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The sound of sirens was lost in the cacophony of chaos happening in the building. Multiple bodies of Humans were strewn about. Some had major lacerations, some were dismembered. Most were dead, others were dying. Blood was splattered every which way and that. The front doors were blown inward like some juggernaut had charged right through them. Fires had started inside from several discharges of phaser pistols. Outside the building, emergency services were scrambling to get a hold on the situation. The billowing rage coming from inside put every person with any amount of empathetic talent on edge. The inhuman roar of pain, loathing, and despair tore at the hearts of those who could hear it. Most would claim that it sounded like the cry of a dying animal.

If there is one universal truth, it is that pain is a good teacher. It told you to avoid dangers. It advised you to be vigilant of the world and the horrors it could contain. Some learned pain the hard way by experiencing it for themselves. The wise learned from the pain of others. However, there are some lessons that have to be taught directly for someone to fully understand and appreciate what is being taught. That lesson is the pain of losing those close to you. That pain is compounded even further with the loss of a child.

A figure stood in the living room. Blood dripped from the blade he had to the floor. He, for he was a Human male, didn't care that he was covered in the blood of those around him. His mind was entirely dedicated to the eradication of those who dared harm his family. He knew that after this event, he would be arrested. Even if these wastes of Human existence deserved it, he wasn't judge, jury, and executioner. He couldn't take the law in how own hands. Yet, he didn't care.

“I'll kill you, fucker!" Phaser shots passed by him within inches. It seems that there were still a few left that were adamant on taking him down. No matter. They are gnats, an annoyance at best. There was bigger fish to fry. As he ran towards the enemy, tears fell from his eyes. That pain of loss never goes away even after exacting revenge. It sticks to the soul, tainting it like a permanent stain. If one falls into that pit of despair, irrevocable damage would render the soul lost. For one man, he had already passed the point of no return. The man dodged the barrage of phaser as he ran up the stairs.

“MURDERERS!!!" Hate breeds hate, and violence breeds violence. This man didn't care, though. So lost in his rage, he had effectively become a monster once more. He will hate himself when he comes to his senses later. He didn't want to be this thing. He didn't want others to see what he could do when pushed. He didn't want to lose everything he held dear. The haze of rage was too powerful to get him to stop, however. Through all this, the only thing that ran this his head was:

Why…?

---

One Chakonan Year Earlier:

Humanity is a fickle piece of work. Sure, in the last few hundred years, they have made great strides in both research and social justice. The Gene Wars proved that Humanity could, in fact, live with others. However, no one said that Humans had to like it. Several have in fact made grievances about how chummy Humanity has become with non-Humans. Caitians, Rakshani, Morphs, and many others were deemed by these bigots as lesser beings. Didn't matter if they were friendly or not; non-Humans were not welcome. The Holy Christian Kingdom of North America was still racist against any non-Humans, and some have even gone so far as to make a terrorist organization. So many have died due to plain stupidity. All this surmounted into a troublesome time. And that led to one Human feeling like he would be better off dead.

However, all was not so bleak. Multiple things have changed Humanity for the better. Several First Contacts had occurred with resounding success. Chakona was colonized and has started the process to become a player on the galactic stage. Several new colonies were started with the help of a few freighter captains. The Federation was expanding and improving every day, which was helped along by the pure tenacity of Humans. Most of the time, Humans were considered brothers to the aliens and morphs of the Federation. But with the rise of terrorism, these relations had been strained. Humans had to step wisely, lest the relations sour even further.

Travis Jacobson Archer was a man that felt alone. Now, unlike certain communities that shall not be named, that did not mean he was anti-social, or even hateful of others. Instead, he was a case of insecurity, anxiety, and depression creating a self-fulfilling prophecy of negativity. It only was confirmed in his mind, however, and never really confirmed outside it. Then again, he never let the outside world see how he felt. His mask was perfect until someone with a high enough empathy talent sees through the facade. That is when the real troubles will begin, and Travis starts finding an exit point. He's made it his life's mission to never be a burden, to always be that shoulder, to always be helpful and joyful. Even if he felt like he would never be happy, he forced himself for others. That was the only way to hide how scared and depressed he was.

Some would say that this is an unhealthy way to live, and they'd be right. But for Travis, this was life. He had learned early on that his insecurities, while they stayed in his head, have a grain of truth. His anxiety was founded on real things going on in the galaxy, even if he wasn't responsible or involved. His depression tied everything together and made a black cloud that tries to suffocate him day in and day out. Yet, through all this pain and self-harm he inflicts on himself, all those who knew and talked to him said he was the most amenable, happy, and hardworking guy you could find. People liked him and saw only what they wanted to see, which was fine with Travis. He could play the part. Which was why no one knew of what he did on the side, or that he was mentally destroyed.

Amistad, Chakona was experiencing its rainy season. While not like the hurricanes that rock the southeast of North America on Terra, it still had cause for some concern. Luckily, this was not a major storm, merely part of the season. There was some lightning, which was either relaxing or terrifying depending on who you asked. Amistad was just starting to bustle as beings started about their business. And one such human was enjoying the rain as he walked along.

