Meeting the Chief

Posted on Fri Apr 27th, 2018 @ 8:10am by Lieutenant Cor Cordale

Mission: https://wellington.pegasusfleet.site/index.php/sim/missions/id/4
Location: Main Engineering
Timeline: Current. (Right after A Helping Hand)

ON:

Walking through main engineering, T'Ponga had been directed by a Lieutenant Salchin, toward the general direction of where she assumed him to be. She had seen several crew who were not known species to her and fascinated her. Taking in all of what was around her, she saw a funny species that reminded her of a weasel, only this individual had a mechanical arm. She could sense his focused mind as he worked on fixing a part of the ODN conduit that looked like it has had a small blow out. Nothing major but none the less it had to be fixed. Since it was his job, she really didn't want to disturb him but she needed to check in with him. Tapping his shoulder gently so's not to startle him she said, "Excuse me but could you tell me where the Chief is?"

He didn't startle at the tap, but he didn't take his gaze off the ODN conduit. He was almost done, so now wasn't the time to stop, "That'd be me. Gimme like three seconds, I'v been tracing this burnout for the last ten minutes through three different relays. It's all this little buster's fault annnnnnnnnd...." and there was a pause, and then he relaxed. "Got it. Phew..." and then the weaseloid turned to face his new guest, "Sorry about that. Just one of those issues that didn't want to get fixed." he chuckled, and then gave T'Ponga a nod, "So, you're looking for the Chief. Here I am. Name's Cordale."

He was a funny looking fellow. Like a fluffy weasel that decided to walk on two legs one day and never got bored with the view. His left limb, as far up as the shoulder it seemed and maybe a touch beyond, was an ancient mechanical prosthetic. No attempts whatsoever had been made to camouflage that fact, and the Chief actually didn't seem too uncomfortable about it. He had a soft voice, not weak or quiet but more welcoming and friendly. He seemed the kind of sentient that one could just talk to for an hour. On an empathic level, he was a pretty open book. No defensive training, no mental shielding or plating in that skull of his. Just the signs of someone who's gone through a lot of sessions of management and therapy: A vast ocean of emotion with an island in the middle, with small little huts for all his emotional states. Somewhere on that island there was a place where the sun didn't shine, but everyone had their dark sides.

"What can I do for you?" he asked after proverbially dusting himself off.

Bear looked at him in a 'What are you?' type of look. T'Ponga did a double take, "If you're the Chief, then I am your new Assistant Chief Engineering officer. Lt. T'Ponga Shemara reporting in and don't mind Bear", she said. "My records will speak for themselves. Engineering has been my life's work", she added.

"I assure you, there's no *if* about it." he chuckled, then looked at the bird. The quizzical look it gave him was answered in kind, "What? Yeah, caw." he said, to the bird, then chuckled, "Alright so, I'll check your record later. Welcome to Engineering. With a welcome like that, and a record offered on the table I'm sure you'll find your way around."

"So, what's the bird's story? And naming a bird Bear? Isn't that like naming your dog Mountain Lion or something?" he asked.

Laughing, she smiled at Bear who was still looking at the CEO. "Chief I call him Bear because he is a bear in a china shop not a bull as the saying would go. He just flies through and if he isn't careful he will knock things down. Still he is a gentle giant and we are bound to each other in a spiritual way. He is called a raven, and he is quite smart and intelligent. He has been my companion for many years and he quite literally helps me in my control of my emotions when they get heightened by strong emotions or a malovenent feeling is in close proximity to me", she said, looking at the Chief. "He will be accompanying me on my shift in engineering unless you have a problem with it and if so I can leave him in my office", she added.

"So he helps keep you calm? That's unusual, but who am I to judge." he gave a shrug, "I wouldn't want to deprive you of your other half, especially if he helps you keep your emotions in check. As you probably already knew, Engineering isn't exactly calm and collected when the chips are down. There's yelling, there's emotions flaring up... it's contained chaos. So I think Bear might do well to have a perch in your office." the Thux stated with a nod. "I wouldn't want him to get hurt if he's out and about on a flap when things go south, and I wouldn't want him to accidentally whap into someone on the wing. I mean, if he's not careful he might knock into something, or someone, and there's a lot here I'd rather not have him whap into."

"Plus, and no offense to Bear, but Bear's a bird. A clever bird, sure. A companion bird, certainly, but until he learns to put the seat back down when he's done, I'd rather not have him out and about on the open floor. That's a chat with the Captain of *this* bird I'd rather not have about *that* bird." he said with a final nod.

"Other than that, yeah lemme go check out your file, and get you into the rotation officially. I'll give you the slip tour." he said with a smirk, "I run a loose pit. I find that folks are better and more productive when you have faith in their capacity and offer guidance and opinions rather than dictate policy. The word of the day, everyday, is Freedom. Now, that in mind, I do expect folks to do the tasks their assigned in the best capacity they can. I provide tasks, I expect results. The middle, that's up to everyone."

