Posted by Lieutenant Commander Natasha Knight (Chief Medical Officer) in Pre-sim: XO on tour - engineering (TAG: CE and the engineering crew)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Rebecca “Becca” Ngata (Executive Officer) in Pre-sim: XO on tour - engineering (TAG: CE and the engineering crew)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Jarred Alindor (Chief Engineer) in Pre-sim: XO on tour - engineering (TAG: CE and the engineering crew)
Posted by… suppressed (4) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Becca started her familiarisation tour of the ship with the place she had always considered the beating heart of any vessel, main engineering and the massive warp core that it contained.

She stepped through the doors and stopped to look and listen to how the department was being run. Whilst she was no engineer, having spent her whole active duty in security postings, she, like all cadets that made it out of the academy, had at least a firm grasp of the basics, and she liked to get a feel for how a department was running, did the staff look tired? Stressed? Happy? Was routine maintenance underway? She took a step back and soaked in her first impressions of the department.

Becca Ngata - XO

“Run that by me again?” came Jarred’s voice as he came past a corner with two Ensign’s in tow following him as he took the PaDD as he glanced over it as he shook his head. “I have told Tasha no… twice to this. She thinks cause I am Kalani’s husband that I broke the rules for her terrarium, but I did none of the such. That woman just wore down Captain Knight until he said yes”

“Which is exactly what she is going to do to us and then you sir. The last time she mentioned it Commander Knight ended the conversation with and I quote, its not like I can’t find him I know where he works,” the ensign said. One of two things needed to happen with the conversations. Alindor needed to say yes or transfer.

”… besides it’s illegal… I think…” it’s a gray area.” he said as he put the PaDD back to the Ensign on his left as he turned a corner.

“If I may,” the perky woman added, “your biggest mistake was taking down Lt. Borland’s wall and putting in the door to sick bay for the pediatric suite. We all told her it would never happen yet..you did it.” It was well known in Starfleet that while pips played a role in marriage and Starfleet no rank, even that of Admiral, lasted behind closed doors. Natasha and Dante were the epitome of that dynamic. It was no secret that when the fiesty Russian doctor wanted a kids suite in sickbay suddenly Lt. Ralph Borland’s office was moved to a different floor. The parents of the children now had a small but colorfully decorated area attached to sick bay. The crew thought there was no way one could just remodel a ship in orbit like it was a home yet when Nat set her mind on the idea, the captain approved it and the engineer completed it.

“She said you might say that sir, and she said she would hound us until you say yes… please don’t let her keep interrupting me in my off time. She scares me sir.” the small perky woman said as she kept pace with Jarred as he paused before looking back at the pair.

“Scares you? She’s like a buck ten soaking wet… and the CMO… how the devil does she scare you? Is it the accent? You know I am not even sure that’s her real accent… I swear I heard her slip out of it once when we were playing low gravity put-put.” Jarred said as he looked at the two with a narrowed stare wondering what was going on.

“Sir?” said the other Ensign whose eyes were as wide as saucers as he seemed to be looking directly behind Jarred.

“She’s behind me isn’t she” Jarred asked as both nodded as Jarred quickly turned around. “Tasha!” he said with a high happy tone as he looked happy to see her before he pointed a finger directly on her chest. “Leave my crew alone, and no… no… not gonna happen.” Jarred said as he began to walk past her.

Alindor, CE

“Oh, it is going to happen. The question is whose will do you think is actually stronger.” Natasha had a steely determination in her voice. “Quick history lesson,” she matched her step to his. “Battle of Kulikovo 1380. My ancestors were surrounded by the Mongol hordes. It was an assured victory but was it,” she had a snarky tone to her voice as she drew the sentence out. “We rallied, drove them out, and took back the motherland.....from Mongol hordes. You know how much determination that required of us?” Natasha waited for his reply.

“Battle of Borodino 1812,” Nat rattled off another date. “Tsar Alexander the first burned Moscow almost to the ground so that when Napoleon reached it he found a dead empty, husk. Do you know what trait that showed in the Russian populace? Patience,” she responded immediately. “Yeah it sucked we didn’t have a capital for a year but we knew full well the French would not stick around and that winter was coming. Three months of patience resulted in us not only driving the usurpers out of the motherland again but completely decimating the Napolenonic army. We did what no other country in Europe was able to do not once but twice if you count the reply a century and quarter later with the Germans. Are you understanding what I am saying Alindor?” Natasha never paused her steps or her speech.

