Another Joining A New Ship Part 2/3

Posted on Fri Jul 5th, 2024 @ 1:13am by Captain Cronin Keys [GM] & Lieutenant Commander Jason Morris & Lieutenant Commander Paisley F'rar
Edited on on Fri Jul 5th, 2024 @ 1:13am

1,267 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: M2: Culture Shock
Location: Delta Base
Timeline: After "A Farewell" and "A Few Rearrangements"

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Continuation…

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Delta Base, Main Engineering
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Cronin led Jason and Alex into the base's main reactors chamber, though it was now labelled Main Engineering. He glanced around looking for the unique woman that was to be his Chief Engineer.

Jason stopped next to Captain Keys and looked around the room for the needed officer. A Cardassian and Bajoran, I hope that is a happy family he thought to himself as he looked. "Captain, this officer we are looking for may be on an assignment somewhere. Shall I ask the duty officer?" Jason said, looking towards Keys.

Alex, who did not stop next to Captain Keys or Jason, continued walking into the reactor room. Before they kicked him out, he had secretly explored what the engineering staff allowed him to. He walked over to one of the engineer technicians he knew, engaging her in conversation about her daily tasks.

"Perhaps, though the coordinator said she was only supervising the reconstruction, is Alex interested in Engineering?" Cronin asked Jason as they walked further in.

"Engineering? not that I'm aware of, he likes spending time around sickbay if anything. Although he does come down here often as well." Jason said to the Captain as they walked in. "Maybe he will enjoy a starships engineering more than the bases." he continued while looking at Alex.

"Interesting, well perhaps you can entertain your son while I talk with our new potential Chief Engineer?" Cronin asked with a gesture to the rest of the Engineering area.

Jason nodded the dismissal and looked over towards where Alex had last been, he seemed to be in deep conversation with an engineer, so he started walking over towards the two.

After nodding his temporary farewell to his Chief Security/Tactical Officer and his son, the Captain found her, Commander Paisley, and approached the Cardassian-Bajoran hybrid woman.

Paisley had actually been face-deep in a tube, repairing a wire, never able to completely stop working. She had, indeed, left most of the work for the station's Engineers, but she was also a bit of a control freak and had to, at least, do a bit of it to make sure it was up to her standards. She had been called away by a Captain, though, as she'd finished up and emerged from the Jefferies' tube. She hoped that she wasn't covered in grease and oil, but oh, well, it was her job.

"You must be Captain Cronin," she said, approaching the men. "Nice to meet you, sir. Lieutenant Commander Paisley F'rar," she said, saluting, and then holding her hand out for a handshake. She was many things, but rude wasn't one of them (at least not on purpose).

"Its Captain Keys actually," Cronin replied and smiled as he reached out with his hand to make contact with F'rar's offered hand. "Cronin is my first name, nice to meet you as well Commander Paisley," he said and laughed.

Paisley chuckled but blushed purple. "My apologies, sir," she said. "I must've been tireder than I thought when I read the Yeoman's message," she said. "Nice to meet you," she said. She actually didn't mind being called "Commander Paisley"-the only thing she ever minded being called was mUra, her Cardassian name.

He decided to ignore the second 'nice to meet you', it seemed that she liked to repeat herself, it did feel to him like it was that she is tired. He'd sort that out real quick as he smiled. "Ah another workaholic, I understand, but you don't want the Doctors chasing you down because you worked yourself to exhaustion, right?"

She nodded. "You caught me!!" she said. "You're probably right, Medical doesn't like it when I work too much. Would you like to step into the office here so we can talk in peace? The boys here are a bit loud. Good guys, but noisy," she said. "Boys" because somehow, the entire rota was male today. Female engineers were rare anyway, but she didn't mind. They left her alone to work.

Cronin laughed. "Let's go, after you Commander."

She nodded once, and then led him towards the Engineering office. She let them in, but let him take the "big chair," where the Station Chief Engineer usually sat-or where she'd sat that morning, when she'd sat in on the daily brief. "Much better. Can I get you some coffee?" She asked.

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Delta Base, Chief Engineer's Office
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Even though F'rar wasn't chief, she seemed to have the respect of the Base's Chief Engineer and the whole department that there wasn't much mind paid to them entering the Chief's office. Though Cronin could have pulled rank and asked for her to join him in the office so he wasn't really concerned about gossip. It seemed that F'rar wanted him to take the chair behind the desk which he gracefully accepted and walked over to take it.

He sat down and gestured for her to occupy an empty one. "I'm okay thank you Commander, please," Cronin said as his gesture was still in place. "I understand you wish to transfer to a starship?" He asked with a smile.

Paisley settled into one of the extra chairs across the desk. "I do," she said. "Stations are fun, but it's time for a change," she said. "I prefer the atmosphere of a ship; it's a closer knit community and I can get to know my team better," she said. "Plus, it's generally quieter and I like that," she said, speaking frankly. "It's also how I got most of my training and where my skills lie. Here, it's a lot of busy work, and while it's good for maintaining skills, I like to get my hands dirty and get in there, you know?" She smiled lightly. That was the kind of leader she was-she hated desk work, though she knew it was necessary, and would rather be in the thick of things with her people.

"Excellent, though I wouldn't say a starship assignment is quieter," Cronin said with a chuckle. He nodded. "Well my ship the Pioneer needs a Chief Engineer. The only Galaxy-class in the Project." He grinned, though the Excelsior-C was a Sovereign-class and the other lead Explorer for the project.

She snickered. "I don't know; you haven't heard the noise these boys can make," she said, gesturing towards the gaggle of other Engineers outside of the room. "I would be honored to do it, thank you for the consideration," she said.

"Excellent," Cronin smiled and stood. "We will be going on our new mission in a few days so are you able to join us onboard before then?" He asked.

"I can be ready to onboard this afternoon," she said, confidently. She traveled lightly. "Or at least as soon as they'll let me. I am technically on leave, anyway, awaiting a reassignment. They told me two weeks, so I am glad it's sooner," she said. She'd get too bored just hanging around the Base.

Jason stood outside the office door and knocked, he could hear the occupants of the room talking but he wasn't paying enough attention to make out what they were saying.

Cronin called out glanced away from his new Chief Engineer to the door, “come in,” he turned back to Paisley. “It seems like it was meant to be. Is there particular ways you’d like to manage the Engineering department that you’d like to discuss?” He was curious as to how his senior officers approached their leadership roles.

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To Be Continued…

 

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