Lend a Helping Hand

Posted on Tue Aug 31st, 2021 @ 3:48am by Lieutenant JG Jenna Jade & Ensign Rene Rouen

Mission: Lower Decks
Location: Main Engineering

Rene stepped out of one of engineering duty office having just spoken with the chief on duty about getting a work order in for some of the maintenance issues for the Security Deck. He looked at the door to main engineering and decided to make a quick stop and say hi to Jenna. He entered and immediately spotted her with several other engineers over by the 'pool table'. He walked to a point nearby and waited for her to finish her discussion.

Jenna was having a ‘discussion’ with three petty officers and two ensigns and wasn’t having any fun at it. “Look, if anything goes wrong with the flow numbers or conversion process, Ah want you to comm me. Don’t comm Lieutenant Davenport, don’t comm the Chief, don’t comm the Captain. Me. This is mah project, mah theory and while they’ve got the models, Ah’ve got the duty.”

She pointed at the hologram of what we’re obviously two different arrangements of crystalline structures, then changed the image to show three different versions, “This is what Ah expect it to look like in about two weeks of usage, it’s what the design calls for. Call it the settling in process, if it even begins to look this before I come back on duty, what are you goin’ to do?”

“Comm you.” The five people chorused dutifully and dully.

“Right. Of course, first you’re goin’ to do a shutdown of the reaction. That wouldn’t be settlin’, that would be eroding’.” Jenna took a half step back, “Use the numbers Ah’ve left for you, up to two percent differential is fine, more than five needs an immediate shutdown, but anythin’ above two?” She questioned.

“Comm you.” Once again the chorus held no excitement.

“Good. Ah’ll be back in the mornin’. Thank ya’ll.” She gave a tired smile, then backed away from the table and took a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh, then glanced up as she turned and spotted Rene, “Why Bonjour Rene, what can Ah help you with?”

Rene stepped forward and shook hands with Jenna. "I was in the neighborhood getting the duty chief to open a maintenance work order for a brig cell force field. I have one that is still being twitchy and I can't figure out why. I also figured it was after change of watch. Thought you might like to grab a drink in the lounge. Heard COB got a Risan to come and take charge of the lounge. Supposed to be some real spirits in and not just synthale drink replications."

"Ah've been workin' on the dilithium problem all day, but the Chief asked me to take a look at the injection manifold in Nacelle Two before I head off duty. He thinks that it's corroded, so Ah might have to replace it." She looked as chagrined as she felt, "So Ah'll have to pass on that drink, though Ah'll admit it sounds good."

Rene gestured to the door. "Make a deal with you. I will help you replace the injection manifold and you agree to have the drink with me." He gave Jenna a smile. "Shouldn’t take five minutes with me helping you."

"Deal. But more like ten, most likely. Not that Ah'm doubtin' you and your abilities, just gotta be careful with everythin' on board." She made a detour to a cabinet set in the wall and grabbed a duffel bag that contained the standard toolset and general spares, "A Risan, huh? Sounds like the place'll be pretty exotic?"

"Allow me mon cher amie." Rene relieved Jenna of the duffel bag and started following her. "Not sure, but rumor has it that she is having holographic emitters installed to have the lounge do different themes. So that sounds pretty cool."

“Indeed?” Jenna mused, thoughts flitting through her mind at the possibilities, “Could even do say, an underwater theme which could be quite interestin’ no need for gills or nothin’, some real fun.” She flashed a grin, “But, mon cher galant chevalier, while Ah thank you for grabbin’ that bag, it wasn’t really necessary, Ah’m quite used to haulin’ things around, part of the job ya’ know.”

Rene glanced at Jenna as they walked. He was becoming increasingly aware of just how beautiful she was despite his confusing feelings about Faith. He patted the bottom of the duffel slung over his shoulder. "I am an officer and a gentleman. I could never allow a lady, especially a lovely young woman such as yourself, to carry a heavy duffel while I walk unencumbered." He punctuated his statement with one of his winning smiles.

Jenna glanced away briefly to hide the slight flush that crossed her face, a slight shudder in her left shoulder that she couldn’t identify, but she covered it up by appearing to scrutinize one of the walls of the turbo lift they’d just entered for a defect, which, unsurprisingly was actually there. She mentally catalogued it before smiling back at him, “ C’est chouette de ta part, Sugarcube. Quite sweet.” She patted him gently on the shoulder, “Ah best not let you near my mother, she’d take to you like jam on toast, she’d be plannin’ our weddin’ before the day is out!”

Rene gave a hearty chuckle as he leaned casually on the turbolift wall. "Well it's true, but as for meeting your mother. Might want to hold off on that until we ever decide to get to a courting phase in our relationship." He did feel a slight tingle riding alone with her in the turbolift. He felt a twinge of guilt due in part to his feelings for Faith, but with her standoffishness he was at a slight loss what to do. "How about we get your task done and discuss it over drinks in the lounge."

