fairly gruesome tales, there are even sea monsters involved and I’d hate to meet a Space Kraken or some such beastie out here.”

She gave a light laugh, mostly out of embarrassment at herself.

“O’course the real stuff is also slightly easier tay get hold of if ye family home is just over the hill from the distillery and half ye family still work there.”

Lt Monroe - Chief Engineer

He laughed softly and stood, moving to a shelf and placing the bottle alongside a few other various bottles that were clearly being saved for a special occasion, or three. “So you are the proverbial woman whose Father owns the bar, eh? If there are any other superstitions that produce alcohol, let me know. Especially when it’s my shout in the lounge.”

Pausing at the window, Felix adjusted his cuffs and glanced out into the dark of space. “I know a man who used to be the Chief Engineer on the Viking. After that he worked for Intelligence, and then became an Academy Counselor before moving back to Engineering. Akirel Ros, a Bajoran. He actually encountered a space kraken if the stories are true, and a horde of baby space krakens. They all looked like asteroids and tried to feed off the ships plasma energy systems, so make sure you keep those traditions alive.”

He moved back to the desk, but didn’t sit down, instead he leaned on the edge again. “Your duty starts tomorrow, 0700 Hours. I trust you will take the night to settle and unpack from your trip here?”

Captain Rhodes, CO