A slightly unexpected career alteration

Posted on Fri Jul 15th, 2011 @ 9:46am by 1st Lieutenant Kathleen Lorrieta

629 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Orbital Yard Project Athena I
Location: Starbase Typhon Docking Ring.
Timeline: Directly after "A birthday surprise" with T'Yuna, and Atwood.

Retired first lieutenant Kathleen Lorrieta was supposed to be carried home to Earth, on the private vessel Callisto.

An unexpected warp-core issue, involving various amalgamated alien technologies to have a running ship, had resulted with her, and the pilot, in the Engine Room, attempting to stop it from falling apart. Apparently the normal ship's commander, and primary engineer, had been called away on another responsibility.

"It appears to be going into catastrophic anti-matter mix. I do not know what we can do to stop this." The Vulcan pilot stated, calmly.

"We're going to be blown to hell, kid." Lorrieta said, with an unamused look on her face. She watched the warp core pulse, and then it hit her.

She took off her civilian comm device, and attached it to the warp core. "Jettison it."

"It will still explode." The Vulcan noted, dryly.

"Not this time." Lorrieta said, with a smile. They were, after all, still, on external dock, and external power feed.

The warp core jettisoned, once the Vulcan pushed the required button.

Lorrieta borrowed power from the station, and set the transporter control to widely disperse whatever was attached to her comm badge.

The device whined, and complained, but eventually, the sub-atomic spray was ejected, far from the station, without a single explosive shockwave issued.

The Vulcan quirked his eyebrow. "We apparently are no longer headed for Earth." He said, dryly.

"That's fair enough. I'll grab my bags, and find another ship." Kathleen said, with a nod.

The Vulcan simply nodded, pondering how he would explain this to Mister Thomas, and Miss Atwood.

----------------------------------

Captain T'Yuna approached the docking ring. She had a PADD in her hand. Easily recognizing the woman of her search, one Kathleen Lorrieta, she nodded to the woman.

"May I help you, Captain?" The woman asked her.

T'Yuna nodded. "Your recent actions reinforce your service record as an impromptu damage control specialist." T'Yuna said, with a blank expression. "The Starfleet Corps of Engineers could use someone of your technical skill, to assist with the Athena Project construction."

"I don't have the time for that. I'm supposed to go home, and help my parents get ready for their new post, wherever that might be." Kathleen said, with a shake of her head. "Sorry, Captain. I've served my time, for king and country."

"You say that, but you do not understand the situation, as it stands. Starbase Typhon's Engineering staff is at an emergency level." T'Yuna said, with a slight look of distaste. "I regret having to use this tactic twice, in one day."

"Which tactic?" Kathleen demanded.

"Under the emergency services act of your resignation request, you can be redrafted into active duty, should your services be required, by Starfleet, to assist with a local, or fleet-wide emergency." T'Yuna said, flatly. "Under the authority of Admiral Willoughby, and Admiral Ongaku-chi, I am afraid I will have to reactivate your service rank, temporarily, of acting 1st Lieutenant, and order you to begin your first working shift at 0800 hours tomorrow morning, under the Engineering services, as a damage control, and structural analyst specialist, to assist with the current staffing issues."

Kathleen's face drained of all color. "I'm sorry. What did you just say?"

"Welcome to the Starfleet Corps of Engineers, 1st Lieutenant Lorrieta. Please report to Lieutenant Commander Skylar, in Engineering, tomorrow morning, at 0800 hours."

Kathleen watched the Vulcan woman leave, shocked at the fact that, not only, was she being forced into active service again, it wouldn't be for a combat position.

She silently pondered who else the yellow-collared Captain had suckered into active service this way.

----------------------------

Captain T'Yuna
SCE team leader, Typhon Dispatch. Project Executive Officer, Project Athena.

Acting 1st Lieutenant Kathleen Lorrieta
Acting Damage Control Specialist, Acting Structural Analyst
Starbase Typhon

RSS Feed