Opportunity knocks

Posted on Monday 3 April 2017 @ 13:46 by Captain Melody Jones & Lieutenant Commander David Tan

Mission: The Perez Nebula
Location: XO's Office / Main Bridge
Timeline: Stardate 239404.02 1800 Hrs
2463 words - 4.9 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Melody had asked David to her office to discuss the possibility of Mackenzie having some flying lessons. Her attitude and knowledge had impressed Melody and she could see great potential in her.

Prior to meeting Melody, he had sat and discussed her proposal with his wife. They both agreed that it would be good for her, despite her age, only six years old at present, Lana couldn't see any harm ...

~~~~~

"David. Thank you for coming. I wanted to talk to you about Mackenzie. I think she shows real promise and wanted to know if you had been educating her in shuttle flight ?"

"Actually, no ..." David said, taking the offered seat, "She's always been very technically minded, ever since she could talk, and walk, she's had her nose into anything non-child toy-like. She has ridden roughly seventy percent of the fastest, largest, highest, and admittedly, scariest fairground rides in the Federation. In the holo-suite mainly, but she's managed to get on one or two despite her size ... She reads all the tech' manuals for the rides, G'force, top speed, freight threshold, you ask it and she'll tell you. When you made the suggestion about looking over a shuttle, she asked if she could look at the schematics, I gave her the basic stuff and she read-up." he had to think about it as wasn't sure if he was contravening regulations, but she hadn't been given access to any restricted data, so he'd relaxed. He waited for Melody.

Melody shook her head and chuckled "That never even crossed my mind David. I wanted to run this past you first and see what you thought. I think she showed real potential and I wondered how you would feel about me giving her some lessons in flight operations. I know you yourself are an accomplished pilot and I wouldn't want to interfere. I want to giver her an opportunity to explore this if she would be interested."

She paused "I was very fortunate when I was given that opportunity. Things could have been very different after I went and stole a shuttle. I probably could have ended up in the brig if one man hadn't given me that chance."

"I'm sure she will love it. Most six year old's would be playing with dolls, not her."

"Mia is wonderful but she's still a bit too young to understand all the technical details. Do you want to get Mackenzie in here so I can have a talk to her and give her a bit of a surprise ?"

"Iv'e not brought her with me, she's back at our quarters, but I can get Lana to bring her down,give me a moment ..... May I ?" he asked, turning Melody's monitor around he contacted Lana and asked her to come up the one level to the Exec's Office ...

~~~~~

Knowing they wouldn't be long, David got up and stood in the doorway watching out for them, moments later Mia and Mackenzie came running around the curve of the corridor, Lana bringing up the rear.

"Daddy, where are we going this time, Mummy wouldn't say ?" Kenzie said, feigning her best fake glare at her Mother. Mia, four, was exploring the corridor and suddenly caught sight of Melody who was still sat at her desk listening. Mia ran past her Father into the office and around the desk, Mackenzie, playing the cool older Sister, waved and said 'hi' then entered.

"This is Deck One, the Bridge is on this Deck, isn't it." Kenzie informed no-one in particular before going in to hug Melody, Lana and David followed her in.

"Hello Commander." Lana said, "If you need us out of the way there's plenty tidying up Mia and I can be getting on with ?" ...

Melody gave Them both a good squeeze "Hello there Mia. I really need to speak with your sister today so can you go with your mum for now and we'll have some time later. I haven't forget you still want to meet Nibbles, OK Sweetheart ?"

She looked at Lana "Hey there Lana. It's nice to see you. If you wouldn't mind, I've got something I need to discuss with Mackenzie. I'm sure she'll tell you all about it, we'll catch up later?"

"OK, but you'll keep your promise, right ?" the four year old said, smiling.

"Of course she will Princess." David said, picking his youngest up for a hug, "Now, go help Mummy and we'll be back in a while. I'm not on duty so we can book the holo-suite for a picnic if you like."

"At the lake ?" Mia said excitedly.

