Repair team

Posted on Tue Apr 30th, 2019 @ 7:36am by Lieutenant Commander Mnhei'sahe Dox & Ensign Briaar Gavarus & Lieutenant Commander Thex sh'Zoarhi

Mission: Detours
Location: Main Flight Deck
Timeline: 2396

Since joining the crew if the U.S.S. Hera during crew rotations just a couple of months ago while the ship was docked at the distant Deep Space Nine space station, Ensign Briaar Gavarus had certainly become quite busy.

By rank and seniority, the two-meter tall Porcine engineer was the lowest ranking member of the Hera's Engineering staff, but she was quickly moving up and making a name for herself.

Her gruff and sarcastic nature ended up putting her name at the top of the pile for when engineers were needed to perform repairs up in the Hera's busy flight decks as it's chief, Lieutenant Mnhei'sahe Dox, was notorious for performing minor repairs herself on the ships Runabout and shuttles.

But it was her time working on the flight deck that put Gavarus in the position to end up being co-opted to also working as an engineer in Ensign Mona Gonadie's new R&D Department. Performing routine maintenance on Gonadie's latest invention, a variable mode fighter that could transform into a walker, showcased her skills and the Miradonian picked Gavarus to continue to help with her creations.

As such, the towering Tellarite only actually spent about a third of her duty schedule as an engineer IN engineering. But today was one of those days.

As a very hands on engineer that liked getting her hands dirty, she found herself lying on her back, dangling from a catwalk upside down, tucked into a housing unit of the Hera's warp core exchanging a faulty field coil when the Chief Engineer and third in command of the Hera, Lieutenant Commander Thex sh'Zoarhi, came calling.

" Ensign Gavarus if you're not doing anything urgent can you grab your toolkit. Flightdeck needs a hand with installing the new nacelles on the runabouts." The chief engineer said in her calm yet normal tone.

Slightly startled by the somewhat stealthy Andorian, Gavarus sat up quickly to reply, forgetting she was buried in the console. Whacking her head with a loud thunk, the perpetually aggravated engineer let out a grumbled curse without thinking. "@#$&! Ow!"

Realizing her mistake, she quickly slid out, embarrassed. "Uh... Yeah, Aye, Commander. Yes. Sorry."

"That's okay." Thex called from her office where she was getting her own tool kit. Waiting for the Tellarite to arrive at the entrance the Andorian gave her a gentle smile. "Have you had an opportunity to look at the new nacelles, ensign?" the sapphire engineer asked politely.

Having closed up the panel she was working on, the flustered young assistant collected her equipment into her took kit. Grunting slightly, the rotund Tellarite hoisted her massive frame off of the deck and ran over on her disproportionately small hooves to the Chief Engineers office. "Not yet, Commander. I assisted the Lieutenant in her... uh... selections for the requisition. but I haven't had a chance to look the equipment over yet, personally."

" Well, we'll get an opportunity to see them up close know," Thex said as she lead the way to the hanger bay. " So how are you finding life on the Hera?" She asked the ensign.

Looking down at the Andorian Chief, Gavarus was terrible at small talk, especially when she had to curtail her usual attitude. But working with the R&D team and being genuinely afraid of Lieutenant Dox, she was getting a little better at 'peopling', as she put it. If only by necessity. "Okay, I guess. Busier than I was expecting based on my last assignments, but I prefer having sh... stuff... assignments to do rather than not. And Lieutenant Dox and Ensign Gonadie certainly fill my duty schedule."

"Well, you have plenty of work on the Hera given our usual mission. " Thex said as they stepped into the hanger bay. The runabout in question was sitting in the maintenance area ready for its work. " Right now, where is Dox so we can get to work." Thex said looking around the hanger bay.

Stepping down from the open hatch of the Runabout, Lieutenant Mnhei'sahe Dox had a PaDD in her hands as she greeted the pair. "Commander sh'Zoarhi. Miss Gavarus. Thank you both for coming. I just finished a complete systems diagnostic for you, but haven't otherwise touched our Unluck Lady."

The red-headed Romulan flight chief had a slight smile on her face as she made reference to her predilection to tinker with the runabouts when she had time on her hands. "Promise. I've got the Khallianen over in bay two if I get the itch to work on a ship now."

