A Field Promotion

Posted on Thu Aug 24th, 2023 @ 4:24pm by Lieutenant Mila Lynn & Sublieutenant Povis l'Nek

1,039 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Chapter VII: Into the Storm
Location: Science Lab, Ourainavassa
Timeline: 238704.26

As the upgrades to Ourainavassa's shield system were being installed, one of the engineers had caught Mila's attention. A young Romulan, around Seira's age, he had joined the crew with the small number of refugees from the Sianna, and he had been working as a junior technician in engineering ever since. She'd asked Sari, her brother's Orion girlfriend and engineer, about the young Romulan, and discovered that, apparently, he had trained at the Romulan academy to become a science officer.

Looking around the science lab, which was much too big for the warbird's tiny cadre of science crew, she made up her mind and tapped her badge.

"Technician Povis, please report to the science lab at your earliest convenience."

Povis heard the call over his badge from the Engineering office, where he was currently sat, assisting the computer specialist in his task. He stood. "Please, excuse me, I need to go," he said to the other man. He made his way to the labs, quickly and carefully, and stood at attention when he arrived. "Technician Povis l'Nek, reporting as requested, ma'am." He waited for more instruction.

Mila turned around and looked at the Romulan who had just arrived. Despite Ourainavassa's crew having long broken from the Romulan Empire, Povis, like most of the Romulans on board, maintained military discipline and uniform.

"Welcome to the science lab, Mr Povis. I saw your work with the shield upgrades, and I've had a look at your file. You were pursuing a career in the sciences before you ended up on the refugee ship, weren't you? What was your focus?"

Povis nodded. "Chemistry, ma'am. I am interested in seeing what types of things make up the atmospheres of various places we visit, for example," he said. "But I also studied security."

The young Lieutenant smiled. "I'm more of a physicist myself. That, and experimental engineering, at times. Those badges we have, for example? I reverse-engineered them from the badges of our Terran friends from the future." She chuckled. "Not that we expect them to be friends for much longer, anyway. Does your skillset also include things like botany and geology? In short, would you be able to help determine whether a planet is a suitable new home for a large group of Romulans?"

Povis considered for a moment. "I have training in those subjects, yes. I think I can help," he said. "I have also studied the Federation's Planetary Classification System, and believe I have it memorized fully." He wasn't a botanist but he wasn't a slug about, either. "I do have an interest in flora of many planets, as a side interest, as well." He kept some plants in his quarters, in fact. A succulent from Earth called "Aloe Vera" and a Romulan fern.

Mila nodded slowly. "It sounds like you know about the things I know little about, which could come in very helpful once we succeed in evacuating all those people from Romulus. I could help them build up a power grid, communications, that kind of thing, but when it comes to anything living, I am rather stumped, unfortunately." She smiled. "How come a trained scientist like yourself ended up working in engineering?`I feel like your talents are somewhat wasted down there."

Povis nodded. "That sound logical, ma'am," he said. No one could be good at everything. "My father. He wouldn't pay for school if I didn't do Engineering," he explained. "My mother supported my scientific endeavors, though," he said. "It was a compromise. I studied Science secondary to engineering."

Mila chuckled. "Oh I know all about parents demanding perfection. That's why my brother and I ran away from home on our sixteenth birthday. He's the chief helmsman of this ship." She looked around the science lab. "As you can see, the science department is hideously understaffed. If you'd rather go back to working as a technician in engineering, I'll understand, but if you want a job jere, I could really use someone like you."

Povis considered for a moment. "If you can get the permission for me to transfer, I would accept these terms," he said. "Is there a formal paper I need to file?" He didn't know what kinds of protocol are required for this kind of thing. He didn't like to let people down, either.

The Lieutenant nodded. "That should not be a problem. As Chief Science Officer, I have the authority to request specific personnel from other departments, and even issue a field commission, pending approval by the Commanding Officer. I'm certain the Subcommander would not have an issue with that, though."

She walked over to the replicator, and came back with a small, black box, opening it to reveal a silver crescent-shaped pin. "So, if you'll accept this commission, I am hereby appointing you to the rank of Sublieutenant, and naming you assistant to the Chief Science Officer. Your duties will be to support me in my work to determine the potential aftereffects of the Zhat Vash operation at Hobus, once the Terrans blow it up, as well as aiding the preparation work for resettling the refugees following successful evacuations from Romulus. You will also assist me in continuing to look through the future schematics I was given by Captain Mannerheim, in order to develop upgrades to Ourainavassa's systems, and, of course, assist the engineering department with maintaining and optimising the ship's efficiency."

She held out the box with the rank pin. "Do you accept the commission?"

Povis smiled lightly. "Yes, ma'am, I do. Thank you. I will do my best to not disappoint you," he said, taking the box. "Should I attach it now?" He asked. He hadn't gotten a "field promotion" before, only the regular kind. The tips of his pointy ears flushed a little bit from the pride he felt inside-something he wouldn't outwardly show.

The Lieutenant simply nodded. "Go ahead, Sublieutenant. Then, go wrap up your duties in engineering. Report to the science lab at 0900 tomorrow morning, and we'll get you set up."

He nodded. "I will be here at 0900." He said. He turned to go, and headed back to his former work site. What a day!

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