Work Experience
Part One
By AnnaPhylactic
Disclaimer: Shock! Horror! I don't own Star Trek!
"Well, I hope this keeps everybody occupied. We've got five days of empty space to travel through, and I'd like it if we could make the most of our time."
"Is this absolutely necessary, Sir?" Malcolm asked, doubtfully.
"Lieutenant Reed may have a point, Captain," T'Pol enunciated clearly. "I do fail to see the logic in our assignments."
Archer sighed. "Well I'm sorry Sub-Commander; Lieutenant. You'll both just have to live with it. Star Fleet training doesn't begin and end at the academy. I need my crew to be prepared for every situation. We've had to take on each other's duties in the past - in an away mission or when we've been under attack. I want us to be ready next time. A little exchange of knowledge won't do any of you any harm. Now, you're all in pairs with someone of a different discipline; I want you to use the next few days to teach your partner all you can about your work and to learn about theirs. Any questions?"
"What happens if we run into another ship?" Travis asked.
"If you're needed back at your usual stations, then we'll postpone the exercise," Archer told him.
"Here's hopin' a Suliban ship materialises on the hull," muttered Trip.
"But I'm not expecting any problems," Archer said a little louder. "Anything else?"
No one spoke this time.
"Good. Then I'll wish you all luck. I'll be making reports on your progress for your files. And don't forget - this is meant to be fun!"
He got nothing from stony silences from that, so Archer smiled and left the bridge.
The remaining senior officers looked around at one another.
"Okay, whoever it was gave him this idea, own up now," Trip said dangerously.
The others looked away or shook their heads. Only Phlox looked around cheerfully.
"I don't know what everyone's so depressed about!" he smiled. "I think this job exchange is a wonderful opportunity to get to know one another better!"
"Well, no-one take this the wrong way, but I think I know you all well enough," Trip said.
Malcolm sniffed. "Me too."
"Now, now, Commander," Phlox admonished. "You should be grateful for the opportunity. Surely you don't get much of a chance to leave main engineering from day to day. Or you to leave the armoury alone, Lieutenant. This'll be practically a holiday!"
The others looked at each other.
"I've got one more shift to get the torpedoes in order before this… thing starts," Malcolm said. "Excuse me."
"I should probably check the UT," Hoshi said, making to follow Malcolm back onto the bridge. "Just to be sure."
"I need to programme the autopilot," Travis said disappearing.
T'Pol and Trip soon vanished as well, leaving the doctor alone. He picked up his data padd to read through his assignment once more.
"I think I'll quite enjoy learning to fly," he said, to no one in particular, as he turned to the turbo lift.
--------------------
"Here I am, Commander, reporting for duty," Hoshi announced herself, as enthusiastically as possible, as she entered main engineering.
"Hey, Hoshi," Trip greeted her. He followed her gaze as she stared uncertainly at the large blue warp core behind them. "Don't worry," he smiled. "We're not starting there today. In fact, we're not even stayin' in engineerin'."
"Oh?"
Trip thrust a pile of padds into her hands.
"Take these and follow me."
They walked together to the turbo lift.
"The Cap'n wants us to learn about each other's jobs, doesn't he? Well, the biggest part 'a bein' an engineer on a ship like this is fixin' stuff. The stuff you're carryin' are all systems malfunctions reported in the last twenty-four hours."
"This is just one day's worth?" Hoshi asked wide eyed.
Trip grinned. "Most of it won't take too long ter fix. Usually I'd send one of my crew to do it, but seein' as its yer first day an' all, I figured we'd go through it together."
"Well… thanks," Hoshi said.
Trip laughed. "You're welcome… Here we are," he spoke up as the turbo lift came to a halt. "Our first stop -, the armoury."
Trip led Hoshi into the room; two crew members were working in there. Hoshi dumped the padds on the nearest work surface and Trip picked up the top one.
"Hey, guys," he spoke to the crewmen. "You got problems with the targeting computer?"
"Yes, sir. There's some kind of power overload in the navigational systems," the first crewman said. "Every time we run a diagnostic, they go too far and overload. I can't understand it, they were working perfectly yesterday."
Trip watched as they demonstrated the problem. He nodded.
"Prob'ly a problem with ya console, rather than the navigational drivers 'emselves. I'll take a look at it for you. Hoshi?"
Hoshi came over as Trip opened his tool kit and started laying stuff out.
"Yank the lid off that console, wouldya?"
Hoshi sighed to herself.
--------------------
"Lieutenant."
"Sub-Commander."
"I assume you're here to begin your temporary assignment as scientific officer."
Malcolm nodded.
"It looks that way."
"I have prepared some work for you. I have been correlating data from the last twelve gas giants we encountered. I would appreciate it if you will assist me."
"Well I'll do my best," Malcolm admitted. "But I have to say, it's been a while since I did anything like this."
"This is not taxing work, Lieutenant," T'Pol said flatly. "I am merely trying to ascertain your level of competency with the equipment."
"Oh, I see," Malcolm said. "No pressure, then."
-------------------
"Doctor Phlox?" Travis called out. The sickbay appeared empty. "Doctor Phlox, are you here?"
"Ensign Mayweather!" Phlox appeared suddenly from behind a bio bed. "I trust you are here to begin your medical training."
"You could say that," Travis nodded, walking further into the room. "Ah, what were you doing exactly… on the floor?"
"I'm very glad you asked me that, Ensign, because as a matter of fact, you are just in time to begin lesson number one."
"I was afraid you'd say that," Travis said. "What do I have to do?"
"Well, nothing too complicated, Ensign, it's just that I seem to have lost my osmotic eel…"
-------------------
"Travis wasn't too happy when I left the sickbay," chuckled Archer over his dinner. "Phlox had him cleaning out all his animals."
"I'm sure Travis'll get his own back tomorrow," Trip grinned. "Has the doctor ever piloted anything before?"
"Not that I'm aware of," Archer smiled. "How about you T'Pol?" he asked, turning to his science officer. "How did you and Malcolm get on today?"
T'Pol put down the water she had been sipping.
"Adequately, Captain. Lieutenant Reed is an efficient officer and performed all the tasks I set for him satisfactorily."
"Well, I'm sure Malcolm'll be please ta hear that," Trip said, with a look at Archer.
"I hope you both remember that this is a technical exchange," Archer said encouragingly. "A chance to discuss problems and to learn from one another."
"I'll try to remember that, Captain," T'Pol answered.
Archer nodded, then turned to his chief engineer.
"How about you, Trip? How did Hoshi get on, down in engineering?"
"Oh fine, fine," Trip said quickly. "I think she could have a real talent for it."
"So that, er, fire, I heard about in the shuttle bay; that was just a rumour?"
Trip swallowed a mouthful.
"That was my fault, Cap'n, I didn't tell Hoshi what I was doin' and well… we put it out. There was no damage."
The captain hid a smile behind his napkin.
"I'm sure there wasn't," he said, recovering. "This should be an interesting couple of days," he smiled.
____________________________________________________________________________
To be continued. Please read/review!!