Morale in Engineering

Posted on Wed Jun 1st, 2022 @ 2:58pm by Ensign 'John Smith' & Ensign Michael Sloan

Mission: Mission 6 - Memory
Location: Empty Engieering Lab, Deck C
Timeline: Day 297 17:00
1522 words - 3 OF Standard Post Measure

There were few things these days that could pull Michael from depths of Engineering, and one of those was a meeting with Ensign Smith. For some reason, Sloan was drawn to the Morale Officer. Maybe it was because the other man was able to bring hope to the crew so far from home or maybe it as the way that Smith completely accepted Michael for who he was, but Michael viewed John as a true friend. They had chosen an empty lab for this meeting, it would not do for the Engineering crew to be made aware of the morale boosting activity and ruin the surprise. Being the first to arrive, Michael grabbed a stool and began scrolling through his PaDD. There were a few alterations that the crew had made to squeeze out a bit more efficiency out of the warp core, and Michael wanted to check the weekly results.

John came in moments later looking confused at the location and the request but there neither-less. He looked around intrigued not having been on Deck C or inside a science lab yet. This was only the second time he had met Sloan properly so this would be interesting as the other time had been in a gym. “You wanted to see me, Ensign?” He greeted with a smile.

"Yes, thank you for coming," Michael stated as he stood to greet the Morale Officer. "I know this is an unusual place to meet, and I agree. I just wanted to meet with you regarding the moral of Engineering without potentially spoiling any plans with my crew," the Chief Engineer explained. The engineering crew had, this far, performed admirably. But, even the Romulan part of Michael knew that people could only stay at their best in such a hopeless situation for so long before cracks started appearing.

"Okay this is a very unusual place but I guess as you are fully aware I will go anywhere and everywhere for the crew," John said jumping up to sit on one of the benches and looked at the man. This was their first proper meeting and it was good to finally meet the person who seemed to have caused so much resentment and emotional responses in the crew. "So morale is low in engineering?"

“Not exactly low, per se,” Sloan admitted. “But, I get the sense that the daily grind is beginning to get to them. I worry that a crew that has no hope of ever going home can only go so far,” he admitted. Motioning to indicate the venue, the engineer stated, “I know this is an odd place to hold a meeting, but I didn’t want to discuss this in front of them.”

John nodded. It made sense to him that everyone was feeling down. It possibly be why the food was such high quality in these humans. The Vulcan and Andorian were not so easily as they were suspicious and not so easily swayed by him. “Have you had any thoughts?” He wondered.

“It would probably be pointless to have an office party or employee of the month,” Michael attempted to joke. Rubbing his forehead slightly where his forehead ridges would have been another life ago, he tried to think. “What gives a person a purpose, a reason to keep going, when they have nothing?” he asked. Starfleet did not staff any agents who would enforce state values, so this sort of question mattered.

“A common goal? Some type of project?” He wondered back. It would be logical for a long term goal to achieve something before moving onto the next goal. He had seen several people onboard use that as a way to cope with everything.

"Back on Earth, we'd just hot rod an old shuttlepod or have some kind of competition," Michael thought. Out here, they did not have the material or the time to waste on projects that had no real benefit to the job of getting their great-grandchildren home. "I'm not so sure that kind of project would be feasible here," the engineer admitted. "Maybe some other kind of competition?" he asked.

"What about the... still." He said. "Your engineer with the strange accent... Mc... McManus." It came to him after a moment. He was meant to know these people. Was meant to have been among them for nearly a year. "I have heard about a still that creates Alcohol being created by him and the Marines. Maybe they could use that as a competition. A crew like this could use that or something to assist with making stuff for the future. Design an education program, something for the next generation. Children give hope." He had been alone for a very long time, children never occurred to him but maybe it had to these people.

For moment, Michael thought it strange that the morale officer had trouble remembering the names of the crew. With a crew compliment of less than 80, a person with a job like his should know. But then, they were all under a tremendous amount of stress and there were many complaints about trouble sleeping from all over. "Do you mean some kind of moonshine taste competition? Or maybe a barbecue?" Michael asked as he thought about the possibilities.

"A barbecue could be easily achieved though... less likely to have long term effects. But whatever you think fits," John said putting it back on him. "You know your crew best? Don't you?" He asked with a more pointed voice. This was hard for the man, he wanted something that he could not overly provide.

“I’m still new at Engineering,” Michael reminded the other man. “If I were back in the Armory, a barbecue mixed with shooting at something would have settled the crew and made a fantastic bonding experience. Engineers are different,” he tried to joke.

“I gather that they are. But it has been months now? How are you feeling about the difference in mentalities between the departments?” John said something coming to him as he thought about what he was meant to be doing here.

The question was a little odd. "Engineers in all cultures are a little different, though I suppose that's true in everyone but Klingons," he joked. "You've had to have been around enough people to know the stereotypes by now, right?" He asked, half making a point and the other half genuinely curious based on the questions.

"Not overly. Would be wrong of me to stereotype people." John countered quickly. He wondered what a Klingon was for a moment and would check them out on the computer system as soon as he could. "You really should maybe get your crew on their own and see past stereotypes." John added turning it back on the man with a kind smile.

Stifling a chuckle, Michael wondered why he never saw how funny John could be before now. Thinking for a moment, Michael replied, "I think you're right. We need a night where we can get to know each other and let our hair down so to speak. I think a barbecue would do nicely. Informal and let's everyone get past what they think they know about each other." Nodding, Michael added, "Thanks, you really helped."

John just smiled at the man and nodded. “I try.” He said simply as he watched the man intently. “How are you?” He wondered finally. “I have been hearing rumours about you? They can not be nice to deal with.”

“What kind of rumors?” Michael asked, his mind quickly falling in the Romulan penchant to be paranoid. Dialing it back a little, he followed it with, “I’m as good as can be, given my brain was recently scrambled.”

“Just about Romulans.” The man said simply deciding his best route was to stir things just a little to keep the man on his toes. He plastered a smile over his face. “From no one in engineering. You are doing a good job there only hearing good things there.”

Smiling a little, Sloan immediately thought about Gerhard. Perhaps he did live up to his threat of investigating every corner of the ship. "Well, probably nothing that I haven't heard already," Sloan countered. It had been ingrained in him to never let it show if things like that bothered him, but this was just a reminder that he would never hit it. He was surrounded by those who would always think he was a traitor. In their positions, Sloan would probably be just as suspicious. It gave him something to consider once he returned to his quarters. Smiling himself, Michael said, "I think that covers it, I'll send you the dates for the barbecue. Come hungry."

“You seem to be taking all of this a lot better than I would be. Definitely the best person for engineering but I will come hungry.” The man nodded and smirked. His version of hungry was very much different than the crews but he would be there both versions of hungry. He looked around one more time before leaving the other man alone in the science lab.