"Okay, so let's get to it. Gavarus can you make sure the main power is off and disconnected while I start disconnecting the old nacelles off." Thex said getting into full engineering mode.

"Well, then. I'll leave you two to it. If you need me, I'll be in the office. Thank you." The short, slightly rotund Romulan red-head stepped past the two gold clad women to let them work, sparing a smile for the Porcine assistant "She's my favorite Runabout, Miss Gavarus. Give her your best."

Never quite knowing how to react around the usually intimidating Romulan, Gavarus had a slightly nervous smile as she nodded. "Aye, Lieutenant."

As Dox walked away, Gavarus shook off the momentary nerves and refocused on her work. Stepping into the Runabout, she detached the panel over the ships power grid and deactivated the system entirely. "System is powered down and disconnected, Commander."

"Okay, I'll start disconnecting the right nacelle. Can you get the stabilizers in place? " Thex called from the outside of the runabout where she was removing the magnetic locks of the runabouts plating.

While the Andorian chief worked, her Tellarite assistant was scrambling to keep pace. Gavarus was more nervous than usual, working on the flight deck with the Chief engineer and Lieutenant Dox watching from the office made her feel very much under the proverbial microscope while she fumbled with her thick, three-fingered hands through her tool kit for the appropriate tools for the task at hand.

"Damn it!" Gavarus mumbled under her breath as she dropped a spanner under the nacelle for a moment. Correcting herself, she picked up the tool and kept at it, sighing. "Stabilizers in place and secured, Commander."

Poking her head over the ships nacelle Thex looked at her new crew member. "Everything okay ensign?"

Realizing that her mumbling and frustration was, as usual, carrying, Gavarus tried to cover for it with a painfully awkward and obviously fake smile. "Uh... yeah. Yes. Aye. Aye, Commander. Just dropped the spanner for a moment but it's fine. I got it. I... uh... apologize?"

The statement ended with an inflection that sounded more like a question from the flustered Ensign. Gavarus was a moderately skilled engineer, but absolutely terrible at social interaction and even worse at trying to talk to superior officers and not sound like an idiot.

A grin spread over Thex face at the young woman's behavior. Was she ever this awkward? "No need to apologize, Gavarus. Just checking my team's okay. We haven't had much time to talk have we." The Andorian said casually as she continued her work.

Assisting where needed, Gavarus removed the paneling and got it out of the chief's way and generally did her best to keep up. "No, Commander. No, not really." The answer was somewhat brief and perfunctory as the gruff porcine woman found her honest mannerisms tended to isolate her from most everyone on board except her best friend, the diminutive test pilot, Fiona O'Dell. But Tellarites, by and large, were known throughout the galaxy for their argumentative nature and Gavarus was no exception. But not wanting to be demoted off ship, she was doing her best to maintain an aire of professionalism, which was floundering at best.

Thex kept her grin as she and the ensign continued to work. She was clearly nervous, but judging by the very positive reviews on her desk she knew her way around the flight deck and its craft. She would go places in the fleet if she kept it up. " Okay," Thex said as she slid off the nacelle. "Let's get it moved back and lower the new one into place."

Grabbing a pair of Grav-Mag clamps, Gavarus attached them at either end and the pair pulled the bulky equipment to the side with comparative ease considering its size. Remembering O'Dell's prodding that if she wanted to advance in her department, she would need to learn to be more sociable, Gavarus struggled to think of something to say to follow up the Chief's earlier comments about the two not really talking.

"Uh... thank you again for the bottle of leftover Andorian Ale from your ceremony... by the way. It's helped a few frustrating nights go by smoother." Gavarus muttered slightly, realizing thanking your superior for alcohol was probably not the right comment, but it was the first thing she could think to say and winced as she said it.

"Thanks, well it was Tathaa quad who sent them. It was real stuff as well, not the replicated stuff you can get on most planets." The blue engineer responded as the two of them pulled the nacelle to one side.

"It's good. Correction, it WAS good." Gavarus loosened up a bit and let out a gruff chuckle as she worked as her comment didn't blow back at her. And as the pair walked over to the new nacelle to grab it, she paused for a moment, considering asking a different question.

Applying the clamps to reduce the Nacelle's weight, the two gold-clad engineers began carefully sliding it in place to be installed as Gavarus began to stutter slightly, as she tended to when anxious. "C... Commander... can I... m... may I ask a question?"

