Posted by Captain Rende Asam (Commanding Officer) in Crap! It’s the Captain! (Tag Rende)

Posted by Ensign Kovan ch’Sirhc (Engineering & Communications Officer) in Crap! It’s the Captain! (Tag Rende)

Posted by Captain Rende Asam (Commanding Officer) in Crap! It’s the Captain! (Tag Rende)
Posted by… suppressed (19) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Kovan checked the right, then the left. All clear. He crossed the intersection and headed down the hall towards the deck 7 escape pods. Pausing every few meters to listen for the sound of foot steps or chatting crewmen. No one close enough to spot him and that was good enough for him. Kovan pulled his hyperspanner from his back pocket and gently pried off the maintenance panel for the escape pods.

The hardware system that managed the pods was soon due for a physical examination and upkeep maintenance. Kovan checked over both shoulders before getting to work. Why the sneaking around? Because he’d very recently been put under a work suspension for two days. Meaning, he was put on forced R&R (and not for the first time either). No one should be working on the pods for a few days yet and few crewmen ever wandered by the pods. Kovan figured it was his best bet for off the record work. Two days with no work. What did they expect him to do? Play board games in the lounge all day and learn an instrument?

The suspension wasn’t fair to begin with. Who cared if he worked “too many” shifts in a row or if he didn’t take enough “off time”? Don’t work so much Kovan. Stop getting into arguments with your crewmates in your off time. Go take a break, Kovan. Go be social. Oh, not that social because you’re as pleasant to be around as a wild Gorn.

En ch’Sirhc COMMO/ENGR

As was Rende’s habit, she tended to walk the corridors. She had never been one to just sit idley. She was a mover, even just a leasurily walk. Especially when her mind wouldn’t settle. She was still pouring over the letter to Eldorin. It had never been so hard to talk to him. Was it guilt? Maybe fear? Or was she just that lonely? It was so very strange to be without him. And to be so incredibly far away. That was what it really was, the distance. There was nothing she could do about it though.

Walking the corridors was also a good way to get a feel for the ship and the rhythms of the people on each shift. It wasn’t really a need to check up on the crew, which she knew some people assumed. As first officer it was her job to be accessible and handle any issues, big or small, that arose. That was Alden’s job now, but Rende didn’t want to be one of those captains that was unapproachable, that was seen as larger than life, even when she was not. So in that vein she wasn’t wearing her uniform. She was dressed nicely in loose billowy slacks tucked into her boots and a cream wrap blouse with 3/4 sleeves.

She spoke to anyone she passed, and it was comical the formality, but they would either get over it or not. Rounding a quiet corner of deck 7 she saw the all too familiar sight of feet sticking out an access hatch and a hand searching for a tool. Rende grinned, it reminded her so much of Eldorin that it both made her happy and melancholy. She paused, forgetting how silently she walked, stooped down and picked up the tool, placing it in the searching hand. “There ya go.”

Asam, CO

Working deep in the hatch, Kovan settled into the rhythm of steady, familiar work. Though far from mentally demanding, the simplicity of checking the hardware for signs of wear and tear and ensuring the system was properly updated soothed him. Follow the steps, go down your checklist. Easy work with no room for personal issues or emotions to bleed into. Kovan began to feel around for his next tool when it suddenly pressed into his hand.

Kovan swore, and bashed his head against the top of metal ceiling when he instinctively tried to sit up and see who had found him. He swore some more. Crap. Keep your cool, stay inside the access hatch. “Uh, thanks.” He said. Whose voice was that? It was a little hard to hear fully inside the access hatch but he swore it sounded like the captain.

Kovan

Rende winced in sympathy. “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you. I should have said something before giving you the spanner. You alright?” She really should know better. She had done the same to Eldorin so many times. Then again, she had also learned to hand him what he needed without him having to ask. He was used to how quietly she moved as well.

Asam, CO

No, that was definitely the captain’s voice. Crap. “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just a bump.” Kovan called back, trying to keep his voice even. Though given the pain radiating across his forehead he supposed it was understandable that his voice wavered a little. He set the spanner beside him and passed back the diagnosis prong. Keep cool and pretend that you’re supposed to be here and not on a work suspension. “Set this down for me, would you?”

Kovan

“Sure.” Strong but elegant hands took the prong and set it down within reach. She didn’t remember the escape pods being up on the maintenance list. “Something go wrong with the pods?”

Asam, CO

“No, routine maintenance,” Kovan answered, “Doing the physical examination of the hardware and testing the software.” Now. . . Does he lie an say the time frame was bumped up? Or play it even more casual with a claim that he found time to get to it early? Shit. Kovan could lie like the best of them but lying to the captain? Too great a risk. Well crap. Kovan settled on saying as little as possible. The less you say the better off you were.

Kovan

Rende detected a bit of nervousness. “Relax ensign. I’m not here to check up on you.” She could tell the rank from the lack of stripes on his shirt sleeve. Other than that she had no way of knowing who he was as she couldn’t see his face. And as of yet Rende had not met everyone on the crew yet. “I was just passing by and you looked like you could use some help.”

Asam, CO

Ha. Right. Okay. Kovan let out a long gust of breath. “Taking a stroll around the decks or something?” Kovan said while getting back to work. So long as he worked he had an excuse to stay half-tucked inside the access hatch. “This would be one of the quieter decks for some peace and quiet,” He added. The Sentinel wasn’t a big ship, but it’s still a ship and there were only so many places to go and be. True privacy was only possible in private quarters. . . or secret hideaways in Jeffrie’s Tubes. No one to randomly drop by and bother you there.

