Some Assembly Required

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

"Oh geepers."

It was the largest military uniform they made, so she was told. 7XL. And it barely fit. So barely that Gradoona had taken to keeping the jacket unbuttoned rather than have each tiny black disc strain under the pressure of cleaving fabric. The last thing she needed when reaching for a set of splicing pliers was to lose a popped button down some poor schmoe's hyperdrive motivator or the station's atmospheric scrubbers. Boy howdy that would be a pickle sandwich there.

Gradoona haauumed from her blowhole in a resigned sigh. Her uniform also came with a teeny little hat. Size fits most (humanoids), naturally. She tried balancing the ridiculous thing on her head, but the first puffed exhalation from her blowhole sent it flying. So instead, she clipped her hat to her tool belt. Technically she was still wearing it.

All this fuss over regulation and tippy-top condition was brought to a head by her task schedule for the day. She was tending to a few installation and repair items in none other than Commander Akiena's quarters. While this wasn't her first rodeo in terms of interacting with the chain of command, Gradoona usually operated a few notches below accountability when she was working on tramp freighters and light cruisers. Here? She was the second wrench on a big station. That kind of pressure made a girl mind her p's and q's.

So here she was, mentally preparing for the all-day job at the Captain's quarters. Her heavy tools and install components littered a three-tier repulsor cart adjacent to the doorway. Drawing in a whistling gasp of air into her blowhole, the Herglic pressed the door buzzer.

"Ooh heey dere Commander Akiena. Hiii. It's Second Engineer Gradoona, just poppin' over to make sure the Big Cheese's office is tip top, y'knoo."

Gradoona shifted her weight ponderously on her tree trunk sized legs.

[Kes Akiena]

He'd spent the first small part of his morning in quiet solitude, his duties not needing his immediate attentions until later, and had thus chosen to embrace the small amount of slow casualness that had been unexpectedly offered. To that end, Kes Akiena busied himself with a few menial reports that he could easily approve or deny from the comfort of his quarters. He sat at the small table set up in a far corner, a bowl of Ithorian spiced oatmeal as his morning indulgence. His eyes scanned the aurebesh on the 'pad he held, and looked up only briefly at the sound of his door chime ringing. The voice that soon followed only made him frown in slight confusion. He'd not been aware of a problem in his quarters, despite the many fires that seemed to so constantly flare into life all around them. It was possible, he supposed, that a problem conduit ran along one of the walls of his still partially-unpacked 'home', and setting the 'pad down, Kes let out a long breath as he rose to stand.

A quick detour to his room yielded a clean shirt, and he pulled it on while making his way to the door. Still tugging the lower edge down, Jovan's commander opened the door to stare at a mountain of a Herglic.

"Engineer Gradoona," he pulled a puzzled face. "I wasn't aware of any problems with my quarters."

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

"Oh, well prahbably not!"

The Herglic drew out her emphasis in a high pitched accent punctuated by a whistle-click, her small eyes glittering affably on either side of her genial beaked mouth.

"But, y'knoo, we did kiiiinda moove a few million tons of durasteel over a baker's dozen light years, sir. ~fweeeee wheedle-clack~. Not exactly kickin' ice floes if you get my drift."

Gradoona shrugged, a motion that seemed to be ponderous on her giant frame.

"But I wouldn't let it cloud your sunny day, sir. Five 'll get ya ten I'm in and out faster than a greased up penguin on a hoverboard."

[Kes Akiena]

A greased up... ?

Not entirely sure how to process the slang delivered, Kes merely fell into a smile, and with a shrug he stepped back to allow Engineer Gradoona enough room to navigate herself inside.

"Well then, I suppose I would be remiss if I kept you from you work."

He let a glance go over the state of his quarters. Not messy, but it wasn't in any condition of order, that was for certain. Unpacked crates, a few medals placed hurriedly upon the shelves dotting the walls, and a bare minimum of personality. It really wasn't ideal, but his time had been limited, to say the least.

A sideways look was sent to Gradoona, and as if for the first time he took note of her 'uniform'.

"I see they delivered your, er, uniform... "

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

The Herglic sucked in, shuffling sideways into the doorway with a determined upbeat look to her. A little bit of stickage, but with a merciful ~fwaaaaa~ of her blowhole, she exhaled and squeaked on through.

"Ooh? Ooh yah, they suure did."

Gradoona squee'd in a bashful expression at the non-regulation state of her attire, hoping the Commander wasn't a stickler.

"Ya knoow, I really ought to find a Herglic tailor out there. Kinda swingin' it casual until then. A two penguin girl in a one tux world, don'chaknoo. Hoope its nat a bather squeeclack."

