<USS Avalon> "Exploring A New Frontier"

"Exploring A New  Frontier"
Skyler, Tavi, & K'etrall   
  
 
On  her way back to the  bridge after her  visit in sickbay, Skyler had a 
thought. Perhaps Tavi  would be interested in a trip to engineering. Tapping 
her 
comm badge she  contacted Lt. .K'etrall. "Lt. K'etrall, this is Captain 
Skyler. I was wondering  if you could do me a big favor?"
 
Down in engineering K'etrall  was still trying to figure out what it was 
about Ensign MacGivern that was  bugging her. So much so that she couldn't 
concentrate on her work. Hearing her  commbadge go off she listened to Captain 
Skyler 
 
 "It would seem that  everyone on the ship is too busy to help a future cadet 
to learn the different  systems aboard the Avalon. I was wondering if you 
could spend some time with a  very intelligent young girl?"
 
The last thing K'etrall  wanted to do was have a little kid following her 
around but then again it might  be interesting. "Captain Skyler, I would be 
happy 
to show the child  around."
 
Skyler's step increased and  it seemed she had a bit more energy. Making her 
way to their quarters Skyler was  grinning inside.  Entering their quarter's 
Skyler looked around. Tavi was  no where to be found. At least not immediately. 
"Tavi, where are you? I have  some exciting news for you!" 
 
Tavi was returning home from  a visit to the ship's library.  She had wanted 
very much to ask the  librarian -- the Human one, fair-skinned with long dark 
hair -- how she did that  trick where she made her hair swirl up like it was 
alive.  But there was  only a new librarian there -- also Human, but far less 
interesting.  He had  shown her how to log in from the terminals there, 
something she didn't have to  do at her own terminal in her room, and then left 
her 
to her  browsing.
 
Now, Tavi came into the  quarters she shared with Skyler, to find Skyler 
looking for her.
 
"Here I am," she  said.
 
"Hey there. Where ya' been?  I have some good news....or I think it will be 
good news for you?"
 
Skyler wasn't sure how Tavi  would react but she was hoping it was going to 
be a good one. It wasn't often  that she got to deliver good news.
 
"I went to see some stuff in  the library," Tavi explained, hoping that was 
all right.  She had  specifically been given permission to go there, after all. 
 "What is good  news?" she asked, a little apprehensive.
 
Smiling Skyler looked at  Tavi. "Did you find anything interesting in the 
library? And good news is the  opposite of bad news. How would you feel about 
spending the day in engineering  with Lt. K'etrall?"
 
"I looked at some stuff,"  said Tavi.  "But the one librarian wasn't there -- 
Ms. Miri.  I wanted  to ask her how she does that thing with her hair.  I'll 
have to go another  time and find her."  She smiled, a slow smile that grew 
wider.  "In  Engineering?  Really?"
 
Chuckling to herself Skyler  smiled. "I don't know? Do you think you are 
ready to go to engineering by  yourself or do I need to take you? If you are 
going 
you need to change into your  jumpsuit and make sure you have your commbadge 
on. Do you think you are  ready?"
 


Tavi was already on the way  into her room to get changed.  She did have her 
commbadge on, and carefully  transferred it to the jumpsuit Skyler had told 
her was for wearing when she  might get dirty, or would be working around 
delicate equipment, because this  fabric wouldn't carry an electrical charge.  
She 
put on her ship boots,  too, instead of the soft slippers she'd been wearing.  
"Now I'm ready," she  announced happily.

Skyler smiled as Tavi returned all dressed and  ready to go. "So, you think 
you can find your way there or do I need to go with  you? The choice is yours." 
Secretly she hoped Tavi would want her to go with her  as she wasn't quite 
ready to send the girl out on her own. Maybe she was being  over protective. 
She 
didn't know as she had never been in this situation before.  

"I know where it  is..."  Even though Tavi hadn't been to Engineering aboard 
this ship yet,  she had already spent plenty of time studying the deck layouts 
and  schematics.  "But maybe it would be better if you went with me this  
time.  So everyone knows I'm allowed."


"I think that is a wise  decision. I have already talked to Lt. K'etrall and 
she doesn't mind you coming.  Now she is part Klingon and part Betazoid like 
me. That isn't going to bother  you is it?" 


Why would it bother  her?  "Not unless she's gonna read my mind just so she 
can say mean things  to me," Tavi shrugged.


"Why would she say  mean things about you? She hasn't even met you yet. I am 
just letting you know  since you were a little nervous when you found out I 
was a 'path." Reaching the  door she waited for Tavi to join her. 

Tavi shrugged again.   "Other people that don't know me have said mean things 
about me.  Some  people are mean."  She looked up at Skyler.  "But I guess 
you wouldn't  want me to learn from somebody who's mean," she added with a  
smile.
 
"No. I wouldn't want you  learning from anyone mean. I don't want anyone mean 
to do or say anything that  is going to hurt you. I mean that when I say it 
Tavi. Do you believe  me?" 

"Yes."   The smile widened.  She did believe Skyler.  Maybe it was a little 
bit  like being telepathic -- though, try as she might, Tavi just couldn't read 
 thoughts! -- but she knew when she could trust and believe.  She  just (she 
reminded herself) needed to stop jumping to conclusions about people  she 
hadn't met yet.  When she met them, she would know better whether they  could 
be 
trusted.Skyler smiled. "I'm  glad you believe me. Now enough of this. Let's get 
to engineering. Ya' think you  could show me the way? I've not really had a 
chance to examine all the diagrams.  Something I am sure you have probably 
memorized."  Stepping aside, Skyler  waited for Tavi to lead the way. 


