Prologue: Lt. Cmdr. Ben Garcia & Lt. Cmdr. Geoffrey Teller - Hammerfall Part 1
Ben Garcia
((Bridge, USS Thor))
Pacing the bridge with a padd in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other, Geoff made his sixth or seventh consecutive lap without stopping. Captain Kells had departed for the Tharsis more than an hour earlier and the final preparations for the QSD inspection flight were being performed with exhaustive thoroughness. Their acting Chief Engineer, Mr. Sirok, would probably never admit this, but Geoff recognized the signs of an Engineer infatuated with their ship. An obsession over the tiny details. A bit of extra care given to routine maintenance. Little signs, but important ones if you knew to look for them. It was a trait he’d seen in the best engineers he’d served with, and one he himself had been guilty of. There had been any number of salacious rumors aboard the Veritas about his relationship with the warp core, and Geoff momentarily forgot himself and chuckled out loud at the completion of his eighth lap. From the conn, their helm officer spoke up.
Ben glanced across his shoulder catching the settling smile of the Commander’s sudden chuckle. Ben spoke with a tone of uncertainty.
Garcia: Everything alright, Sir - I didn’t catch--
Ben paused mid sentence as the Commander warmly brought the bridge back to the task at hand.
Teller: Apologies, Mr. Garcia, just remembering an old flame. ::Geoff put his padd aside and tried to take a drink, but the cup had somehow emptied between laps 4-6:: Has the Tharsis checked in yet? Captain Otombo promised me she’d keep The Boss from doing anything...especially dangerous.
Ben nodded twice. His eyebrow furrowed at the Commander’s mention of an old flame - it was hard to imagine the XO out of uniform let alone romancing. Ben’s eyes widened at the thought - a shake of the head batted the thought aside.
Ben felt the Commander looking at him. Then he remembered - the Tharsis. With a half swivel, Ben scrolled the Comms screen for an update.
Garcia: (Slowly, while scrolling.) Yeeaaaa. (Beat, then confidently.) Yes sir - the Captain is aboard. (Beat.) Although ... the Shuttlebay controller is listing a few scrapes to the shuttle’s paintwork.
Teller: Fine, fine. She owes me a bottle of saurian brandy if he gets himself killed, so it’s a win win for us really.
Garcia: Might have got a better bargain on Ferenginar, Sir.
Geoff laughed as a chime from the Captain’s chair interrupted them both. Geoff walked over and rotated the chair without sitting, tapping at the armrest controls.
Teller: =/\= Bridge here, go ahead Engineering. =/\=
Heston: =/\= Crewman Heston sir - Chief Sirok advises we’re all set down here. QSD is online and our diagnostic systems are ready. Chief says ‘you may proceed when it is most efficient for you to do so, sir.’ =/\=
Geoff chuckled to himself. Vulcans.
Teller: =/\= Thank you, Mr. Heston. Advise the Chief we’ll be getting underway momentarily. Bridge out. =/\= ::Geoff turned his attention back to the conn:: So Mr. Garcia, think you remember how to fly us in a straight line?
Ben leant back and twisted his head to the side. A pleading eagerness creased his brow.
Garcia: Just a straight line?
Teller affected a mock scowl and wagged his finger.
Teller: Just remember, you get us lost and it looks very bad in the log. ::Geoff smiled as he dropped the scowl:: Eyes on your station, Mister.
Ben planted both hands on the console and swiveled his chair a few degrees, catching the Commander’s eyeline.
Garcia: (Surprised.) Wait - we log that stuff?
With a cheeky smile, Ben turned back to the helm and continued the final phases of the pre-flight checks. Still standing next to the command chair, Teller tapped a rarely used control and the shrill chirp of a boatswains whistle filled every deck and compartment across the Thor.
Teller: =/\= Teller to All Hands. Standby for QSD. We’ll be executing a one hour outbound flight to perform some needed diagnostics on the drive. Once complete, we’ll return to normal space, evaluate our data while the drive cools down and then we’ll repeat the process. Chief Sirok assures me his tests will in no way disrupt routine ships operations so continue about your duties while our team tightens down a few loose screws. QSD jump in one minute - Teller out. =/\=
Geoff had put this off as long as he reasonably could. He’d nearly paced a rut into the carpet on the bridge avoiding it, but the moment was finally upon him. He considered the Captain’s chair of the majestic Vesta class ship, and the strange road that had led him here. He’d never thought of himself as much more than a toolpusher, but the brilliance of his colleagues and mentors had awoken something in him. Geoff had been challenged to be better - to be more than he had been. Senior officers had seen something in him he didn’t know was there.
Lt. Cmdr. Geoffrey Teller set a grin, turned, and took his place in the Big Chair. His grin turned a bit sheepish when his feet didn’t entirely reach the floor and he had to adjust the chair several centimeters downwards. Captain Kells was quite a bit taller, of course. Feet firmly planted, Geoff’s attention turned back to business.
Teller: Count us down, Mr. Garcia. When it’s most efficient, if you please.
Garcia: (With a nod.) No efficiency like the present, sir.
On the viewscreen, Geoff watched with renewed amazement as the layers of subspace were folded aside and the ship surged forward, wrapped in the strange, ghostly non-space of Slipstream. The transition had been so smooth Geoff hadn’t felt a thing. oO Maybe it’s the Chair. Oo
[TBC]
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Lieutenant Commander Geoffrey Teller
Executive Officer
USS Thor - NCC 82607
Fleet Captain A. Kells, Commanding
V239509GT0
&
Lieutenant Commander Ben Garcia
Second Officer/HCO
USS Thor NCC-82607
Author ID number: G239102MR0
SB118 News Team