Meeting Ops

Posted on Tue Sep 3, 2019 @ 5:12am by Lieutenant JG Erich Hartmann & Lieutenant Alanna Wells

1,842 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Doors of Perception
Location: Operations
Timeline: MD11, afternoon

ON

Alanna wanted to meet the new Chief of Operations and say hello. So, when she had a few minutes, she headed down to Operations.

When she walked in, she paused to look around the room. In the time she'd been on DS5, she hadn't been to Ops. Then she looked around for the Chief.

She found him moving rapidly between ops officers and enlisted men, receiving reports, checking statuses. Some status brought a smile and a handshake, some a frown followed by orders given in a terse but amiable staccato.

She watched him and waited until he'd done talking to people, stepping in where he'd be sure to notice her.

Notice he did. Hartmann was sure even a blind man could see the lovely, blonde Lieutenant who stood before him. The German took great care to notice the lady’s beauty and figure without giving away he had done so, lest he be thought lecherous.

“Hello Leftenant.” Erich said, using formality as a shield until he got an unambiguous signal he could use first names with the female officer. “Welcome to Ops. How might I be of service?”

"Hi," Alanna said, smiling at the officer. "I'm Alanna Wells, the head of science, and I simply wanted to stop by and say hello."

“Well then, Al...” the German said warmly, the shortened nickname hanging in the air for a tick to ensure acceptability before continuing, “We have done so. Would you like to see anything within our small fiefdom or shall we retire to my office?”

"I will leave that to you," she said, not minding the nickname. "I've only been to Ops once."

“Well then come on.” The German said excitedly. He moved about at a rapid clip, showing off the various monitors scanning or collecting data on such minutiae as internal gravity, temperature, flight traffic, and life support. Hartmann gave brief descriptions of each as they passed, stopping just long enough for questions. Some crew members nodded politely to them or said a short greeting; others had hollow eyes and occasionally pinched their noses or rubbed at temples.

Alanna took it all in as she followed Erich, listening to his descriptions. She was happy to be working in science which had a very different energy.

“So, what’s your verdict?” The Teutonic Officer asked.

She grinned. "I like it, but I could never work here. I much prefer the chaos of science."

Erich’s eyebrow arched quizzically. “I thought science was all about careful control.”

"It is, but a lot of what we do takes time. We set up experiments, run tests, and then wait for the results. Or we monitor and assess ongoing work. We don't generally run around fixing things." She grinned. "Although we have been known to break them from time to time."

“Maybe I should see your place, and see how chaotic it gets.” Erich replied, quickly adding, “Science that is.”

"Sure. Some parts are more chaotic than others. The arboretum is experimenting with bio-luminescent molds and the theoretical physicists are theorizing. It can be an interesting conversation."

“What are they theorizing about?”

"Nothing and everything. From observation theory, wormhole theory, and string theory to theoretical mathematics and stellar phenomenon to which tea is best for which occasion."

“Do you have an opinion on the tea theorem?” Erich asked.

Alanna chuckled. "I prefer herb tea myself. Do you have a preference?"

Erich shrugged. “Not for me. More of a coffee man I fear.”

"It's fine. I'm definitely in the minority," she said. "What do you think of DS5 so far?"

Hartmann waved his hand around to indicate the whole of the station. “By far the largest post I’ve been at. How many people are aboard again?”

"About 110,000 people. About half run the station."

“By Scotty’s suspenders!” Erich said. The slang would have been old fashioned even 50 years ago. “This isn’t a station! It’s a bloody city!”

"It is. A giant floating metropolis run by Starfleet."

Hartmann tried to find a good segue way, but when nothing came to him, he simply waited a few beats, using as an excuse the view out the window to allow the next conversation to be birthed more naturally.

“What do you do for fun Alanna?”

"Fun? I've done a bit of exploring on Pangaea. The holodeck has some nice outdoor programs. I've gone camping once or twice." She shrugged. "Mostly I work and read in my quarters. What about you?"

Erich spread his hands apologetically. “I, too, am a man of books. I enjoy playing music, cards, chess, none of which I’m any good at. Um...history, sports. Typical, really.”

"Not typical at all," Alanna countered. "What history do you like? And what sort of books?"

“I’m an Earth history guy, mostly Napoleonic. As for books, I’m in love with alternate history, like what if the Federation lost the Battle of Wolf 359, etc.”

Alanna nodded. "I'm a little familiar with that time period, but I prefer pre-Columbian Central and South America. And real history over alternate, but I do like a good fantasy."

Hartmann started dramatically. “Pre-Columbia’s? You and I will have little to discuss, as I know little of it, say that it existed.”

"That's one of the reasons I went to University," she said. "I'm particularly fascinated by the Incan and Mayan cultures."

