Main Engineering

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Janice sought refuge in main engineering, and as she entered, she immediately calmed a little. Just the throb of the engines in her ears, the feel of the pulse of energy surrounding her eased her significantly. She had always done her best thinking in main engineering - she felt like she was surrounded by friends. She never could understand it during her Academy years - until she found out that she was a machine, like the equipment she loved so much. She frowned at the memory, and instead decided to look around engineering - her engineering. She loved the sound of that.

She saw six people working, one Klingon, the others human looking. She surveyed the room, keeping silent as she observed how each person worked and how well they worked. She noticed one girl who she recognized as Lt. Kaitlyn Brennan, her assistant chief engineer, talking to an Ensign, and he walked off, obviously to complete his given task. Janice smiled to herself - she obviously had a rather competent assistant. Hopefully, they would get along well. She was impressed by how quickly she had taken over and gotten everyone to work. Walking over to her, she called up her file in her memory - an advantage to being an android, she grudgingly admitted to herself.

"Hello, Lieutenant Brennan," she said.

Brennan smiled. *Not very genuine,* Janice thought unhappily. *I do want to be friends with her..* "Hi, Lieutenant Hargen," Brennan began.

Janice sighed. *Might as well correct her now, before it's too late!* "Lieutenant Commander," she interrupted. "Are we preparing for the status report due tomorrow morning?" she asked, trying to get some work done after her small introduction.

"What status report?" Brennan asked, confused.

"On the whole ship," she explained, gazing around engineering. She felt much better already - calm, composed, and sure of herself. Almost a little too sure of herself, she noticed. She wanted to make a good impression on her assistant. She really did want to be friends with her - she had to be able to depend on her to take care of the ship, in case anything happened to her.. which made Janice realize that perhaps it would be a good idea to tell Brennan her.. secret, just in case.

Brennan was shocked. "You mean, we're supposed to have all the current specs on the ship done all in one day? Are we going to get more hands?"

"It should be easy enough as long as all of us work at it," she said, her mind no longer on the conversation. She was trying to decide whether she would tell her, and if so, who else would she need to tell? *Epic already knows,* she remembered unhappily. *Probably just Brennan and perhaps the CMO* she thought, losing track of what Brennan was saying. *Don't think about this now!* she scolded herself. *I have more important things to worry about.* She dragged herself back to the conversation at hand - this was important. She impulsively checked the time - she still had 45 minutes to get ready. She should be getting back to her quarters now. A reminder clicked off in her head about the staff meeting tomorrow. *Another good thing about being a machine - you never forget,* she thought unhappily, thinking of all the things she would have rather forgotten. "Oh, and one more thing Your attendance is required at the staff meeting tomorrow morning, at 1000 hours," she said, then went silent. *How am I going to face him at a staff meeting after tonight?* she thought worriedly.

"Is there something in particular you'd like me to do?" Brennan suggested, tired of the silence.

"Well, if you can handle engineering for the next couple of hours or so, I'll let you be. It seems like you have everything under control - good job, by the way. I'll be back as soon as I can; I just have a personal matter to attend to." She sighed to herself. *Being here does help, but not enough. I suppose the best solution would just be to get it over and done with!*

Brennan nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, sir, I can handle it."

"Good, I knew you could. And perhaps when I return, we can get together and talk a bit. I would like to get to know you better, and we should determine just how well we work together." Janice smiled warmly, trying to express to this girl that she had nothing but good intentions towards their relationship. "I shall be on my way, then. Thank you, Kaitlyn." With that, Janice left engineering to go prepare herself one of the most crucial meetings she had ever had in her life.