Engineering Antics

Posted on 06 Oct 2025 @ 9:27pm by Lieutenant Thex sh'Zoarhi & Lieutenant Commander Leland Hawksley

1,083 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: General Sim Postings
Location: USS Tomcat, Main Engineering
Timeline: Current

[ON]

Setting: USS Tomcat, Engineering Deck, 0300 Hours. The hum of the warp core is suspiciously... off-key.

Leland Hawksley, Chief, stands alone in the middle of Engineering, surrounded by blinking consoles. There was a half-disassembled matrix core systems manifold open, and a suspiciously large wrench he swears isn’t his...Across the hall.

He walked up and poked at the console. "Alright, you temperamental bucket of bolts, sing for me. Why is the warp core doing its best karaoke impression?" Leland turned to Thex.

“Thex, you didn’t let Todd near the frequency modulators again, did you?

Hewitt’s head popped up from behind a conduit, holding a spanner like it’s a saber. Sir, I’m 99% sure it’s not my fault this time. Okay, 98%. But I did find a subroutine in the core’s diagnostics that’s... uh... playing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” on repeat.

" No. Todd been nowhere near it." Thex replied as she walked over.

“Thex would you be on top of that. Find out whether this is what I am hearing it. Are you hearing it, Thex? You know the bedtime song, sung to infants… ‘twinkle twinkle, little star’, he furrowed his brow at that one. His eyes were questioning. “Find out if it's natural or something extra.” Look at his Engineering PADD. He had to finish off, uploading the PCSS new Interfacial V.667 Mark 7II ECH – Emergency Command Hologram.

“Leland shook his head. “I swear I ran through that.”

“Command, bring up audio check log 118909. Hawksley Engineering Pi, Alpha Alpha Alpha Pi.

“File accessed.”

“Computer, replay that date.” “Highlight uploading the PCSS interface mark 711.”

“One query matches your parameters.”

“Play log.”

“Leland here, just added to updating the new impressive, emergency command hologram for Fleet Captain Somers. Initiated installation of modular ECH Profile scoping wave audio and visual, multiple mechanical subprograms, and vibrational parameters, which I had to update to set specifications. The bridge for the Akira Class vessels, when setting up the Profile Scoping wave audio unit…”

“Computer cut audio readout,” Leland remarked in his log of the date to the audio, checking and rechecking. It indeed was he on the main bridge. Checking underneath the main bridge seat of the USS Tomcat, Leland amended the ECH whole database and onboard electronic passiveness.” Leland grunted, flexing his large engineering hands in a crack, which could be heard.

“Thex, how goes those harmonics?” Leland queried.

"Working on it ,chief," Thex called from her workplace, her blue eyes gazing from the computer screen before jumping to the warp core.

Leland shook his head at how flexible Thex was. I mean, jumping around the warp core, not something he liked... She would be careful, though.

He wondered what it would be making that 'Twinkle Twinkle' noise, a simple tightening of the bolt, so to speak, or ... "Or no. No. Nothing else."

Thex's blue eyes gazed over the console in front of her as she worked. " Think i she und it cheif just give me a few..." She responded.

Leland was very interested as he looked, stepping up the outer core rings, climbing up to the next few levels to reach the area, Thex was working around the Tomcat warp core.

He popped his head, "What have we got going on. Since we are... up near the cryogenic fluid transfer tanks, don't tell me it involves cryogenic field taps?" Hawksley frowned playful.

Thex glanced her blue eyes back up at the cryo pipes. " No sign of any major leakes." She replied looking at the thin coating of ice that covered them.

"Good." Leland paused a moment before he walked back to the main pool table. "Thex." He tapped his com badge. "I am going to re-cycle the cryogenic field taps, and shunt a pressure build up. Look for any leaks in the fittings." Hawksley had ordered.

" Will do boss. I'm in position start the re-cycle." Thex replied

Hawksley checked over the cryonics storage subpods on deck 04. The system was a new configuration from Tomcat’s older style. Leland rubbed at his chin, noticing that there was a backflow that was circulating a counter current.

“That’s freaking odd.” Hawksley narrowed his eyes. “Computer run level 2 diagnostics on cryogenic treatment sub flow tanks 1-3 on my mark.”

“Ok Thex.” Hawksley tapped his badge. “I noticed another issue with the cryo tanks. There is a backup of circulating cryo fluids. I don’t understand it. I am going to run a level two diagnostic while I do the re-cycle. Continue to look for leaks. Enacting re-cycle mode….. Now!” Leland pressed into the LCARs his matrix subcodes.

“Level II Diagnostic Commencing…” The Main computer reported. Leland turned as he walked back towards Thex out in the Engineering chambers.

" I think i've found the problem cheif. I think we have a blockage in one of the cryo pipes. " Called thex as she moved over the results coming in from her triquater

Leland nodded. His expression focused on the pipe yet appreciative as he approached Thex in the bustling Engineering chamber. “Nice catch! Thex—let’s clear that blockage and keep those cryo tanks humming.” Hawksley said, his voice steady with a hint of pride, already pulling up the diagnostic results on his PADD to dive into the fix alongside Thex.

"What do you suggest we do to un-clog?" Hawksley was initiating a sly true or false with the Engineering guidelines to see if Thex was paying attention to them.

Thex paused for a second before she answered. " Reverse the flow to see if we can dislodge it, if that fails, we'll have to close the pipe and remove it manually."

Leland, leaning against a nearby console, raised an eyebrow and chimed in. "Not bad, Thex, reversing the flow’s a good first call—textbook fluid dynamics. Might I add. We don’t know if it’s a grease clog or a lodged widget. Reverse too hard without checking, and you could blow a seal.”

Leland then checked his tricorder, which was locked into the conduit. “Looks good.” He called out as he taped in the final commands, checking the reverse flow and articulating its fluidic dynamics. The array sensors showed that there were no such blockages or widget interruptions.

He then locked eyes with Thex. “Excellent work, Lieutenant. She's happy and flowing now.”






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