"Which one had the gods with the unpronounceable names again?" Erich asked.

"I think the Mexica are the most difficult, but all the peoples of that region had unusual names, at least to the Europeans of the time," she said. "You might be thinking of the Mexica, who founded Teotihuacan. One of their gods was Quetzalcoatl."

Hartmann tried pronouncing the name. It came out like he was gargling bits of sand.

"I know. It takes practice and familiarity. I find old German to be difficult to pronounce," she said.

Erich’s mouth twisted to look comically affronted. “That’s because all the holovids that feature it make it out to be harsh, guttural, like Klingon. The real language is much more lilting and soft. For example...”

The German spoke a few sentences in his native tongue. The consonants were indeed lighter than anticipated, the tone sounded romantic, as if quoting a poem.

"Nice. Not quite the same as the romance languages, though," she said. "I also find ancient Romulan and Vulcan to be quite beautiful."

Hartmann’s eyebrow twitched. “Oh so? Can you give an example please?”

She spoke a phrase in ancient Vulcan. "Both languages are similar as the language shift wasn't as great as today."

“But...what exactly did you say?” The Teutonic one said, more impatient than he would’ve liked.

MD09?

“But those who forget, often repeat.”, Erich retorted, trying his very limited Vulcan. So limited was it, that he literally said ‘If remember not, you, then do again many.’

She politely did not comment on his Vulcan. "Yes. What is the saying from back home... Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it, I believe. It is still true today. Too often we forget to look to the past. Then again, I've always found history fascinating."

Hartmann felt a growing chasm of silence, and groped within the fog of his mind for conversation topics.

“So what do you like to do around here? Or have any good scuttlebutt?”

"I like to read," she said. "Boring, I know. I occasionally go camping, but it's been so busy around here I haven't had much time for it." She shrugged. "I've gone dancing once or twice. There are some nice places on the promenade. And a couple you should avoid."

Hartmann started. “Illicit activity? On a Federation Station?”

Alanna sighed. "Yes. Commander Soran can't prove enough to get them in trouble, but most of us try to avoid them. It's the Raddon Corporation."

“I’ve heard of them,” Hartmann admitted, “But know little; I feel like if I asked the ‘net, I’d be asked some questions by station security.”

"They've managed to keep most of what they do so deeply buried the get away wih it. But I'm hoping they'll tip their hand sooner or later. Until then, just be careful and avoid them."

Erich’s eyebrows arched. “Darn. I was going to ask them to share some fish and chips.” His tone was as dry as a good martini.

Alanna laughed. "I haven't met any of the Raddons personally. Not sure if they like fish and chips." She shook her head. "There are thousands more people here I'd rather talk to."

“Like the good LT Haines?” Hartmann asked.

Alanna's eyes sparkled. "Well...yes."

“Sorry miss. Jason and I...well, friends I suppose, although admittedly an odd couple. He mentions you sometimes, so I presumed there was a history there that wasn’t altogether unpleasant for the two of you.” the Teutonic officer returned.

"It's okay." She was pleased Jason mentioned her. "We've been spending time together." She hoped it was more than that, but for now, she was content. She smiled. "I'm glad you two are friends."

He shrugged. “More like we are two guys who go seek out trouble sometimes.”

"That sounds like Jason." Alanna laughed. "Although it's more like trouble finds him."

Another shrug. “I try to keep him on the straight and narrow. The man likes to sometimes handle problems himself, leaving his friends out of it; it’s one of his few faults that I have found so far.”

She sighed. "I agree. I blame his father for teaching him that. Maybe between the two of us we can help him understand that it's usually better if you have someone at your side."

“And in front and back, and diagonally as well if one can manage. Above and below would be grand as well.” Erich said dryly.

"Yes." She laughed, appreciating his humor. "I'd put a bell on him, but I don't think it'll work very well. Honestly, I'm glad he has you for a friend. I worry about him."

It was Erich’s turn to sigh. “Is he in trouble?”

"He won't say, exactly, but there was some trouble at a fight club, or some such. He wasn't very specific about it. And there's his work." She wasn't going to say anything about that.

“I’m aware he is the Chief Spook here; I’ll inquire about this fight, see if I can convince him to let us help.”

"I'd appreciate it," she said. "Now, I've probably taken up too much of your valuable time. But it has been nice talking with you."

Erich half-Bowed. “You as well. Give Jason an open-mouth kiss for me when you see him.” The German teased.

"Not sure he'd appreciate it if I said it came from you," she quipped, "But I'll tell him you said hi."

Hartmann chuckled as he waved farewell.
____
OFF

Lieutenant JG Alanna Wells
Chief Science Officer
Deep Space Five

&

Lieutenant JG Erich Hartmann
Chief Operations Officer
Deep Space Five

 

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