SIM:Ensign Ethan Brice - Fixing Stuff

This SIM shows Ethan's first encounter with the Starfleet Marines and how it fuels his perceptions of them later into his career. ((USS Hammond – Main Shuttlebay)) ::The initial debris had been cleared finally, and all that was left was the caution railings and forcefields surrounding the areas of high structural damage. The industrial replicators had been up and running for a few hours, churning out as much of the material they'd need to start rebuilding the doors, the interior and exterior hull, the corridor hull as well as majority of the flooring.:: ::Ethan accounted for each item as it passed through the replicator and was transported through to the Main Shuttlebay for the equipment and Engineers to start rebuilding the shuttlebay as best as they could. It'd be operational in two weeks, hopefully, and able to launch and take in the fighters once more. Thankfully, most of the Marine's didn't seem to mind that much.:: ::It wasn't long before Ethan was tapped on the shoulder by Hardy, one of the Engineers.:: Hardy: Crewman Hardy, sir. Giving an hourly report on progress. ::Ethan smiled.:: Brice: Yeah, mate. How's it going? ::The Crewman relaxed slightly.:: Hardy: We've cut through the main brackets on the door and are fitting the replacements now. It shouldn't take us more than a few hours to complete, if we can use the transporter to get the duranium inside the two hulls. ::Ethan nodded and stood up, folding his arms. He breathed a sigh and thought about it. It shouldn't be that hard to borrow the transporters for a few minutes, at least to get it finished.:: Brice: Yeah, we'll need them. Just give me a nod when you're finished so I can get them transferred to our control, okay? Hardy: ::nods:: Thank you, sir. ::The Crewman took off back to the doorframe and the team, which had surrounded it, taking off the metal brackets and dropping them onto the decking. Finally getting everything through to the Main Shuttlebay, Ethan continued working on the hull, getting it up to scratch with the specification codes. It wasn't difficult rebuilding the hull, they just needed to slot the materials together and insert the chemical material in between.:: ::The large sheets of tritanium fabric took four Engineers to carry to the inner hull. They constructed the corridor wall again, rebuilding it from the decking up. Each nut and bolt was replaced, the chemicals sealing together the tight bond that the type of hull was famous for. The Axis class Main Shuttlebay was finally being pieced back together, if it was a slow process.:: ::After the long haul of the eight-hour shift, it changed onto the Alpha shift. Ethan dismissed the graveyard shift from the shuttlebay to go get some sleep and sorted through some of the wreck himself, pinning and tagging some of the brackets and metal debris for recycle stages.:: ::He hadn't been alone for long when his comm. badge chirped to life.:: Taboo: =/\= Taboo to Engineering. =/\= ::Ethan let his hand slack on the isolator and tapped his comm. badge. He pulled one of the bolts out roughly as he answered the Commander's call.:: Brice: =/\= Aye, sir, repairs are coming along as expected. What can I do you for? =/\= Taboo: =/\= Ah good, we are going to be within range of the colony soon, the Captain has asked that we have the damaged FA150 ready for use, use what ever resources and man power you need to get the job done on time. =/\= Brice: =/\= I don't think that'll be an issue. Manpower might be though, sir. I've already got most of the Engineers working on repairing the shuttlebay down here, but I could spare a team to give the Marine's a hand up topside. =/\= Taboo: =/\= What ever it takes, I'll comedown and help out myself if you wish? =/\= Brice: ::smiles:: =/\= I think you'd do more damage then good, sir. The Marine's have a hard time letting the SF techs near them, they wouldn't do so well with a Science Officer. =/\= Taboo: ::laughing.:: =/\= Thank you, Taboo out. =/\= ::The comm. shut down, Ethan still smiling to himself. He looked up at one of the teams, standing by the bay door having a breather. He figured this was a better time then any to be sending them upstairs so he walked over and directed them into the Upper Shuttlebay, with strict instructions to contact him if anything did go wrong. Once the tired team had traipsed off to do their work, Ethan entered the control room and leaned against the console, taking a breather himself.:: Brice: ::to himself:: I'm one team short of a full Repair Crew. ::He rubbed the bridge of his nose for a moment, calming himself down then opened up the repair