(Artemis) Efficiency Check: Engineering
Dori
From Tyler and Dori!
***
With Doctor Jarok on board, Destiny made her way down to Engineering. She wanted to thank Nate and Jacey for their help in getting Dr. Jarok on board. While she was there, she might say something about the efficiency check - depending on the time.
Nate was bent over a console, eyes scrunched as he read through a steady stream of diagnostic output. His metal fingers tapped the side of the console rhythmically, as if keeping time with some unseen clock. Engineering was fairly empty, the majority of the crew given leave while the diagnostic tests ran their course. Nate believed Jacey was working somewhere nearby, but honestly he wasn’t even sure what the current ship time was. When he got into a working mood, time (and meals) seemed to fly by him.
Engineering was nearly empty, Destiny noted, as she made her way to the office. She stood in the doorway for a moment, watching Nate work, and wondered if she should interrupt him, then decided it was necessary; he would be needed at the meet and greet if nothing else. She raised a hand and tapped lightly on the open door.
Nate blinked, looking confused for a moment as if the console had produced the noise. Then he seemed to realize where he was and looked up. When his eyes fell on Destiny, he let a grin slide onto his face.
“Well, well.” He frowned. “What happened?”
She grinned back. “Nothing. Dr. Jarok is on board, and nothing happened. We have you at least partially to thank, for your work on those shuttles.”
Nathaniel sighed in relief, standing up and straightening his uniform. He stretched his back a bit, then waved Destiny over towards his office.
“Well it’s awfully kind of you to come down here personally. But just like a stressful mission to be full of planning and lacking in any...excitement. Though not that I can complain, I think I’ve had my fill of excitement for a while. I know Jacey is at least a little glad I’m not sticking my neck out for a few weeks, even if she probably wouldn’t tell me.” Nate entered his office, turning to the small replicator and ordering an iced water.
“How is the Doctor? One piece, no decoys or diversions, no implanted bombs or such?” He asked, even though he knew part of the answer.
“I don’t know. She’s in sickbay, getting a once over before the meet and greet. I was in the Intel office, monitoring all the transmissions from there.” It went unsaid, but the word Intel made it obvious that Destiny had also been listening in for any possible communications from potential kidnappers. “I do know she was scanned with a medical tricorder on board the shuttle, so it would have had to be a very good deception.”
“Romulans….blah.” Nate sighed, then took a sip of his water.
“Sorry...that was, rude, I guess.” He waved to a seat, and then sat in his own behind his desk. Once seated, he tapped his Comm badge.
=^= Lt. Armstrong, please report to Engineering Office. =^=
“I won’t tell.” Destiny said with a half smile. “While I’m here, I have a question for you.”
=/\= Be right there chief.=/\= Jacey’s voice cut in.
“I’m all ears. Shoot.” Nate replied as Jacey’s voice faded.
Destiny nodded and folded her hands on her lap. “Captain Henna tasked me with carrying out an efficiency check of each department. I think he wants to make sure everything is running as it should, according to Starfleet protocols. I know it’s more paperwork on your part, but I’m going to have to ask for a report on the department as to how it’s running.”
“Ah yes, well. It’s a good thing, too, because you know how sloppy this department is most of the time. Just today I found, and you’ll never believe this, a power phase conduit two degrees out of alignment!” Nate grinned, unable to continue the deadpan expression.
“Don’t worry about it. We’re up on our periodic maintenance schedule anyway, and most of the reports are automated outputs of metrics. I’ll just add a few up front sections, and we’ll be good to go. Any deadline for these reports? Smells like Admiralty, to me….”
“I can give you a week.” Destiny told him, shaking, but not laughing aloud. “The admiralty knows we’re about to enter a nebula and communications will be difficult. If you get it done earlier, just send it over to me and I’ll add it to the others.”
As she finished speaking, Jacey popped into the office. “You called?” she asked.
“As I was saying, Jacey here would be absolutely thrilled to write those two-hundred or so pages. She was just waxing poetic about her love of detailed and wordy reports to upper leadership.” Nate looked over at Jacey, shooting her a quick wink then waving her to come in fully.
“Oh yeah, Chief, I really love writing those wordy reports.” Jacey replied as she walked into the office. “I need to catch the eye of the admiralty somehow, don’t I?” she winked at Destiny. “Besides, I need to spell out all the technicalities of these new ships to the admirals who haven’t been on a ship in a decade or more, let alone inside the jefferies tubes or computer cores. That takes a lot of words.”
Destiny laughed. “You two. Remind me to put a note in your files that you work excellently together.” she said.
