The Woman in Engineering

Posted on Sun May 30th, 2021 @ 6:06am by Commander Grace Vetur & Lieutenant Haruna Mizuhara

1,320 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: The Lonesome Road
Location: Engineering

ON

Grace walked into engineering in search of Lieutenant Mizuhara. She'd been told the lieutenant was in main engineering, but there were a number of officers bustling around, so she paused to see if she could identify the woman.

"Welcome to Engineering Commander" a lieutenant said politetly as he approached her. "I guess you're looking for the chief?" he asked.

"You would be correct," Grace replied. "Where might I find her?"

The lieutenant smirked. "Well, to be frank Commander. She could literally be anywhere. Just shout for her, she'll most likely pop out of somewhere" he sighed. He looked around and raised his voice. "Chief, you have a visitor!" he shouted. The strange thing was that no one seemed to be bothered about him suddenly shouting in the middle of the engine room.

A hatch swung open at the end of the room. "Oh? I have?" a voice said confused as a upside down face appeared in the hatch. "Who is it?"

"The first officer," Grace replied. "I would appreciate talking to you outside of one of the access hatches."

Haruna looked up at Grace and then swung out of the hatch. She straightened up, her uniform covered in grease and dirt from the interior workings of the ship. She tucked a hyperspanner into the inside of her uniform somewhere. "So, what can this girl genius do for you..." she looked at the womans collar. "Lieutenant Commander?"

"Do you generally crawl through the Jefferies' Tubes?" Grace asked. Most of the access ways were clean, so Haruna had to be going off on her own.

"More or less" Haruna replied. "However, this is an old ship, its still got a lot of old fashioned moving parts" she explained. "Plus, I'm small enough to climb into spaces most people can't"

"Yes, but isn't it more a matter of should than could?" Grace asked. She wasn't an engineer, but in her experience, they generally stayed out of the access tunnels unless they had to repair something.

Haruna smirked. "Well, its either crawl inside or take the whole thing apart"

"How often do you need to repair something?" the first officer asked. She thought the starship should have been in good working order.

"Well, a ship as old as this always has something that needs fixing." Haruna smiled.

"Yes, but generally not right out of spacedock," Grace said.

"Not generally no" Haruna explained as she fidgeted slightly. "But, everything needs maintenance. This is an old ship, so she's still got a lot of things that need nursing" she told her.

"I understand that," Grace said. "So, is this a matter of the engineers at the starbase not doing their job...or you just wanting to poke around?" She suspected the latter. "I would expect it to need some minor tweaking as we go, but you infer that it's in need of a good deal of work."

"I'm a tinkerer. Nothing is ever perfect" she grinned.

Grace nodded. "Of that I have no doubt." She smiled. "As long as it doesn't negatively impact the functioning of the ship, you're welcome to it."

A grin spread across Harunas face. "Not to worry Commander. I'll have this ship all ship shape and in Bristol fashion. Especially since I'm its new resident girl genius" she added with a wink.

"Why does that worry me?" Grace asked, smiling to show that she wasn't completely serious. "Or should I say, now I understand why the rest of your department looks worried."

"So. Apart from saying Hi and such. You got anything for me to play with?" Haruna asked curiously. "Or was this just a whole 'meet the crew' kinda thing?" She asked.

"It's a whole meet the crew kinda thing," Grace said. "I have nothing yet, but I will definitely let you know when I do. I appreciate knowing you're the type to improvise when needed."

Harunas expression seemed to drop when the Commander said she had nothing for her to 'play' with. "Let me know OK. I've been told that I'm 'different' than most engineers. But I can assure you, the ships in safe hands along as this girl genius is aboard" she said using a thumb to point to herself.

"Different isn't a bad thing," Grace said, hoping to help the engineer feel better. "Look at me. I don't look like most people--at least those under the age of 60. We're all different in some way."

"You don't look different to me" Haruna commented looking the first officer up and down. She reached inside her uniform and produced the hyperspanner from before, followed by a an optional coupler. "I should probably check that power conduit" she said nodding to a side panel. "It doesn't sound right..."

"You can tell by how it sounds?" Gracae asked. She'd heard of engineers who could do that, but had yet to meet any.

Haruna nodded. "I have acute hearing. Plus I've spent my fair time amongst conduits" she grinned. "I should probably go align that, it might cause problems later and we don't want that!"

"No, we don't," Grace said. "Good you caught it early. Is there anything I can do to help you settle in?"

"I'm good but thanks" Haruna replied. "Actually, Lieutenant what's his name jeeps complaining that I'm too noisy in my quarters. Maybe do him a favour and move him elsewhere?" She asked curiously.

"Lieutenant what's-his-name?" Grace asked. "Can you be more specific? And what are you doing that is so noisy?" She had an idea, but she wanted more information.

Haruna shrugged. "I don't know his name. Just the dude next to me," Haruna explained. "And I'm not doing much, just a bit of tinkering here and there when I'm not on duty."

That said a lot about the woman. "Unless there's a problem, I suggest you don't do too much tinkering without the Captain's approval. Let him decide how much modifying he wants. I'm not in a position to approve or disapprove that." Grace had a feeling Haruna would tinker everywhere, if she could get away with it. "I also suggest you get to know the people in your department. I don't think Lieutenant What's-his-name is going to work well for everyone in engineering." The last was said with a bit of a smile to show she wasn't chastising the other officer.

Haruna simply smirked at the older woman. "Ok. But the guy next door, he's from Security. I know my engineers, or should I say. I will know them"

"I'm sure you will. Just remember, you don't need to prove yourself to anyone. Not even the security guy next door." Grace smiled. "Trying too hard to prove you know your job can often backfire. I have every confidence in your abilities."

Haruna stood still for a good few seconds as she assimilated the last comment of the executive officer. Her expression seemed to change, as if she was about to burst out into tears. "Thanks...." she looked away for a second. "I don't often get praise... it feels... nice..."

Grace put a hand on her shoulder and smiled. Unfortunately, she understood how Haruna felt. "Take time to relax and enjoy the journey. I'll let you get back to your duties."

"Uh huh" Haruna said with a nod, it was much like a misguided student being praised and encouraged by a teacher. "I'll go find that conduit..." out of her uniform she produced a wrench and a hyperspanner, however her uniform remained smooth and in shape. "Thanks Commander" she smiled as she trotted over to a maintenance hatch and opened it. "If you ever need me, just shout through the tubes"

"I generally prefer a combadge," the first officer replied, smiling again before leaving. Maybe, in time, she could help the young engineer relax. But somehow, she doubted it.

____
OFF

Lieutenant Commander Grace Vetur
Executive Officer
USS Ontario

Lieutenant Haruna Mizuhara
Chief Engineer
USS Ontario

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