RP Log: Chief Hauser's New Groove
| Roleplay Log | |
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| Participants: | |
Location(s):
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Stardate:
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| 2024-01-24 20:27 | |
- Chief Engineer's Office <USS Phoenix NCC-170100-A>
Knock from Out: The door chime sounds.
LePage knocks with 'Come in'.
Lieutenant Hauser arrives from Deck 28 - Port Corridor.
LePage is sitting behind his desk, for once not buried in piles of PADDs, instead only the odd couple over his desk. He looks up from his display terminal and smiles at Hauser. "Well then! Lieutenant Hauser, Junior no longer"
Hauser smiles. "Thanks for your note, sir. It was kind of you." She grins. "That came in while we were in the Alpha Quadrant."
"Off causing trouble presumably?" LePage asks. "Please, help yourself to the replicator"
Hauser grins, but then looks a little sad. "Unfortunately, had to take Kellen to stand trial." She gets a beer from the replicator and sits down across from you.
LePage's smile fades a tad and he nods. He triple taps his commbadge which unlocks a small compartment in his desk, from which he hauls up a bottle of whiskey. It appears to be apple flavored in particular. "Lots to celebrate and commisserate about. They didn't kill him, at least" LePage says, pouring himself a glass and leaving the bottle out.
Hauser thinks about it, then pours a shot's worth into her beer glass. "Boiler maker, isn't that?" She comments.
"A bastard's version of it, not nearly the right whiskey or beer" LePage chuckles. "But it'll do" he says taking a sip of his neat. "Anything else come of that trip?"
She thinks about it. "The brass discovered what I've been trying to say for a while. They like to run the quantum until auto shutdown from overheat. Finally the phaser capacitor blew it, and now they get the picture sir."
LePage just blinks at that and takes a long sip. "So they just... completely disregarded your safety recomendations?"
"Not on this trip. Maybe I wasn't agressive enough about it before, but isn't it just common sense? You don't run a drive until overheat alarms go off, cool it, and then do it again! That's begging for trouble, and I told them that if it ever blew, it would spread us out to the width of a hyperstring. Now I think they get it."
"You'll run into a lot of folks like that" LePage nods. "Folks that need to be reminded of what exactly the capabilities of the given equipment are. You've been at it a while huh, doing good with your current billet"
"Doing my best with it, sir," she says. "If you and the big boss are happy, then I'm good. Making o-3 was neat."
"Big boss is pretty damn happy" LePage nods. "Got a letter asking about bumping you up to Senior DamCon"
"Really?" She asks. "More paperwork?" But she grins.
"Mm, yeah" LePage nods. He takes a sip and sighs. "Had to tell him there's no way in hell I could" he says, leveling a look at Hauser.
"O?" She replies, sipping her beverage.
"Yeah..." LePage nods. "Figured you ought do better in a different position" he says, steepling his fingers. "And I figured I could use a deputy Chief I could trust to get work done"
She goes to say something, then blinks. "Did I hear that right, sir?"
"Might've" LePage grins. "I think they made me Senior DamCon for a bit but truth be told you're already doing everything I'm doing. And it's always wise to train your replacement" he says, taking a sip of his drink. "You gotta understand, unless you decide to change to command, you're now one grade away from the top for us. In Engineering, either you have it or you don't and I'm confident in saying you've got a pretty good head on your shoulders. It's a lot more work and the scope is just about infinite. Sound alright?"
Hauser nods. "It sure does, sir." She stands, comes around the desk as she drains her glass, and hugs you.
LePage stiffens up, just a tad, before relaxing. "You know, I'm glad you're doing well. Both for your... family history and for recent events" he says, rather frankly. "You had a crappy hand delt to you and decided to push through. I didn't want you thinking that I hadn't noticed nor that you were undeserving of the kinds of things you get for all that work"
Hauser sits back down. "I really appreciate it, boss. Some academy counselors told me that promos and such might be slow if anyone ... resented me based on what my dad did. And it turns out someone tried to murder me," she adds dryly. "But you know, my father ... he was a brilliant engineer. In his time, he was astounding as a builder and designer. I know he went crazy ... went off his gord and went nuts and did horrible things ... but when he was an engineer, he was a great one. I hope I can be that good."
"You and I both share the fact that neither of us would be sitting in this room if it weren't for your father" LePage nods. "When I was his personal apprentice, there were moments... Moments when I would see him come alive. When we'd see some workorder just roll across, some of the most basic work possible at Utopia and he would just get up and start rolling. He never wanted to be out of practice for too long. Neither do I. It's.." LePage sighs and rolls a thought around in his head. "It's difficult to separate that man from who we'd end up... dealing with. I can only imagine more so for you"
Hauser nods. "I'll always love my father, and he meant the world to me. I can't explain what happened to him. I'm just sorry it did."