Kovan

Rende shook her head with a small smirk. Nit that the ensign could see it. Her presence obviously made him uncomfortable. “Well, I will leave you to your work so you can finish. No one wants to work extra unless you are like my husband.” The thought if El made her smile.

Asam, CO

Kovan could sigh in relief. Finally. “Exactly, so, I better get this finished,” He said, hoping to move things along. Of course, Kovan was never so lucky as that. Despite spending years wasting money in casinos and gambling halls he never seemed to retain that lesson. Even back then. He touched his tool to a section of circuitry that lit up like lamp before emitting a metallic screech and unleashed a cascade of icey-hot sparks that stung the exposed skin of his hands and face.

He swore like a sailor and scurried out of the access hatch in record time. In the open and clear space Kovan let out a hiss, grimacing through the pain. The hand that was holding the tool trembled slightly.

Kovan, COMMO/ENGR

Rende was already around the bend when she heard the unmissable sounds of an engineer getting bitten by the tech they cared for. She did a quick about-face and headed back. With out asking she took the tool and dripped it to the bag and took his arm applying pressure to a nerve point and working her way slowly down to his hand. It eased the trembling and calmed the over active indignantly hurting nerves. No cure but it helped. “You’ve been burned. Someone else can finish this. You need to report to sickbay, Ensign.”

Asam, CO

Whatever the captain was doing to his hand was working. Pain continued to light up along the nervlines but the pressure diffused the pain and Kovan took several deep breathes to get the rest under enough control to speak, “I don’t need sickbay,” He said in a tight voice, “I’ll be fine in a minute. This is nothing.” He’s dealt with worse pain and this’ll get better on it’s own in a few hours. Should avoid the gym though.

Kovan, COMMO/ENGR

Rende looked at him, it was unnerving, like she saw what others did not. “Young man, my husband tells me that lie all the time. I know an injury that needs tending when I see it. So unless you tell me your bedding a medic and they will take care of it, sickbay it is.”

Asam, CO

Kovan hesitated. Who wouldn’t under that kind of scrutiny? Oshremia had a look like that, only heck of a lot more terrifying. That woman would not hesitate to use dirty tricks to get her way. “How about I find a medic to bed and they’ll take good care of me then?”

Kovan COMMO/ENGR

“Uh huh. You have a problem with sickbay or just stubborn?” Rende asked. She used to use a basic field kit to take of stuff like this for Eldorin. But that was when they didn’t have access to medical care.

Asam, CO

“Yes,” Kovan answered, he tried to flex his hand. Shooting-sharp pain raced up his arm and he grunted instead of swearing. “This is not sickbay worthy,” He added after a moment, “It’s not even bleeding. I’ll put some ice and heat on it and it will get better on it’s own.” Like Rende, Kovan didn’t spend a lot of his life with finest in medical care readily available. For many years he’s made due with what he had on hand or what he could do on his own.

Kovan COMMO/ENGR

Rende’s brows went up at the grunt. “Nope, if I have to escort you myself, I will. I know that sound. My husband made it one too many times. He has nerve damage in his arm now. If you have damage in your hand you can’t work. Heat and ice might ease the pain, but not fix the underlying issue. I am sure you can muddle through, but there is no need when medical care is readily available.”

Asam, CO

Three was no getting out of this was there? Kovan relented because nothing he said or did would make any difference. “Alright fine, I’ll go to sickbay.” He wondered what the odds were that he could be treated without anyone asking any questions. Unlikely but maybe he’s used up all his bad luck for the day? Kovan braced his shoulder against the side of the wall and got his legs under himself. He stood, using the wall as his balance because the thought of putting any kind of pressure on his hands right now would be torture.

Kovan COMMO/ENGR

Rende grabbed him by his upper arm and helped him stand. She was as strong as any human that put training into it, but more so she was steady and knew how to lift dead weight. She knelt and made sure the hatch was left in diagnostic mode and then stood back up and walked with him towards the lift. She had seen Eldorin talk and joke and argue before and then start walking and fall. Perhaps the Ensign wasn’t that hurt, but she would make sure.

Asam, CO

“I can walk just fine,” Kovan grumbled, sensing the captain’s purpose in sticking close by. Once in the lift Kovan stood back took care to not let his hands or arms bump into anything or himself. Even the slightest brush against something hurt. What was he going to say when he got to sickbay? Sorry, I know I’m on mandatory R&R but I just couldn’t help myself and then I got hurt. He’s going to get chewed out and maybe written up. That’s just great. His increasingly sour mood showed on his face as an impressive glower.

Kovan COMMO/ENGR

“I was going to stop by the Galley anyway.” Rende turned the handle to activate the lift. The Ensign obviously couldn’t do it. She wasn’t sure how he expected to finish his work if he was in that much pain. She studied his scowl. “Are you really that against getting help? What’s really wrong?”

Asam, CO

“When I don’t need the help to begin with then I’m not really against it, am I?” Kovan said, the sarcastic remark slipping past his already flimsy filter. “Nothing’s wrong.” He said, “I got unlucky and that’s nothing new. Work is the one good thing I have going for me and I can put up with a couple minor annoyances.” Work settled his mind and kept him focused. While on duty there was no time for personal thoughts or feelings. No room for the buzz to settle under his skin. It was hard to feel the pull of temptation when rules and policy kept you inline.

Kovan COMMO/ENGR