ataraxionlogs | (no subject)

CHARACTERS: Heather Mason and Rex Salazar
LOCATION: Kitchens on floor 36
WARNINGS: none...probably
SUMMARY: Meeting. Eating. Talking robotics.
NOTES:

Rex wasn't too worried about vague threats from security personnel about upper floors not being safe. The only reason he'd moved down to a lower level floor was to interact with more people. He'd spent enough time alone (or almost alone) for a lifetime. But the desire to hang out with the kids his own age hadn't stopped him from breaking away to scout the forbidden decks. He could handle himself, after all. Besides, the scariest thing he'd seen on the ship so far was way too many adults' dongs in the pod room.

He selected floor 34 and whistled to himself as the elevator lurched to life. Whoever designed the ship certainly liked dark metal and that disconcerting blue glow that flickered with every deck passed. "Creepy," he muttered. Floor 34 appeared on the screen briefly, but the elevator continued its ascent. Rex reached a hand out, nanites humming under his skin, but he paused before making contact. The last time he'd interfaced with the ship, it had been so eager to talk and yet so unwilling to help. It had left his head buzzing for hours afterward, too.

He didn't have too much time to contemplate a course of action, as the doors opened just two floors later. Part of him wanted to ask the computer why, but the pulsing blue light in the small room was really starting to creep him out. He stepped out of the elevator and saw a hallway lined with rooms much like every other floor he'd visited thusfar. The only difference he could perceive was the faint scent of fresh coffee.

Rex cautiously followed his nose and peeped into the kitchen, where a fain clattering could be heard. He caught sight of a young face and mussed blond hair. He strode into the room without any further hesitation.

"Morning," he greeted enthusiastically. He froze when she about jumped out of her skin, and raised his hands in something of a placating apology. "Didn't expect to see anyone else up here... guess you weren't either, huh?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

His contemplation of the security department's apparently eclectic leadership was interrupted by Heather's next comment. A startled snort of laughter escaped him, which was followed by a wide grin as he got to his feet. It was a rare occurrence for the folks at Providence to have any reaction beyond a quirked eyebrow to his jokes. He could get used to people playing along.

"Yeah, I'll let you know," he promised as he scooped up the bowl of sodden towels and the coffee cup's remains. He washed his hands with cool water and took a moment to splash some on his stress-warmed face. His stomach hadn't settled entirely, but he couldn't see that happening for a while anyway.

"Thanks... For believing me. And not freaking out about the arm thing." That was a lot more than most people from his homeworld did-- and he did his best to prove that he was a good guy in those situations. Before things had a chance to get too mushy, he shot her a smile.

"So which department are you in?"

Hey, she didn't freak out over the arm thing, he didn't freak out (too badly) over her practically flinging her prosthesis at him - in her opinion, they were just about even. At his question she extended her wrist again, showing the tattoo and the prefix to the digits.

"Agricultural. We maintain the Oxygen Garden, which is pretty much what it says on the tin. Produces oxygen for the ship. And all the food that doesn't come in scary tins or packets."

She watched him, a little upward tilt to her chin, wondering if he'd ask why she'd go for something as boring as gardening when there was security, or gunnery.

Rex blinked. He'd been to the oxygen gardens, but it had never occurred to him that normal people on the ship maintained it. "I figured the computer had all the ship's vital functions automated," he offered in explanation for his extended contemplative silence. ~~Extended meaning like 2 seconds lbr here~~

"Well, a lot of it is," she admitted, shrugging and refilling her mug. "I don't know if you've been in there but the top levels are all kind of jungle-y, there's enough plant life going on up there to keep us breathing. It's more the food. Plus keeping an eye on the chemicals in the hydroponics, that kinda stuff. Most of the time everything runs okay, but the ship has little tantrums sometimes so it's usually better if everything's running optimally before it all goes to hell."

Which. Was not a comforting thing to say to a newbie, probably, but hey. It was true.

"Kinda seems like that's what most of the departments do, really. Hang around acting busy until something goes wrong, then lose our damn minds trying to fix it."

Rex considered this information. His first and second impression of the Tranquility's interface was not good. It wasn't as overtly homicidal as Zag RS, but it had an air of menace about it that led him to believe that keeping humans alive might not have been its top priority.

"Well I'm glad we have a department for it. ...But I'll probably stick to one where when things go wrong, I just have to punch something."