Ensign Tho’Bi - Clicked Clicked Clicked

[Tobi]

((CREW QUARTERS, USS ARTEMIS-A))

The young Engineer set his Engineering Pack down, while holding onto his PADD which had been nestled against it. Blue fingertips keyed in a series of command inputs.

Tho’Bi: :: looking down at PADD :: Replacement frame will be here in a few minutes :: looks at Vailani :: I'll get on with removing the old frame.

Vailani: Response 

He knelt down and snapped open the grey lid of the Engineering Kit. First he freed his Engineering Tricorder from the grasp of its foam snug. Syncing it to the door, he inputted a sequence of commands.

A dull, protracted tone emanated from the door control panel, as the panel itself dulled out to grey.

Tho’Bi: :: looking down at Tricorder :: Door is locked open.

Vailani: The internal mechanism must have jammed into that position during the Orion attack. 

He then popped the Hyperspanner out of its foam snug, stood up, and began to loosen the retaining bolts. As he worked, he spoke.

Tho’Bi: ::quietly:: Can I ask you something?

The sound of the Hyperspanner working the bolts loose clicked clicked clicked. Lieutenant Vailani let out a sigh. Clicked clicked clicked.

Vailani: I suspect you’ll ask it anyway? 

Crack. The first bolt came off.

Tho’Bi: ::dry mouth:: Have you… Have you had time to…

Clicked clicked clicked.

Tho’Bi: ::thinning voice:: Review the… the Engineering decisions?

Clicked clicked clicked. 

Vailani: I’ve only read the preliminary reports from the Operations Team - are you asking for a performance review? 

Crack. The second bolt came off.

Tho’Bi: ::shudder breath:: No… well, yes… but… ::tight breath:: h-how did I do?

Clicked clicked clicked. 

Vailani: I think the more important question is - how well do you think you did? 

Clicked clicked clicked.

Clicked clicked clicked.

Crack. The third bolt came off.

Tho’Bi: I… 

Clicked clicked clicked.

Tho’Bi: I transferred power from the Inertial Dampeners to the Deflector Array. 

Clicked clicked clicked.

Tho’Bi: It took a lot of power to fake the warp signatures.

Crack. The final bolt came off.

The Andorian turned and looked at Vailani. 

Tho’Bi: ::chocked:: When the Orion Dreadnaught fired… Our shields collapsed and our Inertial Dampeners were too low to compensate. 

Vailani: Response?

The young Ensign turned away and with a shunt, removed the outer doorframe and lent it against the corridor wall opposite. As he turned back to remove the inner frame, he paused.  

Tho’Bi: ::chocked tight:: That's when everyone got hurt. 

Dark blue eyes blinked back the tears. With a shunt, the inner frame was removed and lent against the opposite wall.

Vailani: Response 

TAG/TBC

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Ensign Tho’Bi

Engineering

USS Artemis-A

A240203T11