Ship Shape Ship

Posted on Sun Sep 1st, 2019 @ 10:01am by Lieutenant Kevin Chambers
Edited on on Mon Sep 9th, 2019 @ 12:48pm

376 words; about a 2 minute read

Mission: Mission 2 - Love ORION Mistaken
Location: Engineering

"Computer," said a gravelly, sleep-deprived voice from the depths of the darkness.

"Yes, Lieutenant Chambers."

"Today's schedule, if you please." An attempt at humor or even a light-heartedness he hadn't felt since he crawled into the engine bay about... Kevin mentally reviewed the days but they blurred one into the other. Her voice, the computer, well... she was about the only company he'd had. He knew the schedule by heart. He only needed to hear another sound, other than the incessant droning of the engines. Yeah, that's how someone who wasn't in love with machinery might think on it. But not him.

They were pushing the Legacy and in order to keep her running smoothly... well, She needed extra love and care.

It wasn't as though Legacy wasn't put together right; no that wasn't it at all. It was as though... Kevin thought about it. As though all of the parts were learning how to work together. That seemed wrong somehow. He understood that ships had souls, and that Legacy had one too. But that wasn't quite right either.

He leaned back, shirt stripped off as a fine sheen of sweat collected on his skin. No one could say it wasn't hot down in the depths. He took the time to listen, mentally noting everything he had still to do. "Jeffreys Tube 1-A, Section 3."

Kevin's eyes narrowed, forehead crinkling in confusion. "Computer, stop." Her listing of his to do's ceased. "Verify last entry." She repeated the location and its maintenance requirement. "Odd," he muttered under his breath. He had already done work on that section. Maybe he hadn't logged it properly? Maybe he should check?

Slipping on his uniform shirt, he stood up, leaning on the wall. Smooth. Comforting. He closed his eyes for a moment and enjoyed the connection with his ship. The Captain might command Her, Helm might fly Her, but Legacy? Well, She belonged to him. She was his responsibility to keep running which he took very seriously. And also why he was going to revisit Jeffreys Tube 1-A, Section 3 right now.

Picking up his tools he said aloud, "Computer. Heading to 1-A, 3."

It might have been his imagination, but he thought he heard a response, not quite the computer that said, "Good."

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