Back to Work

Month 16 Day 5

1404 Hours

Ivy Wilson

As she and Mac had been instructed by Mr Smythe, Ivy had allowed Lt Zolka to give kudos to the tech who had finished rebuilding the latest system, and Ivy clapped long and hard when the system was turned over to main power. Startled, she jumped when someone spoke behind her, although her name wasn't spoken loudly, "Wilson."

She whirled. "Mr Smythe! How's Mac?" Diflaxibrophine poisoning isn't something to take lightly. And his face is so... confused. If she were okay, I'd expect relief in his eyes, at least.

"What?" He seemed preoccupied. "Oh, uh, decontaminated. She'll be fine. Come to the office and brief me."

"Yes, sir. Of course." They walked toward the office, with Ivy feeling just as confused as Mr Smythe looked.

Zolka joined them halfway there. "Technician Yassir just finished the cooking system, Mr Smythe," Zolka stated, showing the paper in his hand.

"Hmm? Oh, good. Uh, give them a 15 minute break before tackling the next system." It was the standard 'reward' they'd been giving for finishing a system.

"Already done, sir. How is Lt MacDowell?"

"Fine!" he bit out, then took a breath and let it go. "Decontaminated and recovering." They stepped into the office. "Let's get this briefing done so Lt Wilson can go off-duty and get some sleep. By the way, where's Baker?"

"In the brig, sir," Zolka answered. "For disobeying an order and dereliction of duty."

"Good. Very good. I'll call Security in a few minutes and make sure everything's in order. I... don't know how long it will be before Colleen—Lt MacDowell—is released from med bay. Therefore, I have no... official... mouth to speak for me when I'm off duty. I'll continue to brief you shift supervisors, and be briefed by you, as I do with my own people, and I would appreciate it if you would continue to work closely with my people, particularly with Lt Wilson, here, who did a great deal of training of Col—Lt MacDowell, when she transferred to engineering. As long as we communicate openly, we'll make good progress. Under no circumstances are you to accept orders from Lt Baker, but I don't expect him to be released from the brig anytime soon. And speaking of him, do we have any idea what he was doing in the warp alcove?"

"Once the gas was evacuated, I took a look," Ivy answered. "Apparently, he got some new warp power relays from supply and had put them in place, preparatory to installing new crystals."

"Well, those will have to come back out. I don't want us mistakenly leaving them there when we get the old design relays fabricated. I obviously waited too long to repair the cracks in the pipes in that alcove. I'll tackle them this afternoon, if you can find me a welding buddy, Zolka."

"Ensign Griffin is the best welder on my shift," he answered. "I'll find someone to replace him on what he's doing."

"Good. Thank you. So the cooking system is finished. Anything else been finished since midnight?"

Ivy and Zolka spent several minutes enumerating what had been accomplished since midnight. Smythe, Ivy noted again, seemed preoccupied and occasionally had to ask for clarification, which was unlike him. The once or twice he mentioned his protégé, he hesitated before calling her 'Lt MacDowell'. That's different. Before, he unthinkingly called her Colleen, as if that's the only way he thinks of her, as a woman. What's changed?

They finished with a report that the north nacelle bulkheads were nearly repaired, the starboard nacelle had been stripped of damaged bulkheads, and the port nacelle was nearly stripped.

"Good," he stated when they finished. "Very good. Carry on, Mr Zolka. Wilson, you are relieved, but if I might have one moment of your time before you leave..."

"Yes, sir."

Zolka saluted, took a piece of paper from the 'unfinished' pile, and left. Smitty deftly closed the door and turned to face Ivy. "Lieutenant, I'd be truly beholden to you if you could answer a personal question for me."

What in space—? "If I know the answer."

"Who has Colleen been dating?" he asked. "I know I don't usually care for gossip, but that's what I'm asking for. Who has she been seeing, dating, sleeping with in the past... 2 months, or so?"

"Mac?" Is he joking? No, he's serious. What can he be thinking? Mac? Date? "She tried a couple dates back when she first came aboard. They didn't go very well."

"More recently than that," he insisted.

"Mr Smythe, the only one I've heard of her dating recently has been you." He blinked and then gazed at the floor. Not knowing what that meant, she went on. "Frankly, once you 2 got engaged, I can't imagine how she could have seen anybody else. Her days started with sleeping—which she had to do in her own bed, of course—then duty, then she spent her off-shift with you." She frowned, suddenly uncertain. "At least, everyone assumed you 2 were together during your off shift. Neither of you could be found. Except that one time when I... happened across the 2 of you."

He glanced at her hurriedly, his cheeks flushed. "I remember." His voice lowered into ruminations. "But she was already... So she can't be..." The office doorbell rang, bringing him out of his troubled thoughts. "Yes, well, it's a conundrum, and I'd appreciate if you just forget this conversation, Wilson. He opened the door. "Thank you for your input. I'll see you again at midnight."

"Of course, Mr Smythe," she agreed as she stepped out.

"Mr Smythe?" asked the ensign standing nearby. "Lt Zolka said I should report to you for a welding assignment."

Ivy walked out of engineering, intending to hit the mess hall for a meal before heading to bed. She thought about checking in on Mac in med bay, but decided to sleep first. Mac will still be soaking in that blue gunk. Probably sleeping, if she can. Let her recuperate some before I barge in. And what happened that suddenly has Smythe wondering if she's been seeing someone else?