[ 002 : VOICE + SPAM ]

[inhistorybooks]

[Spam for the Engine Room + Level Eight]

[Trip hasn't necessarily been avoiding Felix since they got back from port, but he's certainly giving him space, which is why he's been careful to avoid hanging around the engine room while he's scheduled to be there. Apart from that, though, doing some work down there on trying to figure out how exactly this ship ran and what they could to to keep it running was a pretty good distraction from feeling like he'd made the biggest mistake of his life agreeing to come here.

So he's become a relatively common sight entering and leaving the engine room, occasionally covered in grease or grime or dust, and he works quietly if anyone else isn't interested in conversation, or engages more or less enthusiastically if the rest of the staff's willing not to be intolerable to talk with.]

[Private to Felix, after this thread.]

Dean told me what happened. You alright?

Comments

spam;

[velocette]

[He has no inmate yet, so most of the time he wanders the ship and watches people. But engines have always had a special place in his heart, half the reason for his moniker, so he gravitates to the engine room at the end of the day.]

It's beautiful, isn't it.

spam;

[inhistorybooks]

[Trip closes the door behind him and locks it securely, taking a step out into the hallway in case anyone still in there needed to get out later. He's just a little suspicious of letting unauthorized personnel into the room. B(

But he shrugs and manages a friendly smile anyway.]

It's pretty interesting, but I'm always gonna be partial to the ones back home.

spam;

[velocette]

[It's a smart idea. The last thing they need is someone trying to sabotage or 'make improvements'.]

You know how they work? Inside and out?

spam;

[inhistorybooks]

No one knows anything about this ship inside and out.

spam;

[velocette]

[He nods, looking past him for a moment, at the wall.]

Could you teach me what you do know?

spam;

[inhistorybooks]

[Trip looks at him the littlest bit suspiciously.]

You a warden or an inmate?

spam;

[velocette]

Warden. I just got here.

[He's not sure how long he's been here, so he'll just leave it at that.]

But I like machines. And when I have an inmate, it's probably a good idea to know more than they do about this place.

[lost_humanity]

[It's a dull day in the engine room, and Sandoval's leaning on the console with a blasé expression and he's tapping an omni-tool (a pen with a glowing tip) against the counter as he watches a scrolling read-out.

He glances over at Trip when he comes in. Then back to the read-out.]

Enjoy the downtime. You're going to have plenty.

[inhistorybooks]

Yeah, I got that memo. [And it sucks. He's used to having a busy schedule, and having a lot of time to sit around feeling crappy about what had happened is pretty crummy, so he quickly tries to busy himself with a project he'd been working on.]

How're things?

[lost_humanity]

Thankfully slow. [And he straightens with a grunt. After his adventure in Silent Hill, his ribs are still aching.]

The rudders are functional again. Once we departed he was able to regain navigational controls and -[he points to a couple of read-outs]- after another surge to the CES and CTS everything there seems to have resumed conventional use.

Seems to. I just glanced. Where is that accent from? [The pot wonders aloud to the kettle.]

[inhistorybooks]

[Trip listens and nods, wondering again how the hell this is all possible.]

Panama City, Florida. Where're you from?

[lost_humanity]

The Caya Islands. The were [were] on the Pacific Rim. [He brushes off his suit and moves out of the way in case Trip wants to take a look.]

I've been paying close attention to the energy levels since the ship's systems were corrupted.

[inhistorybooks]

[He's tempted to ask - more than tempted, really, because Trip's always been a nosy pain in the ass - but he knows from all too recent experience that if something had gone badly, it definitely wasn't something you wanted to just chat about with a stranger. It was too much to really even wrap your mind around, and sometimes it was easier to grieve just by being by yourself and holding it all in.

Probably not the healthiest thing in the world to do, but he wasn't gonna force the guy into opening up to him unless he wanted to.]

Good. Notice anything unusual? Aside from the fact that things seem right back to normal, anyway.

