Post by Captain_Quintus on Apr 4, 2016 6:05:22 GMT
Postby Tosun » Fri Aug 06, 2010 10:48 am
Deirdre McGowan was in the Chief Engineer's office, but not sitting in her customary chair when the young, fresh-faced Jadyn Truelight entered. In fact he almost missed her completely, because the vistor's chair was nestled in between a stack of crates and the pile of PADDs sitting on the desk.
“Oh, hi Chief,” Jadyn said, curious to why he'd been called in.
“Not anymore,” the redheaded Irishwoman replied. “As of twenty-two minutes and spare change ago, I'm a woman of leisure.”
“Huh?”
“I resigned my commission. I'm actually surprised the Captain let me, being in a war as we are, but the way things are inside this madhouse he may have had the thought himself so is sympathetic,” she said.
“Resigned?” Jadyn asked, and received a smirk and a nod at his disbelieving question. “But... why?”
“List is as long as your arm,” Deirdre said with a sigh. “Not really important as far as you're concerned, you now have more important things to consider. Congratulations, Chief. You're the new steward of a slightly used starship.”
Jadyn turned and looked behind him, sure she was talking to someone else. When he didn't see anyone, or in fact anything but a closed door, he turned back. “Chief? Who me?” He asked, his voice raising at least one octave from his previous question. “But... but... but...”
“Yes, you.” Deirdre was obviously amused.
“But, what about Bitsi? She's...”
“Not chief material,” Deirdre interrupted. “She's barely there for being a section chief.” Leaning forward, the smile still amused but friendly. “Yes, you're young, but you can handle the responsibility, and you're the best I have now that Mac's gone. Technically you're just the Acting Chief Engineer until Le-Gran either decides to keep you or finds himself someone else. But I threw my weight behind you, and he'll give you a shot at keeping the position. Don't make me a liar.”
“Boss...” Jadyn attempted, but was once again interrupted.
“No, you Boss now,” Deirdre said, pointing at him.
“Four-fifths of the department are older than I am,” he said after a moment. “And the other fifth are still using training wheels. And I'm only a J.G.”
“True enough. Well, for the first part anyway. Which reminds me.” She dug around in her pocket a moment, then tossed a small shiny object toward him. “You're also now a full ell-tee. That was coming to you anyway.”
All Jadyn could do for a moment was blink at it, then stare at Deirdre, who let him absorb it all silently for a minute.
“I need to be off, we're nearly at 221-I and if I'm not ready to beam out the moment we drop out of warp Le-Gran may change his mind. Good luck, Jadyn. Oh, and don't let Bitsi run circles around you.” She rose, patted him on the shoulder and was gone.
Jadyn collapsed into the chief's chair. He'd made lieutenant a full year ahead of his own schedule, which he always considered hopeful. He wasn't even sure at this stage in his young life if he'd wanted to become a chief engineer in some far off future, so he didn't know what to think about it happening now. So he just sat there for nearly a half-hour before Bitsi popped in.
“So. Boss.” She said, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “Anything going on?”
Deirdre McGowan was in the Chief Engineer's office, but not sitting in her customary chair when the young, fresh-faced Jadyn Truelight entered. In fact he almost missed her completely, because the vistor's chair was nestled in between a stack of crates and the pile of PADDs sitting on the desk.
“Oh, hi Chief,” Jadyn said, curious to why he'd been called in.
“Not anymore,” the redheaded Irishwoman replied. “As of twenty-two minutes and spare change ago, I'm a woman of leisure.”
“Huh?”
“I resigned my commission. I'm actually surprised the Captain let me, being in a war as we are, but the way things are inside this madhouse he may have had the thought himself so is sympathetic,” she said.
“Resigned?” Jadyn asked, and received a smirk and a nod at his disbelieving question. “But... why?”
“List is as long as your arm,” Deirdre said with a sigh. “Not really important as far as you're concerned, you now have more important things to consider. Congratulations, Chief. You're the new steward of a slightly used starship.”
Jadyn turned and looked behind him, sure she was talking to someone else. When he didn't see anyone, or in fact anything but a closed door, he turned back. “Chief? Who me?” He asked, his voice raising at least one octave from his previous question. “But... but... but...”
“Yes, you.” Deirdre was obviously amused.
“But, what about Bitsi? She's...”
“Not chief material,” Deirdre interrupted. “She's barely there for being a section chief.” Leaning forward, the smile still amused but friendly. “Yes, you're young, but you can handle the responsibility, and you're the best I have now that Mac's gone. Technically you're just the Acting Chief Engineer until Le-Gran either decides to keep you or finds himself someone else. But I threw my weight behind you, and he'll give you a shot at keeping the position. Don't make me a liar.”
“Boss...” Jadyn attempted, but was once again interrupted.
“No, you Boss now,” Deirdre said, pointing at him.
“Four-fifths of the department are older than I am,” he said after a moment. “And the other fifth are still using training wheels. And I'm only a J.G.”
“True enough. Well, for the first part anyway. Which reminds me.” She dug around in her pocket a moment, then tossed a small shiny object toward him. “You're also now a full ell-tee. That was coming to you anyway.”
All Jadyn could do for a moment was blink at it, then stare at Deirdre, who let him absorb it all silently for a minute.
“I need to be off, we're nearly at 221-I and if I'm not ready to beam out the moment we drop out of warp Le-Gran may change his mind. Good luck, Jadyn. Oh, and don't let Bitsi run circles around you.” She rose, patted him on the shoulder and was gone.
Jadyn collapsed into the chief's chair. He'd made lieutenant a full year ahead of his own schedule, which he always considered hopeful. He wasn't even sure at this stage in his young life if he'd wanted to become a chief engineer in some far off future, so he didn't know what to think about it happening now. So he just sat there for nearly a half-hour before Bitsi popped in.
“So. Boss.” She said, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “Anything going on?”