A New Engineering Officer

Posted on 21 Sep 2022 @ 3:28pm by Lieutenant Commander Samantha Smithson SB51 & Lieutenant JG Jarel Haze

1,743 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Orientation Posts
Location: Starbase 51/Various
Timeline: Current

[ON]

Knowing the new arrival would need to get to the mission briefing quickly she would have to forgo the idle chat and get to the task at hand, Samantha had just arrived at Arrivals when she saw a Lieutenant JG in Operations colour, she waved to him come over.

"Lieutenant Jarel Haze? Hello, I am Lieutenant Commander Samantha Smithson Station Security Chief, I usually would have a nice chat with you as I sorted out your ships clearances, but as the next mission brief is about to start I will have to keep it strictly business and short, so if you will please follow me to my office I will get you sorted, do you have any questions to ask while we head to my Office? I will answer what I can" Smithson asked.

Jarel nodded, "I have a few personal questions, they can however wait for a more opportune time." He said as he followed her down the short gangplank to the deck, then through the corridors. He pushed the lingering doubts about this cruise to the side. Just three more years and he would be back with his family permanently. The thought made him smile inwardly. Not that he wasn't happy to be here. It had been far too long since he was last assigned to a ship. The distance from his in-laws should keep him out of any more trouble. Not that he had ever gone looking for trouble, his mother-in-law was simply insistent on serving him generous portions of it. He felt his cheeks blush lightly as he realized he had not been paying as much attention as he should have as he nearly barreled into the woman he was following upon reaching what one assumed was her office as mentioned earlier.

oO Hmm, Oo she thought to herself as they entered the lift and when the doors closed "Security" Smithson said and a well-tended turbo lift whisked the pair to the Security level, while on route "when you have time organise Starbase quarters for yourself you will need to put in any excess belongings, the Tomcat while does non-combat missions, is set up for combat accommodation, the reason why you and all new members for the Tomcat come to me is that besides your standard Starfleet security clearances you will be given extra codes unique to the Tomcat" Smithson explained as the pair stepped out onto a busy security level.

As they passed two security officers were dragging in a very upset Ferengi who had broken the law and the Ferengi was trying to bribe the security officers "Ferengi will be Ferengi" Smithson simply said "ah here we are" she added as she led him through the outer security officer into her inner sanctum, have a seat Lieutenant" she said pointing to the seat in front of her desk, she sat behind the desk and pulled up the file and began the process of having the required items printed out, "any immediate questions Lieutenant, ask them now as when we have finished here you will need to direct all questions to your new department head" Smithson said as she tapped her screen and the ID badge came out, followed by extra codes and a long strip of paper, she looked up from time to time.

"I was wondering if it would be possible to get a copy of the Tomcat's latest shake-down report, Normally I would familiarize myself with the ship I am assigned to. However, as you pointed out, a lot of the information requires these security codes. Rumour has it that the Tomcat has been in some serious action as of late. I'll admit I am anxious to get to work on getting things patched up." Jarel nervously blurted out. He wanted to ask when he would have time to call and check in on his wife and his girls. Lenora was not doing too well and he felt awful being so far away from her. Still, she had been the one to encourage him to take this position. He had always wanted to work on Starships. Ever since he had been very young. Lenny knew that. She wanted him to be happy. Even if it meant him not being right by her side. He felt selfish. Even though Lenora told him every day how proud she was. It was worth the homesickness to make her proud. To make her smile. Right now he just needed to focus.

As the items came out of the printer slot "the Tomcat has separate security codes due to the operations it does, as for serious missions, you have no idea, any information you might need about engineering on the Tomcat, you will need to speak to Lieutenant Leland Hawksley the Chief Engineer he will be able to answer your engineering questions" Smithson responded and picked up the ID card and handed it to Haze.

