Maintenance

Posted on Wed Dec 15th, 2021 @ 5:24am by Lieutenant JG Ryan Kade III

Mission: Season 5: Episode 3: CAPETOWN
Location: USS Elysium - Deck 18, Main Brig
Timeline: MD1
580 words - 1.2 OF Standard Post Measure

The angular tip popped off onto the table with a heavy thud. It was deceptively heavy for its’ size, the dense material chosen specifically for its’ heat dissipation qualities by Starfleet’s finest. The innards of the weapon were exposed as it was held at an angle towards the light. Unlike the outside, which diffused light into dull and hazy reflections, the inside was chalked full of crystal-clean reflective materials. They dazzled against the overhead lamp, circuits like a maze.

Ryan inserted a two-pronged tool into the opening, pulling out the largest and heaviest piece inside, the energy cell. It slid out along the inner-rails with some resistance until the aluminum-alloy spring-loaded legs popped out of the shell. Slowly, carefully, he set it down on the table next to the tip.

With the battery out of the way, the security officer could more clearly see the control board inside the handle. He reached to the other side of the table, grabbing a tester and placing the two tips on different parts of the circuits along the board. Each time two spots were tested, a color and/or blinking pattern would show whether the two points were properly linked, solid green being the best result.

The firing switch was green. The power level increase switch was green. The decrease switch… was yellow. “Hmph,” Lieutenant Kade murmured to himself as he checked again. It was still yellow. “What happened to you, little buddy?” He held the handle closer to his face, angling it against the light to more clearly see the traces. On closer inspection, one of the traces had a charcoal-colored scratch just before the contact. He reached for another tool, a simple small brush, bringing it up to the exposed phaser handle opening. With a slow, practiced motion, he moved it along the trace over and over again.

The scratch wasn’t actually a scratch, and the brush had no trouble sweeping it away. The disrupting material fell apart like dust and fell right out as Ryan turned the handle upside down and tapped it against the table. Further inspection showed there was no more, and he tested the decrease switch again. Finally, it was green.

“Did you figure it out?” A voice called from across the brig.

“Yeah,” Ryan answered, “just needed cleaning. I’ll need to put it back together and test it, but you’ll have your weapon back in short order, Ensign.”

The weapon was pieced back together in a matter of moments, the final part, the tip, snapping back on with a satisfying clunky mechanical clack. With the parts fully sealed and all contacts fully aligned, the phaser automatically reactivated, the power level indicator screen blinking several times before going solid, revealing the default setting of stun. Ryan hit the power level increase switch several times. Each time it was pressed, the indicator went up one power rating. Next, he hit the decrease switch several more times. Each button press was accompanied by the expected decrease in indicated power level.

“So far, so good,” Ryan said aloud before raising his voice, “Computer, I’m test-firing my weapon,” a set of affirmative beeps replied. “Okay…”

Ryan Kade took aim at the test-fire dummy in the corner, applying pressure to the firing switch. Plasma discharge sang through the air, striking its’ target and confirming the full functionality of the weapon as the target dummy displayed a holographic hit indicator, floating in the air above its’ head.

“Perfect.”