Posted by Lieutenant Commander Bethany Kovra Gadi (Chief of Security) in Bang, Clang, Hammer and Twist! - Open

Posted by Lieutenant Miranda Martel (Chief Engineer) in Bang, Clang, Hammer and Twist! - Open

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Bethany Kovra Gadi (Chief of Security) in Bang, Clang, Hammer and Twist! - Open
Posted by… suppressed (27) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
It was way more space at least when in use than regs allowed for. BUT! When it was put up, it wasn’t a lot. At least on a ship where space came at a premium. compared to some other’s she’d been on, the Asimov was claustrophobic and cramped. Very Spartan. Not that she minded. “Well, I haven’t made one, so first I wanna at least try it. And…” She sighed, fidgeting a little. “I wanted to make a nice matching double set, if I can. And yeah, I know I could just cut out some steel with a laser, water jet, or plasma cutter, but it’s different when you actually shape it by moving glowing hot steel, work it down, harden, sharpen, and put all the fit and finish on it.” The engineer shrugged one shoulder and rubbed at her left forearm with her right hand, shifting her weight from side to side while not quite meeting Gadi’s gaze.

Miranda

Bethany smiled, “Then make it. We’re just sitting around watching molasses drip. If you enjoy blacksmithing then enjoy making it. I’d like to see them when they are done.” Everyone needed a hobby and Miranda seemed to love it. She also seemed to think Bethy would judge her harshly for it. That wasn’t going to happen.

Gadi, CoS

Miranda nodded with a small smile. “Alright. I’ll let you know when I have something, unless you’d like to get involved,” she asked. She doubted the security chief had the time. In truth with the work going on with the ship, she didn’t really either. But it was an outlet, and something she needed. and could make that into useful things. Some might have raised an eyebrow at choosing to make the knives. But to her mind, they were pieces of art, functional tools, and might save a life one day, even if it might also take a life. There was balance in all things. And if her gift would help someone she cared about, she would do it a hundred times over.

At the same time, she knew she could have developed what she wanted in the holodeck or on a PADD and then simply had it replicated. But the value wasn’t just in the creativity, but the work put in. And it would always be unique in a way that a replicator never was. EAch one would be unique, even if they appeared the same.

Miranda

“I have no experience with anything like this, but I’m happy to give you an hour or two. Not sure how much help I will be.” Bethany didn’t really think twice about Miranda wanting to make by hand. All her weapons, except those issued by SF, were hand made, just like the karambit that Miranda had borrowed. “So tell me what to do. I think I remember how to take orders,” Bethy grinned.

Gadi

An hour or two. That was enough to get things well under way and more than she could have hoped for. “Alright.” Miranda rubbed her hands together. “See that induction forge, with the circular coils? roll that out a couple feet, make sure it’s hooked up to that EPS outlet. Then feel free to initialize it. While you do that, I’m going to start getting set up for my billet.”

Bethany looked where Miranda was pointing and nodded. She walked over to the forge and activating the anti-grav sled it was on moved it out so it was about 3 feet away from everything, turned the anti-grav sled off and made sure it was securely in place. Then she ran the cables and hooked into the EPS outlet. It was a good thing Bethany was a whiz with computers, otherwise she’d be lost on how to ‘initialize’ a forge. In truth it wasn’t difficult - it was a machine like any other.

The engineer quickly moved off to the side and pulled out a couple flat pieces of metal only a few centimeters across, but a few meters long. Some stroke with a plasma cutter chopped them down to size very quickly. The pieces went into a tray of solvents to make sure the metal was very clean. She enlisted Bethany’s help in drying them off while she got more equipment ready, and welded the pieces together into a block, alternating the metals. As they went, she explained the process, and the hows and the why’s. Then she attached a piece of metal for a long handle, and then, into the forge it went, resting on a piece of ceramic in the middle as a shelf. It would be a pain to hold it in the middle of the induction field for long. Thankfully, an induction forge was far faster than traditional forges. In a couple of minutes the whole thing was glowing a bright yellow, until it’s heat stopped rising (she checked). It wasn’t magnetic anymore, so it was at proper forging temps.

She dried the metal off, placing them where Miranda indicated and then helped to put things away as they were no longer needed. Bethany listened with quiet attentiveness as Miranda explained what she was doing. She had a passion for this hobby and it was almost palatable. There really wasn’t much for Bethany to do, but that wasn’t the point in asking her to stay. Miranda didn’t need her help, she just wanted the company. Bethany was happy to fill that role.

From there she pressed the pieces together in her main press. Satisfied that the welds were good, it was time to consider any further patterns. Splitting the billet in two on her force hammer took maybe a minute, then from there, drilling the sides out, a couple more. Satisfied, she smiled to herself and explained to her momentary assistant, what kind of pattern it would make. Raindrop Damascus. Then it was time to reheat, and the first hour had gone by.

