Refit

Posted on Tue Apr 4th, 2023 @ 11:06am by Commander Antonia 'Tony" Stoffels

Mission: Shoreleave
Location: USS Resolution

"Looks good, have Franklin and Dauber get to work on purging the antimatter manifold before the new warp core arrives." Robert said going over the check list Hamilton made for the refit. He handed the PADD to one of the engineers. Behind him the crew was working on the powered down warp core sealing off the plasma lines.

The last time Tony had seen Carver she had still been on the sick list, today she was in uniform and back on duty. As this was going to be major refit she wanted to keep an eye on things and know exactly how long this was going to take.

Coming into engineering she nodded at him. "Good to see you again, lieutenant. How is everything going?"

Robert was busy looking at readouts. "Backed up like
a constipated bull's ass." He replied looking up seeing Tony standing there. "Tony!" Robert quickly kicked himself. "Sorry I meant, Commander."

She suppressed a smile. "You are not afraid to speak your mind. I like that. And when there is nobody else around Tony is just fine. So how long is this going to take?" With the warp core out they were dead in the water.

Robert placed his hands on his hips. "New warp core should be here by tomorrow," He motioned to the new station being installed next to a hole in the floor where wielding is being done. "Starfleet selected the resolution to test out the Dynamic Plasma Turbodrive. At impulse this old girl will outrun pretty much anything just think of it like a nitro booster."

Tony whistled. "Nice. I am sure we will have a lot of fun testing that one out. So two or three days would be a fair estimate?"

Robert bursted out laughing. "Tony, I wish it be that long but there is a lot of overhauls that need to be done it will be a week at least." He sat down on a stool nearby. "Unless that civilian shuttle I saw leave dropped off the parts we need might be faster."

She ignored that. A week, somehow that did not sit well with her. She hadn't been able to shed this feeling since Ren and Sky left. The thought of having a ship that could not move for a week did not sit well good with her. "I guess it can't be done any faster?"

"Unless you and the Captain know how to get requisitions to put us ahead of the five other ships in line it will be a week plus the Turbodrive takes time to be properly put in." Robert replied with a sad tone he hated being a bearer of bad news.

"You just don't like us being helpless." Tony said. "It makes me nervous."

Robert sensed something was amiss. "Commander, a word please?" Pointing to his office next to Hamilton's.

"Uhm sure." Tony did not know why he wanted to speak in private but it must be important.

Once they went to his office and was alone Robert crossed his arms. "Commander, from this point on we are speaking freely as regular people not Starfleet officers,agreed?" He asked removing his jacket to his yellow undershirt. Waiting for her to do the same.

"Ehm sure." Tony said. She still had no clue what he was on about.

Robert calmly took a seat behind his desk interlocking his fingers and before glaring Tony in the eye. "I know we just got to meet each other but pardon my tone, Tony, but what the hell is with the rush suddenly?" He took a PADD and waved it between them. "This refit is really needed and both you and Carey requested it for months."

"Wow! And here I was afraid just a while ago that you were afraid of superior officers Robert." She smiled. "Look I will not rush you, you and your team do the job you have to do. It is personal. There are people out there hunting my family and I just don't like being a sitting duck. Or the idea of putting others in danger. It will be a while before I can shake that."

"Tony it's not having a fear of superior officers it trying to understand and accepting unusual relationships." Robert said placing his hands on his desk now. "Sky and I had talk about it it's sorted out. But now is your matter what is this about your family being hurt?"

"I know that now." Tony said. "And I am glad you talked to Sky, she is a lovely woman. It's a long story." She sighed. "And my recent illness... only a few people know this but I was being poisoned."

Robert's eyebrows raised up clearly shocked by the news. "Wait, who want to kill you? I know we just met I never thought of you as one that likes to be enemies."

"Sins of the fathers." Tony said. "My dad is a good man but he made enemies and so did my granddad. You have no idea who they are right?" Something she usually relished. There was a reason she was not a marine.

"Can't say I have no, and I came from a long line of military and law enforcement officers." Robert said leaning back in his chair.

"I come from a marine family. My dad is a four star general and my grandfather retired as the senior marine officer a few years ago."

"Hell, my great great grandfather was a general in MACO got into a bar brawl with Archer one time." Robert put his hands up. "Don't ask, and no neither one won Police broke up the fight."

"This is a bit bigger. My dad and his best friend admiral London got involved in a blood feud between two klingon houses years ago. The leader of the opposing house is crazy and wants to take revenge any way possible. He just had my grandmother killed and tried to kill my grandfather, and my uncles whole family." She was so sick and tired of this feud and living in fear since she was a child.

Robert pondered what she said before standing up. "Alright, so your family is not very popular I get it."He began to think in silence for a moment. "With Pegasus backed up I can't promise anything but a week. However, I got a ton of favors the guys at Utopia Plantia owe me."

Robert sat down and turned on the monitor at his desk. "If I get their help on getting what I need parts wise can you or the Captain get me a transport to bring them?" He asked odd as it was Robert liked Tony and he felt the need to help her out.

"I am sure I can." Tony brightened. "I really appreciate this, Robert. You hardly know me."

Robert merely shrugged. "Just helping a friend." He said before picking up a PADD. "I'll need more people as well." He handed the PADD to Tony. "If you get me that many I can have the ship ready in two days."

She whistled. "Consider it done."

Robert gave a approving nod. "Tony, I am sorry for snapping at you earlier just needed to know what was going on with you." He said softly.

"I understand. I try to stay strong so I do not tell the whole world what is going on with me. "

Robert stood up and grabbed his uniform jacket. "Don't worry your secret is safe with me," He put his jacket back on. "However, I haven't seen Chief Hamilton for a while is she okay"

"She is to my knowledge." Tony said. "I thought she had put you on this project?"

"She did but I this is her engine not mine even though she was asking why I don't run my own Engine Room."

"As long as you two work well together it is no concern of mine how you divide the work."

"Understood," Robert zipped up his jacket. "I'll keep you posted on our progress."

"Thank you.... for everything." Tony got ready to leave. "I will let you know as soon as I have everything arranged."

Robert gave her a nod. "Sounds good, and Tony, if you are being targeted don't hesitate to bring me in I'll be glad to offer my services."

"I will keep that in mind as well." She said in passing with a smile.

"Good now I got a refit to get back to."