Anchors Aweigh: Technobabble (E3S1)

"Sir.. Why the H#$$ if my age is an issue, are you just now getting here to say something?" Ensign Kilo is not very polite as he readjust in his specialized body armor, "I am the Chief Engineer of the most Advanced ship in SPAWAR's fleet.. You count beans.."

"Son.. first you are supposed to," The Four star General pauses.. "See.. You are drinking on duty.. God a seventeen year old and he is drinking on.."

"Your a D@#$ A$$," ensign Kilo's bad attitude shows.. "How much c#$k did you suck to get your four.."

"Ensign Kilo," Vice Admiral MacCann growls.. "Watch it.."

"No.. I have been briefed on how to behave.. For the Record General.. I am dealing with old wart hogs and people to bright for their own good.. Yes it is a beer bottle.. It once had beer in it.. I traded Uts.. He gets me empty beer bottles with Soda in them and I walk him through Engineering best I can.. At least he tries.."

"You put Soda in beer Bottles," The four star is confused.. "No sailor.. You are.."

MacCann laughs, "So the old men think you are one of them you are adapting your appearance to match their attitude of a young stupid sailor.."

"Ok.. You are not as stupid as I thought Vice Admiral.." Ensign Kilo sounds still pissed off.. "It is very simple Dear Lords and ladies.. The basics of this ship is very simple.. It is a huge circuit board.. The main thing is controlling power flow in the circuit, Safety, and maintenance.. No big secrets here.. The tools are just condensed for function.. "

Neal spoke quietly, "General the kid is not drinking.. I jacked one of his beers and it is just coke.. Please do not pass the word of his trick.. "

"Senior Master Sargent.. I do not like How you ended up their.. However it does comfort me to know your there," The General shook his head. "Your son is a jackA$$.."

"I am not very happy either," Vice Admiral MacCann growled.. "We all have orders we follow.."

As the Hologram's spoke STG2 Obi walked in, "Ensign.. He is here.."

"S#$%.. This.." Ensign Kilo stands up, "My Apologies Dr. Cruz.. I did not mean to cuss.."

Every man in the holograms stood up very silent..

"I wasnt aware Sir that you would be on the Bonhomme Ricahrd," Vice Admiral MacCann was a little surprised..

"Relax Vice Admiral.. A complete surprise for security reasons," Cruz was wearing what appeared to be normal clothes.. His shaved bald head seemed not to glare..

"You are wearing body armor but its not holographic," Kilo leaned forward and rubbed the shirt.. "Mini Black diamonds mixed with.."

Cruz smiled, "Nano carbon fibers.. Tightly woven with several other surprises.. BB is making them for SPAWAR... Next Gen Crap.. " Cruz adjust his shades, " I see you are starting the upgrades now kid.."

"Excuse me.. Cruz," The General spoke..

"Vice Admiral MacCann is there a reason I am being spoken to by someone I did not address," Cruz coldly spoke.. "Let me be clear about a few things.. I am the brightest man on earth right now.. Not important.. My best Engineer built this contraption for Andros.. And I had what I have found to be the best Technician on the planet assigned to it.. STG2 Obi and Senior Master Sargent Neal I rated as the best the military had available Letch would let me pull strings for.. They are here to help the Technician run his ship.. When the Seri gets here she will be handling more of Ensign Kilo's training.."

Everyone previously arguing was silent..

"You chose his engineering Team," Vice Admiral MacCann was a little shocked..

"Yes.. Personally.. When I found out Senior Master Sargent Neal was assigned here I breathed a sigh of relief.." Cruz looks at Kilo, "No offense your good.. I wanted to make sure these big boys did not try and muscle you around.. So an extra experienced hand is good. Redundancy.." Cruz looks at the General, "Chairforce.. Worst of the bunch.. Ignore his advice on physics and engineering Kilo.. Listen to him on advice for running engineers.. That is the only thing the four star moron is better then you at.. "

The Four Star started to say something and then stopped, "I am not an idiot you know.. "

"To the four of us in this room you are.." Cruz laughs, "And if you need advice on whores.. Ask Neal.. He will help you navigate them better then the General.. He has more taste then the four star.. Now.. I am here to work not waste time dealing with political lackeys.. Vice Admiral.. This is a waste of the Cheif Engineers time.. Please from this point forward keep these briefings to no more then ten minutes.. Also, outside the Captain.. You, Vorley, Letch, Fred, and Alex are the only ones cleared to discuss this vessal with Ensign Kilo.."

"Now wait a D#$% minute," The four Star growls as Cruz moves his hands and cuts the communications..

"Morons," Cruz laughs.. "Relax boys.. I learned to be a pain from Macer.. The real reason I am here.. " Cruz took a deep breath, "Blair got tired of me around the house so much.. I have four lectures starting in Three hours and seventeen minutes," Cruz sighs.. "Lets get started.."

"Ensign," Obi speaks slowly.. "Dr. Teirstien will be here tomorrow at 0947.."

"I will help you set up the laboratory number 23.. Number 3 is always a pain in my posterior," Cruz smiles..

"Senior Master Sargent.. Cruz is talking about rankings in total smarts," Obi shakes his head..

"You will not refer to the Ensign by his number or rank.. Nor will you refer to Dr. Teirstien by a number.." SMS Neal growls at Cruz, "D@#$ bright boys always measuring brain sizes.. Must be small brained.."

SMS Neal walks out..

Cruz motions for cash from Kilo who shakes his head. "I will pay before you leave.."

"No.. Pay in cash Ensign," Cruz grins.. "We will stop buy your quarters for the cash.. Have the new recruits meets us in the Cargo bay being given to Dr. Teirstien.."

