[V-ME] JP: Lt. Cmdr Luna Walker & Lt JG Carter Greyson: "Of Chiefing and Conversations" part II

[Mike Walberg]

(( Main Engineering, Chief Engineer's Office, USS Veritas ))

​

:: Strike one. No involvement on large projects for him. Only theoretical puzzles on refitting older vessels, which reminded Carter that he still had to follow up with Mei'konda about the status of that project. ::

Greyson: So that's a no on big projects, then?

:: Luna shook her head with a slight frown.  This wasn't going the way she'd expected... ::

Walker: No, I’m not saying you can’t.  I’m just making sure we are on the same page.  Similarly, when we are bartering for parts, I’m mostly expecting us to all be working from a list and getting what we can.  :: chuckling:: It’ll be my first time trading for parts instead of requesting and demanding them.  So not sure how much you’ll learn from me there.

:: Strike two. None of his academy courses had provided insight into a trader's mindset, so getting parts was probably going to be harder than actually running the department. Still, the skills were nice to have, even if he didn't get much of a chance to practice them on his own. It'd be a first, and he wanted to see how it was done from someone with more chiefly experience than he possessed. ::

Greyson: First time for everything. :: He gave another thoughtful pause. :: Guess the challenge then, is figuring a way to get in that practice I don't have.  

:: She wanted to add, "without being put into a situation that will scare you away".  Which was where her mind went whenever she considered allowing someone else to control engineering on her ship. ::

Walker: Yeah, that’s the tricky one.  If I’m here, no one is going to actively listen enough for you to learn your style.  So I’d need to be off the ship.  However, you’ve signed up for the part time SAR team.  Which means you normally would be tagged as the designated person for away missions.

:: He'd forgotten about that, though most of his SAR efforts had been one covert mission and a couple of flight runs. While Carter didn't mind having his piloting skills tested, he wasn't really the sort for covert anything. He was scared out of his mind when they found the scatter device, but that was partially due to it only being his second away mission on the ground and first out of uniform. ::

Greyson: Right. Forgot about that. :: Sigh. :: Suggestions?

:: Thankful for the simple answers of how, she shrugged and quickly ran down her thoughts. ::

Walker: I’d say we talk to the Captain and Commander Kelrod.  Share that for an upcoming mission I’ll replace you on the SAR team and you’ll stay on the ship.  And.. you’ll need to do one other thing come to think of it.

Greyson: :: Arching an eyebrow. :: Oh? What's that?  

Walker: You’ll need to explain to Danni why I’m leaving the ship.  I’d do it... but I’m sure I have an assistant for all the truly dangerous tasks.  :: Grinning::

:: Carter felt that he'd worked with Danni forever since his transfer to engineering, but that hadn't been the case. The truth was, he hardly knew her at all yet they'd worked side by side for a while now...but being married to his boss, he didn't have a ready explanation to give her. Also, that lopsided grin made him a bit nervous for some reason. He couldn't put his finger on it just yet, but that grin... same derpy look as before? ::

Greyson: Why are you being a grinning lunatic about this? I mean, would she buy the excuse that I just need the practice?

Walker:  Well, it's possible that she would.  I mean it's a rational and reasonable reason.  :: She couldn't keep the smile off her face as she said it, nor the lilt to her voice. :: I mean anything is possible after all..  what do you think?

Greyson: You tell me. After all, you know her better than I do, since you married her.

:: Which was actually the point.  Being a chief wasn't all roses, and maybe that's part of the lesson she should teach.. carefully. ::

Walker: Well, I'd say you have one officer married to another, and are asking for that officer to put themselves in harms way.  I'd have to guess that most spouses would frown on that in general.  

:: Perhaps she was right. Perhaps asking one's significant other to willingly step in harms' way was a bad idea. However, in his experience, sometimes the bad ideas had to be endured in order to eventually pave the way for the good ones. For example, his decision to become an engineer after a mishap with the tactical console was a good idea, while his choice to be a tactical officer was a bad one. ::

Greyson: I see.

Walker: Other than the harassment value, which admittedly is high, it's a very teachable moment. :: She exhaled as the memory hit home and drove the mirth from her face. :: Carter, one of the admin tasks that I have not ever shared, writing the letters to those engineer's families that have passed, or been too injured to stay on the ship.  I've had to explain what happened, why it happened, and hope that they understand.