"Yes, Mummy will reserve the 'suite when you get home OK." he put Mia down and the two left, he turned to Melody, "We go to Lake Geneva, there's a castle on the shore, Château de Chillon, a medieval bastion where we stay, they can swim, picnic, roam around in the grounds, it's safe and a little out of the way, just what we like. Now Kenzie, take a seat, this is all about you."

Smiling, Melody turned her attention to Mackenzie. "Now then, I was most impressed with how you conducted yourself on our little shuttle mission. You show a very good understanding of the theory and your grasp of the control interface is also very impressive I've had a talk with your father and he agrees with me that you have the potential to excel in this area so I was wondering if you would be interested in taking some lessons from me. At your age I know the academy is a long way off and I'm not trying to force you into that path, but what I will teach you will put you in good stead if you do decide that's what you want to do. It will be quite hard work and it won't all be flaying around in shuttles but I think you're up for the challenge. What do you say ?"

".... And I will learn everything ?" she asked, turning to her Father, "Is it OK Daddy, is it ?"

"Wellll, you have school, and you mustn't ignore Mia, you know she's younger than you and might get upset if you are constantly away."

"I will Daddy, and I'm sure that if we go out in one of the shuttles Mia and you, or Mummy could come along for the ride too, sometimes, maybe."

"OK, but just remember, you're only six yea ....

"Six and a half." Mackenzie pointed out, the half obviously making a difference.

"OK, six 'AND' a half .... So you won't understand everything, I'm sure the Commander is going to start with the very basic's at first ?" Melody nodded, "We'll see how we go from there. Do you want me to hang around, or are you two wanting some instructor student time ?"

"Oh you can go Daddy." Kenzie got in before Melody could answer, "I'm sure melody will bring me home when we are finished." David looked from one to the other, both seemed to have the same expression on their faces.

"Right then, that's me out of here." he said, feigning a sulky expression before going out the door. As it closed behind him he grinned, grateful to Commander Jones for her interest in Kenzie .....

When David had left Melody gestured to a pile of 3 PADDs on her desk "I took the liberty of preparing some material for you to study. There is also a test at the end. But first I want to give you some hands on experience. A glimpse of what could happen if you do well, follow me please."

Kenzie was still looking at the PADD's wondering briefly if she had proverbially bitten off more than she could chew. She had an eidetic memory, but as her mother always said:

"You can know the recipe for apple pie, it doesn't mean you can bake one."

She had never really understood that until as late as last year, when she realised that 'remembering' was not 'learning' ... She got up and followed the Exec' out of her office.

Melody led Makenzie onto the bridge. The officer on watch stood from the Captain's chair as she approached.

"XO on the bridge" he announced.

"As you were Lieutenant. Anything to report?"

He shook his head "No Sir. All quite on the western front."

"Western front ?" Kenzie repeated, then seeing the expression on Melody's face turned to the Lieutenant, "Could you explain your reference please, unless you are referring to the pre Earth war of the nineteen thirties ?" she said, eyeing the young and suddenly uncomfortable Lieutenant expectantly.

"I just mean't there was, nothing to report, Miss." he said, eyes flicking from his apparent interrogator to his Superior.

"Very good." Melody acknowledged. She then walked over to the helm where Ensign Li was currently sat. "Ensign, I need you station for about 30 minutes. Please take one of the aft terminals and monitor."

"Aye Sir" and with that he stood and headed for the rear of the bridge. Melody tilted her head toward Mackenzie and gestured to the empty seat "Take the Helm Miss Tan."

"Helm, but ....." Mackenzie said, then realised it wasn't a request. She dropped into the seat which adjusted itself to accommodate her small size, it fell short but she could see what she needed to. It hadn't gone un-noticed that there was suddenly a child at the Halm, and Mackenzie was acutely aware of the surreptitious glances, but she was used to standing out, so to speak so chose to completely ignore them. 'after all, I can hardly break it' she thought.

