Rising Through the Ranks
Posted on Fri Jul 4th, 2025 @ 8:59pm by Captain Andre Hunt & Lieutenant Commander Mattys Plaatjes
1,437 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Trillius Prime
Location: CO's Ready Room
Captain Hunt sat his desk as he went over the service records of Lt. Commander Plaatjes. It had been a few weeks since the Meridian had left space dock and he been watching how the Chief Engineer ran his department. About five minutes, Andre had called Plaatjes to his office to discuss some things with him.
Fresh from a routine inspection of the nacelle's interiors for any early-voyage stress, Plaatjes had made his way up to the Captain's Ready Room, pausing only to clean off some grease from his hands, still in his dirty uniform overall, one of the many hazards of Engineering work. His burly frame took up the small internal door as he pressed the chime, waiting for permission to enter.
"Come on," Andre called out as the door opened. He could see the Commander, clearly showed up after crawling around the engine room. If there was anything, he realized about the man before him. He was definitely all about keeping the engine at pristine condition. "Have a seat. Would like you like some lemonade?"
'That sparkling English stuff? Or the real thing the rest of us drink,' Plaatjes asked with an arched eyebrow as he took a seat in front of the Captain's small workspace. Being a taller man in Starfleet sometimes had its disadvantages. He doubted anyone else saw it, but everything on an NX-refit seemed just a centimeter or two too small for his frame, so he was permanently uncomfortable.
"The southern stuff." Hunt poured the engineer a glass, then handed it over. "Give that a try, don't know a damn thing about no English lemonade." Noticing the sheer size of Plaatjes in his office, he could help but to smile. "Hopefully by the time Starfleet gives you a command of your own, these rooms will be a bit larger. If that's what you want of course?"
Raising his eyebrows, Plaatjes looked at the captain and took a minute before answering. 'Well ...' his eyebrows knitted together. 'Look, yeah, maybe. I heard a few things back at base before we set out. They're organising a few ships for the Corps of Engineers.' Spreading his hands he said, 'if that came true ... I could imagine myself in the center chair for that kind of ship.' Plaatjes grinned, 'not one of these, eh, the decisions would be quite ... weighty I'd imagine, Sir.'
"Don't think I have ever heard of anyone with a goal to under the Corps of Engineers. But I have been watching you the last few weeks, since we left spacedock. And the work you did on the Relut impressed the hell out of their head engineer and their Captain. Mentioned that you said somethings over there that was encouraging and motivating."
'Thank you, Captain,' Plaatjes smiled, then hesitated. 'I hope I wasn't out of line, Sir. I just figured that while we're out here, we should do some good - making allies, and maybe eventually, friends, is what this all has to be about, eh?'
"Mattys you weren't out of line in the least bit," Andre assured him. "Starfleet and I need more people like yourself that has that mentality. Being a commanding officer, I'm not afraid to admit that many people in my position lean on our First Officer's when it comes to commanding a ship. I believe that you are a perfect for my command team."
'Me, sir?' Plaatjes asked a little incredulously. 'I mean ... I'm good with Engineering, but ... this would be something else entirely.' He took a sip of lemonade while he thought. 'What would you expect of me?'
"Taking a bridge shift. We'll set you up on third shift. Got to get you some experience command to make you a proper second officer. Bridge duty won't be full time, so it won't take away from your duties as Chief Engineer. If the XO is the position of being in command, then you serve as his Executive Officer. But when the time comes, I want you to be more than ready to slide into Executive Officer. Whether that position is on the Meridian or on another ship, if you choose to do so."
'I don't intend on leaving the Meridian,' Plaatjes replied, intrigued by the offer. 'Field training is the best preparation for any type of command - and you don't get more out into the field than aboard this ship.' He relaxed in his chair, folding one leg over the other as he mulled the offer over. 'I think it's a good way of easing me into broader command,' he eventually replied, seeing the logic in the way he'd be introduced. 'Consider me signed up, Captain.'
"Glad to hear that." Hunt smiled as he watched Plaatjes become more comfortable in his seat. "What do you think about our current situation?"
'Far from home, and lacking support beyond what the Trill will be able to muster,' Plaatjes replied flatly, 'it won't be easy to get the pirates, and convince them that the Trill aren't a soft touch any more.' He sighed, 'but we have to do something - there's no point in fighting a war and then letting pirates tramp around the place. And the Meridian is the ship to do it with, I doubt there's a ship like her for light-years in any direction.'
"You're certainly right about that. The last thing I want is for the Meridian to be hanging around serving as a guard for the Trill. Which is why I need for the L'Diran government and the Trill to come up with some agreement. Possible trade agreement for this precious resource that these pirates keep trying to steal."
'An agreement would be quite the achievement. I know the Federation has been built on high ideals - but we need concrete achievements to prove the concept. Making ourselves trusted brokers and interlocutors with our neighbours benefits us all,' Plaatjes observed.
A huge grin appeared on the Captains face, "And those words right there is huge reason why Starfleet has out here. We have surpassed simply being explorers, but to bring people together in order to create something so much bigger. The role of the Captain continues to expand beyond the original mission. I can only imagine what other changes will be added overtime."
'Probably paperwork, if the Vulcans have anything to do with it, everything in triplicate,' Plaatjes joked with his own grin and chuckle, 'at least out here we'll get to make the decisions, and report them. If we get back home, it'll be endless committees and reviews for us.' He paused, then leaned forward, 'so, when do we start?'
"After this mission, I'm going to add you to bridge rotation."
'Sounds like a plan,' Plaatjes replied with a nod. 'And look, I'm sure there were quite a few candidates for the job - I know that Vulcans are quite popular for Second Officer, even if they're only on exchange from High Command - so thanks for the opportunity. I don't intend on letting you down.'
"Thank you for accepting. I know how you feel about being down in engineering. Word around the ship is that you spend more time there than anywhere else."
'I like it, things are simpler down there,' Plaatjes smiled, 'besides, there are always kinks to iron out at the start. Tests and warm-ups don't smooth everything out. The systems need to be run at full whack for a while before you hit most of the day-to-day snags from operating them.' He shrugged, 'give it til the end of our mission and we should have the engines purring like a kitten.'
"I definitely appreciate that," the Captain chuckled. "Is there anything you would like to bring up?"
'Just how much I've been pleased with my immediate Engineering crew,' Plaatjes replied with a smile. 'And the general professionalism and competence of the rest of the crew, where I've interacted with them. I hope they keep up the standards set.'
"You inherited a good Department. Majority of the old crew opted to stay on the Meridian. It was mainly the senior staff that moved on."
'And I'm very lucky for it,' Plaatjes replied with another nod. 'Are there any questions you'd like to ask of me, Sir?'
Andre simply shook his head. "Nope, go home get some rest. Got a busy day ahead of us."
=================
Captain Andre Hunt
Commander Officer
USS Meridian
Commander Mattys Plaatjes
Chief Engineering and Second Officer
USS Meridian
RSS Feed