<USS Avalon> Taking a Tour
- From: TKilyle@xxxxxxx
- To: avalon@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 8 Jan 2005 19:32:42 EST
***this takes place before 'The Toast' and before 'The Invitation'
***starring Josh Garrity, 'Mac' McEntire, Li Vilya & guest starring Ming
Kabuki
They make a striking couple, the transporter tech thought as the Bajoran in
an ensign's uniform approached holding the hand of a young Human man with the
most vivid blue eyes. Catching sight of a gold band on the man's hand, the
tech realized that he must be the Bajoran's husband. Must be here to see her
off.
Vilya offered the tech a smile and nod. "Ensign Li reporting to the
Avalon," she said. She waited until the tech was done verifying her identity
with
a retinal scan to bring up her question. "I have a question. This is my
husband. He's never been aboard a starship before and I'd like to know if I
can
give him a tour."
The tech nodded. "Ah, so long as you don't mind submitting to a retinal
scan and ID verification, sir, that won't be a problem."
"Scan away, ma'am," Ming said with a grin.
The tech tapped at a few controls, glancing up to verify that the retinas
were being read. "State your full name, relationship to Ensign Li, and your
date
and place of birth."
"Patrick Ming Kabuki. The ensign is my wife. I was born on July 4th in
Los Angeles," Ming replied simply.
"Thanks, you're all set, Reverend. Enjoy the tour," the tech aid.
Mac laughed as he dropped down the hatch and back into the Turbo Lift. "I
swear, Bean, whoever she is, she's planting that stuff up there just for you.
That's the second one today. She almost never does it twice in one day. You
can't flake out. She wants you, man." Stepping back as the tall, painfully thin
young man with bright crystal blue eyes dropped down next to him, blushing
brightly behind a
curtain of dark curls, Still laughing, Mac quickly jumped out of the way,
turning to find he'd almost stepped on an attractive Bajoran ensign and a
blue-eyed human male. "Whoa, sorry. Didn't know anyone else was in here...we
only
just released it back to service again."
Vilya chuckled. "That's okay, you missed us," she said then she held out
her hand. "I'm Li Vilya, the new engineer, and this is my husband, Ming
Kabuki. I
was just giving him a tour since he's never been abord a starship before."
Mac reached out his hand to shake hers, but found he had to shift the small
leather and lace item in it to the other hand first, which he did with another
grin and glance at the taller boy who seemed to blush brighter. He shook her
hand, laughing, while Josh just nodded his greeting without really seeming to
look at
them from his position as far across the turbolift as he could get from
them."I'm Patrick McEntire...Mac,most call me. That stringbean over there
thinking
bout climbing back up and out...that's Joshua Garrity. Looks like we'll be
working together. We're engineers,too." Shaking Ming's hand as well, he added
with a smile,"Nice to meet you."
Vilya looked up at Ming. She could tell he was trying very hard not to
laugh.
"I.." Ming began but he coulnd't help it. It started with snickering but
it turned into full fledged, doubled over laughing. He finally manged to
stop long enough to say, "Gee, Vilya, you never told me that was
standard...uniform..."
She smacked his arm and gave Josh and Mac a shake of her head. "Not very
minister-like is he?"
Ming was still chuckling but he'd settled down enough to wipe the tears
from his eyes. He sensed Josh wasn't the hand shaking sort and simply offered
him a smile and a nod. He grinned at Mac and added, "Nice to meet you both
and it's always good to meet another Patrick."
"Sure is," Mac agreed heartily. "So you're just checking us out, huh? What
were you hoping to see first?" With a mischevious glance Josh's way, he added.
"Bean there's a great tour guide. He'd be happy to show you around, wouldn't
you, Bean?" He cracked up as Josh shot him a bewildered glance before dropping
his gaze to his boottops and attempting the impossible task of placing even more
space between himself and the others in the lift.
Vilya smiled, making her nose wrinkle all the more. These two were
obviously very good friends. "I think our common work place would be a good
start,"
she said with a smile.
Josh looked oddly relieved at that suggestion. The moment the lift doors
opened he stepped out and headed towards engineering as fast as his long legs
would carry him without running before Mac caught up and placed a hand just
inches
from his arm...close but not touching. "Slow down, Bean, you're going to lose
your tour group." Turning to the two newcomers, he added, still trying not to
laugh. "Be sure to ask him lots of questions. He loves questions, don't you
Bean." Josh shot him a glance somewhere between amused and ready to kill him,
but slowed his pace to allow the others to keep up. Better to deal with them in
engineering than what they found jammed in the gears this time. He glanced at
Mac again wondering briefly where he'd stowed the thing and fervently hoping
he'd keep it to himself this time.
