(Un)Welcome News

Posted on Thu Dec 8th, 2022 @ 2:03am by Captain Temperance Harding & Lieutenant Commander Nyx Valentine

Mission: Lower Decks
Location: Engineer's Office
Timeline: Shortly after conclusion of Mission 2

ON

Harding stepped into the main Engine room of the Endurance. It looked busy, if not frantic. The battle with the White Wolf had left them rather battered, yet not in a critical condition. Her sharp hazel eyes scanned the room, finding the person she wanted. Snaking her way through the teams hard at work, the Captain stepped close to the engineer. "Ms. Valuntine?"

Nyx looked up and backwards from the center console where a hologram of the ship was suspended in several separated parts. Areas on it showed red, but there were very few of those remaining. Most of the ship actually showed green or a bright yellow, with a few in various shades of orange. As she glanced back to the hologram, another of the orange spots flickered to a yellow and she smiled, “Thank you Jasmine.” She whispered before turning around to the Captain, “Yes, Captain, what can I do for you?”

The Captain's eyes swept over the visual damage report of her ship. A far better method than a list of systems. It provided for a much easier method of understanding information. "Do you have a few minutes?" She asked, a smile playing across her lips. This was how they had first met, and the deja vu was not lost on her.

“I’ve been good, attended all the meetings and everything!” Nyx chuckled as she raised her hands in mock surrender, bright red lipssticked lips pressed tightly together as she fought a broad grin, then lost the fight, “Even volunteered for extracurricular activities!” She winked, “For you, ma’am, I’ve got all time you could need. My office? Coffee?”

"Please. Black." That should have been a warning sign in itself. had the Chief Engineer known her for longer. Harding only ever drank coffee when things were rather dire. She followed the woman into the office.

“Of course.” Nyx smiled as she quickly intoned a three-note whistle and a sleek form dove off of a hanging platform and in a flurry of backwinging flaps alighted on her left should and curled around her neck, bright eyes peeking up over at the Captain before vanishing again. As they entered the office, another three toned whistle and her right arm raised, the drakeling running up it and with a single hard flap of leathery wings, launched itself to another platform, this one stop what appeared to be a rather tall cat tower. The engineer stepped over to the replicator and tapped a couple preset commands in, two cups appearing in the bay. She set one in front of the Captain, then settled herself into the second chair in front of her desk, rather than the one behind it. It just wouldn’t be proper.

Harding watched the Drakeling for a moment, a small smile playing across her face. It was a fascinating creature, now that she had gotten over the surprise and unease. "Thank you, Commander." She said as they both sat. "I am afraid I come with rather unfortunate news. Our First Officer will be departing fair immediately, and oweing to current circumstances, Starfleet is unable to get us a replacement officer."

There was a splutter as Nyx was caught in mid-sip and nearly choked on the coffee, hers with cream and sugar, that she’d started to drink. Oh, she knew she where she stood rank wise among her shipmates and she’d seen the departure log about the Exec and Doctor, but this was the Fleet! Surely they.. Unladlylike, she used the cuff of her sleeve to dab at the droplets of coffee and avoid smearing the lipstick, “That’s… Unfortunate.” It was an understatement, but that just meant she’d be having to report to someone junior in rank to her, not the worst possible thing, “I’m sure one of the Lieutenants could step in for the short term? Who were you thinking of?” She brought the cup up for another sip.

"My Chuef Engineer." Harding answered, a perverse enjoyment at the timing of her answer. She was mostly curious to see how the woman would react.

The problem with a sharp intake of breath while drinking a cup of coffee was that liquid in the lungs was not what the body was built for. Nyx truly choked on the drink and quickly put it kn the table as she tried to resist the reaction to cough until she got her arm up against her face. As a result, only some of the coffee in her lungs was splattered across the desk, since she’d turned her face away just in time. Her eyes were wide in the panic of possibly drowning on a cup of COFFEE, but also because, “I’m sorry, Ma’am, I could have sworn that you just said… Me?” She said in a hoarse and wet voice, then coughed heavily into her elbow, trying to expel the rest of the liquid in her lungs.

Harding almost smiled at the response. "I did say you. Officially, you're being listed as Second Officer, you'll stay as Chief Engineer, you'll help share in Officer of the Watch on the Bridge, and maybe some more administrative paperwork. I'm not asking you to change uniform colour, or step away from Engineering, just to help me keep things ticking over until we get someone new."

Nyx was trying gallantly to recover and the head of the drakeling poked over the lip of the concave bed in apparent concern for a few moments, "Of course." She said, then thought to herself, 'As if I could say no.' she flashed an apologetic smile, "But I'm not sure I'm ready yet, ma'am, I... I'm still learning how to be a Chief Engineer." 'Though I was the Assistant Chief on a Sovereign-class', "And of course I've passed the Bridge Officer of the Watch exam," 'Aced it, though I knew the right answers were,' She exhaled deeply and took a tentative breath in that didn't try to kill her, "I'm sure that Fleet Command'll have someone to us in no time, naturally."

"More than just passed, from your record." Harding countered, taking a sip of her own coffee, and suppressing the shudder. Bitter, strong, and way too much caffeine. Yet, given what she had to deal with, absolutely essential. "Don't panic about the Bridge Watch. I have a standing policy: No officer shall ever be reprimanded for calling the Captain to the Bridge. Even if you just want to check the time... 'call me'."

"I'll remember that." Nyx said solemnly, then quirked a smile, "Not to check the time, I think I can handle that part myself, but if I second-guess myself at all. Or if something unexpected pops up that I'm not sure about, or if an alien boarding party transports aboard..." She furrowed her brow for a moment, "Well, I'll start shooting first or at least call for an alert before calling you on that last one."

"You'll be fine, Commander." Harding laughed, cutting off what she recognised as nervous rambling. "Besides, it's only temporary. You'll be back to old times before you know it."

"Right." The Betazoid nodded and exhaled again, "I do have one question, ma'am... Would you mind if I still brought Gigi with me while I'm on the bridge? She really is well behaved and exposing her to that sort of atmosphere would be good for her development."

Harding cast an eye up to the creature. She saw it looking at her, and tried to give a warm smile. "We'll try it out for a bit, see how things go. If things don't necessarily go well, we'll find alternate options." It was not said harshly, or maliciously, just matter-of-factly.

"She won't disappoint you." Nyx promised, whistling a three-toned note. The drakeling immediately dove off the platform and landed on the desk without flapping or disturbing the cups and her claws ticked on the desktop as she padded over to the now outstretched hand and pressed her head against it, rubbing it up to the small horns on her neck before beginning again, "Thank you, ma'am, for your faith in me."

Harding, out of sheer curiosity, held out her hand, palm up to the Drakeling. It hunt there for a number of impossibly long seconds, before the creature nuzzled against her as well. Watching with fascination as the creature pulled back, going back to Nyx, Harding gave the commander a nod, and a small wave to Gigi.

Picking up her coffee, the Captain headed out of the door.

OFF