Engineering - Day 40 - OPEN

[transwarp_beam]

In the quieter times when no single task was particularly urgent, it was nice to take a moment to enjoy the sounds of everything running smoothly; the blessed absence of shouted arguments and wailing sirens. They were still a little short-handed - another ten engineers would be perfect, but at a pinch he'd happily settle for four - but everything

Comments

[miss_gaila]

Gaila sometimes didn't pick up on human behavioral patterns right away, so it had taken her a while to realize, but now she was absolutely sure: Scotty was avoiding her, and probably had been since the spores incident. Unfortunately, she had no idea why. She couldn't remember much about the incident, but knew that Scotty had ended up in sickbay with serious injuries. Surely she hadn't... no, she wouldn't have hurt him, right? Damnit, I wish I could remember.

Scotty had been scheduling them on non-overlapping shifts, but she knew that he was getting off shift as she was getting on, and although she had no idea what to make of their sudden estrangement, she wanted to find out. She considered Scotty a friend, and the man was a genius. Whatever was going on, she wanted it to stop.

She had an excuse to talk to Scotty anyway. When she came on shift, she found him in the ready room. “Chief,” she said formally, "I've completed the report you requested on warp efficiency for speeds over warp 6.”

[miss_gaila]

Her eyebrows raised at his initial response, and then she glared. "Well I don't," she said. "I don't suppose you could explain to me why you've been avoiding me and acting so uncomfortable around me."

[transwarp_beam]

He sighed and rubbed the back of his head uncomfortably. "Listen, I...probably owe you th'truth. But I really don't want t'talk about this. An' definitely no in public." He waved an illustrative hand in the direction of the open door to the ready room and the busy department beyond.

[miss_gaila]

Her face softened slightly, and she glanced towards the open door and sighed. "I can understand that," she admitted, and then paused. If he really didn't want to talk about it, she didn't want to insist, but it seemed important that she know. "I'm on duty now... Can you tell me later?" she asked, and then couldn't help adding, "Did I... do something to you?"

[transwarp_beam]

"What?" He looked up, startled. It hadn't even occurred to him that she might think- "Oh christ no, it was nothin' you did." He shook his head; "Alright. Come see me when y'get off." He really was not looking forward to this conversation. But he'd meant it when he said he owed her the truth.

[miss_gaila]

She blinked in surprise at his response. If she hadn't done something, then what exactly was the problem? Still, it was a relief. "I'm glad to hear that," she said softly. He still looked distressed, and she wanted to say something comforting, but she wasn't sure what to say when she had no idea what was wrong. "I really appreciate this, Scotty. I'll come see you after shift."