Flux Couplers, Hyperspancers, Laser Cutters, and Coffee
Posted on Thu Jan 8th, 2026 @ 1:07pm by Ensign Millicent Ambrose & Chief Petty Officer Llaxia & Chief Petty Officer Jol Reena
Edited on on Sat Jan 10th, 2026 @ 8:22am
1,685 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Episode 17 - Going Home
Location: Main Engineering - Deck 11 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD008 1300 hrs
With all that had gone on lately, Reena realised that she hadn't had a chance get to know Millicent, other than the occasional 'hello', or 'goodbye'. She decided it was time to remedy that now. Dragging in Llaxia on it, she walked over to where the Ensign was and said. "Hi, ma'am, I believe it is our break time, and I have coffee, and Llaxia has pastries, care to join us?"
"That sounds lovely." Millie responded. "I can do with some snacks and some coffee. Time for a break." heading to the break room. "I had been meaning to take time to talk with you. Glad you are doing this." having a seat at the table with the pastries.
"Great." Reena said with a smile. "Help yourself."
"So, Millicent, what do you do in your free time?" Llaxia asked.
"I like to do origami, do leather working. And I do work on a motorcycle, based upon a classic style motorcycle facsimile of a Harley Davidson." Millie replied, "There are other things I like to do on my free time. I do like to swim, ski and snowboard. Which is great fun."
At the mention of 'motorcycle' both engineers looked puzzled.
"What is a motorcycle? and who is Harley Davidson?" Reena asked.
Millie had forgotten that not everyone would know of Earth vehicles. "Well I can show you on the holodeck of the machine I had just spoken of." giving a warm, but apologetic smile.
"What do either of you like to do in your personal time?" Millie was definitely interested in that.
"Swimming, hanging out with friends, drinking to much." Reena said. "I also play the Bajoran flute, and like to tinker with machines."
"And that's why your room's replicator would only make cold, green goop for a week." Llaxia said. "And I had to share mine with you until you worked out the problem."
"It was two days, and I 'bought' you dinner twice." Reena replied.
The Deltan rolled her eyes. "To answer your question, Millie, I practice yoga, dance, and play the Saar string its a musical instrument similar to a Vulcan Lyre."
Millie chuckled at the exchange between Reena and Llaxia, "Green Goop, did it have a flavor or did it put you off as to the coloration?" she let that question sit in the air then she commented upon the music instruments.
"Oh that sounds lovely, I do want to hear both of you play the instruments. I don't know how to play an instrument yet, but I am getting guitar lessons." Millie's eyes shining brighter as she thought of the person who was teaching her, Tyr.
"The goop smelled like rotting seaweed and doom." Llaxia said. "As for playing our instruments, I'm sure we can arrange something." She added giving a look.
"Yes, of course." Reena said.
"That is wonderful. I am looking forward to that. Have either of you met the newest chief of engineering? I plan on meeting him soon." Millie picked up a pastry to nibble at it, while they were talking.
"Not, yet, but he looks quite dashing." Reena said. "I like tall guys."
Llaxia rolled her eyes. "You like all guys, as long as they have pulse, you're in love or should I say lust." She said.
The Bajoran laughed. Llaxia knew her so well.
"Oh, I am certain that Reena is particular as to who she lusts after." Millie having a twinkle in her eyes, looking at both Reena and Llaxia. "She's got to find them appealing. Otherwise, I am sure the men wouldn't attract her notice."
She smiled before she took another bite of her pastry.
"You'd be surprised." Llaxia said taking a pastry of her own and taking a bite.
Reena just poured herself a coffee.
"Or is it more about personality and the charm they may possess?" Millie was curious about this. She decided to get a cup of coffee, she'd not done that as of yet. Llaxia and Reena were quite the pair. "How long have you been serving on the Pioneer?"
"About 6 years, for me, I think." Reena said. "I've never been good with time."
"That's why you're always late for your shift." Llaxia said. "I'd say 5 years 11 months for me."
"Out of the three of us, I'm the baby." Millie giving a laugh. "Even compared to Connor. He's been on the ship longer than I have." giving a shrug. "Have you been able to talk to him lately or has he ducked away?"
"Connor, has a fear of women." Reena said. "He tends to run and hide when he sees us."