“I am saying I have the determination and patience to see that distillery,” she handed him a PaDD, “somewhere on this ship. You need to get on board with this program and find your inner Russian’s determination and patience with fulfilling my dream of brewing and distilling or I will drive you screaming into the night like a Mongolian Frenchman. Also I have no where to be so we can either take five minutes and discuss our plans or I can follow you around for the next five hours doing it piecemeal.”

Natasha let out a sigh. “Come on Jarred. You know what it is like. You have a kid. They are wonderful but they suck up space faster than a black hole. I can’t make vodka in Oscar’s room. I mean what kind of back woods hill billy mother does that? I need a place to kick back, unwind, and perfect my craft. Heck Kalani even said she would find some space and cultivate those cuttings I brought back from Italy. It was from Dante’s home region in Italy. With enough room I could make wine, vodka, and a whole host of beverages…as long as you help me with my dream.”

Natasha Knight CMO

“I am not giving you a distillery! That’s all this ship needs is a liquored up crew.” Jarred said with a deep sigh as he thought about it. “Come on where do you think we are going to do this?”

Leaning over the barrier on the mezzanine level, Becca witnessed the whole conversation between the group below. With a small sigh to herself she mentally pulled on her XO hat and moved to intervene before things got heated. She loved Nat to pieces but she also know that sometimes her friends’ stubbornness could cause issues and it was better to nip it in the bud quickly before she really dug her heels in and would need a full security team shift her.

Becca grabbed the ladder and setting her feet to the outside, slid quickly down, slowing her decent as she reached the bottom and letting her knees absorb the shock of landing. She strode over to the group, her stride purposeful and measured.

She nodded to both of the senior officers present. “Commander Alindor, Commander Knight, perhaps we should take this conversation somewhere more private than the middle of engineering? Your office perhaps Chief?” She said, her tone making it clear that she wasn’t really asking a question.

Becca Ngata - XO

“No, my office is closed off due to a fire that happened from my daughter thinking she was an engineer… I have the team working to repair the damage but I have needless to say no replicator right now… or a couch. Is there anything I can help you with exactly sir? The engineering conference room is free, the lab only has a small experiment right now.” Jarred suggested as he looked over at Becca, not really sure why she was here right now but expected she was like every other XO who came in and suddenly wanted to chat. It often left him finding time to juggle responsibilities with everyone. They never meant wrong but it slowed down his schedule, he hadn’t been the chief engineer for years without fixing a few things and finding a groove that kept her well oiled.

Alindor, CE

“A fire caused by a someone unqualified to be in main engineering? You can explain that one to me later. Right now I’m wondering why two of my senior officers are having a disruptive ‘discussion’ in the middle of the department?” She was roughly the same height as the Chief and had no problems looking him in the eye. She looked over at Dr Knight and gave her the same treatment, Nat had to know that they might be friends, but work came first.

Becca waved her hand towards the conference room the chief had indicated was available.

“Let’s go and talk this through in private, before anything else catches fire around here.”

Becca Ngata - XO

Nat led the way to the office Alindor spoke of. Entering the office Natasha motioned to Alindor. “Can you get us three cups of coffee and some of those cookies your sister shared with us at the wedding?”

“Sure… ” Jarred said with a small smile as he rolled his eyes. “You want it like Kalani or do you take it rougher?”

Walking over to Becca, Natasha leaned in and whispered in her friends ear, “the office was not set fire. His wife and mother wanted to redecorate it so we lied and told him the replicator went on the fritz when Lizzy used it. It has been a nightmare trying to keep him out of it.” Seeing Jarred returning, Nat sped up the conversation

Holding up a hand to make sure the conversation continued, Nat filled the XO in more. “I know that interior decorating is not on the Starfleet agenda but his dad has a terminal illness. His parents came a month ago to visit before the symptoms start to take hold. His mom wanted to give Jarred some of this Dad’s things only their relationship has always been a bit strained so it is kinda like a family reconciliation thing.” Taking a seat she waited for Jarred to give her the coffee. If Becca wanted to know more about the situation, she could fill her in after the talk.

Nat Knight

Alindor, CE