[TBD]

Posted on 10 Apr 2025 @ 12:14pm by Lieutenant Commander Harva Taliborn & Captain Brynhild Kleim

1,533 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Miranda

Heavy lumbering footfalls carried the Odin's largest officer towards the ready room, comically small PADD in hand. The PADD was regular size, mind, it just looked comically small in the blackfurred Sirran's oversized mitts. Humming a soft tune as he went, pausing before the ready room's door to straighten his uniform and ring the door chime.

"Enter," Brynna called over her (third) cup of coffee. She looked at the door, awaiting which member of this ship's very colorful collection was about to walk in. Today's winner was...the wolf. Rabbits. Wolves. Nameless curly-haired jugglers... It was shaping up to be one hell of an assignment. "Commander Taliborn, yes?"

"The one and only," came the deep, resonant, rumbling bass voice from arguably the most recognizable person on the ship. Or in the fleet for that matter. Certainly the largest. A lazy wag of his tail gave away that he was in a good mood, as did the perked ears and keen, alert look in his eyes. "Just figured I'd introduce myself, see what you're all about and bring you up to speed on what we're all up to down in Engineering, Cap'n. If'n you have a moment, of course."

The captain smiled faintly and nodded, waving at the chair in front of her. "Certainly. Help yourself to the replicator if you like and have a seat. How goes everything in engineering since the ship's latest...fascinating mission?"

"Things are going going," the large officer shrugged lightly, electing not to make use of the replicator this time. He sat down in the indicated chair, which protested at the event but seemed to hold on - for now. "Main systems and secondaries all running within spec, ship's ready as she'll ever be. Some minor maintenance issues in the tertiaries and low priority systems, but those tickets never run out. Making good headway on getting our illustrious AI fighterpilot back in the air, estimating twelve to sixteen hours of work before she's airworthy again. You know, things are going going."

"From what I've read, this ship keeps your department pretty busy," Brynna commented. "Are we seeing any concerns of lasting effects from all the various events that have befallen the Odin in the past year?"

"Honestly? Oof ... " The big Sirran leaned back in his chair, gaze towards the ceiling, considering how to put things into words. "If the dedication plaque didn't say a date six years ago I'd have thought the space frame had at least a decade or two, three on her. She's been through it and it isn't just the past year. Getting yeeted across universes twice did a number on her. Bones're still strong, she'll do the job, but - " he trailed off, ears wilting slightly. "You know that feeling when you wake up in your - well, for humans it'd be some time in your thirties maybe, but when those little aches just that used to last a few hours now start lasting a day or two? When you know you're still healthy and strong, but you're starting to feel the effects of the years behind you? Well, that's where she is now. Still strong and solid, but starting to show early signs of wear and tear."

Brynna inclined her head in understanding. She was herself in her thirties, although she hadn't quite started feeling that way yet. She'd always been a very robust woman, after all. Or perhaps she just didn't notice the small things after nearing shearing herself into two once or twice in a fighter plane. "Is there anything that the engineering department needs to help with these...signs of age?"

"Nothing at the moment, but next time we find ourselves at a space dock I'd like to take a day or so to run over the whole of the space frame with a fine tooth comb, see what I can find. Preventative maintenance is best maintenance, after all," he added with a toothy grin and a flick of an ear. "She's a good, strong ship, Cap'n. A workhorse. She'll do you fine."

"I'm glad to hear it," she replied with a smile. She looked at the stack of PADDs on her desk that was damn near as tall as she was, and that was pretty tall for a human woman, and rifled through them. She found one about three down from the top and slid it across her desk toward him. "We will be arriving at Unity Station in a little over a week," she said, as Bella pretends that whatever she said about previous timelines doesn't exist anymore. "We should be able to get a long spell in a dock to do just that, and since Lieutenant Commander sh'Zoarhi is being transferred off the ship, I'd like you to be the one to oversee it...and the department."

"Sounds good," was Harva's easy reply. He never really cared much for ranks and positions and who was head of what department - he just cared about doing his job and doing it well. He's been department head before, so it was no big move for him to go back to those duties. It just meant he would spent a bit more time organizing and overseeing and a bit less time doing tickets, his favorite part of the job. He'd become an engineer to take it easy after his - ... previous duties, and taking over as department head again still fell within the 'taking it easy' realm of things. "I'll get it done."

Brynhild nodded once. She had seen his record, particularly from his time already on this ship. It was colorful, just like every other crew member. "I'm sure that you will," she replied. "I will have to point out that all ships arriving at Unity will be expected to offer some level of assistance to the completion of the station. What those exact forms those will take is still, apparently, a bit of a question mark."

This seemed to pique his interest. "Oh, really? It's been a while since I last had a hand in building something as grand as that. That should be interesting. Provided I can find the time amidst everything else what needs doing," he furrowed his brows, ears laying back for a fleeting moment before he waved any concern in his mind away and smiled again. "Eh, no worries. I'll figure it out."

"Do the best you can," Brynna said simply. "All ships will be expected to help at some level, but we also have our first duty to the horse we rode in on, one might say." She waved a hand in an economic gesture. "There will be someone coordinating this once we arrive, for who does what, and as I understand it, it will be...interesting for all involved, since we'll be working with a merging of Federation and Sal'kiiran technology."

"That's the part I'm looking forward to most. The Sal'kiirans are a fascinating people. Peoples? They're fascinating. With the different kinds of them that there are, the differences between them, their technology. I left my world to meet new people, learn new technology. That's why I joined the Federation, because they - ... you champion that idea. Learning Sal'kiiran technology will be fascinating," Harva observed.

Brynna smiled slightly. "I hope that you find it as enthusiastic in practice as in theory. I do agree that they, and their multiple divergent branches, do sound fascinating, though from my reading, it seems one of the four is more prevalent for all things technological so you will be mostly working with them."

"Did you meet the ship's resident Sal'kiiran yet? Commander - ... Myan, if I recall correctly? Fascinating person. Arrkun, if I'm not mistaken. Which would make sense, I think those are the most likely to meet other people and go out and see the universe? It's been a while since I talked with her," the Sirran rumbled, shifting a bit in the chair to make more comfortable.

"So far, only once and briefly, though I look forward to talking to her more," the captain said. "Arrkun, aye. They are apparently the more...technologically minded of the four Sal'kiiran species, and the ones most likely to leave the planet at all. It seems one or two of the groups virtually never even goes to orbit of their own planet. I am sure Starfleet's presence will be...interesting for them. We will have the freedom to go planet-side fairly at will."

"And knowing this ship and its crew, have many adventures, some of which might actually be pleasant," the large engineer chuckled. "Well, I think I have everything I need. If there's nothing more I should be heading back to work. Gotta make preparations to take over the department, oversee the final touches on Ensign Walker, things like that."

"Of course," Brynna said easily with a small smile. "Thanks for your time, Commander, and good luck with everything in engineering."

"I'm a Sirran, Captain," Harva said with a smile as he rose from his seat and made for the exit. "We make our own luck," His wink and a little twitch of his tail raised just enough doubt whether he was being serious or just kidding.

 

RSS Feed