Ensign Tho’Bi - Can I Ask You Something

[Tobi]

((CREW QUARTERS, USS ARTEMIS-A))

The Engineering kit slapped against the outside of his leg. He had been here before, of course. Before his first mission. There was something he had been meaning to fix. At least, that's the reason he gave himself.

He arrived at the door. Already he could see it sat awkward on its runners. The central seem overlapped and tapered off to one side a touch. The young Andorian pressed the door chime. He waited. Waited to fix the door. Waited to fix his mistake. Waited to fix himself.

Swoo-clunk-clunk-fu-fu-fu-fu-cluuuunk. The door shuddered open.

Tho'Bi: ::quiet measured but on edge:: Hey, Lieutenant Vailani. ::apologetic tone:: I'm here to fix the door I broke.

For the second time of visiting the mission-focused Bajoran, Lieutenant Vailani was not in uniform. It was odd. As though she was an idea that could only exist in the black and gold of her Starfleet uniform. 

Vailani: I would hope so, because any other reason for you idling outside my quarters would not end well for you, Ensign Tho’Bi. :: looks at his kit :: At least you’ve come prepared, I think this door might require some work. 

oO any other reason? Oo

The young Andorian turned the Bajoran's words over in his head.

oO idling? Oo

He had walked to her door. Should he have beamed there?

oO not end well? Oo

Andorians had a dramatic turn of phrase, no doubt. Even for an Andorian, walking to someone's door was seldom cause for death threats. More bemused than anything else, he attempted to stay on topic.

Tho’Bi: :: looking over Vailani’s shoulder :: Okay… Anything to repair in your quarters? 

The Bajoran glanced behind her. 

Vailani: Actually the internal damage was minimal. Not that I had much in my quarters. And no you cannot come in. You can repair the door out there, I have just fixed the place up and I don’t want you … wrecking it. 

The Lieutenant stepped across the threshold of her quarters to inspect the door for herself. In turn, the young Engineering Ensign felt compelled to offer his own assessment. 

Tho’Bi: :: eyes tracing around the door frame :: Looks like the depressurization put extra strain on the door :: points at buckling around the frame :: causing it to buckle.

The diminutive Bajoran nodded as she inspected the door frame in her own time and on her own terms.

Vailani: I agree, you may have to replace the frame - do you know how to do that?

Given he had spent days repairing everything from plasma relays to shield emitters, the question irked the Andorian Engineer somewhat. He attempted to manage his temper as he had done so often since childhood. The act of management returned him, for a moment, to the frustrated tears of a little boy who, by consequence of genetics, found himself on the wrong side of civility, regardless of how justified he might be in his anger.

Tho’Bi: :: looks aside deep breath :: Yes. :: looks at Vailani :: I can fix a door frame.

Vailani: Response? 

The young Engineer set his Engineering Pack down, while holding onto his PADD which had been nestled against it. Blue fingertips keyed in a series of command inputs.

Tho’Bi: :: looking down at PADD :: Replacement frame will be here in a few minutes :: looks at Vailani :: I'll get on with removing the old frame.

Vailani: Response 

He knelt down and snapped open the grey lid of the Engineering Kit. First he freed his Engineering Tricorder from the grasp of its foam snug. Syncing it to the door, he inputted a sequence of commands.

A dull, protracted tone emanated from the door control panel, as the panel itself dulled out to grey.

Tho’Bi: :: looking down at Tricorder :: Door is locked open.

Vailani: Response? 

He then popped the Hyperspanner out of its foam snug, stood up, and began to loosen the retaining bolts. As he worked, he spoke.

Tho’Bi: ::quietly:: Can I ask you something?

Vailani: Response 

Tags/TBC

TAG/TBC

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Ensign Tho’Bi

Engineering

USS Artemis-A

A240203T11