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CH03: S [D04|1600] Lifetime Petty Officer

Chapter 03:  Supplemental [ DAY 04 | 1600 hrs. ] Lifetime Petty Officer

[ William Robert O’Connell | Transporter Room One | Deck 04 | USS Cayuga ] Attn: @Fife

The damage to the Cayuga was extensive, even before the damage that the Asurian’s had inflicted.  As it was, the stricken starship could only provide power to one transporter.  Transporter Room One on Deck Four was the one selected, because it was on the same deck as both the ship’s shuttlebay and the ship’s security center.  The choice was obvious once it was determined that the most expedient way to get the Cayuga warp capable and spaceworthy would be to accept assistance from the lowest third of the most infamous renegade starship in Starfleet’s history.  Chief Security Officer Lieutenant Winter Bannin wanted all of the ship’s visitors coming and going on one deck so they could funnel them through one checkpoint.

Chief Petty Officer Nina Nilsson was in the transporter room to greet the first group of mutinous renegades to sully the decks of her ship.  The officers of the Theurgy claimed they were innocent, but Nina’s stint in Starfleet Police back at Starbase 133 had informed her that guilty people always say they are innocent, regardless of what planet they are from.  She had two security specialists in the room to back her just in case. 

The transporter pad lit up as a trio of silhouettes appeared in a shower of silver sparks.  Standing in front was a tall broad-shouldered man with a dirty blond hair and a nose that might have been flattened by too many bar fights.  The rank pin on his gold collar indicated he was a master chief petty officer, or was, before he betrayed Starfleet.

“Well Ah’m here!  Ah’m here!” the newcomer drawled in a loud obnoxious voice.  “Let th’ birds sing an’ th’ bells ring!  Ah’m here!”  It was painfully obvious that the master chief didn’t expect to be liked or trusted while he was aboard the Cayuga and so he had decided to own it by being as irritating as civility would allow.  “Howdy, y’all, Ah’m, Ah say Ah’m Master Chief Petty Officer William Robert O’Connell the Theurgy’s actin’ chief engineer, but mah friends call me ‘Billy Bob!’  This here youngin’ is Petty Officer Tenchi Koizumi,” he drawled as he indicated the slender Terran male of Asian descent at his right.  “An’ ol’ blue boy there is Petty Officer Zil Arex,” he continued as he pointed to the lanky male Bolian on his left.  “We’re here tuh meet with Lieutenant Jeen, yer chief engineering officer that is, tuh discuss whut needs tuh be fixed an’ where’s th’ best place tuh place mah crew.  Permission tuh come aboard?”

“Certainly Master Chief, as soon as you lose that sidearm,” Chief Nilsson replied dryly.

Billy Bob chuckled self-consciously and the hand that wasn’t holding a PADD rose to scratch the back of his neck.  “Uh-heh-heh,  Ah’m sorry there Chief.  Sidearm?” he asked with exaggerated innocence as his wide square face reddened slightly.

“The phaser you have hidden in the tiny pocket in back of your trousers,” the blonde catlike Nina Nilsson replied as she crossed her arms knowingly.  “You know, the mark one model sixteen phaser?  It’s got eight settings?  Three buttons on top?  Kind of a gunmetal grey?  Nicknamed the ‘cricket?’  It showed up on our panel as we beamed you over.  I wasn’t aware that enlisted men were allowed to carry sidearms, or are you as security specialist and not an engineer?”

“No Chief, Ah can’t rightly say Ah am,” O’Connell replied in what could be called an ‘indoor voice’.  “But as actin’ chief engineer Ah got th’ same privileges as most of the officers…”

“Not aboard the Cayuga you don’t,” the security chief shook her head.  “Now don’t get me wrong Master Chief.  I know that with the right tools you could find six different ways to blow us to kingdom come in your first ten minutes here.  But at least if one of our people found you trying it they’d be able to stop you without putting themselves in undue risk.  Unless you want to beam right back to that pirate ship you left with the rest of your buccaneers you can hand over your weapon so we can get on with our day,”  she said as she walked up to him and held her hand out.  “You can get it back when you leave,” she added.

