Meeting Forrest

Posted on Tue Dec 26th, 2023 @ 7:47am by Captain Rueben Gregnol & Teresa Forrest

Mission: Fractures
Location: Starbase 55
Timeline: December 2397
1801 words - 3.6 OF Standard Post Measure

The dim lights of the old starbase bar cast a warm glow over the worn-out wooden tables. Reuben Gregnol sat across from where someone would be coming and applying for a job, his grizzled face illuminated by the flickering holographic menu as he chose something off the menu. The air was thick with the hum of distant starships and the low murmur of conversations which was nice from the last couple of interviews he had done. The name was familiar of the person who had requested the meeting but for the life of him he could not work out where he knew it from.

"Well I'll be," came a sassy voice from behind Rueben. The owner of said voice soon revealing herself as she sashayed around him and sat down on the seat opposite, leaning back and folding her arms over each other, wearing a toothy grin. "If it isn't Rueben Gregnol, the one and only, class of 2379. Found yourself in charge of a ship after all, then?" she smiled.

She was still the way he remembered, though age had weathered seemingly perhaps a bit more than it had him. Wearing an old, faded green leather jacket the likes of which most people would just throw in the trash and replace with something presentable, heavy silver rings on her fingers as she regarded him with a spark of amusement in hazel eyes, half long hair cascading down to her shoulders.

It took a long moment for the motion of going down memory road to stop as he took her all in and remembered where he knew the name from. They had been in the same year at the Academy and quite close once upon a time. He stood to greet her with an an awkward hand shake before indicating the seat opposite him. “Well it was always my plan just took the long way around and not Starfleet.” He had been so close to achieving it in Starfleet but that door was firmly closed on him now. “How come you are out here?”

"Probably a very similar story to why you're here," Teresa shrugged, tilting her head as she continued. "Had a career. Ended up feeling more and more distance between the ideal of starfleet and the practical day-to-day running. Quit. Started doing odd jobs here and there, making ends meet. Just happened to find myself here, on this station, when I came across your ad."

It was close to his story just involved a couple less slavers and a kidnapping but she did not need to know his whole story yet. "So, you want to join the crew of the SS Mary Rose," Captain Gregnol began, leaning back in his creaky chair. "What makes you think you're fit for her?" He said her as if SS Mary Rose was an alive being or something he had a great fondness for.

"Well, I've always been really passionate about having food and a bed," she joked, before becoming more serious. "I'm a damn good engineer. I work hard, I know my stuff - my work ethic isn't why Starfleet and me fell out. I'm between jobs and frankly, the way I see it, you'd be lucky to have me," A pause as she unfolded her arms, placed her hands, leaned forward and folded her hands on the table. "Now my question is, what do you offer to make me want to choose your boat over another?"

“I do not beg for crew here Teresa. You know that. My terms and conditions are what brought you here. Only other thing I have to offer is my Chief Engineer is one of the best.” Gregnol studied her for a moment, taking a slow sip of the drink the waitress popped down in front of him.

"You know it's a fair question. You get to ask me what makes me special, I get to ask you," she smirked, leaning back in the chair again, looking entirely comfortable.

"Experience is one thing, but the Mary Rose demands more than just skills. She's been through hell and back in the vastness of space.” Her warned before offering a smile. She had been a good engineer at the academy, one of the best to have been at San Francisco instead of somewhere else. “What's your gut feeling about a 150 year old ship hmm?"

"Simpler technology. Easier to jury rig. Demands more maintenance. Always something broken, always something to do. Hands and uniform dirty with oil. I like old tech. It feels alive, you can often hear what ails her just through the thrumm of the reactor," she mused, steepling her fingers as she spoke, matching every look he gave her with her own unwavering eyes. "I spent my time in Starfleet working a Miranda tactical refit. Wasn't much newer than your Constitution."

The captain nodded a hint of approval in his weathered expression. He was not at all feeling as young as he once was meeting someone from his past. "We have an extra 30 years tear and wear and for the last five decades or more she has been in private hands." The past of the ship was a little disjointed and a little all over the place but it was his home and the only place he could see himself being for a very long time.