Travis looked normal for a Human. Average build, brown hair, and eyes. Maybe on the shorter side, but that usually gets made into the joke that he is “fun-sized". His clothing was both stylish and professional. Dark blue jeans, a brown leather belt, a black collared shirt tucked in, and a blue-gray Stockman hat to top it off. The rain didn't bother him too much since he had an umbrella to stay under. His boots were not for office work, as they were a set of tan steel-toed work boots. This was required for his job, which entailed crawling around starships, shuttlecraft, and other flying contraptions. What is his job, you may ask? Well, he's the guy you go to when you need to gather data on your ship. At least, that was what he gathered from the job description.

Travis was slated to work for Star Fleet under their Special Instrumentation Group. As an Instrumentation Engineer, he would be tasked with helping develop, build, test, operate, and maintain instrumentation systems on whatever craft he was assigned to. There were several things that he would record, such as the life cycle of systems, weapon testing, engines, warp core, and many others. Whatever was requested at the time, it was his job to find out how to instrument it, record the data, and hand that data to whoever requested it. He knew he would love the more hands-on work, and the fact he was technically a civilian made life much easier in the long run. He wouldn't have to put up with Star Fleets rules and regulations.

Being able to work out of Chakona had also been a major blessing. He loved it here, even if he was in the minority. The people were friendly for the most part, the scenery was amazing, and the weather was lovely. Even the thunderstorm that had moved in sometime during the night was better than where he came from. Rain was a great cleanser to him. It washed away the grim and rejuvenated his soul, leaving him somewhat renewed. Even if he didn't feel like his soul would totally heal. The feeling of not belonging anywhere always seemed to stick with him, even if there were some who vocalized that they wanted him around. Cynicism made any of those positive attributes less than what they were in his mind. He never said it out loud, but those who paid attention knew exactly what was going on.

His destination came up on the right: a regional train station located down the street from the condominium he lived in. The specific line he'd chosen allowed him to make his way from East Hill where he lived to the Spaceport on the other side of Mt. Catspaw. From there, special rail services would take him from the Spaceport to the Special Instrumentation facility. This would be his first time taking this route and planned accordingly for possible delays. All in all, the time it would take to get from his residence at 12 Ravina Place to his building at the Spaceport would take a little more than three-quarters of a Chakonan hour. Ten minutes to get to the local train terminal, sixty to get to the Spaceport, and another ten to his building. Not a bad commute, not at all.

Since everything ran on a tight schedule, he was able to do his thing without worrying about being late or missing a connection. He made his station, boarded the train, and was off to work without missing a single beat. During the longest part of his journey, he entertained himself with his hobby: reading. He always loved to sit down with a good book, especially for long rides. His PADD had several books downloaded, with several hundred on his cloud. He also had the audiobooks to several of the works he owned, combining both into an easy way to keep reading, even when he couldn't actively read.

The current book he was reading was one from old Terra. The story was of a very special and gifted boy who had to lead an armada against an alien species that had attacked Earth years prior. It was a good book, and the characters felt real if a little older than they should. It was considered a classic in the Nerd and Geek communities of the time. It was not as well-known as some other works from the same time, but Travis didn't care. He loved the Science Fiction and Science Fantasy dreams of yesteryear. It showed how far Humanity had come, and how much they changed. A look in the mirror, so to speak.

Time seemed to move faster while he read, as he quickly noticed that the train was slowing down. Like the other passengers, he also stood and gathered his stuff. A backpack carried some essentials that he was told to bring. Water bottle, his lunch, and some gear he was issued during indoc. This included hearing protection, knee pads, eye protection, gloves, his bright neon orange clipboard, pencils, pens, highlighters, and some paperwork he had to turn in to his boss. All of this was stored in a backpack that had the patch for his unit stitched on. SI: USS Orion / Warp Core Division. The hardest, yet most fun job to get, in Travis' mind. Especially when dealing with the new cores coming out. It would be the best place for him to use his talents.

The Spaceport was always busy, but Travis didn't mind. He just flowed with the crowd, a normal human in a sea of fur. Luckily, most didn't pay attention to him. He quickly and silently made his way to a special area in the Spaceport where only he and others of Ess-Eye were allowed. A quick scan of his badge from the guard allowed him access through the checkpoint, and a tram service took him away to the other side of the port. Here, Ess-Eye made their living. Their buildings lined a section of the port on the opposite side from the main terminal. This allowed them some secrecy, while also using the port for the smaller craft.

The building was made according to the specifics of Chakona. A little too well, in Travis' opinion. It blended in so seamlessly, it was hard to notice it from the rest of the scenery. Since they work on things that are not for the public eye (yet), the building had no windows, and only a few doors to enter. However, they did have a sign out front showing this was where he would work. In fact, they even made a joke about how detached they were. Another sign, placed right below the unit sign, said, “Welcome to the Jungle. Please watch for rabid engineers." Travis chuckled. He already liked this place.

Given his previous employment with the Federation, he had all the necessary authorization to not only be here but to enter the one building that even others of Ess-Eye could not enter. Building One-One-Five was where the team for the USS Orion operated out. Most tests were conducted at the Secret level, but One-One-Five had stuff that was above even Top Secret. There were things done here that were kept under lock, key, keypad, bio scan, and other security measures. The engineers here helped deal with tests that were magnificent in scale, complexity, and just pure awe factor. And Travis was going to be a part of it.