“Now wait jest a sheep shearin’ minute,” O’Connell barked.  “Whut if y’all git boarded again?  If those satyrs send in another boardin’ party Ah cal’culate thet Ah’ll need somethin’ tuh save mah tail that’s more effective then usin’ mah penis!”

“Trust me Master Chief, it will be just as tiny and easy to hide,” Nina smiled grimly.

“Hey Ekon,” Billy Bob called to the burly and towering coffee colored chief standing behind the transporter console.  “Help me out would yuh?  Inform Chief Blondie here that ol’ Billy Bob’s on the up an’ up!” 

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ DAY 04 | 1600 hrs. ] Lifetime Petty Officer

Reply #1 –
[ CPO Ekon Okotie-Eboh] | Transporter Room One | Deck 4 | USS Cayuga ] @Doc M.

Eboh had decided to be present for the transporting of this particular group from the Theurgy after seeing the name of the Theurgy’s acting chief engineer. He had caught a glimpse of the man on the Theurgy’s bridge at the beginning of the Asurian attack, and Eboh found himself eager to see his old friend again after so many years. At the same time, he was looking forward to seeing how William Robert would fare against the security NCO that stood ready to face him.

Eboh watched CPO Nilsson and the other two members of her security detail out of the corner of his eye as he initiated the transport, suspecting that Nina’s no-nonsense attitude would do her no favours if his old friend William Robert was even close to the man he remembered. Nor would William Robert’s drawling charm or long-winded way of speaking help him in his dealings with Nina. Eboh expected the encounter to prove entertaining.

He was not disappointed.

A loud drawl could be heard filling the room the moment the three engineers from the Theurgy materialized on the transporter pad, heralding the arrival of one Master Chief Petty Officer William Robert O’Connell. His job at the transporter console finished, Ekon nodded to Petty Officer 2nd Class Harkness to take over. The dark-skinned El-Aurian hybrid stepped aside and leaned against the side of the console, crossing his arms across his broad chest as he watched the scene unfold before him. As he watched Nina Nilsson visibly tense in annoyance at the boisterous engineer’s pronouncement, Ekon could almost head the ding of the bell that announced the beginning of the first round of a boxing match.

The wind seemed to go from William Robert’s sails as Nina mentioned the phaser, and Ekon could only shake his head and grin as the Human engineer attempted to feign innocence. The ensuing discussion regarding sidearms and rank privileges elicited a deep, rumbling chuckle from the coffee-skinned man. Then Nina had began her lecture, referring to the crew of the Theurgy as pirates and buccaneers, obviously having no patience for the drawling individual who she apparently viewed as nothing more than an unruly outlaw. The grin on Eboh’s face continued to spread as William Robert protested, referencing his penis. Nina was not kind with her rebuttal, making a harsh comparison between William Robert’s member and the tiny phaser he had concealed on his person.

”Hey Ekon, help me out would yuh?” The engineer pleaded to him now, ”Inform Chief Blondie here that ol’ Billy Bob’s on the up an’ up!”

As Nina turned to look at him, Eboh’s face took on a look of feigned confusion, though it was difficult to maintain the expression while fighting against the urge to burst out laughing.

”You know this man, Eboh?” Nina asked him, her sharp eyes giving him a questioning look.

”Don’t look at me, Nina! I have never seen this man before in my life!” Ekon announced in his deep voice, mock confusion mingling with his Nigerian accent as he spoke. Eboh found a great deal of enjoyment in the look that came across the engineer’s face as he heard what Eboh was saying. ”I think perhaps his time on the run has taken it’s toll on his mind.” He looked at Nina as he spoke, only giving William Robert a quick glance that carried with it just a hint of mischief. ”He may have more weapons that your scans did not detect. I would suggest that you take every precaution. Perhaps a strip-search may be in order?”