" Sure Gavarus what is it?" said Thex.

"I know that... I'm not the easiest person to get along with in engineering. I don't have any illusions about that." Gavarus up the nerve to talk, "But there was a rumor going around that I was picked to come and work the flight deck... um... because you... you..."

Pausing slightly, Gavarus groaned slightly under her breath, wanting to get an answer to this particular question. "Because nobody else wanted to have to come here to fix stuff for Lieutenant Dox and since nobody liked me anyway, I was the... well... the sacrificial pig." She had blurted out the last part so fast that she had to gasp a little to catch her breath.

" Who was saying these rumors?" " Thex said looking straight at the new member of her team. " Briaar I send people to complete the jobs I know they can do to the best of there abilities. The reports from lieutenant Dox have been absolutely positive in everything you've done for her. " The engineer said reassuringly. " If you want to go to another location just ask and I'll send you."

"Huh? What, no. No, I..." Gavarus was slightly flustered again. Being on the flight deck is how she met her best friend and what lead her to working in the R&D Department as well.

"I really... I like the assignment, Commander. I like working with the shuttles and the crew and Lieutenant Dox is kinda scary but not really! Sorry, I'm rambling. No, I'd really like to keep working here, Commander." Gavarus' voice was getting a little louder as she went on. "S... Sorry, Commander."

"Breathe, Gavarus." Thex said calmly. " You can stay here. I just wanted you to know I'm not forcing you to be here." She said as she grabbed the nacelle they still had work to do. " So why did you join the fleet? " She politely asked.

Continuing to work as they spoke, the two engineers barely needed to communicate about the actual task as the junior officer clearly knew what the seasoned Chief needed done as she needed it. It was a smooth work flow that made the conversation easier.

"This kind of stuff, really. Back on Tellarite Prime, I've got nine sisters and seven brothers. And there's kind if two careers you get into there: politics or engineering. My Dad's a senator and my Mom is on the city council for the Keron Provence."

While talking, Gavarus was handing off tools and reattaching the nacelle assembly. "I... do not have he temperament for that and I've always just liked doing THIS. Fixing things. Improving things. Getting under and engine and getting my hands dirty making it work better. I love engineering, but to be honest, I've got no ambition to run it. I don't want a ship. I just want to keep doing this. And stuff like we've been doing for Ensign Gonadie in the R&D Department. I love getting my hands dirty, ya' know?"

" Oh, I understand completely. Not everyone wants to end up running a department or a ship." Thex said as she started connecting the latest nacelle. "Are any of your brothers and sisters in the fleet?"

Setting the alignment vectors as Thex connected, Gavarus scoffed slightly. "My older sister Quinaa is the ops chief of the Venture. My older brother Chaantal is Chief Engineer of the Doyle. And my younger sister Riina is in her second year at the academy right now for Medical."

Resealing the housing panels in place, the new nacelle was secure. Immediately, Gavarus pulled out a PaDD and began running a systems diagnosis. "Connections are all reading green, Commander. Oh, and she has her sights set on command of a medical ship. So two chiefs and one with her eye on command. Back home, there's three sisters and two more brothers in the Tellar Congress. My lack of ambition is quite the frickin' topic at family gatherings."

" Don't let your family stop you from doing what you love." Thex responded speaking from experience. " Everything looking good. Shall we get Dox to give it a test before we install the other one?"

Suddenly just a smidge nervous again, Gavarus straightened up and tapped her comm badge. "Lieutenant Dox, we have the port nacelle connected and it's ready for testing at your discretion."

After a brief pause, there was a slight chirp and a response. =^=On my way, Ensign.=^= And after only a couple of seconds, the Flight Chief emerged from her office, typing away at her PaDD and matching the martial stride made infamous throughout the ship by First Officer Rita Paris.

"Looking good, Commander. I'll run a quick diagnostic, but I'm sure everything's green." The stout Romulan pilot kept her pace as she strode past Gavarus onto the Runnabout, smiling lightly as she passed.

For her part, Gavarus replied with an awkward, overly toothy smile.

Thex nodded moving back from the runabout as it powered up and went through the normal testing procedures. Judging by the sounds that was nothing more than a faint purr it seemed to be running fine.

