A Question of Sanity

Posted on Sunday December 17th, 2023 @ 6:49pm by Lieutenant Lazarus Kord & Lieutenant Commander Rachel Williams

1,922 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: The Grand Tour: Part Two
Location: USS Poseidon; Deck 4, Main Engineering Complex
Timeline: The Grand Tour - Arrived at Tellar
Tags: Grand Tour, 2395, Character Development

[ON]

After Poseidon had arrived at Tellar, Lazarus commenced his usual after-warp checklist that had become extremely important in catching possible issues. With Poseidon being as old as she was, problems were more consistent. If you knew where to look for where problems developed and the possible avenues they developed from then on, you could easily fix the issue before it became a major problem. After an extensive tour of duty on finding those issues, the pre-issues, and the developmental course of those issues, Lazarus felt he had become an expert on repairs for a Miranda-class vessel. Currently, he was wedged into a Jefferies tube adjacent to Main Engineering, utilizing his toolkit to make adjustments to a power conduit relay that had shown issues before.

Utilizing his coil spanner, Lazarus carefully repaired a micro-fracture that was detected by the ship's diagnostic systems. It was a long and gruelling process to carefully catch these fractures, but if he was able to, and the ship was able to successfully find them, then there wouldn't be major power issues down the line - hopefully.

Rachel was passing an open maintenance hatchway when she saw a pair of Gorn feet sticking out, now the only Gorn she knew that was serving on this ship was Lieutenant Kord, clearing her throat "Lieutenant Kord, what are you fixing now?" She asked curiously.

The Gorn's tail lazily slipped from the open hatch as it hung limp, the feet turning as hidden from view Lazarus turned on his side to lay sideways. He grunted a few times, then resumed work after a brief silence. It took a moment for him to formulate a reply.

"I developed a micro-fracture detection program on the engineering internal scanning system," Lazarus explained as he worked, the whine of his device gentle and not obtrusive to his voice. "I've been using it since I developed it following the recent Starbase overhaul to detect developing issues with our power relay subsystems and primary conduits. Since the Poseidon is so old, I've noticed a pattern of developing micro-fractures after each warp procedure. I'm simply taking the initiative to address each one that's detected."

For emphasis on his claim, his tail did a gentle TAP on the bulkhead. Following a toe-curling and a gentle hiss of pain, Lazarus resumed his work.

Seeing the tail tap and toe-curling and a faint hiss of pain "excellent Lieutenant, you okay in there sounded like you got singed?" William's said.

"I'm fine, Chief," the Gorn said as he grunted, not fine but okay. "I've survived worse."

And he had. Somehow, miraculously survived the sudden electrocution event that brought him into this universe from the Terran one. However, that story was hidden behind several layers of Starfleet Security that few could read unless Lazarus himself told the story.

"The relay I'm working on is 544," continued Lazarus after a momentary pause. "I think I got most of the micro-fractures fixed, but I'm noticing a lot of arcing happening. Is the reactor overproducing?"

Walking over to the nearest console she pulls up the information and reads through it. "No, it is not but I am detecting more microfractures in the adjacent section to where you currently are. How we are keeping this ship together is a miracle of the highest proportion, have you heard anything more on when we are getting a new ship? I have heard there is one in the works, I just hope it is soon only a full stint in Spacedock will sort out this ship's issues, the space frame is sound, with a few dings and weak spots, but nothing that time in space dock could fix" Williams said ending in reflection.

"Haven't heard anything of the sort," Lazarus said, having to yell somewhat from the distance, but a moment later he slipped out. He grunted as, majestically, his body flowed out and somehow managed to not stomp his tail.

Rachel nodded to his next question...

"This section?" Kord asked, pointing to where he thought his Chief mentioned the next set of micro-fractures. When she confirmed, the Gorn swiftly closed the tube behind him and entered the adjacent one, grunting several times as he made his way inside and began to work.

A moment of silence passed before he spoke again.

"I did hear rumours it was supposedly an Intrepid-class starship," Lazarus said as he started talking on the ship's grapevine. "But somewhere along the line, the juicy news stopped. I figure after our recent overhaul the Poseidon we got here got extended duty."

"Well, the Captain knows that despite this ship being held together with wishes and duct tape he does know that this ship does not have much more life in it, just wishes he would allow that 5-year stint in a shipyard where the ship can be gutted, the space frame straightened out and strengthened and transverse bulkheads installed followed by an all-new operating system and internal tech, but we have to abide by the Captain's choice, I just hope we do not have to face heavy fire" she said then paused as she checked the console.

"Okay those Microfractures have been sealed, the section you are at Lieutenant is reading five-by-five" Williams added.

With a few grunts, the Gorn slinked out of the tube and onto the corridor. He wiped himself down briefly before grunting at his Chief as he approached.

