[S] JP: LtCmdr Core & Cmdr Rahman: Adding a Personal Touch (Part 2)

[Rich Yulin]

((Lounge turned Holodeck, USS Syracuse))

Rahman: And is there a reason you didn’t think to ask first?

::The Rodulan protested his innocence.::

Core: I did! I sent you a memo and everything.

::Roshanara felt her jaw drop slightly.::

Rahman: *That’s* what your memo was about? You said you were just going to do an inspection and “patch any holes.”

Core: I inspected. This is a hole. Hole needs patch. So I’m . . . patching.

::The captain was growing exacerbated.::

Rahman: The hole wasn’t there before. ::She pointed to another.:: Or that one. ...or that one.

::Tristam remained unphased.::

Core: Yeah, this was gonna be done *before* you finished your meeting . . . So . . . technically you walking in is *your* fault.

::If there were any chairs left to sit on, Roshanara would have taken a seat. Instead, she couldn’t even do that with them all stacked up. Grrr. Stupid Rodulan.::

Rahman: ::sighs again, resigned:: What… are you even building here? If I may ask?

::Tristam was happy to move on.::

Core: You may. I am fixing up a holodeck.

::She gave him a look of disbelief.::

Rahman: A holodeck? On a ship this size?

::He nodded.::

Core: So even if it’s not technically a lounge anymore, it can still be a lounge. So don’t worry. Automatic on and off when first person last person walk in and out, not a power drain. And, since your crew are mostly engineers, testing suite.

::Tristam shrugged, getting more comfortable in his place on the floor.::

Core: Honestly I don’t know why they didn’t just install one to begin with . . .

Rahman: Maybe because they figured it’d be a drain on the ship’s power…

Core: There’s a reason I’ve got a “components expert” certificate hanging on my wall in my quarters. You may have seen it. Has a modern yellow frame and everything.

::Roshanara rolled her eyes as he continued.::

Core: That’s a problem easily solved - mark V passive recharge power generators. Newest things to come out of our glorious empire that is SCE.

Rahman: And just how did you manage to get your hands on those--or do I not want to know?

Core: The first one was ETP as you’d expect.

::ETP. Aka the Engineer's Trading Post, a so-called "secret community" of Starfleet engineers and operations officers. Initially founded by a young Ferengi ensign way back when, it's told to be a contact book of people officers and engineers alike can trade ship parts with.::

::Roshanara had dealt with her share of trades and deals to get things done through the ETP--including the more… unusual requests that some had asked in return, such as a copy of

Captain Kells’ signed daily orders or more recently, the Invicta’s conference table, though fortunately, that one was returned sooner than expected.::

Core: The rest were built to specification, mainly for Invicta but easily adapted - you know how much power we drain on the amount of holographic displays we have? Cardiff classes if put to maximum output use more power than a Sovereign running slipstream. It’s insanity.

::She shook her head.::

Rahman: Don’t try to butter me up with your talk of efficiency. ‘Cause it’s only partially working.

::Tristam sighed, getting up from the floor and dropping the driver back into his toolkit.::

Core: Ervami, Syracuse needs to be running at optimal levels, needs to be a useful workspace for its crew. If you let me tinker, it will be both.

::She leaned against one of the stack of chairs and crossed her arms again.::

Rahman: Alright, then, Mr. Tinkerer. Let’s see what you’ve got so far. Start it up.

::He suddenly seemed a bit nervous.::

Core: What, with half of it still missing?

Rahman: Uh-huh. What? You embarrassed to let me see?

::The Rodulan blinked, a slight frown creasing his eyebrows (though translated to look like something far more overdone thanks to his Rodulan expressions) and coughed once.::

Core: Okay. Fine. Computer, run “lounge simulation 1” with all active holopads.

::Only half the room changed, disconnected phantoms displaying only their static, though what was visible was working perfectly. Almost as if he hadn’t torn up half the room. Almost.::

::Roshanara walked forward between the chairs and tables and let her fingers run across one of the simulated tables.::

::Wood grain. Nice touch.::

Rahman: ::looking down at the table to her side:: Not bad.

Core: Not completed.

Rahman: I’m still disappointed though.

::She turned around then and furrowed her brow at him.::

Rahman: That you asked Loupaz to help you. Dragging her into your indiscretions… taking advantage of an innocent crewman like that.

Core:::frowning:: Loupaz is my project assistant - it’s her job. Plus she’s a good engineer. I’m hardly going to refuse help.

Rahman: Uh-huh. I’m sure she is. ::She then unexpectedly shot him a devilish grin.:: I think you’ll still have some help though to finish this up. Computer. Lock the doors to the lounge.

::The computer chirped merrily in compliance. Roshanara stepped up to Tristam and leaned in close.::

Rahman: I might not be your assistant, but I think I’ll be more fun to work with.

----

Lt. Commander Tristam Core

First Officer & SCE Project Manager, USS Invicta

C238803SB0 (I am not a sheep, ser)

&

Commander Roshanara Rahman

Commanding Officer, USS Syracuse

I238705TZ0