Chief of the Boat

Posted on 15 Oct 2012 @ 9:24pm by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Command Master Chief Markum Quinn

1,722 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 02 - Resupply
Location: USS Galileo - Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: MD 02 - 1600 hrs

[ON]

With Task Group 72-C now in orbit of Vega IX and shuttling down repair and resupply teams, Lirha had personally overseen the final transfer of the Sienna device from her ship to USS Victorious, the large Vikrant Class command cruiser. Strangely, despite the abrasive and arrogant nature of the Doctors Hardaway, Lirha had been sad to see them depart. Over the past several days she had grown accustomed to their insubordination, but valued them as a member of her crew same as the others. But orders were orders, and she was ultimately relieved to have successfully completed Galileo's first mission.

Now, she sat in her ready room, laying on her couch and twiddling her thumbs as she enjoyed a brief break from her work. A quick glance over towards her desk revealed a large stack of new PADDs; they seemed to multiply faster than tribbles. With a sigh, she closed her eyes for a brief moment. There would be plenty of time to sift through administrative work in the coming days, so she tried not to stress about it too much.

Quinn finished his heartbreaking goodbyes with Tarishiana, hating to see her leave for Betazed, but knew she really had no choice. After walking through Main Engineering...multiple times...because each attempt at manipulating precise instruments had ended in utter failure, he decided enough was enough. He left to find the Captain.

The sound of the door chime roused Lirha from her comfortable lounging position, and she sat up and turned her attention towards the door. "Enter." she called out, waiting to see who her visitor was.

QUinn entered the Ready Room and stood before Lirha. "Permission to speak frankly, ma'am?" Quinn never waited for a reply, he just spoke his mind, as was custom for him. "I can't f------ doing it anymore, Captain. This damn hand, arm, whatever, will not allow me to continue on as Chief Engineer. I have broken more tools down in engineering today, while trying to do what used to be very simple, precise calibrations. I think my usefulness to you as the Engineering Chief has come to an end."

Lirha smiled warmly as she watched her chief engineer enter, then her green eyes turned compassionate as he suddenly and promptly began to voice his frustrations with his current duties. Her gaze flicked down towards his new mechanical arm, and she stood from her seat and walked up to him, placing a hand gently on his shoulder and giving it an affectionate squeeze. "I'm sorry you feel that way." she said in a soft voice, then motioned for him to take a seat before she moved towards the nearby replicator. "Please have a seat. Can I get you a drink?" she offered as she materialized a glass of water for herself. She understood his frustrations, and was happy to offer him anything that might make him feel better.

Quinn nodded and took the offered seat. "Thank-you, Captain." responded Quinn. "I'll take a cold beer if you have one....or just some water." Markum rested his elbows on his knees and his legs began bouncing slightly. "Never in my life, have I ever not been able to do my job. Back from tweaking wrenches for my dad as a kid in those hard to reach spaces, or up until the accident in the nacelle." He lifted his prosthetic arm and turned it so the palm of his hand was facing him. "It's great for demolition, but not when it comes to the precise mechanical calibrations of the matter/antimatter chamber field." He sat the arm back down then clamped his jaw in an apparent display of frustration. "

"So I'm a seasoned Starfleet Engineer, who is in his mid-fifties, and can not do what he loves. Not to mention that my love went running back to Betazed for who-knows-how-long. I love this ship, Skipper. Hell, I even kinda like you. Markum said with a chuckle. "I still have the same passion for being out there, as I did over thirty-years ago. I want Peers to take the reigns and run Engineering. She has earned it, but I'm really not ready to retire. I'd annoy the hell out of myself. Be some old fool that you find wandering the streets in my boxers and a robe drooling over myself and not bathed, begging for latinum to wash shuttlecrafts. I would love to teach, mentor those that could benefit from my experiences, but I'd end up hog tying some cocky young instructor at the Academy. We both know I would, and who knows what to those clueless-snot-nosed cadets that some I swear are still on the tit, and fold at the first instant of being expected to produce actually work and free thinking assignments."

