World Building Challenge - Day 3 - Technology

This is part of Faranesque's World Building Challenge from r/WorldBuilding. Check out my hub post for details.  

Preface: Most of my posts from this point on will likely focus on the crew of the Rōnni and the refugees with them, now I've done some of the cosmic establishment from Day 1.

In today's installment, the captain and chief engineer discuss a needed repair, while Izzur teaches a sheltered girl a little bit about a famous inventor.

DAY 3 - TECHNOLOGY

"Nothing for it, Captain." The chief engineer spread his hands as he stepped back from the reactor. "We'll need to come to a stop for calibration. Getting too much variance in the molecular resonance." Both he and the captain knew the issue was a common one, just time-consuming to fix. The engineer read the captain's expression. "All goes right, we're looking at a minimum quarter-day halt, and that's if we shave every conceivable corner."

"I don't like the idea of you cutting corners. I'd rather you took your time," Koroa grunted, scratching at his jaw as he tried to work out the math and trajectory. He went slightly ashen as he worked it out. "We'll be stopping in Menid's Folly."

The engineer nodded solemnly. "Ordinarily, I'd agree with you on corners, Captain. But with Menid's Folly in play, I'll do whatever I can to get us moving without sacrificing too much safety."

~*~*~*~

"You've got a good knack for this kind of thing." Etane watched as Izzur drew the circuit bypass on the tablet. "If it's okay with your people, and if the Chief and Captain both approve, you might do well back with us in the engine bays."

Izzur glanced up, his eyes just barely visible behind his goggles. "I mean... some of this is like the equipment we used down in the mines. Especially the reso-bores." He looked over the piece of the schematic in front of him. "You learned to patch on the fly. Overseers didn't like to take equipment off-line, it messed with the quota. And if you didn't keep your gear working, you were dead."

Etane nodded. "Reactor's kind of similar. Get the resonance right, you can get a lot of energy output. That's what keeps the Ship running." He paused as a whistle came over the comm, followed by the Captain's voice.

"This is the Captain speaking. Engineers tell me we're gonna have to bring the Ship to a halt for reactor calibration. To explain for our passengers, this happens from time to time. I thought we'd be able to make it to Pacam's Reach before it became necessary, but apparently not. We'll be stopped for at least a quarter-day. Maybe longer." There was a pause, then he added, "Helm tells me that means we'll be stopping in the vicinity of Menid's Folly. Crew, keep a keen eye. Passengers, best just keep your heads down. Captain out."

Etane blew out a breath. "Damn. That's crap timing." He clapped Izzur on the shoulder as he rose. "I have to go. Chief's gonna need me to help. I'll come find you after." He pointed to the tablet. "You can keep that till I get back."

Izzur looked down at the tablet as the other man left. Learning the ins and outs of different tech would go a long way to helping him find a decent job once they arrived in Pacam's Reach. While mining was always going to be available, he'd lived too long in cramped and dark tunnels as it was.

"What's Menid's Folly?"

Izzur jumped at the voice, but relaxed when he saw who it was. "Sleita. Shouldn't you be back with Nerra?"

The slender young woman just looked at him with her wide, pale eyes and smiled. "She's napping. What's Menid's Folly?"

He regarded her again. "They didn't teach history to Balvene's brides?"

"He didn't think we needed to know very much." Sleita leaned her head to one side as she looked at him, her long dark hair sweeping back over her shoulder. "Who was Menid?"

"Menid Lochamene. One of the Anteceptosi Technomancers," Izzur told her. "One of the people who created their techno-wonders." He held up the tablet for a moment. "Almost any resonance technology is based off Menid's innovations."

Sleita leaned her head the other way as she regarded the tablet for a moment. "What was his Folly?"

"Cage." Both Izzur and Sleita jumped and turned to see one of the Ship's Maldasi perched on a chair behind them. He was shirtless, though there was a sort of harness for the knives that hung from his shoulders. Like the other Maldasi, his arms and body were covered inkwork and scars, especially the latter, and the sides of his head were shaven bare to reveal tattoos. The long hawk-tail on top of his head had been woven into a trio of narrow braids interspersed with beads, which clacked against one another as he moved.

The Maldasi smiled, and while it didn't have the same sharpened teeth as Ferrin, it was no less evocative of a predator. "Menid Arch-Pride tried to cage a Star." He curled his fingers into a claw and mimed closing them around something. "Cage a Star and milk it of Power." He sneered. "Stars and their Children taught him folly." This was punctuated in a rush of movement as the Maldasi drew a knife and stabbed it into the table.

Izzur jumped back from it, snatching the tablet out of the way. Sleita had stepped back as well, but her expression was full of curiosity. She looked up at the Maldasi. "Can I see?"

While Izzur started at this, the Maldasi just grinned wider. "Scarhide show you, yes-yes."

(Ending this one here. I'll follow up in a future entry!)