CPO Nilsson’s expression darkened as she looked back to the engineer, her eyes narrowing. Behind her, Eboh looked fit to burst with the effort of holding in his laughter. He had no doubt his old friend might have a few choice words for him after this, but if memory served him correctly, he still owed William Robert some payback for a certain incident that had occurred during their time aboard the Hiroshima.

Oh, Eboh was enjoying this.

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ DAY 04 | 1600 hrs. ] Lifetime Petty Officer

Reply #2 –
[ William Robert O’Connell | Transporter Room One | Deck 04 | USS Cayuga ] Attn: @Fife

“A strip search:  interesting suggestion,” Chief Nilsson agreed with a voice that was dryer than a martini.  “That’s not a bad idea,”

“Hey Ekon,” Billy Bob protested.  “What’s with yew actin’ lahk yew don’t know me from Adam’s housecat?  Quit th’ clowin’!  She’s gonna take you seriously!”  He took his eyes off the burly chief when he noticed a twinkle in his eye and turned his attention back to the blonde bombshell standing less than a meter in front of him.  “He’s jest funnin’; he’s pullin’ yore leg, he’s havin’ a little joke that is,” he stammered before he composed himself.  “You kin tell thet cain’t yuh?”

Smiling evilly, Chief Petty Officer Nina Nilsson closed the distance between herself and O’Connell.  “Chief Blondie?” she asked innocently. 

Billy Bob gulped.


TEN MINUTES LATER | DAY 04 | 1610 hrs.


[ William Robert O’Connell | Waiting Area near main entrance | Security Center | Deck 04 | USS Cayuga ] Attn: @Fife

The main security center aboard the Cayuga was very much like the one aboard the Theurgy.  The main entrance featured a waiting area equipped with moderately comfortable chairs and plush couches where visitors could wait for an appointment with a security officer or a visit with a prisoner.  An aide duty station consisting of console and a chair for long shifts was usually manned by a worldly and experienced chief or a green behind the testicles ensign who could execute his duties while enjoying an excellent view of the visitors.  Eboh, Arex, and Koizumi were relaxing in the waiting area while Billy Bob O’Connell was taken to the temporary holding cell and reminded exactly why an enlisted man declared a deserter, traitor, and renegade should never piss off a security chief.  When he was finally released, Billy Bob’s square face was a shade of red as he straightened his uniform as he marched out to join them.  But he didn’t do it silently.

“Well, that just DILLS my PICKLE!” O’Connell roared.  “Ekon yew egg-suckin' dawg!  I bin busier than a cat covering crap on a marble floor an’ here yew let her take off mah britches an’ let ev’rybody see tuh Christmas when Ah gots things tuh dew.  You know MAH ship’s damaged too raight?  I bin workin’ mah tail off runnin’ all over hell's half acre and here yew be lyin' like a no-legged dog!  Why I have half a mind tuh knock you intuh th’ middle uh next week lookin’ both ways fer Sunday…” 

“Hey O’Connell,” Chief Nilsson called after him with a feces eating grin as she waved a PADD cheekily.  “Don’t forget to fill out the form for your phaser.  You want it back when you leave don’t you?”

The master chief’s tirade ended as his forward gait came to an abrupt stop and his face contorted in a variety of grimaces before he composed himself and slowly turned in Nilsson’s direction.  “Uh course Ah do,” he muttered as he took the PADD from her.  “It ain’t lahk Starfleet’s gonna be sendin’ us supplies any time soon, ain’t it?  Ah’ll git this filled out in two shakes of a lamb’s tail.”

“Good to hear,” Nina Nilsson smiled.  “And Master Chief?”

“Whut?”

“Welcome aboard the Cayuga,” she said before she turned and walked behind the chief sitting at aide duty station to exit the room.

“Nice girl but she wouldn’t walk across th’ street tuh piss on yuh if yew wuz on fire,” he muttered as he walked over to the trio waiting for him and plopped his mass onto a couch.  He glanced over at Ekon.  “Yuh think this is funny now don’t ‘cha?”

