[Open]

[fireforger]

Daja had two reasons for visiting Engineering today: firstly, she needed to see if there was anything that the people of Engineering needed forged. Since she spent most of her time in her forge rather than Engineering itself, she often needed to visit Billy and find out what was needed in the Department.

But secondly, Daja was in need of assistance. Rhiow wished to have the Grand Central clock restored, and for that Daja needed to learn more about clockwork. Hopefully, one of her colleagues would be able to help her.

Walking into Engineering, Daja began to look around and see who else she could find in the Department today.

Comments

[8wings.livejournal.com]

"Hello again." It was Anwei, standing by the door with two heavy-looking bags at her side. Her denim shirt was rumpled and her hair was a mess, but she looked happy.

"It seems pretty quiet in here today," she went on. "I don't seem to be able to catch anyone's eye. I guess I haven't adjusted to the ship's clock yet. Oh, and good news: I found my Mylar, so I won't need any mesh."

[static-shock68.livejournal.com]

Static has been reorganizing his old workspace, surprisingly still left in tact (well, okay, maybe not that surprising. Most people didn't work on the ceiling), and hadn't noticed the first girl show up. He was in the back of the room, after all. It wasn't until she'd started talking to someone else that he'd noticed anything.

"Mornin' ladies. Something I can help you with?" They looked odd upside down, but once you'd already stuck yourself to the ceiling, why change?

[fireforger]

"Anwei!" Daja said, smiling. "I'm glad you managed to find your 'mylar', you'll have to show me sometime - oh!" Daja looked up, surprised to find that there was a man on the ceiling! She gaped for a moment, before collecting herself enough to respond. "I'm sorry sir, I didn't see you up there."

[8wings.livejournal.com]

"Here you go," she replied, handing Daja a finger-long strip of silver-cloudy plastic. "It can block certain electrical charges, which is what I need to keep Stacy from accidentally seeing my data."

Probably not a gravity fountain holding the man up, Anwei guessed. At this point she thought that about a hundred different universal rules of physics were collapsed in a heap somewhere in her brain, panting with exhaustion.

"Good morning," she called upwards. "I'm Anwei Ayles, I was looking to get approval to set up space and do some work here. Is Kaylee here? Or Billy or Angie?"

[static-shock68.livejournal.com]

"Your guess is as good as mine." Static said, dropping off the roof and landing in a crouch. Practice was making him pretty good at his landings. "Virgil Hawkins, better known as Static, for obvious reasons. For some reason I keep missing them lately. No one ever looks up." He shrugged. "I'm sure there's room around, though."

[8wings.livejournal.com]

"Thank you," Anwei said. "Guess I'll follow Daja and find them, then."

A man who used static electricity to stick to the ceiling. She didn't dare ask if he had ever considered taking the name John Galt. "I just need a little space, and access to some power source that can be converted to 120 AC. I don't even need access to that all the time; I found a UPS I could charge.

"I'm also going to be building a little Faraday cage to hold the equipment I'm working on. Say, three meters by one meter by twenty centimeters? May I ask that you, ah, give me warning before walking into my space, just so I can seal everything up? Twentieth century electronics can be delicate, and replacement parts are very far away."

[voiceofserenity.livejournal.com]

Kaylee was just finishing up with resealing on of the many conduits in Engineering. Unfortunately, that particular repair had left her working all but elbow deep in Stacy slop, so the little mechanic wasn't exactly looking her best at the moment. Just something about ship mucus...

She gave the line a good pat and stood up, attempting to wipe away at least some of the goop onto her coveralls. A somewhat familiar-looking face caught her attention, however, and she gave the woman the friendliest smile she could manage.

"It's Daja, right?"

[fireforger]

"Yes, Daja Kisubo," Daja said, smiling and coming over to stand at a close but safe distance from Kaylee's work area. She didn't mind the ship mucus - after all, her own work in the forge could certainly get Daja's clothes dirty. "And you are Kaylee, yes? I must apologise - I've seen you around but I've yet to actually speak with you."

[voiceofserenity.livejournal.com]

"Kaylee's me, yep! Seen you in the bar every now and again, right? Nice to finally meet you," Kaylee grinned, holding up one slimy arm. "I'd offer to shake your hand, but..."

[8wings.livejournal.com]

Anwei waited politely for Daja and Kaylee to finish their business. Mostly politely; her eyes were fixed on Kaylee a little too intently. She was very much looking forward to just sitting down at a flat surface and burying her head in some math and data for a few weeks. It would be relaxing for her, like a digital mud bath.

[fireforger]

"I am pleased to finally meet you as well. And of course, I completely understand," Daja said, with a wry smile. "Would you me to grab you a towel?"

