<USS Avalon> Log-Settling in at Last

Settling in at Last

-Dodge Thomas

 

 

Dodge glanced unhappily at the memo flashing persistently on his computer 
screen. Captain Ketchum was not in complete approval of his transfer choices. 
He sighed heavily. Letting the Bynars go was not completely his choice. They 
had cited personal reasons as a factor in their needing to leave. 

Engineering was quiet, a good sign. Ensign Aguatequa was the engineer on duty 
for the morning shift, as well as two or three techs. Ensigns Black and 
Criswell worked the afternoon/evening shift and Ensign Harvey had requested the 
night shift. Dodge tried to be there for the last three hours of the morning 
shift, and the first three of the night shift. Avalon was finally on it's way, 
and after a few training and familiarization sessions, Dodge was completely 
convinced that his staff could keep her running smoothly. The engines thrummed 
softly in the background and Ensign Aguatequa called him over.

"How am I supposed to calibrate this? It's variance field is totally skewed. 
See?"

Dodge took the PADD. "Try reloading the feed statistics and see if that lets 
you calibrate the regulators, okay?"

Anilla smiled. She was an excellent engineer, but terrible at making decisions, 
no matter how simple they seemed. Mentally, Dodge returned to the Bynars. They 
had stated personal reasons, and he was curious as to what those reasons were. 
He wasn't very familiar with the species. He knew they were mentally linked to 
a central computer, and that two of them were bonded from birth to be half of 
the other. He reached his office and closed the door. 

"Computer, access all information pertaining to the Bynars."

"Working. Information displayed on screen four."

Dodge flipped through the data, mostly composed of boring statistics and 
useless binary translations. The medical section of the log was even less 
interesting, although he did find out that their hearts beat in synch and that 
if one of the creatures sneezed, the other would also. Apparently, they 
transferred physical sensations between each other.

It was only when he reached the psychological analysis that he found useful 
information. Like the Borg, the Bynars were mentally linked to a computer, and 
like the Borg, they had to make a direct link to maintain vitality and life. 
But unlike the Borg, which had to regenerate daily to establish and maintain 
this link, the Bynars only had to link once or twice every five years. 
Interestingly enough, the Bynars regeneration cycle lasted four and a half 
months, where as the Borg regeneration period could last anywhere from one to 
twelve hours.

So that was it. They had to regenerate. Dodge mused inwardly. Perhaps all those 
cybernetic organisms really weren?t helping themselves out. It seemed to him 
that sleep was a much more efficient solution to exhaustion than any mechanical 
improvement could ever be.

He checked the chronometer. Thirteen hundred hours and fifty seven minutes. The 
day shift was about to begin. He quickly punched up an apology for not being 
clearer in his reasoning and sent it to the captain. Hopefully, it would smooth 
things over a bit. The internal clock on the ship chimed once, and the first 
few day people began to arrive in engineering. Dodge watched Ensign Criswell 
and Ensign Aguatequa talk for a while, then spotted Ensign Black running the 
shift change procedure through the computer.

With a few last words, Ensign Aguatequa left Engineering. 

?So, what?s on the list of things today?? Ensign Black asked Dodge. 

Dodge shrugged. ?Just the usual.?

Somehow deep down, that felt incredibly good to say.



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