"Blitzkreig"
(Previous post: The Bosslady's 'Night')
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Stardate: 60324.2345
Setting: Main Engineering
After making his 100th trip to M.E. in the past hour, the CEO was in full tilt. The repairs to the interior portions of the ANUBIS had come to a snail's crawl due to the power useage of the replicators... and one of his concerns finally came to light.
"Boss" Ken said running up to him after he had entered his domain, "the warp engines are taking a helluva strain."
"From?" David asked, his voice laced with his tiredness.
"The propulsion system Boss. The generator on deck 10 that alots..."
David waved him off, "Call the bridge... you didn't need to ask me..."
Ken smirked, "I was just bringing it to your attention. We all know how much a perfectionist you are..."
David arced an eyebrow at the acting aCEO, "And just what in the hell is *that* supposed to mean?"
"You know *exactly* what I mean... ever since we seperated ourselves from the Cardassian ship, you've been pushing..."
David took it as an insult. He stepped nose to nose with Ken... so to speak because David was more than 10 inches taller than the warp propulsion specialist."
"Let me tell you something Mr. Yates. *We* have a dealine to meet and I don't care if I have to push you faster than maximum warp, *I'm* pushed daily... especially by the captain who wants *her* ship repaired. So if you can't stand the heat, GET THE HELL OUT!" he barked.
All the engineering staff stopped what they were doing and watched the exchange between the CEO and his acting assistant. David glanced around.
"I *didn't* hear me say its time for a coffee break!" the CEO boomed and he looked around, "WATKINS!"
The brunette engineer came running up. "Yeah Boss?"
"Until further notice, you're the acting aCEO. Mr. Yates, dismissed."
"But Boss..."
"BACK TO WORK!" David barked as Ken glared angrily, but turned and stormed out of the engineering department.
"What do you want me to do Boss?" Karen asked. She took a step back as David's glare fell upon her.
"The propulsion system is acting up. Get a hold of the bridge and tell them we need to drop out of warp. Also, it'll help me *greatly* if we can get the Exo-Comps back to work on the hull..."
"Speaking of which Boss, the replicators in all cargo bays are offline... power fluxes all across the ship."
"I'll handle that. You, McGenty, Darnel, and Saber get on that propulsion system. I want this ship with *full* warp cabilities when the captain calls for it next."
Karen nodded and headed off. As David gathered more tools, a shadowy figure in the upper deck of M.E. observed the exchange between David and the former acting aCEO. She stepped onto the mini lift and descended to the main deck. As Watkins rounded the warp core, she almost ran over her.
"Oh... Commander... I didn't see you. I'm sorry..."
"No need to apologize Ensign" Lieutenant Commander Serenna replied, "I just need to ask you one question."
"Sure thing. What is it" the newly appointed acting aCEO replied.
"When Lieutenant Dawson addressed you, I saw you step back from him. Why did you do that?"
Watkins looked around. It always appeared that when anyone talked about the CEO in his domain, he had the uncanny knack for showing up... like some lingering spectre that haunted main engineering.
"Something wrong Ensign?"
"Oh... no ma'am... I mean sir... I mean..."
"Breathe Ensign. This is simply... 2 officers talking."
The young officer took a breath and sighed. "It was his eyes Commander."
"His eyes?" Serenna asked.
"Yes... I mean... Stacy, Rachael and I were commenting the other day on how gorgeous his eyes are."
"Oh really" Serenna said rolling her eyes.
"Yes" Karen said taking the Romulan/Terran ExO by the elbow. Serenna noticed this move as 'Girl talk' as she's seen the captain do it on several occasions if what they were talking was secretive.
"And the strangest thing Commander" she said in a hushed tone, "they were this... weird color."
"Weird like how?" Serenna asked.
"Darker... darker than the normal color... with a red ring around his irises."
Serenna nodded, "Thank you Ensign. Back to your duties."
She nodded and headed off. Time to see how far David had come along with his repairs.
"Computer, locate Lieutenant Dawson."
=/\= Lieutenant Dawson is not on board the ANUBIS. =/\=
Once again, the old *take your comm badge off and hide* game again.
"Computer, are you getting a bio scan on Lieutenant Dawson?"
=/\= Affirmative. =/\=
"Where are those biosigns?"
=/\= Biosigns matching those of Lieutenant Dawson are on deck 11, Section 11 Alpha. =/\=
"Ah... the games afoot" the ExO replied and headed off.
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Stardate: 60325.0035
Setting, USS ANUBIS Deck 11, Section 11 Alpha
"Damned Exo-Comps" David grumbled as he hefted another plate into position. After he positioned it, the Exo-Comps welded it in.
"How goes your repairs Lieutenant?" Commander Serenna asked as David looked at her.
"What does it look like Serenna?" David asked, "I got 4 decks shot to hell both inside and out....we're looking at at least 2 weeks of drydock time once we get back to NEW ALEXANDRIA... minus the time of what I can do here..." and he moved another plate into place, "that's *if* Koneki doesn't have my head on a titanium platter."
"I believe the Admiral would have something else other than your head." Serenna replied.
"Don't you know it" he grumbled.
"David... I want to ask you a serious question."
David stopped and looked at her. "When has a question you've ever asked me *not* been serious?" he said to his former Academy classmate.
"Touche'" Serenna replied, "how are you doing?"
David chuckled, "You call that serious?"
"I mean it... how are you doing?"
"I'm fine" the CEO huffed, "if I could be left alone to work without a million people stopping me" he said dryly.
"Well... if you were stopped, I believe it to be of merit."
"Merit?!" David said, "when I have *4* decks to repair?! Look at this damage" David said waving his arms around, "I don't have time for idle breaks."
"David... far be it from me to tell you how to run your department, but do you think your outburst at Mr. Yates was necessary?"
David glared at her. "First and formost, I give you credit Commander. You are the only person outside of my father to serve in 3 different departments on board a starship. *But*" David said as he approached the ExO, "don't you *dare* tell me how to run engineering. I never stepped on your toes when you were CSecO, nor COO..."
"But it falls under *my* prevy as ExO David to be the link of *all* departments to the captain..."
"That's a completely *different* sense of your job Commander..."
David ranted and raved as he continued to work. Serenna listened, but her focu was the CEOs eyes. She watch them turn from its bright hazel color to a dark, sinister color. As he spoke, his tone of voice deepened. She could hear the dispair, the anger. But he never lost his temper.
"...so I hope that answers your question Commander."
She peered into his eyes one last time. The conversation she had with the captain she would have to have again.
"One last question David... your estimate time of completion so we can get back underway."
"2 hours. And no... I'm not rushing. And tell Sabrina that if she wants it done faster I could use her help."
Serenna smirked. "You know good and well the captain wouldn't come down here."
David smiled wickedly, "Exactly" and he went back to work further down the corridor.
Serenna made a mental note to speak with the captain about this in the morning. She knew that David's night was going to be long so she left him alone to his duties.
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Julian Knight {d_dawson_1@yahoo.com}
as
Lieutenant David Dawson
Chief Engineer
USS ANUBIS NCC 18501
"A Starfleet officer...that's all I am and that's all I'll ever be." 2005 post #318
- Avery Brooks as Captain Benjamin Sisko,
Commanding Officer of the Federation Spacestation Deep Space 9