"When I first came onboard I was ready to run and hide from most everyone. And really had difficulty in being around handsome men. Kinda reminds me of Connor. With how he reacts around women who he may consider attractive. Anyhow, I'm not that way anymore." Millie having a bit of a smile before she took a sip of her coffee.
"I take a little time to get comfortable around people." Llaxia said. "It's amazing how many people I scare off by informing them that I share my body with my sister's, for want of a better word, soul."
"Oh you are carrying her Katra, so to speak?" Millie asked. She had heard of that happening before. From a Vulcan classmate. She had heard of a Katra in the history book Millie had been studying, and had asked about it of her classmate.
"Yes, but its a much rarer occurrence among my people." Llaxia said. "We were both trapped in a mine, and the air was running out so, Jedei sacrificed herself in order to give me a chance. We were holding hands when she died, so her 'soul' must have must have transferred to me though the skin to skin contact."
Millie's eyes widened at hearing this. "Okay that is rather. intriguing and definitely out of the ordinary. Do you talk to her? Does she manifest?"
"I can 'hear' her in my mind, and she has, over time, developed the ability to take over my body, when I let her." Llaxia said.
"T-that is, I don't quite know what to say about the situation Do you have memory of what happens when she takes over the body?" Millie asked.
"Its like watching a holovid, I can see what's happening, but I can't interact with it." Llaxia explained.
Millie's eyes widened even more when she heard that. "I don't know if I could ever deal with something like that. Wow, I think you are pretty strong for going through something like that." a look of respect in her eyes. She finished up her pastry, and took another drink of her coffee.
"It took a while for me to adjust." Llaxia said. "It is an usual situation."
"And probably a bit frustrating as well." Millie mused aloud. "Having a constant room mate in your mind? Can she hear your thoughts and also the conversation as well?"
"Yes, when she gets bored, she sometimes sings in my head." Llaxia said. "Would you like to meet her?"
Millie nodded, "Sure I would like that." her curiosity coming to view. She glanced over to where Reena was at. "Have you spoken to her sister before?"
Llaxia nodded and let Jedeli take over.
"Yes, Jedeli is certainly the party animal of the too." Reena said.
"Damn right, I am, my sister can be a bit of a drag." Jedeli said. The voice came from Llaxia's mouth, but it was an octave higher. Under Jedeli's control, Llaxia's body had taken on a more relaxed look. "Hello, Millie, I love the hair, it really suits you." She said with a smile.
"Thanks Jedeli." Millie felt like she was talking to someone who had split personalities. And they were Deltan. "Sorry for staring but this is definitely an out of the ordinary experience. Though if you are able to make this work then, I'm okay with it." Millie deciding not to cause herself to go crazy over the particulars. "Do you both have the same skills or do you have different ones. And also, are you twins?"
"Well, Llaxia is into engineering, I prefer geology, and I'm the better dancer." Jedeli said. "We're not twins, I'm just over a year older than her."
"Okay, not twins but, in some way you are now twins using the same body. How often do you take turns in doing what you both love, or prefer doing?"
"We don't have a regular schedule, I'm usually only in control once Llaxia has finished her duty shifts." Jedeli said.
Millie nodded, "Jedeli do you play an instrument, like Llaxia? With this being an interesting set of circumstances, I really would like to know."
"The closest I've come to making music, is mechanically resonating different crystalline minerals to make sounds." Jedeli replied.
"That truly sounds really interesting. Sometime you've got to show me that. Do you have a collection of rocks you've collected?" Millie deciding to pick up another pastry and get some more coffee.
Jedeli smiled. "Sure, I'd like that." She said. "I do, its in a drawer in Llaxia's quarters."
"Okay then definitely will make the time to see it." A sip of her coffee, taking a look at her half eaten pastry, Millie felt like she's imbibed enough pastries and coffee for now.
Catching sight of the time, Millie's eyes widened. "I've got to get going. We'll have to make plans for us to get together again. I am glad that you suggested break time." giving a warm smile.
Reena smiled. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."
"Me too." Jedeli said. "Agreed, we must get together again.
A Joint Post By
Ensign Millicent Ambrose
Engineering Officer, USS Pioneer
Chief Petty Officer Jol Reena
Damage Control Specialist, USS Pioneer
Chief Petty Officer Llaxia
Structural/Environmental Specialist, USS Pioneer
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