JP - Ens. Conner Dewitt & Cmdr. Karrod Niac - Stoke The Forge PT2
Tim
((Tea-Hee-Hee, Main Promenade, Starbase 224))
Niac: It’s…complicated. Sometimes it’s like trying to think in a tiny shuttlecraft with six other people crammed in with you. Other times I find myself with totally unexpected insights, like a sudden epiphany about particle physics or a recipe for absolutely unbeatable crepes. Definitely not for everyone. Why do you ask? Planning a little vacation to Trill?
Dewitt: I think I have a rather narrow mind, focussed on engineering and sciences. Everything that has a formula is something I can understand and work with. I am beginning to get fascinated with how our minds work, and I find the notion of these memories and emotions at my disposal intriguing.
Karrod listened, intrigued at the idea.
Niac: Sounds like you should connect with some of the medical or counseling personnel, sometimes teams working across specialties can make pretty big breakthroughs. Excalibur’s XO has a few papers published where she worked with an engineer on artificial limbs. I bet she has some stories.
Dewitt: ::smiling:: I guess you have to tell me some of those stories over a beer some day.
Karrod looked at his tea and suddenly found it less appetizing.
Niac: Make sure you swing by Molly Malones while you’re here on the station - best spot to get a drink in the sector. You want to hear a few of those stories, that’s the place to tell them. ::Karrod glanced back to the padd and began thinking:: So, a portable industrial fabrication lab designed to fit in a quarter of the space the equipment normally takes. I think we can make that work.
Karrod tapped at the padd and had the schematics and equipment request cloned to his and moved towards the top of the list. The value of a small ship like the Arrow being able to fabricate its own components while in the field was enormous and would allow them to operate more independently and more safely. He was confident he could prevail upon Fleet Captain Rainer to transfer the equipment and his own CO, Commodore Nicholotti, to sign off on the engineering teams that would need to assist with the installation.
Connor’s heart made a small jump. In retrospect, he may have been too nervous and too unsure about what he wanted to ask. Something that had happened to him too often. He gave the Commander a faithful and wide smile. He did not know what hoops he might have to jump, but he trusted his words that there was a good chance of the components arriving.
Dewitt: That’s terrific! Thank you, Commander!
Niac: You sold me, Ensign. I’m going to get things moving on this as soon as I can. Do you think you can get your CO to sign off on this or do you want to talk to him together? I don’t know Captain Shayne other than by reputation but I hear he’s a good man. Can’t imagine him saying no to something like this.
Dewitt: Why don’t you tag along? I think the Captain would be glad to get to know you and fixing the arrangements would be a little more personal than sending messages back and forth.
Niac: So, you got what you wanted…there anything else I can add to the list as long as I’m feeling generous? Act fast, Ensign, like our Ferengi Counselor says…these deals won’t last.
Dewitt: I think I am glad with what I got. ::smiling:: Those industrial replicators could come in handy with a new gathering space for the crew we’re planning. I guess there is no Rule of Acquisition for it, but as of today, there is nothing to add to the shopping list. ::Short pause with a look on his PADD:: I’ll arrange a meeting with Captain Shayne and get back to you within the day.
Karrod turned his attention back to the stack of yet incomplete requisition padds with a huff. He doubted the rest would be this easy to facilitate.
Niac: I’ll be there, Mr. Dewitt. If these padds don’t smother me first.
Connor took the last bite of ulaberry tarte and emptied his cup of tea. Maybe a little overexcited because of what he had accomplished. He was excited to let Kenneth know and a little tense about their appointment with Captain Shayne where it would be discussed that he had secured the supply routes before asking for his approval. He stood up and smiled.
Dewitt: Thank you for your time. Looking forward to seeing you at Molly Malones, Commander.
Karrod nodded and leaned back in his seat, settling in for at least several more hours of paddwork before his next set of meetings.
Niac: First round is on me, Ensign.
((A day later - USS Arrow, Captain’s Ready Room))
Connor had met the Trill Commander at the docking ports and escorted him to the bridge and Captain Shayne’s ready room. He enjoyed his calming presence once again and was glad the small talk had pushed away his tension once again. Determined to take the second hurdle, he pushed the doorbell on the Captain’s Ready Room and heard the familiar chime. Upon invitation Connor stepped into the ready room first, closely followed by Commander Niac.
As Karrod walked through the hallways of the Saber class Arrow he had to keep reminding himself there was no need to duck his head. He’d apparently gotten used to the nearly palatial facilities on the Excalibur and the Arrow, while entirely adequate, definitely harkened back to a time when Starfleet put creature comforts second and tactical necessity first. It only took a few minutes for them to get from the docking port to the Captain’s ready room and Karrod straightened his uniform as Conner rang the door chime.
Dewitt: Good to see you, Captain. ::smile:: This is Commander Niac of the Excalibur, he is helping with the Arrow’s requisitions.
Karrod extended a hand and offered a hearty handshake.
Niac: Pleasure to meet you, sir. Your crew ::Karrod nodded towards the eager young Ensign:: speaks very highly of you.
Shayne: Response
Connor smiled and sat down on one of the chairs in front of Shayne’s desk. Shayne still looked a little worn out. Connor had forgotten about it, but he and Commander MacKenna had probably gone through their own part of hell during the last mission. He might have needed the shore leave as much as every other crew member, although he probably would not admit to it.
Dewitt: Thank you, Sir. The usual coffee, please.
Niac: Make that two if you’re offering, sir. Coffee gets the fleet further than anti-matter most days.
Dewitt: So, as you know, Sir, we have discussed the creation of the foundry for engineering. In addition to the standard requisition we might need a couple of exotic items. I already talked to Commander Niac about them and we would need your approval to start the requisition process.
Connor handed over a PADD to Shayne that contained the items in question.
Karrod took the cue and inclined his head towards the padd Captain Shayne was holding. He dug out his own padd and brought up the relevant information before continuing.
Niac: I’ve gone over Ensign Dewitt’s plans and I believe we can make it work. It’ll require a fair bit of work to get the industrial replication systems fitted into the space you’re able to allocate but it’ll keep the yard workers here at 224 out of trouble for a few days. We can have it installed and online by the end of the week if the construction schedules align. That is, of course, with your approval sir.
Shayne: Response
TAG/TBC
============================
Ens. Connor Dewitt
Engineer
USS Arrow
A239901CD3
&
Commander Karrod Niac
Chief of Operations
USS Excalibur - NCC-41903-A
Commodore Kali Nicholotti, Commanding
V239509GT0