“Time to go,” she asked, cleaning her hands on a towel while waiting for the pieces to heat up. The shop was quiet for the moment, save for the hum of the coils and their power supply and the air scrubbers moving air about, and the deep hum and vibration of the Azzie’s over-powered engines rumbling away.

Miranda

Bethany pulled out a PaDD from the cargo pocket of her pants and looked through it for several long moments. “No one’s paged me and everything looks good for now. I said two hours, looks like you’ll get the second one. So, what now Boss?”

Gadi

OOC: Can I get in on this?

-Kieron-

OOC: Of course!
Jenn

((OOC: The honorable delegates from Malastare concur. Feel free to join, but be mindful of the hammers, and there’s lots of hot and sharp things around.))

“Well, if there was anything urgent, they would have hit your combadge,” Miranda replied while shoving one billet back into the the induction forge. . “Soon as this gets back up to temp, gonna stretch it out on the big hammer. Get it hot again. Then we start the shaping. I’ll want to do the ring first, so we’ll need to use a swedge. How are you with a hammer?”

Martel

Bethany shrugged with a grin, “You use it to hit things, while avoiding smashing your own digits to pieces. I’ve never used one to bang hot metal, but tell me what to do.”

Gadi, CoS

“Well,” a voice came from across the room, “Certainly an interesting tactic to pass the time Commander,” Paddy chuckled and added, “Mind if I offer my assistance?”

-Lieutenant Patrick McMillan: Counsellor-

Bethany looked up, “Counselor,” she said by way of greeting. “Well that would be up to Lt Martel. This is her project and her equipment. I’m just here to follow orders.” Bethany turned the hammer in her hand a couple times and then flipped it - handle to hammer and back. “It’s got a good weight, make an awesome assault weapon.”

Gadi, CoS

Paddy, trying not to let his concern flash up at Gadi’s initial thought of turning a tool into a weapon, glanced about at some of the tools strewn about the room before him, “Have all of these been replicated, Miranda?”

-Lieutenant Patrick McMillan: Counsellor-

That she’d addressed him by her given name did not pass her by. They weren’t that close. Even her last name would have been preferable. She stared at the man as she shoved a bar of steel into the induction coils. “Counselor. And mostly, only in the interest of expediency. It’s not like the machine shop really is worth making single run jobs in, for making gear for a hobby. Some of it I had to assemble by hand, of course.” By then the bar of steel had gone from a dark cherry back to forging temperatures. Making her way over to the tall power hammer there, she put one foot on the large press bar to activate it. The massive ram slammed own with enough force to vibrate the decking several meters away. Bam-Bam-Bam-Bam-Bam-Bam-Bam. Over and over it struck, hard, fast, in a steady rhythm. Every blow, she adjusted the billet in time, spark flying, moving it back and forth. The rectangular block, in a matter of moments stretched into a long bar about the length of her arm.

Stepping away the shop fell silent again and she went back to the induction forge, working the metal back up to heat. She glanced over at Bethany, then back to the Lieutenant. “Can we help you with something,” she asked. She was uncertain as to his purpose and presence. Was he here to help? Join in? To try to cause a problem sticking his nose in their business? Was he out to try to blackmail them? His tone certainly seemed overly casual and overly familiar.

Lt Martel, CE

Bethany found a crate among Miranda’s things that wasn’t labelled as fragile or dangerous and took a seat while she watched. The skill and power (despite the power hammer Mira was using) was impressive. She didn’t miss Miranda’s guardedness. She was slow to trust and open up. Even though she was quick to defend anyone she thought deserved it even if they didn’t need it. Paddy on the other hand was eager to socialize and be everyone’s friend. It was an explosive situation. “It’s really a beautiful process. Did you know that Klingons still make all their weapons this way? The weapons are passed down through the families which most people know, but it’s more than just an heirloom, it tells a story of the smith who made it, where it was made and why. Including the story of people who wield it. That’s where this came from.” From out of seemingly thin air the karambit appeared in her hand and she twirled it on a single finger from the O ring on the back end. “Friend had each of us made a different weapon several years ago. He commissioned them from Ochil, son of Shalvad, House of D’Ghor.” It might sound like a brag, but there was great respect and reverence as Bethy spoke and looked over the blade. Ochil was one of the best known weapon smiths of the century in the Empire.

Gadi, CoS

Bump

Miranda paused in what she was doing, looking down at the template pattern on the workbench in front of her. Her jaw took on a hard set as her head hung. Her dark red hair obscured her face. After a minute she turned toward the induction rig. Reaching out, she pulled the heating pieces of metal free with a jerk and then tossed them on a rack to air cool, almost throwing them down. What the hell am I doing. She shook her head.

