LtCmdr Kettick: May you live in interesting times

[Darwin Awkward]

(( Nature level, Deck 232, Deep Space 224 ))

Stapledon: For me?  It was a pretty organic process.  Never really thought of taking more coursework...  Maybe I should someday.  Have you ever upgraded your training with something like the academy again?

Kettick: It's possible, especially if the Captain considers that it will serve the needs of the ship. For instance, I took some time off my first tour on Eagle to pursue and additional qualification as a Security officer back when I was an Ensign. :: He shrugged :: Every hostile we encountered seemed to make Engineering a priority target, and I wanted to cut down response times.

The Ensign nodded, apparently seeing the wisdom in his thought process.

Stapledon: Did it help?

Kettick: I was part of the Security team that defended Engineering from a jem'hadar commando a couple of months later. :: The Remmilian shrugged :: I considered my decision vindicated.

Why had these people even thought they could steal a Warp core wholesale? He would likely never know, since they had not exactly parted in friendly terms. Still, the attempt had been made, and he had helped fight them off.

Stapledon: I was checking on my padd during the trip and it sounds like there are some microcourses in the educational facilities on the station.  

The insectoid cocked his head sideways, considering.

Kettick: Interesting. I might want to look into it myself. Shoring up my weak points with a couple extra 101s would certainly be a good way to invest the time before we are reassigned. That being said, by the sound of it you seem to have accumulated a solid generalist background already.

Stapledon: I like to think so. But biology is my weakest.

Kettick: Then our current rest period, enforced as it may be, is good opportunity to remedy it. Those are few and far between. :: The Remmilian flicked his facial feelers over his eyes. :: I should know, I spent three years stationed ground-side in a place with educational facilities, and I only visited when there was maintenance to be done.

Stapledon: Oh?  What was that like?

Kettick: Denali Station? Fascinating. It was based on a Niven Ring in the Aavaro wilds. Of course we had only explored a fraction of it by the time I was reassigned, but living among the remains of a civilisation more advanced than us is something I could not get tired of in several lifetimes. You should ask Lieutenant Drex to tell you more about it, he's a xenoarchaeologist by trade.

Stapledon: Response

Kettick shrugged.

Kettick: Well, yes. Getting one's mind sucked into a computer simulation of the afterlife, exploding radioactive meteor showers, giant tentacle monsters...  The usual fare.

Stapledon: Response

The Remmilian gazed into the fish-less waters of the pond, glad that he had not brought food to throw to the non-existent ducks. Although he could have nibbled on the cooked rice, he supposed.

Kettick: I mean, it stands to reason that statistically, there are crews that only run milk deliveries to Risa or ferry bureaucrats to handle Third Contact procedures with peaceful species. But either I have never met any, or they do not consider it worthy to speak of at the replimat.

Tags/TBC

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Lieutenant-Commander Kettick

Chief of Engineering

USS Eagle

G239107LR0

Your Engineering department kindly reminds you that you are supposed to read the flakking manual.