OOC: Well, not that anyone is still following this thread but, I'm baaaaa-aaaaack...
Chapter 7
Captain's log, Stardate 54880.8: Despite the setbacks of extra time to get the impulse engines operational and a complete overhaul of the EPS grid, the Howard Hughes is about to pull out of spacedock on schedule. All necessary repairs and refits have been completed, leaving only tasks which do not require the ship be docked, mostly those of a cosmetic nature. I find myself anxious to get the ship under weigh and our shakedown cruise started, and the ship seems as anxious as I.
"Jack, Chief Engineer MacLeod reports that all tests on the new EPS grid are complete, and everything on the green. All other departments report ready for launch," Lopez reported.
"Thanks, Gen." Baker acknowledged, punching a button on the arm of his command chair, "Bridge to engineering."
"Engineerin'. MacLeod here," came back over the comm system.
"Good job, Mac. We stand ready to launch for shakedown cruise."
"I cannae take all th' credit, sair. For once in mah career, the yard dogs were more helpful than otherwise. Tell your friend over there at the Z15 station that he has good people, skipper," MacLeod returned.
"I'll be sure to let Erik know, Mac. Bridge out."
"Engineering out."
"Helm, bring up the running lights. All stations, secure for undocking and launch maneuvers. Comms, hail spacedock control and request permission to undock," Baker ordered, the commands coming rapidly, betraying his eagerness to get under weigh, but it was an eagerness clearly shared by all aboard. With two weeks spent frantically repairing and refitting their vessel, it was time for her to return to her home, open space between the stars.
"Captain, dock control stands ready to release umbilicals and docking clamps," the comms officer reported as Connor MacLeod exited the turbolift and stepped on to the bridge, moving quickly to the replacement for the console that had nearly exploded in his face a few days ago.
"Mac, switch over to internal power," Baker ordered, "Helm, thrusters to station keeping."
"Aye, Sair. Switching to internal power...switchover complete," MacLeod reported.
"Thrusters to station keeping, aye Sir," answered the helm officer.
"Comms, signal spacedock control, disconnect umbilicals and release docking clamps."
"Spacedock control acknowledges, Sir. Umbilicals and docking clamps releasing now," reported the communications officer.
"We are clear to leave spacedock, Skipper," the helmsman reported.
"Thrusters, ahead dead slow until we clear the dock, then go to one quarter impulse until we clear the depot," Baker commanded with a grin.
"Aye, aye, Skipper. Thrusters ahead dead slow. We will clear spacedock in 10 seconds, 9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...Clearing spacedock now, Sir. Going to one quarter impulse," the helmsman reported happily.
"Signal from the station commander's office, Captain," the comms officer interjected.
"On screen."
"If I didn't know better, Jack, I'd say you've been taking lessons from Captain Scott. By the book, this should have been a two month job and we both know it. Longer with the EPS grid disaster," Erik stated without preamble as he came up on the main viewer.
"Well, you and I both know that I did study his reports from his time on the Enterprise and Enterprise A extensively, Erik. If I didn't pick up on his time saving techniques from those, then I wouldn't deserve to be an engineer on a tramp freighter, much less refit and then command a Starfleet Corps of Engineers vessel," Jack grinned, and his old academy buddy Erik grinned right back.
"You got that right...I still envy you, Jack. You're sitting where I want to be, the center seat of a starship. She may be old, but she's all yours," Erik opined.
"You'll get your shot, Erik. They can't keep a guy like you piloting a desk forever. Clear ether, Viking."
Erik nodded, "Clear ether, Spanner, and happy landings. Depot Z15 out."
"Howard Hughes out."
"Captain, we are clear of the depot," the helmsman reported, then asked, "What course, Sir?"
"Set course for Starbase 23. Full impulse until we're 4 AU out. By then Mac here," Jack gestured toward the Chief Engineer at the Environmental/Engineering console, "should have his intermix calculations complete. At that time, I expect we'll proceed at warp 5 for our shakedown cruise."
"Aye, Aye, Skipper," the helm officer answered, "Course plotted and laid in."
"Engage," Baker ordered, and the ship began to sail out of the Qualor system at full impulse as Jack stood up and addressed his exec, "Gen, you have the bridge. I'm going to get some rack time, maybe catch up on some reports. Call me if anything interesting happens."
"Of course, Jack. I have the conn," Lopez answered warmly.
Baker stepped into the turbolift and ordered, "Deck 2," then stepped out almost immediately again as the lift reached the deck below the bridge. Making his way to his quarters, Jack went inside and flopped down on his bed with a relieved sigh. So far, so good, he thought to himself, Despite the hiccups, we're under weigh. The new carpets and other cosmetic refit issues should be done by the time we reach Starbase 23 and the minor things that don't require a spacedock should be completed a bit sooner than that. Relaxing, the engineer turned starship captain drifted off for a much needed nap. Though he had not shown it as much, he had spent almost as much extra time working on the ship as the chief engineer he had chewed out for trying to pull a triple shift.
Topic: When the Going Gets Tough... (Read 30700 times)