A Fruitful Endeavour (Part I)

Posted on Sat Feb 11th, 2017 @ 9:42am by Captain Alistar McKeon

1,236 words; about a 6 minute read

Alistar stood in the observation room that overlooked the drydock slip that currently housed the Endeavour and watched silently as a few workbees drifted around the ship. In the brief time since they had arrived at the shipyards, he had visited his assigned guest quarters, eaten, showered and grabbed a very brief nap before returning to the shipyard area to keep an eye on his ship. If worse had come to worse, she was all he and his crew had left. He had already dismissed his crew with orders to take some time off and try to recover from the event that had stranded them here, wherever that may be. Hearing foot steps behind him, he sighed and turned to face whoever it was.

"Hi!" Billy Jo said cheerfully. "As you can see, we've already made a start on your ship. We're replicating parts so you'll be good as new before too long."

"I appreciate it," Alistar said with a nod of his head. Turning halfway back to the view port, he scanned the hull carefully. "I take it the changes to her design won't make it too difficult to conduct repairs? I know that shipyard commander at Utopia Planitia kept scratching his head at her layout when we had our refit done."

"Oh, pshaw," Billy Jo scoffed. "I made blueprints off your ship for the repairs. It works better that way -- especially as your ship isn't from our timeline. She sure is a beauty, though."

"She is. I'm proud of her, and her crew," Alistar said proudly. "Just once, though, I'd like for us to undertake a mission and not get battered around."

"Well, Sugar, if Typhon's anything to go by, it won't happen. She's been pulled more ways than taffy at a fair," Billy Jo said, shaking her head. "But that just means I'll always have something to do."

"I would advise not trying to take your ship before you settle the bill." Mabrade said as he walked up and offered a handshake. "Captain McKeon, I am Captain Mabrade, Commanding Officer of Star Base Taffy; I mean Typhon." Mabrade gave a wink to Billy Jo.

"Starbase Taffy?" Billy Jo asked, laughing at the idea. "Well, I guess it's better than what some folks call it." She turned to Alistar in a conspiratorial whisper. "Some folks used to call it Starbase Train wreck."

Alistar chuckled as he shook Mabrade's hand. "Well, I remember a stop we made on my first assignment back when I was just an ensign. It was this run down old station in orbit of a low tech colony. My captain called it Outpost Station Weirdo. Craziest bunch of tech phobias I've ever heard of. And before I forget, on behalf of my crew, I want to thank you both for your assistance."

"Honey, it's always a pleasure to work on a nice little ol' ship like this one," Billy Jo assured him.

A door swung open with a noticable bang which could easily make someone jump. A young woman rushed in, dressed in old 2260's style Engineering Uniform and was also wearing a yellow hard hat with a light on top. She was Japanese in origin and had light brown hair and hazel eyes.

"Time traveling ship!" she said as she ran over to the windows and peered out. "Wow, I haven't see that configuration of an Intrepid! I can't wait to get over there!" she said. She then turned around to face the others.

"Oh sorry" she said clapping her hands together. "I'm Lieutenant Commander Ritsu Tainaka. The Chief of Engineering for the fleet. The Hibiki has just pulled into the yards, when I saw this getting pulled in I knew I had to just come and see it for myself!"

"I'm Commander Billy Jo Rhodes," Billy Jo replied. "I'm in charge of the Athena Shipyeards here. As long as you have the clearance, I don't mind you stopping by for a look-see, but if you race around like a chicken with its head cut off, it's no wonder you need to wear a safety helmet. You should slow down, you might hurt somebody runnin' around like that."

"Oh" Ritsu said. "Oh, this is because I was doing some heavy engineering work on the Hibiki. I guess I forgot to take it off" Ritsu said nervously. "

Billy Jo smiled. "Well, Sugar, I guess you were too eager to get here to take it off." She turned to the others. "Oh, have you met Captain Mabrade of Starbase Typhon and Captain McKeon of the USS Endeavour? From what Raven figured, he's from twelve years in the past, but he's not from our timeline. She's talking to some people to see if we can get him back or not."

Alistar nodded a greeting towards the odd seeming engineer. Naturally, he supposed that an odd engineer wasn't anything new. There were no normal officers or crewmen on the Endeavour, and he had to wonder if that was why their assignments were always so interesting.

Ritsu nodded. "Nice to meet you" she greeted them. "I'm no scientist, the only science I do is how much engine grease my hair needs in a morning"

"Sugar, there's a hairdresser on the promenade you need to visit before you leave. Engine grease will ruin your hair," Billy Jo said.

Ritsu simply smiled. "You'd be surprised" she said giving her a nod. "So, do we have a schedule for the refit of this baby? I know that it would provide a good insight for the fleets Engineering department"

Billy Jo pulled out a PADD and handed it to Ritsu. It had the schedule of repairs, the supplies needed and the list of parts being replicated and when.

"Now, when you say refit, you do mean repairs and not moving bulkheads around, right?" Alistar asked with a somewhat concerned and worried tone. "I just got used to how they scrambled five of our decks around, and I still walk into the rec room when I'm looking for my quarters."

"I'm in charge, Captain," Billy Jo assured him. "There will be no nipping and tucking while I'm around. All I'm doin' is fixin' what broke, not moving anything around."

"That's a relief, and good news to hear," Alistar said.

"I would even give you a priority over the Saber work if that is needed?" Mabrade said with a grin. "Though I know Commander Rhodes here is very diligent and rather quick on her repairs she seems to love her babies while working but like a good aunty she likes to send them home rather than keeping them."

"However much priority you feel that we need, Captain. I'd say that would be the good Commander's call on if the yard dogs need to focus on Endeavour," Alistar said. He broke off as a yeoman approached.

"Captain McKeon? Captain Darius Cayne and Commander Raven Adams would like to speak to you on board the Arthurian. I'm to escort you there," the yeoman said.

"Captain, Commander, please excuse me. I'll be back shortly," Alistar said, giving both station officers a formal nod of farewell before he followed the yeoman.

"How long do you think he will be on our guest list Billy Jo?" Mabrade asked.

"A couple of months," Billy Jo replied. "It'll be done quicker than you can say Jack Robinson."

"Who is this Jack Robinson?" Mabrade asked.

To be continued

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