Chapter 14. Tiny joins Daisy’s army
Celia was silent for a moment. She felt herself being cornered by Tiny. What could she say? She can't change what happened in the past. And she had to move on with him. She felt that a tense atmosphere would not be conducive to collaboration. Moreover, maintaining a hostile attitude will prevent them from working together anymore. Besides, she was actually quite happy getting along with him. She was not the type to go through life with hostility. But she also knew Tiny wouldn't understand this. So, she whispered, "Maybe this really was a big mistake."
Tiny thought for a moment, then stood up and smiled at Celia compassionately but still coldly. "I don't blame you for associating with him," she said in a soft voice. "But I can't do this." Then she turned and left the room, holding her head high and ignoring Dre Ingmar's gaze.
Celia stared at her back. This young Indian woman is a very proud woman, and it can be seen at a glance. But this pride is not always beneficial in the end. It often got her into trouble. Just like her relationship with her father now. Celia sincerely hoped that Tiny's pride wouldn't end up in a problem she couldn't solve. Although Celia was not a psychologist, she knew enough about the field to realize that Tiny's display of pride was merely a cover for her insecurity and vulnerability. She has a habit of hurting others before they hurt her. Attack is the best defense. But this approach doesn't always work.
Finally, Celia glanced at Ingmar again, who was now completely immersed in his own world, and then left the bar. She had had enough for the day and just wanted to go back and rest.
Tiny walked into the captain's watch room with mixed emotions. She has never been here. Although she had been on the ship for weeks, she had only encountered him in her cabin or in the teleporter room. And, of course, there was that time in the conference room when she learned of John's death. She had met Noah a few times since then, but no matter what, it felt weird every time they met. She had despised and hated him all her life, but now found that he was not at all what she had expected. But the emotions buried in her heart over the years cannot be transformed into trust and goodwill overnight. They have to get to know each other gradually and slowly figure out who each other is and how they should relate to each other. Every time we meet, Tini feels like starting over. Although they didn't start from scratch, each time they met, they made a little progress, but each time they were a little reserved at the beginning. It seemed to her that every meeting would take two steps forward, and then one step back later in the day.
Noah greeted her with a smile. When she entered the room, he sat behind his desk and turned off the screen. As much as he tried to hide it, he was a little nervous, as usual. Tiny thought this was very unusual. Because it was so completely inconsistent with how she'd thought of him for years, it made her happy. He's trying his best to win her over, but he's a little nervous because he doesn't know how she'll react.
"Hello, Tiny." He greeted happily. Of course, he knew she was coming. He greeted her after all.
"Hello," she replied, not sure what to call him as usual. She was reluctant to say the word "father."
"Please take a seat." He offered her a chair. He also stood up and walked to the table.
Tiny nodded and sat down. She didn't know what he was talking to her about. He contacted her two hours ago and asked her to come here at this time. But he didn't reveal what he wanted to discuss with her. She guessed it was nothing personal. Otherwise he wouldn't have let her get here, he could have gone to her dormitory. But she probably figured it would be work-related, since she wasn't even part of this crew, or even Starfleet.
"I can provide you with a mission." He paused, waiting for her reaction. But Tiny didn't move, just continued to sit there and look at him.
"I hear you're technically gifted," he said from a different angle, and she confirmed it with a nod.
"So, I think you can get a job in the engine room. I've talked to Daisy and she will find you a mission. I can't order you to do anything, after all, you are not a member of Starfleet. But I can This opportunity is offered to you. What do you think?" he asked.
Tiny thought quietly for a moment. She did think about it. A year and a half without doing anything might be a dream for many crew members, but for Tiny it was terrifying. There are so few activity options on board, every day of the year. Gyms and recreational facilities can eventually become boring. So these months can get long.
"That sounds great. I'd be happy to help out in the engine room," she finally replied. Although she still had some misgivings about the captain, she knew she needed to find something to do to avoid being stuck with nothing to do.
Noah nodded in understanding. "That's good. I'll check again with Daisy. She'll assign you a suitable task. You can report to the computer room at any time," he invited her.
"Okay. Thank you," Tiny replied with a smile. Even though their relationship was still building, she recognized that at least he was trying to help her. Maybe her opinion of him will change in the future, who knows?
Noah also smiled and nodded. "You're welcome. I'm happy to offer you this opportunity. If you need any help, feel free to come to me," he said.
Tiny stood up, nodded to him, and left the captain's office. She had a little bit to look forward to in the coming months, at least now she had a mission that would allow her to contribute on this ship.
"I think that's a good idea," she said hesitantly. She was happy to have a mission. This way she can contribute and no longer feel like she's doing nothing. But she's not so sure others will accept her, especially since she's not part of the crew. Also, repairing old technological equipment on her home colony and understanding technology on such a large starship were completely different things. But when she told her father, he just waved his hand generously. He thought she would be able to do it. And she doesn't have to keep the ship running alone. Nor would she take on the role of an engineer. She comes mainly to learn. This is absolutely not harmful.
When Tiny realized this and took on the task, Noah immediately took her to the mechanical room. He hoped to arrange everything as soon as possible so that she would have something to do. This way she can get closure from thinking about her mother's death and her past life.
"I'm sure Daisy will find the right assignment," he said as they moved through the elevator. "She's the best engineer I know. If you have a problem, you can always turn to her for help." He felt comfortable leaving Tiny with Daisy without worrying about her problems. He believed Daisy would be able to cope well.
