Lower decks

Posted on Thu Apr 4th, 2019 @ 1:32am by Ensign Will Raynada & Ensign Mark Cross & Ensign Joran

Mission: Negotiations and Apothecaries
Location: USS Wolff - Mess hall
Timeline: 18th Feb 2395

ON:

"Hey Will." Joran said as he entered the lounge and saw his friend already there, he'd just got off shift and was looking forward to his dinner.

"Hey Joran." Will replied from across the surprisingly vacant mess hall, something must have delayed the rest of beta shift or they were all in the lounge instead.

Heading to the replicator Joran placed his order, his favourite after work meal; a half pound burger with chips and a large dollop of tomato sauce alongside a glass of cola.

"The usual again Will? Can smell it from here." Will remarked. Joran had a fairly short list of food he liked.

Ignoring the comment Joran sat down with his plate "So what do you think about this new assignment?"

"Why do you always have to bring up work right after we've finished?"

"I think you'll have to blame that one on Debbie, being with her must be rubbing off on me."

Will laughed then took a sip of his drink. "I don't know man. Going a good ways away from federation space to negotiate with 2 species we barely know anything about, sounds suspicious."

"I know what you mean. we've barely any tactical information about them either, the reports we do have are a good 10 years old. Their tech could have advanced a fair amount since then."

"Even after 10 years they probably wouldn't be anywhere near the technology level of starfleet." Will countered. "I bet a lot of the technology on the Wolff would be a surprise to them. Replicators, forcefields, photon torpedoes."

"And it's part of my job to make sure they don't find out about that sort of technology if they don't already have it. That will take some doing, can't have them snooping around the ship."

Will shrugged. "Everything they should need is on deck 4. Their quarters, dining rooms and the conference room. If you find them unescorted anywhere else kick them back to their rooms, simple as that."

"If only it was a simple as that." Joran said laughing slightly. "You more than likely won't have to deal with them directly, us security folks probably will, we have to be 'diplomatic' no matter how much we don't want to be."

It was Wills turn to laugh. "And we all know how diplomatic you can be Joran, remember the incident with the Tellarite?"

"Ah man, why did you have to bring that up?" Joran asked laughing too. "Smelly bugger had it coming speaking about Debbie like that."

"Tellarites love to insult and argue with people, that's one of the first things you learn about them."

"And I insulted him right back." Joran replied quickly. "Enough that he threw me into the bulkhead so hard it knocked me out."

"At least you had Debbie to nurse you back to health." Will smirked slightly, Joran and Debbie had been very friendly for a while now.

"Glad I got myself an engineer." Joran paused to take a bite of his burger. "She's very good with her hands."

Will laughed again. "Still trying to get her to do dot to dot with your spots?"

"She might eventually." It was Jorans turn to laugh. "Don't think we're quite at that stage just yet."

"Good to see you slackers finishing your shift bang on time as always!" Mark remarked jovially as he wandered past Will and Joran's table on the way to the replicator. He ordered himself a hearty bowl of good ole fashioned 'Cowboy chilli' before heading back to the table.

"But since you're the only ones here, looks like you get the pleasure of my company."

Joran looked up at the human that was just about to site across from him. "Cross right, from engineering?"

"Uh oh... you've got me!" Mark put his tray down at the table and grabbed a chair. "Generally when I get a reputation for myself it's not for the right reasons..."

Joran laughed. "Nah, Debbie told me about this new somewhat short-tempered but friendly engineer that works with her now."

"Somewhat short-tempered? She's gone easy on me..." Mark laughed and took a big bite of his chilli. "Engineering probably hasn't heard language that colourful in a while"

"Well, if Debbie likes you, you're fine by me." Will said, he offered Mark his hand. "Will Raynada, operations."

"Nice to meet you Will!" Mark took the handshake warmly, before turning his attention briefly back to his bowl for another spoonful. "So any gossip flying around? Since jumping on at Starbase 54 I'm still in the making friends' stage and naturally, I haven't been told any for fear I can't be trusted..."

"Joran is still trying to get Debbie to count his spots." Will said with a laugh.

"She doesn't have enough fingers and toes for that..." Mark chuckled.

"Have you met T'Miko, our resident Caitian?" Will then asked. "Rumour has it he got plastered back on 54 and someone shaved a load of his fur off."

"I definitely would have remembered seeing a patchy cat around..." Mark laughed. "Kind of disappointed I haven't actually."

"I think he's hiding till it grows back enough," Joran added. "No one has seen him much of him."

"Probably wi-aaah" Mark found his sentence interrupted by a sneeze that caught him by surprise. "Is he here? I don't remember having a cat allergy..."

"Caitian's arent the same as your every day cat, Mark, just be glad you dont have to work close to him." Joran said. "The doc should be able to give you something if you are."

"Better get myself to Sickbay at some point anyway...need to get that pesky exam out of the way..." he thought aloud.

"I'm surprised Lieutenant Polaris hasn't frogmarched you to sickbay to get it done yet." Joran said after taking a bite from his burger.

"I think the extra pressure we've been putting on the engines lately has bought me some time..." Mark shrugged. "Not a good time to pull anyone off their station"

Joran nodded. "Debbie says a lot of the engineers are doing overtime, we've not had much time together this week."

"So I've heard!" Mark shrugged. "I think my blood has been almost completely replaced with coffee."

"Just don't work too hard or you'll burn yourself out," Will warned. "And then no one will be around to keep the engines turning." He'd seen the effects of someone overworking themselves before.

"Nothing I can't handle, if I'm not keeping busy I just end up getting bored and wanting to dismantle things anyway. May as well do that in Main Engineering" he shrugged. Mark figured as he got older, his seemingly unending pool of energy would disappate somewhat, and he could actually appreciate relaxing a little more. Maybe that time coming sooner wouldn't be a bad thing.

"I know that feeling." Joran said as he finished off the last of his food. "Most of my time in security is walking the ship bored out my brain, phaser training a couple of days a week, same with physical training." He stood up and took his plate back to the replicator. "Speaking of which, I'll see you all later as I need to go get changed."

"Nice to meet you Joran!" Mark replied as the officer took his leave from the table. He waited until the officer was out of earshot and through the door before he glanced to Will. "From what I've heard, their training regime is going to be kicked up a couple of levels under the new department head. At least they won't be bored?"

"You mean Commander Vaz." Will asked, no one on the ship had failed no notice the new chief of security. "Never liked marines, we had a group on the ship a few years back till the old Captain had them removed. Too 'gung ho' scuttlebut said."

"That's the one. I met her in the gym, sounds like she wants to whip everyone into shape." Mark finished his last mouthful of food. "Definitely an...intense...character"

"She's a marine, it's expected." Will said with a slight laugh. "But it does sometimes come over as too intense."

"A bit of a different approach from the Academy, that's for sure."

"You're telling me." Will glanced over Marks shoulder at the clock on the wall. "I had best get going myself, I've the holodeck booked for an hour. Itching to try a new program I picked up back on 54."

"Have fun Will." Mark said.

OFF:

Ensign Mark Cross
Engineer

Ensign Joran
Sec\tac

Ensign Will Raynada
Operations