He looked down at the table where the two little pips sat. He frowned down at them; they were the symbol of everything about Starfleet he despised. But one needed every advantage one could get in these days, so he quickly affixed them to his collar and turned to admire his image once more. "Something is missing." He mused quietly, looking around at his spread-about personal effects. Spying a blue armband, half-hidden under a small wooden chest, he snatched it up and slid it almost defiantly onto his left arm. Now this was the Victor Tyne he knew, he thought to himself, then frowned. Or was it the Victor Tyne he was supposed to become?

Victor gave one final turn in front of the mirror, then gave Remy a quick pat on the head and set out for engineering. He made polite little bows and waves to anyone he saw in the corridor, just deep enough to make people wonder about him, after all, first impressions were the most important and he liked to keep a certain air of mystery about him whenever he could. Except around that commander, he thought to himself with a frown. His life was an open book for her to read. There was something about her, he just couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it made him want to trust her. And for a man in his position, this was a very frightening thing.

After at least a dozen wrong turns and three dead ends, Victor finally made it to Engineering. He didn't dare ask the computer for directions. His pride (and a rumor about the computer having a sense of humor) wouldn't allow it. He made a mental note to personally reprogram it if it ever decided to play a joke on him.

Striding into engineering with both hands raised, Victor's presence instantly commanding everyone's attention. "Everyone can relax, your ACEO has arrived." He made his way around the room, flashing that award-winning smile and shaking every free hand. "For those of you that don't know, my name is Victor Tyne. Most people call me 'Vic', But all of you can address me as 'his wonderful and magnificent grace'. In a pinch, I suppose 'Lieutenant Tyne' will have to do."

The small pockets of laughter around him told him he'd charmed yet another audience. "And for those of you that do know, allow me to set the record straight. No, I do not breathe fire or acid or smoke and I cannot make a man's heart stop by looking at him, at least, not yet." He grinned slyly and watched as their faces lit up. "So anyway where is our wonderful Chief?" He reached over toward his armband before he could think. "Tyne to Jo..." He silently cursed himself. That kind of mistake could cost him valuable seconds in an emergency. He sighed and touched his Starfleet badge. "Tyne to Johnson. If you're not too busy, sir, we'd love to have you down here in engineering."

Johnson heard the comm beep just as he heard the small commotion outside in Engineering. "Mr. Tyne I am in the CEO office. Come up when you're ready." Johnson never moved from his seat as the overenthusiastic Victor Tyne walked through the doorway, taking up a position in front of the desk. Johnson shifted in his chair slightly. "You can take a seat you know I don't expect you to stand there like a raw cadet." Tyne sat down in the chair opposite the desk. Johnson shifted again, trying to get comfortable. "Okay I'm not going to give you a pep talk or anything like that I just need to know one thing. Can I trust you to do a good job?"

"I think Commander Callen..." Tyne began, but was cut off.

"I know what Commander Callen told me, but I want to hear it from you. Can I trust you?" Johnson watched the man not moving or flinching just letting his words settle.

Victor gave Johnson a level stare. "Despite whatever has happened in the past, sir, the Isannah's my ship now." He paused. "Well, as much as she is any other engineer's, I suppose."

Johnson moved with a start and grabbed some PADDs from behind him, his face breaking out into its normal joyous grin. "Good, right to business. We've got twenty minutes to pull the warp core manifolds out and start to depressurize the ship. I hope you did your zero-g and hazard courses, because you're about to put them into practice. You will find that your word is my word; if you need anything you get it. If you can't, find somebody who can. Let there be no doubt that I will back you up one-hundred percent without question, provided that you can justify to me if the need arises."

Victor allowed himself a small smile. "Efficient, direct, and completely tactless. I like that in an engineer. I'll have the manifolds ready for replacement as soon as possible"

"Good. Get one of the engineers downstairs to grab a couple of environment suits for us and get one for Ensign Keeves as well. She will be assisting us with the refit. Then take a look at the lower core assembly and get it prepped ready for it to be stripped out." Johnson stood and held out his hand to Tyne. "I think we are gonna get on just fine, Mr. Tyne. Right now let's get to work."

