The corridor leading to the Cardinal’s Main Environmental Systems carved through Deck 20. Panels glowed softly along the khaki walls to cast dim light on the trio gathered inside the control alcove. Ensign Kian Harol crouched at an open junction, a diagnostics probe in one hand as his other braced against the panel’s edge. Dark blue eyes squinted at the fluctuating power readings as he exhaled sharply in frustration.

“Readings are still spiking,” he muttered. Kian glanced over his shoulder towards the tall, gold-complexioned woman standing at the main console. “Hey Eaglesen, can you isolate junction four-beta-two? Divert primary flow away for me too, thanks.”

She nodded as she keyed the command. A head twist spun one auburn braid behind her shoulder. “I’m routing now. You should get a clean loop in ten seconds.”

“I got it,” called Ensign Trell Dirov. The Bolian hunched at an adjacent panel. His broad, electric blue head turned toward them with a grin. “Operation complete.”

Kian blinked. “Right. Thanks, Trell.”

The Bolian’s blue fingers danced across the controls. Trell was thrilled to be working on something outside of pure computer logic. “I ran a quick diagnostic too. Power variance is within threshold. Barely. Does this appear to be an EPS stress problem?”

Jenna tilted her head. “It might be. If not that, maybe there’s a faulty regulator. Lieutenant Moon said these variances showed up after launch. They’re minor. They still show us that we need to check the deck for aging connectors.”

Kian stood, dusted his hands off, and offered a casual smile. “That sounds like a two-person job. Maybe Ensign Eaglesen and I could stay and do a full crawl. One of us could check plasma feeds, the other could confirm conduit seals.”

The unjoined Trill’s eyes still carried a distant look. His thoughts of the past crept up less when he was around Jenna. As soon as he saw her for this shift, he pushed away fears he felt the night before about connecting to another co-worker. Ensign Talaen Rho had been just a friend before she was lost. The thought of losing someone he already liked as much as Jenna kept him awake at night.

Trell looked between them. “Great idea! I’ll start pulling up the interdeck maps so we can trace everything from 2-A to 3-C right away.”

Jenna gave Kian a brief, amused look. She watched quietly as Trell as he pulled up the schematic. Kian ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair and sighed.

They moved through the environmental control crawlspace a few minutes later, following the warm scent of processed air and conduit paneling. The trio crouched in single file under a grated low ceiling, boots and toolkits clanking faintly with every movement.

“I used to love doing this kind of thing back at the Academy,” Jenna said as they crawled. “No one watching, no lectures. Just you and the system.”

“Yeah,” Kian said. “It was kind of peaceful. Quiet. Easy to talk.”

“And easy to test your EVA crawl training,” Trell added. “Did you know some species run training simulations with decks coated in lubrication fluid?”

Kian took a deep breath. “Trell. Could you pass me the grav-clamp?”

“Absolutely!” Trell shuffled forward and handed it to him. His feet knocked over Jenna’s toolkit as he turned and crawled away.

“Sorry,” Trell winced. “I’m not used to working shoulder-to-shoulder like this.”

Kian bit his lip. “It’s no problem. Really.”

Jenna chuckled softly and shot Kian a sideways glance. Her attention quickly turned to a power conduit junction.

Kian reached for the next connector and unscrewed the panel with a hyperspanner. “Jenna, I was thinking. Once this is wrapped up, would you want to grab a meal? The lounge has fresh lessek rolls tonight.”

Trell wedged beside him in the tight space and chirped, “I saw that! They’re using the Cardassian flour blend, right? Less gluten makes for a better chew.” He smiled, still oblivious that the pair wanted to be alone. “Count me in.”

Kian’s normally unfocused gaze narrowed on the Bolian. “Actually I—”

“That sounds fun,” Jenna interrupted with a smile. “I could eat.”

Kian nodded slowly. “Right. All three of us then.”

They finished the crawl in another twenty minutes. The final variance was narrowed to a pressure-fed microfracture near a damaged conduit sleeve. Jenna handled the patch while Trell logged the fix.

Kian watched them work, resigning to let Trell take the active role he seemed to crave. Jenna caught the Trill’s eye. He could see the focus in her expression. His mind was caught somewhere between professional admiration and awkward infatuation.

They made their way back to the corridor. Each officer stood and brushed off their elbows.

“Well,” Trell said brightly, “there’s nothing like a crawl to remind you what Starfleet is really about.”

“Dirty boots and chasing variances?” Jenna asked playfully.

“Exactly!” Trell’s pearly smile spread wide, revealing cerulean gums. Cobalt blood rushed to his cheeks in an excited azure blush.

