A Random Meeting

Posted on 16 Apr 2020 @ 2:12am by Ensign Kelly Khan

1,441 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Sentience
Location: Industrial Replicator Room
Timeline: MD 2 || 1700 Hours

Once off the clock, or the end of shift as everyone else called it, Ensign Kelly Khan went to her and Quinn's shared quarters where she took a shower. That taken care of, the young brunette changed into a nondescript black t-shirt and jeans, a pair of soft soled black running shoes and then grabbed a PADD from a stack of them on her nightstand. She looked at it, then nodded that she had the right one and headed down a few decks to the replication center of the ship.

When she arrived, she presented the PADD to the Ops Officer on duty and waited for access to the replicators. It was just standard stuff that a personal replicator couldn't make. Some cloth, sewing supplies, a pattern, and some fishnet. She smiled as she was given the access, then headed over to one of the replicators and started to enter the first item.

Sarah walked in a PADD of her own and in comfortable civilian gear. She did get time off once in awhile it seemed. Apparently re-creating a full masted 18th century American Ship of the Line as a two foot model to assemble with cannons was too complicated on her own so here she was. She presented her PADD to the ops officer was given access and headed to an empty replicator.

Kelly looked over at the other woman that came in, then went back to getting her items. It was an eclectic array of various things and she had to suppress a giggle at the thought of what she was going to do with everything once it was assembled. It hadn't been easy designing the various parts to fool the computer into giving her what she wanted, but she praised her Engineering Instructor at the Academy for being a salty dog that worshipped ingenuity and what he called MacGyverism. She'd learned a lot from him and was now putting it to use.

Sarah replicated a box first then began her items that would include spars, wood panels, sails and her personal favorite accurate little cannons. Non working of course, not that she wouldn't mind a proper battle on the holodeck but for now, safety first. She knew more about wet navy ships and their combat then was likely healthy but hey everyone needed hobbies.

The young Ensign gathered all the supplies she had replicated and put them in a small tote bag, then gave a smile towards the woman that seemed to be assembling parts of some project of her own. She gave a nod, then glanced in her tote before she reached in and adjusted something. "Hey," she said.

Sarah glanced over "Hey." She greeted as tiny barrels appeared and she put them in the box, tested the weight and decided she could carry it "Times like these I really appreciate doors opening on their own..." She said wishing the awkwardly shaped stuff she had would fit into a handy tote.

"Whatcha making?" Kelly asked when she sw the small cannons.

"The USS Constitution,a wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy from 1797. Scale model." She replied deciding that telling the other woman all about number of crew, cannons, types of hemp and the fact it was called Old Ironsides was likely too much information. "May I ask about your project?" She nodded to the tote her hands too full of box to gesture.

"One of those wooden ships?" the brunette asked. "It's amazing how they managed not to sink. I'm making a costume for an idea I have. Replicators are nice, but there's nothing like making something yourself. Yeah, I got the supplies from the replicator, and the pattern, but I'm going to be the one doing the work."

Sarah nodded a genuine smile breaking out, "I know right? Some people think I'm a little odd but whats the point in having the computer make everything? Lazy hobby then if you ask me." She tried to offer her hand and remembered she couldn't let go without having to put the box down so she just continued, "Sarah Proctor new Ensign in security"

"Normal is boring," Kelly agreed as she pulled out an assortment of small slender tubes and some bolts. "Check this out. I'm building a compression system to eject these bolts at targets. It's for my costume."

Sarah had been about to ask Kelly's name but was distracted and eyed the assortment of tubes and bolts. "What costume is this for?" She asked hoping for context with the tubes and bolts. Her tone was curious, internally she was really hoping this wasn't something so dangerous she'd have to do something but she wasn't quite getting the whole picture yet and wasn't jumping to any conclusions.

"It's from an old Earth movie called Black Panther," the Ensign said. "It didn't have finger shooters, but claws are hard to make."

"I know that reference." She brightened. "Captain America's my favorite. He doesn't use weapons a lot usually a lot of punching and shield throwing". Then used a nearby table to help readjust her box, "Sorry bit awkward."

She said, "I was going to drop this at my quarters and grab lunch. If you want maybe we could talk about it some more, see if we can't figure out the claws or if you want any help?" She offered, she was curious and naturally wanted to be helpful.

"Well, it's not really a matter of being able to make them or not," Kelly said. "It's a matter of the protocols not allowing them to be made. The design is easy. Getting the computer to replicate them isn't."

Sarah thought for a moment, "Have you thought about camping foam? I know a medieval enthusiast who uses that to make padded weapons." She hadn't paid close attention, she much preferred anything seagoing so wasn't hugely familiar with the idea but knew it had been done. She also knew the computer was programmed not to allow creation of what it had been told was a weapon without special permissions. "Course there's no retraction ability then, if that's what you need it to do" She continued thoughtfully.

"Where's the fun in that?" Kelly asked. "I shouldn't need a security override just to make something silly, and I want it looking authentic."

Sarah wasn't blind about rules and could always explain why it was needed, so didn't tend to chaf usually but in this case she wasn't sure the other woman would appreciate a lecture.

Instead she offered, "Foam could be painted and shaped to be pretty close. Barring that these look great." She replied sincerely speaking of the safe, but cool looking little bolts.

"Yeah, but it just isn't the same," the Ensign replied. "Now if I could get the replicator to make the parts of the claws so I could put them together..."

"There are reasons why that's difficult. It's for everyone's safety." Sarah tried to say gently, unable to help herself even to try to make a friend.

Kelly looked at the other woman and raised an eyebrow at that comment. "Security, right?" she asked, but without accusation.

Sarah smiled with a little self conscious smile and a nod, "That's what it says on the Captain America shield I was issued..." replied, her tone lightly joking.

"Who?" the brunette asked with a quizzical look. "I'm in Flight. Ensign Kelly Khan."

She smiled relaxing a little at a the change in topic. "Captain America, he's like a superhero, fighting for the highest ideals of justice and the like. He had a shield that never broke, he'd just toss at bad guys or something. He worked with Black Panther if I remember right." She replied trying to recall the old 2D 'movies' her parents would show her.

"I don't know about throwing shields, but if it flies, I can fly it," Kelly said.

"Yes..." Sarah replied, "It was oddly aerodynamic." recalling the stories. "I could never manage it as a kid." She smiled, "pilot? nice. I like things where I can feel the wind, not practical for space though." she continued a little disappointed. She shifted her weight a little, adjusting her grip on the box.

"It's the thrill," Kelly said. "But anyhoo, I've wasted enough of your time. It was nice to meet you."

Sarah nodded, "No waste. It was nice to meet you too, maybe I'll see you around." She said politely but sincerely. "Good luck with your project."

"You, too!" Kelly said. "See ya later." With a smile, she headed off.

Thinking that went well, Sarah made her way towards her quarters as she plotted her project.

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