USS PATRIOT: Bridge (“Discussions”)

From: V. Rahul Chandra (vrccan_at_gmail.com)
Date: Sat May 17 2008 - 22:03:30 PDT


 

============

“Discussions”

Continued from Erik’s “I’m Back”

============

Location: USS PATRIOT

Stardate: 2424 [2.8] 0518.0041

Scene: Bridge

 

Lieutenant Commander Jeffrey Gorman was seated in the ExO’s chair on the
bridge of the USS PATRIOT, tapping buttons on his chair’s arm console while
at the same time making entries into a PADD that he was holding.  He’d been
silently working for a few hours now, oblivious to the stares that he was
getting from the maintenance crew that had been working on the ship during
that time.

 

Finally, the curiosity of one of the engineers got the better of him and he
slowly made his way over to where the higher ranking officer was sitting.
He had to call the man’s rank a couple of times before he got his attention,
but eventually he got Gorman to look up at him with a questioning expression
on his face.

 

“Yes Ensign, is there something I can do for you?” Jeff asked.

 

“Sorry to bother you sir,” the maintenance officer replied.  “But wouldn’t
you be more comfortable doing your work in your residence on EARTH?”

 

Jeff smiled apologetically.  “I’m sorry,” he said.  “I had no idea I was
getting in your way here.”

 

“You’re not,” the Ensign hastily assured him.  “It’s just…uncommon for an
officer as high-ranking as you to voluntarily stay with the ship during
shore leave.”

 

Jeff smiled again as realization dawned.  “Well,” he replied.  “It’s an
uncommon situation.  My parents are both in Starfleet and off on assignment,
as is my wife.  She also has the children with her, so I’ve decided to take
advantage of the extra time I have and catch up on some work.”

 

“I always see you command officers doing paperwork,” the Ensign answered,
activating the status displays on the vacant command chair next to Jeff and
running his tricorder over it, checking for damage.  “Is all of it really
necessary?”

 

“Probably not,” Jeff answered agreeably.  “But we still have to do it
anyway; Starfleet regulations.”

 

“And that’s why you’ll never see me wearing the red,” the Ensign answered,
satisfied that there was nothing wrong with the command chair before moving
over to the one furthest from Jeff’s position.  “I like fixing things and
tinkering, but I hate paperwork.”

 

Jeff laughed.  “I guess that’s good for us then,” he said.  “I imagine we’ll
be going right back into action once the PATRIOT’s been fully repaired.”

 

“Computer,” the Ensign said.  “Run a level four diagnostic on all power
relays to the bridge.”  He waited for the beep of acknowledgement from the
computer before turning back to Gorman.  “How’s the war effort going?”

 

Jeff sighed.  “It could be better,” he said.  “Although overall there’s no
question that the Federation is winning.  I just don’t like losing so many
good Starfleet personnel.”

 

The Ensign nodded in response.  “I know how you feel sir,” he said.  “That’s
another reason I could never be in command.  I don’t have what it takes to
give others orders that will most likely cost them their lives to follow.”

 

“I don’t think it’s ever something you get used to,” Jeff commented.  “You
just have to hope that each person that gives their life ends up saving more
than one other person in the process.  When we’re fighting the Dominion,
that’s not hard to do; the history of what they’ve done to Federation worlds
they conquered in the First Dominion War is well documented.”

 

[[Diagnostic results ready,]] came the report from the computer,
interrupting the conversation that the two had.  The Ensign tapped a few
buttons on his tricorder, shaking his head.

 

“You guys really beat this ship up,” he said with a whistle.  “It’s going to
be a full time job fixing it.”

 

Jeff smiled.  “She’s a good ship,” he said.  “Make sure that you put her
back together in perfect condition.”

 

The Ensign nodded.  “Yes sir, that’s my job sir,” he said, before walking
over to the operations console as Jeff resumed his work.

 

===========

NRPG: It’s not much, but at least it’s a post.  Sorry for my recent absence
everyone, a combination of a really bad case of writer’s block and
short-notice renovations being done on the house have had me out of
commission for the last couple of weeks.

 

===========

Rahul Chandra <vrccan_at_gmail.com>

 

Playing…

 

Lieutenant Commander Jeffrey Gorman, MD

Executive Officer

USS PATRIOT

 

&

 

Major Daniel Clarkson, MD

Marine Executive Officer

USS PATRIOT

 


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