Operations Organisation

Posted on Thu Oct 3rd, 2024 @ 5:16pm by Chief Engineer Michael Burnstein & Nollel Livaam (*)

Mission: Shackles
1883 words - 3.8 OF Standard Post Measure

Nollel glanced up as Michael came into their quarters far earlier than she had thought he would have. She had 15 PaDDS laid out over the floor as she tried to take in the Operations processes of the ship and how she was going to streamline it all to make it easier. “Do not panic I will clean it all up.” She assured already starting to move a couple of the PaDDS to make a little room for him to move around. The catch-up with Gregnol and Delaney had just left her feeling like she wanted some space to organise herself. Which was why the blonde sat down on her quarter's floor in shorts and a vest top with soft melodies playing in the background staring at it all.

"Hey, no worries," Burnie said, sitting down across from her and reaching down to shift the PaDDs she'd move for him back nearer their original position. "Not like I can complain - how many times have you had to deal with parts strewn everyone from one of my projects?" He flashed a quickly smile and glanced across the screens arrayed before them. It was a lot; he loved her work ethic, but not seeing her wear herself down because of it. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Not really unless you can work out how I can do my old role and my new role. Previously it was easy we kind of lurched from one operations head to another, I could keep the plates spinning but this is permanent and no one on board can do the secretary role... so..." She threw out her issue at the moment as she watched him sitting down across from her and just simply shifted things back as if it was nothing.

"Well, I suspect I'd make a lousy secretary," he remarked, a wry self-deprecating smile hinting at the sure knowledge that anyone who had seen his desk would run screaming from the suggestion of hiring him on in that role. "But I can talk to Gregnol about getting you one. It feels like we've gotten a lot of new faces in Ops recently, which is probably spinning up some of those plates, but maybe someone there can pick up at least parts of it," he suggested, then thought further, his brain kicking into problem-solving mode. "Or maybe Maras? She is not cut out for engineering, but historians have to organize and summarize information, right? The new logistics guy could maybe help her work out scheduling."

"Why I do out life admin." She teased leaning over to touch his hand before she sighed at the default of talking to Gregnol for her. It was sweet but she needed to do that herself. "Sweet of you to offer but I most likely need to speak to him myself. Would be mean to make you do it when it is my department." She winced as she realised she had said it was all hers for the first time. "Maras?" She had forgotten about the girl over the last few weeks, but that was a good idea. "That is a good idea. And Caden?" She nodded thoughtfully. This is why she needed him as her husband as he went into problem-solving after checking she was not wanting to vent. "I had not thought about him, but..." She let out a long sigh of relief as she realised that some of the issues might be solved.

"Glad I could help a little," he replied with a genuine smile; his tendency to go into problem-solving mode wasn't always well received, but Nollel got him and it made him even more grateful to have her. "Sometimes it just takes a second set of eyes. I know I need that when I get my head down too far in a problem. Though I can speak to Gregnol if you want; part of taking on 2XO is doing that for other department heads," he offered, then shifted back. "For now, how about a different kind of support? Can I get you some tea or something to eat?"

"You always help and you always know what approach to take." She said just as grateful to have him in her life. She had spent her life internalising everything to hide her issues and having someone who knew her enough to know what approach to take or ask if he did not know meant the world to her. It calmed the trauma thoughts and worse the self-loathing she felt in moments of not knowing what approach to take. "I would love a beer if that is an option," Nollel admitted thinking it was that type of night. "I know you could but I do not think I need you just yet but I will keep that in mind."

"One beer, coming up then," he said, heading into the kitchenette and retrieving one for her and, as long as they were drinking, one for himself as well. He set handed it to her with a smile and tipped his own glass slightly. "To finding useful approaches."

Nollel took a gulp and grinned at the beers she had acquired from stores months back. It was a brand they had both liked on Hysperia so it seemed logical to keep that memory alive. She pulled several PADDs to herself and sent a few messages to people so she would not forget. "You normally do." She pointed out. "What have you been up to?"

