Lieutenant Wallace was sitting at a table alone, going over reports made a month before after the battle with the T'rais.
He was trying to get a better picture of the situation. After reading the reports, he decided that the ship was outgunned.
Richard sat back, drank his coffee, and thought hard. The Virgo was the first ship he served on as chief tactical officer. He felt that his duty was to ensure that the ship could stand up against an enemy.
Come on! Seventeen years of experience must help in some way.
After a while, it hit him, and it hit him with full force. He grabbed a PADD and started to write the information down. Some minutes later his ideas were on the PADD.
He felt pretty good about himself and wanted to share the news and sense of happiness with someone.
At that moment Lieutenant Commander Garek Loran came in, followed by Yeoman Harper.
"Commander, may I speak with you? It's rather important," Richard yelled from one end of the lounge to the other.
Garek ordered a drink and walked over to Richard's table followed by Harper.
"Sir, I have something that needs to be studied by an engineer and sort of needs your approval," Lieutenant Wallace said.
The PADD was handed over to Garek and he read it out loud.
"Improvements to increase firepower of the USS Virgo. One: Build and install pulse phaser cannon on each of the warp nacelles. Two: Reuse plasma to power shields and phaser banks." Garek liked the ideas but was a little uncertain. "I've been working on covering the ship in ablative armor and, frankly, these ideas will require a lot of research. I've heard of reusing plasma and thought about it but I just don't think it's a feasible idea. And as far as pulse phasers, we have the materials, but not the time. I'll look into it after we're done with the ablative."
"Sir, if we run into the T'rais once again, and I know we will, we'll lose. I have lost four battles in my lifetime, and I don't care to lose a fifth one."
"I realize that but unless you can find a way to make plasma recycling feasible or put together two pulse cannons, these are not going to be done any time soon. I'm sorry."
Lucy Harper gave Wallace a shrug and an apologetic look as she and Garek walked to the bar.
Do it myself? That may be a good idea.