Apprehensive Relief

Continuing his usual duties in the Leviathan's Engineering, now that repairs on the Ronin were no longer necessary, Lieutenant Lucas Taline turned to two young crewmen.

"Your service of forty hours in Engineering is over. You've been a great help. In fact, if you happen to have a need to kill some time, we could always use extra hands in here..." Taline smiled sincerely. The two nodded, but as they exited Luke could here their snickers.

*Some never learn...* He thought to himself, as if he was a learned man of much experience and wisdom.

In actuality, Taline was very young. He had a fair amount of experience, but not boast-worthy. His strength lied in his intelligence and persistence. His mind solved many a problem in engineering, but his undivided focus ruined just as many relationships. Taline "dusted off" as his mind drifted. Reminiscing of past relationships. During the Barien incidents, there was that cute Ensign. That didn't fly because of that odd scout ship he had detected. He relentlessly stood waiting for a strong signal to identify it and missed nearly all his dates. Even when he had made them, his mind was elsewhere. There were others, but Luke quickly recalled his latest crush. That girl in the mess hall. He made a mental note of finding out who she was.

Just as he mentally recorded that note, his combadge beeped.

[Lieutenant Taline, Come to the Brig.] Captain Devore ordered.

The Lieutenant grew a bit nervous.

"Sir ?"

[Come to the Brig on the double.] The Captain replied immediately.

*I wonder what it could be.* he shrugged it off and answered "On my way."

It took a little longer, as he had just missed the turbolift. That always annoyed him. The delay of a few minutes seemed like hours, but the lift arrived and Taline jumped on just as the doors opened.

"Brig." Taline said nervously, not wanting to keep anyone, let along the Captain, waiting. As soon as the doors opened, again he promptly moved. Nodding to the guard that he was here by order of the Captain. He turned the corner to find the Captain standing next to Tyra. She was unrestrained and out of her cell . The guard was alert, but didn't seem to find a problem with her being out. Tyra had a puzzled look on here face, it seemed she was trying to figure something out. Taline smiled to himself...*that makes two of us*.

"Luke. I like what you have done for Engineering. I think that you would do much better in a different capacity." The Captain said crisply.

*Is this why he brought me to the brig ?* Taline asked himself. He felt uncomfortably close to the Lieutenant, took a step back, and sat down. He figured the Captain had a good record as Captain, so he proceeded to ask for the meaning behind that statement.

"I don't understand, sir. Engineering is all I know. I even breathe and dream Engineering" Taline said sitting next to Tyra but a few feet from her.

*It was a sad, but true fact* He thought.

"Oh, I am not transferring you out, but rather promoting you." Devore stated.

"Sir ?" Taline said, at the same moment as Tyra, to his slight discomfort.

"Captain! The only position left is Chief Engineer." Tyra said concerned and confused.

"Yes I know. But you will not be Chief Engineer anymore. I need someone on the Bridge who know the slipstream and guess what Tyra. You know more about the QSD drive then anyone else so you are it. You will be our new Slipstream specialist effective immediately."

"Woah !" She said.

"Captain. What brought this on ?" Taline asked.

"Easy, the death of Lieutenant Commander Shaka."

"I didn't know that she died. I am sorry." Taline said, obviously embarrassed.

"You didn't." As usual, the Captain relieved Taline's concerns, "Well in one half hour there is a memorial service. Both of you will attend. Understood ?"

"Aye sir." Taline replied promptly and respectfully.

"You may want to correct your ranks. Both of you are being promoted. Congratulations Commanders."

"Thank you sir." Tyra said.

"Yours is conditional. If there is another attack you will be bumped down to crewman. Do you understand ?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Then both of you get out of here and get changed in your whites. Then tomorrow I want you both in your new position. Dismissed."

The two newly promoted Lieutenant commanders left the brig and along the way, Tyra spoke. "I thought I was dead for sure."

"Well you would have been if not the Captain wasn't a good man," Taline said without a hint of insincerity.

"I guess so. I don't want to let him down again."

"Then secret... don't attack anyone again." Taline replied jokingly.

"Cute I don't plan to."

"All right. I will see you in thirty." Taline said as he hopped on to a turbolift, just as the doors opened.

"Will do." Tyra said as she headed for her quarters.

As the two went to their respective rooms, Taline smiled to himself. *This is one outstanding ship with one outstanding Captain who knows how to command his outstanding crew...*

As he reached his quarters and changed, he went over to the bathroom and cleaned his teeth. He promptly left his quarters, knowing that being late to the ceremony would be the worst thing he could possibly do, and jumped onto the turbolift nimbly, almost getting caught in the shutting doors. The Lieutenant commander hadn't remembered his recent experience on the Bridge to well, it seemed.

He met up with Tyra on the way. He rolled his eyes nervously and she smiled in acknowledgement. The two Engineering officers continued on their way to Lieutenant Commander Shaka's funeral, both happy with a promotion, but depressed at the reason...