The captain chuckled lightly at the chief's words, then quickly composed herself as she remembered that his humor was unintentional, and he was in fact struggling to find a place for himself amongst the ship, frustrated by his recent troubles resulting from the combat injury. She considered his request for a long moment, and thought about how well her assistant chief engineer had stepped up in his absence and guided them through troublesome times. In Lirha's opinion, Lilou had earned the right to head the department, and she could think of no one else she would rather have working on the ship's engines. "Well, I agree that Miss Peers is qualified to step up into a chief position." she replied as she returned from the replicator with a non-alcoholic beer and handed it to him, "And I have no qualms with reassigning you...I wouldn't want any member of my crew to feel frustrated or incapable of performing their duties." she added, then took a seat behind her desk and rummaged through the large stack of PADDs on her desk before carefully picking the correct one from the pile and looking over it.

"Let's see..." she continued in a soft voice as she tapped away at the thin device, "We have several openings in our science department...technicians, life science personnel..." she shook her head as she realized he probably wouldn't be interested in any of those, then continued to skim the ship's personnel roster. "And another position in flight control has opened up..." she added, then paused for a moment as a rather ingenious idea just occurred to her. Looking up from the PADD, she locked her eyes on his. "How would you feel about transferring to the Command department? Specifically...Chief of the Boat? Our current one, Master Chief Darius, has recently put in a request to transfer to flight ops. I was going to deny it, but if you're interested in replacing him..." her voice trailed off.

Quinn's eyes lit up as he heard the captain's suggestion. "COB? Me?" Quinn's forehead wrinkled and he ran his hand over his nearly bald head. "Do you think I can be a big enough hard-ass for that position, Skipper?" he asked with a slight chuckle. "Yeah, I think that would keep me busy enough, and still let me do some aggressive mentoring, here and their. Just one problem though. I have to lose my Warrant somehow. Should I go and find the ugliest Marine I can and rub his face in the dirt or something. Not that I would, but it would be fun."

"Well...I of course cannot condone any violence or subordination against another Starfleet crewman...but I trust you to use your best judgement." she answered with a wink, giving him a subtle hint that she wasn't entirely opposed to the idea. "Of course, I could simply demote you through the proper channels so that you won't have a reprimand on your record..."

Quinn let out a chuckle briefly. "It wouldn't be the first one,and some how they never seem to be the last." Markum removed his rank chevrons and tossed them to Lirha. "Here, I am guilty of impregnating an fellow department head, whom was of superior rank of an officer. The strain of the conjugation was more than she could bear, and caused her great strife, resulting in her resignation from Starfleet. I accept the punishment for fertilization of....I mean fraternization with a superior officer. According to Starfleet regulations I here-by resign my warrant, as was bestowed upon me by the President of the United Federation of Planets.....blah, blah,blah."

Lirha caught the insignia with her green hand and shook her head, trying her best to suppress a smile. "I suppose that's one way to do it." she answered with a grin, then stood from her seat and moved to the back of the ready room towards the safe. After inputting her set of command codes into the panel, the compartment opened quietly and Lirha rummaged around for a moment before finding the item she was looking for. She closed the safe then returned, and handed a new set of pips to the man. "Well, Mister Quinn...I hereby demote you to the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer and reassign you to the position of Chief of the Boat. Congratulations." she said. "I'm sure you can find a new uniform from Ops somewhere around here. I think you'll look better in red anyway."

Quinn stood up to attention and accepted his new rank with his right hand, and saluted with his right. "Aye-aye, Captain. Thanks for the compliment too. Too bad I'm old enough to be your grandfather." he replied with a wink and playful smile. "Permission to head to Engineering and clear out my things? Do I get a window to the outside....for once, now?"

Batting her lashes at the compliment, Lirha smiled and nodded. "I think I can arrange a proper view for you. Permission granted, master chief. I'll inform Miss Peers of your reassignment and her promotion, and I'll see you at the debriefing tomorrow morning."

"Thanks, Skipper. This should be fun for both of us." he said with a smile. The new CoB turned on his heels and marched out of the Ready Room, and into his new adventure.

--

[OFF]

Master Chief Petty Officer Markum Quinn
Chief of the Boat
USS Galileo

CMDR Lirha Saalm
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

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