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ DAY 04 | 1600 hrs. ] Lifetime Petty Officer

Reply #3 –
[ CPO Ekon Okotie-Eboh] | Waiting Area | Security Office | Deck 4 | USS Cayuga ] @Doc M.

As O’Connell marched into the waiting area of the security office with a tirade of words for Ekon, it was all the El-Aurian hybrid could do to suppress his laughter.

As it was, he made a poor job of it.

Ekon sat with his arms crossed across his broad chest, his lips pressed together to hold in the laughter. The large man’s shoulders shook with silent mirth, the shakes growing more violent when Nilsson emerged and reminded him to sign for his phaser, her grin only serving to make the suppression of Ekon’s own laughter that much more difficult.

”And Master Chief?”

”Whut?”

”Welcome aboard the Cayuga.”

It was too much to bear. Ekon burst into a loud bout of laughter, Arex and Koizumi joining him from where they sat. Ekon almost missed what O’Connell was saying, caught up as he was in the involuntary convulsions of amusement as the Master Chief’s expense.

”Yuh think this is funny now don’t ‘cha?”

”You’ve known me for a long time, William Robert.” Ekon said from where he was sitting. ”Am I the sort of person who would find amusement in someone else’s discomfort?” The laughter seized him again, and Ekon fought to control himself once more. ”It is good to see you, O’Connell!” Ekon said as the laughter subsided somewhat, wiping a tear from one eye. ”We were starting to wonder what was taking you so long!” Ekon’s voice had raised in pitch as he spoke the last part, the laughter taking hold of him yet again. Arex had crossed his arms, and was trying to hold back another laugh. Koizumi was almost double over in his chair, unable to control himself.

Ekon stood and crossed the distance to where O’Connell stood, extending his hand to shake the other man’s. ”It is good to see you again, William Robert.” Ekon said in his deep Nigerian timber. ”I was just telling your two associates about that time aboard the Hiroshima when you set me up on that blind date with the Gorn.” Ekon gave the engineer a sly smile. ”I will admit that the purplish sheen to the Gorn’s scales was an alluring colour. Or it would have been, if the Gorn had not turned out to be a male.” Ekon heard Koizumi’s laughter increase in pitch, the poor man unable to control himself. ”I think we can finally call it even, wouldn’t you agree?” Ekon gave O’Connell a wink as a deep chuckle rumbled in his chest.

It was good to see O’Connell again. Eboh had known the man a long time, and the brief glimpse of the man aboard the battle bridge of the Theurgy’s vector had dredged up a number of old memories. Unfortunately for O’Connell, one of those memories had been the prank involving the Gorn. Eboh reflected that his revenge had been worth the wait.

”Now if you are done fooling around with Chief Blondie for the moment, perhaps I can show you the way to Engineering?” The tight grin on Eboh’s face made it clear that he was in a desperate battle against another bout of laughter, just barely holding it in.

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ DAY 04 | 1600 hrs. ] Lifetime Petty Officer

Reply #4 –
[ William Robert O’Connell | Waiting Area near main entrance | Security Center | Deck 04 | USS Cayuga] Attn: @Fife

”You've known me for a long time, William Robert." Ekon said from where he was sitting. ”Am I the sort of person who would find amusement in someone else's discomfort?"

“Ah don’t reckon yew really want an honest answer tuh that Ekon,” the master chief replied dryly.

Arex and Koizumi were doing their best to hold it back and were failing miserably.  As for old Ekon, he was cackling like a hyena on laughing gas.  ”It is good to see you, O'Connell!"  the brown burly chief chortled as he wiped a tear from his eye. ”We were starting to wonder what was taking you so long!"

