Getting Ones Feet Wet

Posted on Mon Aug 27th, 2018 @ 8:58am by Commodore Ledeya ‘Ed’ Ehestri (*) & Lieutenant Vissia zh'Cliasa

Mission: Cosmos
Location: Beta Antares Shipyards
Timeline: MD 03 07:00
1204 words - 2.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Ledeya sipped her hot chocolate in order to wash down a scrumptious mouthful of pancakes that she was eating. Turning her head, she set her cup down on the table and let her gaze travel outside the window and into the hustle and bustle of the Beta Antares Shipyards.

She grinned at people as they hurried by, rarely ever receiving a friendly face in return, not many people noticed her. The Captain, however, just sighed happily. She was in a terrific mood that morning and she really didn't know why…. great food has a tendency to do that or the fact her senior crew was coming together.

She leaned her elbows on the table and casually let her eyes roam about the artsy, dimly lit restaurant. It was quite the artsy hang out that if the Beta Antares Shipyards was more than a needs to an end she would frequent more often.

Having been just assigned as the Chief Engineer of the USS Cosmos, Vissia was excited to get her feet wet. The ship itself was nearing the end of a refit cycle and she was getting up to speed on all the changes and new things she'd be working with when they got underway.

Her silver grey hair was up in a pony tail, she had a data padd in her hand and scanned the room as she walked in. She always loved the vibrations she could feel in restaurants, the hum of the kitchen, the waitresses and the general buzz of the patrons sitting at the different tables. Her antenna picked up the Captain's vibrations before she spotted her with her eyes and made her way to her table.

"Captain," She said softly, as she sat down at the table. She punched in an order for Katheka, Andor's version of coffee after she'd set down her PaDD. "How are you this morning?"

Ledeya looked up as someone said hello to her and indicated the woman could join her at her own table. Ledeya didn't like eating alone if she was able to. It looked like her new Chief Engineer had similar tastes in requiring caffeine and some decent food before she could start her day. "I am good. How are you, Lieutenant?"

"I'm awake alive and my blood is pumping, ready to take on the Cosmos," Vissia replied, her antenna turning inward towards each other in a shrug. I'm looking forward to working on her."

"Well there is a lot to do that is right." The Betazoid was pretty sure that the Chief Engineer didn't know what she was getting into. "Have you done a refit before?" The woman wondered not having looked through all her senior Officers files yet seeing she barely had access to computers.

Vissia's cheeks turned a light purple color briefly, as she punched in an order for food and then focused back on the Captain. "First time as the Chief, but not my first refit. I was an engineering department head at the time, but a little further down the chain of command. I'm up for the challenge."

Ledeya didn't want to let on that she wasn't 100% up to date on her crew but she nodded. It would also allow her crew to be honest with her before she looked over the files in detail. Maybe that would be her bedtime reading today? "I am glad to hear that as the list is quite extensive," Ledeya said sipping the hot chocolate. Maybe she should have added a shot of coffee to her drink?

Vissia's food was dropped off, shortly after a large mug of steaming liquid. She sniffed it and let out a happy sigh, before taking a drink. "Yes it is, but there are a lot of good upgrades on that list. I like the fact that we're getting a class that's not too old, she's had enough time to get some of the bugs worked out and find out what works for her."

The Captain smiled. It was a good class, sturdy and reliable why she wanted something like that instead of something newer and only a few years out of a refit. Of course, a refit didn't guarantee something that worked but she was pretty sure that between ship and dock she would be leaving with someone useful. "Oh I am excited about the up grades. What is your favorite?" The woman wondered.

"Upgraded phasers are a plus, the original intrepid had type VIII and we have type IX, but our computer core and the mark III bioneural gel packs are the most underrated I think," Vissia replied, her antenna moved up and down a few times as she thought out loud. "It gives our ship a lot of computing power."

"It really does." Ledeya conceded. "I am looking forward to all the newness. We will be having all the newest holographic gear." Her favourite part was going to be the holographic interfaces around the ship and improved medical facilities. Nothing like it had been on any of the other ships she had been Chief Medical let alone Command Officer.

"That's always a plus," The Andorian gave an uncharacteristic smile, most Andorian didn't smile unless they'd spent a lot of time around humans. "I'm a Starfleet officer but the call to battle every Andorian feels needs an outlet. I've found the holodeck to be therapeutic."

"Couldn't agree more Lieutenant. The holodeck is certainly therapeutic" Ledeya knew that the daily dose that held her mental abilities under control sometimes left her unrelatable to the wider communities but on the need for an outlet she completely understood.

The Andorian nodded, her antenna leaning down and away from each other as she finished her breakfast and leaned back to sip at her hot drink. "Have we gotten our first mission yet or are they making us wait until the refit is complete?"

"Nothing set in stone as of yet. We are currently too deep in refit for them to bother us." She assured. This deep of a refit didn't need other stuff added on top of it when deck plating was being ripped out. The woman looked up intrigued by the other womans antenna. She hadn't been close to an Andorian in a very long time, it was fun to watch.

"Good, I don't want anyone breathing down my neck to finish something too quickly. I don't like sloppy work in my engineering department," Vissia grinned, as her antenna flicked at the air. "That being said, we'll work as efficiently as we can."

"I believe we have about a month before something like that happens." It wasn't a quick refit and Ledeya wasn't rushing anything. She didn't want to have to come back because something major had broken or worse broken at the wrong moment and put people in danger.

"Good, that should give me six weeks to two months before the ship needs to leave the dock," Vissia nodded firmly before she leaned back in her chair. "If you don't mind, I should get back to my duties, sir."

OFF::

Lieutenant Vissia zh'Cliasa
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Cosmos
(PNPC Tuckerblood)

Captain Ledeya ‘Ed’ Ehestri
Commanding Officer
USS Cosmos / TG 72-B
(PNPC Gregnol)