Posted by Cadet Grayson Paul (Engineer) in Main Engineering - Cadet Paul reporting to Lt. Monroe

Posted by Lieutenant Meredith Monroe (Chief Engineer) in Main Engineering - Cadet Paul reporting to Lt. Monroe

Posted by Cadet Grayson Paul (Engineer) in Main Engineering - Cadet Paul reporting to Lt. Monroe
Posted by… suppressed (5) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Cadet Paul emerged from the turbolift on Deck 5 and proceeded in the direction of Main Engineering. Tall, broad-shouldered and barrel-chested, with dark black hair cut close and sideburns stretching to his jawbone, he knew he cut an imposing figure. Then why was he feeling nervous, fidgety, as he approached the door? Could it be that this was not some simulation in San Francisco, but an actual, real life starship; with real flesh and blood Starfleet officers? The door opened as the computer sensed his approach, and Gray walked in boldly, confidently, then paused as he took in the environment.

He heard the quiet, steady beeping of consoles and the reassuring response of experienced officers; conversations as the engineers watched their posts and spoke of what was on their minds; different tools being used in various locations; and overall, the constant, rhythmic beating of the warp core. In the center, working her own post, was a tall, red-headed lady wearing the gold standard of an engineer and two solid pips indicating her rank of Lieutenant. Grayson was taken aback, slightly; not often had he encountered human women who neared his own height. He was…intrigued. Still, he was very much her junior in rank.

Grayson stepped up beside the Lieutenant and stood at attention, “Cadet Grayson Paul, reporting for duty, Ma’am.”
Cadet Paul, Engineer.

OOC: Welcome! Great first post! Small note going forward, it’s generally best to leave the position, actions, etc of others to them to write, they may wish to be engaged in a different task at the moment of your arrival :) Great post though, lovely scene setting!

IC:

Meredith glanced up as the doors swooshed open to reveal a tall human dressed in a cadets uniform. As he approached she noted with some inward relief that here at least was another member of the crew she wouldn’t have to stoop to look in the eye.

She acknowledged his salute with a nod of her own, her attention mostly on the results of the diagnostics she was running. She made a few notes on her PaDD and set off across main engineering, indicating with a wave of her hand for the cadet to walk and talk.

“Sooo Mr...... Paul was it? Welcome to the real heart of Star Fleet.”

She waved her towards the Warp Core which dominated the room as they approached it, it’s gentle hum the heart beat of ship. To anyone familiar with Earth accents, her words carried the gentle Scots lilt of one raised in the Hebrides.

“This is the most important part of the ship.... BUT! A Romulan Warbird has just decloaked off the starboard bow and put a volley of torpedos into us, killing myself, alas poor Meredith, and most of the senior staff in engineering, the core is about to breach containment.... what do you do?”

She pointed her PaDD at the Cadet dramatically.

Lt Monroe - Chief Engineer

OOC: Oops, my bad, not trying to step on toes.

IC:

“Romulans!” Grayson looked from the PaDD, pointed at him like a weapon and half raised his arms, “Well, without knowing exactly what’s wrong with the core, our first priority is to preserve the ship. So, I’m going to call those two,” Gray points at two other cadets, “And have them help me diagnose what’s wrong with and fix the core. At the same time, I’m going have her,” Gray points at another cadet, “Contact the bridge and see if anyone is alive up there. My goal is to turn this ship around, put the Romulans behind us in case I have to eject the core.”

Grayson smiled and lowered his arms, posting his hands just above his hips, “So, did I save the ship from the Romulans?”
Cadet Paul - Engineer

Meredith lowered the PaDD, a slight grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.

“Not bad, I’ll be seriously, if posthumously, impressed if ye can think that clearly with my insides splattered all over ye, that’s for sure. As for the Ship? Well that depends Laddie, can ye tell me the combined test scores yourself and these fine gentlemen,” she waved a hand at the cadets that had been selected for diagnostic duty “received in your Warp Core Theory exams and Damage Control Simulation modules?”

Lt Monroe - Chief Engineer

OOC: Hey you two, great start to the thread, thoroughly enjoyed reading that!

-Dave

OOC: Thanks Cap! This is my first post on mobile, we’ll see how it goes…

IC:
“Nope,” Grayson shrugged, looking over at the blissfully unaware cadets, “I don’t know who they are, they are either victims or heroes of circumstance, depending on whether or not the ship survived. If they’d been two Ferengis and a Nausicaan I would’ve chosen them due to proximity.”

Grayson turned, facing the core full on. Thankfully, it’s behavior was that of a well-functioning, state of the art warp core.

“As for my grades, I won’t lie to you, L.T.” Grayson shrugged, “I had middling grades here in the engine room. I had high marks in field work, Emergency Management, Machinery, getting my hands greasy, if you will. I can prooooobably fix the core, but where I’ll really come in handy is when you need the phasers repaired in the middle of a firefight with those Romulans you mentioned.”
Cadet Paul, Engineer (Mechanic?)

“A good, honest answer Cadet.” Meredith nodded her head in approval.

“The reason I’m asking is that as part of your cadet cruise, ye will be expected to perform the duties of a junior officer. That means working independently to complete assigned scheduled repairs, performing routine diagnostics, etc, but also leading work crews and standing watch here in main engineering, the bridge, and other vital areas.”

Meredith paused, and gave the cadet a look up and down as if measuring him up.

“The scenario I gave ye is hopefully unlikely, at least for my own sake, but ye could well be standing watch here as an emergency situation unfolds, so get to know your crew mates....”

Here she took a step back and turned to address the whole room, her voice now sounding clear and confident, easily heard across the busy area.

“..... that goes for everyone here, get to know each other, bond, become a crew. Learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Become stronger than the some of yer parts. If ye take one thing from this cruise, let it be that.”

She turned back to Paul, her voice returning to it’s normal soft brogue.

“So consider that lesson one, the right tool for the right job eh? I need good mechanics prepared to get their hands dirty, but a good mechanic uses the right tool for the right job. Next time, know which ‘tools’ to use where, eh cadet?”

Lt Monroe - Chief Engineer

“Yes, ma’am,” Grayson nodded, eyeing those cadets in his peripheral vision, “If you’ll forgive me for not knowing which ‘tool’ goes where, but I only arrived this morning. I’ll make sure to meet everyone so we can start building this team.”

Grayson turned fully to the Lieutenant, “But, speaking of just arriving, I still need to unpack my things. May I be excused?”
Cadet Paul, Engineer.

“Don’t worry cadet, I dinnae expect ye to know everyone’s shoe size and drinks order just yet.” Said Meredith, the grin still playing at the corners of her mouth. She turned her body to match the stance of the cadet, looking him full in the eye, no trace of the playful grin remaining.

“Ye’ll do for me, I don’t need someone to design me a new warp core, I need engineers that can keep their cool when the torpedo’s start flying, and I’ve got a feeling ye’ll do just fine Cadet Paul.”

She nodded her head. “Go get unpacked, see the Doc and the Counsellor for your reviews, and get settled in, I’ll transmit your duty stations and work schedule in the morning.”

“Oh, and to help get you started in your first assignment, I’m a size 9, and I take a Malt Whiskey, single blend, neat.”

Lt Monroe - Chief Engineer