[centre][h2]Sumiye King – Acting Chief Engineer[/h2][/centre]

A raised eyebrow was the only answer Sumiye gave to the captain when Almira ‘requested’ that she provide one of her guests with a tour of the ship. This was taken to be an acceptance, apparently, because immediately after asking Almira turned to the group of locals and volunteered her to show this scientist around.

She let out a sigh.

Leaving the engine deck had been a mistake. Sumiye should have known better, but she was curious what this adventuring party would be like and, more importantly, what kind of capabilities and knowledge they possessed. Since the Chang’e project was a dead end, if they couldn’t find a way to fix the FTL communications they would be dependent on the resources and technology of this world to make it off this planet, let alone make it home. So she had come to take a look and get a first impression before getting back to her duties as Acting Chief Engineer, which were rapidly piling up, only to be accosted to press-ganged into service as a tour guide.

Well, at least she was getting that first impression.

Sumiye approached the person she was to guide around the ship, the supposed-scientist Catherine Blackwood, who was already toying with one of their tablets and talking to Almira. Once she was close enough to make out their words she could tell that the universal translator was already in effect; partly because she could understand what they were saying, but also because of the fact that their lip movements didn’t match the sounds they were making. There was a small but noticeable delay between when they started talking and Sumiye heard them as well, as the translator took the language they were speaking, some form of Indonesian most likely, and parsed it into English. She always found it disconcerting to use, but she also wasn’t willing to learn the dozen or so languages spoken on the Thucydides so she would make do.

[color=fff200]“I can understand you just fine.”[/color] So long as neither of them used any words that the translator couldn’t interpret she would be fine. Location names and units of measurement would probably be the main culprits if they started talking gibberish at each other and Sumiye was going to have to try and explain their technology in more general and less scientific terms. She was already starting to get a headache about this.

At the mention of vials she gave the scientist a once over, looking her up and down and focusing most of her attention on the aforementioned gloves and coat. [color=fff200]“I’m not letting you on the ship unless you ditch those vials. The captain might be fine with letting you stay armed, but I’m not taking you into restricted areas while you’re carrying unknown substances.”[/color] The ship had enough holes in it as it was. [color=fff200]“You can either dispose of them safely, or I can limit your tour to the safer, more boring, areas of the ship.”[/color]

[@13org][@Kumbaris]