[voiceofserenity.livejournal.com]

"Took us long enough, didn't it? And I'd love a towel, if there's one in reach." It would make it easier to put her tools away without having to worry over cleaning them later, too.

[fireforger]

"Perhaps a little late, but I'm sure we can make up for lost time," Daja said, moving over to grab a towel from one of the branches. Returning to Kaylee, she held the towel out for the other woman. "I have a few reasons for being here today, actually - firstly, I'd like to know if there's anything that you might need forged."

[bonnypiperlad]

Jamie is doing another round of 'sort out the parts', although this time he seems to be comparing them against a list written out on his Omnicom before putting them away. There's one he can't seem to identify, even after double checking the list, and he frowns.

Setting the part back down, he's about to grab a cloth to wipe his hands with when he catches a glimpse of Daja and turns towards her instead.

"Hello. Were ye looking for someone?"

[fireforger]

"Yes, actually - my name is Daja Kisubo, I'm a blacksmith who often forges parts for this Department. I was hoping to see if anyone here needed me to craft something for them."

And she had a question as well, but Daja considered it only polite to see if the man was in need of anything first - particularly since he appeared to be performing an inventory."

[bonnypiperlad]

A blacksmith! Jamie brightens just a bit at the mention of that. "Aye, I had heard there were a few on board. Actually, I'm glad ye came down, then. I could use a wee bit of help with something I have in mind."

He reaches over and gets the cloth, cleaning off his hands so he can offer one out to shake. "I'm Jamie McCrimmon. It's a pleasure to meet ye, Daja."

[fireforger]

"I'm pleased to meet you as well, Jamie McMcCrimmon," Daja said, shaking his hand (Daja still preferred to bow, but it was only polite to return Jamie's greeting in his own manner).

"Can you tell me more about what you need?"

[bonnypiperlad]

Unfortunately, it doesn't occur to Jamie that there might have been an alternate greeting Daja would have preferred, or he would have appreciated the politeness of her gesture more. As it is, he's excited enough over the prospect of whatever it is he's imagining that it winds up going over his head.

"I'd like to get a stand built for my claymore. Something ye could put on a table, about so wide." He spreads his hands apart to demonstrate the length, but then realizes that maybe she meant something else by her original offer.

"It's not a Engineering project, though. Do ye do personal work?"

[fireforger]

Daja nodded to herself, thinking. "Yes I can definitely make such a thing. I would need the measurements of your claymore, of course. And yes, I can do personal work."

"However, I am afraid that I only work for free for Engineering projects. But perhaps you have something that you could trade?" Daja said, putting on her polite Trader face. Now, there was business to be conducted.

[igotjetdog.livejournal.com]

Over in a busy corner, there's a loud, repeated clanging sound. It's far too loud and regular to be someone with a hammer, and further investigation will reveal that it isn't. Technically.

Rock is holding a slightly bent piece of metal under what looks to be a pneumatic hammer. A met rests on top, activating a 'strike' command every second. The boy looks up to the small robot and grins. "Just five more, okay? It should be good enough then." If not, he'd just fix it later.

He doesn't seem to notice Daja, but a meowing informs her that someone has. A green, robotic cat sits to her left, imperiously demanding attention.

[fireforger]

And attention Daja will willingly grant. "Oh, you are beautiful!" Daja said to the cat, openly admiring it's construction. "But how are you made? You aren't magic, but you move like you are alive..."

Assuming that the boy was busy, Daja knelt down so that she could better view the metal cat as she waited.

[igotjetdog.livejournal.com]

In the background, there's some flailing. "No, bend it the other way!"

But that's not important. Tango is, and he'll clearly let Daja know about it by padding up and planting his paws on her knee. His feet are padded with something to keep them from clanking. "Prrt?" Daja is obviously not giving him enough attention.

[fireforger]

Amazing...just how much was it like a real cat? If Daja touched it, would it purr? Reaching out with her hand (but not her left - she wasn't sure how it would react to the living metal on her palm), she gently stroked the metal cat, just on the back of it's head.

"How were you made?" she whispered.

[igotjetdog.livejournal.com]

Given the touch, Tango closes his eyes and starts a deep, metallic purr. And if he felt like talking, or if he could, he'd probably declare himself to be the result of SCIENCE! But he either doesn't or cant, so instead he aggressively pushes his head against her hand.

"Oof! Okay, turn it the other way. Let's inspect it before cooling it off."

[fireforger]

It does purr! She'd known that amazing things could be done without magic, but this..this was beyond anything she'd ever imagined.

"Do you think your master will mind if I interrupt?" she asked, complying with the cat's clear demand to continue stroking it. "He does look awfully busy."