He didn't seem like he was getting ready to dress her down or cite her, so Gradoona whooshed a buoyed breath into her blowhole and c-c-click-weee'd.

"Sooo, guess that's enough jabber-jawin', you're not payin' Gradoona to chew the fat and all. Alright so sir...why don't we scooch you a little bit over heeere, okay how's that?"

Gentle as she pleased, the Herglic reached a huge hand down to herd the human over to a corner of the room.

"Now, I'm just gonna take a gander around and see how she's holdin' up, okaay? Okay."

[Kes Akiena]

He watched in a small bit of fascination at how Engineer Gradoona maneuvered herself, and it was only a half-second later that she was maneuvering him out of the way. He obeyed wordlessly however.

"Anything in particular that you're looking for, then?"

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

"Well, just havin' a lookie lou for a bit, or I guess a listen lou, y'knoo."

Gradoona's beaked mouth parted to reveal a genial rolling tongue within.

"Ooh well y'knoo, some other engineers might bring in scanner equipment to detect anamalies and soo on, but I gotcha scanner right here."

The Herglic tapped her bulbous head with a thick finger as she squee'd.

"Oh she might look like a good penguin sir, but the bad ones always sing off key, and I can hear 'em toot sweet. Now...a moment of silence while I find the harmony. You don't got a weak bladder do ya sir? Haha, I'm just Joshin'. I don't think humans can hear this."

Gradoona closed her oft-open mouth, focusing her attention on one of the walls. Her small eyes focused attentively, and in degrees, she slowly started to glance around the room canting her head. At the high end of Kes's hearing he might just barely make out a broken whistle or a disjointed click, but it was a sound few and far between.

[Kes Akiena]

There was a suddenly concerned look that he gave to the Herglic, but her laughing assurance dispelled - mostly - his sudden uncertainty. He watched her in silence, blinking as she worked to follow whatever it was she was hearing. Unsure of exactly what he should be doing in the sudden quiet, Kes settled for merely stuffing his hands in his pockets, shifting his weight to one leg.

She seemed so engrossed in her task, that he resisted the urge to ask if everything was functioning as well as could be expected.

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

Midway through her sonic scan, Gradoona blinked, fixated on the far wall which housed the transplast portal that gave a view into space. Her small eyes reflected concern, and she paused to redouble her sonic intensity. With widened eyes, the Herglic fwoooo'ed.

"Ooh. Ooh dear."

Click-clacking her disapproval, the assistant engineer shook her head slightly.

"Well looks like we got about a four penguin praablem here."

[Kes Akiena]

His brow furrowed as he looked from Engineer Gradoona to the portal, then back again.

"Excuse me... ?"

He watched her shake her head, and the look of concern on his own features only intensified.

"Is something wrong?"

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

Turning back to the commander in toothy grimace, the Herglic kneaded her thick hands together.

"Well sir, I know it all looks like about a zillion tons of durasteel and composite to the lay folk, but ya kiiinda have to think of a sealed atmosphere in space like a great big penguin egg. Ooh suure, the shape is good for handlin' a bit of rough stuff, but if ya get a craack...eee-ccqueee!!"

Gradoona's blowhole puffed in a ponderous low hum.

"Don't reckon you ever got to take a gander at a star cruiser safety PSA, didja?"

[Kes Akiena]

"I don't know who hasn't," came the flummoxed reply. He was getting the basic gist of what she spoke of though, and his hands came out of his pockets to cross over his chest as he looked up to meet Engineer Gradoona's eyes.

A long, exhaled breath.

"How long will it take to fix."

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

"Hmm...weeelll..."

The ponderous interjection morphed into another directed hypersonic glance towards the trouble spot.

"Y'see it's all wavy oover here."

Gradoona gestured at one rather nondescript part of the wall as if the Commander could see the deficiencies her echolocation clearly marked out to her.

"Now, I'd put a few credits on what happened being that there was some sheearing foorce impinging goin' on. This side, all wavy. That side over there's smoother than calf baattom. Now, I knoow where yoour quarters sit, that abuts against a load pylon."

For emphasis, the Herglic took a few steps to a far wall, slapping a hand against utterly solid metal that didn't even hint of anything but behind it.

"Two point six meters, sir! Classic Imperial overbuild! She's a whopper! But, that's only gonna save your bacon if you're aligning for torque alaang the pylon. Someone got sloppy with the tractor variance. Betcha bottom credit that's what done it."

[Kes Akiena]

A hand came up to run through his hair as he thought. Finally moving, Kes stepped to the side of Engineer Gradoona and carefully reached for the half-eaten bowl of oatmeal. Now cold, of course. His other hand took up the datapad, and he stepped into the adjacent living room. Lowering himself to sit, his breakfast was set on the caf table.