Melody stood beside the wide eyed girl and started to explain the how the helm operated, from basic course entering to warp and impulse controls to manual adjustment. She noticed that in some places Mackenzie was steps ahead of her and she also included some more advanced operations. She was watching how the young girl soaked up everything she said like a sponge and asked questions, eager for knowledge.

"So more than one heading could be programmed in, for example if we needed to pass a way-point, or a minor course change to avoid something like a erm .... Gay a gravitational eddy, or a restricted area, is that right ?" The watch officer approached and addressed Melody:

"Excuse me Sir, but we've had a last minute request to drop off some medical supplies at a nearby outpost Dilisian Four. It's a bit out of our way but a short hop at warp five should keep us on schedule."

Melody acknowledged with a nod then turned to Mackenzie "Think you can handle that Miss Tan. Set course 165 Mark 231 Warp 5."

"Me ..." she said, making a mental note 'not' to keep questioning where it was not necessary or called for, she leaned forward and brought up the location of Dilisian Four, not because it was needed but so she knew where it was, then entered the assigned heading, double-checking everything was right she turned her attention to the section of the panel that allowed her to enter relative speed for the ship. She slid the touch-sensitive control up until it read 'Warp 5.0 ... Again she checked everything, knowing that the real Helm Officer would have had them a light year away by now, but she was six after all. she looked up at Melody, inwardly wondering if she should be addressing her as 'Sir' or commander, rather than by her name.

Melody watched her enter the co-ordinates carefully. Satisfied that they were accurate she smiled "Good". And with a flourish of her hand in the style of the great Captain Picard uttered "Engage."

Mackenzie turned back to the console and placed her finger on the green flashing indicator, nothing grand, just a blinking light 'that could be improved' she thought to herself as the massive USS Merlin slipped into Warp ...

Melody placed her hand on her shoulder "That was superb Mackenzie. I'm proud of you. Keep this up and you may go to the top of the class. Come on I think that's enough for one day. I'll give you those PADD's and you can go tell your parents all about this."

As she turned she called "Thank you Ensign, you can resume your post."

"Thank you Ensign." Kenzie repeated as the man resumed his duties.

She led Mackenzie back to her office.

"That was fun !" Kenzie said, dropping into the seat opposite Commander Jones, "Though I think I will have to put Helm Officer low on my list .... Hmmm, I think just beneath Steeplejack, yes, sounds about right." she said, grinning at Melody's confused expression.

Melody looked at the young girl confused for a moment "Steeplejack?"

"We learned about them in history class ..." Mackenzie said, wondering why, "They are men that climb up things like tall buildings, but mostly these chimney's at factories, they fix any broken bricks of whatever else needs doing, not something I would want to do. do you know they had only a rope and ladder to help them, it's a wonder more were not killed falling." she said with an exaggerated shiver.

Melody sat herself down behind her desk and looked at Mackenzie fondly. "As I said, that was a glimpse only. The bridge of a federation star ship can be quite daunting but as I said, I'm not pushing you into joining Starfleet, that will be your decision when the time comes, I'm merely giving you the tools with which you could excel but I must say I think would do great.

She slid over the PADDs to Mackenzie "You take these and read them thoroughly and we'll meet again in a week. If you need more time just let me know. I'd rather you knew all of this and were comfortable with it first, OK ?"

"Yes Sir." Kenzie said, standing.

She stood and walked round the desk and gave Mackenzie a hug. "If you have any problems just let me know. Do you want me to walk you back to your quarters?"

"Well, Daddy might want you to, but I know the way and would like to go on my own ? ...." Kenzie said, holding the PADD's to her chest, "You could always have the ships computer monitor so you know I've got home." she said, seemingly much older than her six, and a half, years. They walked to the door and said 'Bye' almost simultaneously. She walked along the corridor to the turbo-lift, turning to see Melody waving from her office door, she waved back and stepped inside:

"Deck two please." she said confidently. Five minutes later she was home .....

OFF:

Lieutenant David Tan
Chief Operations Officer
USS Merlin

Lana Tan
Mackenzie Tan
Mia Tan