Command and Control

Posted on Fri Jan 1st, 2010 @ 8:33pm by Commander Acle Walex & Ensign Lucretia Rubelle

Mission: Borderline Diplomacy
Location: Engineering
Timeline: MD 01 0900 hrs

Acle stepped out of the turbolift and onto the threshold into engineering. As always, the cavernous bay somewhat awed him. For a brief moment, he simply stood in the entrance-way, gazing at the bustle of crew going about the inner-workings of the ship. It had often been said that engineering was the heart of any star ship, the beating heart at that. Acle could well sympathize with the statement, as he began to move into the bay.

Acle looked about for someone, but, after looking through the bay, did not appear to find them. He scanned the area again, then apparently found what he was looking for as he began walking briskly.

Ensign T'Lara Johanson (NPC) looked up as the executive officer stepped near her. She quickly braced herself at the position of attention when he stepped exactly six paces from her. Acle hid a smile.

“As you were.” Acle said. The Vulcan Ensign shifted into what might have been called a comfortable position, if one were a Vulcan.

“What can I help you with Commander?” She asked.

Acle then did grin slightly. This is why he enjoyed working with Vulcans. Direct and to the point. “I am looking for an Ensign Rubelle. Would you happen to know where she is?”

The young Vulcan made no remark on the slight smile on Acle's face, pretending to have not even seen it. “She is working on the Dilithium Intake System Commander.” she replied.

Acle raised an eyebrow slightly. “Uh... Ensign. I graduated the bridge officer's command course, but, I am a little bit rusty on the specifics of engineering's layout. Where might that be?”

“Of course Commander, I apologize. It is over by the warp core, directly to the starboard side.” The Vulcan replied. “I can lead you to it if you require.

“Ah, no, that won't be necessary Ensign.” Acle replied, casting a quick look at the half torn apart console in front of the assistant chief engineer. “I believe I can find it. Thank you.”

The Vulcan female nodded once, then bent to return to her work. Acle grinned slightly again, then moved away, moving to one side of the warp core. As the half-Vulcan had said, he found Ensign Rubelle working there.

Ensign Martel was working on the Dilithium intake system just as Ensign Johanson had said and there was hard at work investigating a slight irregularity in the reaction governor. With a panel of the towering mechanism removed she had crawled half inside with only her legs extending outward as she adjusted the tension of a limiter gasket with great zeal. So detained, head within the machine, she did not notice the Commander approach.

Acle walked behind the Ensign and observed her for a moment. It did not appear that she had noticed him, so he cleared his throat softly, so as not to unduly startle her.

Without removing her torso from the innards of the Intake System the ensign twisted her hyper-spanner with an audible grunt, her form shifting with a strain of muscles all through her core. "Ahoy?" Came the gruff and impatient response, that was until she heard her commander's voice.

"Ensign Rubelle?" Acle asked.

Hurriedly wrenching the governing bolt a final time the specialist scrambled and squirmed her way out of the towering machine with a series of grunts and curses in French. Springing to her feet the Ensign snapped to attention with a smart salute. "Present, sir."

Acle stifled the grin that rebelliously threatened to appear on his face and brought himself to attention and rendered a salute in reply. "At ease Ensign."

With actions speaking to decisive nature and sharp mannerisms the Ensign adopted the 'parade rest' posture, as protocols dictated. "Aye aye, sir."

Acle studied the younger women for a moment, then offered a slight smile, to ease the tension that he knew she would be feeling. "Ensign, as we have not had a chance to meet yet, I am Commander Walex, the XO." Acle paused, then grinned fully "Of course, you already knew that. Anyway Ensign, I am here as per my pre-launch rounds. I was told that you were the go-to person on anything to do with damage control." Acle paused here and quirked an eyebrow.

Seeming to be a tense individual to her very core Ensign Rubelle remained poised and at the ready in spite of the Commander's disarming smile. After listening intently to the pleasantries and platitudes that often accompanied such meetings the Ensign allowed her chest to swell inside of her coveralls with a certain pride. "Sir, yes, sir. I do my best work whilst under pressure. It has gotten me out of many tough spots, and resulted in a lot of term papers written last minute at the Academy. Sir." She added a wry smile at the end, her words spiced with traces of her regional accent not yet fully trained out.

"Judging from you academy scores, it must have worked." Acle said, flashing another smile. He was smiling more then what was in character for himself.

Concealing a modest blush Lucy cleared her throat delicately before accepting the Commander's compliment as graciously as she was able, "That is very kind of you to say, sir, but it wasn't anything special. Plenty of graduates got higher grades. About twenty-one to be precise."

Acle appeared about to remark on that, but, then mentally shrugged. Instead, Acle's face grew more formal as he looked at the Ensign. "I was a little concerned about our preparation for battle damage, or rather, the ability to cope with it. With the recent flair up in hostilities in our area of operations, it becomes something near to the forefront of one's mind."

At the more serious and officious tone of her commander's voice the Ensign snapped back to attention leaving behind irreverent thoughts of school days and pleasantries. Self-consciously tugging at her coveralls, suddenly feeling under inspection, she cleared her throat again this time more solidly. "Well, sir, a good step on assuring that we are in the best shape for taking damage we could run a thorough diagnostic, and perhaps even a test, on the electro-mechanical elements of our safety protocols. The software is checked over regularly, but a lot of these emergency seals, releases, and catches may never move until we need them... It would be an unpleasant surprise to find out the airlock that should be saving your life isn't. Anything else is just a matter of stock and skill. The latter I will take care of personally."

Acle nodded then replied "Understood Ensign. I will see to it that a full test will be run at the earliest convenience." Acle flashed a smile, showing teeth "I'll make sure that it comes as a surprise. I will also convey my assurances to the Captain that all is in readiness."

Smiling self-assuredly Lucy blustered with pride as the Commander took her advice to heart. "Thank you, sir. I appreciate your confidence in me."

Acle drew himself up, not quiet to attention, but, close, and said "Unless there is anything else Ensign, I will be on my way and leave you to your duties."

Snapping back to attention Ensign Martel saluted sharply, "Sir, no, sir." With that she was back down to the floor and half vanished back into the interior of the great machine cursing in french at some tool or part that had been causing her trouble or resisting manipulation.

Acle flashed a small smile at the Ensign, one which she of course could not see being buried in the equipment as she was. Then turned about on his heel and strode towards the hatch and the awaiting turbo-lifts. He genuinely liked the French Ensign. A ghost of a smile hovered about his lips as he entered the lift and punched in the command for the Bridge.

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Commander Acle Walex
Executive Officer
USS Iapetus

&

Ensign Lucretia Rubelle
Damage Control Specialist
USS Iapetus