His hunch was correct. Daisy had carefully considered what task to give Tiny. She greeted the two in a friendly manner as they entered the mechanical room. Tini was a little embarrassed at first. After all, she had made some small scenes in the mechanical room before. At that time, she wanted to talk to Daisy about Noah. This made her feel a little embarrassed afterwards. But Daisy acted very normal, as if nothing had ever happened. This made Tiny feel a little more at ease.
"I think you can work in various positions in the mechanical room over the next few months," Daisy said to Tiny. "This way you will have a general understanding of the entire workflow. There will always be someone willing to let you observe their work, answer your questions, and teach you. Our mission is not particularly stressful, so there will be enough time to answer questions All your problems.”
"I'm happy," Tiny said. She felt a little simplistic with her answer, but she couldn't think of a better one.
"We'll start in the teleportation room," Daisy continued. "One of our two teleportation technicians is currently in the infirmary, so now Mr. Pike is working alone. I'm sure he'll be happy to have someone helping him."
Tiny wasn't so sure about that. For one thing, she doesn't see herself as help. She was here to learn, or so she was told. As she looked around in the machinery room and saw the technology that controlled the entire ship from here, she knew she had a lot more to learn before she could truly be a help. Until then, she might just be a burden. Especially for Mr. Pike, who is now doing the job of two.
"Please come to the transfer room at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning," Daisy said. She saw Tiny's uneasiness, and she could understand it. As a newbie, it is always difficult to adapt to a new environment. Even officer candidates who graduate directly from the academy are no exception. For an outsider like Tiny, the situation may be more complicated. "I look forward to our cooperation. Don't worry, we rarely criticize newcomers," she said with a friendly wink at Tiny.
"I'm very relieved," Tiny replied, smiling dutifully.
"Do you have any other questions?" Daisy asked her.
But Tiny immediately shook her head. "I imagine these questions will arise as the mission progresses," she responded.
"I thought so too." Daisy said goodbye to her and reminded her to start work tomorrow morning. Then, Tiny and Noah left the computer room.
"You're almost a crew member now," Noah said with a smile as they walked through the hallway. "But since you're not a member of Starfleet, I can't give you a rank." That sounds a bit regretful, but to Tiny, rank doesn't matter.
"It doesn't matter," she said. "I'm glad I was able to be of use. Thank you very much."
Noah waved his hand. "You're welcome. I'm glad you feel comfortable on the ship. I'd also love for you to get involved in some other activities. It's a great crew, friendly people." He stared into her eyes, emphasizing his Discourse. "I promise you, you won't regret it."
"I don't think I regret it either," she smiled back.
Her smile made Noah's heart happy. Not long ago, he would never have imagined being able to talk to her normally like this. But now, this miracle has happened. What's more, she'll be staying with him for at least a few months. After that, anything can happen. He looked at her lovingly. He actually had a child. He has a daughter. It's a wonderful feeling. Only those who have children themselves can understand. To him, it seemed like he had only now truly understood the meaning of life. This is what truly gives meaning to life. It's a shame, though, that he's only getting the chance to experience this now, rather than almost twenty years ago when Tiny was born. But he was glad that he finally got to know her.
She seemed to have guessed what he was thinking and lowered her head slightly embarrassed. Then he looked up again. "I guess I'm not going to get a uniform either, right?" she said, just to say something.
"Yes," he shook his head. "Unfortunately, that won't work."
"Then I'll pick out something suitable to wear. Can I tell you about the first day tomorrow night?" She knew that no matter the outcome, she needed to talk to him. And she couldn't think of anyone else in her mind to talk to.
"Of course," he replied cheerfully.
"Okay, see you tomorrow night." She touched his upper arm lightly, which was enough for now. But Noah was also very happy about it. He said goodbye to her and watched her walk towards his residence. He was convinced that at this moment he was the happiest man in the universe.
The next morning, Tini appeared in the computer room on time. She wore a pair of black pants, similar to the black Starfleet uniform pants. She also wore a white shirt that was close-fitting but not too tight. Additionally, she tied her shirt to the very top so as not to disturb anyone. Her white top is obviously different from the other crew members, because the uniform jackets are all red. But for Tiny, this is also very suitable. She is not a crew member after all. The best case scenario is that she's like an intern, coming to see what Starfleet does.
At the door leading to the teleportation room, she met Daisy who had just walked around the corner. Of course, she starts by introducing Tiny to the teleportation technician. Tiny was happy about this. In her nightmares, she had envisioned facing the technician, who probably didn't know what she was there for because no one had told him.
"Good morning," Daisy greeted cheerfully. "Ready to learn?"
"Yes, I'm ready." She felt that her nervousness was unnecessary.
Daisy nodded. "Then let's go in."
The automatic doors opened in front of them. Tiny is already familiar with this teleportation room. Here she appears to have been on board a long time ago. But she didn't notice the teleportation technician at the time. But now she noticed him immediately. He stood behind the console and looked up as the two women entered the room. Tiny recognized him immediately. She had seen him in a bar some time ago, when his strange friend struck up a conversation with her. He had made a rather ridiculous impression on her then. Although she was only noticing it now, he was actually pretty good looking.
"Good morning, Mr. Mark," Daisy greeted the man. "I brought the students we agreed on." She pointed to Tini beside her. "Let me introduce you. This is Tiny. And this is Mark."
"We've already met," Tiny said, holding out her hand to him.
"Yes," he replied simply. He was obviously a little embarrassed about this. And is there still some disgust in his eyes? Still, he reached out his hand hesitantly.
