Small Ships
Posted on July 27th, 2005 by T'Kirr and Dan Ducaine-Williams

T’Kirr and Dan Ducaine-Williams

T’Kirr looked up at Ensign Ducaine Williams. “Our Chief Engineer is Houston Ducaine. I met him earlier.”

“Wait wait… you didn’t just say…” Dan just blinked for a moment then laughed. “Naw, he can’t be? I heard we’re getting a new Chief, but him?”

She puzzled, drawing her hands from the console and clasping them behind her. “Certainly you would have seen him by now. He is your senior officer.”

He just chuckled again. “Well I heard his voice but I didn’t actually think it was him. Well well well, so this it what he’s done with himself.” He smiled again and looked up at T’Kirr. “Sorry, he’s my brother but we haven’t spoken in some time.”

“You have not reported to him?”

“I haven’t had the need to yet, I’ve just been reporting to Jeddin, the guy second in charge.” He shrugged and smiled. “He was down here earlier then?”

T’Kirr’s eyes fluttered and she lifted her chin. She understood now. The activity aboard ship had been very busy since leaving the USS Discovery. Officers were coming and going, preparing and repairing. “Yes. I, too, just met him today, actually. He surveyed the damage you will be repairing. I needed his opinion on a set of modifications to increase the shielding of the fighters. You will no doubt be helping to refit them later this evening.”

He smiled. “Well working on fighters is one of my favorite things to do. So much customization involved in each one, its neat stuff.”

She nodded, looking from fighter to fighter. “It has been a stimulating experience to study them in greater detail the past several days. My flying experience in our last encounter was…” She paused. “I was more informed of the mechanics behind every sound, every move.” Her eyes settled on her Mustang. “I believe it has made me a better pilot.”

He smiled to himself. Damn, I didn’t know Vulcans were this hot… Focus Dan focus. You are working… sort of…. He thought to himself. “Oh I can only imagine at this point. I mean I spend my life around machines like these. I was a small-craft mechanic back home for a while and it was always a blast to work on the fighters when they came in.” He paused for a moment as he adjusted something then turned around to look at her. “How did someone like you become a pilot?”

“Admiral Blackthorne believed I could contribute in areas other than Science. My only piloting experience had been the basic course in the Academy. He no doubt felt I had talent when reviewing my record, among others’ of the crew, when seeking pilots for the wing.” T’Kirr realized she was staring across the bay, eyes unfocused, and returned her gaze to the ensign. “Apparently, he was correct.”

He chuckled. “So I’ve heard at least. I mean I was busy working when the last engagement went on but from what I heard you folks didn’t even give the enemy a fighting chance.” He glanced at the fighter again and then back at T’Kirr, thoroughly unsure if he should do anything aside from stand there and chat. Well now, at least you’re being yourself and can’t make a move.

Despite her mind having wandered, she picked up on the fact that he was distracted by her conversation. As T’Kirr walked over to where he was supposed to be working, hoping to set him back on task merely by her presence, she wondered what human family was like. T’Kirr had no siblings, and although she knew many Vulcans who were naturally loyal to theirs, she had associated little with humans about their kin. Perhaps it was because she paid most of her attention to her studies and duties when she had been around humans the most. She was tempted to ask Ducaine Williams about it, but decided to wait until another time. “Tell me more about the small craft you worked on,” she said, eyeing the damaged manifold of her Mustang.

He nodded and smiled as he turned back to her fighter. “Well, not too many fighters to be honest. A lot of NSAOC’s came through, but occasionally we got one or two mustangs. Even got the chance to work on a marine landing ship one time.” His eyes lit up as he removed the manifold from T’Kirr’s fighter. “That was my summer job though. My interning for the academy was on a repair station. Then I got to work on all the ships in the ‘fleet. Well, the small ones anyways.” He looked up and smiled as he inspected the new manifold. “Enough of me though, I don’t have that interesting of a life. How long have you been on this ship?”

“Almost three and a half years.” T’Kirr inferred his life was probably more interesting than what he portrayed, but decided not to probe.

His eyes widened and then he smiled. “Wow, that’s a long time to be on one ship. I imagine then that you’ve found a significant other on board? I mean for someone like yourself I imagine you’d have your choice.” He chuckled, hoping he didn’t just awkwardly kill the whole thing.

T’Kirr was about to mention that she perceived the passage of years differently than he did, but was suddenly on guard by his indirect question. “I do not,” she answered simply, inspecting the new manifold casually.

He smiled again. Boy, learn to let it go. He mind kept reminding him in the back of him as he began setting the manifold into place. “Well now, I guess that’s rather unfortunate. Have you even been looking or is this generally a subject I should avoid when talking to Vulcans? Sorry, I just don’t have much experience with your race.”

“I have not ‘been looking’, and mostly prefer my solitude.” T’Kirr chose to believe his lack of knowledge about her race, and felt he should at least have a basis to work from. “Most Vulcans don’t, as marriages are traditionally arranged.” She left out the fact that her parents had chosen a more unorthodox trend and hadn’t betrothed her to anyone, and decided to deflect the conversation away from her. “What about you?”

“Who me? Nah I got nobody at the moment. I can’t seem to keep a serious relationship going for the life of me.” He gave a half-smile as he finished fitting the manifold into place. “There we go, right as rain now me thinks. How’s it look to you?”

T’Kirr straightened and looked it over. “It looks quite sufficient.” She turned to Ducaine Williams. “Thank you, Ensign. I will most likely see you later this evening for the modifications.”

He nodded and cracked a silly grin. “Of course Lt. The pleasure was mine and it’d be a pleasure again to come back work on those modifications with you.” He grabbed his kit and headed out back to Engineering. All right, so maybe you didn’t completely screw that one up. No, no, you probably did, silly old Dan. His mind kept muttering to himself.