A Difference of Opinion

Posted on Sun May 26th, 2024 @ 3:42pm by Commander Kevin Lance & Lieutenant Tracey Walker Jr
Edited on on Sun May 26th, 2024 @ 3:59pm

Mission: Starbase 364
Location: USS Montana
Timeline: Current

{Main Engineering, Deck 2}

Kevin entered the engine room with crewman Rogar in tow. He hadn’t wanted to pair himself with the short, thick security officer but as he had insisted on all security and operations staff being recalled to deal with the infestation of Klingon engineers, he had little choice. At least he could make sure she didn’t get duped by a crafty Klingon.

Lieutenant Walker was in the middle of an argument with one of the Klingons over the installation of the cloaking device that the High Council had provide for Lady Rasmehlier’s protection. After receiving the surprise “gift”, the Chief Engineer had come up with an elegant solution for the device that minimized the heat output and drain on the ship’s power systems, albeit at a cost of reduced time in cloak. Kevin had been happy with the arrangement as he was certain that Mira would never order its use.

“That ain’t gonna happen, bub,” Trace stated definitively with his arms crossed.

“LADY Rasmehlier would insist that the cloaking device run at maximum effectiveness,” the Klingon shouted.

“And CAPTAIN Rodale ordered that this monstrosity not impact the ships other critical systems,” Trace countered.

Much as he would have liked to see Trace beat the living tar out of the other engineer, Kevin felt duty bound to intervene. Pasting an ingratiating smile on his face, Kevin addressed the two, “What seems to be the problem gentlemen?”

“This peta’Q has installed the cloaking in a manner that will prevent it from operating for longer than an hour!” the Klingon complained petulantly, “I intend to fix it.”

“Touch my ship and I will break your hands,” Trace threatened.

“Come now, Lieutenant,” Kevin addressed Trace in a friendly, soothing tone, “I am certain that it will not do us any harm to listen to what our colleague is proposing.”

Trace didn’t reply but stared at Kevin with a mix of incredulity and disgust. Kevin ignored him and turned to address the Klingon, “Now, good sir, what exactly do you intend to do?”

The Klingon gave Trace a combined growl and a sneer before turning and walking towards the cloaking device. Thinking that he had won the point with the ship’s Executive Officer he began explaining how the power conduits should be properly arranged and connected. When he leaned over a section of cabling, Kevin grabbed him by the dreadlocks and pulled the Klingon’s head back.

Kevin has been so reasonable that the Klingon was caught completely off-guard. The yanking on his hair left the engineer off balance and unable to resist the sudden change in momentum as Kevin slam his head into the cloaking device’s housing.

The Klingon’s vision nearly went black but he reached reflexively for his d’k tahg. Seeing the motion, Kevin pulled the head back and slammed it into the cloaking device again. The Klingon fumbled in grabbing the hilt of his dagger and was unable to resist Kevin slamming his head against the cloaking device a third time, leaving a smear of blood on the housing. It took two more attempts before the Klingon passed out and Kevin let him slump to the floor.

Trace looked down at the unconscious man with a mix of emotions - proud and surprised that the XO had taken his side but confused at the scale of the reaction. Violence hadn't been necessary so that left the Chief Engineer recognizing that there was more going on here than he was privy to.

"It's a miracle you didn't crack the housing," he said, deadpan.

The three other Klingon technicians had recovered from their surprise at the sudden and violent attack on their chief. They turned to Kevin with d’k tahgs drawn.

Trace had had to walk with a cane for the better part of three weeks while the muscles in his leg recovered from the ravages of the Gorn poison. In that time, though his mobility was limited, he'd managed to keep up with his duties, and develop some proficiency with using the cane as a weapon.

He remembered some of the lengthier sparring sessions with Geneva with some relish and it had surprised that it was one of her hidden talents. Her father, he learned, had been a champion swordsman.

As one of the Klingons moved in, Trace surprised everyone by bringing the cane up to a middle stance, then whipping out with it in a blurred motion to slam it into the wrist of one of the attackers. His d'k tahg clattered to the floor, and he screamed in rage and frustration, closing in on the Engineer.

Trace backed up, giving himself room to use the superior reach of the cane, then slammed it into the Klingon's temple as he rushed at him, sidestepping the linear motion with no small amount of elegance. The Klingon fell, unconscious, at his feet.

A Klingon female technician had charged Kevin, swinging her d’k tahg in wild arcs and releasing a blood-curdling battle cry. The attack put an unarmed Kevin on the defensive as he deftly dodged, ducked and sidestepped the swings and thrusts of his assailant. Still, she was able to get in a slice on his left arm that blood immediately began to flow from.

Ignoring the hot pain that began to radiate from his upper arm, he grabbed the female technician’s wrist and began twisting her arm backwards in hopes of disarming her. To the woman’s credit, she maintained her grip even as Kevin bent her arm at an impossible angle and even almost managed to bite him on the face before he was able to intervene with his free hand.

Surprisingly, Crewman Rogar was doing best of the three Star Fleet officers. She had armed herself with a hydrospanner and was parrying and riposting against the attacks of the much larger Klingon. He never even came close to scoring a hit on her while every one of her attacks stuck home.

The technician in Kevin’s grip finally released her dagger and it fell harmlessly to the deck. She tried to claw at his face with her free hand until Kevin was able to grab it. Thus restrained, the woman resorted to attempting to kick him.

Kevin pulled both of her arms across his chest spinning the technician around. Immediately, he began to drive her forward before she had a chance to regain her balance. Kevin slammed her against the bulkhead. Lucky, she dropped to the ground without requiring the repeated beating that the engineer had needed.

At the sound of a phaser powering up, Lance turned to see Walker holding his modified phase pistol. He must have had it stashed somewhere in Engineering for just such an occasion.

Rogar's proficient defense and attacks of opportunity had the one remaining conscious technician on the ground. Kevin moved over and took the hydrospanner from the security crewman. He vaguely remembered Mira saying that the young woman had taken down several of Grendaas' men on Paarth Elion Three. Clearly he needed to reevaluate the crewwoman.

"That's enough of that." Walker said quietly. "Now get out of my Engineering bay."

"Not until General Kharon's orders have been met!"

That damned Klingon honor is going to get him killed, Kevin thought.

Kevin put his boot on the Klingon's throat and pushed him back to the deck. "You can either walk out of here or get carried out," he stated flatly.

The Klingon technician let loose with a string of Klingonese that Kevin couldn't follow. In was probably very insulting, judging from the deepening frown on Lieutenant Walker's face. "So be it," was Kevin's only response before the swung the hydrospanner in a wide, overhead arc and brought it smashing down on the Klingon's knee. With the spanner's mass and velocity, then was little protection that the Klingon's reinforced leather pants could give him. There was a sickening crunch followed by a high-pitched scream.

Crewman Rogar didn't even blink. Yes, I need to reevaluate this one, Kevin thought as he handed the spanner back to her.

Kevin tapped his comm badge. "Medical, this is Lance. Send a team to the main engineering. There has been an accident."

:off

Lieutenant Commander Kevin Lance
Executive Officer
USS Chuck Norris

and

Lieutenant Tracey "Trace" Walker
Chief Engineer
USS Chuck Norris