Post 518: Unexpected Help

Stardate: 71023.2100
Title: Unexpected Help
Author: Ensign Rada Dengar
Scene: Bridge, Independence
Time: Following “Judgement Day, Part Three”
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Rada watched as the Vedek stepped into the Turbolift and saw him sign something which he didn’t understand, this annoyed him greatly. The Vedek could be talking about him behind his back right to his face for all he knew.

Still Rada decided to ignore the Vedek’s potential slander, concentrating instead on adjusting the transporters.

*You’ve managed to look like you’ve made a contribution and to avoid doing anything to provoke people into your murder, destroy the ship or otherwise make people realise you’re an idiot since you arrived on the bridge* Rada told himself and then pleaded *Just please, it won’t be much longer, don’t say anything from now on unless it clearly relates to getting the job at hand done and you may just make it out of this intact,* but alas he would never be able to do as he asked.

Whilst Micah Samson remained a mystery, Rada felt that he had gotten to understand Corbinsky a little bit as he had worked with him. This was why what happened next surprised him deeply.

Corbinsky leaned over to Rada and said quietly yet bluntly “You are pathetic, Rada Dengar,” and then continued working as if nothing had happened.

Rada was naturally taken back, he had done nothing which could have led Corbinsky to this conclusion and this remark was clearly not in jest.

Never-the-less he put on his usual pseudo confidence, continued to work and asked “What makes you say that?” in a voice which managed to quite well cover his personal feelings on the matter.

“Your engineering skills are laughable.” Corbinsky added once again keeping his eyes forward and continuing to work.

“I’ll have to disagree with you there,” Rada replied, maintaining his illusion of calm.

“You take ridiculously long to do anything.” Corbinsky stated matter-of-factly.

“Perhaps where you’re from…” Corbinsky cut him off.

“You are nothing but detrimental to this crew.”

“I have had some…”Corbinsky cut him off again. Both men kept their eyes forward to their monitors and their voices both quiet and calm.

“You’re a clown, who’s a hazard to this ship” added Corbinsky.

Rada tried again “Now you’re just being…” but was cut off once again.

“You’re nothing.”

Suddenly Rada knew that calm was not the way to deal with this, he turned to face Corbinsky and said in a much more confronting tone of voice attracting a few peoples’ attention.

“Now hold on, I am an excellent engineer. I’m efficient, I’m smart and anyone who can’t see that is clearly a fool.”

Corbinsky simply kept his eyes forward, laughed a little, smiled and said “I know that you are and you’re right…anyone who can’t see that is a fool.”

Rada suddenly realised what Corbinsky had done, for some strange reason…he was helping him.

Rada turned forward again, resumed his calm voice and asked Corbinsky “Might I know why you did that?”

Corbinsky just smiled as he put the final touch on the adjustments to the transporters and said “In time, Rada Dengar, in time."

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Ensign Rada Dengar
Engineering Officer
USS Independence NCC-90791