Walking into his new job, he noticed that it was organized chaos. There were components, tools, PADD's, and other stuff was strewn about in a somewhat tidy fashion. Some people were working at their desks doing some paperwork, others were messing with said components, and a few were conversing with their workmates. The majority ignored him for the most part, but there were a few beings who saw the new guy walk in. They just nodded, smiled a bit, then went back to what they were doing. Several even waved for a moment, and Travis gave a nervous wave back. Then he saw movement from the stairs to his left.

As Travis sat there observing the ground floor, he was approached by a Chakat wearing a nice red blouse and hir badges around hir neck. His boss was Chakat Gearbox, the head of Ess-Eye for the Orion. Everyone worked for hir, from the Techs to the PMs, from Warp Core to Life Support. Any instrumentation onboard was hir domain and hir jurisdiction. Hir other job was to represent Ess-Eye to Star Fleet for funding for any new projects coming up. She stood just slightly shorter than him and had the look of a boss who knew what shi was doing. Confident, well put together, and all-around cordial. Definition of a good leader.

“Hey, there! You must be Travis," shi greeted him. Shi opened hir arms for the customary hug that Chakats gave. He accepted the hug without qualms, though he did keep it brief.

“That's me. Happy to be here, boss."

“Now, now," shi chided. “None of that. Just call me Gearbox, no need for formalities. We're a little more like a family here."

“Aye, Gearbox," Travis responded with a chuckle.

“Now that you're here, we have half an hour before the morning meeting. I can give you a quick tour before, and then introduce you to your lead right after."

“Sounds good. Lead the way."

---

There were three floors to the building. The bottom floor where he entered was where the Logistics and Tool Rooms were located. Also on this floor were the Technicians cubicles. In the back was a break room with a snack bar, a technician lab, and a fabrication room for certain parts that were more short notice than normal. To the far-right side was a motor pool, which allowed teams to head to different areas of Ess-Eye or to craft at the ramp, depending on the task. On the other side was a transporter room for quick access to Chakona Gateway or Orion herself. Most technicians were too busy to chat, but a few did greet Gearbox as they went about their prep work. As per usual, most were Chakats with the occasional morph or Skunktaur. Travis was getting the distinct feeling that he may very well be the only Human on this team, most likely ever in Ess-Eye's history.

The second floor seemed to be where the Engineers would work. That had the Modification Dock, where the major equipment would be built, a lab to test them, offices for the Engineers, and a Data Management area to store, retrieve, and review data. This would be where he would work. As an operations engineer, however, he would most likely have to be onboard the Orion for most of his time. He would have to learn the system, programming, the formatting, and how everything comes together for the warp core. Luckily, his On Job Training would be handled by his lead. Gearbox would help with the administrative stuff, but any operations matters would either be to his lead or Chakat Rainsky, the head engineer.

The top floor was where the Project Managers stayed, in what Travis would assume was the “sea of bodies" that offices were known for. Also up here was their personal IT team, Gearbox's office, as well as a few other administrative offices. A large conference room dominated the middle of the back wall, which is where the meetings would be held over the course of the day. And as Travis expected, he would be the only Human in the area. It didn't bother him too much, but he was worried about fitting in. Especially after hearing about how the Humans First and Earth for Humanity terrorist groups were acting up more and more. Racial prejudice may haunt him, even if he would rather die than join said organizations.

“Well, that's it for the tour. Excited to work with us yet?"

“Very. I'm excited to expand my knowledge and be useful here. I just hope I can fit in."

Gearbox laughed out, “Good, I like your enthusiasm. And I think you will be just fine. We're a lot like a family here, so I'm sure you will find your place. We have about ten minutes before the morning meeting. I'll introduce you officially to the rest of the team then. Why don't you take a seat, and watch?" Shi motioned to the biped chairs around the large conference room they ended the tour in. Travis nodded in ascension and found a seat on the edge. Just as he sat down, the room started seeing an influx of people.

The taurs sat on their haunches, and the bipeds found chairs to sit in. As they filed in, he saw Chakat Rainsky take a seat nearest the conference phone sitting on the central table. Gearbox had taken hir position at the head of the table, while others found room around the conference room. Travis had decided on a chair on the complete opposite side of the room from Gearbox and had tucked himself into the corner. He watched as all sorts of different beings took seats. Most were quiet, but there were a few side conversations going on. All went silent, though, as the time approached.

At 05:00 Chakonan time, Chakat Rainsky started the meeting with, “Good morning, everybody. Firstday is going to be a rainy day, so try to stay dry if you are going to be working outside for extended periods. Tactical still has that launcher issue they are troubleshooting, so we are quiet for today. However, they are planning to do some testing next week if the troubleshooting goes well. Derrick, you tracking that?"

“I am," responded a Siamese cat morph male. “The Weapons Team will be on standby until that issue is fixed. In the meantime, we'll take a look at the proposed modulation change they want to implement. We're set up to support them when they say go."

“Understood. Moving on. Engines are doing a full simulated run this morning for a maintenance checkout. Matrix?"

A Chakat responded, “We're set on my end. Already scheduled Tee-Em room one with power, air, and full engines capability. We'll be beaming up at oh-seven-twenty-five for an oh-seven-fifty start."