logs on the console. Everything but the big stuff had been completed in the eight-hour shift. Thankfully, the Engineering Staff on board were professionals... not the raggedy bunch of monkeys at the Academy who were scared of getting their hands dirty once in a while.:: ::Ethan heard the doors open and looked over his shoulder, just as the Alpha shift team arrived on site to take over the graveyard. Without the need for instruction, they snapped to work, taking out their tools and making a start on the heavy building work that needed to be done soon enough. Ethan took the access codes for one of the worker bees from the console onto a PADD and out into the Main Shuttlebay.:: ::He handed the PADD to one of the Crewmen who settled down into the Worker bee, powering it up and when the deck was clear, he flew it out of the shield to the outer hull to do repairs on that side. Finally things were starting to shape up.:: ((USS Hammond - Upper Shuttlebay)) ::The turbolift jilted to a halt, letting Ethan get off and walk inside the Upper Shuttlebay. Looking like a rather cramped Main, all the equipment the Marine's needed was scattered over the decking, the remains of the FA150, battered and decrepit being fussed over in one corner while in the other the Shuttles and other FA150's were having their check-ups for mission preparations.:: ::Confidence had been one of Ethan's major drawbacks when he'd been at the Academy. Very much unlike his present self, he thought as he walked over to the mauled FA150 and gave it the once over with his eyes. He stood there, watching the Crewman ducking in and out of the huge engine and crawling from underneath the beast to drop bolts and bits of scrap metal on to the recycle pile.:: ::Someone caught his attention as they walked over, grease cloth in hand wiping her hands on the stained rag. She flashed a smile at Ethan and stood next to him, looking at the Maul. She shook her head then cocked it to the side, possibly trying to get a better view at the bridge of the thing's battered nose.:: Bolton: She really took a beating, didn't she? ::Ethan nodded:: Brice: ::chuckles:: Flying through titanium blast doors will do that to a fighter. ::The woman turned to Ethan and smiled again. Ethan noticed she was wearing the Marine's working rig, not the Starfleet issue.:: Bolton: You here to inform us on how to do our jobs? ::Ethan folded his arms, feeling a little caught off guard.:: Brice: ::raises an eyebrow:: Do you need someone to do that? Bolton: ::chuckles:: No, thank you. We've got enough to be getting on with. ::pauses:: So, who are you and what're you here for? ::Ethan held out his hand, which the woman took when she wiped it on the rag again and shook it gracefully, with all the elegance to a woman but not he'd expected in a mechanic.:: Brice: Ensign Ethan Brice, Engineering Officer on the tin can. I'm just here to see if you're doing all right with it. Bolton: ::smiles:: Oh, we're doing fine, I'm sure. Aren't we boys? ::The murmur of 'yeah' from the Maul's inner workings brought a smile to the woman's face.:: Bolton: Just in case you were wondering, Melissa Bolton, Assistant Staff Sergeant and now the carer for this rust-bucket. ::Ethan nodded and looked at the Maul's beaten up hull, the dents in the fighter's exterior and the scratches, not to mention the scorch marks on the bearings... all the way to the tail. It wasn't surprising this thing had packed a wallop into the side of the ship, and it wasn't surprising that it'd left a hole on the exterior of Deck 10.:: Brice: ::turns to Melissa:: You think you could use another pair of hands? Bolton: ::smiles:: You just can't wait to get your hands on the thing, can you? Brice: ::smiles:: Really that obvious? ::Melissa shrugged, but shoved the oily rag into his hands, taking out the PADD from her back pocket and looking it over. Bolton: If you've got the time, the onboard computer AI system needs checking over. Brice: ::nods:: I've got the time if you've got the patience. ::Melissa rolled her eyes but nodded to the unoccupied cockpit.:: Bolton: We've just refit that so be careful in it, it's still pretty new. Brice: What does the computer need doing to it? Bolton: Optical chips realigning, that kinda thing. ::smiles:: Get yourself in the cockpit and find out. ::She took the rag from his hands again, smiling then walked underneath the Maul's raised nose and patted the metal before walking past to one of the Marine's lying underneath, his head firmly lodged under the belly of the Maul.:: ::Ethan looked at the Maul's cockpit and raised an eyebrow. Sighing to himself, he got a firm foot on