If it ain't broke
Posted on Sat Oct 25th, 2025 @ 3:48pm by Ensign Garath Of the House of Varal [Baas] & Ensign Willow Oakley & Lieutenant JG Adam Taggart
Edited on on Mon Oct 27th, 2025 @ 10:59am
1,471 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Below Decks
Location: Security
Timeline: MD 6 - 1300
Garath spun his bat'leth, passing it from one hand to another as he and Taggart circled each other. So far their match had gone well, but the Lieutenant seemed distracted. Keeping it in one hand he began swinging it on side of his body after another. Attacking swiftly, he brought his blade down hard but struck up quickly, ripping the blade from his opponent's hands.
"You are distracted sir, If you are with your troubles when battle comes...that's trouble for you." Picking up the other bat'leth and handing it back.
Adam frowned slightly, Garath was right, he was being sloppy and did have lack of concentration. "It’s our new Chief of security. He's just" he let out a huff. "Difficult. Not that there is anything wrong with his background being in the marines. He does have his own ideas as to how to run the Security Department. Just I don't agree with the way he approaches things." it was a bit difficult on how to articulate his frustrations about Rogers.
Being an Ensign, he had no involvement in the running of the department but had been present when the Captain had come to security and spoke to both Rogers and Taggart. No doubt some of the Lieutenant's troubles where coming from the fact that he had been passed over...at least that was the rumor. His father had told him not to put stoke in rumors, nor should he discount them either.
Having retrieved the bat'leth Garath handed it back. "I am sure when one is close to commanding their own department, there will always be differences in opinion. However, we are bound by duty and honor to follow the orders of our commanding officer. Are we not?"
"But not follow blindly either. I do have permission to speak up, and disagree with him, only out of earshot of the rest of the security team. We work as a team a united front but-perhaps I am disgruntled by his ways and stepping into where I hoped to carry on." Accepting the Bat’leth from Garath.
"Do you have an issue with him?" Adam asked as he swept the weapon back into its proper position.
"I would have thought he would have asked for volunteers for his response team, but he hand selected individuals based on what? I cannot answer that. DEFEND YOURSELF!"
Once again they clashed their blades clanged together repeatedly and Garath watched and waited. Deflecting Taggart's blade and swept his leg.
Willow walked in, holding her toolbox in one hand. She paused to look at the two men, then nodded. "Don't mind me," she said, making sure she kept a good distance between her and the combatants. She had a job to do and she wasn't going to let a little thing like combat keep her from doing it. "I'll just be over here."
Not allowing himself to be distracted he stepped up to Taggart offering him his hand. "I have to let you know the gin'tak for my House was the one to train me...he was also a 3 time bat'leth champion. If I may ask what has Rogers done?"
"It’s that team he's brought in." Taggart grunted out accepting Gareth's hand "And as for your gin'tak, he has taught you well. And as I had reported to the XO, he is wanting weapons that hasn't been spoken to the captain."
Rogers...Rogers...Rogers... Who was Rogers. Oh, yes. Now Willow remembered. She dropped her tools on the floor by the wall and opened he access panel to take a visual look before she pulled out her tricorder to scan. The computer said the problem was here, but not exactly which here. Everything looked good, but it sounded a little tinny--if you could describe conduits as tinny. Aluminumy? Electronically? Whatever it was, it sounded off. And there was an odd smell, too. She didn't know enough about this particular ship to know what it was supposed to smell like, but she didn't think over-boiled eggs was right. With a sigh, she began to scan.
Adam's eyes drifted towards where the woman was scanning for something, then he caught a whiff of a scent that was ghastly.
"What is that awful smell?" Adam called out.
Garath had smelled it immediately though not normal the smell was not unpleasant. Breathing deeply, his mouth began to water. "Makes me hungry..."
"Not me, it smells like a burnt boiled egg when being left on the stove top for too long. Well, it’s better than smelling a rotten egg. still though not an appetizing scent."
"It's a crossed power cable with a computer junction," Willow replied. "Not flatulence, overcooked eggs on the warp core, fried green bananas, or molting llamas. Although it could be burnt llama fur. Maybe. If burnt llama fur smelled like over-boiled eggs cooked by someone who had too many beans for lunch." She sighed and pulled out her decoupler and leaned in to fix the problem.
A moment later there was a zzzt fzst, then a pop. The lights flickered off and on, then everything went back to normal. "Got it." She pulled out her tricorder to scan the wiring. "Yep. Working now. I'll turn the air filtration system up to clear out the smell." She spoke as she put her tools back and headed over to the nearest computer console. "I just need to check to be sure everything is working on this end and I'll let you two get back to your...umm...who's got the biggest bat'leth contest."
Garath scoffed, had they not been up in the ring he would have stashed one of the technician's tools and let her squirm and wrack her brain trying to figure out where she had left her tool at. Glancing to Taggart raised a brow.
Taggart glanced over towards Gareth, then back over to Willow, he just wasn't certain at this point.
"Ensign what's your name?" Adam was curious, "And nope that wasn't what we were doing. Just my getting my butt handed to me. Part of him training me to be better for the next Bat'leth competition."
She raised an eyebrow. "Is it working? You can decide if it's getting your butt handed to you or getting better at fighting." She shook her head. It was probably both. "I'm Willow. Willow Oakley." She ran a quick diagnostic on the computer. "Uh oh."
Garath expressed narrowed slightly, "What?"
"What is the uh oh about?" Adam moving from the ring to put away the Bat'leth.
"I fixed the problem, but it looks like there was another problem that wasn't reflected in the diagnostics. So, when I fixed the primary circuit, a tertiary junction shorted out a power coupler and that caused a relay to fail and the power flicker--and removed all the security codes for both main security and the chief's office." She found where the new problem was and pulled out a recoupler. "I can fix this problem, but I can't restore the codes. The chief will have to do it himself." Willow didn't even know who the chief was, nor was she going to tell him what happened. She'd file a report with her supervisor who could file a report with someone in security who could inform the chief that the codes needed to be changed. That was way above her pay grade and she had no desire to deal with him. It only took her a minute to repair the second problem. Then she packed up her tools, gave a cheerful wave to the two men, and headed for the door, her green hair now a hot pink.
She paused just before exiting. "You may want to let the chief know he won't be able to get into his office until he resets his codes." With that, she hurried out the door.
Adam was nodding, but not following completely what Willow was saying. His attention was more caught up by her hair changing color from the green to the hot pink. He drew in a breath and turned to Garath. "Let’s go get something to eat. I'm feeling a bit hungry. I thank you for helping me to work out some frustrations. Next time we spar. I'll have more concentration." giving out a chuckle.
Jumping down off the sparring platform leaving the technician to her work. "Sounds good, I can teach you some forms and there I have a program I was given to help hone accuracy and precision."
"Thank you, Garath, I will need all the help I can have." Adam giving a chuckle, but it was the truth, he needed a bit of work.
END
Ensign Garath of the House of Varal
Security Officer
Ensign Willow Oakley
Transporter Specialist and Operations Officer
LTJG Adam Taggart
Assistant Chief Of Security
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