Editing Christopher Adams Interlude (section)

==== (USS Paladin - Deck 10, Ten-Forward - Ensign JG Christopher Adams - 1904) ====

The large double doors parted as Ensign Christopher Adams entered Ten-Forward. Several officers, crew, and civilians milled about, a few seated at the bar enjoying various kinds of synthehol. Glancing around he spotted Lieutenant Matrix seated near a window, the familiar streaked warp star pattern flying by outside. 

"Good to see you ensign, please have a seat." said Matrix as he sat down too.

"Thank you, sir," replied Adams, throwing the PADD he was carrying on the table and pulling out a seat.

Seeing that the chief engineer's guest had arrived, the waitress in their section approached the table. "Would you gentlemen like a drink? Will you be eating tonight?" questioned the waitress.

"Yes, I'll have another drink please and my usual for dinner." replied Matrix 

"I'll have a steak with a baked potato and green beans," stated Adams. "To drink, I'll have a root beer."

The waitress tapped the two officers' orders into the PADD she was carrying and then walked off towards the bar.

Matrix put down his PADD, "So how did the tour of the ship go this afternoon?" 

"It went well," responding Adams. "I settled into my quarters. I only took a few of my personal items with me. With the replicators, it's almost not necessary to carry much around anymore.

"I then had the computer map me a tour route," continued Adams showing his PADD to Lieutenant Matrix. "My tour started with the Botanical Gardens on the deck below my quarters, which was really nice. It's amazing that we produce so much of our fresh fruit and vegetables on board instead of replicating it. After that, I saw some of the Repair and Rebuild Facility on deck 59. I took a tour of Sick Bay and, finally, I saw the transporters and offices up here in the Bridge Module. I'm sure I only scratched the surface.
It was after all only a three hour tour."

Ensign Christopher Adams sat at a table with his commanding officer, Lieutenant Steven Matrix. Reflections of the stars streaking by as the Paladin headed as fast as it could to the Romulan Neutral Zone.

"Excellent idea to get the computer to map out a tour for you," complimented Matrix. "I'd never thought of that when I got aboard."

"Thanks," responded the ensign. "The Paladin is like a floating city. I knew if I didn't have help finding my way around I was going to get hopelessly lost."

As the young ensign relived his tour of the ship Matrix noted the waitress returning to their table with their food. Matrix wasn't all that hungry, but he thought he'd better eat anyway. He didn't want to appear rude.

The ensign took a bite and started again...

"So, tell me more about the crew. You warned me about the Captain, which is the only other senior officer I've met, present company excluded. What about the others?" Adams asked as he placed a piece of the steak into his mouth and started crewing.

Ensign Christopher Adams ate his dinner in Ten Forward while his commanding officer Lieutenant Steven Matrix talked about the other senior officers on the Paladin. "Don't take my advise as a warning, Ensign. The captain is one of the finest officers in the fleet. The advise was just to keep out of the way, especially on the bridge. If you've not been on a starship before the bridge is probably the most stressful place one could be. Extra people about won't help things when the plasma hits the launchers."

Adams chuckled at the chief engineer's last sentence, "Understood, sir. My first impression of the captain, wasn't the best. Right off the bat she asks me if I'm ready to kill fellow Starfleet officers. I understand it's a civil war, it wasn't easy getting here from the Academy, but come on. The first thing she says to me? Anyway, she seems very intense."

"The senior officers are the finest I've worked with also," Matrix continued. "The first officer is a driven, precise officer who expects the best from his subordinates. Just like the Captain does with her senior teams and the entire crew. My best advise is to always do your best, ask questions when you're unsure."

Sudden a voice came over the lieutenant's comm badge, =^=Ensign Cohen to Lieutenant Matrix.=^=

"Excuse me for a second, Mr. Adams. Go ahead Pete."

Ensign Adams continued eating his dinner and drinking his root beer while the chief engineer talked to one of the other officers. The steak wasn't too bad for replicated, but he was definitely going to have to get used to it. It's not like he's back on Earth anymore. A couple of weekends a month he used to use his transporter credits to beam from the Academy back to Houston and eat at his grandmother's house. Real steak beats this replicated stuff hands down anytime.

"Matrix out," said the chief engineer sitting back in his chair. "Sorry, Ensign. Pete Cohen is someone you should meet soon, he's the best programmer in the fleet and you'd do well to listen to any advise he has."

"Sounds good. I can't wait to meet him," replied Adams.

"The senior officers, oh yes," Matrix continued remembering where he was. "As I was saying, Captain Straton is simply one of the finest officers in the fleet. She's fair, but demanding of her crew. Our FO Lieutenant Commander Capps is equally respected, talented, never shies away from a fight and expects excellence from the crew. Our second officer Lt. Brownlee, is coming up through the ranks. His experience is growing, but the FO is keeping an eye on him. He's a good man, too."

"Nice," said Adams. "I can't wait to meet them all. What are my regular duties going to be as Assistant Chief Engineer? When do the duty shifts start? You mentioned 0900 this afternoon. Will we be assigned to the same shift?"

Ensign Adams and Lieutenant Matrix continued talking about what life on the Paladin was like.