Kian inhaled and focused on the breath before exhaling. Counselor Zaa had recently taught the spotted Ensign the importance of breathing exercises. He tried one more attempt. “Jenna, I’ve got a second repair to finish down in Deck 4. It could use a second set of hands. If you’re not too tired, you can join me.”

She tilted her head as she considered. Ensign Dirov clapped his hands.

“Actually, I was hoping you both could help me with a calibration matrix I’ve been writing for the comms re-sync. It’s based on Tellarite harmonics theory.”

Kian closed his eyes as an exasperated chuckle escaped. “Trell. Do you ever get the feeling you’re blocking impulse flow?”

Trell blinked. “Is that a metaphor?”

“Yes,” Jenna added gently.

“I don’t follow.”

Kian waved it off. “Never mind.”

Trell grinned, blissfully unaware. “Well, if either of you want to join, I’ll be in the Auxiliary Computer Lab.”

He disappeared down the hall with a cheerful wave.

Jenna crossed her arms and smiled as she watched the Bolian leave. “He means well.”

“He’s got the subtlety of a warp core breach,” Kian muttered.

She looked over to Kian. “You were trying to ask me something.”

He met her eyes. “Yeah.”

There was a moment’s pause.

Jenna gave him a light, almost teasing look. “Ask it again sometime. When we’re not being flanked.”

He nodded, the smallest smile curling his lips. “I will.”

Just as Jenna turned to go, she paused. “I do like lessek rolls, though.”

Kian grinned. “Let’s do dinner later. 1800 hours.”

“Sound like a plan”, Ensign Eaglesen replied. “See you tonight.” She left the doorway after one look back towards the Trill.

=/\=Down the hall from Main Engineering=/\=

Deck 26 on the USS Cardinal thrummed with the reverberating purr of the warp core. The steady, resonant pulse seemed to breathe through the walls. Corridors were framed by blue-gray carpeting and khaki-tan bulkheads. Here outside Main Engineering, the hallway narrowed. Only two officers can comfortably pass shoulder to shoulder. Overhead lighting ran in narrow strips. Heat from nearby plasma relays made the air just slightly warmer than elsewhere on the ship.

Chief Petty Officer Naz Jadi stood with arms folded behind her back, small frame rigid with discipline. A faint sheen of sweat glinted off her forehead. Her short brown hair was freshly lined up into a tight, square cut. Jadi’s dark gaze cut with sharp focus toward the entrance to Main Engineering.

Crewman Vesha shifted from foot to foot alongside her. The young Trill’s seafoam green eyes sparkled beneath the cascade of brown spots trailing down her forehead and neck. Chocolate hair was looped into a playful twist that didn’t quite obey regulation. CPO Jadi never seemed concerned. “Do you think they’ve installed those new magnetic interlocks yet?” Vesha asked as she peeked around the corner toward a pair of engineers.

Jadi didn’t move her head. “Don’t get distracted. Everything is running smoothly, on schedule.”

Vesha leaned back with a shrug. “Just trying to make conversation.”

The doors to Engineering hissed open and out strode Chief Petty Officer Greli. The Bolian medic often shared shifts attached to CPO Naz’s Security team. Blue-skinned and broad-shouldered, Greli had the unmistakable sleepy swagger of someone who’d woken up too late. A sensor band blinked on her wrist. Cobalt-infused cheeks puffed slightly as she gave a theatrical yawn.

“Stars above,” Greli muttered as she rubbed one eye. “It’s like a sonic drum in there. I swear my molars are rattling.”

Jadi cracked a lopsided grin. “Enjoy the heartbeat of the ship. The warp core hums for you.”

They exchanged nods with a passing Vulcan ensign in gold trim. With a nod, he said, “Ladies,” before vanishing into Engineering.

Greli cocked a thumb over her shoulder. “He hasn’t blinked in five years.”

Vesha giggled softly, then nudged Greli. “You’re late again?”

“I’m not late,” Greli sniffed. “The Medbay has been swamped. We had to reroute three biosensor feeds after the latest update.” The Medbay was a small, secondary medical facility often utilized for minor injuries. Enlisted personnel were often encouraged to utilize the Medbay over Sickbay.

Jadi’s amused look faded. “My morning was busy too. I had brig duty. Jenkins is still in there, by the way.”

Greli’s grin flickered. “Captain Raku is not playing around.”

“Nope,” Jadi said. “He knocked Dalvok over a table and cracked his jaw.”

Vesha’s smile died entirely. “Dalvok deserved worse.”

Jadi glanced sidelong at her. “Are you still filing that complaint?”

“I’m sure,” Vesha said, voice tight. “He reached for my arm like he owned it. Just… casual, like I was part of the paneling.”

Greli blinked. “That’s terrible.” Her electric blue hand wiped dust from her eyes.