She clamped her mouth shut intentionally as she fought what her initial reaction had been to his words. ‘Until we decide to get to a courting stage’? ‘Discuss it over drinks’? Her first thought had been to ask the question, ‘Are you propositioning me?’ But Jenna couldn’t ask that question, it would be too rude and mama had always hammered it into her head that she should never be rude if she could help it. It wasn’t ladylike. She sneaked a quick glance over her shoulder, yes, he was indeed quite handsome, perhaps with shorter hair that could be a bit more enhanced, but good looking. “Right,” She agreed with a smile that was almost a bit forced, “Work first.”

It took seven minutes once they got there for her to first diagnose the manifold with the corrosion she’d expected, remove it and replace it. Hopefully he wouldn’t float that he was closer to right than she’d been, but well… It was what it was and she rubbed her palms on her pants, “That’s that, we can drop the bag off at my quarters on our way to the lounge, Ah’ll take it back with me in the mornin’.” She flashed a smile at him.

Rene looked at the manifold for a moment before turning to Jenna. It might have been a simple task, but he had actually enjoyed working with her on it. She was quite the engineer in his opinion, precise and efficient. "Sure thing." He gestured down the corridor. "After you." He fell easily into step with her, once again taking the bag to carry.

Rene glanced at Jenna once they were on the turbolift again. It had been a long day and it showed on both of them. "How about we get the tools to your quarters and then I will head to mine real quick. We can get out of there uniforms and into something casual. I should only need about fifteen minutes to get ready. Sound good?"

Jenna took a deep breath and turned herself to face him, there it was again. Well, this time was definitely better concealed and if it were.. “Rene? Is this just drinks, or is it a date?” She actually asked, having steeled herself. She’d not been that active in the dating circles, just the social circles her mother had insisted upon.

The question caught him off guard for a moment. "Turbolift. Halt." He faced her and took in her expression. "I originally thought just drinks would be nice, but..." he paused for a heartbeat, "...would you...want it to be a date?" His expression was curiously hopeful.

Her eyes opened wide in shock, panic shunting a shot of adrenaline into her heart. She could handle a hundred-twenty kilometer per hour serve from across the tennis court, she could even handle an overloading matter-antimatter reaction, well, in theory at least… But this was different and she had to swallow hard and get herself under control, because this was just something new. All throughout the Academy she’d rebuffed any offers, because she’d not had the time between her studies and tennis practice and competitions, but while she was still a Cadet, she wasn’t AT the Academy anymore. ‘Put it off.’ She told herself, “I…” She started, then swallowed again “Ah’m askin’ because you’ve been flirtin’ with me since you got to engineerin’ today, even up there.” She thumbed up towards where they’d been, “Not sure if you were aware of that?”

Rene took a deep breath and slowly nodded his head. He had been. He had to admit that he did find Jenna extraordinarily attractive. He hadn't thought to find out how she saw him. "I suppose I have. I didn't mean to offend you. I will understand if you don't want to go on a date with me or just have a drink as friends." He looked straight at her. "You still haven't answered the question though." He gave her a curious smile.

“Merde…” Jenna said under her breathe, brain racing, then turned to face the door again, “Turbolift, resume.” She stalled, knowing it bought her just a handful of seconds, which ended as the doors opened in front of them, “Ah’ll need more than fifteen minutes.” She said, reaching for the duffel bag, “Drinks is one thing, gettin’ ready for a date takes a bit longer.”

Rene's curious half smile grew larger. He gave Jenna a nod of his head. He would definitely need extra time to get ready as well. "Say, an hour then? Want me to come pick you up at your quarters or just meet at the lounge?"

“An hour.” She agreed, already the panic beginning again and showing in her voice, “And umm… Ah dunno, which would you prefer?” Jenna couldn’t make that sort of decision at this point, wondering if her best friend would be available by comm at this time of day, it was too much to hope she’d be in there. Maybe, if she was really really lucky?

Rene didn't even have to think about it. "I'll be at your quarters in an hour." His face bore a genuinely happy smile. He gestured down a cross corridor. "This is me. See you soon."

“Right.” Jenna nodded, for the first time using both hands to hold the duffel bag as he disappeared down the hall, the smile on her face slowing drifting away in fear and she woodenly walked the last couple steps.

Jenna's roommate looked up as she entered their quarters. She immediately saw the expression on Jenna's face and knew. She hopped off of the couch and stood with arms akimbo and a wide grin. "Okay, first. Who is he? Second. Does he have a friend?"

“In reverse, Ah don’t know and Ah’m not tell in’ you.” Jenna’s voice held some humor, but her tone added in ‘I’m not telling you because I don’t want you to steal him.’ Because that’s precisely what had happened once before, an accidental steal, yeah, but still. Her eyes met her roommates, “Minerva? Nine-One-One.”