Jefferies Tube - Day 28 (Morning) - Open

[upgrade_it]

Shane had thought she knew how to get to her room by now. For the past few days she had relied on the computer for directions, and she had thought she could find it by herself by now

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[engine_girl]

Cassie was working on a panel humming when she heard a voice comming towards her.

Calling out she said, "Hi. Who's there? This is Lieutenant Commander Cassandra McArthur. But you can call me Cassie."

[upgrade_it]

A voice rang out through the tube. Shane froze in suprise. There's someone in here! She'd have rather not run into anyone at the moment; the less people who knew she was lost, the better.

"U-uh, I'm sorry ma'am!" She could see the person now; a fellow engineer working in the tube. "I'm uh, Ensign Keil. I didn't mean to interrupt..."

[engine_girl]

Cassie put down the tool she was using and said, "Oh that's ok. You don't normally meet people in the tubes. Well not unless they are working."

Cassie gave the Ensign a grin and said, "There is no need to call me ma'am. Like I said you can call me Cassie."

Then she looked at the Ensign and said, " You have first name Ensign?"

[upgrade_it]

By now she had seen the first name request comming. So far it seemed everyone prefered to be casual with their address. Shane was just relieved she wasn't in trouble or something.

"Sorry um, Cassie." She crawled forward to see better, "M-my name is Shane. I'm new, and I got a little lost." Little was an understatement. People didn't usually end up crawling through tubes when they got lost.

[engine_girl]

"Nice to meet you Shane." Cassie moved herself so she was able to offer her hand for Shane to shake, "So you're lost hey. Which section were you supposed to be working on?"

[upgrade_it]

A flush crept across Shane's face as she accepted Cassie's hand. She'd rarely felt this embarassed.

No wait, she'd felt this embarassed yesturday. Nevermind.

"I uh," she dropped her head, attempting to hide her blush. Her voice trailed off into a murmer. "My shift was over a few hours ago. I, uh- got lost trying to get to my room."

[engine_girl]

Cassie looked a little suprised by this and asked, " Have you even been on a starship before Shane? Look about getting back to your room. If you want I can just stop now and make sure you get to your quarters. I wouldn't mind"

Then she looked at Shane thoughfully and said, "If you were going back to you quarters how did you end up in here? Most people take the turbo-lifts."

[upgrade_it]

Shane waved her hands frantically, "N-no! I don't want to prevent you from getting your job done. I'll just, uh, I'll just find my own way out."

She leaned back to kneel in the tube. Her hands fiddled with the edge of her skirt, "I just, um...I just made a wrong turn. And then I missed the turbo-lift, but there was a ladder and I could have sworn it lead up to the other deck but then it lead me up here so I was just, uh-" She was babbling again. Shane swallowed,and tried to ignore how her hands had started sweating.

[engine_girl]

"Hey there Shane. Firstly, I offered. I need to take a break othewise my spine will end up tube shaped. Secondly I would rather know that you made it to your destination that had it on my mind that you are still wandering around the ship lost!"

With that she began to pack her tools away and started to move, "So where were you headed?"

[upgrade_it]

Shane figited again, but was able to meet Cassie's eyes this time. "C-deck. Room 390." Cassie was being way too nice to her. It really was Shane's own fault she was lost, and the other woman didn't have to stop working to help her.

Though, without the help she'd probably get lost again.

[engine_girl]

"Cool. Just give me a moment." She smiled as she finished putting her tools away.

Cassie said to herself, "C-Deck!" Then she thought about it for a moment and said, "That's this way." She said pointing down the tube, "If you would follow me."

Grabbing her tools she made her way out of the tube and stretched. Then she looked back down the tube to make sure that Shane had followed her.

[upgrade_it]

The opening wasn't that far down the tube, and Shane prided herself with the fact that she would have found her way out eventually. It was good to see the "light at the end of the tunnel" so to speak.

Once she was able to stand up straight, Shane quickly rolled her neck. It had been bent in a rather awkward position for most of the conversation. She replaced the pannel that hid the tube opening from the hallway, and then looked up to address her savior.

"Thank you for helping me, Cassie."

[engine_girl]

Cassie smiled and said, "That's ok. Come on the turbo lift is this way."

Cassie walked down the corridor with Shane. "So you're and engineer?"

[upgrade_it]

Shane nodded while looking around the hallways. She was intent on memorizing the passage, just incase she was ever lost again.

"Um, yes I am. I work the Beta-two shift, but I'm just doing repairs right now 'cause I don't have a specialty." She looked up to study her companion. "What do you do? I mean, you're specialty in engineering..."

[engine_girl]

'Well, I'm a Systems engineer but I can turn my hand to anything. That's why you found me in a tube. But hell I don't mind. I am just happy to be able to say that I am on Enterprise."

Cassie grinned at her and said, "What made you join Star Fleet and become an engineer?"

[upgrade_it]

Shane looked down at her hands, that had begun to figit before her. Remembering her reason to join Starfleet was always hard.

"W-well, I loved to fix things, even when I was little. I used to take things appart just so I could put them together again, make them better somehow." She took a deep breath.

"After I graduated highschool, my best friend said she was going to enlist. I went with her." A pang shot through her heart, remember Candice and how she had left. Shane hadn't had that good a friend, or really any friend at all, since Candice had dropped out.