“Right, good luck up there. Warp core is next. Serenity?" Here, Travis saw another Chakat speak up, but something about hir caught his eyes. Shi was gorgeous, and Travis was not one to consider a morph high on his attractive scale. But for some reason, hir demeanor, style of dress, and kind expression resonated with him.

Shi was taller than him, for sure. Not overly so, but still taller than he was. Shi looked leaner than what a normal Chakat would be, with enough muscle definition that showed shi took care of hir body. Hir navy blue fur was immaculate and shown in the artificial light. Electric blue head fur was made into a pixie cut, which matched the professional-looking dress shirt shi wore. His eyes were then drawn to the silver markings, like a tribal design. That was unique, as very few color patterns for Chakats had this design. Hir dark green eyes had a light inside that made Travis want to speak with hir just to know hir. Hir light purple dress shirt was just as stylish and functional as his own shirt and pants. Shi spoke with the authority of someone who knew hir craft, but the approachableness of a gentle friend. Travis got the feeling that shi wouldn't ridicule you for not knowing but would teach and correct ignorance with a gentle hand. However, stupidity would not be accepted and would be instantly corrected with an iron fist.

“Maintenance reported this morning that the new warp core has arrived and will be installed over the course of the next two weeks. When they are ready, Team Warp Core will start installing our equipment and conducting functionality tests. I plan to be finished by the end of Week Twenty-six. After that, major testing will commence, followed by a few sessions of data review. We'll be busy once that starts." Shi nodded back to Rainsky, who continued with several more departments. Travis, however, had his full attention on hir. Shi seemed to draw him in like a moth to a flame. He tried to keep from staring and managed it. Somewhat. He could tell that shi noticed him watching hir, but shi showed no signs of disgust or awkwardness. In fact, shi smiled at him, then winked! He blushed slightly and quickly averted his eyes. He felt the beginning of disgust and self-loathing start to rise in himself. He shouldn't be staring; it was rude! He had to respect people, not gawk at them like some pervert or creep! He could feel that familiar nagging voice begin to speak, but it abruptly was cut off.

For some strange reason, all the negativity he swore would come failed to take route in his soul. In fact, he felt a calming sensation act like the cleansing rain outside. It washed over him in gentle waves, stopping the negative thoughts and the little voice. He got a distinct feeling that this unique Chakat was the one who was giving off these waves. He didn't want to risk looking back and instead tried to focus on the meeting at hand. It wasn't until Gearbox started talking that he finally was able to regain control and re-enter reality.

“Alright, I have one thing that must be discussed before we head out. This really doesn't concern us, but I feel I must at least remind you of the dangers of our job. Last week, we had a safety incident in one of the other Ess-Eye divisions. A technician was removing a Tee-Em El-Ar-Yu while it was still live and transmitting and got struck with almost thirty watts of Ar-Ef. Shi's doing okay, but this accident does bring to light how important safety is. Check, double-check, and re-check everything you do. Be sure of what you are doing and what tools to use. Always have your safety equipment on hand, especially when working up top. We have been good at avoiding any serious accidents, and I want to keep us that way. Moving on to less morbid things, we have a new engineer joining us today." Shi pointed Travis out in his little corner. “Travis, stand up, please." He did so while trying to put on the most charming and heartwarming smile he could bring to bear. “Travis will be working with Serenity on the warp core instrumentation. This is his first day, so please make him feel welcome." There were several different greetings from around the room. He noticed that Serenity gave him the brightest smile out of everybody. “That's it from me. Serenity, Travis, please stay behind afterward. Rainsky?"

“Alright," Rainsky said, bringing the focus back to hir. “There's nothing else on the docket for today. Around the room?" No one spoke. “Anyone on the phone?" Again, no one said a word. “Okay, have a good day. Tail High." With that, shi pressed a button on the conference phone. Everyone started making their way out, heading to whatever job they were tasked for that day. Within a minute, everyone had left the conference room, leaving only Travis, Serenity, and Gearbox alone. Travis felt his nerves start to come upon him, but he tried to keep them to just a simmer. Getting nervous now would not be helpful. Besides, both Chakats seemed to welcome him. With some amount of effort, he put on his big boy pants, sucked in as much courage as he could muster, and let a brave yet neutral face come over him. Steady as she goes, captain.

“Well, now that you're introduced generally to the team," Gearbox said, “it's time I hand you off to your lead. Serenity?" The other Chakat came a little closer to the pair, maintaining a cordial smile. “Travis is now under you. Train him, get him up to speed, and set him loose. Travis, Serenity is now in charge of you. Listen to hir, do what shi says, and try to learn from hir." Travis and Serenity made direct eye contact, which elevated his anxiety levels. Serenity just smiled brighter and stuck out hir arms for a hug.

“Pleasure to meet ya, Travis. I look forward to working with you." Travis took the offered hug, still getting used to the normal greeting here on Chakona.

“Likewise, Serenity. I look forward to learning from you."

“Now," Gearbox interjected, “with formalities out of the way, I believe it's time for you two to get started on the day. Go ahead and take him down to his new desk, Serenity. He's all yours. Just try not to overwork him." Shi turned and started making hir way out of the conference room.

Serenity giggled out, “Sure, whatever you say, boss kitty. Though, I make no promises." Gearbox's tail fluffed in what Travis thought was agitation before a soft groan came from hir. Travis was under the distinct impression that a joke just 'whooshed' right over his head. Serenity just chuckled in mirth. “Well, now that cranky tail is off, let's get you settled. Follow me, Travis."

