Engineering, Hell, We've Just Started (Part 2)

Posted on Tue Nov 14th, 2023 @ 6:14am by Lieutenant Terrence "Terry" Johnston & Lieutenant Ami Rori
Edited on on Tue Nov 14th, 2023 @ 6:14am

1,058 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Operation Tokyo Return
Location: Main Engineering, Deck 14
Timeline: After 'Engineering, Hell, We've Just Started (Part 1)'

Previously, on Star Trek: Myogi:

"That's good to know." Ami said after a moment of hesitation where certain things were clicking into place and a fair amount of additional stress fell away from her and her stance widened slightly, "I definitely don't know her as well as you all do." She glanced around, "Thank you all for showing up, if you have any issues, please don't hesitate to come to me. The only stupid question is the one not asked. Dismissed. Lieutenant Johnston, mind if I borrow you for a few moments? I need to consult with someone who knows a bit more about the Captain and this JAG officer that she's likely to use. Plus, I've been a bit lax about meeting people and you're one of the key cogs down here." She gestured towards her office in a query, with the motion that indicated that if he didn't want to, she wasn't about to force him.

"Sure thing, Lieutenant." Terry said, following Ami into the office. He was more than happy to help a fellow Engineer out, and would gladly make time in his day to do so.

And now, the continuation:

When the door slid shut behind them, Ami sighed and turned before falling into the beanbag chair she’d set in the corner and gave a quick snort of laughter, still feeling the espresso’s caffeine working. “I know that I haven’t made the best impression since I got on board and you might need to know part of the reason. Oh, avail yourself of the replicator if you want to.” She waved at the device behind her desk, “I have a medical condition, a fatal one, caused by a parasite. You see, being only half a Trill means that melding with a symbiont is an iffy thing at best, usually would result in a rejection. In my case, it worked, but my own body decided after the fact that it didn’t like it. It’s an enzymatic problem, one that Trills produce with a complementary one from the symbiont that makes the body believe it’s a part of it. So I have to take a medication to replace my side of it, but between that and the sheer amount of energy the symbiont draws from me to keep going and maintain the connection, I get tired very quickly. I tend to catnap here and there to keep myself alert throughout the day.”

"I see." Terry nodded as he helped himself to a classic Coca-Cola from the replicator. "Well, Lieutenant, I've been around the fleet for a very long time. Served under many chiefs in my day, and I've learned to reserve my judgement until after the chief vacates the position, whether that be moving on through promotion, retiring, or lord forbid, they give the ultimate sacrifice. However they go, they won't hear what I thought about them until after they're gone... Well, unless they're gone gone, if you catch my drift..."

Terry hoped mentioning that he had seen chief engineers retire would give his new chief an idea of just how long he had been around.

Ami nodded once, then after a few seconds, her head leaned to the side several degrees and her voice went… More refined, more controlled than usual, “Mister Johnston, were you, by chance, aboard the Agincourt back before the turn of the century? I mean, just prior to 2300?” Ami’s eyes had a slightly glazed over look as if she were refocusing them even as she looked at him.

"The original Agincourt?" Terry asked. "Constitution class, right?"

“That is correct. Particularly when the Agincourt responded to an incident between the Klingons and an Akula-class destroyer named the Calypso.” It was a maddeningly calm and flat voice from the higher-to emotion-laden woman.

"Ah, yes, I remember the Caly." Terry said. "Damn thing almost rendered the whole First Khitomer Accords moot after only a few years."

"When attacked, one must defend herself." Ami stated in that voice, then her eyes came back into focus, but she furrowed her brow as if she were looking inward on herself for a few moments, then looked back up, her voice back to normal, "Sorry about that. Rori has a strong will and Crysta was the strongest-willed of her previous Hosts. She was the Captain of the Calypso, and she... Wants to thank you for helping put her ship back together enough to get home. Among other things. Still, you made a good impression on her."

"Aw, that was nothing compared to what the Agincourt-B did." Terry said. "Ambassador class starships really have some powerful tractor beams: We once took a disabled Miranda class under tow from within the Romulan Neutral Zone and towed her to safety, all while working around the clock to get her up and running again, because two starships under their own power would mean we could vacate the Neutral Zone faster."

"In any case, I've got a question for you." Ami wiggled her way towards the edge of the beanbag chair to lean forward, "With the recommendation of Crysta, and Axel seems to be in some sort of agreement, at least provisionally, I'd like to do something that Commander Pratt might not have done: I'd like to offer you the Assistant Chief's position, pending the Captain's approval, but that should just be a pro-forma request to her. Still, I don't want to presume."

"I've served in a variety of roles in my day, from a lowly engineering officer all the way up to Chief." Terry said. "If it is the will of both the Chief and the Captain, then I'll step up into the role of Assistant Chief and perform the added duties associated with it to the best of my ability."

"It's my desire, Terrence, and the Captains of starships tend to allow Chiefs to select their own so long as they don't go too far out of the norm." Ami smiled as she extended a hand to him for a handshake, "I think you'll get approved with flying colors, since you were here with her for quite a while already."

"I appreciate the opportunity." Terry said humbly as he shook Ami's hand.

Posting by

Lieutenant Ami Rori
Chief Engineer

Lieutenant Terrence "Terry" Johnston
Assistant Chief Engineer

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