Can you fix this?

Posted on Sat Jun 12th, 2021 @ 6:09am by Lieutenant Baeryn Whavi-Tonelly & Lieutenant Commander S'hib

Mission: Season 5: Episode 2: Operation Save Humanity
Location: The Brig
Timeline: MD-2 0930
1923 words - 3.8 OF Standard Post Measure

Keeping busy isn't much of an issue when your willing to do the small jobs, the dirty jobs, the minuscule maintenance jobs. LT Whavi could have assigned the task to any one of the members of engineering or operations but she also wasn't too busy . Getting out of the office was also a plus. Baeryn had a bit of a bounce in her step as she exited the turbo lift just outside the Brig. Finally getting more familiar with the ships layout saved her much time and frustration. With a hint of a smile she entered security glad to see the familiar figure of Lieutenant Commander S'hib.

"Commander, " She greeted him with a dip of her head. "I heard you were having some issues with one of the cells in the brig?"

"Some..." S'hib snorted, as the data PADD in his hands clattered to the desk. "Lieutenant I wish I was," He replied as he stood up, his desk and chair shifting slightly as he did so. "I've been pinging engineering about this for two days..." He huffed as he clicked heavily through the security office and towards the brig.

Baeryn made an apologetic face as she followed him towards the brig. “I’m sorry, that’s kind of why I’m here. They’re a bit behind in engineering.”

"Don't worry, let me just..." S'hib grumbled, letting out a deep exhale as he approached the brig entrance. "show you what's wrong." he added, hand already gripping his phaser as he prompted the controls to unlock and open the door.

His face was practically touching the cold metal as it opened, the reinforced plexiglass that had steamed over from his breath, vanishing into the alcove with the rest of the bulky door.

Then there was silence, only interrupted by the displeased snort as S'hib ducked under the door frame.

"In you come Lieutenant..." He sighed, his hands relaxing away from the phaser.

Baeryn proceeded cautiously, she wasn't sure exactly what was there to jump out at them but held her guard up just in case. Following S'hib into the brig she took in her surroundings, noting the door and adding it and a handful of other issues to her list of things to repair.

"Sooo, there something in here that might jump out at me Commander?" She raised an auburn brow.

S'hib smiled as he continued walking down the narrow corridor of the cell block. "Don't be silly lieutenant, all my guests know better than to misbehave when I'm around..." He announced loudly, more so to the lone occupant inside one of the twelve cells than to Baeryn.

"Besides, he's in a cell that... should be working." He added, leading her towards the last four cells that connected to the interrogation rooms.

Baeryn chuckled at how the commander first called the prisoners guests, then a bit more nervously noting how his voice got a bit louder. Following S'hib to the father side of the collection of cells. Setting her tool bag down she pulled out a tricorder and began scanning the circuits. Her eyes popping into the cell occasionally, just to be sure the 'guest' was still inside.

"There's a massive power drain, these four cells seem to be getting just enough power to operate." Baeryn wrinkled her brow hoping she would be able to identify the source of the drain before these cells to, lost power. "Forgive me if I'm a bit too forbearing but any way you could lock the brig as a whole? you know, just incase." Baeryn tried to sound nonchalant but fell short.

"I haven't had much luck with doors..." S'hib sighed as he tapped on a cell to activate its forcefield, watching it flicker and splutter to life. "As for these... well..." He frowned, slowly sticking his arm through the shield, watching it buzz around his uniform.

"Well, that's certainly a new one.... and positively useless." Baeryn huffed out a breath, this job looked like it was getting more complex by the minute, and possibly not a one man job. "Okay so, you take watch of the baddie over there while I start dismantling this place?" She knew the commander had plenty he probably had to see to but she couldn't focus on her work unless someone was there to watch her back. As if to bribe him she gave a toothy smile.

"Don't worry, I think it's about time he left anyway..." He mused, turning briefly before looking back. "Oh, uh... one other thing, if you're gonna move through the shield, don't do it too quick." He cautioned before kicking behind him, his hoof connecting with the invisible wall with a loud crackle that made all the lights in the room dim for a moment. "It hurts..." He smiled back before clicking away.

"Wait! you're just going to leave me here? At least arm me with something more than a hyperspanner!" She shouted towards S'hib as he trotted away.

"You'll be fine Lieutenant." He replied as he stopped by one of the other cells, lazily tapping a stubby hoof against the controls to disengage the forcefield. "I just need to clear petty officer Ramone for active duty..." there was a short pause as he turned back to the cell, snorting his frustrations at the man who had yet to stand from the minimalistic bed each cell had.

"Come on, up... your next shifts in twenty minutes." He huffed, as he watched Ramone shuffle past and head towards the brig exit, his dishevelled uniform leaving much to be desired.

