[USS Juno] Delayed Communications

Posted on Fri Aug 3rd, 2018 @ 7:21am by Captain Harrold Anderson & Lieutenant JG Christian Barrett

751 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: [USS Shanghai] S1E2: Encounter in the Abyss
Location: USS Juno - Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: 05/13/2394 - 1500 hours

Lieutenant Junior Grade Christian Barrett stepped onto the ship's bridge for the first time in days. The ship's command center had been the second interior his team had made operational. Since going operational, Chris had spent more time in engineering, regenerating and replacing the Benamite crystals in the Slipstream drive. It was an arduous task, and Chris was working on streamlining the regeneration method. Still, it was far past time he had the conversation with the commanding officer of the USS Juno.

Chris walked across the raised platform and the tactical station, noting the reptilian Sce/Tac chief. He wondered how many of his co-workers would have nightmares about the man, much less the fear he would instill in their enemies. He reminded Chris of a Komodo dragon, a Terran reptile he'd once seen on a protected Indonesian island in the south Pacific. They had been terrifying creatures, but they were also not sentient or able to talk.

Crossing from starboard to port, Chris found himself at the CO's ready room. He ran his fingers through his hair and touched the annunciator, alerting the CO he'd finally come for an in-person report.

Harry was trying to plan for his ceremony. Going over last minute preparations with Dan, while also coordinating with Starfleet, on any information they have learned about the abduction on New Bajor. "Enter," called out Harry, with two pads in his hands reviewing text files, while a low ranking officer, was helping him with his uniform.

Harry was standing in the bathroom, so he could look at the mirror, but in reality he was busy looking at the data pads in his hands. His Yeoman was becoming annoyed with him. "Captain you need to stop wiggling around," She said, trying to get his measurements right, for the dress white uniform.

Harry watched as the doors to his ready room opened. "Lieutenant Barrett, go ahead and report, don't mind her she is modifying my uniform. Apparently I lost weight." He said with a slight grin of annoyance on his face, as he briefly looked at the Yeoman, then back at Chris.

Chris nodded. "The slipstream drive is operational, Captain, but she's a touchy thing. The Benamite crystals used to power her daily operations are almost as touchy, but I think I've found a way to optimize their regrowth and generate new crystals at an accelerated rate, sir."

"Awesome," he said with a big grin. That news just made his day. "Our trip from ESD, was a bit shaky, we were able to compensate with using more crystals, at least the first part of the drive issue is complete, I want you to continue to find away to stabilize the drive system. I have feeling we will need the drive once we find our people," suggested Harry, and without giving any further explanations, mainly because he had none to give, it was a feeling.

"I'll be running simulations through the next few days to optimize slipstream velocities. Additionally, I know the USS Vesta has been operational for some time and has had similar problems with their slipstream. I'd like your permission to develop a census of engineers aboard the Vesta class, a think tank of sorts. A way to identify current problems and potential problems as well as their solutions, hopefully once we get the current problems sorted, we can focus on potential problems and solutions before they become functional problems."

"Not a bad idea, Lieutenant. Let me know what your think tank comes up with, but this should be a volunteer group that meets up. We have a rescue mission to tend to, so our first responsibility is to the rescue of the Federation citizens," said Harry, wanting his new chief engineer to know he supported him, but his priorities were on his mission.

"Of course, Captain. Considering our first mission's priority status, I wouldn't want to undertake the creation of the think tank until we've concluded the mission, hopefully successfully, sir," Chris answered seriously. Besides, it would take some doing to gather all five engineers of Vesta class starship's in a holodeck at the same time.

"I hate to cut this short, but sounds like you have a few things to sort out with this think tank, I have a promotion I have to attend, MINE. So if nothing else, dismissed," he said with a big grin.

"Aye sir... And congratulations." Chris dipped his head in deference before exiting the ready room.

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