“Chief Nilsson wanted an old school style picture to remember me by but when she saw the size of mah Johnson, she sent away fur th’ high powered lens,” Billy Bob retorted as he did his best not to join in the infectious laughter himself.  “That was a good one by th’ way,” he admitted with a hint of gratitude when he realized that O’Connell’s outlaw status didn’t make any difference as far as Ekon was concerned.  O’Connell’s ‘safety net’ of chiefs that he knew throughout Starfleet was mainly for avoiding outlaw status in the first place. 

Ekon stood and crossed the distance to where O'Connell stood, extending his hand to shake the other man's. "It is good to see you again, William Robert." the operations chief rumbled in his exotic accent.  ”I was just telling your two associates about that time aboard the Hiroshima when you set me up on that blind date with the Gorn."

“Oh thet…,” the master chief grinned at the recollection.  “Ah’ll bet thet they’re still talkin’ about it aboard the Hiroshima,” he chuckled as his face reddened.

”I will admit that the purplish sheen to the Gorn's scales was an alluring colour. Or it would have been, if the Gorn had not turned out to be a male," Ekon quipped with a clever grin.  

“Yeah, but he shore had beautiful eyes, didn’t he?” O’Connell chuckled.

Koizumi broke out in high pitched laughter that sounded like a little girl who had been given a dose of nitrous oxide.

”I think we can finally call it even, wouldn't you agree? "

“Are yew pullin’ mah leg?  How about th’ time yuh trapped me on the holodeck an’ made me think it wuz malfuctionin’?” O’Connell protested before holding up a finger and pursing his lips.  “Oh.  Ah plumb fergot about th’ time Ah put thet chemical on yore workstation thet turned yer hands purple,” he admitted.  “Yuh know, Ah cal’culate thet mebbe we can call it even,” he mused thoughtfully.

”Now if you are done fooling around with Chief Blondie for the moment, perhaps I can show you the way to Engineering?" The tight grin on Eboh's face made it clear that he was in a desperate battle against another bout of laughter, just barely holding it in.

“Jus’ a second; Ah gotta finish fillin’ out this here…”

Arex’s laughter was an annoying hiss through the teeth as he sought to contain himself. 

“Somethin’ funny chuckleheads?” Billy Bob asked his two petty officers. 

“No Boss,” Arex assured him.

“Not a thing Master Chief,” Koizumi chimed in.

“Ah’m glad we got y’all squared away on thet boys,” Billy Bob purred.  “Gents, yew might have already met, but let me formally introduce y’all to Ekon Okotie-Eboh, th’ one we used to call th’ Lifetime Petty Officer.  He holds the record for the most years as a petty officer in the history of Starfleet!”

“How can that be?” Tenchi Koizumi asked.

“Well son, that’s a mighty interestin’ story,” O’Connell purred.  “Yuh see, it seems his mammy is what you’d call an El-Aurian, thet’s a kind of person who’s jest a little further up th’ evolutionary ladder then the rest of us.”

“I don’t get you,” Koizumi shook his head. 

“Come on son, yuh know thet picture where you see the chimp at the left an’ in front o’ him his this weird li’l caveman fella, and in front of him is another caveman and at th’ right end o’ the picture is a modern human?” the master chief gestured.  “Well Ekon’s folks ‘ur the fella walkin’ ahead o’ thet modern human.  You heard thet Albert Einstein failed math ‘cause his hyper advanced genius brain didn’t let him show his work raight?  Well let’s jest say thet as an enlisted man, ol’ Ekon here wuz jest a l’il too advanced tuh fit in with the rest of th’ enlisted folks.  Fur some reason the ossifers in charge didn’t think he played well with others when in reality he wuz jest as gentle an’ accomodatin’ az yew please.”  He glanced over at his old shipmate.  “Az long as yew don’t hanker on givin’ him any crap that is,” he added.


