Time to React
Posted on 16 Apr 2022 @ 10:53 by Lieutenant Commander Ciara Mcclellandi & Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kemo Paahao & Commander Nathan Lewes & Senior Chief Petty Officer Benjamin Adler
Episode:
E1: A Historic Voyage
Location: USS Arizona
Timeline: Date 2025-04-21 at 0300
2:45 was still too damned early, since she was embarking and not coming back, Sofia had driven her rather then take her truck. No issues at the gate, the security there did check both women's IDs but Ciara being in uniform coveralls, with her ship's cap on her head was enough to get them through. The back of Sofia's car had Ciara's sea bag in it with the required packing and a few personal odds and ends.
They pulled up to the pier entrance, they couldn't drive out to the gangplank, because of security and safety procedures, so Ciara got out and went to the trunk for her bag Sofia joined her.
"So...."
Sofia just stared at her, "You come back safe ok?"
"You know it." There was a pause, "I've seen this so many years, but never done the goodbye at the docks."
"How do you think I feel?" Sofia responded, "I've never sent a girlfriend off to sea duty."
"Welcome to the Navy hon." There was a pause, "I'll be careful...I promise."
"Good because if you die I'm going to fucking kill you." A brief hug and kiss goodbye before Ciara watched the sporty blue Dodge Charger pull away. Then she turned and headed forward, getting her 'at sea' mindset, for the next few months putting her personal feelings aside and getting ready to work.
Ben was early. He was always early. Sometime early on in his life someone had told him that on time meant he was already fifteen minutes late and his very literal brain had taken that seriously. He'd learned since to be less literal, but this one had stuck. He had undergone the requisite arrival procedures, sticking the last of his things in his car, now locked in the wire fence parking area, before shouldering his bag and heading for the boat. He'd cleared all the usual steps for boarding with aplomb. He'd always been a fan of routine and knowing the steps required put him at ease. His gear was already stowed and he still had time to kill, so he made his way down to the reactor. Maybe a few minutes alone with her before start up wouldn't hurt.
Kemo paced easily as he made his way toward the Arizona's berth. His Vauen pipe between his teeth, his seabag balanced on his shoulder as he walked through the dark. There were enough lights to see and a walking path that ensured he wouldn't get hit by a car. The Second Breakfast tobacco he'd chosen for this walk was pleasant enough and it was good to stretch his legs when he could. The tradition had started his first deployment aboard the New Hampshire. He'd gotten lost, was almost late and had had to run half a mile to make the cut off.
That had stuck with him, so now he walked whenever it was practicable. Tricia thought he was odd and didn't like the pipe, but she let him have a few vices. He just had designated smoking spots. Luckily, he could go months without lighting up a bowl. It, like the walk was a tradition he'd created. Something for himself to remind him of when he'd become a CPO and one of his Mentors, Chief William Auggie Aguilar had given him more good advice than he'd imagined at the time. The bit that went with the pipe was, "Kemo, always be thoughtful when you can. A pipe gives you an excuse to pause. Think. Just remember smoking too much is bad for you. Just like over-thinking a problem. It'll also give your woman something to give you hell about. It's an easy cleat for her to toss a line around when she's looking to vent and you're the best target she has."
Kemo caught site of the Arizona before he knew it and he stopped to clean the pipe bowl, ensuring the tobacco was well ground out and unlikely to cause a fire. Then he tucked the pipe wallet back into his inner breast pocket and made his way aboard after getting permission, saluting the OOD and the colors.
With a last look around at the sky, Kemo made his way below to change into working rig and get to work.
Once inside Ciara had secured her gear in her closet sized quarters, with 3 roommates it would be very cozy but she was used to it. Then she headed in to engineering and took in the space, she was the Engineer in charge of a submarine. First time she would be supervising the firing of the reactor, she had butterflies, even though her logical side told her over and over it's safe, totally, last thing she wanted was to be the cautionary tale told in engineering classes.
As was her habit she walked around the area near the reactor then headed to the phone. Before she could call she caught Adler's eye, "Reactor team ready?" She asked
The tall Reactor Lab Chief tilted his head toward the ENG. "Ready with bells on ma'am," he said, excitement lining his tone.
Then she looked at Kemo, "Damage control ready?"
"Aye aye, ma'am," Kemo called. "All spaces are clear and no hazards reported. We should be good to go."
She then picked up the phone, and connected to the captain's cabin. "Captain, Engineering, good morning sir, request permission to start the reactor ?"
Lewes grumbled as he lifted his head from his pillow and reached for the handset for the sound power phone. He lifted it and then dropped it and used the wire to pull it up to his rack and then got it to his ear.
"Captain," he said, having missed all that Ciara had said.
There was a brief pause, "Captain, Engineering requests permission to start the reactor." Her next response was more formal. While she was excited about this, and still had the butterflies, she still had a job to do
"Morning, ENG," he said, pronouncing the Engineers title by the nickname. "Permission is granted please advise the Duty Officer that you're about to light things off. You have permission for all evolutions up to divorcing from shore power. Give the duty officer a heads up of at least thirty minutes to get things organized with the base staff," he advised.
"Aye sir." She responded quickly then made a second phone call, this one to the duty officer, "Duty officer, Engineering. Please be advised we are starting up the reactor."
Rhys picked up the phone and brought it to his ear, it was the familiar voice of Leftenant-Commander McClellandi, "Duty officer acknowledges Engineering, reactor power up."
"Acknowledged." Ciara responded, "Thank you Leftenant."
Then she hung up the phone and spoke up, "Start up the reactor, please advise when 30 minutes out from full power. " She looked over the engineering space, "Let's light the boilers."
The tall Reactor Lab Chief turned, eyes gleaming, to look at his team. "You heard the ENG," he said with an almost fanatical grin. "Let's get to it!"
The team jumped into motion, practiced movements setting things in motion to decrease the 10B boric acid in the primary coolant loop in order to allow the uranium to do it's thing.
"Initiating Charging and Let Down," one of the engineers called, advising that the process of flushing the primary coolant loop and replacing it with a lower volume of boric acid had been under taken allowing for the neutrons in the uranium to interact at a higher speed.
"Control rod adjustment in 5 minutes," another called out giving the team the count down for the control rods to enable the reactions necessary for heat to build, creating dense steam that would be passed through the secondary coolant loop before it reached the turbines. Once the rods had been pulled they would be monitoring, adjusting components as they went while the reaction in the reactor's core did its work.
Ben turned back to Ciara, eyes gleaming with excitement. "Reactor Lab Team reports that Start Up sequence has been initiated Commander," he advised her.
"Excellent work team." She had to work to keep the 'professional' look, people expected, she was as giddy as when she rode that bronco. She scanned what she could see but generally kept back and answered any questions and followed the first rule of leadership, give the instructions then let your team carry it out, while she was not above helping, she was starting to see she may not need to with this team.
Reports kept flooding in as the reactor awoke from dormancy to full power.