The idea to take up Mac's suggestion was tempting but Vilya decided
against it. She didn't know Garrity well enough to tease him. Not yet. She
glanced up at Ming as they followed Mac and Garrity. No, it wasn't in him to
do
anything remotely mean. His blue eyes widened almost completely when they
finally entered Engineering.
"Oh...my..." Ming breathed as he caught sight of the display of
machinery. "This is...just...amazing..."
Vilya grinned at Mac and Garrity. "His parents have the bare minimum of
electronics at home, no kitchen computer and definitely no computer for
games."
"Yeah but I can cook and how could anyone ever give up the feel of real
paper?" Ming asked, holding up the very old book he always carried. Then he
nodded out at the room in general. "I can see why you all would want to do
this. It's got to be a blessing to be able to cut through the heavens..."
Josh listened a moment then glanced at Ming and nodded toward a far alcove.
Leading him there, he pushed a few buttons and a panel slid sideways. From
within the niche there he pulled out both a PADD and a hardcopy of the systems
replicator specs and handed them to Ming. Within those specs were the "recipes"
for most of what was programmed into the replicator units themselves written in
the impossibly small but incredibly detailed glyphs that represented the
virtually obsolete language of Josh's home...if indeed you could call where he
grew up home. Mac looked as surprised as the rest of them. He had no idea that
panel was there. "What is that, Bean?" He asked.
"Directions," Josh answered simply in a voice so quiet as to be almost
inaudible. Not waiting for him to ask more questions, he moved to the console
that
held the work orders and proceeded to punch up the remainder of the pending
requests.
Vilya looked over Ming's arm as he narrowed his eyes, trying to read the
unfamiliar language. He looked up at her and she offered him a wordless
shrug. It wasn't familiar to her either.
"I hope the rest of the engineering protocols aren't in the language,"
Vilya said carefully. "That looks a bit more difficult than ancient Bajoran."
Ming was still looking at the PADD and specs but then he looked up and
offered both Garrity and Mac a smile. "If I can get this translated, I'll be
glad to
actually make real food for you guys...if you keep an eye on my wife for me.
Okay, I'd welcome you guys to dinner at our home any way but I really would
appreciate it."
Vilya poked him slightly. "Chauvinist."
Josh's eyes widened a moment, then he blushed. Hereached hesitantly for the
paper copy and turned toward the back, where they were written again in
standard. "The same," he said quietly, still blushing. Shrugging slightly, he
cast them an apologetic glance and indicated the last few blank paged, and a
recipe
half written in those almost too perfectly formed standard letters, still
missing half the cooking directions. "...not finished."
Mac laughed. "There you go. Dinner is served. The kid's got you covered. So,
when do we come?"
Josh shifted uncomfortably, hoping he hadn't made a mistake giving that to
Ming. Though he'd rather not be rude, he didn't visit. Mac caught the
expression
on
his friend's face and understood it at once. Looking at Ming seriously, he
explained, "Honest, man, sounds great, but I doubt it'll happen. In all the
time
I've
known Bean I've never known him to go visiting. It's kind of outside his
comfort zone. You can't drag him offship unless you literally drag him off.
Unless
it's
a mission, an order, or a medical necessity. He didn't go ashore once the
whole time we were here. Put in to remain aboard during shore leave." Aside he
added,"Shelby's still ticked over that by the way, Bean. And Mom and the others
all sent things up for you." Turning back to Ming he said with a smile,"Just
say when and I'm there, though."
What Ming did next was one of the things that Vilya loved about him. Part of
his training, and part of of who he was, gave him great sensitivity. He
nodded at Josh and then he offered Mac a grin. "Well, I tell you guys what.
Like
I said before, you bring my wife home safe and sound and I will come up here
and make you dinner. The thinsg on here," he said as he held up the hard copy
that Josh gave him, "and maybe some of my mother's recipes. Of course,
either of you would be welcome planetside too."
"Patrick Ming Kabuki, I do not need looking after," Vilya exclaimed
indignantly.
"Mister, I'll carry her back and forth to work on my back and even shine her
shoes for some decent cooking. Consider it done." Mac laughed. Josh passed him
a work order and excused himself almost silently. He didn't visit well, and
the pressure to converse about things other than work was starting to make him
uncomfortable. Noting the duty roster posting, Mac turned to Vilya. "Doesn't
look like you hit rotation until day after tomorrow. You guys should go check
out the rest of the ship before you lose the chance. The kid and I got to get
back to work, though." He added sincerely, "Been a pleasure. See you around."
Relucatantly, he turned and hurried back to work.
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