Lieutenant Commander Marty Tucker - Tough Nut To Crack
Martin Tucker
Marty sat across from TK, drinking from his mug. He was still trying to figure the Lieutenant out, though he had a feeling it would take some time to do so.
Cabrillo: ::looking around the room and then back to Tucker:: The Ronin is not the oldest ship I have served aboard, but her refits are more than impressive.
Marty nodded. It had been a lot, really, the refit to send her out again, then the rebuild. There were a lot of new parts on the old gal, but she still had her old-world charm. He was very proud of the work his team did aboard the Ronin, despite having taken orders from an Ensign at one point.
Tucker: I got to oversee the second refit and the reconstruction. Though part of that time I was….
Marty trailed off; he couldn’t talk about the events on Bajor and basically made time their bitch to make sure the natural order of things came to be. So far, Marty had been lucky to dodge the men in black for a while now, and he’d rather keep that way. They were overly touchy about the timeline or the repercussions. Marty looked at it this way: they had to keep time from going pear-shaped, which would have really screwed things up.
Cabrillo: My first assignment was the USS Cape Horn, a Cheyenne-class starship.
Tuck couldn’t place it, but he wasn’t sure if the Lieutenant was being a bit short with his answers. Or what if he’s just imagining things? It wouldn’t be the first time. However, he was coming across as a bit terse. He had read in his jacket that Cabrillo didn’t mind working alone. But he had nothing but good reviews from his former commanding officers. It wasn’t like he was a problem child; from the looks of it he was a model officer, which is excellent, but there was the “Ronin Way”. While Marty couldn’t sum it up, really there was just a way that was different from most ships.
Tucker: Yes, I noticed that in your jacket.
oO There’s a method to my madness…Oo
Cabrillo: As you know sir, Tactical is 0.5% on the bridge. That's Kessler's domain. The best part of Tactical, like what we do in Engineering, is the Engineering of the Tactical systems. Just like the warp core, the best finest tuned phaser emitters or torpedo launchers or shield emitters makes a significant difference in a fight.
Tucker: I don’t disagree with you in the least bit. And we only want the best here on the Ronin. She may not look like much, but she’s got it where it counts.
Cabrillo: Some ships might, but you won't find that with Kessler in charge. Shipboard offensive and defensive systems are his and he gets very picky about the quality and level of maintenance they get. ::beat:: That's why he and I work well together and why being cross-trained between the two departments is so beneficial.
Tucker: I’m all for cross-training. The more you know, the better we all are as a team.
Cabrillo took another drink of his coffee, and Marty couldn’t quite read the expression on the man's face. He was being almost overly guarded and not really offering anything of himself. Marty wasn’t quite sure what to make of it.
Cabrillo: I understand prior to you coming aboard the Ronin, you served at Denali Station right out of the Academy. You have not been interested in exploring other, newer vessels?
Tucker took a second to respond, noticing the room had gotten busier and louder. He could tell it was having an effect on the Lieutenant; something told Marty he wasn’t big on crowds.
Tucker: Right out of the academy, I was assigned to Denali Station. I spent just a few months there before the call for the Ronin re-launch came, and I knew I had to seize that opportunity. While it would be nice to have a newer vessel, I’m content here for now. I was only an ensign when I stepped in as acting Chief Engineer, since our previous Chief had some, shall we say, issues to handle.
Cabrillo: Response
Marty finished his raktajino and set it back on the table, glancing one more time at his service jacket. TK was the type who would take a while to get to know him. And patrolling space, you’ve got a lot of time. Marty tapped his chin with his index finger.
Tucker: I’ve grown to love this bucket of bolts. I hope you do too. In any case, your tactical expertise will be invaluable. I would like you to join Lieutenant Morgan’s team, which is being assembled to reverse-engineer and disassemble the spiderbot I have in a level 5 containment field in my workshop on deck 12. If you're interested, let me know. Lots of weapons on this thing, and we’re looking for a weakness.
Marty waited for the man’s reaction. He was just beginning to assemble the team. He put Morgan in charge because she had built starships before she landed on the Ronin, and in particular, the fact that she had built warp cores said a great deal; he was fortunate to have her.
Cabrillo: Response
Tucker: I’ll possibly loop Ensigns Roop and Nakada. However, they are currently working on another project for me, and I also have a project that I need to attend to. Do you have any research or projects you’d like to pursue? I’m always open to new ideas and fresh perspectives.
Cabrillo: Response
Tucker: Sure, let me know, and I have an open-door policy, and yes, I do keep my door open. Well, most times. ::he chuckled::
Marty grabbed his raktajino and went to take a sip, only to remember that he’d finished it sometime back and was craving another one; it was going to be a long day after all. And he knew he had sarcasm and caffeine in his corner.
Cabrillo: Response
Tucker: Well, Mister Cabrillo, I think I’ve taken up enough of your time. However, I just wanted to let you know that it’s great to have you on board, and I'm looking forward to working more closely with you.
Marty stood.
Carbillo: Response
Tucker: Alright, you are dismissed, and if you need anything, I’m not hard to find