Embarkation Endeavours

Posted on Thu Jul 16th, 2009 @ 10:16pm by Barin Tirad & Tyl'varas Shrive & Walter Jones

1,381 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Session One - Jailhouse Rock
Location: Docking Port

One corridor looked like another. They always did.

It'd been a while since he'd been in space, but it had all come back to him even as he'd boarded the last transport, away from the world he'd called home for two years. The twists and turns, the sterile environment, the too-clean smell of the reprocessed air...all of it a familiar reminder of a life he'd thought behind him. He'd been wrong, of course, but when in his life hadn't he?

The station wasn't the standardized facility he'd been used to back then. It was older, dirtier, and a few shades darker, a fitting place for less politically-aligned ships to seek port and conduct business. Undoubtedly, the occasional Starfleet ship would call upon the port, but it was here that the neutral traders, shippers, and rogues of all fashions reigned, largely given a free hand by the station's operators. Federation law was, of course, "strictly enforced" by the local constabulary...if it was convenient.

In other words, it was an ideal place for those who'd been out of circulation for some time to seek work away from the Federation-operated vessels. Someone like him.

He'd arrived two days ago, aboard a Bajoran freighter from Hothar II. What little latinum he'd possessed, he'd managed to keep, rather paying for his passage through labouring upon the ship's sensor array and propulsion systems. It'd be the hard way to make his way to a neutral port, but it'd saved him a reasonable fee and kept his purse largely intact. Which, as anyone as such a place as this could attest, was a wise decision.

He'd expected his search for a new billet to take some time. No matter what knowledge he had, what experience he'd gained, he lacked the credentials to back it up. Cardassians, after all, didn't publicly document the expertise of those attempting to kill them, nor had the Federation certified him as full-rated engineer. And so, the first three ships he'd called upon had declined his assistance.

His current vessel, he hoped, might find more use for a qualified technician The ship itself, a Cardassian-built Groumal-class freighter, was of a variety he was intimately familiar with and former Starfleet engineers were generally welcomed. Generally.

So, as he stepped up to the docking port, he permitted him a slightly greater hope than with his previous prospects. Reaching up to the control panel beside the hatch itself, he tapped the announcement command.

In an irritated voice came a simple response. "State your business, otherwise clear off."

Barin squinted a bit at the panel and the individual who had spoken through it. It was not uncommon for job petitioners to be greeted less than cordially - indeed, it seemed to be a time-honoured tradition within the fleet of independent operators. Yet, something in this voice seemed even less friendly than most.

"My name is Barin," he replied slowly, with the tone of an individual used to handling such affairs. "I'm here because you're looking for an engineer."

The voice on the comm let out a sigh, then stated, "On our way."

About a minute later, the hatchway opened, and gave way to two individuals. An older looking human, and an Andorian. The Andorian had his hand on a weapon, what looked to be a disruptor, and said "My name is Shrive, I'm the XO on this ship. You said that you were here regarding an open position. So enlighten me. What brings you to this ship?"

Barin folded his arms as he considered the two men before answering. The Andorian appeared as most he'd met: average of height, broad-shouldered, with the same haircut as virtually all Andorian males. The man's racial tendency towards direct, no-nonsense attitudes was absolutely in full force with Shrive, but Barin sensed his disdainful attitude was more ingrained than one typically inherited.

The silent human beside him proved more of an enigma. To look at him, one might judge him to be considerably older than the Bajoran engineer. However, his eyes led Barin to consider the question of his age more carefully. The human's face was etched with lines and shadows, as in instant as to make Barin wonder if he'd truly seen it - that seemed to momentarily wash the years away.

"Hopefully," Barin began, his tone cautiously neutral, "a berthing and billet on your ship. The talk around the station is that you're looking for an engineer familiar with Groumal-class propulsion plants and power generators. Or so the talk goes."

The Andorian looked him down, obviously not too amused. "Outstanding, you happen to know something about a Groumal ship. I'm sure you have a good reason as to why I want you on board? I've got other business to attend to, so you'd better not be wasting my time."

"Well, by the looks of things," Barin replied, glancing about them, "you don't have a lot of other takers. So, unless you have another capable engineer who also has years of experience with both Federation and Cardassian technology somewhere around, maybe you can drop the attitude."

In a mocking tone, Shrive retorted, "I see that I have offended your delicate feelings. Perhaps I should offer you a job immediately, and make way for your superior skills. Perhaps while I'm at it, I should just sho...."

"I paid for the last two cleanups.. I'm not paying for the third..." Jones looked over and Shrive and then looked at Barin. "I'm Walter Jones, Captain of this mess." Walter extended his hand to Barin. "I'm in need of another Mechanic to help my Engineer keep the old girl together. You said you've got some experience on this type of ship?"

"I've been around them once or twice," Barin replied rather cryptically. "I know that having experience with one of them doesn't necessarily qualify someone to operate all of them. Most think that all of the Groumal-class share a common internal layout and technical specs, but they varied from yard to yard and generation."

"For example," he continued, nodding in the direction of airlock behind the two men, "your Warden is definitely from an earlier run at about four or five different shipyards. I could tell that looking at her from the upper gallery before I came down here. Her reaction thrusters have a closer configuration than the later generations, and she looks to be using a Geelon Mark II propulsion plant based on her deuterium links to the station."

Barin pointed behind the two men, indicating the corridor beyond the airlock. "Of those yards, only one of them used a perpendicular corridor just inside the access port: the Dalnok IV Shipyards, and those only in the first run. All of the rest laid the corridor parallel to the ship's beam instead, so that it was easier to embark cargo with the anti-grav sleds."

Barin let his arm drop to his side once more, quirking an eyebrow at the two men. "That about accurate?"

Jones crossed his arms. "Impressive, sounds like you might have had too much experience on these old tubs. I can offer you room and board for now and we can figure out the pay in a bit and most importantly excitement." Walter smiled at Barin. "Ty, got any complaints?"

"Plenty, but they have nothing to do with this Bajoran. Let me know if he needs shot." Tyl'varas headed back towards the bridge.

Walter turned and watched as Tyl walked back in the ship "Once you get to know Tyl, he's one of the most loyal people you'll ever meet... well when he isn't threatening you with a phaser that is. I'd be happy to have you aboard as our engineer. Mr... I don't think I caught your name."

"Barin Tirad," the Bajoran replied simply. "I've a few things to gather, before I come aboard. Not much, just a few personal affects. I assume we're not getting underway in the next twenty minutes or so?"

"Not really, grab your stuff and we'll get you a bunk. Welcome aboard Mr. Tirad, hopefully you can keep the old girl together. I've got some stuff to take care of on the station. Go in and make yourself at home."

"Yes, sir," Barin acknowledged, choosing to wait until later to mention the Bajoran naming habits.

 

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