“Uh, sure, Serenity."

The second floor had several major sections that were divided by thick walls. Data Management, the Mod Dock, and the Lab were all major sections of the second floor, besides the engineer offices However, while the offices were a lot like the sea of bodies with the PMs and IT specialists upstairs, these down here were more cramped than upstairs. This was mostly because there were more engineers than PMs and ITs. There was also the fact that these engineers did a lot of hands-on work, so the desk was only used for paperwork, research, and a place to store work items when needed. There were also several locked cabinets, a few printers in strategic locations, and a station for coffee making. What surprised Travis was the giant popcorn maker right next to the coffee. Special occasion, perhaps? Or maybe something that the engineers do for themselves every so often? Travis wasn't sure, but he assumed he'd find out soon enough.

Serenity led him to one of the corners of the engineering space, where the sign above reading “Warp Core". It hung over a cubicle with four desks, just barely large enough to seat four taurs comfortably. Two of the said desks were already occupied by a male Caitian and a male phase Skunktaur. The other seemed to be Serenity's desk if the picture of hirself and a Forest Breed Stellar Foxtaur were any indication. The last was left bare, most likely for himself to use. Already set on top was some equipment to start him out, including a complete desk kit, a whiteboard with dry erase markers, and his own personal filing cabinet. Looks like they gave him the full nine yards.

“Hey, Kris, Ardy, I've brought the new guy. You think he'll do?" Travis had to wince at that. He still wasn't used to being a newbie. He hadn't gone through initiation since, well, a long time ago. He wasn't in that life anymore, so everything he would experience here would be new for him. Well, he survived being stood up in front of them already as the FNG, might as well keep pressing on.

The Caitian spoke first, saying, “Welcome, Travis. I am K'Resirr, though you can call me Kris." He stood up from his desk and extended a hand, a more normal greeting. Now, that was what Travis was used to. As they shook, Travis saw that Kris was nearly chin level to Travis, putting him about an inch or three below his own 5' 4". There seemed to be scaring around his left eye, and his muzzle was slightly askew to the right. Travis could tell that Kris had received a big blow to the face at one point.

Travis put those thoughts out of his head and greeted Kris like a normal person. The Skunktaur was next, offering the same handshake. The green vest hy wore was filled with all sorts of minor tools. Pens, magnifying glasses, rulers, and other such knick-knacks. It seemed this Skunktaur lived by the same creed that Travis did: be prepared.

“And I'm Valardiz of House Blackpaw, Ardiz or Ardy for short." Ardiz was just a little bit taller, which put hym around average for his species. Travis saw a flash of a black paw print on his chest, signifying an astral projectionist Skunktaur. Good, Travis did not want to deal with telepaths. Empaths were bad enough, but those damn mind readers would cause problems.

“Nice to meet you both," Travis responded. “I hope we can work well together."

“Oh, I'm sure we will," Ardiz responded. “He'll do, I think. Serenity, I assume he will need to start going over all the drawings, diagrams, and the Em-Ess-Em. I'll go ahead and gather those."

“Thanks, Ardy. Kris, can you send him the share drive locations?"

“Of course. I'll get right on that." Both went to do their thing, leaving Travis alone with Serenity.

“While they're doing that, let's get your accounts set up. We'll need to hit a few places around the building, and some applications on the Net for everything you'll need. Okay to go for a little walk?"

Travis merely shrugged. “Sounds good to me. I'll follow you."

---

For the next hour and a half, Serenity helped Travis set up his accounts with multiple sites, areas, and applications. This included the scheduling application for maintenance, the Tool Room check-out system, the instrumentation application browser, and several others needed for his job. Shi also got him started on getting media safe rooms and Data Management access, but those may take a while before they are ready. For now, everything seemed to be ready for his job. When they returned from the Tool Room, they found several stacks of paper sitting on Travis' desk. This was topped with a note that had the printer's location, and the promise of an email with a drive mapping application waiting for him. Serenity seemed pleased with the results of the day so far, even though Travis had the feeling shi had better things to do. Alas, he couldn't tell hir his thoughts, so he just kept working with hir on what shi deemed important.

“Ah, good. They dropped off the drawings. That'll be your project for the next few weeks. You'll need to know how the system is connected before you can effectively test and operate it."

“Aye, I'll get started on that immediately."

“Whoa, now. No need to rush. Take your time. We're not doing much right now. If anything pops up that I want you on, I'll be sure to get you on it. Study those drawings and the flight manual, and you should be good. If you have any questions, I'll be right over here."

“Of course, Serenity." Travis sat down at his desk and began to read.

The MSM, or Modification Starship Manual, was the operations handbook for running SI. It detailed what equipment was on board, what the equipment did, how to operate it, and known discrepancies. When combined with the block diagram, Travis was able to get an overall picture of the system and what it was supposed to do. And the whole thing was both intriguing and daunting. There were so many pieces, connections, and moving parts. Travis would have to spend several days just making sure he knew what went where. There were also hints of needing to program certain Line Removable Units, or LRU's, with certain formats. There was so much more that he needed to know.

