Security Checks and Testing
Posted on Mon Aug 12th, 2024 @ 1:46am by Crewman Vakra Kor & Commander Joseph Sledge & Lieutenant Nixie Wilde
1,168 words; about a 6 minute read
Mission:
Mission 2 - Death is Only the Beginning
Location: Brig and Brig Deck
Vakra had his tablet and was working on the reading material the for the officer's testing. He was reading and doing the deck security Checks. Secure the brig and do the deck armory and supply inventories. The testing he was doing was averaging 98%. The fact that he was turning in inventory reports at the same time was an oddity.
"How's it looking?" Nixie Wilde asked as she moved in, her hand in her pocket as she made her way over. She glanced over his shoulder, to try and get a glance at what he was reading.
Vakra had two padds up. "With this padd I'm logging the deck armory inventory. With this one, I'm doing the requisite testing for Officer Candidacy." He put the padds down. "I know. I should be doing the testing on my own time, but the more qualifications I have, the more use I can be to the department."
Joseph had been making rounds through the ship. Mostly as part of his duties, but also to keep his eyes open. Turning around a corridor, Joseph heard Vakra and Nixie. He smiled and stepped in to the Brig as he spoke "An admirable quality and capability to have."
Vakra was wondering if he was in trouble. His department head and the XO were here. "I will accept my punishment."
Nixie glanced to Joseph, sinking her hands into her pockets before shrugging lightly as she looked back to him with a small, half smile. "Actually, we were more curious how you were able to do two things at once..." or at least, seeing how it wasn't usually possible to do things at once, if one of those things wasn't actually being done at all.
Vakra answered, "I have what the humans call an eidetic memory and ADHD. It is easier to focus on multiple things than on one thing."
Joseph held up a hand to Vakra and spoke "No punishment for someone going above and beyond. We just want to make sure that you aren't over working yourself my friend. Burnout is not a good thing. It happens to us all."
Vakra grinned, "The Lt doesn't let me work doubles every day for the same reason. If we work a double, our second assignment is what called a cake post. I don't understand why it is a cake post. There is only cake when I order it on the replicator."
Joseph grinned and gave a subtle shake of his head “a cake post means that it will be easy and likable. At least as far as I am concerned. They might mean something else.” He looked from Vakra to Nixie, as if looking for confirmation.
Vakra grinned, "Babysit the empty brig. Easy.". He held up the tablet. "The technical working for the full room tricorder is a not." He held up the tablet. He was putting a holographic device together." Then he got the last piece in and it simulated scanning the room. The device was more accurate than a tricorder, but no where near as compact. It was a Crime Scene Investigation tool.
Joseph gave a nod and a look of being impressed as he spoke “what can it be used for? Aside from crime scene investigations.”
Vakra thought he was being tested, "It is on the testing material. It is an upgraded version of 21st Century Earth Technology called LIDAR. I had to set up a holographic version. This way if I had to use one, I can. This way it can scan a room and we can create a holographic with labeled biological reference points."
Nixie nodded lightly, but her features and mood dampened with the reminder of the murder that had happened on her watch. "A tool is only as good as its weaknesses," she advised softly, but no real force. She didn't want him to think she was being condescending, but she also wanted to support his learning with offering snippets where she could. "When you learn about a tool, usually you get the run down of everything it can do. But it's useful to ask yourself what it *can't* do. Knowing limitations helps to foresee our blindspots."
Vakra nodded, "The Eye and the Experience of the Investigator. There is a section in the reading, The Twentieth Century ALS, Alternative Light Source, and Phenolphthalein, commonly known as Phenol can also be triggered by Pond scum not just Hemoglobin in blood. The Investigator still has to look at the pieces. History of Criminal Investigation. Klingons don't hide when we kill someone, we boast about it, especially if we had to work for it."
"Trust me, I don't have the words to express how angry I am that we're still having to deal with this kind of thing," Nixie replied, her voice low but with a bitter edge, her mind on their own unfortunate murder investigation.
Vakra grinned, "According to The Vulcans, you used to be a lot worse. More Killing and Less Intelligence and Honor."
"Yeah well, don't believe everything you hear," Nixie advised as she quirked an eyebrow with a small smile, her red hair shifting over her shoulder as she shook her head lightly with it.
The testing material required he put holographic versions of security tech together, "So, I'm not in trouble for taking these classes as long as I keep up with my job?"
Nixie glanced to the First Officer, knowing that in reality, he had the final say on it. "It's fine by me, so long as both tasks get down properly."
Joseph gave a shake of his head and spoke “there is nothing that you’ve done to warrant being in trouble Vakra. You have taken initiative and that is commendable and admirable. Especially given our current situation.”
Vakra nodded, "With this long of a mission, I want to be as much value to my department as I can be. Violence is only part of me and not going to be my only value."
Stepping away from the console he had leaned against, Joseph gently clapped Vakra on the shoulder and spoke “we know you’ve far more value. Trust me.”
Vakra nodded, "Yes, Sir."
Joseph gave another nod to the man and spoke “I want you to keep up the good work. Just please do not burn the candle at both ends. Alright my friend?”
Vakra nodded, "Yes, Sir. I will not burn the candle at both ends and take time off." He grinned, "Before you leave, I'm working on human Jokes. What is the difference between a Starfleet Captain and a Klingon?"
Joseph perked his brow a bit at what the Klingon had said. His curiosity piqued, he smiled and spoke “I don’t know, what’s the difference?”
Vakra grinned, "If a White Bald Starfleet Captain shows up, the day is saved. If a White Bald Klingon, people are confused about his species." It was mildly self deprecating considering he was a genetic throwback to before the Eugenics Virus. He was referencing Picard.