All work & no play makes for a dull day.

Posted on Tue Dec 7, 2021 @ 9:45pm by Fleet Captain Rhea Kennit

454 words; about a 2 minute read

Mission: We Will Take Care of You
Location: USS Victory

[Captain’s Ready Room]

For the last two weeks, the Victory had been securely berthed in docking bay 4 where swarms of worker bee units along with automated drones covered the ship like ants. The work on the shield systems was going well, and the update to their ablative armor was progressing despite the unfortunate resemblance to an infestation of insects which swarmed over the ship’s hull, slowly and precisely coating the ablative armor with an organic bio-resin which had been developed by the same research team responsible for the bio-neural gel-pack technology now used in starship computer systems. The organic resin bonded with the hull plating, and once cured was reportedly capable of repairing some damage as well as strengthening the armored hull plates providing an additional level of protection against damage and attack.

Rhea thought the whole thing was a steaming load of bio-organic bullshit. Someone somewhere was getting an impressive payday for it too.

The daily meetings to go over the progress on both upgrades did little to improve her opinion on the work being done. With at least another six weeks, possibly eight to go before the work would be completed the forecast for the immediate future was for more boring meetings, and engineers making excuses for why jobs were behind schedule. Some things never, ever changed.

The only potential upside of the ship being in space dock for the next several weeks for the updates to the shields and ablative armor was that it allowed time for new crew to come aboard. Along with the new Chief Medical Officer, they were also getting a new Chief Science Officer, and several junior officers also rotating aboard. The time in port allowed new personnel the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the ship and with the Victory’s onboard operational procedures. And, in so much as they were able it allowed the ship’s crew a little down time on the starbase. It was unfortunate that the DQ8 was too far from a star system with a habitable planet where they could enjoy a little fresh air and sunlight.

Rhea would have liked a little down time, on a nice beach maybe. Holodeck programs could simulate a warm tropical beach, but there was just nothing like the real thing. Earlier that day, a transport from the Alpha Quadrant had arrived at the starbase. The ship was reported to have brought a number of items for the shops located on the promenade deck. Time permitting, maybe after she finished up her duties here on the ship for the day she’d go over to the starbase for an hour or two. If nothing else, the change in scenery would be a good thing.

 

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