Eternal Rivalry
Posted on November 6th, 2002 by Adam Drake and FJ

Engineering didn’t seem so big after the drop ships had docked and all the engineers scurried back to their workstations. The warp core didn’t seem so loud compared to the bloodcurdling screams that had escaped the many of the Romulans that were slain during the battle. Drake strode into Engineering, freshly showered and clean of all grime and blood that had splattered upon him in the recent skirmish.

“Home Sweet Home,” Drake said as he strode into his office. A job well done deserved some rest, so Drake decided to do what he did best – delegate. Drake sat comfortably into his chair and put his feet on the desk as he reviewed the progress reports and system analysis that lined his desk’s surface.

Engineering wasn’t as big indeed, the thrill of speeding through the air with Romulan fighters following your every move made the simple jobs of an Engineer seem almost boring. However, the jobs had to be done. Ensign FJ, fresh off the mission with the rest of the Phantom squad, walked into engineering himself. He once again felt the dullness of everyday life setting back in. That before mentioned thrill was something he couldn’t get enough of; that’s why he joined Starfleet; that’s why he joined the Phantom squad, but however, all good things must come to an end.

Drifting from the PADD, Drake’s eyes stared out the door of his office. Drake saw FJ step into Engineering and look around; much like Drake had done just a moment earlier. Pushing away from his desk and to his feet, Drake quickly walked out into Engineering. “Great flying Ace. Next time remind me to tell the Romulans to throw something harder to hit than those crappy fighters – like my Grandmother’s bunt cake.”

Insulting the man was not supposed to be with harsh intention, but it was something to defend the area of Starfleet that you were under. The Starfleet Aerospace Force, to which FJ belonged, was the Air Support. The Marine Corps, Drake’s faction, was doing the dirty work. He had fought with Engineers at the Daystrom Engineering Specialists Corps over the same general topics. It was all in the spirit of fun – for the most part.

FJ looked up hearing Drake’s comments. It was hard for him to decide which to attack first, the Marine Corps, or his Grandmother’s bunt cake, but wisely he chose the Marines. “Well, lets see you talk like that next time you got a whole battalion of Romulan troops heading your way, and all I have to do is drop a bomb on there butts. I can do in 30 seconds, what it takes the Marines hours, or even days to do.”

Giving Drake a sly smirk FJ turned around and acted busy, preparing the next line of insults, as well as reactions too things he knew Drake would say; plus he still wanted to find somewhere to get a punch on that darn bunt cake.

“We don’t hide in stupid fighters either. We’re in there doing the dirty work that you are all too scared to do. We care the packs, we set the explosives, and engage in guerrilla warfare while you are all flying around chasing bees and the clouds.” Drake tapped a nearby console, running the standard diagnostics that were due at the end of each shift. “It’s not my fault that you aren’t good enough to go in there guns blazing and do some damage.”

FJ turned around, feeling a bit insulted. “Not good enough! Well, I’m sorry your not smart enough to understand that this isn’t the 17th Century, we no longer have to march around wearing red coats, playing the drums yelling ‘SHOOT ME!’ if you have the means, then take advantage. There is no honor or pride in living in the past.”

Ensign FJ turned back to his work trying to cool down. Insult contest weren’t exactly his type of thing. Being raised (for the most part) by strict Vulcans there wasn’t much of an opportunity to actually go down on someone; not often is there a big insult challenge at the Vulcan academies; however, he felt confident in his approach to Drake’s narrow-mindedness.

Drake, sensing that his words had either hurt of offended the Ensign, put his arm on the shoulder of the engineer. He smiled and then took a breath, trying to decide how to continue this conversation, “I apologize if I offended you. I’m used to a more social atmosphere than this, and no one grips my horrible humor. Good job, though, I think we only had one injured.”

Doing an about face and stepping back towards his office, Drake was sure that FJ wouldn’t be his social candidate on the long and boring days that lie ahead of him. Something told him that his interest and his time would be better spent in the holodeck with people or holograms that he could mold to fit his criteria for ‘suitable social company’.