"Adds character," Teresa agreed. "Has she been modernized? Like, replicators? Holodeck?" All technologies not standard on a Constitution, but commonplace later and technologies that have been retrofitted to older ships before. She could live without a holodeck, but a replicator was very useful technology - especially for someone who was going to have to be replacing parts a lot.

“She’s got four replicators - one of them purely for engineering and an old holodeck. She also got a lot more automation keeping the the crew numbers lower than what would be needed normally.” It was one of the few things he really liked about the changes the collector had made to keep things low key for himself.

"Sounds good to me. Maintenance gets a lot easier when you can magic new parts out of thin air," Teresa chuckled, tapping her fingers on the table and mimicing a component materilizing into thin air. Part of her wanted to ask if she got the job, but she decided against it, figuring that being too forward and seeming too eager might not go over well.

“How are you working with other former Starfleet? The chief and another engineer are former Starfleet.” He was not going to go into the fact the other engineer was his wife just yet that would be something to discuss if she was okay with former Starfleet.

"I have no problem with that." Teresa replied easily, with a shrug. "My problem with Starfleet is that they put me on a backwater posting and no matter how hard I worked, they'd always pass me over for promotion. My problem isn't with engineers or chiefs - long as they're fine with me, I'm fine with them."

“Good cause one of the former Starfleet is my wife.” He admitted with another large gulp of his drink before grinning. “It is the same problem that I have.” He admitted with a sigh. It was the same problem that many people had with Starfleet and it was growing by more and more my the year.

"Sounds like you've been doing well for yourself, despite your problems with Starfleet," she observed, smiling. "Got your own boat and crew, married, got a whole operation going. Nice! Glad to see you doing so well, Rueben."

“It took a while but I am back on my feet.” He said proudly. It had taken a long time to work himself from being a freed slave with Starfleet begging him for this and that after they let him down. “And wanting to help others if they are happy to join my crew.” He wondered hoping that the woman was interested enough to join.

To be fair all she knew of him really was what she remembered from the academy days, and that he was now here recruiting crew for his 150 year old ship. "Well, I'm willing to join if you'll have me. I'm guessing this is a longer term employment prospect? Kinda tired of all those single trip jaunts, kinda looking to settle down a bit."

Reuben indicated to the woman who was coming to get his now empty glass and indicated another one for them both. “It is longer term if you are wanting it. Many of my crew have been with me since 2393.” She did not need to know they jumped 2 years but five years on a civilian vessel was a long time in the grand scheme of things.

She smiled. "Sounds good. That just leaves one thing," This was always the awkward portion of any employment interview. "Your ad didn't mention specifics regarding compensation and benefits. What can I look forward to?"

“Enough credits so you can save up or spend it all in port without worry.” He looked at the PADD and held it out for her to see. “Does that suit per month?” He wondered as the waitress returned to its 2 large glasses of the same whisky that he had with his first round.

She glanced up at the waitress arrival and gave a smile of thanks, extending that to Rueben as well as she took the PADD. A sip of the whiskey as she read its contents. Seems she could handle her whiskey. Though truth be told she wasn't a very big drinker, she did enjoy it enough to be able to handle one without too much issue. "This is a bit above going rate. Oooh - now I see why. Fenris rangers, huh," She put down the PADD, contemplating for a moment while enjoying another sip of her drink.

"Yeah, I can work with that, I think," A smile. "I'm your girl if you'll have me."

“The ranger part is exclusive we do not discuss it. Can you agreed to that?” He checked. The bar was old fashioned but it was not exactly the place for someone wanting secretes or anything from a civilian vessel or the like.

"Oops, sorry," She winced offering an embarrassed chuckle. This wasn't the first time her mouth got her into trouble and it wouldn't be the last either, probably. Although in this case, 'trouble' was a strong word.

“Then you can be the girl for me.” He agreed finally taking the PADD back. It was as easy as that in his opinion. He could not wait for Teresa to meet Burnie and Jeassaho and see what they could cook up in engineering to help.

"Am glad to hear," Teresa agreed. "And thanks for giving me a chance."