"Weapons systems," he smiled, settling back down on the floor. "Fenris says no one knows about this store we're heading to, but I'd like be sure we're ready if they're wrong. We've also been tweaking sensors and transporters since it sounds like the atmosphere is going to cause issues there."

"Yeah, the atmosphere is going to make them go in blind," Nollel answered smiling at the man as he joined her back on the floor. "They have a rough idea of where the supplies are but there is going to be a lot of physical work involved to move things around."

"Hmm... I should probably go down too then. I can bring K9 in case we need a 'sled dog'," he observed with a smile, imagining rigging an antigrav pallet to a harness if the remote control went glitchy.

"Poor thing." Nollel tutted with a grin. "I think you are in the second group." She said looking around for the PADD that would confirm but she shrugged. He would know soon enough once it was off the organising table and out to the crew. "I am not going down to help." She knew Gregnol wanted to keep her up there to liaison with storing stuff away.

He nodded. "Just as well. You're needed more up here to have everything ready to stow it for transport." He looked at the array of PADDs again, containing a sigh at the thought that the belated honeymoon getaway he'd been thinking about was probably going to have to be put off until Ops was organized and running smoothly enough to allow her to leave. "Hey, maybe the next stop after we hand this off will be a place nice enough to just go down to relax."

"I wouldn't mind if we had had a bit of notice. We could have taken advantage of the other cargo bays that aren't used properly but we needed more than 2 days so I will make do." The woman looked flustered for a moment before her face softened and she smiled at his suggestion. "I would like that but no pressure to make it happen." She leaned over and squeezed his arm.

"I can detail some folks form engineering, if it would help. And K-9 is available to clear cargo space," he offered. It wasn't much perhaps, but if extra hands (and robotic paws) could help, he had no problem making temporary reassignments. "As to a vacation, I know it may have to wait, but you can run an engine at max warp for days without paying a price. I've been told it's the same with people," he grinned a little, "sometimes pointedly, by a doctor waving a hypo. So once this done, I think we should take some down time, even if it's just an afternoon in the holodeck."

"I would like that a lot on both fronts." She admitted letting a little of the weariness show on her face for a moment before she shook it away and took a sip of the beer. "If you wanted the holodeck I could show you my home planet." She admitted very slowly as it had not been something she had offered before despite knowing they had the capacity now.

"I would love that," he said, facing brightening at the thought. "I've always wanted to have a look at the anti-grav engines in those cloud cities - those must be impressive! - and the mining operations are some of the most extensive in the Federation." Despite every disaster he'd ever been in from going underground, there was something about the engineering that went into creating those systems that he still couldn't resist. "...and of course all the art your homeworld is famous for," he added belatedly.

The woman snorted into her beer and shook her head. "I am not sure if the program I have seen is that detailed but I might have a way to get an engineering version of it." She said thoughtfully as she thought about her former fiancee who had been nothing but supportive in her new life and venture.

"Yeah, probably not," Burnie half-sighed, then chuckled. "But walk-throughs on those are probably not for everyone.
But I'm sure they're somewhere in the Corps of Engineers files, so I can probably get an old friend to send me one." He smiled, settling back. "Whatever you want most to show me about your homeworld, I'm happy to see."

"Soon." She assured leaning out to touch his hand. It was something that she knew would eventually happen but she had always put it off but there was no reason. "Not really sure why I keep putting it off." She finally mused taking a long gulp of the beer.

It occurred to him that it might be because she had reasons for not actually going home and so holographic version might feel empty, or worse, bring up painful memories. But she was stressed enough, and no one would ever mistake him for a Counselor, so he just took a sip of his own beer and shrugged. "No hurry. I'm happy with whatever holoscene you want to do, whenever you feel like you have the mental space to do it."

"I am sure once I have some physical space with all of this I will have some more mental space.." Nollel assured hopefully. She did not know and there did not seem like a good reason there was just something stopping her but soon was close enough and far away to allow her some space to think.

Burnie nodded. "Well, I'll give you extra physical space here," he said getting up. "And see about assigning some help with the cargo space." He touched her shoulder a moment before going. "If you need anything, I'm only a comm away."