Posted by Lieutenant Sapeth (Incoming Chief Engineer) in Check In - Cadet Caelian Weir Reporting for Duty

Posted by Cadet Caelian Weir (Engineer) in Check In - Cadet Caelian Weir Reporting for Duty

Posted by… suppressed (3) by the Post Ghost! 👻

<snip>

“As you have noticed, it’s a bit of a tropical jungle in here,” the saurian continued. “After you’ve had a moment to take a load off, I’d like to administer an evaluation. Don’t worry, it’s not going to determine if you are cleaning out holodeck filtration systems or anything like that; however, an engineer is required to keep calm under pressure. Often you will be expected to make a Monet, but are offered colored pencils to make it happen. Also, in an unrealistic time frame. When you’re ready I’ll issue you a single field kit and your instructions.”

Caelian nodded. “Thank you, sir. I came here immediately upon arrival, so I haven’t had a chance to find my quarters. To be honest, sir, I could do with a quick respite and something to eat. It’s… a little uncomfortable in here.”

He snapped his mouth shut immediately, swallowing hard. The heat must have gotten to him more than he’d imagined! Had he insulted a superior officer? His father had drilled into his head the importance of honesty and knowing one’s limitations, but his mother had also trained him to possess a bit of tact. He threw his hands up in an apologetic gesture.

“N-Not that it’s uncomfortable in here for you, sir,” he stammered. “It is, of course, your office, sir. I simply meant…”

Caelian reigned his embarrassment in, took a deep breath, and gave the chief a wry grin. “I’m sorry, sir. I’m a bit nervous. As I said, sir, I could use with a bit of refreshing. However, if your test is designed to test my performance while under stress, I’d like to start immediately. Given my current… condition… I believe it would only enhance the chief’s evaluation of my abilities.”
—Caelian Weir, Cadet—

“Quite the contrary, your evaluation will be to troubleshoot the climate control from the access panel behind you… you have seven minutes.” Zenzgii slid back in his chair and reached under his desk to pull out an engineering field kit. Setting the kit on his desk in front of Caelian the Saurian waited patiently. “Time is ticking…”

Zenzgii, CE

Seven minutes? Caelian thought to himself as he scooped up the kit and turned to the panel. It came away easily enough, revealing the illuminated workings beneath. Not enough time for a Level 3 Diagnostic. Where would the most likely problems be? Unless…

“Computer,” he grumbled as he ran an ODN recoupler over the available cables. “Set the environmental controls of this location to Federation standard parameters.”

Sometimes the simplest solutions are the right ones, he could almost hear his father say. It likely wouldn’t have been that easy, but he didn’t know his chief at all. If he were testing a fresh cadet, however, it would be something he’d try. Easy enough to have someone chasing their own tail if you made them think there was a problem in the first place.

When the ODN cables checked out, he moved on to the isolinear array.
—Caelian Weir, Cadet—

“While a reasonable assumption Cadet, in this case the simple answer is not what you are looking for,” Sapeth said as he stepped into the office. “Lt Zenzgii, they are requesting your presence in the lab.”

The test that Lt Zenzgii preferred for his new cadets was a reasonable test of their skills, even if Sapeth thought it was not necessary right as they joined the ship. There was plenty of time for the Cadets to learn while they were on the Challenger, there was no reason for, as the humans liked to say, a trial by fire.

“I do believe you have 5 minutes left Cadet. And while I do prefer the warmer temperature in here, I am more accustomed to what you would call a dry heat.”

Lt Sapeth - CE

He grunted as his startled fingers teased a power conduit a little too closely. Shaking the tingling sensation from his hand, he cast a quick glance over his shoulder at the new voice. Caelian sighed inwardly at the angular features, the pointed ears, and the dry tone before moving on to the regulators.

He’d known a family aboard the Venture and had several Vulcan classmates during his time in the Academy. His experiences with them had been wide and varied, but somewhat predictable. In a casual environment, he’d grown to appreciate their candor and direct nature: one always knew where they stood with a Vulcan. Professionally, however, most Vulcans he’d dealt with took an almost patronizing tone with him. It wasn’t necessarily demeaning—that would have required emotion—but they’d talked to him like he was always a step behind, almost pitying in a bland way.

Like Kendra would talk to me when I fell and scraped my knee, he thought. Without the warmth.

“Shaya tonat,” he growled between clenched teeth, glaring at a particularly-warm inverter. “I had to try. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a solution discarded out-of-hand for being simple. Any problem has a—aha, there you are!—a logical progression of answers.”

Caelian swiped his forehead with a sleeve, then picked up his phase decompiler. A quick pass with the device brought a smile of relief to his face and a softer hum from the inverter. By the time he returned the tool to the kit, he felt less as if he were being smothered by a wet blanket. One problem down…

“Himidity’s falling. Should be a bit more to your liking here shortly, sir.” Caelian cast a glance over his shoulder at the officer, offered a tentative thumbs-up. “Now that I have ‘dry.’ let’s see what I can do about ‘hot.’”
—Caelian Weir, Cadet—