FJ sensed a feeling of discomfort coming from Drake, he tried to figure if he overreacted, or just touched a nerve about the marines. FJ looked up at Drake with a smile, “Hey, next mission, if you see me flying over your head, you’d better watch out.” FJ gave a slight smirk at Drake, then began to laugh slightly.

“I have to admit, it would take a lot to get me down there tagging Dilithium, and that sort of stuff. The fighter is like a comfort zone to me; I use it to make myself feel better. Have you ever had to give a speech, and you know how it is, especially if you’re nervous, you use the podium as a shield? Well that’s what the Exodus is for me. But don’t get me wrong, I’m not scared to come kick your Marine butt anytime you want.” FJ let off a light-hearted laugh, and then began working at the console once again.

Stopping in his tracks, Drake spun around on his right heel. “I know how you feel, what do you think I use the huge phaser compression rifle for? It’s not to make my outfit look right and proper, it’s so I don’t feel unarmed and at the mercy of whoever comes around the corner. And if you think that you can take me on, well then, you’re more than welcome to come get yourself some of this whenever you want.”

Smiling a bit to himself and stepping up next to FJ, Drake looked down at the console. “Do you want to loan me Exodus at all? You know, have a go at her? I’m sure that the Admiral or Captain would mind a spontaneous flight around this ‘old scow’.” A smile stretched across Drake’s face as he awaited the answer to his half-inquisition.

FJ looked up at Drake, wondering if he actually thinks he’s just going to fly HIS fighter around. “Sure, why not; anything else of mine you would like? I have a very nice girlfriend, pretty too; perhaps you’d be interested in taking her for a ride around the block as well? And afterwards, you can come sleep in my quarters, and I’ll just go sleep in one of the Jefferies tubes. Sound good to you?” FJ looked up, waiting for the response to his obviously sarcastic reply.

Drake smiled and laughed, “Sounds good to me. How does Thursday sound?”

FJ let off a sigh of disgust. “Wonderful, need me to set the whole thing up? I could tell you all the little things that drive her wild too, that way you’ll have no problems.” he looked at Drake with a comical, yet harsh look on his face. “What else do you wish for?”

Rubbing his chin in a sign of obvious reflection and thought, Drake thought about how to sarcastically reply to the engineer. “I don’t know. Do you have any younger sisters?” Drake perked his eyebrows a couple of times as he let the suggestion linger for a moment. “Two? Three?”

FJ let out a loud laugh that drew all of engineering’s attention toward him. “Yes, I got 3; al Vulcans, and not the normal ones either, these are the type that have whips, and are into killing their mates, I’d love to set you up.” FJ began picturing in his head the images of his three sisters ripping Drake apart and feeding him to the 5ft. sloth they kept as a pet.

“Oh, sounds feisty. I’m always into the hard to get ones.”

Drake moved and climbed the ladder and approached a console, directly above the console in which FJ had seated himself and was working so diligently at. Drake smirked at himself as he shouted down to the other worker below him. “So, how do you think we did – in general? The mission, I mean.” Drake started a standard diagnostic on the plasma manifold and made sure the parameters were set correctly and at the right intervals.

“I believe it was a success in all aspects. None lost, 1 injured, and the objectives were all met in a timely manner. It was a great mission, but it certainly wouldn’t have been possible without the SFAF.” FJ continued running the typical test on the matter/antimatter systems, while talking with Drake, “But I’ll give you guys credit, you took the tough part of this one.”

“Yeah, all parts worked really hard. We wouldn’t have gone anywhere with those drop ships if those anti-air turrets weren’t taken out. The lasers and the Romulans would have roasted us. You did us a favor and did it in a timely fashion. Not like the SFAF people of the Engineering Specialists Corps, they were always the last ones to turn in their projects and assignments. They would rather be studying their damned space crafts than studying the materials as directed.”

Drake laughed as he climbed back down the ladder and over toe the station opposite of FJ. “I agree, all in all, it was a success and hopefully the true mission went far better. Decoy, a mission for amateurs and rookies.”

