If anyone were to ask me "What do you do?" I'd have to hesitate and say some non word interjection. I do a lot of different things. Sometimes I'm training sometimes I'm getting train, all the time I'm doing something like running a diagnostic test or delivering new parts. Sometimes I'm sending messages to some of the fixer uppers. And then there are the times I'm cleaning up someone's mess, be it my superior or someone throwing a little get together.
Today I'm doing diagnostic in one of the crawls. I think I use to be a bit claustrophobic. Not anymore. Crawls are the reason that I'm not as uncomfortable in my room as I should be. They are narrow crawl spaces that run between halls and rooms and between different floors. Most control panels are operated through central hubs in these crawl spaces. It's big enough for two averaged size people to crawl side by side, and high enough that anyone of average height to below average height can sit up straight in one. I'm on the small side so it's no problem for me. Though, there are places you can stand up.
I hear a bang. That must be Flip. I turn around, and there he is rubbing his head making the most idiotic face. "What are you doing in here?" They don't make taller people like Flip work the Crawl. And Flip is very tall.
"I just finished what I was doing and thought I'd stop by before heading back to the master." Flip gives me the thumbs up. "Are you coming to see Langley and Winters later?"
I nod, "You bet." I'm smiling a little because he's so obviously uncomfortable in here. And there is hardly any space for him to turn around.
Flip wasn't exactly like Langley, Winters and myself. He'd been forced to be here, but the circumstances were very different. As far as I could tell, he was a Cushy who liked slumming it (not in a bad way though). He'd been a cadet in military school who found himself in a good deal of trouble that even his father couldn't get him out of. This was his punishment. Some punishment. I never understood why Cushies always messed up their lives. Still I never castigated him, mostly because, I get the feeling that he's here because of something political. And even though if he had some lofty opinions, mostly he was a good person. He didn't look down on us either.
One thing I also like about Flip is his respect for the silence. Most other people would be chatting away right now, but he's sitting over there being quiet. He understands that silent thing about me. I do way better when I don't have to talk with people. Earlier today is a fine example.
When I first met Flip, we were sent together to do luggage delivery and room systems checks. We spent four whole days together working and breaking at the same time; I hadn't said a word to him, just gave him a nod everyday. After that we were split up, but we were still working the same hours. And he continued to eat with me. Then we started to talk, but by then, I kind of already knew him. Actions can speak a whole lot louder than words.
"Done!" I smile at Flip. He looks up from fiddling with his watch. "We can go get another assignment complete it and then go visit Langley and Winters or go visit Langley and Winters then get another assignment."
"I say assignment first." Flip says. "I'd rather end the day with something I want to do. Then we can go eat because I'm hungry."
"Stupid." I say. "You should have eaten breakfast." He never eats breakfast.
"I usually take lunch. But since we've been given the same shift again I can eat with you."
"I know." Flip eats one meal a day. I do two meals a day and sometimes I'm still hungry. I don't know how he does it. I'm pretty sure that, unlike me, he grew up with a surplus of food. I'm use to one meal a day, but I never liked it.
When we exited the Crawl the halls were pretty empty. It's so weird; for a ship that's pretty full of people, there never seems to be anyone around. And you know what else is really sad? I have no clue what we're doing out here. They didn't care to much to enlighten me when they told me this is where I'd be placed. I get the feeling this might be a one way trip. Not that I really care because I don't have a future on Earth or anything to come back to. Maybe I do have a bit of space crazy; apathy is a symptom. And normal me would care. I'm not going to report it since I'm pretty sure I'm not going to snap and hurt anyone.
The operation office is located in the engine hub. In the center are the ships three engines; you can see them through the glass window, but you have to have clearance to get in there. It's a hexagonal room with several different terminals against the walls. Each engine is a glowing violet cluster of spheres, reminding me of balloons. They look like they just float there like the corners of a triangle. The one at the top is never glowing--I think they rotate use, but I could be wrong about that since I know nothing about them.
I stop staring out the window and look around the operations office. It's actually pretty big; it takes up one half of the engine hub. Most of the space are rooms filled with supplies. They have a duty roster for the shifts of our superiors in the front room along with two clerks who stamp you for duties complete and duties to be completed. Presently there are no clerks so we head to one of the two back offices where our boss is.
Andrew Ullerman is sitting at his desk reading over some stuff. He looks up immediately; his amber colored eyes examine us. He's the more pleasant of our bosses. His second in command, Davis Hardwick is a real bastard. Ullerman is kind of strict, but at least he doesn't make things impossible. Hardwick once wrote me up for not knowing how to do something I was never trained to do. It helps, I think, that Ullerman has an adopted son so he knows where most of us are coming from. There's also Jordan Decker but he's never around.
I hand him over my tube, it's a little cylindrical devices that synchs to different systems in the ship. You need a specific one to do specific functions. Every task you do that requires any sort of computer access requires a tube. It's synch to your watch so that the computer knows it's you using it. Then you have to slide it into this little slot like a key on any control panel. Wordlessly, he hands me another tube. I take it and go.
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