The Engineer Interlude

Posted on 18 Nov 2021 @ 1:11am by Lieutenant Leland Hawksley & Lieutenant JG Todd Hewitt
Edited on on 19 Nov 2021 @ 2:42pm

839 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: S03 Ep 04 Captive State Part 1 (Incidental)
Location: Deck 07, Deck 15
Timeline: S3 Ep4 MD 001.A

[ON]

- Deck 15 - Main Engineering -

In Engineering, Hawksley finished upon his work. Leaning over the pool table, he inputted some LCAR commands into the central readouts. No sooner than completing one task on the display screen, another series of authority prompt codes had been set off.

Catching his eye, Hawksley pulled up the system and scanned the command prompt, the available codes informing the deputy head of what the issue was. The prompt was a series of two central node indicators on Deck 07, section B2, conduit 11A. The coding constructed the serries of vital interlinked nodules, nodes, and EPS conduit relays throughout.

Furrowing his eyebrow, he had waved for a colleague, Engineer Todd Hewitt. "Todd. Take a look at this." Leland had sent the command prompt to Hewitt's engineer padd, who was at the far side of the Engineering controls.

"That's the third time this month." Todd looked at his padd. "Do you want me to take a look, Sir?" Lieutenant JG Hewitt had replied, narrowing his brow.

"No. Thank you, Lieutenant. Keep at what you're doing. You don't need to be bothered with this at the moment. Keep with the ISO matrix assembly for the mission profile going. If I find I need a second opinion, I'll ring you." Hawksley had tapped at the padd of his own and then logged in the command prompt that his ID would be checking in on the Deck 07 sensor issues.

- Deck 07 - Corridor Section B2 -

Arriving on Deck 07, Hawksley walked with confidence down the hallway. It was a mere week or two that he had taken over as Deputy Head of Engineering. Taggart was the Department Head, and she often had Hawksley working on Autopilot. She had confidence in his work, and likewise, Hawksley had the confidence to ask for help from Lieutenant Taggart herself when needed. It was a good fit.

As Leland drew near to the conduit in question, he had pulled out his engineering tricorder from his side holster. Taking a scan of the metrics, indeed, there was an issue. The command prompt had correctly informed the master systems in Engineering that the nodes for environmental sensors were fluctuating.

He was setting aside his Engineering tool kit. He unlatched his silver set of tools, scanners, linear scalpels, density indicators, and couplings sets. Attaching a link to the tri-lock attenuator, he unlatched the hallway panel. The panels at the bottom of the deck were set aside to the right, with the computer access panel in the hallway above. Shunting the power off, the screen for the LCARs went black.

After what seemed like mere moments had passed, Hawksley, like any sound Engineer in Starfleet, had fixed the issue and re-set the nodule in the hallway. The Sensor node for the Tomcat environmental systems was back to complete working order, as the fire detection, security scanners, and other methods were back to Starfleet standard operational parameters. ".9907 Efficient. Hot damn. Hawksley, you make me sing!" He grunted as he boasted to himself on his fine work after looking at the schematics on the tricorder judging the quality of his fix.

Just then. There was an interruption over his com channel.

=/\= Hawker. Hawker. Noise. Your Quarters. Noise. Hawker. Computer. Time. Holodeck… Time. Important you know what to do!? Phasers. Why? =/\= Hercules. Leland's AI Golden retriever had communicated to Leland over his com badge. Not often did Herc do this, only when the AI Dog had found it necessary to interrupt Leland during Engineering shifts.

Leland remembered instantly. Commander Dodd had ordered that the Officers be re-acquainted with their phaser and combat skills, just for the upcoming mission.

It was a matter of the fact that Leland had booked one of the holodecks for a short time at the end of his Alpha Duty shift to practice for a few hours immediately and then book it home to his quarters for a sound slumber. He was bushed.

Tagging his com badge, Hawksley had begun to pack up his Engineering metal kit and tools. =/\= Herc. Its Hawker. I hear you, Herc. I hear you, buddy. I am going to Holodeck now. Thank you, buddy. Treat for a good boy when I get home. Hawker over 10-4. =/\=

With that, Hawksley had re-attached the conduit, with the LCARs once again lighting up the access console in the hallway. Satisfied, all looked back in order. He slapped his thighs and got up.

Grunting, he rubbed at his forehead. His eyes were tired from a long day, and coffee was getting him through till this point. Now he had to spend another two hours fine-tuning his eyesight and coordination of a Phaser for a boarding scenario? Is that what this was about? Had Dodd wanted the crew to be prepared in case there was a threat of a boarding? He wasn't sure. But he would follow the assigned programming.

"Time to pick off some photons, Leland!" He grumbled.

[OFF]

LT Jg Leland Hawksley
Assistant Chief of Engineering

LT Jg Todd Hewitt
Computer Systems Specialist

 

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