Making Legs

Posted on 20 Nov 2014 @ 6:46pm by Petty Officer 3rd Class Vermeer Talbot & Ensign Jaana Voutilainen
Edited on on 20 Nov 2014 @ 6:51pm

1,165 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 07 - Sojourn
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 07 - Main Engineering
Timeline: MD -20 - 13.00 hours

[ON]

Jaana entered engineering, looking for someone to help her with her idea. Her way for making up with her sister. She had been working on it for a long time, five years to be precise and with the upcoming masked ball it seemed a good time to actualize it. With her padd in hand she walked to the first person she saw. Hopefully he could help her or point her to someone who could.

"Hi," she said. "Can you help me with a little project?"

Vermeer looked at her, with clear surprise before smiling. "I...depends entirely on the project, but nine out of ten times I am game. Provided it doesn't end up with me in bondage. Not doing that again!" he laughed and then stopped. "Just joking. Promise. Never done bondage."

She chuckled as she started explaining her idea. "Five years ago my sister lost the use of her legs. Since that day I've been researching possibilities to give her the ability to walk back. With the upcoming ball it seemed the perfect timing to test my theory." She got her pink PADD out of her pocket. "My idea was to create a exoskeleton and combine that with a micro anti grav unit. By adding the skeleton with anti graviton she should have the option to walk again." She handed him her PADD. "Only now my problem is that I have no idea how to make it."

Vermeer watched her for a long moment before nodding, considering it. "The anti-grav unit would allow for more graceful movements, if nothing else...I mean, you could go complete mecha on this, but..." he shrugged, smiling gently. "And you need an engineer to sort out the...bits and pieces?"

"Exactly" Jaana said enthiousastic. "Do you think you can help me?"

"I think I can try," Ver admitted before the smile became almost shy. "I'm Vermeer Talbot...in case that's, you know...you wanted to know."

"Nice to meet you," Jaana said after a chuckle. "My name is Jaana Voutilainen." she looked around the room. "So how do you want to do this?"

"Well, I can go away and work on the plans for it. But we'll need some...measurements for the exoskeleton..." he said and pointed at her. "You can supply those, right? I don't do well with physically measuring people."

She thought for a moment. "I should have those somewhere," she said. "Well, not Tuula's. But we are the same size. I just remembered, I forgot to tell that we need to add some kind of mechanism so she can operate the dress. She doesn't have any feelings in her legs, and can't move them on her own. Not even with a mechanical dress." She looked at her Padd searching for a picture of what she had found earlier. "Something like this. It's a glove that she can use to operate it."

"I can see that working. Basic commands, forward, back, sidestep..." he stopped and looked at her, smiling. "Could even pre-programme some dance steps in."

"Oooh, I haven't seen her dance in a while!" exclaimed Jaana. "Though... maybe we should figure out how to walk before we run, so to speak." She took a deep breath, staring at her PADD. "I don't suppose you also have talents as a seamstress, do you?"

He looked at her and shook his head, slowly. "Noooo...I don't do that stuff..." he said and nodded, looking over at the PADD. "The challenge will be the balance. If you ask me. Can't have her fall, can we?"

"No, we can't..." replied Jaana as she showed Vermeer her PADD. "I was thinking if we put in some miniature gyroscopes here, here, and here to keep constant track of her orientation, we might be able to use the anti-grav generator to stabilize her... would that work?"

"Possibly, but I'd like the exoskeleton taking some of the balance issues out as well..." he frowned, shaking his head. "I have to sit down and think about this."

"Do you think you'll be able to get it ready before the ball?" asked Jaana, in a slightly pleading tone. "I'd like to present it to her before then."

"Maybe. I hope so. At least something..." he said and frowned, watching her. He hated the tone from anyone though. Didn't quite...suit. "I'll work on it. Get done what I can done."

Jaana raised an eyebrow at the change of his tone. Not sure what it was. "Thank you for your help." She said. She was so gratefull someone was willing to help her with this insane project. "You have no idea how gratefull I am for you help."

He grinned, shaking his head at the words as he blushed at a girl's thanks. "It's okay, don't sweat it. Thank me when we get it to work anyway. I tend to...work nights anyway with stuff."

"Night are the only time I still have nothing to do anyways. Although I don't think I'm much of a help. Things tend to fall down when I touch them."

Vermeer gave a small shrug, his eyes gentle at that. "Don't worry about it. I'll come by your place with the semi-finished product. Unless, of course, you share with your sister? Because that would be the worst surprise present ever: a not-so-finished product!"

"Might be smarter to drop by astromatrics. She doesn't come there ever."

"Good idea," Vermeer nodded, quickly, before chuckling. "Err...what shift do you work? Just so that I know when to...drop by. If that's where you work, you know?"

"Alpha shift officially, but I have a tendicy to stay a bit longer." She replied. "Just call me, I'm either at Astrometrics or in one of the research labs."

"Will do, promise," Vermeer smiled to her, wanting to reassure her that he would call before showing up. "So, I will keep you posted then. When is the...err...party?"

"I believe about a week after arriving to the Starbase." she replied.

Vermeer thought it over before nodding, clearly counting. "I can be able to have that done within that timeframe. No worries there whatsoever. Okay, I should...err...get this going then, shouldn't I?" he grinned, clearly excited about the project.

"Great," Jaana said enthusiastic. "I have some stuff to do myself." she looked at the door leaving Engineering. "I uhm... " she said a bit nervous. Now they had discussed the part she had prepared, she didn't know how to act. She wasn't the social butterfly others were. "Again if there is anything I can do, just ask."

"Will do! Promise!" he said and nodded, watching her before taking a breath. "And we can even discuss progress some time over a drink? Hot...cold...whichever..." he said and looked down.

"Sure, no problem" Jaana replied, totally obvliously to the understone of the question.

OFF:

Jaana Voutilainen
Stellar Cartographer
USS Galileo

Petty Officer 3rd Class Vermeer Talbot
Engineer
USS Galileo
[PNPC Devin]

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