Obi looked at the two of them, "You purposely pissed off SMS Neal.."

"Dr. Cruz is teaching me Psychology so I can manage my work crews.." Ensign Kilo grins, "A hundred dollars for every failure.. So far only five hundred dollars.."

Obi looked at the two of them, "advanced rewards and punishments.. What do you get if you get them right?"

"The right to go to the next round STG3.." Ensign Kilo stands up with his soda bottle putting the cap back on. He puts it back in the fridge that is marked Ensign Kilo, "Listen it is rough but.. So far I am doing good.. " Kilo shakes his head, " By the way STG3.. Do you Gamble? "

"Sir.. That is a harsh way to learn.. A very steep learning curve," Obi shakes his head.. "I do not gamble except for fun with good company.. " Obi looks at both men, "You played no look Macer.."

"In the name of science.. Bastard has to have a way to cheat I aint figured out yet.." Cruz shakes his head.. "Reminds me.. Kilo.."

"It has to be an undiscovered psi function.." Kilo pauses, "Except.. Ensign Harlow.. His psi genes interfere with his gut.. I did the paper sir.. All wikipedia research.."

Cruz laughs, "Good lad.. And.."

"The approach is simple.. We do not know jack S#$% about the function and are wasting time guessing.." Kilo smiled, "So I cheated and went to Ensign Harlow.."

______________________________________________________________________________________

Seven people were left standing after Cruz's questioning, "Ensign Kilo.."

"Still to many people," Ensign Kilo looked at the three officers and four enlisted.. "Are your a star trek, star wars, Babylon five, or Firefly fan.."

The three officers smiled, "Star Trek.."

Neal looked at Ensign Kilo, "Sir.."

"B5 and star wars," three of the enlisted responded..

The newly arrived boot looked sideways, "S#$%.. Sir we.. I have seen an episode of firefly.. " Feeling the look from the Ensign and Cruz, "Summer Glua was hot.. A friend let me watch it at his house.. Honestly I prefer to read.."

"All right.." Ensign kilo shakes his head, "I want all of you to go back into the rotation pool for training with the others.."

Several of the officers get a look on their face..

"Captain colt is a Star Trek fan and you know it.. Kissing my A$$ will get people killed.. You enlisted guessed right I am a B5 fan but you took a second to read me," Ensign Kilo  shook his head..

"Out all of you," Cruz growls.. "Or you will find yourselves on a coast guard tug boat.."

All of them look down and leave..

As the Seaman Recruit looks down SMS Neal speaks, "Recruit.."

"Senior Master Sargent," The Recruit stopped and turned around..

"I am keeping this one.." SMS Neal winked at the kid..

"That will work.. " Ensign Kilo smiled evilly, "Welcome to Engineering.."

"I.. I," The Recruit freezes..

"You are on report Seaman Apprentice Simmons," Kilo grinned again.. "Out of uniform.. Brent.. Get this kid up to speed.. Three days.."

Simmons was shocked, "Your  a Firefly fan.."

Doctor Cruz grins, "I am.. So is SMS Neal.. Now get out of here kid we got some things to do.. "

Simmons looked at SMS Neal, "I.."

"Shut the H#$$ up.. I am old school Air force.. Your gonna wish your were not selected.." SMS Neal shoved the kid out of the Engineering office, "My son gets being an A$$hole on the clock honestly.. I have a completely empty head to put tech knowledge in.. Sailor.. The very first skill you have to learn is how to make drinks for your senior Enlisted.. Then we go to cleaning the work areas.."

As the two leave, "Sir.. I reviewed the designs.." Kilo brings up a secured pad with a hologram, "The USS Natilus is .. Well sir.. Who will be the engineer on the Manta class sub.."

"We are scowering all of SPAWAR," Cruz smiles as he looks over the red sections.. "Interesting.. Suggested changes.. I.."

"Doctor.. It is for ease of crew use.. It allows the prototype to be deployed with one percent less efficiency on equipment..And allows.."

"For the next set of upgrades on the class," Doctor Cruz nods his head.. "Otherwise another eight months of training.. We can rip them out after her test run.. I will send the recommendations to Letch.."

"Sir.. Who do you recommend for the CO spot.. Her shakedown will be important," Kilo looked at Cruz..

"I want Captain Colt to take her out.. That wont be possible.." Dr. Cruz looked at other holofiles, "I need these new arrivals trained ruthlessly Ensign.. Get Uts and his brig boys to bash heads for you.. I need .. Well SPAWAR is gonna need a lot of Technicians and I am bettinng on you kid to get these morons trained.. Obi.. Make sure NO one questions Ensign Kilo publicly.. Again Use Uts and whatever muscle you need.."

Chief WO Taxal Walked in on the tail end.. "Dr. Cruz.. What are you.."

Cruz stuck his hand out, "Chief WO.." Cruz sighs, "I have come to personally review your daughters case.. Lets go to DECOM in medical.. I am charging you for this.. " Cruz puts his arm arounnd the Chief WO, "The ensign is green but good.. He needs you to have his back.. I have to have this suceed so I am rigging the game.."

"Doctor.. He is .."

"The 23 brightest person on the planet.. You are 4735," doctor Cruz walks with Taxal out of Engineering.. "I want the drones first.. I need to test a few things ensign.. A hundred should do.."

"Yes sir Doctor," Ensign Kilo elbows Obi..

"Yes sirs.. I will get a hundred and fiftey available.." STG3 Obi shakes his head, "I will need three guys from the Cargo bay.. Give me two hours sir.."