Logistics

Posted on Mon Dec 24th, 2018 @ 6:43am by Lieutenant Robert Atkinson

Mission: Season 2: Episode 3: Determination is not always a good thing
Location: mass replicator
Timeline: en-route
720 words - 1.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Standing next to the mass replicator in the ship's stores, Estelle picked out a number of wooden boards, rubber bands and screws to take back with her into her cabin. Some of her furniture, and essential pieces at that, hadn't survived the trip from her last assignment, the Tirpitz. This time, she used hardwood. It was heavier, but she figured it should also be sturdier. All the while, she was whistling the tune to the Andorian anthem, which she had listened to a lot as a child, without realising she was doing so.

A semi tall Lieutenant just walked into the ship's stores, marveling. "Impressive. Didn't have this on the old Excelsior." He couldn't help but mumbled to himself as he fell into browsing. For some reason he gravitated towards a stack and f fabric.

"Those modern, ugly ships must have some advantage over the older, more beautiful kinds", Estelle remarked. Sure, it was a question of strong opinion, but she had always wondered why ship designers of the past had thought it a good idea to make their ships look good on the outside, while present-day designers ignored that principle completely.

Robert nodded. "Oh yeah, totally" he smiled. "They have some hits like the Luna, but I totally agree." He said. He smiled. "Where are my manners? Robert Atkinson." He said.

"Estelle Hertz", the surgeon replied, and she didn't pronounce her name 'hurts', like many English-speakers did, but the original German way, with an 'e' like in 'very'. "I'm the surgeon here, and I've served on an Excelsior before, the U.S.S. Herod."

"USS Explorer here. Great ship. Oh, I'm the new academy commandant, by the way."

"Oh, so you're in charge of giving us fun and engaging classes that allow us to expand our expertise, yes?" Estelle smirked. "One for the operations people on how to handle furniture, perhaps?" She pointed at the stuff she had replicated. "My bookshelf was damaged in transport. One of my books fell on me as I was reading, and I've only got my shelf to blame."

Robert couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "Furniture installation. Got it" he grinned.

"Logistics!" Estelle chuckled. "I can put it together myself, but it has to arrive in one piece. And now, I have to replicate the set, put it up and paint it again."

Robert outright laughed. "Another advantage of the older ships. The ops people were handy like that." He grinned. "Which gives me an interesting idea" he chuckled. "I'll have to reserve a holodeck" he laughed.

"Please, do share", Estelle requested as she loaded all her stuff onto an antigrav sled. "And, you do know we've got holoemitters everywhere? I've been making some good use of them in my quarters. Not all the time, of course, but it helps."

"Well, delivery was an issue right? How's about an obstacle course." He grinned. "They navigate a package through the ship, and are graded on their performance."

"Suitable punishment", Estelle chuckled. "I'm willing to provide a nest full of duck's eggs. Get them ducking around. It's popular here."

"That sounds interesting. I'll have to remember that one" he grinned.

"I'm willing to provide some tutoring", Estelle offered. "Come around my quarters some time, I'll show you."

"Sounds good to me" Robert said.

Estelle giggled to herself. She knew the new guy knew not. But he'd learn, one way or another. "Don't wait too long or you'll miss out on something good."

"I hate to miss out on any kind of fun" he said, slightly more enthusiastically than meaning to. "You know what? Call me Kit" he said. "Nickname I picked up as a young diplomat" he chuckled.

"Kit? There's got to be a story behind that one. Some people called me Herzchen, which is little heart in German, but that's just a play on words, and because I was a small child compared to the other girls around me."

"Well I was roommates with a Caitian engineering type. So Cat." he laughed. "We became friends, fast friends. In ancient history class we saw images of old earth candy bars, specifically Kit Kat bars. It kinda stuck."

"That's an odd definition of ancient history", Estelle chuckled. "Those things, chocolate bars and similar sweets, they were from the plastic age, weren't they?"

"Yeah." Kit smiled.