"That doesn't sound very reassuring..." she muttered as she turned back to the flimsy force fields. Sighing Baeryn dug into her bag, sifting through them and pulling a sonic driver out. She got to work, by first disconnecting every coupling she found and then resetting power relays. After an hour Baeryn was so immersed in what she was doing that she jumped hearing a noise on the other end of the brig, from a cell she was sure was unoccupied.

The sound echoed throughout the empty brig, a dull hum that ebbed back in forth in pitch before stopping as the main door hissed opened. "How's progress?" S'hib asked politely as he bent low to move under the human-sized doorway.

"I've barely made any, it's like a toddler came through and just started unplugging and plugging things in randomly. Although they had to know what they were doing because there isn't any severe damage.... you haven't locked up an engineer recently have you?" She looked up from her spot on the floor. She had long foregone her overshirt and sat with the sleeves of her gold uniform up to her elbows.

He walked over slowly as she spoke, mulling over what she had said. "I don't recall anyone from engineering spending time in the brig, not recently anyway..."

S'hib crouched down as best he could, his long legs folding at the joints. "Can you fix it on your own?" his eyes glancing over the exposed panels and parts laying over the floor.

"I can, it's just doing to take a bit to make sure everything is where it should be." Baeryn sighed a bit as her shoulders drooped. "I just find it rather curious who or what did this. You sure you're not being pranked S'hib?" She lifted a brow with suspicion on her face.

"Well, when I first came aboard, the door to my quarters got jammed open... then a few months later I got stuck in a turbolift with Lieutenant Mckay, now the brigs malfunctioning..." He sighed, shifting his head from side to side as if counting all the mishaps.

"Seems a bit excessive for a prank..." He snorted as a puzzled look grew over his face.

"It does, but I find it odd I haven't heard about these kinds of malfunctions anywhere else on the ship. Not yet anyway."

"You know, I originally applied to Starfleet for engineering... but uh," S'hib mumbled as he leant over and picked up a sonic driver. "a lot of the tools you humanoids use... are a bit small." He added, comparing its size to the large stubby digits he had.

"You know you could always invent your own set of tools if you still wanted to pursue engineering. I know more then a few eager little engineers willing to assist you! It would be fun!" Baeryn chuckled as she assembled the panel directly in front of her.

"If I did that, I'd be fixing this myself and missing out on the company." He grinned before standing back up.

"So does that mean you're not going to leave me here again with only my thoughts to keep me company?" She smirked up at S'hib innocently. The work she was performing wasn't difficult, and called for little concentration to complete so she hoped S'hib would stay. The two officers had yet to really conversate on anything then whatever task was in front of them, even while on Quellish.

"I could go back and sit at that desk for another few hours and the pile of PADDs wouldn't exactly get any smaller, so I thought I'd take a break... and yes, keep you company." He nodded before leaning against one of the sidewalls that split the cells from one another, and all though he didn't show it outwardly, he was also very grateful for the company, especially from someone sitting outside one of the barriers.

"I can honestly say I know the feeling!" Baeryn shouted from inside the panel she was currently rewiring from within. How have things been since you got back from Quellish?"

"A blur, honestly... what with everything that happened, I have a habit of overthinking..." He muttered, staring curiously at what remained of Baeryn sticking out into the brig. "And there has been a lot to think about."

"Indeed there is." Baeryn pulled herself out of the wall and faced S'hib, "You know there wasn't anything we could have done to prevent the events that took place right?"

"I know," S'hib replied, gently shaking his head as he spoke. "Guess that's why the academy stopped letting me take the Kobayashi Maru..."

“And pray tell commander, how many times did you take the test?!”

"I'd rather not say..." He awkwardly replied while scratching along the top of his muzzle.

Baeryn gave the Sequus a comforting smile, “Don’t worry, the test wasn’t a shinning moment for me either. I completely panicked the first time and just froze. In front of everyone.”

A small chuckle left his lips as he looked down at the floor. "Males of my species, especially at a young age can be unbearably stubborn... I was no exception," S'hib started, turning his head to one side so as to return an eye to hers. "And the idea of a no win situation insulted me, how could I lead a herd knowing there might be something I can't protect them from..."

He paused for a moment, nostrils flaring as he snorted in disagreement with the very idea.

"So they banned me... apparently using a shuttle for every scenario was starting to give the engineers who program the tests a headache." S'hib announced proudly.

Baeryn laughed full heartedly, “I wouldn’t have pegged you for a stubborn mule!” Gasping Baeryn turned to fulling face S’hib, “I mean no offense.... it’s an earth saying.... a terribly poor one I might add....” her apology was rushed but sincere.

TBC