"You and I both... You and I both" LePage nods. "For all that though, I want to make sure that you've got the chance to make your own name, something which you've already done in spades. I don't care who your dad became, I care about the work you've produced. And the fine officer you've become"
Hauser nods. "I won't let you down, sir. Promise."
"I know you'll put your full effort into it" LePage nods. "So then... We haven't talked in a while, how have you been otherwise?"
Hauser relaxes in her chair. "I've been alright. I'm worried that we still have humanists aboard. They tried to kill Kellen. I don't know what security needs to be doing, but I'm worried that they're still here."
LePage's face darkens a bit as he peers into his glass. "It's... It's a failing on all of us. The senior staff. What happened, what was.. Allowed to happen to you. We should have been more vigilent. And they're still here" he grumbles.
"I don't think Commander T'Shaav was ever convinced they left. And now she's gone." She looks worried. "Can I speak freely, Boss?"
"Have I ever wanted you to do otherwise?" LePage replies
Hauser reddens a bit and says, after a beat, "I felt safer when she was here. I don't know if our security department can catch them, specially if they're within security. That's not fair to Commander Worthington, but it's how I feel about it."
"Commander T'Shaav certainly had her ruthless qualities" LePage nods. "And I understand your trepidation, the record is not good. They've been in our computer so many damn times now, I don't know what's happening"
Hauser nods. "I'll keep trying to help security. This is an all of us, sort of thing now. I mean, it always was."
"Indeed. The authorization for carry of weapons is... worrying however" LePage says. "Perhaps it's just me, and I can appreciate the need for self defense, but I'm worried we're going to tear one another apart with one wrong move"
"You gonna carry?" She asks.
LePage looks back to the revolver in it's framed case. "I'm of two minds on it. I.. I'm terrified to find you or another crewman threatened like that again, and I'd certainly like to do something about it. But I'd rather not be the spark that lights the keg" LePage turns back to Hauser. "What do you think?"
She considers. "I think if you carry a type 1, it's discrete. But I see your point," she notes.
"I'm better with that thing than a type 1" LePage chuckles. "Believe it or not"
Hauser nods. "I've been thinking about asking for a type 1. Just something cute and small."
LePage rolls his eyes. "They don't come in Pink, and I don't think they'd like the modification to the replication codes"
Hauser grins. "They have to know?" She teases.
"I don't know how they let me keep that thing" LePage nods. "So I suppose not"
Hauser nods. "What's next for you, Boss? You ever think about getting your line?"
"No" LePage says flatly. "No desire to. That'd take me away from doing this. Half the reason I'm comfortable making you a deputy is that unless they shoot me, you won't be chief of this boat for a minute. Or they move me to another ship" he shrugs. "I'd looked into it before but I just... No desire to, y'know?"
Hauser grins. "Don't worry. I won't come gunning for your job," she says. "But I hear you. Being an engineer is a lot of fun."
"I just have no taste for the politics of it all" LePage muses. "I know what I'm doing here, so I do what I know. Not to say as though you couldn't or shouldn't persue line training at some point"
"What do you mean, the politics?" She asks. "I'm just curious."
"Folks wanting bigger and better things" LePage replies. "Wanting to command their own ships or make big decisions... Then again, I've spent a long time avoiding all that so I could be rather uninformed"
"Then again, big decisions can equal big mistakes with big consequences," she says. "Some people should be careful what they wish for."
"Well I'm just as soon happy it often doesn't fall to me" Gordon nods before turning to his terminal. "Well let's make it official right quick, before I forget"
LePage thumbs at his terminal, updating the roster.
The LCARS panel beeps and displays 'Roster Updated'
Hauser smiles warmly. "Thank you sir. I mean that." THen the grin reemerges. "I forget, do I get an office somewhere now?"
"Oh how did I know you'd ask..." LePage says, standing up. "C'mon"
Hauser bounces to her feet and follows along.
The door leading to Out swooshes open.
- Deputy Chief Engineer's Office <USS Phoenix NCC-170100-A>
Hauser says, "O neat. Near the research and design labs!"
LePage gestures grandly about the room. "It's not much but it's better than nothing, certainly"
Hauser nods. "Somewhere to go to do all those rosters."
"It also comes with upgraded quarters" LePage adds
Hauser says, "O ... you know, I guess I hadn't thought about that."
"Just don't forget to notify operations and officially vacate your old ones, if you're moving" LePage says. "You know I never understood why we're quartered so far away from main engineering, but I guess our domain is all over the ship so we just get to be in the middle"
Hauser says, "Good point. I will have to make sure I stay on that."
"Well, go on, have a sit" LePage says, gesturing to the chair.
Hauser sits down in her chair and stretches. She grins. "Nice chair."
"Mmhmm, get used to it" LePage nods. "I mean, you will, considering I'm about to dump about thirty seven workorders on you" he says, making for the door. "Happy Engineering, Chief"
Hauser grins. "Just 37? Thanks, Boss!"
LePage rolls his eyes and steps out