I was 16 when I fell in love with a great beauty. Aye, she was. But let me backtrack a little, before I go on. I was only a small lad when I took an interest in engineering. I used to love to take apart and look at the insides of starships—just toy starships. I wasn't some kind of god-child like Trelane. Later on, I got to taking apart appliances—til my ma found out. Aye, she wasn't all that happy with me during that phase. But I'm happy to say that everything got back together right...unless you count the few minor improvements that I made. It was good practice for the jury-rigging that I had to do while I served on her—the Enterprise. I first saw her plans when I entered the Academy and the Introduction to Starship Engineering class. They gave us her plans as part of a class database for starship plans. From the blueprints, I made a hologram of her, just to see what she looked like. And she looked gorgeous. Her hull, her streamlined naceles, her engine room! What a marvel. That was the first time I saw her. I used to dream about her. But now, that dream has come true. It's graduation day.
Finally, the time has come. Time to leave 'Frisco and go to the stars. On a ship. The top of the line ship to be precise, the one that only best and the brightest cadets could serve on. Fortunately, I was one of these cadets. I didn't mind that I had to share a room with a Vulcan, or work Gamma shift for months on end. I was just glad to be a part of her. That Vulcan turned out to be one of my best friends. And Gamma shift turned out to be the funnest shift of all. It was all us ensigns, so we minded the engines and maybe played a game of cards or two. Until the chief engineer decided to do a middle of the night engine check. We still don't know the reason. But that aside, all of us Gamma shift engineers suddenly got split up into other shifts. I was one of the lucky ones. I drew the short straw that night, and I had to monitor the engines. I got off easy because I was the only one "working." It sure was a lucky thing that I drew the short straw, because I got assigned to Alpha shift. This cost me a few friends among the ensigns that remained on Gamma shift, but I gained many more because now my shift let me have some free time with other members of the crew. It was a wonder to be around the Alpha shift engineers. I learned so much from them, and eventually when one of them transferred, I forget his name, age does truly wreak the mind, I got promoted! It was a wondrous feeling, but unfortunately I the first shift that I was working once I was promoted, there was an explosion in one of the coolent pipes. And I was the superior officer on the shift. And thus doomed.
Not exactly doomed. Just domed for a verbal thrashing by the Chief Engineer. It was embarrassing, but I got through it, and nothing ever happened on one of my shifts again. That is, until I met him. James T. Kirk. Otherwise known as James I can't be bothered to wait for repairs to be done before I push the engines past their right limits and blow an fuse Kirk. Oh, I hated the man. He never listened to my opinion—even as I rose in rank to Chief Engineer. The man never had any respect for my engines, or his ship. All he cared about was his reputation and sleeping with every female he encountered. But I guess I have to thank him for my reputation as a miracle worker. After all, without that I'd be just another starship engineer. But now—I'm a legend.