Chapter Twenty-One

“I really hope that you’re just overloaded.” Taking a step up to the door you place your hand on the print identifier that has the shape of a palm. After all, not everyone has equal access on the ship. Though the fear of traitorous actions are slim and rarely unheard of, they are still heard. However, you doubt that anyone would be willing to jeopardize the Titanus, you can see no beneficial reasoning behind it. The ship is run by thousands of beings from various species and factions that are joined by one common cause. The safety and well being of the Universe.

The panel felt cold under your touch as it beeped in recognition. With a loud happy chirp the door opened with a gust of steamy hot air blasting you in the face from the overworking engines. You wave your arms around dissipating the cloud. As the steam cleared your eyes lay on the engines in front of you. On the floor, installed to the engine was a triangle casing that was no bigger than a mini fridge. Despite its size it had the capacity to send extra waves of energy into the engines, but it’s primary use was to use that energy reserve to keep a shield around the ship from any elemental type of damage. It’s attached to the engine so in an emergency they can feed off each other. When you built the device you installed a makeshift shut off safety mechanism that allows the device to maintain itself and to shut off if there are some irregularities.

Multiple tubes with energy coils swirled around the inside grounding spike, held within a safety covering so it can’t accidentally zap anyone. The zap isn’t strong enough to kill unless you had all four spikes uncontained because the less than stable environment would make the coils unstable, then it might have the ability to kill someone.

“Hello, old girl. Now tell me what’s happening with you. Why aren’t you functioning properly. What secrets do you hold?” you always believed that a soft and loving voice spoke to the machines, because deep down you truly believe they have some form of memory. To what extent you couldn't say nor do you have any proof of such a thing. Many would say that’s mad thinking, even though they have cyborgs and cybernetics they for some reason think an engine could have the same ability. Sure when you think about it, it does sound crazy. Nonetheless, you love your little machine.

Pinpointing the internals of the fluxuator that provides the solar shield, you immediately set about figuring out the problem. The heavy sounds of metal crunching, blasts of steam hissing like a swarm of snakes. The room was unbearably hot, but you're used to it. Your clothes were plastered with sweat as they clung to you like a heavy layer of armor. Daily uniforms are simply jumpsuits or basic BDU cargo pants with shirts and tanks. The coalition isn’t that huge on fashion, only on what works for most situations. Your clothes were plastered, molding onto you accentuating your every curve. Loose bangs clung desperately to your forehead as you lose yourself within the machines.

This device that you created should have diverted power to the proper sections. It’s possible that a transference link was disconnected and so the excess energy merely overloaded. That’s the simplest diagnosis.

Wiping the sweat from your face with your forearm you heaved a huge breath. “Alright, beautiful...speak to me.” Opening a panel sparks shot out zapping your finger, “Ow!” You exclaim as you suck on the burnt tip.

“Poor thing, you short circuited part of your absorption pods. Well, that would certainly do it…” Gazing around the engine room all the other pieces of machinery seem to be working perfectly normal.

Luckily nothing else is wrong with the device, but unfortunately you cannot fix it at the moment. You know for a fact that you don’t have any replacement parts because the last one was used already. Never got another part before the S.O.S. came in.

“Damn it. We’ll just have to make do with a temp fix just enough to get us through the next solar storm...Just enough.” Staring at the machine you wracked your brain with alternative options for a temp fix. You smack your head frustrated you can’t come up with a solution. You wince, as you forgot your head is still sore.

A loud crash came from the adjoining room. Brushing your knees off, you push yourself off the ground. Grabbing a heavy wrench from a nearby workstation you walk towards the commotion. A loud femenine voice was piercing on the other side of the door, screeching as more loud banging continued. Was she murdering somebody? Sounded like she was smashing a hammer against the walls the sounds echoed so loudly.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!” A young Pallenterian is laying on the floor covered in tools next to some fallen shelves. Pallenterians are beautiful sentient beings. Peaceful by nature for the most part, more interested in how things work. Very similar to you. You recognize the young girl as Gidget. A new addition to the Engineerings sector and a superb one at that.

Her baby blue skin flushed with shades of sparkling purple. Her orange eyes were bright like the sun at its highest peak. “Stupid! I knew it! Always trying to piss me off aren’t you!?”

“Gidget?” Your eyes scan the room looking for whoever she is talking to but she’s the only one in here you noted. A small room used for storing tools and really nothing more. Sort of like a janitor's closet but bigger because engineers, well, they need more space to tinker.

Large goggles sat on top of her matted auburn hair. Her body shifts and she looks up, her eyes widening when she recognizes you, “Oh! Nellita!” In a blink of an eye, Gidget was up and had her arms wrapped around you like a vise grip.

Your ribs shrunk under the pressure stealing your oxygen as well. ‘Jeeze, Gidget! Go easy! I’m not...fully healed yet!” You wheezed in between sporadic breaths that you managed to grab.

Startled Gidget jumps back a few and looks down mumbling an apology. “Sorry!” She squeaked.

“You just caught me off guard. Anyways, who are you talking to?” You ask out loud as you scan the room again. The goggles on Gidgets head slip a bit, she quickly pushes them back up as she stares at the mess with frustration.

“I was trying to figure out some way I can fix your machine, Stormy.” Gidget had her mechanic jumpsuit but the top portion zipped down and wrapped around her waist. A dirty looking tank top clung to her as her chest heave as she slowly calmed down. Pulling her legs up to her chest she rests her arms over them, a screwdriver dangling from her gloved hand.

“Stormy? Did you just name my machine?” You’re surprised because you never thought to give the fluxuator a name. You actually felt honored to have another esteemed engineer give your machine a name. Gidget just nods her head in rapid succession like an over excited child.

“It needed one! And it fits perfectly!”