Insider Knowledge

Posted on Fri Jan 17th, 2025 @ 2:28am by Captain Andre Hunt & Lieutenant Commander Mattys Plaatjes

1,567 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Drydock
Location: Starbase One / USS Meridian

::ON::

Plaatjes sighed as he looked out the shuttle's viewport. Starbase One loomed overhead as the craft broke the bonds of Earth. It was quite an achievement that Starfleet had completed the facility so quickly following the War. The last time he had been in-system with the Agamemnon over a year ago she had barely been more than a skeleton. Clearly they were sending a message with her. The tall engineer envied the person who had been in charge of that crew of builders.

'Someday I'll get to build something like that, eh,' he said cheerfully in his thick Afrikaaner-accented English to the person sat next to him. She smiled in return, 'won't see me with a wrench, mate, I'll be in the center chair when you get around to building something like that. Blazing a name for myself. Name's Kate, Kate Allridge. You off to the Quasar too?'

Shaking his head, Plaatjes flashed a grin and said, 'unfortunately not, I doubt there'll be anybody as fun as you there. Meridian's my berth. Chief Engineer and a shiny new pip to boot for my troubles.' He chuckled, 'a two-year mission to deep space is just what I need. None of those patrols the Quasar will be up to.'

Allridge scoffed as the shuttle began maneuvers to enter Starbase One's many shuttlebays. 'Quasar's not doing those milk runs ya dolt. We're off to map some Beta Quadrant planets. Scuttlebutt is the Klingons have a grump on about the UFP. Never expected us to team up with the rest of em. We're gonna get in and plant some flags on colony worlds.'

Raising his eyebrows and nodding, he conceded the point. 'Allright, maybe you will be blazing along.' The shuttle settled to the deck with a thump more felt than heard through the hull. As the rest of the shuttle began debarking, Allridge got to her feet annd fetched her duffle from the overhead stowage. The gold-edged bag, along with her uniform put her in Command or Helm control, and Plaatjes briefly considered which. She's got the attitude of a pilot, he decided with a twinkle in his eye. She reached for the other bag in the compartment and dragged it out and down, watching the boxing gloves swing from their laces tied around one handle.

'Yours I take it, greasemonkey?' she asked with a slight playfully mocking tone to her voice. Hauling himself to his feet Plaatjes smiled and nodded as he took the Starfleet-issue duffle bag. 'All the essentials a guy needs when making his transfers.' He shuffled out of the space between the seats as Allridge began to make her way down the shuttle to the exit.

Towering over his slight travelling companion, both made their way across the squeaky-new deck, marvelling at the size.

'Not bad, eh?' he breathed as he glanced about. Allridge chuckled, 'impressive, but doesn't go anywhere.' She spotted a crewmate of hers from the Quasar and waved. 'This is me mate,' she declared as she began a beeline towards her comrades. 'Now scoot and find your berth. You'll have to tell me all about it in two years' time,' she half shouted as she turned her head to look back with a cheeky grin.

'But I don't even have your number!' Plaatjes called after her with an incredulous laugh.

'Eh, you're a clever bloke, you'll figure it out!' came the reply.

Shaking his head with disbelief, Plaatjes turned and went to look for the nearest deckhand for directions.

[* * *]

Standing outside the Meridian's Captain's Room, Plaatjes pressed the chime and called out, 'I'm looking for the Commanding Officer.'

Andre had spent the better part of the day getting settled back on the ship. The countdown was now picking up until their departure in two weeks. Still a number of openings in the senior staff positions. On his desk in front of him was a stack of PADDs with reports from all the Departments. The Captain was deep into looking over possible candidates to contact when he was suddenly interrupting by the chime. "Come on in," he called out.

Pressing the door controls, Plaatjes stepped through, stooping slightly to avoid the doorjam. 'Lieutenant-Commander Mattys Plaatjes. Chief Engineer reporting for duty, Captain.' He flashed a smile to hide his nervousness. First contacts of any sort were rarely his favourite. Outside of a bar, anyway.

