Mindful Meeting

Posted on 01 Feb 2014 @ 7:06am by Ensign K'os Beaumont & Lieutenant Asahi Kita

2,078 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 05 - Solstice
Location: San Francisco, California
Timeline: MD 08 - 0935 Hrs

ON:

His legs pumped furiously as he ran down the halls of the hotel. Twenty minutes earlier he'd received a message stating that he lacked two required certifications before his transfer could be finalized. He'd already taken the weekend course for Nova class and was pretty confident he knew the material but didn't want to spend his entire leave trying to study for yet another test. If he could make the cut off for registration, there was a refresher course he could sign up for that would get him up to speed for the next available test. Meaning more time for shoreleave. It was only offered once this month, and he was certain he wasn't going to make it. By the time the elevator got to the bottom floor, there was no sign of his cab anywhere. He inhaled deeply as frustration began to flare within.

Asahi had been waiting outside of the hotel for a good fifteen minutes as the petty officer was getting ready. He had gone through the roster of engineers earlier, and noticed a new name amongst them. When he inquired about the new addition, he was surprised to learn that the petty officer hadn't been trained on Nova class starships. It might not have been Asahi's place to drag anyone away from training, but he disdained the way some of the instructors taught. There was no hands-on experience that way.

After obtaining the whereabouts of the new engineer, Asahi had endeavored to drag him away from any course the other was about to take, and give him a little course of his own. No one learned anything good about engineering in a book.

Leaning against the passenger side of the beastly hover-car, he eyed the entrance for a potential new recruit. He spied the dark-haired man, who seemed annoyed at best, and smiled. "Petty Officer Beaumont?"

"Yes?" He said quickly, flinching at the harshness of it, and then just as quickly he waved the thought of frustration away like he was shooing an insect. "That was very rude. I mean to say, yes Sir, I'm PO Beaumont." He said, genuinely apologetic. He was certainly not making that course now, and he tried not to look too disappointed as he quickly saw his shoreleave being spent in front of a Starfleet library console.

Asahi shook his head, waving off the formality. "You had a bad morning, it happens." He stood upright, crossing the short distance and holding his hand out to the taller man. "Asahi Kita... ah, Lieutenant." He was hesitant to rattle off his rank. It tended to make people tense, which was far from his intention. "Did you have anywhere to be right away? I was hoping to drag you off to the Galileo to run you through a few things." He flashed a small smile, as if helping to ease the other's mind. "I saw your name pop up on our new crew list. Figured it'd be easier to get to know you when we're not running around trying to get the Gal' out of the atmosphere."

The feelings of gratitude swelled reminding him to be more mindful of his present moment rather than his doomed future moments. Bad morning indeed, he thought. The size difference was more apparent now that he was standing next to him. He shook his hand, consciously keeping his strength in check. "I am very glad to meet you!" He said enthusiastically. He worked hard to subdue the feelings of excitement at the prospect of being on the ship. He could gather all the info he needed to pass that final test. "I feel like I won a lottery." He joked.

Despite the effort K'os made, Asahi didn't expect the younger man's eagerness. His eyes widened in surprise at the enthusiastic handshake. He cracked a large grin nonetheless. "It's nice to meet you too. I appreciate the gusto." HIs return shake was not nearly as energetic, but sincere nonetheless. "I wouldn't say it's the lottery just yet. I may just put you to work to help install the bar we're going to have set-up." It was odd for him to say 'we,' as if he had been with the crew for more than a month. "Hopefully it'll help you learn the Gal's systems better than anything else you've been trying to cram into your head." He gestured toward his giant clunker of a hovercar. "Did you get anything to eat before running down here? I'll treat you to breakfast while you tell me about yourself."

At the mention of food K'os placed a hand absently on his stomach. "Yes, I think that's prudent." He turned his attention towards the hovercar and his stomach fluttered nervously. He focused instead on the ship and the task at hand. What he really wanted to do was pick Asahi's brain. "Are you a patient man, Lieutenant? I have been told I can ask a lot of questions."

Asahi pulled the remote out of his pocket, moving to open the doors with the device. He gave K'os an odd look, before chuckling. "Questions are good. I'd be more alarmed if you didn't ask." As the doors swung open, he gestured toward the hovercar again. "You can ask about whatever you want on the way to the diner." Before K'os could speak up, Asahi unceremoniously plopped himself in the driver's seat, attempting to start the engine while he waited.

"I'm mostly just curious about the changes. I took the certification course two weekends ago, but I'm told they've updated auxiliary systems. Are there updates to the whole ship, or just the utilities?" He slid in beside Asahi, strapping himself in securely and then clutching the side of the door with one hand.

