Editing Christopher Adams Interlude (section)

==== (USS Paladin - Deck 51, Main Engineering - Ensign JG Christopher Adams - 1530) ====

Ensign Christopher Adams walked into Main Engineering. He was amazed at the size: nine decks, three warp cores. It would take forever just to walk around and explore this area. ~I bet you could fit some of the smaller Starfleet vessels inside the engineering section,~ Chris pondered. Chris had met with the Quartermaster and was assigned quarters on Deck 55. He didn't spend much time unpacking, just threw his duffel bag on his desk chair and headed straight away to Engineering.

Adams wandered around Engineering for a few minutes before discovering the Chief Engineer's office. He reached down to his sizeable belly and smoothed out his uniform before pressing the door chime.

Matrix was day dreaming when his office door chimed. Matrix sat up in his chair. "Enter." 

~This must be the young ensign.~ "Ah, you must be Ensign Adams?" said Matrix. He watched the young ensign, stiff as a board, stand at attention at the other side of his desk.

"Ensign Adams reporting for duty, sir."

Ensign Christopher Adams stood at attention in front of the desk of his new commanding officer, Lieutenant Steven Matrix.

"At ease Ensign, have a seat if it suits you," said Matrix standing up and walking around to the other side of his desk. Adams exhaled and felt a little more at ease, though still nervous about being aboard his first starship after graduating the Academy. Adams pulled up a seat while Matrix sat on the edge of his desk. Seeing the Ensign was still nervous, Matrix continued, "Really Ensign, relax. Glad to have you aboard. We are short handed here and glad to have the help."

Matrix smiled and returned to his chair while Adams responded, "Thank you, sir. I'm really glad to be here. I'm really excited to get started."

"Tell me a little about yourself, Ensign," Matrix questioned. "What are your specialties, what do you expect to do here?"

"Wow. Where to begin..." Adams said. "Well, I come from a long line of Starfleet. My great grandfather even served. I followed my father’s footsteps and became an engineer. While on Earth, I worked in the City of Houston Transporter Facility where I was one of the best and youngest techs on duty. That's where I discovered my talents for debugging power systems. Once in school, I explored different aspects of engineering: warp theory…transporter technology, but plasma power systems turned out to be my specialty. I'm really good at general starship maintenance because of my talent at figuring out why something isn't working and fixing it. Since this is my first post, the most I expect to do is learn. I had many team projects, but it's going to be nothing compared to working as a part of a starship crew. Especially an engineering crew the size needed to run a Meredith class starship."

"According to your file you're an Academy graduate," Matrix responded. "Excellent, but don't think that will get you extra points out here in the fleet. Many of the people you'll work with know more than those Academy instructors. This staff is the best engineering team in Starfleet. They all pull their weight and then some."

"Well, I have plenty of weight to pull," Adams responded with a smile referring to his oversized frame.

Matrix chuckled slightly, "Have you met any of the other engineering team yet or seen any of the ship?"

"No, sir."

"Well since this is your first day, I'd suggest you get acquainted with your quarters, take the day to see the ship, tour some of the departments. I would be happy to show you around a bit too…if you'd like," said Matrix.

"I would like that a lot, sir," Adams responded with a grin. "This place is huge. I'm constantly amazed at the size of this starship. Lead the way and I shall follow."

The ensign's enthusiasm was contagious and Matrix hoped it would rub off on the rest of the engineering crew. One thing they all needed was new energy aboard ship. 

"Well Mr. Adams I'll give you a brief tour of engineering." said Matrix as he and the young ensign left his office.

Ensign Christopher Adams followed closely behind his commanding officer, Lieutenant Steven Matrix, while he gave the new ensign a tour of the USS Paladin's engineering section. They boarded one of the open lifts on the far side of engineering and it rose up to one of the upper catwalks. Several engineering techs walked by nodding at the chief engineer as they passed.

"Main engineering spans nine decks, forty-three through fifty-one. We have three warp cores, the primary computer core, most of the weapon power generators, matter/antimatter storage, deflector generation, the works," Matrix explained as they passed by several transparent windows showing different areas of engineering. He turned back to the open area with the three pulsing warp cores. "It all starts and usually ends right here."

