Enna pursed her lips as she looked down at her padd. The construction was proceeding at a fast pace, but given that they were underway, she had made adjustments so they still had half a functional flight deck… just in case.

She should be working on two of the Valkyries as well. Maintenance issues had been flagged up on five and nine. She really needed to get into the systems and figure out what was causing the flags…  after she gave the XO a tour. Somehow she didn’t think ‘shuttlebay, fighters, shuttles, runabouts… any questions?’ was going to cut it.

No, she was going to have to do the whole walk and talk thing. Be. Nice.

She sighed.

Great.

Jinaril’s footsteps echoed softly as he made his way through the unfamiliar corridors of the Hathaway. Despite its similarity in size to the California-class ship he once served on, there was a subtle complexity to its layout that kept him on his toes. Thankfully, the ship’s computer was there to guide him through the maze of passages.

Approaching a pair of imposing double doors marked ‘Main Shuttle Operations‘, Jinaril paused momentarily before they parted with a quiet hiss. Inside, his gaze fell upon a figure bathed in the glow of her PADD. Her blonde hair caught the light, framing her features in a soft halo. She matched the description of the Chief he had set out to meet.

With a confident stride, Jinaril extended his hand in greeting. “Chief Petty Officer Mason,” he began, his voice steady, “I am Commander Jinaril Miller. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

She looked up, clicking the padd off and holding it tucked against her forearm as she shook his hand.

“Likewise, sir,” she offered with a polite smile. “I understand you’d like the grand tour? I’m afraid it’s a little dirty still down here,” she admitted, aware of the grease stain across one of her jacket shoulders, and she was probably tracking dirt from the build section everywhere. “But construction gets that way, I’m afraid.”

He was tall for a human, easily the same height as her, which was good. It meant she wouldn’t be looking down at him all the time. Nor would he have to go through the ridiculous tricks some men felt necessary when dealing with a woman taller than themselves. Another good thing because all the boxes in the shuttle bay were either in use or stowed away.

“Don’t fret, Chief,” he said, his tone gentle yet assured, a glint of camaraderie shining in his eyes. Memories of his own beginnings in Operations brought a genuine smile to his lips as he spoke. “My career began amidst the hustle of OPS, so I’m intimately acquainted with the ebb and flow of these processes.” His smile widened, conveying a silent understanding. 

“And as for the mundane, feel free to breeze through. I know your hands are likely tied with more pressing matters,” he suggested with a knowing nod.

“Excellent, this will make things far quicker then,” she said, her stance relaxing a bit. Only a bit, given he was, after all a senior officer and the XO of the ship. Turning slightly, she swept her arm out a little. “If you’d like to follow me, I’ll bring you up to speed with where we are.”

Setting off at a fast pace, she continued talking. “I’ve made adjustments to the construction schedule. Obviously, as we’re underway and not in the safety of dock, maintaining a working fighter hangar was the main priority, so… as you can see, I’m keeping the fighters stationed on the port side of the hangar for now, in the unaltered section.” 

She waved her hand at the sheeted, sectioned-off area behind the fighters. “Ignore that, it’s cosmetic. That’s to stop the ensigns wandering in and touching sh—touching things they shouldn’t. Once we’re done, I’ll get the panels put back into place.”

“Excellent, we certainly don’t want them touching shit,” Jinaril remarked with a grin. He then inquired, “Could you elaborate on the primary advantages the upgrades will offer?”

“I find it’s always best with ensigns. Bless their hearts.” Her lips quirked at the corners. “Okay, so a lot of this is going to be really boring, and buried deep in the power management and maintenance systems. Basically put, it’s going to allow us to launch faster and once fighters are back in, will allow us to run checks and get on any repairs quicker. Which will be a huge benefit when these guys are active,” she said, indicating the Valkyries with a thumb over her shoulder. “Faster we get ‘em mended, the faster they’re out and weapons hot.”

As Jinaril followed the Chief through the facility, he couldn’t help but notice the stark contrast between the current operation and the Californian-style stunting he had grown accustomed to. Gone were the flashy maneuvers and haphazard organization; instead, he observed a methodical approach to every task. Equipment was neatly arranged, and personnel worked in synchronized harmony. Jinaril found himself increasingly impressed with each passing moment, silently acknowledging the level of expertise displayed.

Amidst this atmosphere of precision, a question bubbled up within Jinaril. He glanced at the Chief, with a slight clearing of his throat, Jinaril spoke up, “Chief, if there’s anything you need, you can count on me to assist.”

She offered a small smile. The XO seemed laid back but she’d noticed the keen gleam of intelligence in his eyes and knew, without a shadow of a doubt, he was making mental notes on everything he was seeing and hearing. No one got to the elevated position of executive officer without being aware.

“Your door will be the first I knock down,” she replied. “Have to see how you handle a set of spanners before I let you loose on my Valkyries though,” she added, with a slight teasing note.

“No worries, with you around, I’ve got spanner wrangling covered,” Jinaril’s lips curled into a mischievous grin as he eyed the toolbox nearby. His fingers hovered over the metallic tools, teasingly tapping them. Then, with a slight tilt of his head, he added, “Shoot me a list of everything you need ASAP. I’ll make sure there won’t be any hiccups during the project.” His gaze softened, gratitude evident in his voice as he turned to Chief Mason. “Oh, and chief, I want to express my gratitude for this thorough tour. It’s been really enlightening to see the ins and outs of the operation firsthand.”

She smiled, and inclined her head. “You are very welcome. Feel free to pop down any time you fancy getting a break from the high pressures of the bridge.” Holding her padd by the corner, she waggled it. “And expect a hefty list from me shortly.”