"Heavy fire or not, we barely survived our encounter against two Sabre-class vessels some time ago," Kord remarked, referencing the events leading up to and involving the Battle of the Bright Nebula. "Any other micro-fractures here?" He then asked, preparing his gear for another go.

The Chief Engineer checks the readings "No, you can seal it up, oh hell fractures detected at the section nearest the warp core according to these it is going to take two of us, dammit we are earning our pay today Lieutenant" Williams responded.

Kord cursed as he sealed the prior section up, then sighed in resignation. He gave a small nod and grabbed his toolbag heading towards the section nearest the warp core. He made motions towards his Starfleet badge as he rounded a corner, then proceeded to the designated bulkhead and tube. As he worked to take the panel off, he carefully laid it to the side and then grabbed the required tools as he slinked into the tube. Barely able to fit and roll as necessary, he made his way halfway down the tube - which wasn't far - and found the designated power relay substation. Carefully removing that panel, he began tracing his claw down the glowing wires before his micro-spanner began to chime that he found the area. Working with the tool, he began to repair the micro-fractures.

"Alright Chief," Kord said, his combadge relaying. "I'm working the micro-fractures now. Looks like we caught them developing."

A moment of silence, then, "Why do you think the Captain wants to keep this old girl?"

Rachel not afraid to get her hands dirty pulled off a panel next to the one Kord squeezed into, unlike the gorn she had a much easier time, the best thing was it was near where he was so a Commbadge was needed. She pulled off the panel and sighed "Dammit, not just micro fractures" she exclaimed as she shut down the power to her section and as she began to work she responded to Kord's question.

"I do not know why Lieutenant, he knows this ship's limits he also knows for him to keep it this old girl would need to go into a five-year dock to be gutted, its spaceframe straightened and strengthened to allow some proposed safety bulkheads installed I saw Commander Sharpe's plans, but the Captain vetoed it and the matter was dropped, but he is fully aware this ship is coming to its end without a major refit, but as for his actual reasons for wanting to keep this old tub, I have no idea Lieutenant, no idea" she answered and returned her attention to removing a damaged panel, the panel could be saved, but there was an ODN relay section that needed to be replaced, she remembered there was at least one emergency replacement in the area so she crawled to the small supply box and retrieved the items making a mental note to replace all emergency supplies in the tube sections.

"Maybe he's just nostalgic?" offered Kord as he worked his section with, to his surprise, relative swiftness and effectiveness. He concentrated on his work as he managed to repair the micro-fractures faster than anticipated. "Could be that his efforts to make it into an Academy ship were to keep it from a museum. Maybe the Commodore had some say in it? The ship's mill is that the Commodore was the original Captain before."

Working away "Perhaps so, but this ship can only train the Cadets to a certain level, anything more advanced and they would be stumped, do you know if there is a new ship in the works for us Lieutenant, heard anything?" she asked "because this old girl is essentially held together with duct tape and promises, but as its engineers, we must keep her going" Williams commented as she replaced another ODN relay.

Kord continued his work as he spoke with his Chief. "I think I heard that there was supposed to be an Intrepid class under construction at the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards. For some reason, though, they stopped construction. That's about all I heard on the matter, like I said before. And I agree! This ship is an old girl and we have to keep her going. It's rather fortuitous that I worked on the Miranda classes before my introduction here. I know here intimately like the back of my claw. New systems here and there introduced by the prior Chief and yourself, but overall it's rather simplistic to adapt to."

"Excellent on that, but we need a new ship eventually, I do not know what estimates Commander Sharpe gave the Captain, but having read the reports, I would estimate this ship has no more than five years left and that is being optimistic I would not be surprised if it barely lasted four and the easy adaption is all well and good for the Cadets to learn the basics, but they will eventually graduate the Academy and get postings to more advanced ships and unless they have had some experience with modern ships, they will have a steep learning curve," she said.

"No kidding," grunted Kord. He finished up where he was at, sighing as he wiped his snout clean. "I think I'm done here. Is there anything else I missed?"

She worked efficiently while she talked away and returned the items back to their ports reconnected everything back up returned the power to them and tested the power supply which showed green across the board, she was happy so she closed the outer cover "I cannot see anything else, I think our job is done here Lieutenant and we can get out of this enclosed space" she said.

A moment later both engineers climbed out of where they were and Rachel stretched.

"Want to grab a drink Lieutenant, think we both earned one?" She asked.

"Aye sir, I do," Lazarus replied, stretching as well. "Nothing like some Romulan Ale to loosen up joints after a long day of repairs."

[OFF]

----------

Lieutenant Commander Rachel Williams
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Poseidon

&

Lieutenant Lazarus Kord
Engineering Officer
USS Poseidon

RSS Feed