The Lamb to the Lions' Den

[Akirapryde]

The Lamb to the Lions' Den
Stardate: 53835.4
Chief Engineer's Briefing Room
USS Thunderchild
Chief Engineer Kiera Medart, Engineering Section Chiefs and Lt. Jr. Noonia

As they all fell silent once more to hear what other suggestions that Lieutenant Noonia had, once more all eyes fell upon on the young Lieutenant. As he explained the fuel lines within the hanger deck, there came the first of the resistance around the table. It was Lieutenants Alesha Klerkse of Power Distribution that spoke up this time, "With all due respect. During the refit, those fuels used to run alone along the ceiling of the hanger deck. They were part of the original design. It was only because of the desires of Flight Operations to have increased back up power fed to the Flight Deck itself is the reason why those two sets of lines run so closely together. It wasn't foresight that prevented a worse situation. I had advised Flight Operations that we couldn't provide the power they wanted without the new EPS Conduits. I told them that this was a risk when they first suggested these modifications. So it was by ignoring my foresight that created a potential situation that could have been much worse. If you ask me, we rip out those extra power lines."

All eyes now shifted across the table as they readied to enter in to another part of the conversation. Lieutenant Medart didn't bother to speak up as during this moment. Instead her attention had been taken from the meeting by her PADD and something on it. She allowed the others to speak freely as she seem too preoccupied to even look up or pay attention. However Lieutenant Ben Gray of Maintenance & Damage Control was more than willing to speak up, "I can't tell you guy how many times I have warned them about their fuel handling procedures," he said to a table full of nodding heads. "They actually wanted, no demanded, fuel lines fed up through the ceiling so that they can conduct refueling operations on the Flight Deck as well as in the Hanger Deck." He said then turned his attention to Lieutenant Noonia, "You don't understand how those people think up there. After just a few times speaking with that Lieutenant Paxton, one would think that this whole ship revolves around her and her people."

Lieutenant Ottmar raised the stakes with, "Why don't we just pull out the extra EPS Conduits and this would resolve the entire issue. Or can we even move the fuel lines to somewhere else on the ceiling?"

"Removing the extra power would not be advisable" warned Lieutenant Zachery MacEachern from Tractor Beam Section. "To meet the demands that Flight Operations is placing on their launch and recovery systems, we need the extra power there. So unless anyone wants to go toe to toe with Flight Operations about cutting the demands of THEIR operations, removing the power lines simply wont be a wise idea."

Lieutenants Alesha Klerkse from Power Distribution spoke up once more, "That whole ceiling is line with power lines for nearly a hundred systems that are mission critical for Flight Deck operations. When the area was laid out, we made sure that the fuel lines ran alone for this very reason. However after their Combat Simulation Test and their demands for more power, both primary and back up, this situation was created. The only lines that are not critical are those extra ESP Conduits. Flight Operations are simply going to have to bite the bullet on this issue and give in a bit. They are being completely unreasonable in insisting that we continue to provide power at their current levels. I told them that those extra lines would cause us problems. The drain on the systems as it now, is already pushing our distribution systems to their peak."

Lieutenants Klerkse looked down and gave a moment of thought before adding, "as for moving the fuel lines within the hanger deck. Where could we move them? That whole space is maxed out with power lines for this system or that. Hell, you ask me the entire Hanger Deck was poorly laid out in the first place. We might want to consider a recommendation to Starfleet Engineering Corps that the whole idea be rethought. Maybe even a recall back to Utopia for added worked on the Hanger Deck." As the table engages in the conversation of poor design of the Hanger Deck and even giving up on the idea of Flight Operations as a whole, Lieutenant Medart seemed to be completely distracted with her PADD. She had pulled out a second PADD and appeared to be writing down some notes from one to the other. There was no emotion on her face as her eyes scanned over the information on the PADD.