Post by MCPO Neil Baxter on Aug 30, 2011 20:22:39 GMT -5
Neil's arrival on the Triton was more than less than a bang, but more than a whimper. He had spent the first two weeks of his assignment cleaning out the waste disposal system. He chose Triton because it seemed the most challenging vessel he could find. In his short time there, he had moved cargo in the cargo bay. He did night patrols for Security, and even cleaned up anything that spill on the floor in medical. He would be assign to this type of duty for several weeks. Neil didn't' complain. It helped him learn the ship. He'd seen the schematics of a Galaxy class ship in engineering school, but the refit did make some subtle changes.
Today was different. He had been waiting for a spot to open up in engineering, but he didn't' expect there to be another Cadet vying for the job. His competition was a man named Oren Fitzpatrick. Neil didn't know it at the time, but Oren was related to and XO in the fleet. He also had a lot of extra tutoring on this competition. He was slender and had chestnut brown eyes. It was quite a contrast to Neil's steel blue eyes. Neil immediately didn't' like him. His hair was regulation, but just barely. He also seemed to have an arrogant sneer to his face.
The competition was quite simple. At least the how was the doing was not. They had to re-create the repairs to the deflector dish done on the fly by the android officer on the Enterprise. It had been required reading for every engineering student. It had been done by the android at an incredible speed. It meant reconfiguring the isolinear chips in one panel to do the job. Since they didn't really need to do it and it was a competition, but he and Fitzpatrick had their own panels.
"You know I can do this blind folded. "Oren sneered.
"But can you do it quickly." Neil said without reaction.
Neil was working out a plan of action. It would have been easy to have the chips piled on the floor, but they were more clever. They were in the slots they should be in before modification so Neil was working out a plan of action.
"Don't' think too hard," He heard from next to him. "Wouldn't want that dinky brain to explode."
The Chief Engineer walked between them and looked at both of them. "Are you both ready?"
They both nod in response. He then says. "Begin" then moves away.
Neil's mind begins to race. Where to start? Where to start. He risks a glance over and Oren has already begun. Where to start? Neil thinks. Just pick one!. Everyone looks around and Neil realizes that he has spoken aloud. Oren says nothing, but the smirk becomes a wide grin. Neil defiantly takes one of the chips. His mind start to go to work. He trying to keep his breathing controlled.
"Well you finally started." Oren gloated. "I'll be done momentarily."
Neil ignored him. This was important. Whichever of them got this spot will have more time in grade than the other. That would mean Neil would outrank Oren, and he so wanted to outrank Oren. He was catching up. Oren was slowing. He didn't know why. Was he nearly done? Then he started to see why for himself. He just started to notice how heavy those chips were getting. He and Oren were pushing themselves as if this was a race. It was really a marathon. Neither of them were androids and they weren't going to get his done in seconds. He started to feel sweat pour down his face. He couldn't let any get in his eye. It would blurry his vision.He noticed that Oren was less talkative too. The pace he had set had hit him harder than Neil. As he moved each chip he kept the vision of what that board looked like when it was done. It was something he had been drilled about in Engineering school. The muscles from his hand up to his shoulder ached. Still he pressed on. Finally when he got to the last chip he could barely put it in because his hand was trembling so bad.
He lost, he was sure of it until he heard the applause. All the officers in the Meng were watching now, and they respected what he did. He noticed why now. Oren had quit, and was hold his arm. He turned probably to storm to sickbay for a muscle relaxer. Neil didn't care. He was an engineer now. It was official.
Today was different. He had been waiting for a spot to open up in engineering, but he didn't' expect there to be another Cadet vying for the job. His competition was a man named Oren Fitzpatrick. Neil didn't know it at the time, but Oren was related to and XO in the fleet. He also had a lot of extra tutoring on this competition. He was slender and had chestnut brown eyes. It was quite a contrast to Neil's steel blue eyes. Neil immediately didn't' like him. His hair was regulation, but just barely. He also seemed to have an arrogant sneer to his face.
The competition was quite simple. At least the how was the doing was not. They had to re-create the repairs to the deflector dish done on the fly by the android officer on the Enterprise. It had been required reading for every engineering student. It had been done by the android at an incredible speed. It meant reconfiguring the isolinear chips in one panel to do the job. Since they didn't really need to do it and it was a competition, but he and Fitzpatrick had their own panels.
"You know I can do this blind folded. "Oren sneered.
"But can you do it quickly." Neil said without reaction.
Neil was working out a plan of action. It would have been easy to have the chips piled on the floor, but they were more clever. They were in the slots they should be in before modification so Neil was working out a plan of action.
"Don't' think too hard," He heard from next to him. "Wouldn't want that dinky brain to explode."
The Chief Engineer walked between them and looked at both of them. "Are you both ready?"
They both nod in response. He then says. "Begin" then moves away.
Neil's mind begins to race. Where to start? Where to start. He risks a glance over and Oren has already begun. Where to start? Neil thinks. Just pick one!. Everyone looks around and Neil realizes that he has spoken aloud. Oren says nothing, but the smirk becomes a wide grin. Neil defiantly takes one of the chips. His mind start to go to work. He trying to keep his breathing controlled.
"Well you finally started." Oren gloated. "I'll be done momentarily."
Neil ignored him. This was important. Whichever of them got this spot will have more time in grade than the other. That would mean Neil would outrank Oren, and he so wanted to outrank Oren. He was catching up. Oren was slowing. He didn't know why. Was he nearly done? Then he started to see why for himself. He just started to notice how heavy those chips were getting. He and Oren were pushing themselves as if this was a race. It was really a marathon. Neither of them were androids and they weren't going to get his done in seconds. He started to feel sweat pour down his face. He couldn't let any get in his eye. It would blurry his vision.He noticed that Oren was less talkative too. The pace he had set had hit him harder than Neil. As he moved each chip he kept the vision of what that board looked like when it was done. It was something he had been drilled about in Engineering school. The muscles from his hand up to his shoulder ached. Still he pressed on. Finally when he got to the last chip he could barely put it in because his hand was trembling so bad.
He lost, he was sure of it until he heard the applause. All the officers in the Meng were watching now, and they respected what he did. He noticed why now. Oren had quit, and was hold his arm. He turned probably to storm to sickbay for a muscle relaxer. Neil didn't care. He was an engineer now. It was official.
