Engineering Tune Up

Posted on Thu May 29th, 2025 @ 6:51pm by Lieutenant Aidan O'Connor & Lieutenant Rel Ry'lar & Lieutenant Ánderijá "Rija" Rautajärvi

1,464 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Cead Mile Failte
Location: USS Washington

LT Aidan O'Connor made his way into Engineering after spending some time down on the planet. He felt refreshed after being in a place that reminded him so much of home. He had one thing on his mind now though, integrating the new engineers into the department and making sure things worked well. He had read over the service documents and other personnel files of the new members of his team, and now he was going to be meeting with them before the larger daily meeting with the Engineering staff. He took a seat in the small office he had and awaited the new engineers.

Rel moved about the corridors of the USS Washington-E, making his way to the engineering department's office. Having just arrived, he was looking forward to learning about the Sovereign class's engine and quirks. His last ship was an Akira class, which was much smaller but not much older than the Sovereign, so adapting to the new class and upgrades wouldn't hinder him. Approaching Main Engineering, he bypassed the main entrance and approached the office, signaling the door chime that he had arrived.

The door opened and Rel entered and Aidan was happy to put a physical presence with the files he had read. "Ah, Lt Rylar. Pleasure to make your acquaintance" Aidan said in his thick Irish brogue. He had plenty of experience with Andorians, but this was his first time dealing with an Aenar, even someone with a mixed ancestry. "Do you require any assistance I should be made aware of before we really start into things?"

Giving a tap of the tricorder on his waistline, "No LT, have a modified tricorder right here. This should be the only assistance I need, already linked it to the computer core as well." he responded approaching the desk. "And as it is linked to a neural transponder, I shouldn't hinder you or the rest of the engineering team." he finished before offering a handshake.

The low hum of the Washington's warp core had long since settled into Rijá's bones. He stood at one of the secondary diagnostic consoles just beyond the office, quietly reviewing EPS fluctuation reports from Deflector Control. When the door to the office swished open again and a second voice joined the Irish brogue inside, he considered ignoring it. But hierarchy and good personal habit appealed to his better nature.

Rijá stepped in, posture straight but not too stiff. His uniform was clean but worn at the seams, boots bearing the scuff of the day's rounds. His red-brown hair was tucked behind his ears, and his eyes--grey-blue, clear and cool like the frigid ice fields back home--moved momentarily over both officers before he nodded.

"Lieutenants," he said in a low by steady voice. The accent carried faint traces of something Nordic, smoothed by several years of serving in Starfleet but still distinctly other.

He gave O'Connor a curt nod. "I've already run diagnostics on the tertiary plasma manifolds and isolated the minor phrase variance on Deck 10. It's another grounding loop. I'll have it cleared before the end of shift."

He turned to Rel Ry'lar with a quiet nod. "I don't think we've been introduced," Rijá said. "If you haven't walked the vertical crawlspaces yet--don't. The top bulkhead's a deceiver. Took some skin off my scalp the first week.

There was no smile. Not quite. But the glint in his pale eyes suggested dry humor resided there--buried deep under the ice.

"Right then, I think this is going to be a bit of craic" Adain said in that typical Irish happy manner. "I think the both of you are going to like it here, and the captain, he is a stern and stoic bastard, but he really knows his stuff."

Aidan took a moment to allow the others to settle into this little meet and greet. He noted that Rija had already dealt with certain things he was going to be dealing with, and that was just fine by him. "Alright gents, first thing you need to know about things aboard this ship, the captain and the senior officers tend to be a bit more friendly and informal than on your typical StarFleet ship. That isn't to say they can't or won't be formal about things, but they treat things often like this is a ship full of friends or family. I don't want that to catch you unawares. As such, how do the two of you prefer to be addressed?"

"Rija is just fine," answered the Sami officer. He turned to Rel, attempting not to stare at his antennae.

"Rank or Rel is acceptable, I don't mind being informal, but I believe it takes a bit of time to adjust to something like that," he responded to Lieutenant Aidan before turning to the other engineer in the office. "I see." he tried to joke. "I'll have a bit of competition for being the best engineer. Nothing wrong with that" offering another handshake.

"I would have hit the ground running as well, but I was informed by a former mentor of mine, ask before touching someone else's toys."

"And no competition here," Rija added, dry as burnt peat. "Just a shared we carry in rotating shifts." He clasped Rel's offered hand with a steady grip.

"Right, sounds good. Just call me Aidan, or you can use my rank if you prefer." Aidan offered a soft chuckle, hoping it might alleviate some of the tension he was feeling being around essentially equals. "Just a few things to make sure you are aware of from an engineering standpoint, things that were made awares to me and I want you to know so it doesn't come as some sort of shock to you. For the most part this is everything you would expect from a Sovereign class vessel, particularly down here in Engineering. That said, the weapons and defensive systems on this beast are a bit more lethal. Ship is equipped with a limited amount of these prototype torpedoes, transphasic torpedoes is what I was told they are, and quite interesting if you ask me. The ship also has these generator ports along the hull that when activated cover the ship in this ablative armor shell like it were a knight of old. Both of these little items are apparently things we are not supposed to talk about, and I can tell you in my limited time I have been aboard, only seen them used once when the situation was dire. But when you check the power levels, you'll understand why some systems get a bit more power than standard, and why we apparently are required to keep a slightly higher than normal power reserve."

Rija nodded. "My last assignment was aboard the Mare Tranquillitatis. California-class. Solid, reliable... if not exactly glamourous. Good training ground, though. You learn quickly to stretch every isolinear chip and power relay."

For a moment, he was lost in thought before adding, "I also did a turn at Beta Antares Yards and got a good look at the Sovereign-class." He glanced toward the inner bulkhead where the consistent hum of the warp core pulsed.

"Nothing quite prepares you for the real thing. But I didn't come aboard blind."

Then, with a flicker of buried humor, added, "Still took skin off my scalp in the crawlspace, though."

"I'm looking forward to looking into these new weapons and defensive systems and seeing how they work. As well as the challenge of working on the Sovereign class." he said before biting fighting back the urge to say something, "I look forward to learning from your experiences as well Lieutenant Rija" Rel replied.

"Well lads, I think we have covered all the basics. I suspect Dr. Howard will be expecting you both for your medical checkups. Nice lass, and her whole staff is top notch. And considering checkups, make sure you speak with the counselor at some point. I should warn you, she is married to the XO" Aidan said with a soft chuckle. "Now, let's go meet the rest of the Engineering team and get to work. Nice easy day planned so long as we don't need to go fix something or they don't run the ship into anything."

"I will head for sickbay once my shift is done. Also aren't you testing fate or is luck when saying something like?" Rel questioned following Aidan.

Rija nodded at Aidan. He was used to the procedure of enduring a physical and a counseling session with each new assignment--he could only hope his tenure aboard the Washington would last longer.

"It was good to finally meet both of you," Rija said with a note of ceremony. "I'm looking forward to meeting the rest of the team."

 

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