Final Crew Assignments
Posted on Sun Jan 6th, 2013 @ 9:31am by Commander Brian Ratchford & Captain Liarra Von & Lieutenant Commander Morgan Kelly & Lieutenant JG Allison Price
Mission:
Reindeer Games
Location: USS Jackal - Engineering
Timeline: After "Finding the Pilot"
This was the first time that Brian had stepped foot onto the ship that he would be commanding in battle in just a couple of short days time, but he already felt as if he knew it like the back of his hand. His assignment before the Vesta - the USS Carpathia - was a Defiant-class starship just as the Jackal was, and he had been stuck onboard her for many months as they limped their way home from their last mission. Easily finding his way towards engineering, where the computer had informed him his target was, the commander was pleased to get the opportunity to be able to tick off the final two members of his bridge staff in one go.
Lieutenant Kelly was standing near the center console, a PADD with calibration data in his hand. "I'm just saying, Ensign, that the targeting scanners can be better. They have never really been right since Thane."
The young girl across from him was getting pretty flustered. She had spent most of her last couple years at the Academy learning from the Jackal's previous chief engineer. Still, she was young, and found herself feeling cornered when superior officers starting making demands. "I know sir, that's been in my maintenance reports. But you'll also see that I have engine calibrations higher in the queue. I think we can get by with a 5% variance for the time being."
"Ensign, that 5% variance could be a matter of life or death. I don't want to be in a firefight and find that I can't shoot straight."
"I understand that, sir, but if the engines are out of alignment, they could blow up before we even get to that firefight." She could see in the executive officer's eyes that he wasn't going to back down and sighed. "Alright, sir. I'll get some people working overtime on it, but the engines are still the higher priority."
"Sounds like a decent compromise," Brian said calmly from his place by the hatch into the engine room, where he had observed the exchange and apparently had gone unnoticed during it. "It's always nice to know that you can blow up your opponent if you need to, but it's equally nice to know you're not going to blow yourself up getting there."
"Commander Ratchford, I presume," the Jackal's executive responded to the newcomer's arrival. "Commander Von told me that you were coming."
"I figured that news of me visiting would manage to beat me to at least one of the Jackal's crew members," the commander responded with a smile. "Lieutenant Kelly and Ensign Price, I take it?" He knew that he was addressing the right people of course - he'd looked up their service file photographs before making his way aboard the little ship, but it was always a good plan to not be too presumptuous on a first meeting.
"That's right," Kelly responded, extending his hand.
Price followed suit. "It's a pleasure to meet you sir."
"Likewise," the commander responded, shaking each of their hands in turn.
After the pleasantries had passed, Kelly was ready to get to business. "So, from what very little Commander Von has told me, this is going to be your boat now."
"For the foreseeable future at least," Ratchford confirmed. "As far as I'm aware, Starfleet will be looking to reassign me after the exercise. Did Commander Von fill you in on any specifics?"
The Jackal XO shook his head. "No sir. She said that we were running exercises, but nothing beyond that."
"OK, well the long and the short of it is that we will be running exercises to help prepare us if we ever need to go up against the Sojourners again," Brian began to explain, remembering when the Vesta - barely repaired after their test flight, but with the element of surprise to assist them - had been able to assist the Starbase crews during the last encounter with the Federation's new foes. "The Carthage under Commander Von will be playing the part of the Sojourners, running a number of exercises against the Jackal. Starfleet and Captain Gunning have agreed to appoint me temporary command of the Jackal, to try and invite an element of unpredictability to the operation."
Morgan pondered for a second and looked over at Price. Since she was such a young officer, she didn't offer much, just stood and listened, thoughts of engine calibrations probably running through her head. He looked back at Ratchford. "We know the commander pretty well. Do you think that will give us an unfair advantage?"
"Perhaps," the commander responded. "But her aim in the exercise won't be to play the role of a Starfleet Captain," he continued. "She won't be using Starfleet manoeuvres or tactics, and that in itself will provide an element of unpredictability. Ultimately though, we can only ever hope to simulate a Sojourner engagement; nothing will match up with the real thing, so all we can hope to do is to prepare ourselves as much as we can for it."
He waited for a few moments to judge their reactions to his answer before continuing. "Now, Starfleet and Captain Gunning have put me in command of the Jackal because she is a smaller ship, which will make it easier for an outsider to command effectively. However, I won't be ordering anybody to serve under me during this exercise; I'd like to know that each of the ship's crew are comfortable to be working under me regardless of any orders from Starfleet, and there would be no ill thought towards you if you would rather serve aboard the Carthage."
The ensign spoke up first. "I promised Chief Bones that I'd take care of his engine room here. I don't want to let him down."
Kelly nodded in response. "Agreed. You need a crew that knows this ship well, sir. You can't have rookie's trying to find the command to fire phasers in the middle of a fight."
Brian grinned at the quick acceptance from both of them, pleased that he had now been able to personally confirm all of his temporary command staff, and also pleased with their dedication to this ship, regardless of its commander. "I'm glad to hear that," he told them both. "Miss DeHaevan will also be joining us, and I've asked Doctor Keller to come aboard to round out the senior staff. How soon do you think we can be made ready to launch?"
The ensign continued to defer to her senior officer. Kelly spoke up. "Commander Von's standard procedure was to keep the ship on hot standby. We can be ready to leave within an hour, sir."
Brian nodded, impressed. He'd grown used to serving aboard starships which were their own assignment within themselves, rather than ships attached to a starbase, and hadn't realised just how quickly they would be able to launch their vessels. Still, he supposed that with a station this massive, it must be similar to the concept of launching a combat-fitted runabout from a standard starship.
"I need to speak with the Commander about the specific timetable for our departure, but I imagine we'll have about two days. I want you to make any personnel or supply reassignments at you feel are necessary by then for a possibly extended wargames scenario, and send me updates every twelve hours until departure."
Kelly nodded. Extra supplies and personnel that they would need was already running through his mind. "I'll make sure we're prepared for extended combat operation, sir. You'll have a current status report within the hour."
"Very good. I'll leave you to it then," the commander said, giving a slight nod to the pair before turning and making his way out of the engine room.
Lt. Commander Brian Ratchford
Temporary Commanding Officer
Lieutenant Morgan Kelly
Executive Officer
Ensign Allison Price
Chief Engineer
USS Jackal
