The Heart of the Pioneer
Posted on Wed Jun 24th, 2026 @ 4:06pm by Lieutenant Junior Grade Jack Hunter & Ensign Connor Turner & Ensign Millicent Ambrose & Sergeant Miranda Schultz & Brigadier General Seamus O'Rourke
Edited on on Sat Jun 27th, 2026 @ 8:07am
1,979 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
Episode 18 - The Edge of Darkness
Location: Main Engineering - Deck 11 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD002 1130 hrs
Millie stood nervously in line, waiting for the arrival of a General. General O'Rourke. She'd not had any close encounter with a General, ever and now they were anticipating a visit. And they were here, wearing dress uniforms of all places inside Engineering where the clothing could get dirty!
She checked her uniform making certain that the uniform was still clean. Oh gosh was there a was a piece of lint on her tunic. She moved to pick it off her uniform, then paused before she even touched her uniform. Were her hands clean enough?
Upon examination, yes her hands were clean enough to remove the piece of dark colored lint. Once removed, Millie quietly asked. "Has any of you been through an inspection from a General before?"
Connor shook his head indicating the negative. "No," he told Millie. "But I am not concerned. I keep everything at regulation specs. Don't you?"
Jack rounded the warp core and approached the group already assembled. It was his trusted team, Ensign Turner and Ensign Ambrose.
Jack stopped beside the group, then glancing first toward Millie, then Connor.
“Well,” he said dryly, “judging by the atmosphere in here, I’m assuming we’re either expecting someone important or a warp core breach. I’d personally prefer someone important, but that’s me.”
A soft smile and smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Connor told his Chief, "If there was a warp core breach, it would be a great deal noisier with the alarms unless you disabled them."
Miranda was happy to be overlooked. Millie and Connor were better at talking engineering. She was all for integration. It gave her more to do and she liked working with this side of communications. Plus, she was adding new skills to her portfolio.
A glance towards Miranda, giving her friendly smile. Appreciative for her quiet and calm way. Millie turned towards Hunter, "Well, yes it would be louder than this but..." she looked at Hunter to see if he had his normal clothing or was in his dress uniform.
"Just.. a General? How am I supposed to act? Or do I give him a stare down Or wait that sounds wrong, um. I mean do I look directly into his eyes and show no fear?" Millie looking rather nervous.
"Like you do an admiral," Miranda said. "You stand at attention. Speak only when spoken to, and hope he moves on quickly. Don't stare him down, but pay attention to him, in case he does ask you a question. Most of the time visits like this are just for show, so he shouldn't stay long."
Connor agreed. "I'm all for that. I have computers that need my attention."
"Okay that sounds workable." Millie responded to Miranda, giving a smile. "Thank you for the advice. And just in case I end up meeting an admiral, though I don't think my meeting an Admiral is going to be in my near future or even far future."
"Hey, we're attached to Empok Nor," Miranda said with a shrug. "You never know who'll come by for an inspection." But she hoped not.
Swallowing hard Millie's eyes widened more, "Oh, I hope I don't meet one. Well, if I do I am hoping that I won't be alone." she tugged at her dress tunic then looked towards the door which would lead into engineering.
"Right. Well, nothing to be done but handle whatever comes," Connor concluded.
Millie gave a nod, just the fact that both Connor and Miranda where being calm about the whole thing did help a lot. Her mind then went in another direction as she took a look at Miranda once more.
I wonder if she plays an instrument or sings. I must find out after this whole visit from the General. Wonder if she'd like to join a certain bandMillie's worried expression turning to a smile instead.
The doors to Main Engineering opened. Brigadier General Seamus O'Rourke entered accompanied by Captain X'tal.
He looked around the Core, the Heart of the Pioneer, pulsed gently.
The moment that the General and Captain stepped into Engineering, Connor snapped to attention. It was not difficult for him to not speak until spoken to and since nobody was female, it would be even less difficult when he might be addressed.
Miranda immediately stood at attention as the general entered. She was there to show how the Cure was integrating with Starfleet, but she wasn't going to bring attention to herself unless the general wished to ask her a question. And if not, all the better. Lieutenant Hunter was the best person for that, anyway.
The moment the doors opened, and the Brigadier General walked in, you could feel the atmosphere in engineering change. It definitely tightened. Even the warp core seemed quieter, its pulse almost dormant.
The entire engineering department was present, dressed, and provided the respect to the flag officer.
Jack was already in the center of the room and faced the general as he walked in. Not enough to overshadow his team, but enough to establish himself as the department head.
“Brigadier General O’Rourke,” Jack said evenly, “Welcome to Main Engineering.”
"Thank you, Lieutenant." Seamus said. "What's the energy output of the warp core?" He asked.
The arrival of the general, Millie stood up straight and tall, copying the stance that Miranda had taken.
Miranda noticed Millie's stance. The general would be pleased, but she personally hoped both of them would go unnoticed. Let Lieutenant Hunter and Connor be the focus of this inspection.