Victor took his hand and shook it firmly. "Aye, sir." He followed him out, then broke away to assemble a team to carry out Johnson's orders, gathering up all the necessary equipment. He reached over to tap his comm.. badge, pausing for the slightest moment to make sure he hit the right one. "Tyne to Ensign Keeves. Please report to Main Engineering, bottom level." He handed two ensigns pressure suits and small tool kits. "Prepare the lower assembly for separation, boss wants it out in twenty minutes, you've got fifteen." Both nodded and went to work. Victor turned back toward Johnson's office, pausing at the bottom of the lift.

Johnson was standing at a monitoring station just behind the core, keying the commands to disconnect the manifolds. He noticed a young officer walking towards him, and looked up from his console. "Yes, Ensign?"

The ensign snapped to attention and saluted Johnson. "Lieutenant Johnson, I presume."

Johnson eyed the young officer for a moment, then straightened up, leaning against the console with his arms folded across his chest. "Maybe. What can I do for you, Ensign?"

"Ensign Holbrook reporting for refit duty." He responded smartly, tacking on a hasty 'sir'.

Johnson looked the man over once more, and had to consciously stop himself from rolling his eyes at the man. "Good. Go and help AEO Tyne with the lower core assembly."

"Yes sir." Holbrook snapped another salute as he walked over to complete the task. Victor watched as he made his way toward the lift Victor happened to be standing at the bottom of, but stopped when a voice called out.

"Lt. Johnson," another voice was saying, "I could use a hand with this conduit. Is anyone free...?" There was a pause, then the voice shouted. "Holbrook! What are you doing here?"

Ensign Holbrook turned to look at whoever was shouting. "I say, me dear chap, no need to shout. Do you know me?"

"Yeah, I know you." The voice responded.

Something the other person must have done sent the young ensign's back stiff with restrained anger. "I see. And where from where, might I ask?" Both Victor and Johnson watched as the unknown assailant walked over to Ensign Holbrook, shoving him against a console. "Hey, stop that!"

Johnson frowned and walked over to the two officers. "Gentlemen, if I'm not interfering too much in your playtime, we have got 15 minutes before this ship is depressurized. So I suggest you get on with your assignments." He gave each of them a hard stare, then turned back to his station.

Victor watched as both men mounted the lift and came down to his level. He turned to face Ensign Holbrook, ignoring the other man for the moment. "Ensign Holbrook? Good, I can always use another hand. Start by dropping out the antideuteruim feed assembly; I'll be up shortly to help you with the reaction chamber." Holbrook nodded and set off without another word. His companion turned to follow, but Victor halted him by putting an arm across his chest. "What's your name, Ensign?"

"Matt Quentin." The man responded, not looking at Victor.

"That's 'Ensign Quentin, sir.'" Victor corrected harshly, gaining the man's attention. "And if you try to pull any more of that on my watch," He fixed the ensign with a stare guaranteed to make the man's blood run cold. "I will personally escort you to the nearest airlock and eject your worthless carcass into space. Do we understand each other? Good. Now get to work."

Victor turned away and walked off without waiting for a reply. He hadn't been on duty for fifteen minutes, and already he was forced to put up with Starfleet's idiocy, or rather, the products of Starfleet's idiocy. 'We might as well just detonate the core,' he was thinking to himself, 'instead of waiting for one of those morons to get a hold of it.'

With a sigh, he turned and bent down to gather up an armload of tools, then looked up to see Ensign Keeves staring down at him. There wasn't any hint of what she thought of the whole situation on her face. It was simply an alert and neutral stare. Unconsciously, he ran his fingers through his hair and straightened up to greet her, giving her his best smile. "Ensign, glad to have you on my team." He held out a pressure suit to her, with a passing thought about offering to help her into it, but something told him he better hold his tongue.

"Why don't you go help Mr. Holbrook, I'll just be a moment."

"Aye, sir," she responded simply.

He sealed up his suit and gathered up all the tools, almost dropping them all as he remembered about the good commander. "Computer, send a message to Commander Callen reminding her that we have a lunch date to be scheduled at her convenience." He smiled. So far, so good. At least he'd have a few friends at his wake when Starfleet had him executed...

Loaded: 05.11.2004