Planning Brief

Month 16 Day 3

0904 Hours

Head Nurse Temple

As expected, Beth accompanied MacGregor to the planning briefing, and Mac walked in with Mr Smythe. Captain Burke sat at the head of the briefing table, with Medical on one side, and Engineering on the other. “I assume you’ve both had a chance to communicate with the St Elmo and get some details about what to expect.”

“Yes,” MacGregor answered.

“I’ve had the chance, but I’ve got blasted few details,” Smitty groused.

Captain Burke regarded Smitty’s sour expression, and turned to MacGregor. “What have you learned, Drake?”

“Most of the injured are suffering from burns and cuts from flying debris, including shards from the warp crystals.”

“They have a name,” Smitty pointed out.

“Which I can’t pronounce,” Drake returned evenly. “You hardly ever refer to them as anything but ‘crystals’, which everybody understands, so why make a point of it?”

“Sorry,” Smitty returned testily.” I’ve had 3 conversations with the Elmo’s engineering team, and each has netted me less information than the last. But I’ll get to that when it’s my turn.”

Drake continued. “Their chief engineer is in the worst shape, with some severe burns and a plethora of shard cuts. They’re still removing shards from him as they find them. Apparently, he was at the center of the problem as it happened, or pushed himself to the center, as it seems he was the one who shut off the engines in mid-explosion.”

“Poor Stinky,” Smitty muttered to himself. “He’s never trusted crystals. Sorry, MacGregor, for interrupting. Please continue.”

“Well, they’ve got him sedated, and they’ve already used a healing ray on some of his worst injuries. Tricky business when you aren’t sure you’ve got all the crystal shards out. So he’s in bad shape, but they expect to have him stable by the time we get there. I thought I’d take Drs Davis and Fong and half a dozen nurses over, just to help with all the work that needs to be done, with so many injured. And Dr Fong can help with PTSD counseling. I’ll have a better idea exactly what’s needed as I get more reports.”

“Have you chosen your team?” Burke asked. “You, Drs Davis and Fong, and a half dozen nurses?”

“To a point. Temple, of course. She’s unflappable, and can snap an order with the best of them. We’ll select the rest as we get a feel for what skills are needed.”

Beth felt her face redden at Drake’s comment about snapping an order. When did I develop that skill? Not sure, but when something needs to be done, I want it done.

“Good,” Capt Burke stated. “Keep me apprised. Sounds like we’ll need to send a shuttle or two, so I’ll select a pilot for that. Now, Smitty, what have you learned?”

“Blasted little,” he answered. “Apparently, Benedicto has his own protégé, and a ripe one he picked, for sure. In the midst of this emergency, it’s his protégé who has taken command of engineering, rather than one of his shift supervisors.”

“Smitty,” Burke commented softly, “In similar circumstances, you’d expect your protégé to take charge, wouldn’t you?”

“Well, yes,” Smitty admitted, startling Mac, who turned pink. He gave the girl a sideways glance and added, “But with her so new to the position, I’d expect her to pay attention to the opinions and thoughts of the shift supervisors, at least. But this Lt Baker doesn’t care to hear the opinions of anybody else.”

“Baker,” Mac whispered, her face draining.

“It’s a common name,” Drake told her reassuringly, and Beth wondered what he knew that she didn’t.

“Yes,” Mac agreed softly. She sat a little straighter, her color better.

“This Lt Baker is the same Ensign Baker I refused to add to my team a few years back. And his attitude hasn’t improved. He had the gall to tell me that he had repairs well in hand, and he wouldn’t need my help!”

“I like a confident engineer,” Burke stated. “But that's not the way it works. Did he say what had caused the problem?”

“No! He’s not concerned with that! All he’s doing is making repairs! He’s not making any effort to piece together what happened, or keep any evidence of the circumstances, or anything!”

The captain frowned. “That’s not right.”

“Yes, and it doubles my workload when we get there. Or more. Of all the idiotic—”

“Capt Valentine has accepted our assistance. You may have to pull rank, Smitty.”

“Oh, I plan to have words with him, as soon as we get there! Or second thing, for I’d like to look in on my friend first.”

“He probably won’t be awake,” Drake stated.

“Maybe not, but he’ll know I’m there,” Smitty said confidently. “And that will put his mind at ease. We were study mates at the Academy.”

“It probably would make him feel better,” Drake agreed.

“So, you don’t know what you’ll be walking into,” the captain surmised.

“A blasted mess is what I’ll be walking into,” Smitty stated. “Evidence discarded, possibly destroyed.” He turned to face Mac. “You’ve got 2 hours after this meeting to make yourself familiar with the Fleet rules regarding assisting a fellow Fleet ship that’s issued an SOS. And the rules dealing with protégés and mentors, if you haven’t studied those yet.”

“Yes, sir,” she agreed.

“You haven’t gone over the protégé regulations with her yet?” Burke asked.

Smitty sighed. “She just seemed to fit into the role.”

“But if she’s going to speak with your authority—”

“Absolutely. That’s happening a little earlier than one could hope. I wish she had more experience, but I’m confident of her knowledge. So, yes, of course I’ll take her with me.” He turned in his seat to face her. “Who do you suggest we include in the work party?”

Surprised, Mac glanced around the table. “Um, Wilson and Jones.”

“You’re sure you want Jones?”

“He knows crystals.”

“He does,” Smitty agreed.

“Oh, and Oakhurst.”

“Oakhurst?” Burke asked. “A computer specialist?”

“To pull information from the computers as to what failed first, and so on. It might be useful.”

“Exactly,” Smitty agreed. “We’ll put a preliminary list together and send it to you by lunch.”

“Good,” Burke stated. “We’ll probably send 2 or more shuttles. In fact, in view of Baker’s behavior, I’m thinking of making the first shuttle mostly medical personnel, with only you, Smitty, and MacDowell from engineering. Let you get this Lt Baker on the right track.”

Smitty gave her a tight smile. “That suits me, captain.”

“Consider it decided. Keep me apprised of your plans as they shape up. Dismissed.”

As Mac stood up, she turned to her mentor. “Should I go to the library, then?”

“You could get to regulations from any computer, but the library will be quieter than engineering. So, yes, go.”

“Thank you, sir,” she answered, and left the room.

“How are you two getting along?” Burke asked Smitty.

He sighed. “On duty, she’s all business. Off duty, she’s… guardedly friendly.”

“Well, that’s better than it could be.”

“I suppose,” Smitty answered. “But she seems… anxious at times. Preoccupied.”

“How are her personal projects coming along? I expected something to be published by now.”

“I've encouraged her to publish her dictionary, but she says it's not ready. She’s working on measurements.”

“She can publish updates later.”

“She wants to make it as complete as she can, since it’s her first foray into that arena. I'll try again to convince her," Smitty promised.

Me too, Beth thought. Maybe I can push her, so she gets the recognition she deserves. First announcements are often followed by several updates.