[Spam]

[logistical]

[Spock usually avoids going out into the corridor at certain hours, due to the music from down the hall. However, it has been a few days since he adhered to his usual routine of walking up and down the Barge, and it's during this that he runs into Trip.]

Mr. Tucker. [A slight nod. Spock has met so few humans who are... nice to him, which is why he adds-] Are you well?

[Spam]

[inhistorybooks]

[Trip smiles, wondering if he should bother correcting him and saying he should just call him Trip, considering how long it took to get T'Pol to stop calling him Commander or Mister Tucker on a consistent basis.]

Not bad. How 'bout you?

[Spam]

[logistical]

I am well.

[Some part of him wonders if he should ask about the port, given what's been happening to others aboard the ship (like Mal, who had barely spoken about the things she'd faced but the disgust had radiated off her in waves).]

Are you having difficulties with the engines?

[Referring to the... suspicious coat of engine grease.]

[Spam]

[inhistorybooks]

[Port was crummy, let's not talk about port. B(]

Aside from the usual "no one's actually all that sure how this thing works" nonsense, nope. She's purring like a kitten.

[See, he's basically a more good natured McCoy, metaphors and all.]

[Spam]

[logistical]

[He's only too happy to keep the conversation to the ship and not what happens off it.]

I am told that there is usually considerable damage sustained due to the ship's poor steering. Perhaps we may require a pilot from amongst the passengers, as a precaution.

[What's small talk?]

[Spam]

[inhistorybooks]

I'm pretty sure the Admiral'd never go for that.

[Private]

[itstopped]

[Felix has most definitely been avoiding Trip since they got back; then again, he's been avoiding nearly everyone, except the people he works with and the ones who just won't frakking let him. Maybe Trip especially, though. Trip, who was there with Dee, who saw more than anyone, and although Felix knows he can't lie to himself anymore he also can't really face any of it. He certainly can't imagine Trip wants to deal with him, after all that, and he's not surprised when he doesn't hear from his warden for a while.

But he knows Dean told him what happened, so he's not surprised, either, when he gets the message. He shakes his head, subdued.]

I'm fine. He didn't touch me.

[Private]

[inhistorybooks]

There're different kinds of fine, Felix. [It's not a lecture so much as him just pointing out that shooting an assassin who was trying to murder your boyfriend (?) might leave some marks that aren't physical.

Just because Felix has been through a lot of stuff doesn't mean it's impossible that he wouldn't be affected by something like that.]

[Private]

[itstopped]

I'm fine. [It's firmer the second time, almost a little sharp in its defensiveness... but he's not trying to fight, he honestly doesn't want to fight, and after a second the sudden tension at the corners of his eyes relaxes, voice softening.] Really.

[He lets out a breath and adds, sardonic and self-deprecating:] Honestly, it was sort of refreshing, not having to think too hard about it. Maybe I should try shooting first more often.

[Private]

[inhistorybooks]

Maybe make sure they're an asshole like Cain first. [He's joking though, see he's not even going to ask where and how you got your hands on a projectile weapon.]

[Private]

[itstopped]

That was the easy part. He already had his hands around Dean's throat when I got there. [In fact, that's not completely true, but only because it was his arrival that made Cain start trying to choke Dean out in the first place. This time, it's not a conscious lie; in his head, it's all sort of a blur up until Cain went down.

Except for one thing: certainty. He knows that he knew what he was doing the entire time, and he knew both then and now that it was the right -- the only -- option he had. He's never really understood before, the people who solve problems by throwing punches and bullets, but that conviction, that surety, that ease... gods, he misses feeling that way all the time. Now, especially now, especially after Silent Hill, it seems impossible.] It wasn't exactly hard to, uh, make a judgment call.

[Private]

[inhistorybooks]

It's usually not, when it's someone you care about. [And considering everything that's happened, it probably feels pretty damn good to have something that's an easy decision.

It's probably a good thing he has someone he cares about enough that he's able to come to that kind of decision in the first place.]

You think he's gonna have an issue with you after this?