OOC:  I always feel that it’s important in a character’s “first episode” for the background info on him or her be presented in some way “on stage” (no matter how artificially).  Now that that Ekon’s background has been stated “in front of the camera”, it’s official.  For me, an El-Aurian is a Time Lord from the classic Doctor Who series that doesn’t regenerate.  Extended lifespan, respiratory bypass system, two hearts, etc.  Of course only @Fife, the player actually playing an El-Aurian knows how much of that is actually true…

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ DAY 04 | 1600 hrs. ] Lifetime Petty Officer

Reply #5 –
[ CPO Ekon Okotie-Eboh] | Waiting Area | Security Office | Deck 4 | USS Cayuga ] @Doc M.

Ekon stood with his arms cross over his chest as he listened with a broad grin and his long-time, and long-winded, friend explained his account of Eboh’s long tenure as a Petty Officer. The El-Aurian hybrid chuckled to himself at O’Connell’s knack for theatrical explanations. As the man finished his human evolution speech, Ekon tilted his head towards the two junior NCOs and gave them a mock look of exasperation.

”I believe what the man means to say is that half of my parentage comes from an alien race with a very long lifespan.” Ekon informed them with a grin. His deep Nigerian accent and proper way of speaking, annunciating each word clearly, made Eboh’s manner of speech stand in stark contrast the loose, archaic slang of the Master Chief. ”Which is why I look better in my 80s than he does in his 40s.” He added, turning his gaze on his old friend and giving him a wink. ”So where exactly would you fall in that picture, O’Connell?” Ekon chuckled as he gave his friend a good natured nudge with his elbow. ”Somewhere between the chimp and…”

The sound of a throat being cleared emanated from behind them, and the group turned to see a rather impatient Nina Nilsson watching them. The Security Chief looked less than amused, with one hand on her hip while the other was held out and waiting for the PADD O’Connell was supposed to be signing.

”If you want me to let you boys finish, I can just come back later for that signature. If you need time for some pillow talk, that is.” Nilsson’s tone made it clear she was not in the mood for jokes. The stern gaze she directed at them made Eboh feel like a schoolboy discovered in the midst of committing some form of mischief.

”Ah, yes. We should be going.” Ekon muttered as he waited for O’Connell to finish with the forms and hand the PADD back to the stern security NCO. ”Thank you, Chief Nilsson.” He muttered as the four men made to beat a hasty retreat out into the corridor.

”Y’all be good now.” Chief Nilsson call in a parody of O’Connell’s manner of speech as she watched the retreating back flee out into the corridor. ”High powered lens my ass…” She muttered as the doors hissed shut, shaking her head before turning to the Operations NCO working the transporter console. ”Ok, lets bring over the next batch.”

[ CPO Ekon Okotie-Eboh | Corridors | Deck 4 | USS Cayuga ]

Ekon walked beside O’Connell as the group made their way down the corridor towards the turbolift. The coffee skinned hybrid and the Human were close to the same height and build, and as such took up a good amount of the corridor as they strode along with the two petty officers O’Connell had brought with him trailing behind. The corridor was mostly intact compared to other portions of the battered ship, though only half the lights worked at present.

”It is good to see that you have not lost your charm, O’Connell.” Ekon said, giving his friend a cheeky grin as they walked through the gloomy corridor. ”I think she took quite a liking to you!” Ekon heard one of the men behind them snicker at the remark, though he couldn’t have said which one.

The El-Aurian’s expression turned more serious as he looked at the man walking next to him. ”It really is good to see you again, old friend. ” He admitted as he gave the other man a friendly pat on the shoulder. ”It has been too long, and honestly we need all the help we can get at the moment. Between the Borg and the Asurians, the Cayuga is barely holding together.” Ekon turned his attention forward again, his expression darkening as they passed the shuttle bays. The memory of the Borg attack, specifically his actions in one of the shuttle bays, still weighed heavily on him.

