One More Time

Posted on 06/25/2020 @ 9:39am by Captain Cian D'Anvers

Mission: S1E3: Visit to Starbase 375
Location: Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: Day 2 at 1100

After giving the Lieutenant Cash and the rest of the new engineering team time to clean up and put on fresh uniforms, the security guards returned them to the door of the Captain's Ready Room. "Okay," the guard said. "Your second chance at reporting in to the Captain." He pressed the door chime and when they heard the Captain call out his permission to enter, the guards waited until the group entered before leaving the Bridge.

"Any bets on how long they last," the more junior of the two asked as they approached the turbolift.

"Believe it or not," the more senior replied as he stepped inside, "they're not the absolute worst I've seen. People can surprise you."

As the doors to the turbolift closed, the younger man muttered, "would be one heck of a surprise, have to say."

Xander Cash and the Sr Engineering staff entered the Captain's ready room. They were showered and groomed. Their uniforms were cleaned and pressed. They walked up to the Captain's desk and all saluted. "Lt jg Alexander Cash and the Sr Engineering staff of the USS Crazy Horse reporting as ordered, SIR" He bellowed like a first year cadet.

Cian sat at his desk and watched them approach. To say that he was disappointed by the way the Lieutenant presented himself would be an understatement. This was a young man who seemed to attack anything in authority. "You can drop the theatrics, Lieutenant," Cian said quietly. "They do not impress me and do you little credit."

"A formal reprimand for conduct unbecoming has been added to your already colorful records," Cian continued. "What you should know is this is your last chance. Fail here and you are no longer members of Starfleet. That's what at stake. Succeed here, and you will be a welcome addition to this crew. The fact that you are an Admiral's son doesn't matter to me in the slightest. I will say the same thing to him that I am saying to you now. What matters to me is how you behave while you're on this vessel. The same goes for all of you. From this moment forward, what you do here is what decides your future." His gaze took the entire group in and rested for a moment on the Tellarite. "I have respect for your people and I understand somewhat the culture that you come from. However, on this ship, fighting as a means to resolve disputes is not permissible. Use your words."

The group remained perfectly still and silent. Offering no words of apology or explanation for their actions. Eyes perfectly facing front. Not looking at their Commanding Officer at all. The only way you could tell that they were alive was the fact they occasionally blinked. And they were breathing.

"Very well," Cian said. "Yesterday, was a bad first impression. Today, you have a chance to make a good one. Don't waste it. Lieutenant Cash, effective immediately, you are hereby made Acting Chief Engineer for this vessel. Whether that becomes permanent or not, is up to you and your actions." He turned toward the rest of them. "Each of you. What happens next happens, success or failure, depends on your individual actions."

"Yes Sir." The group snapped as they all bellowed at the same time. Just like an an Academy Parade square.

"At ease. You have permission to speak freely," Cian said.

They all looked at each other as if uncertain what to do. Then, slowly they began to stand at ease.

"Sir, I do have permission to speak for my......For those I stand with Sir. We know we have screwed up. We accept it. And we will do our best to make you proud Sir. Is there any more matters that need to be addressed Sir?" Asked Cash

Cian nodded, as much to himself as to those before him, and, quite probably for the first time since Cash had come on board, Cian could begin to see how it might work. Actually work. Without a constant battle of wills. "For the moment, no. Quarters have been assigned for all of you. Your Assistant Chief is Ensign Romal Seshel. Take the time to meet with him and ensure that the ship is ready for departure. When not on duty, you're free to explore the Starbase same as the rest of the crew. If there's nothing else, welcome on board the USS Crazy Horse."

"Thank you Sir." Said Cash.

One by one, the engineers walked up to the desk. They all looked the Commander in the eye and thanked him. Then one by one they departed, Except for Cash. He stood there not moving a muscle until the rest have left. Then, he looked at the CO and spoke. "Permission to speak freely Sir?" He asked

"Within reason," Cian said, "Permission granted."