From what he could glean, the entire system was used to observe several elements of the warp core, with several areas overlapping with the Engines and Life Support teams. The whole Engineering section of the ship was basically involved with Warp Core SI in one form or fashion. Data about core performance, power levels, and other functions were recorded on drives tucked away on the ship. That same data could also be Telemetered out, which used the TM LRU's. Any TM room was used as the receiver to view the data live during testing. All these systems would be run by a SI Flight Test Engineer on board. This individual was an Officer trained and tasked with operating the SI systems while in flight. And that wasn't even everything. As mentioned before, this was a complex and interwoven system.

---

It was a few hours later that Travis felt the rumblings that signified lunchtime. He had been so engrossed in studying the MFM, he had lost track of time. He looked over to Serenity, who had a smirk as shi stared at him. His embarrassment was rising a little bit, and he could feel a blush forming ever so slightly.

“I believe that's the lunch bell ringing over there," shi said while holding in a chuckle.

“I do believe so," he responded with equally held-back humor.

“You bring anything?"

“I've got some foodstuff in my backpack. Did you?" Shi nodded as shi stood from hir desk.

“Yep, leftovers from last night." Shi pulled up a cold box that most likely contained hir lunch for the day. He couldn't exactly see what it contained, but he was sure that if it was homemade, it'd be good. The slight licking of chops from Serenity kind of supported that assessment.

“Lucky you," he responded while pulling out what he was going to eat. He had taken the liberty of picking something easy and light, seeing as he didn't know what to expect here. It was essentially a protein bar, a pack of trail mix, a water enhancer packet, and some sliced apples to round it off. This may seem small to others, but he had to eat less before. It was enough to tide him over till dinner tonight. In retrospect, he probably could have brought leftovers, but he normally doesn't cook that way. He always eats what he makes, and never overindulges. His strict diet combined with his usual workout routine kept him in shape for the most part. He may have slacked off just a little bit here or there. It wasn't like he was overweight, just a little heavier than normal. Eating lighter might help with that.

Serenity noticed his meager lunch and asked, “Is that really all you have for yourself?"

Travis nodded, saying, “I packed light. Didn't know exactly what was available for food storage or purchase."

Shi hummed in agreement, then responded with, “Well, there are several places where you can find food. Building one eleven has a cafeteria. It's run by the Federation, so it's mostly replicated. It's okay, but mediocre compared to outside. The tram service runs all day, so you could hit the shops at the port. And if you're topside, you can easily get something at Gateway. Of course, we also have a snack bar. If you decide to bring food from home, refrigerators are in the break room downstairs."

“Cool, I'll be sure to use those in the future," he said while opening his protein bar. He took a bite and shuddered a little. He always hated the flavor of protein bars. Too gamey for his taste.

“You sure you don't want to get something more substantial? I can show you where to go."

“Nah, I'm good. Might hit you up tomorrow. Thanks for the offer, though." Serenity didn't seem all too happy about that, but let it slide. She did, however, offer a compromise.

“Would you like to take a break from reading that? You can sit with me in the break room." Travis' first response would have been to tell her no. But that answer died before he could voice it. He did want to sit with hir. He decided to acquiesce to the idea and got up from his desk.

“Sure, I could use the break." That damn smile came back at full power. Travis kept finding it harder and harder to keep hir at arm's length. He had to get control of himself. He had been alone for so many years, and he was perfectly fine with it. Why was this Chakat eliciting so many new feelings within him?

The break room wasn't really used all that often, especially on busy days. Most of the other groups were out and about, which left maybe two to five engineers and techs total still inside the building. The breakroom was deserted of any other soul. Most likely, the others were either eating at their desks or were out and about. It left them completely alone. Travis should have been nervous, but it never came. It was bizarre, as he knew his personality. He knew how he would normally react to situations, and he should have had an anxiety attack right about now. Serenity, being hir carefree self, just continued inside like shi owned the place.

There were refrigerators, just as shi said. There was also a sink, some microwaves, an actual oven (which raised a significant eyebrow for Travis), and plenty of seating. Along the wall to his left were several cabinets with small food and snacks were for sale. They were cheap compared to market prices. A good source of food when there was limited time or no opportunity. There were several monitors set up and were tuned to different channels. Travis noticed that one was for the news, which he knew would be useful for keeping up with the events happening in Amistad, Chakona, and the rest of the Federation. The others were set to what seemed to be a TV show and a sports channel. The sports channel seemed to be a recap of the latest Chakker season, and the upcoming season starting later in the year. Travis would be watching the latest season. If there was one sport he was into, it'd be Chakker. He might be able to watch the highlight reels while having lunch down here.

Serenity headed over to the microwave and started nuking hir meal. As the food heated up, Travis set his meager munchies down and took a seat. It wasn't long before Serenity joined him with some reheated soup. It smelled good, which made Travis' stomach rebel against him.

Keep it together, man, he growled to himself. He wasn't going to show weakness, not after the show he made upstairs.

“So," shi said without preamble. “Since we have some time, why don't we get to know each other?"

Travis asked, “Twenty questions style, or pick a topic and go from there?"

“Topic, for sure. I think the rapid-fire questions will be for while we're working topside. Easier to ask, answer, and stay on task."

“Sounds good. How about you pick the topic and I'll answer first since your curiosity is coming out. Fair warning, the old adage still holds true."