The El-Aurian hybrid shook himself back to the present as they moved on down the corridor, pushing the memories from his mind and giving his friend a weak smile. ”Main Engineering is on deck 17. Lieutenant Jeen, our Chief Engineer, will be grateful for your help. We lost a good portion of our Engineering crew when the Borg attacked, and just over a third of our crew overall." Ekon shook his head at the memory. "Still, we faired better than the Saratoga did at Wolf-359, so I suppose we should be thankful for that at least." The hybrid glanced at O'Connell out of the corner of his eye. "Though from what I hear, the Theurgy is in pretty rough shape herself." Mischief crept back into the the coffee-skinned man's brown eyes. "You know, if you patched that huge hole in the side of your ship, it would help keep the air on the inside."


OOC: I appreciate the introduction of Ekon's background!

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ DAY 04 | 1600 hrs. ] Lifetime Petty Officer

Reply #6 –
[ William Robert O’Connell | Corridors | Deck 4 | USS Cayuga ] Attn: @Fife

“Yuh don’t say,” O’Connell drawled bitterly.  “Well it’s uh dang good thing yew mentioned it tuh me, Ekon,” he added sarcastically.  “Ah don’t rightly cal’culate thet Ah’d ‘ve ever have gotten ‘round tuh thinkin’ ‘bout it muhself.  Whut kin yuh tell me about Lieutenant Jeen if yuh don’t mind me askin’?”

Billy Bob O’Connell’s ‘safety net’ of Starfleet chiefs was a network of contacts he had made during his two decades of service that provided him with contacts all over the Federation; at least, it had before communications silence and the Theurgy’s reputation had cut him off from it.  It had performed a variety of services over the years.  Knowing someone who worked in supplies ensured that your unit had the equipment it needed.  Knowing someone in personnel would let you or your CO know if a choice officer or specialist was available, and could even get you transferred to a post of your choosing.  But nine times out of ten it was used to convey information:  Which way the political wind was blowing, which starships had encountered what strange and unusual situation and how they fared, and so on.  But nine out of ten times it gave O’Connell the heads up on what kind of officers he would be dealing with whenever he changed assignments.  Which officers were by the book, which officers did their own thing, which officers micromanaged their subordinates, and which officers left the enlisted men to their own devices.  That kind of info had kept Billy Bob from being a lifetime petty officer, a civilian, or an inmate and smoothed the way over dozens of times.  There was nothing a chief liked better than the lowdown on the officer he was assigned to so he would be able to figure out how to get the academy graduate out of his way so he could get some real work done.

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ DAY 04 | 1600 hrs. ] Lifetime Petty Officer

Reply #7 –
[ CPO Ekon Okotie-Eboh] | Corridors | Security Office | Deck 4 | USS Cayuga ] @Doc M.

Ekon considered the question for a moment before he spoke. He knew that O’Connell liked to know what sort of situation he was walking into, and couldn’t fault the man for that. Walking into a room to find yourself faced with a grumpy or unreasonable officer was never an ideal situation, and a heads-up in advance would go a long way.

”Lieutenant Jeen is a good man.” Ekon admitted. ”He is an excellent engineer. Extremely resourceful, dedicated to his duty, and fair. He had to improvise a lot of fixes aboard the Cayuga after the Borg attack, with most of our power being provided by conduits running like umbilical cords from the few shuttlecraft we have.” Ekon considered his words before continuing. ”He likes to joke, which is refreshing compared to some of the other officers. He has an unfortunate fondness for puns, which is never a mark in someone’s favour in my books, but he is easy enough to get along with.” Ekon glanced at O’Connell as they approached the turbolift. ”From what I hear, he used to be quite the practical joker as well.” A small grin crept across Ekon’s features before he added, ”Though I don’t think you need to worry about him getting you strip searched.” Ekon added the remark with a chuckle.

As they approached the turbolift, Ekon was silently thankful that they had managed to restore power to some of the lifts, otherwise they would have been climbing down 13 decks worth of Jefferies tubes, and Ekon had had enough of Jefferies tubes over the last few days.

Not that he would have much of a reprieve, since he would be crawling back into the network of tubes once he’d delivered O’Connell to Main Engineering.

