Posted by Ensign Elemirre Serinde (Engineering Officer) in Side Sim-Engineering Meeting of Minds (El and your company of NEs)

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Odina Marshell (Chief Engineer) in Side Sim-Engineering Meeting of Minds (El and your company of NEs)

Posted by Ensign Elemirre Serinde (Engineering Officer) in Side Sim-Engineering Meeting of Minds (El and your company of NEs)
Posted by… suppressed (5) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Odina didn’t say much at first but she had noticed some tension among the NE’s and she figured having a face to face with them all. She hoped would clear the air and if nothing else give everyone time to get things off their chest. She wasn’t sure how the meeting would end, if the NE’s would want to try and have her replaced or if they would be willing to work with her. Either way it was worth the risk to make sure they were a team that intended to try to keep the ship moving in the best possible condition.

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Marshell,CEO

The crew were waiting for the new Chief when she came in to the scheduled meeting at the lounge that had been booked for this. Some who had seen her were not surprised, but some hadn’t yet seen her and craned their necks to get a view of her. The faces were a mix of emotions. Some looked intrigued, some looked bored, some wore neutral expressions.

In one cluster were the other engineering officers. Ltjg Reginald Green was sitting/leaning against a table, his expression one of a ‘well let’s see’. He was a large man with a square thick beard. The other two were Ensigns El, a mid sized striking Asian girl and NE Sasha Gagarin, a tall lanky expressive young man with a boyish face. El looked intrigued, perhaps because she felt she was the shortest one on the crew, at least before the new Chief. Sasha well, he was just expressive.

The more senior NCO’s were grouped more in the middle of the cluster of the engineers. One, a Warrant Officer, Jackson was present with a ball cap carrying the designation of the Indiana, Senior Chief PO Bekele Seifu, of Ethiopian descent, bald and leaning in to get a good look at her. The Petty Officers were rounded out with a mixed group – Fiona Cleare, Emerson Fawkes, Rick Walters and Aeled Clark. These regarded Odina with mixed expressions; Fiona the most critical in examination but most looked to be treating this as yet another introduction to yet another Chief Engineer, their third in the last year.

The general seamen – marking a half dozen – Dorian Grigio, Galen Sideris, Rosa-Marie Morales, Boris Gostovnick, William Fry and Darlene Kohl sat about one table. Darlene sipped from a battered coffee mug that bore safety qualification stickers, William looking a bit old to be a Seaman, Boris looking more fitting for a rugby field than a starship. The remaining three were just packing up a deck of cards as Odina entered.

As Odina came into the room and the engineers flashed an inquiring look at her, Green as the next ranking officer slipped off his seat. “Officer on deck!” he announced, looking at the others quite critically as they shifted to their feet and came to attention. With a practiced frown he paused to examine the group before turning to Odina. “Engineers mustered as ordered, Lt,” he said. His voice was unhurried and intentional and decidedly British.
- The Engineering Team

“Thank you everyone, for coming. I won’t keep you longer than needed since I know some of you are supposed to be sleeping. First off far as I am concerned, we’re all Engineers. I don’t want you to stand at attention to me, I’m not the Captain or First officer, they I expect you to attention and all.” She paused looking around, “I know I am the third to come on and I personally hope to stick around for a lot longer than my predecessors.”

There were a few quiet chuckles that funneled through the bunch when the mention of not needing to be so formal was addressed. A couple, however, Lt Green included, perhaps looked disappointed. Most were leaning in and listening and a few turned to one another and nodded hopefully when the Chief said she hoped to be around longer than the others.

Odina paused before adding, “I have read over the reports of those before me, you are all wonderful engineers and especially Ltjg Reginald Green, whom they all agreed was the best to have as a Second in command for our department, I hope we can all work together without issues. If there’s something on your mind I want to hear it. If you want to challenge something I have said well give your point of view and maybe we can compromise. Either way far as I am concerned we are all needed to keep this ship running to the best possible condition. I look forward to working with you all when shift rotations switch. If there is anything at all you want to talk about my door is open. Always.” Odina smiled, “Floor is open Ltjg Green if you want to add anything?”

Marshell, CEO

Green did look to glow somewhat at the praise while others did have a concerned look cross their faces; one thing Odina would have noted was that Green had submitted many reports on others related to procedural or regulatory misses on the part of the staff. To Odina it would be noted from that that Reggie Green was a stickler for regulations. However, with that being said, it was also noted that the crew were diligent and kept things quite ship shape. Odina would have noted that there were two different shift rotations present. The previous CE had 12 hour shift rotations in place. After his departure they had shifted to 8 hour rotations with either 6 engineers on (Alpha) and 5 on Beta and Gamma shift.