She took a deep breath then turned toward Bethany, giving her a smile but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Awesome. And no, I didn’t, but that’s ..” She paused for a half second. “Pretty great. I’ll have to look into it more. I’m sure there’s a lot to learn there.” She put both hands on her hips for a moment, then reached up to scratch at the edge of her upper lip. She opened her mouth as if to say something more, then turned back to the forge, arms crossed over her chest, fingers of one hand tracing over her lips as she stared without really seeing.

Martel

Bethany got up and grabbed the tongs and stepped up behind her. “Did you also know that it is considered a great honor for a master smith to be taken as or to take another master as an apprentice. That new smiths are expected to present works mimicking ancient and current masters before they are accepted? Every Smith tells a story with each blade and tool they make. You have a story to tell Miranda.” Bethany reached over and placed the tongs in her hands, “So tell it.”

Gadi

The tongs dangled loosely in her hand but didn’t quite drop to the floor. She was silent for a long minute. “I can strip down and overhaul a warp engine or particle accelerator. Build an induction forge from spare parts. Cobble together a plasma rifle from stuff I have just laying around. But I’m no master smith. I’m just a hobbyist working out of my garage, basically.” She shook her head. It took everything she had not to hurl the tongs across the cargo bay. Instead, she forced herself to remain stil.

Martel

“Our jobs are a product of an obvious focus of what we are good doing. How we can benefit others. Sometimes that stems from a hobby - like you. Our hobbies are a product of our focus of what we are passionate about, for ourselves. It only matters that you enjoy it. You don’t have to be a master, Miranda. My point was that even masters are amateurs and hobbyists at times. Explore your passion, enjoy it revel in it, and create. We have very little to enjoy now, so don’t give up. Do not compare yourself to others. Enjoy the process, let it fill you up.” Her hand rested over hers, raising the tongs and collecting the cooling metal she placed the pieces back in the forge and stepped back.

Gadi

Miranda shook her head, her jaw still set. “I’m not giving up or quitting,” she said pointedly. The metal was still orange-hot when Gadi stuck it back in, up to forging temperatures. It didn’t need to be hotter at the moment. But in a matter of seconds it reached the max temperature the induction coils could create as the metal became non-magnetic. Reaching out she pulled one of the pieces out. Walking over to the anvil, she began slamming the edge of the flat bar down on the horn. Hot metal sparks flew, a few at a time but the metal started to take on a curve. Once she was satisfied she put it back in the coils and repeated the process with the other, using a flat hammer to tap it back flat, preventing any wobbling.

“Punch or hammer,” she said shortly.

Martel

Bethany had no idea either way, but Miranda was like a pressure cooker, she was gonna blow if something didn’t happen to release it. “Punch.” She stepped close pulling on a protective glove and held the punch where she was told. The first blow made her grin. Never get in Miranda’s way. After she was going to have to stretch that arm out.

Gadi

Miranda nodded, then fished out the swedge she needed. “Hold this here. hold the piece with the tongs so it doesn’t go anywhere. After each strike pull the punch out so it doesn’t stick. You can use a little bit of quenching oil to help with the stickiness.” Once Bethany seemed to have the idea, she grabbed a larger, heavier hammer and set her self up, making sure her strike would land on target.

The first blow came quick, slamming down hard on the back end of the swedge. As soon as it was reset, another blow followed with bone-crushing force, enough to Jar Bethany’s arms a little. Then another, building a rhythm of strike-reset-strike-reset. After a few minutes the glowing metal had darkened but there was a neat ring punched into the work piece.

Miranda swapped them out, resetting for the next hole to punch. Strike-reset-strike-reset it went, but a little faster. By the time the second set of holes had been punched she seemed a little less… whatever it was. Though she hadn’t really said much, not that it was easy to talk with the clanging of metal ringing through the cavernous cargo bay.

“That’s the roughing I guess,” she said, wiping her brow and putting up the sledge hammer. “The rest is fine tuning some and grinding, profiling, and all the other details.”

Martel

They set into a rhythm, Bethany quickly responding and compensating for the power of each blow. The silence didn’t bother her. She wasn’t there to get Miranda to spill her guts, but to help as needed.

When they were done punching the holes, Bethany returned the swedge and tongs to their places and stepped back out of the way. “Well I’m happy to stay and watch or help as if you need an extra pair of hands.”