The turbolift doors hissed open when they approached, though one door seemed to struggle as it slid along it's tracks. "I know Lieutenant Jeen has a team working on the industrial replicator. I haven't been spending a lot of time in Engineering, so he will have to fill you in." Ekon directed the turbolift to take them to deck 17 before he changed the sujbect. "How have you been fairing on the Theurgy? I know you are at least more functional than the Cayuga at the moment, though that is setting the bar rather low. How are your people fairing in regard to repairs?"

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ DAY 04 | 1600 hrs. ] Lifetime Petty Officer

Reply #8 –
[ William Robert O’Connell | Corridors | Deck 4 | USS Cayuga ] Attn: @Fife

“Well Ah don’t mind tellin’ yew, Ah’m in over mah head,” O’Connell admitted as the four enlisted men strolled down the corridor.  “Bitin’ off a  mite more then Ah kin chew that is.  Ever since th’ Theurgy had tuh git outta dodge we’ve been losin’ qualified chief engineers six ways from Sunday.  It’s gotten so desperate that Cap’n Ives made me actin’ chief engineer ‘til we kin find uh replacement.   Now Ah know thet Ah’ve been servin’ in Starfleet since Christ was a mess cook (you’ve bin servin’ since Noah invented th’ boat) but Ah could, Ah say, Ah could really use fancy edjecation thet the top ossifers git from Starfleet Academy if Ah’m uh gonna be…”

He paused to glance back at Koizumi and Arex, who he had momentarily forgotten about.  It wouldn’t do to admit your insecurities in front of your men. 

“Well the shields took a poundin’ and we got ourselves holed but thank God n’ Buddha that th’ shot thet went through didn’t hit anythin’ we cain’t dew without,” he said as he completely changed his answer.  “As a matter of… Ah say, as matter uh fact, Ah was fixin’ tuh go out with the shipfitters n’ plug up them holes before Commander Stark put me Travelin’ Around Drunk on yore l’il ol’ starship," he finished while using the enlisted expression for Temporary Additional Duty.

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ DAY 04 | 1600 hrs. ] Lifetime Petty Officer

Reply #9 –
[ CPO Ekon Okotie-Eboh] | Corridors | Security Office | Deck 4 | USS Cayuga ] @Doc M.

Ekon smiled as he listened to his friend speak, telling of the problems that he had faced one the Theurgy since their exile had begun. The smile was not born out of enjoyment of the other man’s troubles, but rather out of fondness for the other man’s peculiar way of speaking. If was something he hadn’t realized he’d missed about the other man until their reunion. He noticed the look O’Connell directed back towards the two Petty Officer who trailed behind them and decided against saying anything more that might dishearten O’Connell’s men.

”The Cayuga may be small, old friend, but she’s held together remarkable well considering she has dealt with attacks from both the Borg and the Asurians,” Ekon said by way of reply to O’Connell’s “little ship” remark, ”Though at this point the list of systems in need of repair is significantly larger than the list detailing functioning systems,” he added with a sigh. Truth be told, Ekon wasn’t exactly sure what was keeping the Cayuga together at this point, perhaps little beyond the sheer will and determination of her crew alone.

”I can imagine you have your work cut out for you aboard the Theurgy as well,” Ekon said with an understanding glance at the Human, ”I won’t ask you what’s been happening to you since we last spoke. I imagine it would take quite some time to tell the story,” Ekon continued as the turbolift slowed to a stop, the doors once again struggling to open on their slides, ”though perhaps when this is all over and we’re underway, we can catch up properly.” Ekon concluded as they stepped out of this lift and into another corridor, the lighting in this one appearing little better than it had on Deck 4. ”I may be able to conjure up a bottle or two to pass the time, when we get the chance,” Ekon added with a small smile directed at the other man, ”though for the time being, once I introduce you to Lieutenant Jeen, it’s back into the Jefferies tubes for me.” Ekon chuckled before adding, ”I’ve been spending so much time in them, I’m worried I might begin to forget there’s a whole ship on the outside!”

~FIN
 
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