Looking up at Drake. “I still think I have more fun out there then you,” FJ smiled at Drake, who is sat across from him, and he wondered how Drake can claim to get enjoyment out of running around with very large armies trying to turn you into a pile of sawdust.

The chair creaked as Drake spun around on it’s axis. “You may have a big toy and a big gun, but I think that I get more of a kick and more of an adrenaline rush when you vaporize an enemy. And, I just picture people like you out there that I’m trying to kill.” Drake’s lips turned their ends up as he laughed at FJ.

FJ looked at Drake with a cold stare, repressing his laughter. He handed him a PADD full of data from the tests and diagnostics he had already completed. “Well, either way you look at, we both have to admit that sitting here running the same test on the same systems over and over again is definitely that best part of our job.” FJ looked up at Drake giving him a ‘yeah right’ look, and then getting back to his console.

Drake nodded in agreement and returned to his abyss of infinite numbers and data, “Although, if you think about it, it’s a nice change from all the blood, guts, and never-ending fighting. It’s nice to come back and just sit at a console and know that you’re doing your job.”

Moving past an engineering, and picking up the PADD from the same person, Drake strode over to Jefferies tube access hatch. “I’ve got to repair the power relays on Theta Sequence, care to assist?”

FJ looked around Engineering, “Well, this place is dead. Why not?” FJ got up from his console, bent backwards, working the cramps out of his back, and then moved toward Drake, preparing for more engineering fun. “Yes, it is nice to have a job that doesn’t require the constant looking over your back, and the uneasiness of dying any moment. Well, I do fill that when I’m on duty with you, but when your not here, I feel so secure.” FJ laughed a bit, then grabbed a tricorder and put it in its proper holster.

“OK, remind me to add some stuff to your duty roster and to add a little something to your coffee in the morning.” Drake smiled and dove into the Jefferies tube and made his way down the darkened tunnel. Shouting back behind him, Drake continued the conversation, “It’s not that bad working with me. The junction is right up there; hand me the hydrospanner from the pack back there.”

FJ looked around trying to find the pack. He successfully located it, and began digging through it, searching for the required instrument. He finally found it, at the bottom of coarse. He took it out and crawled down the tube so he was within an arm’s reach of Drake, “Here,” he pushed it forward, “No, it’s not THAT bad I guess, I mean, I live with it.” FJ smiled, but in the darkened tube it was impossible to tell.

“I’m sure that you go back to your quarters each night and pray something like a falling beam puts me out of my misery and forces you to get a promotion. That’s all right, I’m suicidal sometimes too. No, only in the mornings.” Drake pawed in the dark for the blasted instrument, found it, and then ran it over the malfunction junction.

“Hey, watch your hands! I knew you Marines were a bit too friendly,” FJ let off an audible snicker, and then began waiting to be called for further assistance by Drake.

“Oh, was I thinking about your sisters again?” Drake laughed himself as he replaced the hydrospanner down the tube in FJ’s direction. “Back out, before I rough you up.”

FJ began moving backwards, and out of the tube, allowing Drake to follow. “What’s taking you so long? Too old for the tubes?” FJ held his back in pain as he makes the comment, hoping Drake doesn’t notice. “Come on get out here.”

“Look who’s talking Grandpa!” Drake stumbled out of the tube and brushed himself off. He tossed the kit back into the tube and closed it. “Someone will get that later.”

“I’ve got to be getting back to my office. It’s been nice talking to you, FJ, I’m sure we’ll have a wonderful relationship here in the constantly changing world of Engineering. Now – get back to work!” Drake smiled a bit to himself as he walked past FJ and into his office just feet away.

FJ saluted Drake as he walked by. “Sir, yes sir. And don’t work so hard sir, all that paperwork might hurt your eyes, and that lumpy chair could give you bad butt posture; desk jobs are dangerous too aren’t they sir?” FJ kept a cool, serious look on his face, standing at a perfect Attention stance.

Drake nodded, “At ease, and yes, that’s why the tough men do it.” Drake winked and then walked into the office, the doors swishing shut behind him.