"This is your ID Card, it is to be worn on the Tomcat at all times on or off duty when not in your quarters, when you go on a mission the ID card remains on the ship, it is a lot more than a standard ID card. So wear it on the ship at all times when outside your quarters mainly when on duty, any questions so far?" Smithson asked holding the card out to him.

So far everything seemed pretty straightforward. If not a bit excessive with the security perhaps as he took the ID Card off the Commander, he was sure though it was for very good reasons. It made it all just a bit more exciting. "I was curious as to the nature of the briefing. I was talking to a marine on the shuttle over. She mentioned this being a combat vessel with fighters and a host of Marines. Though I am sure she mentioned it as a means of making me feel safe and comfortable. I was curious if the ship sees a lot of combat." It would also explain why his dear sweet mother-in-law had used her extensive resources to get him assigned here, to begin with. It seemed like a very Agatha thing for her to do. oO If I didn't love my wife so much, I might actually hate that bitch. Still, well played Aggy. Well played. Cheaper than an assassin I suppose Oo Jarel smiled partly to be polite, mostly to hide the rest of the thoughts running around his head.

"The Tomcat sees its fair amount of action, but not so much these days, the ship has 3 Gryphon fighter Squadrons twelve fighters per squadron, one Fleet, one Marine and one Klingon. She also has 467 Marines of the 95th Rifles serving on her, should you see or meet an officer or enlisted with a white band around their shoulders it means they have the title of Chosen Man also, it is an award of a kind. *pauses* Twelve of those Rifles are the Captain's personal guard 455 are standard rifles. As for the briefing, that Lieutenant I cannot answer, but I assume it will be about their next mission" Smithson said.

The second item was ready she pulled out the data crystal after the Lieutenant had taken the ID Card "on this data crystal are your extra security codes applicable to the Tomcat only, they are department specific and do not interfere with the standard Starfleet codes you have, they are unique to the Tomcat only" Smithson added holding the item to the Lieutenant.

"Thank you, Ma'am. I have to admit I am hard-pressed to think of anything to ask currently. Perhaps after the briefing, when I am more informed and familiar with the ship I might have a few." Jarel replied as he took the offered data crystal.

*Smiling* "Any information you may need after the briefing will come from either the ships CO or First Officer, most likely will be your Department Head Lieutenant Hawksley," Smithson said as she took out the long strip of paper, it was red in colour and had black alpha-numeric writing on it.

"Okay, this one is very important, this strip of paper, I know it is old-fashioned, but it is meant to be destroyed, it contains 32 characters on it both alpha and numerical characters. Memorize it then destroy it, that is a one-time Security code, ONLY" she emphasized the word only "I repeat only to be used in an emergency should all other officers be incapacitated and the ship infiltrated with hostile forces, this code will lock the computer out to any intruder, but will allow you free reign through the ship, think of it as an emergency, are there any questions, before I let you get to the Tomcat and to the mission briefing?" Smithson asked holding out the strip of paper to Haze.

"None, you explained it all quite well." Jarel took the strip and looked at it a few moments before tucking it away to memorize it better when his head wasn't filled with sawdust. He felt like he should be asking more questions. He was just so jet lagged, and now he had an unexpected briefing. Such was the chaos in the life of an Engineer. "So... Ummm..." oO Oh yes, the smart question so far... Oo his mind teased. "I am following you to the briefing yes?" He asked. Not exactly the sort of questions he might need to ask. But an important one all the same. Always good to know where one is going and whom with whom.

*smiling* "No, I will not be at the meeting, I am not part of the Tomcat crew, when finished here, you are to report to the Tomcat and the Mission briefing, after that all further instruction will come from those on the Tomcat," Smithson said.

"Fair enough. Thank you for all your help and for all my particulars. I better get a move on so as to not be late." Jarel gave a bit of a wave and then was out the door.

With a final nod Smithson watched the Lieutenant leave her office, she mused that this was the fastest Orientation briefing she had ever done, but such was life on a Starbase.

[OFF]

 

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