[Garek,] Captain's Maruu's voice rang through on his com badge. Garek Loran was sitting in his office adjacent to Main Engineering going over some reports from his engineering team leaders.
"Yes, sir?" Garek replied. He put another PADD aside after checking off the PADD with his signature.
[I still want that slipstream com unit up and running within the next few days.]
Garek slapped himself in the forehead. How could I forget? "Yes, Captain. I'll have a report on your desk for you tomorrow."
[Thanks a lot, Garek,] The com channel closed.
Garek rolled in his chair across the office to one of the terminals running along the glass windows that looked out onto the warp core. Tapping in a few commands into the console, the display brought up the slipstream communications array. Most of the assembled pieces and systems were already installed, however, the systems were not operational yet and still had to be tested.
The door chimed.
"Come in,"
Jacob Celchu entered the office, and looked around. "Looks like you need to do some cleaning, Commander."
"Tell me about it," Garek commented. "What do you have?"
"Reports on the slipstream communications system. Looks like the transmitter is set up properly. We still have to get the slipstream tunnel operational for the transmission signal though."
"Have you made the correct adaptations for communication while moving?"
"We're still having problems with that, sir."
Garek sighed slightly. "It's got to be done Ensign. I can't stress that enough. Captain Maruu wants a report on his desk soon."
"I'll put on a cup of coffee, Commander." Jacob smiled and left the office.
"Try it again!" Garek had been on shift for the past 14 hours, working like a mad man to get the slipstream communication device operational before he was to leave. Racktijino maker's stocks were going up by the amount of the substance that he was drinking over this grueling time period. Currently, the time was around 0500 hours, and he and Ensign Antilles were working. Antilles had just returned with a fresh pot of the the Klingon coffee and was pouring them in to mugs.
"Permission to speak freely, sir," Antilles asked.
"Of course," Garek replied. He was currently tightening a bioneural gel back relay.
"You're crazy."
Garek laughed. "You wouldn't believe how many times I've heard that." A few seconds past. "Didn't I ask you to try it?"
"Oh, yes, sorry. I went for coffee." Antilles shrugged and smiled. She walked over to a panel and activated it. The two had been working in the communications control center attempting to rig the slipstream communications emitter to the regular systems. Pressing a few buttons on the command station, the machinery began to hum. Garek climbed out from under the station and looked at the device that somewhat reminded him of a windsock found at a 20th century airfield. The emitter looked like a cone. It was approximately two feet long and reached a diameter of eight inches at its base. It was affixed to the communications array equipment and would change its orientation according to where the broadcast had to be made. Garek's thinking: Make it easy to repair and easy to aim at if the need be.
The device hummed and went through its warmup procedure. The transciever-receiver swiveled inside of its pylon structure and then returned to its original position. "So far so good..." Garek walked over to the direct control panel and manually turned and oriented the cone. He then pointed it in the direction of the bridge and pressed the transmit button.
On the bridge Commander Lataro sat sipping a cup of coffee and looking over a report when his com badge beeped. He tapped it. "Lataro here."
[Good morning, sir,] Garek commented.
Johnathan smiled. "Garek, good to hear from you. Why are you on so early?"
[Just testing out the new slipstream communications device. Nothing special.]
John laughed. "Superb work, Garek. I'm going to have to put a request for commendation into your personnel file."
[Among other things,] Garek laughed. [Have a nice shift, Commander.] The channel closed.
"That went rather well I'd say," Garek said, looking over at Ensign Antilles.
"I'd say so." Jennifer smiled. "Sir, just one more thing."
"Sure," Garek replied.
Jennifer walked over quickly and kissed him. "Thank you for everything Garek. You've been a great friend to me and the other engineers, and we're really gonna miss you."
Garek smiled. "I'm only a communications channel away. Especially now." Garek patted the transceiver. "Come on, let's get some breakfast." The two then made their way out of the room.
Garek tossed the last of his things into the Lambda Flier in preparation for his departure. He had cleaned out his quarters and his office the night before, and he was completely packed up for his departure in a few hours.
His com badge beeped, and Garek tapped it. "Loran here."
[Garek,] said Captain Maruu. [Could you make your way to Main Engineering. I have a few complaints about the modifications you made to this Chief of Engineering office.]
"All right, sir," Garek shook his head. Now? I'm leaving in less then three hours, and all he wants to talk about is the Chief Engineer's office? Garek left the shuttle bay and made his way towards Main Engineering.
Arriving in Main Engineering, Garek looked around. Everything was as it should be. As he walked and made his way around the corner, he was surprised by a loud "SURPRISE!!!" The crew had assembled in celebration. The group laughed, told jokes, and remembered the good times with their Chief Engineer. Time flew, and it was approaching the time to leave. Garek shook hands and gave hugs and kisses and then made his way towards the shuttle bay. He was caught by Captain Maruu. The two then walked down the corridors until they arrived at the Lambda Flier.
"This is it," Garek commented upon opening the rear hatch of the Flier.
"I suppose," Maruu replied. "Not it, but 'until next time.'" Maruu extended his hand.
Garek took it, shaking it. "It's been an honor serving onboard the Virgo. I can only hope that my next assignment is as fun." He smiled. "You guys will stop by to visit, won't you?"
"Are you kidding?" Maruu smiled. "You'd better count on it."
Garek smiled and stepped inside the Flier. He waved and closed the hatch. Maruu took a few steps back from the Flier as its engines glowed. The shuttle bay doors opened, and the Flier made its way out of the Virgo.
