Chapter 130: Ghost Elves of poor space

"And I'm TELLING you again!" The larger of the two man was yelling.

"These 'fold engines are still a relatively new technology!

You can't just start shoving mismatched parts into it and expect it to function correctly!"

"I don't give a damn if it precisely meets engineering specs!" The other man responded.

"I just need a revised repair estimate from you."

"Three weeks." The large man told him flatly.

"And I told YOU, that is unacceptable!" His shorter companion grumbled.

"Its also not negotiable you moron!" The large man growled.

"The main matter integrator is wrecked, without one you can't power the intermix chamber and that's what runs the main drive. And the parts,"

His voice sweetened. "Like I told you, are three weeks away!"

"You had better just listen up tube monkey!" The smaller of the two suddenly snapped.

"We've got a lot of people, important people! On board this bucket. With lots of money and pull!"

"Then I suggest they spend some of it in the ships arcade." His fellow replied dryly.

"Might help kill some time till the parts get here."

At this the smaller of the two drew himself up regally.

"We'll just see how the captain responds to your insubordinate attitude!" He added with an air of self importance as he then turned to leave.

"Love to see him!" The large man offered to his retreating back.

"Bastard owes me money!" Choosing then to remain silent. That is until the door whooshed closed.

"How dose anyone that stupid get promoted so high?" He begged what he believed an empty room.

"It was at that moment." Washu narrated. "That I realized my moment had arrived!"

"Have you ever considered building one from scratch?" A voice, a young one. Asked from the shadows.

Prompting the large man to look up and around.

"Who's there?" Came the obligatory response.

"Lots of the local bulk ships use ion rams in their drive coils." The young Washu remaining unseen reasoned. Figuring it in in her best interest to make her case before the big reveal.

"Those don't collimate at a high enough efficiency." He responded after a moment, while still glancing around.

"Were talking anti-protons here, You can't just dump any old particle stream into the intermix."

"You could add a secondary magnetic induction assembly." She told him carefully. Hoping the echo of the chamber would throw him off.

"That would clean up the stream considerably."

"Well, that's a thought." He mused, actually seeming to consider, while glancing under some of the more obvious overhangs.

"But an inducer like that isn't part of any bulk ships drive assembly."

"This is a mining colony," Washu continued.

"You could use an ore processor. The inductor assemble could be easily modified."

"Hmmm." He stopped, seeming to actually be considering.

"A ballsy idea. Might work, who knows?" At that point he straitened, seeming to tire of 'the game'.

"But I'm telling you right now, I don't take advice from no ghosts!"

"How bout from me then?" She asked stepping finally into the light.

"Are you certain that textbooks were the only kind of literature you bought?" Katsuhito interrupted.

"Don't be a smart ass!" Washu snapped angrily. "I'm telling you exactly how it happened!"

"Because this seems ... a tad melodramatic?" He reasoned wryly.

"DO YOU WANT TO HEAR OR NOT?"

"Shhhhh!" Katsuhito cautioned, pointing to the room below. "People are sleeping."

"Anyway!" Washu grumbled obviously annoyed.

"Like I was saying, I had just revealed myself."

"Or from pixies," The large man continued upon finally catching sight of her.

"I thought we were a little too close to the fringe to be seeing elves!"

"I came to help you with your problem!" Young Washu told him enthusiastically.

"I'll just bet you got a state of the art machine shop on a ship like this!"

"Do tell?" The man replied, smiling while walking towards her.

"And I can help you with yours!" He continued, grabbing her by the arm.

"This way little girl!"

"Just like that!" Washu narrated angrily. "The big jerk proceeded dragging me..."

"Kicking and screaming of course." Katsuhito supplied.

"Strait towards the nearest exit!" Washu pressed doing her level best to simply ignore him.

"In spite of anything I might have to say on the matter!"

"Were you really 'that' surprised?" Katsuhito couldn't help but ask.

"Now days?" She shrugged. "No, I was just a kid.

Which is the reason at the time it felt like the whole universe was dumping on me!"

"Ahh." He responded fondly. Thinking back to some of his own adolescent revelations.