“That curiosity killed the 'Kat? Yeah, I heard that a bunch growing up. I'll take the risk." They both chuckled at their combined humor. They seemed to enjoy the darker side, while not necessarily going morbid. It was nice to find another person as equally into this humor as he was. The last time Travis had someone like this was back in his previous job. That was a lifetime ago, however. “So, mister mysterious. Let's start with your family and childhood."

“Oh, boy, going right for the deep stuff! Well, if you are so interested in that, I guess I can elaborate. What do you want to know?"

“Start with your family. Do you have any siblings?" For some reason, hir asking questions nearly made him spill his guts, but he maintained the secrets he knew he should keep.

“No, no siblings. Only child. Didn't really grow up with any extended family, either.

“And your parents?"

“Well, my…" here he paused, trying to find the right words. “My mom is dead. Died when I was a kid. Haven't spoken with my father since. And that was over eighteen years ago."

“And how old are you now?"

“Twenty-eight in a few weeks on the Chakonan calendar."

“That means you haven't spoken to him since you were ten. Why so long without contact? And who raised you after?"

Travis popped some of his trail mix as he said, “Let's just say that we both had a fundamental incompatibility regarding personal opinions. As for who raised me, I was picked up later by private contractors, offered a home and steady income to take care of myself, and got a good education out of it to boot."

“Sounds like a rough start, but it seems you made it out okay," shi said sympathetically.

“I did. Wouldn't change it, but I would have loved to have been born differently than where I was."

“And where was that?" Travis bowed his head in shame, eyes closing involuntarily. He shook his head as bad memories rushed through his head.

“I don't want to talk about it. It was a very bad place; let's leave it at that."

“Fair enough," shi agreed. Travis brought himself back and regained his composure.

“What about you? Is your family local, abroad?" Shi nodded, swallowing the spoonful of soup shi had taken.

“For the most part. My immediate family consists of my parents, and my three siblings." Hir eyes widened before she corrected, “Sorry, four. I nearly forgot that my mother has announced shi is pregnant again."

“Ah, that's a big family. Do you all still live together?"

“Eh," shi half said before rocking hir hand. “Yes and no. I live with my sister and our denmates just down the street from my parents. We often gather, at the very least, weekly for a family dinner. Sometimes we have a movie night, game night, or we go on an adventure."

“Sounds lovely," Travis sighed.

“It is. I enjoy being close to my family."

“What about extended? I know Chakats are usually big on large clans."

“And my family is no different, but we have been dispersed by life. My grandparents on my sire's side live in New New York, and my mother's live in Knightsport. As for my aunts and uncles, they are, for the most part, in New New York, Knightsport, Silver Lake, and here in Amistad."

“Jeez, you come from all over Chakona."

“And that's just those that live here on Chakona. We have family that lives all over the Federation. Raksha, Cait, Terra, and others."

“Wow. Lots of birthdays to remember! Must be tough to get the family together." They both laughed in good humor.

“It can be. We do try to have the extended family gather in some form and fashion every few years or so. Introduce the new members, remember those who have passed on, that sort of thing." Travis nodded, wishing he could say the same for his family. He did have several cousins that he knew existed, but never really met. What would it be like to have so many people related to you, even distantly?

A beep from Serenity's PADD indicated that someone was trying to get a hold of Serenity. An apologetic smile, then Serenity answered. From the one-sided conversation, it seemed to be Ardiz. The few details Travis heard indicated that there were a few things off with their programming in the lab, and they wanted hir up top to discuss it. Shi agreed and shut hir PADD off. “Well, Travis, it seems we have some problems. I'm thinking of having you watch as we do some troubleshooting. Finish up, and we can head up." Travis nodded and quickly finished off the apple slices he was eating. They cleaned up their table, then headed upstairs for the lab.

---

The lab was a technological marvel. The room was huge, easily topping a thousand square feet of space. There were several racks, labeled as Starship Modular Data Acquisition System, or SMDAS. They were separated based on which area they were touching. There were four in total, three for regular use, and one for the lab technicians to use. The general three were connected to Tactical, Engineering / Operations, and Medical / Sciences. Each system was nearly identical, but the smaller components and wiring changed depending on what data was being collected.

Serenity led Travis to the Engineering / Operations rack, where Ardiz and Kris were talking over a computer terminal. They noticed the approaching duo and quickly made room for them at the console. It showed an application, but Travis couldn't make heads or tails of what he was seeing. He tried to listen with Serenity as Ardiz and Kris explained the problem they were having.

Ardiz briefed, “The formatting is clipping some data at the top. We've tried adjusting it, but no luck so far. You want to take a look?" Serenity leaned down and started working on the program. Travis also leaned over and tried to follow along. This would take a while…

It did, in fact, take a while. The rest of the day was spent troubleshooting that formatting issue. All four engineers put their heads together to find out why they were clipping, while also trying to teach Travis what he was looking at. Serenity was a very patient teacher and used the time to also go through the project from the ground up with Ardiz and Kris. Travis learned a lot but knew he wouldn't be able to do this on the regular unless he did it repeatedly. While going through the half troubleshooting, half teaching time, Kris left for the afternoon meeting to report on their progress. Nothing else was really said for Team Warp Core, other than working on this issue. Kris returned, and the troubleshooting continued.

