Pacifica #131"
By: Craig Witmore, Engineer, [RNPC]
Stardate: 58205.29 1515
Ensign Craig Witmore had his head- no, darn near half of his body- inside the plasma capacitor junction box. Most junction boxes on Zion were small; however, given the sheer quantity and size of conduits required by the plasma capacitors of the Warp engines, these boxes were almost big enough to sleep in. In fact, the term 'junction box' is really nothing more than a leftover from 20th-centruy Terran electrical contractors. It would have been more appropriate to call this an 'access panel'...however, its location and function- where many conduits meet and join- brought to mind the older phrase. As such, it had stuck.
Craig had his plasma sealer in his right hand, and was running it across the seam where he had laid a new section of conduit. When the plasma capacitors overloaded due to the software incompatibility, several of their conduits ruptured in dozens of places. It had taken the better part of three hours to locate all of the ruptures and replace the ruined conduit.
A small whisp of smoke rose from the conduit as his sealer made contact with the last small seam in the conduit; a second later, when the smoke cleared, he saw no evidence that there had even been a seam.
He extracted himself from the box, and tapped his comm badge immediately. "Witmore to Engineering," he said.
”Preston here, came the disembodied voice of one of Criags colleagues, Report.
Craig cleared his throat. "Junction Chi-43 is repaired, Jake," he said.
”Report back to Main Engineering and help Alpha Team get the plasma flow recalibrated, he said. I will let Chief Silvio know, good work Craig.”
Craig grinned broadly at the compliment. He hadn't been on the Zion for that long- in fact, this was his first tour of duty out of post-Academy training- and it felt very good to have a compliment his work even though it was given by a fellow ensign.
Very good indeed...