At a safe distance, the Flier went to warp.
"You can come out now," Garek called back into the rear compartment of the Flier. "We'll be out of the Virgo's sensor range in about 2 minutes.
"You're the best friend a guy could have." Valdago made his way out of a hidden compartment in the Flier.
"Don't thank me now, thank me when we get to 901. My butt's in a sling here," Garek commented.
"I will, I will." Valdago looked around. "Everyone's right, this really is a nice ship."
"Thank you." Garek smiled.
"Morning, sleeping beauty," Garek said to John Valdago from the small table set up against the rear room's wall. John rubbed his eyes and sat up, slamming his head into the fold down bunk above him.
"OUCH!" He began to rub his forehead. "You gotta remember to fold that thing up."
"Sorry about that." Garek smiled. "I'll try to remember that in the future."
"Yeah, I'm sure you will." John rose and stretched out. He then walked over to where Garek was sitting and took a seat on the fold up, one person bench across from him. "Looks like you made this thing to be a type of traveling pleasure craft."
"My own little motor coach." Garek grinned. "Eat your breakfast while it's still hot."
John poked around at the eggs sitting in front of him. "How long do you think until they realize I'm gone?"
"Well, judging from the fact that we've been at about warp 14 for the past eighteen hours, and they departed in a direction opposite ours, they've probably found out. However, they'd have to push warp 30 to catch up with us. The Virgo wouldn't be able to hold together, not even with all of that ablative armor that, I presume by now, Jennifer has finished putting on."
John smiled. "Well, looks like I won't have to worry about that happening then, coming from an esteemed engineer such as yourself."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Garek finished up his meal and put it back in the replicator for it to be de-replicated. "I'm going up to the control panel to check our course settings and such. The sonic shower is in that little room over there, along with the lavatory." Garek pointed to a very, very small room against the rear wall near the egress hatch. It was roughly five feet long, and it extended about three feet out from the starboard side.
"You gotta be kidding me."
Garek shook his head, walked up the ramp into the CONN area.
Ensign Jennifer Antilles stepped into Main Engineering. The mood here was much more somber in relation to it was a few days earlier. Their superior, friend, and mentor was gone, and, now, the group of young engineers were on their own with one of their own to lead them now. "Here's the reports for today, ma'am." Ensign Chorbo, now instituted as Alpha Team leader handed her a PADD. Jennifer had been installed as the next Chief Engineer.
"Thanks, Mike." Jennifer added the PADD to a small pile she now had accumulated under her arm. How did you do it, Garek? She pushed a lock of brown hair behind her ear and walked into the Chief Engineer's office. She then groaned at the site of another small stack of PADDs on the desk. Placing the stack under her arm with the others, she sat down on the stool that was next to the window overlooking the warp core. The strange box-like apparatus that powered the transwarp drive on the Virgo was pulsating a greenish color, in sync with the pulsating with the blue and red streams of matter and antimatter going into the main reaction chamber of the warp drive.
She then turned her attention over to the first PADD from the stack.
Beta Team reports that 80 percent of the ship has been covered with ablative armor. Ship should be fully covered within two weeks.
She took the PADD and placed it to the side. Then she reached over to Garek's... her desk and pulled off another PADD.
Jennifer. While I'm gone, I want you to take care of a few things.
This one's from Garek...
Be sure to watch over the Virgo for me. She can be a temperamental old biddy, but she has to be treated like the lady like she is. If you do this, she'll always get you home. Second of all, always listen to your peers, no matter how stupid you think their advice might be. Sometimes, they're ideas might not be as stupid or pointless as you think. After all, I did listen to you, didn't I?
You're going to pay for that one... Jennifer continued reading.
Respect people in a higher position then you are. You might think they're jerks, and sometimes they might be jerks, but you don't wanna get on their bad side. However, don't take crap from anyone. Say what you think.
Lastly, I've enclosed a little project for you to work on. The Virgo no longer has an assault shuttle, or a transwarp capable one. The plans I've included below should be able to give you a few ideas. Be sure to take care of yourself onboard, and don't let the guys hassle or push you around. Show them who's boss. Garek.
Jennifer reached up and wiped away a small tear from the corner of her eye. She brought up the schematic of the shuttle that Garek had enclosed and looked it over. She would have to show this to the Captain.
"I tell you, this is it. This is what it's all about." Garek fixed his helmet and stood across from the other human in front of him. John was directly to his right. The referee dropped the puck and Garek lunged forward, knocking the other man to his feet. He then hit the puck between his legs to John who had now flanked him.
"I see why you like this sport." John collected the puck and moved forward. Another large player came forward to check him. John dropped his shoulder and then thrust upwards, knocking the defender onto his backside. "But was it worth dropping the Bajoran springball simulation?"
"Definitely. PASS!" John passed the puck over to Garek. Garek wound up and fired a shot from the blue line of the opposing team. The puck flew forward of speeds approaching 90 miles an hour and then did a small dive in midair passed the goal tender's catching glove and into the back of the net. "YES!!"
"Freeze simulation." The players on the opposite and friendly team became still. "You know, I'm starting to take a liking to hockey I never had before. I'm just going to have to learn to skate better."
"Amen to that." Garek smiled. "Computer, end program." The images faded, and Garek was left facing John, both of them standing in their little holodeck projection systems.
"So, what do we do now?"
"Now, we eat, because tomorrow, I think we're going to start our own Stanley Cup season."
"Oh great..."