the wing and on the metal step and hauled himself up, grasping onto the edge of the cockpit and lifting himself into the sealed compartment tucked inside the Maul's casing. He relaxed into the pilot's seat, rubbing his shoulders against the back of the chair and took a look at the computer.:: Brice: o0 This is more like it! 0o ::The computer was of AI control, a holographic interphase set into the onboard controls that the ship used to function. Each control was issued by the pilot's commands using the Optical and Isoliner chips used on board the Starships. The main interface was a holo- graphic representation of a woman, stood in the Marine's 'at ease' position, no more than a few inches tall on a disc the size of a coffee mug beside the throttle control stick.:: Brice: ::smiles:: Let's see what you've got in you then. ::He tapped some commands into console display, bringing up the Isoliner chip readings and the Optical readouts. The onboard computer had been installing itself automatically, adjusting to the newly inserted hardware and information into the database. It was all rather amazing, nothing like the ODN on the Independence but still an impressive piece of machinery.:: ::Melissa appeared at the side of the cockpit, balanced precariously on the wing of the fighter. She looked into the cockpit at the holo- graphic woman then back up at Ethan's astonished features.:: Brice: You know, this thing's amazing. Bolton: ::chuckles:: I know that, I've been working on them for at least 6 months. Nice to get an SF's point of view once in a while. ::Ethan brought up the readouts of the chips again and showed them to Melissa, pointing out what need to be shifted over and what could be left alone. Melissa seemed to understand and kept glancing down below her balanced feet, checking on the Marine beneath her. Once the chips had been isolated and rigged to do their job, some merged with others and the complete circuit for the Maul finally configured, Ethan jumped out of the cockpit and down onto the decking, his boots shuddering on the deck floor.:: ::Melissa jumped down after him, her oily rag still at hand. She held onto the side of the metal bracket as her feet his the floor but kept hold onto it as she looked at the Marine's pair of feet underneath the belly of the Maul still.:: Bolton: Weis? Weis, are you okay? ::There was no noise for a second, then a hefty snore coming from the Maul's underbelly. Ethan looked at Melissa, who put a hand over her mouth to stop from laughing. She walked to his showing boots and gave them a swift kick, making Weis jolt and pull them under, jerking slightly. A dull clunk was heard from outside then a yelping 'ouch'.:: ::In a few seconds, scrambling was heard then a man crawled out from under the Maul and straightened up in front of Ethan and Melissa, pulling into 'attention', knocking his boots together on the deck. His eyes were drooping and his posture was relaxed; anyone with half a brain cell could tell he'd been asleep.:: Weis: ::yawning:: Weis, Sarge. What's up? ::Melissa shook her head and handed him the rag.:: Bolton: At ease, you big lug. Sleeping again? ::Weis took the rag and wiped his hands on it, getting most of the grease off.:: Weis: Aye, Sarge. ::smirks:: I was kept awake last night, heavy snoring from my bedmate. ::Melissa swung her hand to hit him lightly on the shoulder.:: Bolton: ::smiles:: Flyboy. Have you finished up under there? Weis: ::nods:: Aye, nothing left to do. Think I'd fall asleep on the job, Sarge? Bolton: ::smiles:: Wouldn't put it past you. ::she turned back to Ethan:: There you go, Ensign. The Maul's ready for a fight again... Weis: ...Or she should be by the next shift, sir. ::he interrupted, shooting Melissa an apologetic glance:: ::Ethan nodded.:: Brice: So, by next shift she should be capable of a test flight? Bolton: ::nods:: Definitely. Repairs are complete, so a test flight would be in order. What do you say, Wiseguy? Weis: ::smiles:: I say it's a good idea. A few last minute checks and we're in business. ::Ethan rubbed his hands together and smiled.:: Brice: Fantastic. That means I've gotta be reporting in. Any chance of a drink sometime with you fair Marines? Bolton: ::raises an eyebrow:: Fair? ::smiles:: You've got a lot to learn about us Marines yet, Ensign. Weis: ::laughs:: Aye, mate. See you around. ::Taking his PADD from the side tool trolley, Ethan gave the pair a quick smile of thanks before taking off back to the turbolift and a well deserved cup of coffee. He pressed his comm. badge and thought of whom he should tell.:: TBC Ensign Ethan Brice Engineering Officer USS Independence