The problem was simple in terms of solution, but finding it was the real “pain in the tail," as Serenity called it. In formatting the data streams, they used, there was a certain range that an engineer had to specify. This is based on what type of data is being received, and the known upper and lower limits that this data would translate to in specific unit that words with their software. A sensor, or some other data generator, sends a voltage down a line to the Data Stacks. This voltage is translated by a Data Acquisition and Processing Unit (DAPU) into that specified range. That translation is then sent to the data recorders, and in their case, a live view on a monitor. An engineer could then take those EU's and turn them back into real data, like temperature, pressure, and acceleration, usually in a hexadecimal format.

Their problem was at the sensor, seeing as it was a model that had a lower range than was specified in their drawings. Travis had been looking at them and cross-referencing the parts. Everything seemed good until he looked at the specific sensor itself. This one was supposed to be for power monitoring at the generator. He saw that the parts number on the drawing matched what he had in his hand, so the setup was good from a wiring perspective. However, when he took a look at the specs for the sensor, he noticed something odd. He asked Serenity what the range should be, and shi quoted him a much higher range than he was seeing on the specs. He voiced his find, which led to all three congratulating him about it. It was an easily missed discrepancy, and they were glad he found it. The lab techs were notified of the wrong sensor and were tasked with replacing it with the correct model. It was also mentioned that a change would be sent to the design engineers to fix the drawing with the correct part number. All in all, a job well done.

Their troubleshooting did leave them with only ten minutes in the workday, so they all decided to head back home. They all walked together to the tram, which then took them back to the Spaceport. As they were moving for their trains, Kris broke off for the MagLev to Haarn'tuk'harr. Apparently, he commuted by MagLev every day, which was smart in Travis' eyes. Kris waved farewell and left them. Serenity, Ardiz, and Travis started making their way to the regular trains, each going for the one to take them to their suburbs. They waved goodbye to each other before heading to their boarding areas. As Travis rode his train back to East Hill, his thoughts were circling and rampaging. He was distracted enough that he couldn't focus on his book. He just couldn't get that Chakat out of his mind.

Shi was kind, thoughtful, intelligent, and had a sense of humor. All things Travis was interested in. It was like shi was made for him, which pushed his anxiety to eleven. There was no way, no possible way, that it would work out. He was a Human, and in his mind, he wasn't in high regard. Not only that, shi was a Chakat. While they were more affectionate, that didn't mean they were that into you. As usual, they ran the gamut from being promiscuous, to only within relationships. A lot like Humans, Travis opined. But for himself, he was only interested in committed relationships. It was a personal preference that he had grown up with and wasn't liable to change. Even being in a poly relationship, he knew, would be a strain on him, and Chakats were known to have many mates.

The conundrum kept bouncing around, and it wouldn't be ignored. The entire train ride was spent in contemplation of Serenity and how shi affected him. When he finally reached his stop, his mind quieted enough to focus on getting home. It was later in the afternoon, just about an hour to dinner. Travis made his way from the train station by bus to his complex, where he walked to his condo. There, he went into his home, sighing in both relief, and frustration.

His Condo was spacious enough for a taur but considered a single-person home. He had two full bedrooms, one and a half bathrooms, kitchen, laundry room, family room, dining room, and a balcony. It was a cozy place if a little lonely. As he walked to the master bedroom, Travis started taking off some of his clothes, starting with his hat and shoes. They were placed by the door, as well as his keys and wallet. He then changed into a set of pajamas for the night. The next thing he wanted was dinner, which turned into some cordon bleu, mixed veggies, and a bowl of mixed fruit. As his cordon was cooking, his thoughts returned to Serenity and his loneliness.

It was when he thought for too long that he sometimes wished he had someone to greet him when he came home. A fool's wish, but a man can dream, can't he? Then again, raising one's hope can lead to greater disappointment in the end. Frankly, getting a pet was a better option, and unfortunately for him, he wasn't inclined to even try for that. He's been alone for years; he could handle it. Or so he thought. His brain just wouldn't stop giving him visions of cuddling up to Serenity, of holding hir, of kissing hir, of--

“Get a hold of yourself!" he yelled. He slapped himself right into his face, trying to distract his brain. “Don't get your hopes up, you fool. Like shi would even consider you." There it was, that negativity. The self-loathing and hatred that he had buried deep inside. The little voice came back, this time with a vengeance. It kept whispering in his ear, throwing him into a tailspin. Every time he tried to shut it out, it just got louder. And it just wouldn't. Fucking. Shut. The hell. UP!

The dinging of the oven brought Travis out of his spiraling thoughts. He quickly centered himself, relying on the training he had received in his previous employment. Food was important, and a great way to distance himself from the dark cloud threatening to overtake him. Pull the cordon, get the veggies cooked, make the fruit bowl.

One task at a time, Travis. Focus on the here and now. Tomorrow always changes, and yesterday can't change. One step at a time. He ate in silence. His thoughts continued to show what he wanted, and what he thought could never be.

That night, Travis' sleep was plagued with Serenity's voice whispering into his ear. And it would have been easier to deal with if shi didn't tempt him with good times, dash his hopes with his bad past, and crush his heart with the ugly truth.

And a new day dawned in Amistad, Chakona...

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