Making A Good Impression

Posted on Sat Apr 5th, 2014 @ 11:54am by Lieutenant Commander Ciaran McIntyre & Captain Tim Williams & Lieutenant JG Cody Fredericks

Episode: Orphans
Location: Security Centre [Deck 6 - USS Highlander]

[ON]

"No, I see that." McIntyre continued as he proceeded to push three small holographic dots through a representation of the Highlander's eleventh deck. "But if you have the security team hold their positions here, rather than on either side of the ingress to Main Engineering, you create a more effective bottle-neck which stops us short of any particle blasts penetrating into the compartment."

The Ensign sighed. To the Ensign it was just a sigh but Mac took it as a personal affront. He wheeled round and glared at the young man. "What? You disagree?"

"No Sir. Starfleet regulations do lay down that security teams should take up defensive positions at the entrance to engineering though."

"And on your bog-standard Starfleet vessel they're totally right." He pointed to a fork which ran out from either side of the Engineering door. "On an Intrepid, it's different."

Cody Fredericks was nearby, overhearing the conversation. He turned.

"Ensign, you're not wrong, but try not to overthink this. The Lieutenant is well aware of the ship's layout, and both of us have plenty of experience in this sort of thing. Trust me; he wouldn't do anything to put the ship in danger. " Cody said, trying not to sound condescending. He didn't want to scare the kid; he might not ever think to make a suggestion again. But Lieutenant McIntyre was right. The tactic he was using would create a bottleneck that would effectively nullify any enemy attempt to take Main Engineering.

The Ensign nodded, clearly offended but not wanting to push.

"Not everything has to be done strictly by the book. Starfleet doctrine gives the Chief of Security broad discretion during an emergency. In this case, the Lieutenant is right. But don't ever be afraid to speak up. Just make sure you lose the attitude next time. " said Cody.

"Right, you're dismissed you lot." McIntyre waved the assembled group away. "Remember- there will be a drill later and anyone who isn't at their station within three minutes is going on report!"

He crossed the room to where his new Assistant stood. They had only met a few days earlier but had already started to develop a solid working relationship. "Report, huh." Mac snorted dismissively. "If that scares any of them, I'll be a monkey's uncle."

Cody chuckled. He liked this guy five minutes after they'd met.

"Let me handle the babysitting, LT. They're fresh out of the Academy; they're still full of the book knowledge. Not enough time yet for them to soak up any practical experience. They'll come around. If they don't, well, we get to knock them back into line. " he said.

"You know, Cody," he glanced at his new assistant with a wry grin, "I'd rather not know what you mean by knocking them into shape."

"That just means I single them out for extra training in the manly art of self defense. Most Starfleet ships have a fully functional gym and martial arts studio. I haul out the mats, and discipline them in a healthy, non administrative manner. And since most of them only have the standard Academy self defense training, they get a few extra 'lessons'. " said Cody.

"You mean you beat the living daylights out of them, right?"

Cody chuckled.

"Not the living daylights. Never enough to land them in sickbay. I'm not out to hurt. Just to educate. " he said finally.

McIntyre smiled. The line was a fine one. "What multitudinous forms of beatings do you administer anyway?"

"I have a Master's rating in Krav Maga, I boxed the Golden Gloves back home and made it to the semi finals. I also have ratings in Mok'Bara, and the Vulcan T'Kalor form. " said Cody.

"Sounds like a fair variety there." Tim's voice came from the door into the security centre, where he stood casually leaning against the frame. "Maybe we should start calling you Jackie," he said, curious as to whether either of them would get the twenty first century reference.

"Aye, Cody does all his own stunts." McIntyre made some vague connection to stunts but couldn't do much else. "Another one of your 'movie' references, Cap'n?"

"I think it was a reference to Jack Dempsey. One of the greats in the world of boxing. " said Cody.

"You're wrong on that one," Tim said, suddenly aware that he hadn't yet learnt this officer's name, and so leaving a gap where he would have likely used it. "It's Jackie Chan. Martial artist who did a couple of hundred films between the nineteen sixties and twenty fifties." He guessed by the 'all his own stunts' reference that Mac had known who he had referred to, as Chan was most famous for performing almost all of his own stunts right up until the twenty tens, when his age forced him to rely more on stunt artists. "I think he knew nine or ten different forms?"

"Impressive. " said Cody.

"I think he was pretty much scuppered after Rush Hour Six." Mac offered as he downloaded a report from his PADD to his console. "Not humanity's finest offering to Galactic culture."

"I'm afraid I didn't do so well in History of Television sir. " said Cody.

"Probably for the best." Mac replied. "People only took that class looking for an easy credit."

"And how did you do in that coaster class, Lieutenant? " Cody asked Mac, curious.

A wicked grin flashed across Lieutenant McIntyre's face. "Got an A."

Cody barely suppressed a laugh. He'd walked into that one.

"Touche'. " he said.

"Monty must have gone easy on you," Tim quipped. Monty Hammond hadn't wanted to let anyone have an easy pass on his favourite subject when Williams was in the Academy. Nevertheless, Tim had managed to attain the same score himself. "Anyway, I'll leave you to... whatever it is you were doing," the captain said, intending to continue with his wanderings about the ship.

Cody laughed, and looked at Mac.

"Well, sir, it would appear that the Captain has met me and found me worthy. " he said lightly.

"I should say so, Lieutenant." McIntyre remembered his first meeting with a former CO as a junior officer- he had spent six hours studying in advance. "Lucky he didn't ask you any Starfleet Procedures."

"Good thing for me he seemed a bit preoccupied. " said Cody.

[OFF]

Captain Tim Williams
Commanding Officer

Lieutenant Ciaran McIntyre
Chief of Security

Lieutenant (JG) Cody Fredericks
Assistant Chief of Security