It hadn't escaped his attention that she had neglected to answer his question. Still though, all things considered it wasn't much of anything to fuss over.

He gestured at whatever was so offensive inside the far wall with the datapad.

"Yes well, take your time."

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

"Ooh yah, kiiinda gotta, y'knoo. Otherwise you get to see what it's like for a penguin to get sucked up a straw!"

As if for emphasis on the dangers of explosive decompression, Gradoona took in a deep breath and fweeeeeeee'd it from her blowhole, complete with an "Ooh noooo!!!" and dramatic waving of her hands.

"Fooortunately the bulkhead seal's juuuust around the corner, sir. I doubt we'll have a praablem thoough. Not unless we get in an Imperial attack or you ask one of thoose Cizerack gals to come test your bed springs!"

[Kes Akiena]

What could he say to that? Normally the one who remained off guard, always the first with a smile, Kes found himself a bit stymied. As it was, his spoon was halfway to his mouth when Engineer Gradoona's last words slipped out. A moment of thought, and the redhead finally decided to just go with the easy attitude that the Herglic possessed. He supposed that in truth, it was much like his own. A little bit.

A shake of his head, and he continued bringing the oatmeal to his mouth. a brief moment of chewing, and he swallowed.

"I doubt that'll be happening any time soon."

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

"Aha ha..."

Gradoona's eyes boggled a little with nervous laughter. Had she said something touchy? It felt touchy. Oh one day she was going to shut up. One day.

"...ha."

~fweeee~

"Ooh that gaat awkward, dinnit?"

You're making it worse!

~ee-eeeclack~ Quickly, Gradoona looked around. She was supposed to be doing something. Aha! She pulled her comm free from her belt.

"Lemme just call this in, sir. We'll get a scuttle out here in two shakes of a penguin tail. Praabably overkill, but I don't wanna goo jaastlin' anything and make you lose your breakfast, y'knoo."

Hitting the comm line to the spaceworks maintenance section, Gradoona hmm'd and whistled while she waited for a tech to pick up. Ooh dear, it was a bit of a hold time. The Herglic shuffled her feet, and drummed her fingers along her hip as she tried to act casual and not as awkward as she felt right now.

[Kes Akiena]

A smirk as he went back to the datapad, skimming over the information provided. The silence was more than a bit obvious; not the kind of silence that sprang from two beings engrossed in their own work, no. This was a decidedly strange silence. Not completely uncomfortable, but certainly not comfortable either.

A few more minutes of quiet reading. A few more minutes of awkward silence. Even his oatmeal seemed unappetizing in the face of company, and with a sigh Kes leaned forward to set the 'pad on the table while picking up his bowl. He moved into the small kitchenette, placing the uneaten oatmeal in the reheater for later. Opening the cooler unit, the redhead pulled out a small carton of juice. One glass was pulled down, then he paused in thought.

"Can I offer you a drink, then?"

[Gradoona Pod-Floewander]

"Me? Ohh noo, noo...I'm fiiine."

Gradoona deferred with a rolly-tongued smile, determined not to giggle at the offer. Humans and their teeny portions. Maybe that's a whole day's supply of vitamin C if you're tiny guy sized.

"Thaank ya thoo."

Finally a voice came on the other line, tinny and indecipherable from Kes' angle. Gradoona c-click-wee'd in response, then broke out of Herglese and back to basic.

"Korby? Howdy doo, it's Gradoona. Noo it's naat a soocial call. In the big guy's quarters now, donchaknoo."

More tinny conversation. Gradoona waited patiently, fweedle'd, and continued with an animated smile.

"Ya I knoo! Good times, good times. Well shoot, I knoo ya got your daacket full an' all, but can ya squeeeze me in a smidge? On account of the big guy an' all. Ooh suure, rank's got it's privileges boy howdy. Ya...ya...ookay."

Lowering the comm a little, Gradoona gave Kes a conspicuous nod, a wink, and a thumbs up.

"Oookay suure, soo we're at deck foorty twoo aaaand subsection fiifty niiiine. Ya got it? Got it. Ookay, soo ya we're gonna need a scuttle y'knoo. Ookay ten minutes? Ya praamise? Big guy, noo pressure yaknoo? Oookay if it's eleven you oooowe me. Oookay Korby gaatta goo."

[Kes Akiena]

He poured his juice, giving only a gracious nod as she went back to her comm. He paid partial attention to the conversation and managed a thin smile at the nod, wink, and thumbs up from the Herglic. This morning was becoming stranger and stranger.

The juice carton was returned to the cooler, and he returned to the living area, setting the now half-full glass of juice on the table beside his datapad. He lowered himself to the sofa, and leaning back while bringing the 'pad back into his lap, Kes once more set his attentions to his reading.