Millie was rather glad that it was Hunter that was dealing with this and not her. Just wow the fact of the man coming in, and doing an inspection. How was Connor doing in this situation? Or was he keeping calm, even though the General was being accompanied by a female.
Connor stayed focused on the General. He could answer the question but it was not his job. It was Hunter's. So, he waited patiently, trying to make certain that he did not show the CEO up.
Jack turned to the warp core and made himself and his mannerisms a little more comfortable now that he was going to talk technicals.
“Well, this particular core can generate approximately four gigawatts of power during normal operations. It can be pushed to six during emergencies.”
"Interesting, and what's the power flow rate?" Seamus asked.
Oh good, Hunter has the general's attention, that works for me. I don't think I would answer the General as good as either Connor or even Hunter
“It’s about 12000-13000 Cochranes per second,” Jack answered the general directly as he eyed the core. Just then he was handed a data PADD from an engineering crew member. He looked it over for two seconds and nodded in agreement. He turned back to the general for any additional questions he might have.
"Lieutenant, may I speak with some of your staff?" Seamus said.
Jack eyed the general for a split second and responded,
“Of course.” He gestured to the line of engineering staff before them.
The words floated through the air, the General wants to talk to them? Millie felt a fluttering sensation in her stomach. Oh gosh, I hope he doesn't ask me anything I might be at a loss for words
Connor looked at the Chief and then at the General. Speak when spoken to and not anything more, he reminded himself. He looked over at Millie who appeared to be panicking. What was she nervous about? She had not been that nervous since they met when she arrived on the ship. He looked over at her, his eyes silently questioning her reaction.
Schultz looked at Millie, trying to tell her with a glance to calm down. The engineer wouldn't be ordered to drop and give him 50 if she didn't give the general the correct answer. Or worse, deodorize the Marine's Suits.
Seamus approached Connor. "Ensign, what is your job here?" he asked.
"Computer systems specialist, sir," Connor answered simply, meeting the General's eyes.
Oh! Millie's eyes went round, when she heard the General's question to Connor. What would she be saying if he asked her what she did? She didn't have a specialty. She did repair work, wait um she could say damage control, yes that would sound better than a generic answer of I fix things.
Millie calmed down giving a glance towards Shultz, trying to make certain she didn't smile. Though, one was trying to make itself known.
"Okay." Seamus said making a note on his PADD.
Spotting Shultz, he made his way over to her. "Sergeant, how do you find it working in a 'Fleet position?" He asked.
"It's not what I expected, sir. I'm a communications specialist. Here I do more basic maintenance work than anything. It's a different mindset. But like they say, improvise, adapt, overcome." It wasn't official, but Marines had lived by that motto for centuries.
Seamus smiled. "Great attitude, Sergeant." He said. "Don't let all these 'Fleet luxuries make you soft." He teased.
"Sir, no sir," she replied, standing straighter. "Once a Marine, always a Marine."
"Great to hear, Sergeant." Seamus said.
"Thank you, sir." Schultz continued to stand straight, eyes forward. But so far the questions were not unexpected.
Captain X'tal approached Millie. "Just breathe." She said to the Ensign having noticed her discomfort. "You don't want to pass out in front of the General." She added with a comforting smile.
A blush from Millie, as she gave a slight chuckle. "I will strive not to pass out from embarrassment." a smile lighting up her eyes.
"Good." X'tal said. "I'm Captain Feren X'tal, and you are?" She asked.
"I am Ensign Millie Ambrose and I am in damage control." Millie said with a great amount of pride.
She was filled with pride as to the work she did.
As Hunter muddled about the area with his hands behind his back, he noticed the Ensign Ambrose and Captain X'tal conversing ever so subtly. A small smile made its way to the surface as he kept it to himself.
Feren X'tal smiled at Millie. "Damage control, a very important job. When I was a pilot, in the field, I often had to do my own damage control." She told the ensign.
Millie relaxed with how X'tal was speaking to her. "Yes I love doing that. Thank you."
In the back of her mind, Millie was wondering when this would come to an end. While she was starting to relax a little bit, there was work to be done.
Schultz, in contrast, was just happy that the general moved on. She was used to standing in formation--she'd done enough of it in boot--and the general and his aide hadn't been her for long. Not yet, anyway.
As it appeared that the General and X'tal were leaving, Millie did call out. "Thank you for coming." her next words were said with a hint of glee, "Back to work!"
A Joint Post By
Brigadier General Seamus O'Rourke
Commanding Officer, Camp Nostromo
Captain Feren X'tal
Aide-de-Camp, Camp Nostromo
Ensign Connor Turner
Computer Systems Specialist, USS Pioneer
Ensign Millicent Ambrose
Engineering Officer, USS Pioneer
Sergeant Miranda Schultz
Communications Specialist HQ, The Cure
USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Junior Grade Jack Hunter
Chief Engineering Officer, USS Pioneer
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