"Wow. Impressive," Adams gawked at the immenseness of it all. "Earlier I was thinking you could fit a small starship in here. Big ship. Big crew, I assume?"

"The Paladin has seventy decks, about 8600 crew, but we can accommodate over 15,000 personnel." Matrix continued as Adams gave a whistle and the amount of people that could fit on this starship. "We have fifteen standard transporters, seven combat, two medical and about forty-five cargo transporters. We can move people and equipment in a hurry. Our replication capacity is staggering too. Just about anything we need we can replicate, food, equipment, you name it."

Matrix and Adams continued their walk on the upper catwalk and boarded another open lift on the opposite side of the open area. "I heard that the Meredith class starship had the latest in regenerative shield technology, but what about the weapon systems? With a ship this large is it hard to get attacking ships targeted?" asked Adams glancing in the chief engineers direction as the lift started to descend.

"We have the firepower too," the chief engineer confirmed. "Around 200 photon torpedoes, around 400 quantum MkII's, and an array of phaser strips with rotating turrets in many locations. We can fire in any direction. The Paladin is fast for its size too. We can do warp eight for about thirty hours and warp nine in short durations." Matrix then leaned closer to Ensign Adams as they reach deck 51 once again and exited the lift, "…and we're working on improving that as well. Something I'll share with you in due time."

"All very impressive," Adams replied. "It sounds like a big job, but she's looks like a fine ship."

"Yes, it's a fine ship," Matrix confirmed. "You drew the best one in the fleet dare I say."

"It appears so," said Adams with a smile and looked up at the center warp core pulsing along.

The lieutenant followed Adams's gaze. "It all revolves around engineering Ensign. If we don't get it running and keep it running we're all in trouble…and the Captain demands perfection. So do I. Anything less could get people killed."

"Agreed, sir" confirmed Adams looking back in his CO's direction.

"Any questions so far ensign?" asked Matrix.

"Yes, but so many I don't know where to begin," Adams replied. "I always thought the best way to answer engineering questions is with actual work. After all how are you going to get experience without first breaking a few things?"

"Ah, that's what the holodeck is for." said Matrix.

Ensign Christopher Adams and Chief Engineer Lieutenant Steven Matrix walked along the base of engineering talking about the USS Paladin. The three warp cores pulsed in the background of the cavernous engineering deck of the Meredith class starship. Several engineering techs going about their regular duties, passed by the two officers.

"Listen to your fellow crew members," cautioned Matrix. "Work in teams when ever possible and follow the safety protocols. I'd also take note of what ever your enlisted crew tells you. These folks know their craft better than most, especially the master chief and petty officers."

"Understood, sir," agreed Adams. "Sometimes it's hard to remember the enlisted crew when I've just spent four years in school among my fellow officers. The best question I can think of right now is: when do I start?" A smile appeared on Adams's face.

Matrix stopped and then faced the ensign, "I think you've got the job, ensign. For now, take the rest of the day to get acquainted with the ship and your quarters. Call me if you get lost or have any questions. I'll be your guide until you get familiar with everything."

"Thank you, sir," Adams acknowledged.

"Oh, Ensign. One more thing," Matrix warned. "Stay off the bridge unless you're invited. The captain doesn't like the extra traffic up there…something no one told me when I came aboard for the first time. It's a good way to get noticed, but you might get volunteered for something you didn't bargain for. Like cleaning the windows from the outside." Adams noticed a smile creep up on his commanding officer's face.

Adams gave a nervous chuckle. From what he had read about Captain Straton, she seemed a bit of a hard ass. When the captain had confronted him about killing his fellow Starfleet officer, it had scared him to death. However, he had learned in the Academy that you should stand your ground when in those types of situations. He had every intention to heed the chief engineer's warning.

"Don't worry," Adams confirmed. "I'm planning on staying clear of the bridge."

"I need to get some work done before the shift change," Matrix continued. "If you'd like to join me for dinner, I'll be in Ten-Forward around 1900. If I see you great, if not report to engineering tomorrow at 0900. Dismissed."

"Thank you for the tour of engineering, sir," said Adams. "I'd love to meet you in Ten-Forward. Besides the Klingon Ensign I met on the runabout on the way here, I don't know a single person on board. I'll see you around 1900."

With that Adams left the chief engineer to his work and headed down the hall to the turbolift.