:: Is that why Cadfael was in such a bitter mood all those months aboard Ops? Then again, he seemed to recall that Cadfael was running the department singlehandedly for a while without ever actually rising to full chief status. He'd read that his former superior had briefly been chief of the Victory, but that was only for a brief period of time. He nodded faintly and drew a breath. ::

Greyson: I don't blame you for not sharing that portion with me. :: He paused. :: Do you think they actually understand what happened and why?

:: If she were being honest, she didn't think so.  She thought they blamed her for each loss at least as much as she did.  But Carter didn't need to hear that, and the nagging voices of multiple counselors, and her wife, said maybe she shouldn't believe that either. ::

Walker: I hope so.  But I'd say it's just as likely that they are too stricken by grief, rage, or whatever other emotions to contact me back.  In any case, you are going to have to tell someone, in advance, that you are putting someone they care about in danger.  Obviously you don't expect anything will go wrong, but.. while I'm off the ship, if you're anything like me in this regard, part of you will be worrying about what you'll need to say if I don't come back.  

:: Carter kept his expression neutral despite the emptiness he felt at the possibility of explaining the reasons Luna didn't return to Danni. On the one hand, he wanted this to happen so he could get that experience he needed in order to progress. On the other hand, he also felt that perhaps maybe he was attempting to pursue chief status in all the wrong ways. ::

Greyson: What are your thoughts on it?

Walker: :: She shrugged sadly:: Do you want the truth?  Or the jokester image I share with everyone out there?  And every chief I've run into shares my thought on this as well..  any death that happens on the ship? It's on the Chief Engineer as much as the Captain.  
:: He hadn't met a single chief who didn't share that view, in any department. Carter gave another nod and considered the possibilities in silence for a moment. ::

Greyson: You think this is a bad idea, then?

Walker: It's up to you Carter.  I think the Captain and Commander Kelrod will agree if you want to try.  But I'll say that it's a lot more of a sobering experience than you may have realized.  And if something does go wrong?  

Greyson: :: He paused and considered his answer carefully. :: Then I live with the consequences of my actions.

Walker: If you ever want to be Chief, this is the safest step toward it you are likely to get.  If you don't, then I'd avoid it at all costs.  

Greyson: Good advice. :: He paused for a moment to consider. :: Why don't we try it for one mission so I get a taste of it?

:: He wasn't expecting Luna to agree with his request, but at the same time he didn't have much of an opportunity to ask Cadfael about it when they were stationed on Ops together all those months ago. Even when he was aboard the Syracuse, he felt like just one of the guys with next to no ambition. ::

:: She wanted to give him the chance.  But at the same time, it was allowing someone else to take care of her ship!  She took a deep breath and held it for a moment before exhaling slowly. ::

Walker: Do you think you are ready?  

Greyson: I'm never going to know unless I try, right?

:: Had he been a bit more cocky in his response, she'd likely have said no.  But this was as good a time as any, and she'd be a poor Chief to not give him the chance. ::

Walker: Assuming the Captain approves.. you've got my approval.

Greyson: When do you want me to talk to her about it?

:: He was, of course, referring to Danni in this instance, but he could just as easily have been referring to Roshanara as well. Though admittedly, the captain and commander conversation seemed like one he and Luna both needed to be in. ::

Walker: I'd do it before we go too far into our Leave.  Otherwise she may feel that there's not enough time to prepare.  Or maybe she'll have conditions to doing it.  Hard to say at this point.

Greyson: ​Talking about Danni?​

Walker: No, in this case I'm talking about the Captain.  Danni's likely to have many words with me on this, but Captain Rahman will be the person to convince.  ​

Greyson: ​Right.  ​ Looking forward to that conversation.

 

:: Once this conversation had concluded, Carter nodded and stood to return to his diagnostics so he could work on the repairs. At worst, he'd go play in the shuttle bay and work on the repairs to the Miranda. ::​

:: She watched him walk out of their office and let out a long sigh after the door closed.  This would be hard on both of them.  Carter would either feel that nothing really changed if the mission was an easy one, or might be emotionally scarred if there was someone hurt "on his watch".  And the entire time she'd be antsy, wondering if he was doing it "right".  And blaming herself for allowing him the chance if things did go badly, if someone did get hurt or worse. At this point she felt more like a parent giving their child the keys to the car rather than a chief.  She just hoped he'd come back with it only dinged.. ::

~Fin

Lieutenant 

​JG Carter Greyson

Assistant Chief Engineer

USS Veritas

O239002CS0​

&

Lieutenant Commander Luna Walker

Chief Engineer, USS Veritas

I238010BW