"Everyone has a specialty, some people have two or three. I'm sure you'll figure out who knows what pretty fast. Good to know who can tie what knot." he continued. "Cause really, that's the job of the Chief. I don't have to know everything... that's what y'all are for." he paused. "Y'all? I hate that word but it's so damn useful... Y'all. Just rolls off the tongue. No, no it shoves other words aside to get there... Y'all... Sorry, anyway. Yeah, so I don't have to be a know-it-all. I just have to know who to go to for what."

"My specialties, before you ask, is Gravity Theory, Intrinsic Field Theory, and Hologram and Replicator Theory. That last one is fun cause I got kicked out of the class. I doodled something on a bar napkin that would put the professor's nephew out of a job in fifteen years. I'd tell you more, but I can't technically talk about that for another.... four? Yeah, four months. Gag orders and such." he chuckled. "So, any questions for me? How I do things, why I do things, why I put cinnamon in my coffee, is that real coffee in my office... you know, anything really."

"Well Chief, I am an Ex CEO myself and have two kids, twins, and I wanted to get back into the swing of work and I was given the opportunity to come back and be your subordinate. I know all aspects of engineering, including warp and impulse drive, structural and environmental systems, damage control, need I go on? In any case, I can do most anything that needs to be done", she said, trying not to make to much out of it. "As for Bear, I can leave him in my office and he will stay put. That I can guarantee", she said, nodding, as she looked directly at Bear. "Chief I know you want to know if I have any questions but for now I don't. You run your engine room like I ran mine. Easy going and when you know your job you do it. If the ACEO can't fix it then you go to the CEO. If the person next to you needs help, you lend a hand, that is how I ran my engine room", she said.

He held up that ancient prosthetic, and held up one single digit. "Just... one thing."

"You aren't my subordinate. I'm not your superior." he took a breath. Somewhere, in that vast ocean of his emotional state, the weather started to get a little choppy. "You're my assistant. I'm just the Chief." a few measured breathes, and the weather on the ocean looked to calm down a bit.

After a tense moment, though, he chuckled, "Actually yeah, I wouldn't mind hearing the entirety. Though, if you want to spare the guys at Life Support, I take it the full list of your focus specialties is in your file?" he asked. "Though, already got a Damage Control expert, so good to know I can call lots of folks in for a consult if I need to control damage."

Kids. He chuckled, "Feel free to tell your twins you're working for a Thux. I'll give the first one to find the medical paper written about us a slip of latinum." he chuckled, now in much better spirits. Perhaps it was a genuine shift in mood, or perhaps it was a damn well rehearsed cope, but things looked a lot better on that ocean.

"Well Chief if' it ain't in there just ask. They called me the Jack of all Trades on the USS Triton, where I was the CEO for years before transferring to the Don Johnson", she said, smiling at the Thux. "Definitely will bring the kids to meet you soon and I bet they will get a charge out of meeting a new species", she said, smiling at her boss.

"Funny, last time I heard that expression there was 'Master of None' behind it." he chuckled. "But don't worry, I get your point: You dabble." he said with a smirk. "And yeah, I like kids. Taste great." he chuckled, and waved away any concern, "No no, teasing. But no, I like kids. They look at new things with wonder, and everything's new to them." he was about to continue when an engineer crewhand came up with a PaDD, "Chief. Got a ticket for the Prancing Myh.. mytho... the Bar." and Cordale took the PaDD and gave it a look over, then turned to T'Ponga. "Well, time to get your feet wet. The lounge here has been converted to a bar, great place, everything's authentic. You'll know what I mean when you see it. Apparently something up there rubbed something else the wrong way and they've got a leak of bihydromonoxide. Nothing dangerous in small amounts, but enough of it can cause a lot of harm, even potentially ruin the whole setup he's got going up there."

"I know tracing down a leak isn't very prestigious for a first assignment on a new ship, but if nothing else it'll help get you introduced to some of the other crew, not to mention you can snag a quick bite to eat while you' there." he said to her, handing over the PaDD with the trouble request.

"Good, and if you would be so kind in showing me the way to the Prancing Mythological...Bar...I will have a look at it. It sounds simple enough but then, when ever is a leak simple. It is like looking for a needle in a haystack", she said laughing.

Cordale gave a shrug, "You know, I never really got that reference. It's easy to find that needle with the right tools." he then motioned to the diagram of the ship along the wall. Usually it was just there for maintenance reports or to highlight trouble spots. He pointed to a spot around the front of the saucer, "You'll find it here. There's two guys there usually, the owner's name is Jack and the bigger guy's name is Steve."

"Yup, forgot about that Chief. Its been awhile, ya know", she said, chuckling as she headed for the lounge, PADD in hand.


OFF:


Lt. Cor Cordale
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Wellington

Lt. T'Ponga Shemara
Assistant Chief Engineering Officer
USS Wellington