After a few moments, the Runabout powered down again and the Red-headed Romulan stepped out from the rear hatch back to he flight deck. "Diagnostics are showing a 34% engine efficiency increase from the last baseline with a 19% reduction in power loss. Looks like these new nacelles are going to be a dream to fly with, Commander. Thank you."

" Happy to be off help lieutenant," Thex said with a grin.

"Well, I'll let you two finish her up so I can take her for a run later and really shake her out." Dox replied as she headed back to her office. Encouraged by the positive results, the engineering pair got back to work on the starboard nacelle.

It didn't take long before the two skilled engineers had the other nacelle finished installed and all systems showing green. As the two tidied up Thex looked up at the Tellarite. " You're shift finished five munites ago Gavarus. You can get going if you want i can finish up here."

Getting the sense that the suggestion was something of a hint, Gavarus nodded as she collected her tool kit. "Uh . Thank you, Commander. I'll see you at shit tomorrow."

As the towering Tellarite walked somewhat quickly to the corridor to leave, she stiffened slightly as she passed Lieutenant Dox who was walking back onto the deck. "Thank you again, Ensign." The flight Chief nodded, with her hands behind her back.

Gavarus simply nodded with an awkward and forced grin as she left the deck. As the door to the corridor closed behind the Porcine engineer, Dox walked over to where Thex was finishing up. "She's... afraid of me, isn't she?"

" I think she's a little nervous with all of us. " Thex said as she picked up the remaining tools. " I think she'll come out of her shell in time. "

Shrugging slightly, Dox sighed. "Probably didn't help that her and O'Dell watched me sparring with Petty Officer S'Rina in the gym last week. But..." While the two officers hadn't spent must social time together, Dox still considered the two friends and relaxed her own guard a little as she spoke.

"You have such a relaxed command style. And that helps those under your command relax. I... don't know how to do that. I've tried emulating Commander Paris' approach but ultimately, I end up just defaulting to acting like my mother and intimidating everyone in the department. I... don't know why Rita thought I would be good at this." The anxious Romulan admitted.

"Hey, you'll find a way of commanding that works for you." Thex said to her friend with a grin. "It took me a while to figure it out and I'm sure you'll manage. You're a better officer than you think."

Changing the subject off of herself, Dox raised an eyebrow towards the Andorian Chief Engineer. "Thanks... So, how's the quad? Everything going good so far?"

"Well as we have two new arrivals on the way I think I can say things are going very well." Thex said with a grin cheeky on her face.

Taking about a second or so to process what she just heard, Mnhei'sahe Dox's eyes went wide. "Wait, what? Two..." Then, without thinking, Dox slipped back into her native Rihan for a second before correcting herself.

"Taome dynt! Uh... Oh my goodness, that's wonderful, I mean." Dox smiled as wide as her chubby cheeks would allow. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks. " Thex said beaming with happiness. "Two girls and everything looks fine other than some odd pheromone levels in me, but doc says that's normal for first-time andorians. ."

"I'm so happy for you... for all of you. That's fantastic." Dox couldn't help share in Thex's happiness in the moment, which was infectious even for the typical anxious and notoriously baby-shy Romulan woman. "Twins? Is that common for Andorian's? I'll admit, I have no clue."

"Rather rare actually. We use to have births of eight in the past before the genetic problem are species suffer from. I guess being around Hera has helped a little." Thex said letting out a happy chuckle.

"Hera? You all got caught up in that baby boom aura of hers, I guess?" Dox added, smiling.

" Looks like it. " The andorian said patting her belly slightly.

A slightly melancholy expression fell off Dox's face for just a moment. While much of the ship seemed to be benefiting from the effects of having their patron namesake on board, the only aura that had so far affected the conflicted Romulan was that of the ships other cosmic passenger, Death herself. And she couldn't help wonder what that said about her.

But she did her level best to try and keep that thought burried and put a smile back on her face. "Well, I'm very happy for you. For all four of you, really. This is wonderful news. But... I should probably get back to work and run the Unlucky Lady here through her paces."

" Okay then. I'll talk to you later." Thex said as she put the toolkit and headed for the shuttle bay door.

"Thank you again, Commander. Have a good evening." Dox replied with a small smile as she stepped into the Runabout.

Taking a seat at the pilots seat, this was where the conflicted Romulan felt the most at home. Calling in a flight plan, she looked forward to testing the ship out in the expanse of space where she could set her concerns aside for another day, and her smile got just a bit bigger.