Gadi

Miranda held her hands over the shaped blanks, feeling for whichever one had cooled the most. “Aren’t your two hours almost up,” she asked quietly, now that the bay was mostly silent again, save for the faint hum of the induction forge. She shut it off, leaving only the air scrubbers faint hush filling the space, countered by the deep thrum of the ship’s engines vibrating the decking.

Martel

Bethany nodded without having to check the time. “I still have 20 minutes, and I told you I would give you 2 hours. So for 20 more minutes I am at your disposal. Besides I’m enjoying watching you work. It’s fascinating.” She had an extra shift to take and trainings and all the details needing to be covered for this mission, but right now she was here and that was where her focus was.

Gadi

“Enjoying watching me work? Fascinating? How so?” Her green gaze finally landed on Gadi again. Reaching out she picked up one of the blanks and headed back to the workbench near her. Grabbing a can, she opened it an began brushing a sapphire blue fluid onto it’s surface and let it dry. Then she repeated it with another cool blank.

Martel

Bethany held her hands palm up and smiled slightly. “I’m no artist of any kind, but I appreciate it. Watching something being created from the beginning is much different from simply appreciating the final piece. Getting to watch the story unfold through each stage rather than just the final draft. The process is as beautiful as the piece.” Miranda seemed off put by what Bethany said. Perhaps it was time to leave? Moods and feelings could change from moment to moment. Bethany wasn’t hurt over it, but if Miranda would rather be alone, well she would respect that.

Gadi

Miranda nodded, then grabbed a long thin piece of metal that almost resembled an ice pick. Laying out the paper template, she gestured for Bethany to come over. “Hold here and here for me.” She could do it on her own, of course, but it was easier with a little assistance. And well, Gadi wanted to assist. Once the template was pinned down, the redhead took her scriber and began tracing the outline of the karambit template, the sharp tip leaving fine, deliberate, elegant marks in the blue scribing fluid. . She repeated the process for each blank when it was cool enough.

With that done, she put on a belt, with an air filter attached to a helmet via a hose. Moving over to a grinder, she turned the machine on and quickly went to shaping the metal, removing the excess material, cleaning up the dark forge scale. In a matter of a few minutes she took one of the dark, rough blanks and turned it back into a bright fresh piece of steel that was much much closer to being an actual karambit than it was a couple hours ago.

Martel dipped it in some cold water and let it cool from where the friction had heated it up some. Grabbing an air tool, she cleaned up the inside of the ring and smoothed it out, getting rid of all the burs and rounding off the ninety degree edges. Then she tossed the piece to Gadi. “It doesn’t have a handle yet, or any of the finishing touches. But you could train with that I think. What do you think?”

Martel

Bethany caught the piece out of the air. Reflexes honed out of necessity. She looked the blade over, testing the weight and shape. The feel of the handle in her palm. She twirled it by the ring and made several feints and practice swings with it. It was a bit blade heavy, but it was meant to have a handle which would balance that out. Personally Bethany liked imperfect blades, it kept you practicing. “Good weight, good size for my hand, seems to telegraph the striking point well. I like it. Great for training and practical use.”

Gadi

Miranda nodded. “Good. It’ll be better when it’s finished.” Clapping her hands quickly she held her hands out for Gadi to lightly toss it back.She caught the piece of unfinished metal and then sat it down next to the other raw blanks. “The rest of these are going to take hours and wont be ready until .. the next day I can get in here to work on stuff. I have no idea what I’m going to do for handle materials just yet either.”

Martel

Bethany walked the blade back over and gave it a light toss to Martel. Engrained habits die hard. “Hmmmm…” Bethany didn’t really know what they would have on board for it, but, “Never know, we might find something you like along our travels.”

Gadi

Miranda nodded. “I don’t intend to wait that long. I want these done before we make it out of this freaking station and nebula. I can replicate materials, of course. I just don’t have any good ideas. Yet. Handle is about the last thing to do anyway. I still have sharpening, hardening, honing, etching, and all to do. Plus making the sheath, since I assume you don’t want to just carry around bare, super-sharp metal.” She shrugged one shoulder and tossed the shaped piece onto the workbench. “It’ll come to me, I’m sure.”

Martel

“I can’t wait to see the final product.” Bethany thought a moment. “We could go raid the supplies on the station. The Tholians always have weird stuff. It would be something to do while we wait.”

Gadi

“Maybe,” Miranda mused. :”I was considering some of that Klingon hull plating, since you’re so fond of Klingon stuff. But that might make the handles heavy. Good fist pack though. And tough as hell. I’m not sure I trust anything Tholian. They like to make stuff that’s … well.. unpredictable. I make a handle out of something of theirs and it might eat your hand or something.” She shook her head. Maybe that was a little paranoid. Unreasonable, maybe. Considering they were sitting in a Tholian-built station.

Miranda