“It was minor,” Vesha added quickly. “But I’m filing anyway. The XO said he’d meet with me tomorrow.”

Jadi’s brow arched above her ridged Bajoran nose. “Are you nervous about meeting Commander Smythe?”

Vesha nodded, almost sheepishly. “He is intense. Like a shark that’s always moving. Anyone else ever notice that? There’s that militant way he walks.” She giggled.

Greli chuckled. “Commander Smythe is alright. The man is scary as hell, but in that charming, battle-hardened way.”

Jadi’s smirk returned. “He reminds me of my instructor at the Academy. He used to pace like a panther, always looking like he was planning ten strikes ahead.”

“I feel like Captain Raku is more approachable than Commander Smythe”, Vesha said after a moment in thought. “He smiles more.”

“I bet the Commander is more fun off duty”, said Jadi. “We’ll never know though. He probably keeps his true self hidden from enlisted.”

A young Grazerite Crewman passed by, nodding at the trio “Good day. Enjoy your shift.” This was the second time the unique looking man passed the group on patrol in three days. A black, striped cloth covered a set of horns on top of his head. His nose was almost flat to his face, with two arched slits as nostrils. A gnarled, extended windpipe protruded from his neck, down his throat. Stubby, bony growths extended along the sides of his temples as they met the cloth. Expressive green-gold eyes peered out from a face marked with wrinkled and inset ridges.

They each returned the greeting happily. The hallway had grown more crowded with young engineers filing in and out of with tools in hand. Their chatter often seemed light and technical. A Rigellian with a spiky crest nearly collided with Greli before offering a bashful apology and moving on.

Jadi turned the conversation towards their friend. “Did you hear Lelasa is being sent to collect beetle specimens once we hit Eldor III?”

“The Vulcan beetles?” Greli recoiled in mock horror. “Those little nightmares? I saw one eat through a containment mesh during a training sim. No thanks.”

“They’re not carnivorous,” Vesha said.

“They look carnivorous,” Greli snapped. “I swear their legs click like they’re counting your regrets.”

Jadi laughed out loud. “You’ll be fine. You’re not even on the list.”

“Thank the moons.”

The corridor trembled slightly as a fresh power surge came through. A muffled shout echoed from inside Engineering as somebody cursed a miscalibration. Chief Petty Officer Naz flicked her eyes to the readout on a nearby panel. All security protocols were still intact.

“We’ll be camping down there too,” she said, mostly to Crewman Vesha. The perky Bajoran’s tone became more serious. “The first night is surface acclimation, then we start the training drills.”

Greli made a face. “Camping? Like, tents and bugs and no sonic showers?”

Jadi smiled. “Exactly. Tents, beetles, and soil. You’ll love it.”

“Love is a strong word.” The Bolian sighed.

“Just don’t keep any food in your gear,” Jadi warned. “The beetles’ll swarm you the minute they get a scent.”

Greli shuddered. “I’ll bring a phaser.”

Vesha snorted and leaned against the bulkhead. “Still… the planet sounds pretty. Class L, right?”

“Yeah,” Jadi replied. “Dry, rocky. But it’s got potential. The Bajoran Ministry of Ecology thinks this species might be the key to bioforming.”

“I heard about them,” Vesha said. “They break down plant material. Their waste enriches the soil for microbes.”

“Fascinating,” Greli deadpanned. “They poop and save the world.”

“Put that on the Starfleet pamphlet,” Jadi muttered with a smirk.

The corridor around them pulsed faintly with the life of the ship. An Efrosian in a gold-collared jumpsuit passed quietly, hair braided into twin loops behind her head.

Greli gestured after her. “She’s new.”

“Lieutenant JG Raal,” Vesha said. “I did sensor calibrations with her yesterday. She’s sharp. Kind of quiet though.”

Jadi nodded. “Keep an eye on her. She’s slated for bridge shift training.”

“Do you think she’ll be on the away team?” Greli asked.

“No idea. Maybe if they need diagnostics in the field.” Jadi’s eyes continuously scanned passersby.

“I hope Lelasa has fun,” Vesha said. “She’s been prepping for an away mission for months.”

Jadi glanced down the corridor towards the distant edge of the passageway. “She’ll be fine. Just remember. We train to be ready for anything.”

“And to avoid bug poop,” Greli muttered as she adjusted her sensor band.

Naz tapped the wall mounted display. All systems appeared nominal. “Come on,” she said as she pushed off the wall. “Our next patrol point’s up past the antimatter injectors.”

“Yay,” Greli groaned. “More vibrating hallways.”

Vesha perked up. “I bet you five credits it’s quieter up there.”

“You’re on.” The Bolian stepped closer to the Bajoran chief from the other side of the hallway. The trio moved off in formation, boots soft against the padded floor.