After slamming on the dashboard and hearing the ever-so-satisfying roar of the 'alternative fuel engine,' Asahi soon had them driving off to the nearest diner. It was only then he chose to answer the question. "Much of it is just the auxiliary, but we're installing a new bulkhead to make room for the bar that's been decided upon since before I was about. It'll be easier to access the innards of the thing, but we can only install the new system there and not to the whole ship." He winked at the younger man. "I've only been aboard the Galileo for about a month, maybe a little longer now, but my first assignment was a Nova class, so it's easy enough for me to adapt to." He paused. "If you don't mind me asking, what're your specialties? Figure if I know what you're working on most, I'll be able to at least give you that run-down first."

"Initially worked as a propulsion specialist, but I've recently had a lateral move to matter & energy systems." He stole a glance at the other man, he had a confidence about him that came from knowing a lot about his trade. Perhaps he wouldn't have to work hard to find a new career mentor. "I'm open to learning new skills though." He added quickly.

"That's some move." Asahi had to admit, he was impressed. A multi-skilled engineer was an asset. Even some of the engineering officers he had spoken to in the past had their niches. K'os definitely had eagerness to learn going for him. "But you're in luck. If there's one thing I know, it's deuterium and how to efficiently run it through the starship... and getting the dents out of damaged control panels, but everyone knows how to do that..."

At the mention of deuterium he turned his full attention on the other engineer. A sudden thought came to him. "Are they replacing the reaction control system?" He smiled in excitement at the prospect. "I heard those old version 3 magneto-hydrodynamic thrusters have been replaced on some of the newer ships. Any chance we're finally moving away from purely gas-fusion?"

Asahi let out a deep sigh as the young man's face lit up. "I'd have to take a look at the specs at where the new parts we're getting are going, but I don't know if those are being touched right away. See, we're only getting replacement parts on the one side to make room for what the crew wants it for. It'll make things easier on us, but only on that one side-we haven't had clearance to replace the whole ship's paneling, and that's a job that would take more than a couple of months shoreleave to accomplish." He trailed off, attempting to mentally go through the specs of the ship. "But I do know the Galileo is one of the newer nova class vessels they've commissioned, so I know it has newer thrusters to go with it."

He smiled weakly. "In the Galileo's case, we're moving in that direction, but there are enough vessels out there with the older gas-fusions that we'll probably have to keep the older systems around for awhile. Even if they could rig up hybrids to the older vessels, it'd take a couple of months to update the whole ship's systems and replace any parts that couldn't handle newer energy sources. The Grendel was undergoing systems updates on just that thing before I was assigned to 'er, and that was years ago. I'm betting those systems haven't been changed in awhile. Her CO never liked settling down."

K'os nodded understanding. "That's rational." He wasn't an engineering officer, and there was still a lot to learn about shipwide systems. Yes, he worked in engineering, he was only a systems technician. His trade had him working with a number of personnel from a number of different departments. When assigned to engineering, he was to operate network consoles, monitor outputs, do repairs and maintenance on the hardware and systems related to every thing that processed matter and energy. Waste reclamation systems, simulated environment controls, power distribution, and replicator technology. When not in engineering he was completing maintenance requests around the ship. As a Petty Officer, if he wasn't on duty he was usually completing a qualification course. He hoped team cohesion was as well developed as it was on the Mississippi, because he'd be working closely with everyone.

His hand firmly gripped the arm rest on the door with white knuckles, but his next words were calm. "Thanks again for bringing me along."

The concern that K'os had about team synergy was a concern they had both shared. Having only been on the Galileo for a short time, Asahi hadn't really had enough of a chance to get to know all of his crewmates. It didn't help that he would have ended up in charge of them to some degree. He wanted to know how they worked so he knew where they were most comfortable. He wasn't one for following job titles, but that was probably why he was an officer and not a specialist. "Rational? I hope so." If it didn't sound rational to anyone else, then Asahi might have had to get himself checked out again.

"Hm? Oh, no problem. I've always found hands-on work many times better than any sort of book. In terms of engineering, at least. Books are great for the basics and theory, but you're not gonna manage any emergency fixes without some hands-on." He pointed out the small diner as he stopped the hovercar. It's giant, neon blue sign stood out vibrantly, even in the morning light. "Here we are. I hope you don't mind a little grease in your food."

He laughed in agreement before he rushed forward and held the door for the officer. "My father says grease and bacon should be it's own food group." He was glad to hear that Asahi was partial to more hands on learning. K'os learned exceptionally well due to his Vulcan genes and could learn most of a new skill after a few days of study but he seemed to grasp the concepts even quicker if he could just do it while being shown.

"Sounds like your dad and I would get along then." Asahi nodded in thanks as he walked through the door, waiting for K'os to join him before they continued. "I hope you don't mind a bar-seating. They're usually nicer over there..."

OFF



LT Asahi Kita
Ass. Chief Engineering Officer
USS Galileo

&

PO3 K'os Beaumont
Matter/Energy Systems Specialist
USS Galileo

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