"Lieutenant Commander please have a seat," Andre spoke as he gestured to the seat at the other side of his desk. "Would you like some lemonade?"

'American lemonade?' Plaatjes asked, brightening ever so slightly, 'yes please, Sir.' He took the proffered seat, feeling slightly too tall for the Starfleet-standard desk chairs as usual. The Engineer glanced about the office as he did so, noting that it was still rather bare of the Captain's personality.

He poured them both a glass and handed one over to Plaates. "Have you had a chance to get somewhat settled in yet or did you come directly here?"

'Not settled in yet. I spent some time back home on leave,' Plaatjes replied, 'it's been a couple of years since I was last on Earth, so I made the most of it. Stretched my land legs, you know?' He shrugged, 'once I got my orders I was on the first transport up to Starbase One.'

"Glad to hear you got a chance to catch up with family," Andre replied with a nod. "Spent some time with my own son. Do you have any children?"

'Not at the moment,' the engineer replied, smile tightening slightly. Not particularly something he wanted to think about at the moment. 'I imagine that it's quite a busy life when you're on leave with your boy.'

The Captain thought about his son who had spent quite a bit of time with when not on duty. "I've spent the majority of the last couple of years among the stars. When I get time off to actually take shore leave on Earth. I make it a point o catch up with Tyler. He wants to graduate early and attend the Academy. Before you know it, he'll be assigned on a starship and we'll probably will hardly see other."

Plaatjes nodded as he listened to the man. 'You've obviously set a good example for your son if he wants to follow in your footsteps.' He offered up a rueful smile as he added, 'I doubt that would make it easier, though, to be separated from him for so long.' The Engineer sighed softly. 'We've signed up for this duty, but it doesn't make it any easier to bear - not on our families either, eh?'

Straightening himself up and allowing a smile to appear on his face, Andre nodded. "No, it isn't. But it is what we indeed signed up for. "I'm assuming that you haven't had a chance to check out engineering yet?"

He shook his head in response. 'No, sir - have to admit I'm looking forward to the Meridian's Engineering deck after the Agamemnon's. Daedalus class ships are robust, but they're cramped, you know what I mean?' Plaatjes grinned, 'I won't feel like I'm taking up too much room on this ship.'

"The Meridian is the only ship I have ever served on," the Captain admitted. "Started off as an Ensign and moved up, until Starfleet gave me command of her."

'That must be a record - I thought Starfleet liked transferring us between postings so we don't get too comfortable,' Plaatjes replied, 'how'd you manage it? They must have asked you once or twice to head to another ship?'

"There were a few offers. But the same opportunities were here on Meridian regarding promotions. So, I decided to stay. Looking back on it the experience of being posted other places would have been helpful."

'Building a wider network is good sometimes - but having deep knowledge of your ship is also a benefit,' Plaatjes replied easily, 'you must know all of the Meridian's quirks by now.'

"Even after the refit two years ago," Andre admitted. "There are some quirks that still remain."

'Anything your Chief Engineer needs to know?' Plaatjes pressed, leaning in as he finished his drink. 'I'm hoping to keep Meridian together for a long while - any inside knowledge is a bonus, eh?'

"The Meridian kind of gives this slight purring sound when she hits warp six. It's easy to miss unless you listen for it and its brief, Used to hear it quite a bit as a helmsman."

Flashing a grin in return, Plaatjes figured that meant there wasn't much wrong with the ship herself. 'Might be something to do with the frame - if it was an issue, someone would have picked up on it by now.' He slapped his thigh, 'well, sir. I'll not detain you further if you're happy with myself, and hand you my papers and officially come aboard.'

"I'll let you get to it Commander," Hunt responded. "Also welcome to the Meridian."

::OFF::

Captain Andre Hunt
Commanding Officer
USS Meridian

Lieutenant-Commander Mattys Plaatjes
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Meridian



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