With Arms Wide Open

Chapter 2

Jaal stood in the cargo bay, tinkering with the Nomad as usual. He enjoyed learning the advanced engineering. How every piece no matter how small played a part in its functionality. He hoped once the Kett were defeated he would be able to convince Evfra to assemble a group of mechanical engineers on Aya to create Nomads of their own. With an Angaran touch of corse.

He paced around the four wheeled contraption, trying to decipher the mechanics of the coils tucked behind the wheel wells, but his large frame made it difficult to get a clear view. He was crouched beside the one of the wheels, his neck pulling uncomfortably as he strained to reach the point of interest. He pulled away, sighing heavily as he got to his feet and walked to the lift controls. He glanced over the overwhelming amount of switches and buttons, hovering his large twitching finger over the rows while he tried to remember which one he needed. "If I recall Cora said this one should..." He mumbled to himself, flicking one of the dozens of switches.

Suddenly Gil shouted a cluster of profanities from the engineering room as the platform he used to make card houses moved, causing a weeks worth of delicate maneuvering to go to waste. "Whoops! My apologies." Jaal called out, fixing his mistake before trying another switch.

He smiled victoriously as the Nomad began to ascend when it stopped mid way. Jaals smile twisted with confusion as he looked down at the switch, seeing it unchanged. Gil strutted from the engineering room and lean over the second floor railing. "Whoops..." He said, typing an override into his Omni tool with a sly grin.

Jaals curious expression fell from his face as he pulled a cart lined with tools to aid him in his quest for knowledge. He stopped just before one of the front wheels. It was level with his chest and while its position was significantly better than where it was before, it would still require some strenuous maneuvering on his part. He knelt down on both knees, leaning back uncomfortably on his haunches as he positioned himself behind the wheel.

Finally in place he was able to see the entirety of the Nomads suspension system. He scanned over the mechanics with utter fascination. The familiar feeling reminded him of the same eagerness he had when he was a child and his aunt had brought him back his first Kett weapon. He smiled, quickly reaching for a wrench and began to loosen nuts and bolts, taking them apart and studying them thoroughly before putting them back together. He took his time, making sure not to miss a single piece when he came across a large solid coil just behind the wheel.

It was that very part that made the Nomad such a smooth ride, trudging through mountain side and tumbling over large jagged rocks with ease and comfort. His eyes followed the twisted metal, looking for where it leads when a memory of Ryder flashed through his mind. A smirk played on his lips as one of his most treasured memories replayed before him. They were in Ryder's room surrounded by the warm glow of the Anasa systems sun. She looked down on him with dark eyes and flushed cheeks. Her body as bare as the day she came into the universe. The long dark strands of hair she wore across her face were damp with sweat, curling in this very way.

Still holding onto the memory he reached out to the coil, running his fingers along the cold, smooth piece of metal. As much as it resembled the thought in structure it had absolutely no comparison to the real thing. Her curls were softer, warmer, more inviting. And while this machinery fed his desire to learn, it held not even the slightest reflection in his desire to learn her in every way.

"Jaal, Ryder requires your assistance." Sam said through the cargo bay coms.

Jaal jumped at the unexpected call, smacking his head on the undercarriage. "Shit!" He growled.

"There you go! Now you're getting the hang of it." Liam said, walking from the crew quarters toward the storage room where his beloved couch called home. "I told you cursing would come more naturally once you figured out their meanings."