Life From Rusting Ashes

Posted on Tue Jan 3rd, 2017 @ 2:42am by Captain Rueben Gregnol

Mission: Mission 3 - Negligence
Location: Bajor, Calash
Timeline: MD -13 12:30
1129 words - 2.3 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

A hovercar, aging none too gracefully, sat propped up on blocks in a building that could only an engineer could love. A pair of booted feet, the soles showing considerable wear, stuck out from beneath the end closer to the entrance and sounds could be heard from beneath. Metal on metal interspersed with the occasional curse. A young Bajoran, short brown hair sticking up in dirty spikes, laughed. "That makes what ... ten different languages."

"Twelve," came the muffled tenor from underneath the hovercar followed by a soft thump and another curse.

The boy laughed as he turned toward the entrance to see someone arriving.

Rueben had wandered around looking for any sign of this Sebastian who was an Engineer. This was the only Sebastian who was an Engineer for miles around. The Russian stood waiting patiently for someone to realize he was there.

"Bas," the boy said as he jumped down from his perch, walked over and aimed at sharp kick at the boots. "Someone's here."

There was a thump and another muffled curse, then a man rolled out from beneath the hover car, got to his feet and set the tricorder he had been holding gently down on the rusted hood of the car. "Tell your father that he won't have to perform last rites over this thing. I can have it running tonight."

"Sure, Bas," the boy said, sliding a curious glance in the direction of the newcomer, before heading out a side door.

Sebastian watched the boy go and then turned toward the stranger. "If you need the owner, he's in the house," he said though, from a cursory glance, the man didn't look like a potential customer.

"Da i don't need the owner i was looking for you." The Russian murmured taking him in. He hadn't realized the man was partly Vulcan with such a human name. "My name is Rueben Gregnol. I met a lady by the name of Aurora who said you were an Engineer looking for a new challenge?" It was partly a lie but he knew he was an Engineer and any Engineer worth there salt always wanted a new challenge.

Sebastian thought about leaving against the side of the hovercar and opted not to since body work took a lot of time and its ancient sides didn't look as though they could stand the strain of even his lean form. "Challenge," he said, one eyebrow arching slightly. "What kind of a challenge are we talking about?"

Rueben smiled a little at how easily Engineers interest piped at the mention of a challenge. “A 150 year old ship. One of the first Constitution Class vessels off the ship yards.” He added. “I have a Chief Engineer and an Assistant but you can understand a ship that size and age needs a team of good Engineers. Aurora said she has never met anyone better at figuring out how things work and I need men and women like that.”

"Interesting," he said as he shifted position to lean against a nearby work bench. Facts and figures crowded for attention within his agile mind but the whole challenge thing was watered down a bit by the idea of working as the junior member of a team. "You don't look much like Starfleet to me. What kind of work do you do?"

"Former Starfleet. The ship is civilian." Rueben admitted. He had no shame in admitting that fact especially as he had been proud to serve first as a Security Officer and secondly as an Executive Officer. "A bit of this, A bit of that." He hadn't defined what the ship did yet, they were still trying to work out there niche in the universe.

"You have work lined up .... a goal in mind?" Sebastian listened and hoped because if his life had taught him anything it was that nothing was free or easy. Everything came with a price and he needed to know if he'd be able to pay up front.

"At the moment we are recovering from an incident that happened on board but we are looking for work. Eventually we are heading to the edge of the Federation Space but we are going the long way round." He smiled a little liking this man more by the second as he was asking the right questions and not taking anything he said for granted or trusting him straight away.

"The edge makes for interesting," Sebastian said, nodding thoughtfully, "but what kind of incident are we talking about? Mutiny would be bad ... the replicators breaking down, not so much."

"Former owner booby trapping the ship." Rueben said with a shrug. It had all worked out in the end so it wasn't as big a deal a month on and the crew were getting some downtime while they delivered some of the Grotto items to the Bajoran Government.

"Booby traps are interesting," Sebastian agreed. "Edge of space also interesting ... not real specific on the work so pay might be iffy and you already have an engineering staff ... I like to keep busy. I take it that won't be an issue?"

"Not in the slightest. The ship is a 150 years old, had a few years of lack of maintenance and my Chief has a huge plan on refitting systems." It was one of the reasons why the Captain had been so interested in finding more Engineers for the other man. He had a programme in place which was nice to say the least and it saved Rueben from having more difficult conversations with Jeassaho now that someone else was in charge.

"Also interesting ... And what's the pay like?"

“Not too bad but it all depends on what jobs we take and where we end up.” Rueben said with a small smile. Now they were getting somewhere in this negotiation of a job offer. The young man was looking more and more interested by the second. “Look this is where we are docked down here. Have a look and see if you are interested.” Rueben held out a piece of paper with detailed instructions on where Rosie was.

"I'll take a look ... soon as I finish up here." He glanced affectionately over his shoulder at the rusting hovercar. "I can squeeze a bit more life out of practically anything."

Rueben nodded, no more words needed to be explained he had done all he could to try and get the man that he was the best option to get off the planet and get out into the universe. The man would either see the ship and run or rise to the challenge and join the crew, that were the only options.

OFF::

Rueben Gregnol
Captain
SS Mary Rose

Sebastian Rudd
Engineer
SS Mary Rose