Carpathia IV: Episode 148 - Hiya!
Engineering, NCCS Shadowdancer
The next day in Engineering was a busy one. With Phobos sent on his way the previous day, it was time to prepare the engines for an inspection. With the entire engineering staff on duty, the entire section buzzed with activity.
Ramei: Message from the bridge. They're ready to slow to Q6 so that we can carry out the procedure.
Minnie: Send back confirmation.
Understood.
Minnie moved to a position where she could view the majority of Engineering and made her announcement just as the engines started powering down.
Minnie: Everyone to your assigned positions! It's time to go!
Ramei: Speed showing Q6, Chief.
Minnie: Good. Sylvar, divert all power to antimatter injectors one, two, and four.
Sylvar: Injectors one, two, and four, Chief. Diverting power.
Minnie: Quenya, shut down injector three and get the replacement ready. Once we get the new one installed, you and Sylvar are in charge of finding out why that thing keeps freezing up.
Quenya: Yes, Chief. Shutting down the injector.
Minnie: Now, where's my multitool?
Minnie gave a quick scan of the area and, finding nothing, started turning over the items scattered around on the desks and consoles. The others were too busy working to notice, except Ramei, who came to check on her.
Ramei: Looking for something?
Minnie: I can't find my multitool. I could swear I left it right here.
Ramei: Maybe someone moved it?
Minnie: They better not have.
Minnie continued searching, growing more visibly frustrated by the minute.
Ramei: How long ago since you last had it?
Minnie: Yesterday, when I was working on Phobos. I'm sure I had it in my hand when I left the lab and I always put it back here.
Ramei wandered off, casting a wider search area, while Minnie stayed where she was, still shuffling through drawers and cabinets.
Ramei: Is this the one?
Minnie turned, spying Ramei a good distance away, pointing at a multitool laying on one of the consoles.
Minnie: That's it! I wonder how it got clear over there.
Minnie marched over to the console and grabbed her multitool.
Minnie: Strange. It feels awfully warm.
Minnie hovered her finger over the controls for just a moment before she started tapping. Nothing happened.
Minnie: Okay, now I know someone's been messing with my stuff.
By now, Minnie attracted a small crowd of staff also curious about the mystery of the multitool.
Sylvar: Maybe the power cell is going bad?
Quenya: Transfer couplings?
Minnie tapped at her tool again and this time, they heard what appeared to be a giggle.
Minnie: Did you all hear that?
Suddenly, a pair of ears and a tail popped out of the multitool and the screen switched to a familiar face.
Minnie: Yipe!
Minnie jumped backward a step and dropped the tool, which landed on the deck with a clatter.
Amenaru: Ow!
Minnie: LIEUTENANT PENDERGAST!
Ready Room, NCCS Shadowdancer
Joust: I have to give you some credit, Lieutenant. This is, by far, the weirdest disciplinary meeting I've ever been a part of.
Amenaru: Yes, Commander.
Indeed, Amenaru looked quite silly propped up against a stack of books, still in his multitool form. For a moment, it appeared that he was about to fall over, but quick-thinking Joust grabbed a pencil and nudged him upright again.
Joust: Now, why do you still retain this form?
Amenaru: Well... you see... If I turned back now... I'd be naked.
Joust folded his arms on the desk and leaned in closer.
Joust: That's what I thought. So, which one of these buttons is your penis?
Joust swirled his finger around Amenaru, taking great care not to touch him.
Amenaru: What?
Joust: Your penis. Which one is it?
Amenaru: Um... It's... erm...
Amenaru went silent and the screen around his face turned bright, glowing red.
Joust: You don't even know, do you? Aside from that, you have disrupted Engineering procedure. Not a major one, mind, but disrupted nonetheless. I commend you on your inventive prank, Lieutenant. However, it appears that you didn't think it all the way through. Pranking is an art and you have to pay attention to the details.
Joust reached under the desk and pulled out a familiar abacus. The Ensign Pendergast Weenie Infraction Calculator, except that the word "Ensign" was crossed out and with "Lieutenant" scribbled above it.
Joust: Normally, it would be time for this, but...
Joust tapped the comm button on the desk display.
Joust: Commander Unas, please report to the ready room.
If Amenaru could sweat in his current state, he certainly would have started right now, wondering if he was about to go to the brig.
Joust: I have a much better plan in mind for you.
The ready room doors slid open and Amenaru had to assume that Commander Unas came in, for he could not turn to look.
Teren: Yes, Commander?
Joust: Report to the conference room and commence Operation Wriggle, Teren.
Teren: With pleasure, Commander.
The door slid open and closed again, leaving Amenaru to assume that Teren left, but he felt no better about the situation. Joust reached under the desk again and pulled out a reacher grabber tool, the sort of thing people use to fetch things that fell behind a couch. Positioning the grabby end over Amenaru, Joust squeezed the handle and picked him up.
Joust: Okay, here's what's going to happen. First, I'm taking you to Dr. Teagan. I'm sure she'll be very interested in having a few scans of you while you're in this state. Second, you're going back to your quarters where you can change back into your usual self and get dressed. Finally, you'll report to the conference room and clean up every strand of cat hair that you find in there. Understood?
Amenaru: Yes, Commander.
Joust: Then let us get to sick bay.
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Thatwildmary
Colourbrand
Falke2009
