A Delay

Posted on Sun Feb 4, 2018 @ 2:50pm by Commodore Michael Aravan & Lieutenant JG Gefel & Lieutenant JG Zander Devereaux & Piper Aravan

Mission: Falling Star
Location: Flight Deck || Victorious
Timeline: MD 32 || 1400 Hours

For the past six hours, Lieutenant Gefel had worked hard on the Victorious and he was proud of his work. The transponder codes had been changed, the name of the Aquarius Class Destroyer had been removed from the hull, the warp signature had been changed and every identifying thing that could reveal that it was a Federation craft had been carefully disguised.

Lieutenant JG Zander Devereaux and a team of Damage Control Specialists were hard at work on the outer hull of the Victorious. "Make it look less than new, they say. Make it look battle damaged, they say," he grunted as he carefully cut a cosmetic segment of hull plating away before he carefully scorched it with a plasma torch. "Six freakin' hours of this shyte."

"If you'd complain less," the Bolian Engineer said as he ticked off an item on a PADD he carried. "It would be done sooner."

"If you'd do more than tick items off on that PADD and give orders, we'd be done sooner, too," Zander muttered as he checked his work. "Hey, Natchez! Dull the nacelle on the left side and add some scorch marks!"

Commodore Michael Aravan entered the section of the Flight Deck where the Victorious was docked and saw the swarm of activity on the small ship that had been used on several occasions. He was shocked to see a once pristine Aquarius class ship looking like it had just returned from a foray where it had been heavily damaged and patched, the name missing and replaced with Wor'ka-lol on it now. It made him sad, but it was what he had ordered.

He shook his head and wondered what it was coming to when he was sending scouts ahead on what was supposed to be a peaceful mission to help the Independent Romulan Systems Allied Forces. However, there was the Romulan Republic to take into consideration. They were the more militant arm that wanted the old ways before the Hobus Event took out the Romulan homeworld of Romulus.

Michael put that out of his head and approached Lieutenant Gefel, the acting Chief Engineer. "Lieutenant, can I get a moment of your time?" he asked.

Gefel started to snap off something about another delay when his eyes took in the boxed pip on the human's collar. "Commodore!" he said and came to attention. "I promise you, the Victorious will be done in half an hour."

"There's been a change in plans," Michael told him. "I want you to delay the Victorious for another ten hours."

"Delay?" Gefel could almost hear Devereaux laughing over that one. The Bolian resolved to ignore the Damage Control Specialist and gave his full attention to the Commodore again. "Why a delay, Commodore, if I may ask?"

"We're still taking on supplies and there's Science equipment being installed on the outer hull," the Commodore told him. "Have you and your men take lunch at The Black Hole on me."

All thoughts of making good time on the disguise of the Victorious was gone. The mention of The Black Hole and free hit the right chord in the Bolian and he set the PADD down nearby before he turned to his men. "That's lunch on the Commodore!" He called out. "The Black Hole is our next project, ladies and gentlebeings."

"Alright!" Zander called as he jumped down from the nacelle he had been inspecting and removed his gloves. "Thanks, Commodore," he said as he gave Michael a respectful nod. "Knew I didn't leave this beauty of a ship for nothing."

"I'm still have that solid pip, Devereaux," Michael jokingly threatened.

"Beggin' yer pardon, Sire," Zander said and bowed low. "I'm just a humble Damage Control Specialist. I'm certain that Lieutenant Gefel would appreciate it more if you gave it to him."

"A full Lieutenant?" Gefel exclaimed. Wait until my parents hear this! he thought.

"No, not a full Lieutenant, Lieutenant," Michael said. "It's an ongoing thing between myself and Devereaux. He doesn't want to be promoted and I threaten to make him one."

The Bolian was confused but nodded. Why wouldn't someone not want to be promoted? He wondered.

"Because of all the extra PADDwork and orders and crap you have to deal with," Zander said. "Pardon my French, Commodore."

"Now imagine the mountain of crap I have to deal with as the commanding officer of this ship and in charge of a task force," Michael said to Devereaux.

"Pass," Zander said as he watched Gefel walk off. "So what's with the delay, Sir?"

"You mean the delay of you going to get free food at The Black Hole or do you mean the delay of you getting to drink some gourmet coffee on me?" Michael asked.

"That would be me, Commodore," Zander said as he turned and headed for the exit. "He's gonna regret the all I can drink gourmet coffee thing," he chuckled as he went out the door.

Michael waited a minute, then tapped his combadge. =^=Aravan to Piper Aravan. Lieutenant Zander Devereaux is on his way there with a tab in my name. Switch the gourmet coffee for regular, if you could? He'd drink you out of stock.=^=

Piper couldn't help but grin. Zander had tried, and failed to do just that on a few occasions in the past, but she always put a stop to it. Still, she appreciated the heads up from her favorite brother-in-law. =^=Will do, Commodore. Thanks for the heads up. I really appreciate that.=^=

Michael heard the smile in her voice. =^=Also, there'll be about twenty other Engineers coming in on my tab.=^

=^=Noted. I feel for you if Spencer finds out.=^= the young woman said, unable to keep the grin from her voice.

He laughed. =^=I'll deal with that when the time comes. Aravan out.=^= With a shake of his head, he closed the comm and headed back to his ready room for more reports.