Tavi giggled and led Skyler to the lift.  It would have been  simplest to ask 
the computer to guide the lift to Engineering, but since Skyler  wanted the 
tour, Tavi asked for the deck above the main engineering deck, and  led the way 
to the Engineering observation platform overlooking the main  floor.  She 
paused outside the door -- it would take an officer's command  code to open it.

"Hmm, am I missing something? Shouldn't this door just open like any  other 
door? Must be doing something wrong. Wonder what it could be? Any  suggestions?"

Giggle.  "It's the door to the observation  platform.  Only lieutenants and 
above can open it," Tavi showed off her  knowledge of the ship's workings.

"Oh, is that what it is? So does that mean that I have to  open it or is a 
lieutenant below me? I never can remember that stuff." Skyler  was chuckling to 
herself. She was glad to see the smile on Tavi's face. She just  wanted to 
make sure it lasted for more than just a moment.  

"Sometimes you are silly," Tavi giggled again.  "I guess if you  want to go 
in that way, you'll have to open it.  Or we could go down a deck  and go in the 
main door."  In spite of her unusual background, Tavi really  was more or 
less a normal child.  She liked being happy and laughing, and  it seemed Skyler 
always wanted her to be happy.  That was fine with  her!

"Well, let me think about this. If we go through that door all you can do  is 
observe. Correct? However if we go down a deck we can go in the main door. Is 
 that what you are saying? Seems to me since this is your adventure you have 
to  decide." (go) 

Skyler was being very silly!  Or maybe just wanted to  know how much she, 
Tavi, had learned from the deck layouts.  "No, there's a  way down from there," 
she clarified.  "Really two ways.  A ladder that  goes down one wall, and a 
kind of round stairs that goes down the other side  near the engineers' break 
room."

"I guess you have been studying haven't  you? I am  very impressed Jr. Cadet 
Tavi. Well, since you know the way, you  pick it. Down the wall or the round 
stairs. What are you up for? I am following  you but remember I am an old fart 
not some young whippersnapper like you!"  Skyler smiled warmly at the young 
girl. 

"We could go the third way, through the Jeffries tubes,"  Tavi teased a 
little.  "But maybe the stairs would be good today.  I  never went on round 
stairs 
before, and I've been on lots of  ladders."  She could barely restrain herself 
from charging ahead as the  door opened, but she walked through sedately with 
 Skyler.

Walking down the stairs next to Tavi, Skyler  smiled. "I am certainly glad 
you didn't choose the Jeffries tubes. I don't think  these old bones could 
handle crawling around like that." Sensing Tavi's  excitement gave Skyler a 
feeling 
she had never felt before. She didn't know how  to describe it, just that it 
felt.....good. As they entered engineering, Skyler  could see Tavi's eye's 
grow as big as the sun. It was almost like she was in an  amusement park and 
didn't know which way to go first. "Well kiddo,  what' do you  think?" 

Tavi reached the floor one step ahead of Skyler -- she had to; the  spiral 
stairs were too narrow to walk side by side -- and looked around,  wide-eyed.  
"It's different from the old ship," she commented, though she  had known that 
already.  "I mean, the power and stuff are different.   On the old ship, the 
power was part of the computer memory and the computer was  part of the power 
grid."

The person who approached them had to be the  Chief Engineer, from Skyler's 
description, and Tavi looked up with a grin as she  finished her comment.


"Very good. You must be Tavi. Our little stow away from the  old ship. I see 
you spent your time well. I am Lt. K'etrall, the current Acting  Chief 
Engineer." Looking down at Tavi she spoke softly, "You think you got any  pull 
with a 
 certain Captain who could maybe make me the Chief Engineer  instead of just 
Acting Chief?" 

"I think they have to promote you from the main Starfleet  place," said Tavi. 
 "But maybe the Admiral could do it.  I don't think  Captains can promote 
people unless the Admiral says so, when they're on the same  ship."  She was 
inclined to like K'etrall right away.  The hybrid  woman wasn't like the other 
Engineer, who Tavi had followed in silent  fascination, but she was nice.  And 
maybe she had some of the same  feeling about machines.  Maybe.  It would take 
some time to  tell.

"Hmm, so you don't think that Captain Skyler can  make Chief. Well, I guess I 
will have to show you a good time so you can go back  and tell her how good I 
am." K'etrall smiled at Tavi and nodded at Skyler.  "Captain, I think I am in 
good hands with Cadet Tavi here. Is there a special  time you would like her 
back?" Skyler had been watching the interaction between  the two and had been 
impressed with the engineers's handling of the young girl.  "Let's see. It's 
1500 now, so how about you have her back at  around 1800 hours. Is  that going 
to give you enough time Tavi?" 

1800  hours was close to dinner time.  Tavi nodded; she would keep to the  
schedule Skyler had set and be home for dinner.  "There's always other days  
for 
more," she pointed out.

"Very  well. Lieutenant I leave this young cadet in your capable hands." 
Smiling she  looked at Tavi, "You I will see back home for dinner. I believe it 
is 
your night  to cook." ~~If she only knew how much I wanted to reach out and 
hug her right  now, but I don't want to embarrass her either. Maybe in time she 
will feel the  same.~~ 
 
Impulsively, Tavi turned and gave Skyler a quick, tight hug.   Skyler had 
just looked like she needed one.  And then, eyes bright with  excitement, she 
was 
ready to go with the engineer.

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