Nate chuckled, but then eyed Destiny. “Just make sure to make me look just slightly better than her. She already gets all the attention. Tell them something about my metal hand, overcoming adversity, so brave in the face of….”
“Nate, you’re the chief engineer. Of course I’m going to make you look better.” Destiny acted aghast. Then she laughed again. “Seriously. You both have a lot making you look good. Thank you for all your hard work to get Dr. Jarok aboard safely.”
“She’s on board? Oh good.” Jacey put in, nodding, her face serious. “That’s very good to hear.”
Nate snapped his fingers quietly. “That was the other thing. Yeah, Destiny informed me she made it safe and sound. She’s going through the rigamarole, of course, but looks like your modifications did the trick. One less problem to worry about.”
“That’s a relief. I’m glad they worked.” Jacey turned to Destiny. “Thank you for coming and letting us know.”
“It’s not a problem.” Destiny said, standing up. “I need to go. Let me know if I can ever help you with anything.”
“You’re on speed-dial. Jacey, stay a moment, if you don’t mind.” Nate finished, standing politely.
“I’ll see you around then.” Destiny said, and left the office. Jacey, who had been nearly leaning against the nearby wall, stood up a little straighter.
“Good job. Seriously.” Nate said, waving Jacey to relax.
“Have I told you that you’re a genius, recently?”
“No, but I don’t think that I’ve told you that you’re a genius lately either, so we’re even.” Jacey said, relaxing. “I mean, the hand? All by yourself? Everything I’ve done, I’ve had help with, or built off something else.”
“You’d be surprised how efficient I can be during a manic depressive episode fueled by….well...anyway.” Nate sighed, rubbing his temples.
“Did I mention to you that I’m having nightmares? I thought I had, but I might have dreamt that, too.”
Jacey’s look changed from one of mild amusement to one of concern. “Manic depressive... nightmares? No, you haven’t told me. How long has it been going on?”
“Oh...well the manic depressive stuff was pretty short lived, honestly. Right after my hand, I just sort of spiraled for a few weeks. Shut in, working on the design and prototyping, moping. The usual. The nightmares are about Kairn, though. I’ve had flashes of them since we got back.”
Jacey looked him in the eyes, her face still showing her worry. “You want to talk to me about it, or go see the pro?”
“I don’t think I’m at the pro level needed, for now. Trust me, I know my limits. I’m not losing sleep, or waking up sweating bullets. But I just feel….regret? We abandoned a crewmate to exploding into a million pieces while we just...flew away. And the dreams have been crazy. Shadowy faces, daggers, screams. I’d swear it was a horror movie if I didn’t know better. I liked the guy, you know? He was a bit crazy, but he was honest to a fault. Wore his heart on his damn sleeves, like too many of us are afraid to do. Said whatever was on his mind, and damn he was loyal. Except...when he wasn’t. He goes and does this immensely stupid thing, abandoning a damn pregnant woman with his child. Poof, just like that. What in the world could be worth doing that for?” Nate tried to give Jacey a reassuring smile, shaking his head a bit.
“Something just seems...unsettled. I hate that feeling.”
“I don’t know. Maybe he saw something out there. I wish I knew - I hardly knew him.” Jacey looked troubled. “Can I do anything to help you? Would company at night help?”
“That always helps, but honestly I just wanted to get it off my chest. Have an extra pair of eyes on me, in case it does get to me and I don’t catch it. I’ve been keeping a journal, something I read said that was a good way to not internalize feelings and thoughts so much. And I just...I’m the kind of guy who likes resolution, you know? Closure. It’s selfish, because I mean, it wasn’t me that Kairn left. But still, I just don’t know how to handle it.” Nate walked over to Jacey, putting a gentle hand on her arm.
“All I know is that there isn’t a force in this universe that would make me jump out of that shuttle, knowing I wouldn’t see you again.”
She gave him her trademark half smile. “I know I wouldn’t either, and if you went missing, I’d hunt you down even if it took the rest of my life. Even if everyone else said you were dead. For him...closure is going to be hard. A little DNA is all we’re likely to get back. That’s going to make it difficult.”
Nate nodded. “I know. It’s just an over-active brain making up stories. I’ll get around it soon enough. For starters, I should get back to that diagnostic run. Sooner it’s done, sooner we get an excuse to put all those Ensigns back to work.” He glanced at the closed office door, then back at Jacey.
“But...it could go unmonitored for a few minutes…” An eyebrow wiggled upwards.
“I’m sure letting it go unmonitored won’t hurt.” Jacey said, a suggestive grin appearing on her face.
“Some might even say it’s….efficient.” Nate stepped closer, hands sliding around Jacey’s hips.
“Computer. Lock the door.”
End