Green stood straighter and said, “Thank you, ma’am. Or do you prefer another title?” He paused there. “On behalf of all of us we welcome you aboard the Sojourner, and return your offer that if there is anything which we can do to make your settling in period easier or to get to know us better, please don’t hesitate to say. Lt Kelleher, the prior chief who came aboard at the christening of this ship, conducted individual interviews with us. It is unfortunate that he could not remain to be part of our exploratory mission. I would introduce the officers under me by their current shift rotations. Under Alpha shift, who would be under yourself, there is Ensign Elemirre Serinde who also is charged with the machine shop. I myself look after Beta shift, and Ensign Gagarin currently administers Gamma shift.” He gestured for them to stand. “As a bit of trivia, Ensign Gagarin is descended from Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space back in the mid 20th Century. If you wish, ma’am, each officer can introduce those under their command.”
- Green, NL Eng

“Ma’am or as long as the Captain or First officer aren’t around you’re all Welcome to just call me Odina.” she replied with a smile as she looked around at everyone. “I think you all set a good rotation for each shift before I arrived, I don’t see a reason to switch it up unless some folks want to swift shifts then that is just a matter of talking about it to sort it.” She had never agreed that 12 hour shifts were the way to go, it often in her opinion lead to folks who were over tired and sometimes those folks got hurt. She did not want that to be a thing from her department. “Pleased to meet you, Ensign Elemirre Serinde, and Ensign Gagarin.” she nodded at them as they stood, “I was going to ask but I don’t want to assume anything, but now I have to ask Ensign Gagarin, did you want to be an engineer on a ship because of your ancestor or just your own natural drive?”

Marshell, CEO

There were mixed reviews on the mode of address, typically more shocked from the higher ranks down with the crewmen showing surprised but more ‘wow’ glances shared among each other. Green gave a single curt nod at the continuance of the 8 hour shifts and that did look to go over pretty well with the others as well. El presented a small smile, perhaps shy? at her being singled out but Gagarin beamed which made him look even younger.

He jumped to his feet from where he had been sitting, all gangle, arms and legs looking too long for his body. His round face had an equally round goatee that ended in a bit of a rat’s tail. He may have tried for more of a beard but it didn’t look like his facial hair quite extended all the way but the bare space showed off rosy cheeks around a pale face. He grinned, eyes eager. “Yes!” he said to answer her question then realized that it was two questions. “And yes,” he said, Russian accent present but not as thick as some. “I’ve alvays loved space but when I vas young I learned of my ancestor and just wanted to be in space too.” He paused, the memory of seeing the old faded, ragged poster in a forgotten Moscow subway tunnel of Yuri, and the chief could see his eyes twinkle. “I vas good at math and puzzles,” he almost said dancing but cut himself off there and swallowed give himself a moment to think. What did he say? That he was obviously not strong enough of presence or body to be a MACO and never liked the labs in science and got queasy at the sight of blood, especially his own, so this was all he could do? That wasn’t very impressive. “Being an engineer I can be involved, learn, get my hands on things, make the future happen. Like Yuri.”
- Sasha Gagarin

Odina smiled, “Well I think we’re going to be in great company. Anyone else want to say anything or got a question for me or anything before I say get your rest and see you shift side?” She was very happy with the teams and she was very much looking forward to learning more about each person.

Marshell, CEO

Darlene Kohl, crewman, or crewgal, a tall, athletically built woman whose jagged cut hair currently had a blue tint to them about the edges raised her hand. It happened to be the hand without the coffee mug in it. “I have a question, Odina.” Her English was quite good and bearing a healthy European/Germanic accent and she looked to be in the roughly same age grouping as Odina.”Can you tell us a little about yourself? How you got here?” Her brows raised inquisitively. “Married? Got a beau? Where did you grow up?” Many eyes shifted from Darlene over to Odina .. it might be noted or remembered from Odina’s brief scan through the engineer records that Darlene is the only married engineer of the bunch.
- Darlene, Eng Seagal

“Well let me see, I was adopted, my older brother was adopt five years before me, and if anyone asks, no he is single and no I don’t mind introducing folks to him, you just have to promise not to call him Tommy which he absolutely hates.” she paused to allow for any reaction to that, and then continued lightly smiling, “I grew up in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee and I recently met my birth mother, she wasn’t ready for kids when I was born, so she did what she thought was best. Beyond that I got here like the rest of you after school and academy training and some hair raising shuttle rides.” she looked around, “Did any of you get the fly guys that liked doing loop de loops? I swear the guy flying us was trying to get us to hurl.”

Marshell, CEO