"Quiet As Kept"
(Previous post: Jessica's 'Arriving...')
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Robotics Lab
After having run routine checks since the ANUBIS was ordered to a stop, the CEO decided to check in on his friend... which he hadn't seen him in hours. As David entered the lab, Annie was lying on the table, her eyes closed. The CEO approached quietly then laughed inwardly because the ANUBIS' Avatar was a android... one more sophisticated than he had seen. he glanced around the lab and found Elan sitting with his back to the wall...
"Elan..." David said nudging his friend in the shoulder. The Oltharian giant opened his eyed and blinked.
"David" the robotics engineer said with a smile, "what brings you here this time of the morning?"
"Checking in on you *Commander*," the ANUBIS' CEO replied, "haven't seen much of you outside of this lab."
"Well... the thought is greatly appreciated *Ensign*" Elan replied and stood and approached the table.
"So... how is she?" David asked.
"Same as before. Every system is functioning to operational parameters..."
"But?" David said folding his arms across his massive chest.
"As before, I'm baffled as to why she isn't 'awake'. I ran diagnostics against my files back on NEW ALEXANDRIA and the ones I have here in the ANUBIS' computer and it just doesn't add up."
"Maybe if you stepped away from it for a while you might come up with an idea you might have missed."
"That is true, but I'll feel a lot better if I can get to..." and David cut him off. As much as he hated to do it, rank *did* have its privileges.
"Elan... come with me. I want to show you something." and Elan could hear in David's tone of voice that it wasn't a request. The Oltharian sighed and nodded following his friend.
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As the massive engineers entered the cargo bay David
noticed that Elan was quiet the entire trip. He could
see it in his friend's eyes that his mind was still
working on restoring the Avatar. David stopped and
opened a cargo basket and Elan's eyes lit up.
"Been busy haven't we?" Elan asked as he nudged David,
"and keeping all the toys to yourself?"
"I can't take the credit for all of this," the CEO
replied, "its my assistants."
"Mattias?" Elan asked picking up what appeared to be a modified phaser rifle, "this is excellent craftsmanship David."
"I know... but I'm starting to have suspicions about him."
Elan replaced the rifle, "Why?"
David fanned his arm over the basket and went to open several more each with more gadgets of the like.
"This is a *really* good way to get on my bad side. Hiding stuff like this *and* sneaking around."
Elan chuckled, "It really can't be that bad can it?"
David shook his head, "I found him stuffing this into a dispenser near the bridge."
Elan shook his head and looked the weapon over. "What is it?"
"A V.F.L.R.C or as Mattias explained a Variable Force Long Range Cannon." David replied.
"And he hid this in a dispenser off the bridge?" the Oltharian asked in amazement, "this looks dangerous."
"I know" David growled, "*that* close to the bridge with the bridge staff on it?! What if this damned thing went off?" and the CEO began to pace, "I'm telling you Elan... I'm starting not to like him."
"Come now David. Youthfulness is the key to our profession. Look at all the ideas in here... and all from one mind."
"Yeah... a mind that could blow up half the damned ship? I'm surprised that Sabrina even OK'd his transfer."
"Well... we both know that Captain Rikar's decision was somewhat... made for her. More to the point, I wouldn't be so hasty in making a decision not to like your assistant David. He offered several good ideas while he assisted me briefly..."
"OK, I'll bite" David said placing the lids back on the baskets, "what's *your* assessment of my assistant."
"One he's brilliant, learns fast and absorbs the information you tell him faster. He's bright and with enough guidance could be another gem in the ANUBIS' crown."
David laughed out loud, "He's unbridled, arrogant, and somewhat self centered. And that's what you see in him?"
"Everything I said I saw in him and everything you see in him reminds me of another young engineer who came into the job setting the world on fire... and look at where it got him."
"You know someone with both those qualities we mentioned? I sure as hell would like to meet him."
"Fine then," Elan replied with a big toothy grin, "his office is on deck 22, Main Engineering."
David frowned, "Funny."
"I'm serious David" Elan said with a laugh, "that's one of the things we as humanoids do well. We see all the faults in those we manage because they are the *same* faults we had to overcome. I myself was like you and Mattias when I finished the Academy and got my first posting." and Elan sighed, "I had so much zest... eager to make a good first impression on my superiors."
"And did you?" David asked as Elan chuckled.
"No... I created a solvent that I thought would speed up cleaning time on the warp plasma conduits and it actually got into the system and intermingled with the uniform replication program. Every time someone requested a fresh duty uniform and put it on, the body heat caused it to fall off of you. Took me almost 3 weeks to solve that problem and I had an upset captain, ExO, and CEO because 2/3s of the crew were naked... so to speak."
David shook his head and laughed along with his friend.
"Naked huh?" David said.
"As humans would say, 'As a jaybird'," and both engineers laughed again. Elan clapped his friend on the shoulder.
"Don't be too hard on him David. Maybe if we sat down and talked to him later on today. Get his side of the story. I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for his... sneakiness."
David nodded, "Maybe you're right."
"And I thank you for getting me out of the lab. I just realized that I'm famished."
"So am I. Laughing that hard I've worked up an appetite. Let's grab a bite and we'll tackle Annie's problems together."
Elan bowed slightly, "I thank you again *Ensign*."
"Anything for you *Commander*" David replied and gestured towards the doors.
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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." 2006 post #185
Stardate: 61014.0600
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Cargo Bay 2
Stardate: 61014.0625
Julian Knight (d_dawson_1@yahoo.com)
- Avery Brooks as Captain Benjamin Sisko,
Commanding Officer of the Federation Spacestation Deep Space 9
