"Work in the Lab"

[Shane 0]

<<Before the raider attack>>

 

 

Red splashes of light sporadically danced across the bulkhead of the cramped Engineering Lab, bathing the workbench along with Shane in brief bursts glow. Carefully, he continued moving the heating laser along the broken pathways of the EPS tap, keeping his left hand at a steady pace. He was glad that Klingon technology wasn't an exact science, otherwise this type of jerry-rigging would never work. But if he could make the broken pieces work just a few months longer, than he saves the captain money and consequently, saves it for himself.

 

Soora brushed back her hair from her face. It was starting to annoy her, and she would probably ask someone to cut it for her pretty soon. She was on her way to engineering-- ever since coming back on board her thoughts had been preoccupied with thoughts of Shane and the need to speak with him. The captain's words rang in her ears whenever she pictured the man. She knew it wouldn't be any easy conversation, but she welcomed the challenge.

 

Soora opened the door to the Lab, looking about. She took engineering at the Academy, but it didn't really interest her. She looked about, vaguely recognizing equipment, tools and such, and considered delving back in to the science. She quickly pushed the idea away. No, she had more pressing matters.

 

"Shane," she said just loud enough for him to hear her. He was working, and she didn't want to disturb him, but she had no inhibitions on talking while he worked, even helping if needed. "Do you have a moment to spare?"

With his back to the door, Shane tensed at the sudden noise, but relaxed slightly when he recognized the voice. The red beam of the heating laser continued with its work after its brief pause and Shane spoke in his low growl with turning or raising his head. "If it’s important. What do ya want?"

 

Soora came closer to the bench, leaning against a table before standing up straight again. "Do you anticipate any problems with the climate once we arrive?"

 

The laser stopped again. "Wouldn't that be a question for Parson?" Shane said with a hint of annoyance in his voice. The cyborg turned to Kaara, "Warm tropical climate, right? Sounds like a vacation to me. Humidity is high, though that won't an issue for the short amount of time we're there. Why are you askin' me?"

 

Soora stayed quiet, studying the cyborg's face. "It will be interesting to see how the crew, the ship and all the equipment handle it is all. I know you don't seem very concerned..." She brushed back her hair again. How annoying. "I didn't want to speak with Parson because... well..." She did a very human move and shrugged. She just wanted an excuse to talk to Shane again. "I haven't really talked to many people yet. And besides... I thought maybe I could be of some help getting the ship where it needs to be to make sure it can withstand the weather."

 

Taken back a little, Shane cocked his head and stared at Kaara for a second. Not many people offered to help with the hard work in Engineering and when they did, they were usually trying to get something from you. Though he had no idea what she would be wanting if she was. "I don't have any patients to operate on down here Doc," he said finally, "so unless you have some technical experience I suggest you move on. I don't want to baby-sit no one."

 

Soora worked to control her facial expressions. He thought her only a doctor, only capable of patching wounds. Though she would admit to anyone that her extent of engineering is nothing compared to something like his, it was still better than most. "I had to take a number of classes in the Academy on Engineering. I know it’s not good enough to be of a lot of use, but I am sure that I can figure it out as best I can, without the need for you to, mm, 'baby-sit' me. Especially if you give me a list of things you wish completed." She stood up a little straighter. "Can I admit some boredom with medical on this ship? Especially when no one comes for, you know, days on end it seems."

 

"Most people," Shane replied, "would consider that a good thing Doc." He considered the Half-Vulcan for several moments, rolling around the idea. Then he reached to the bench beside him with his real hand and tossed a hyperspanner to Kaara. The bionic motioned to a couple of bulky, dirty units at one end of the small work bench, "These SI field emitters need to be cleaned and calibrated. Any Academy graduate should be able to handle that."

 

Shane turned back to his pile of EPS taps and picked up another, looking for stress cracks. After several moments of silence he commented casually without raising his head, "You're awful emotional for a Vulcan."

 

Soora didn't take being bored too kindly. She always wanted to be busy. Being busy took her mind off of things she'd rather not think about. She caught the hyperspanner deftly, looking it over before nodding at his request, moving towards the units and started to get to work. She tapped into that side of her brain and was silent until he spoke again. She took his cue and did not stop in her work."I am not a full Vulcan, but I embrace their culture as my own. It will take years more for me to master my emotions as they do."

 

"Are ya just gonna ditch the human side? Them Vulcans aren't much respected these days, what with the way the civil war started."

 

At this she paused in her work, staring down at the tool and the objects scattered along the workbench. "I have no relatives on my human side, not that I am aware of, anyway. I know I have Vulcan ones, and so I am more readily accepted into their society. While I can be either, if called upon, in an everyday situation I believe I will always be a mix, and always more Vulcan than Human." She shook her head clear and continued her work, trying to ignore the green blood rushing to her cheeks. She had much resentment with the humans back home on Earth, but she didn't say so. She sometimes felt ashamed that she was partly human.

 

"Ha!" Shane laughed, suddenly as he threw a scrapped EPS tap into the scrap pile behind them and looked at Kaara with his eyes still expressionless. "You half-breeds always confuse me," he continued, picking up another piece, "always hating yer own genes. I've spent the better part of my life being what Vulcans strive for." He tapped his metal shoulder with the laser, making a metal clang. "Cold and emotionless. And let me tell ya sister, it ain't worth it." The cyborg looked back down at the tap clamped in between the claws of his bionic, "Guess you’ll never know what you have till you lose it."

 

"It's not about having a void of emotion," she said simply, not looking up from her work. "It's the ability to control them. Every Vulcan has a bounty of emotions, but they know how to control or at least hide them." She sighed and looked over at Shane. "It would be nice to be able to do that sometimes, despite everything." She turned her thoughts from them and again looked at the work he had assigned her. It was... nice to do this sort of thing again.