Lt JG Tess Evinrude - The Best Defense is a Good Diagnostic [Part 1/2]

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Tess Evinrude

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May 12, 2026, 11:25:00 AM (4 days ago) May 12
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((Deck 14, Shared Conference Room near the Operations Offices - USS Ronin, some time following USS Goodall rendezvous))

((OOC: No tags in this one.))

Here, in the ops wing, it was time to determine if he had a "need to know." He was able to suss out that the rendezvous with the Goodall had been a success, but he still didn't have access to any mission details.

Evinrude: We blast away from Lolagi IV like it's a race, and so far Operations is still in the dark. ::He smiled and rolled his eyes as he stood from the console and stretched.:: At least no one was permanently atomized during the high-warp transport.

Tess pushed aside the empty tray from the Brew Continuum, leaded back against the conference table, and tapped his combadge.

Evinrude: =/\= Evinrude to Commander Kel. Have a moment? =/\=

Kel:  =/\= Kel here Lieutenant.  How can I help? =/\=

Evinrude: =/\=Thank you, sir. I am aware that we made good speed to the rendezvous with the USS Goodall. Operations work team reports are coming in, and we're looking ship-shape and ready.

Kel:  =/\= That's excellent news. The ship will need to be in good shape for this mission. =/\=

Evinrude: =/\= Well, that's my question. Where are we needed for the, ah, mission at hand? If, that is, I'm authorized to know. ::He added genuinely, aware of the air of secrecy.::

Kel:  =/\= We're heading for a contact with a large ::beat:: very large life form.  I'm having my people make some slight modifications to a few of our sensors.  Also make sure our defensive systems are ready.  There's a chance we're not the only ones who'd like to meet this creature. =/\=

The commander's words were about the farthest thing from what Evinrude was expecting. It took him a long moment to process, to the point that he assumed Commander Kel thought the comm call was closed.

Somewhere within that surprising revelation was an order - "make sure our defensive systems are ready."

Evinrude: =/\= Acknowledged. =/\=

Tess opened up the work log for Tactical, reviewed tasks flagged with necessary coordination with Operations, and got to work.


((Some Time Later - Deck 10, Main Hull Torpedo Conveyor System, USS Ronin))

If their photon torps couldn't reach the launcher, the system might as well not exist.

So, Evinrude found himself working on the conveyor system in the main hull for the past hour. Nothing was wrong with it, and there was another launcher array in the mission pod, but a few components here in the main hull's conveyor system were nearing the end of their maintenance cycle. The Ronin had the spares on hand, so why not be proactive?

He'd spent some time brushing up on maintenance notices and schematics, but had managed to replace a tractor micro-emitter and was currently running a diagnostic on the connected safety interlock when his combadge chirped out and a familiar voice followed.

T’Fearne: =/\= T’Fearne to Evinrude. Are you free to assist with modifying our tactical sensors? =/\=

Without thinking, he replied jovially.

Evinrude: =/\= Hi! ::A very brief beat, during which Tess reigned in his smile and shifted his tone.:: Evinrude here. I'm in the middle of a defensive support system diagnostic, but once I button a few things up it can run in the background. What do you need...sir? =/\=

He couldn't help but grin at himself, throwing in the "sir" at the end of his reply.

[TBC in Part 2]
--
Lieutenant J.G. Tess Evinrude
[he/him]
Operations Officer
USS Ronin
R240111TE1
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