"Sir, I know I was NOT your first choice for this assignment. And frankly, I was just as surprised as you when I got the order to report here. You mentioned my father. I haven't asked him for ANYTHING in years. Frankly, I was astonished I actually got as far as I did in Starfleet. My dear old dad casts a big shadow. And may I say, I'ts cold in that shadow. I've been trying to get out from it for a very long time. Personally, I thought when I got my last assignment that it would be a short time till I was kicked out. The scrapyard at Tellar Prime is basically where they send engineers to when they have no career left. Our supervisor was an alcoholic who drank on the job. He basically told us that He doesn't want the Elisha Gray back. He will just write it off and get a new shuttle. My point is, for the years we were there, we could do whatever. Nobody cared. I never asked to be here. But I am grateful that I am. Personally, I thought I'd be handing you my com badge, because you would have asked for my resignation. My point is Sir, You may have accepted me because of him. And for that, I'm sorry. But I don't want him or his position to be an excuse or reason to have me here. If I may ask, I know what your conditions to have me here. And those conditions are the same for any member of your crew. IF I'm allowed, my I add a condition? The condition that my father will not be brought up again as for why I am here. I may have landed here because of him. I can't help that. But, I CAN earn my keep and make you proud to have let me stay. May I add that condition Sir?" He asked

Cian thought back over the conversation with Admiral the Father and unbidden, a memory of his own father, dying of the virus sweeping across a world in its death spiral, and nodded. "Agreed," he said after a moment. "I've made it clear to that individual that he is to remain strictly hands off from this point forward. You are a part of my crew now and we won't speak of him again."

He leaned back in his seat, giving his new Chief Engineer a speculative look, as he thought about the request hidden in the sudden rush of words. "If I am to accept the Elisha Gray, it becomes one of the vessels attached to this ship and not your personal property. We are agreed on this point?"

"Not my personal shuttle. No sir. But, it is a maintenance shuttle. can It be permanently assigned to engineering?" Cash asked. "It does carry specialty tools and equipment that do not, lets say, come standard on most other shuttles sir." Cash said.

"Agreed," Cian said. "You will assist Operations in a thorough inventory of everything on board since that too will belong to the ship. Assuming its space-worthy, Flight will be doing a check as well. After that, it will be assigned to Engineering."

"Assuming?" Cash said sounding astonished. "Sir, we are good engineers. I mean, we are REALLY good. That shuttle may be old, and overhauled more times then...well, she's had alot of love. Put it that way. She not only handles like a dream. But I'll bet credits to navy beans she could probably out fly any of the shuttles on the Crazy Horse sir. And you can take that to the bank. The credits, not the beans....Sir."

Cian smiled in the face of the quite proper outrage of a good engineer even if the idioms were lost on him. "No disrespect intended," he said. "Do as much for ... our ... ship and we will get along well."

Cash extended his hand. "I'll try not to soup up the Crazy Horse to far off specs Sir." He said smiling making it obvious he was kidding.

Cian rose smoothly to his feet and extended his own hand. This, at least, was something he understood both from his years on Earth and from the diplomatic briefings he'd attended. Greeting rituals among various races. An interesting topic even if the speaker spoke in a near monotone.

The two shook hands as Cian said, smiling and relaxed now, "I will hold you to that."

"I wouldn't have it any other way" Cash said shaking the man's hand.

A Post by:

Commander Cian D'Anvers
Commanding Officer
USS Crazy Horse

Lt jg Xander Cash
Acting Chief Engineering Officer
USS Crazy Horse

Ensign Lucius Delmar
Engineer
USS Crazy Horse

Petty Officer 1st Class Graal Krit
Engineer
USS Crazy Horse

Petty Officer 2nd Class Eddy Felson
Engineer
USS Crazy Horse

Crewman Telev Kar'eem
Engineer
USS Crazy Horse

Crewman Latka Gravas
Engineer
USS Crazy Horse