Meeting | 1/?
The door behind Tom slid closed, as he walked through the hallway,
It was a docking day yesterday, which meant that they’d gotten restocks. Cool.
He’d snuck some more booze while Edds busy with important business, on his way to go smuggle it to his hideaway.
“Hey Tom!”
“Sup Matt.”
He’d sorted through boxes and boxes of his own face, pictures of himself Edd always had him pick his favorites to stay on ship every so often. He was reminiscing on the ones he couldn’t keep.
Tom kept walking past Matt.
“Have you met the new guy yet?”
Tom stopped walking past Matt.
“…what new guy.”
“The one Edds currently touring the ship with!”Matt had explained like it was the most natural thing in the world,
Tom was about to go hunt Edd down for an explanation. He wasn’t told about some.. new guy. Why wasn’t that at the start of last weeks meeting?
“…where’s Edd, Exactly?”
“Last time I talked to them, they were making their way to the engine room. Important question; do you think the purple striped shirt or the flowy seafoam coat is better?”
“They both look dumb.” Tom called out as he walked away. He only felt the smallest bit bad at the “awh” Matt let out.
The engine room was only a couple halls away, take a left and swipe his keycard a stupid amount of times,
“Damn thing work—“ tom hissed, swiping and swiping in vain,
Just as the engine room door slid open, Edd and Some Guy stood there, staring at him.
“Tom! We were just coming to find you.” Edd greeted, placing a hand on Toms shoulder, the other rested on Mystery Guys.
Tom scoffed, looking the man up and down. This guy has the worst cowlicks Toms since ever, if that’s not just how he chooses to style it.
He’s not sure which would be worse.
“Hello there,” the guy spoke, his accent standing out just enough to be noticeable. Something germanic, if he had to guess?
“Uh. Sup….. Edd. Can I talk to you?”
“In a minute! Tord, this is Tom! He’s our navigator.” A brisk nod from Tord, apparently.
Edd looked to Tom, “Tom, this is Tord, he’s an old’ buddy of mine, he’s gonna be the ships engineer.”
Okaaay. So. Tom did complain about how every time something broke on the ship, they either almost died, or they had to deal until they docked.
Neither was ideal.
He, however, didn’t think Edd would actually take that complaint seriously!
Never once has Edd taken any of his other (completely valid) complaints to heart and done something about it!
“Cool. Can we talk now?”
“If you need to talk so bad, why don’t you walk with us? I’m almost done showing Tord around.”
He cringed, trying not to look in Tord’s direction.
“Yeaahhhh. No. I don’t really wanna talk.. in front of.. hm.”
Tord huffed, glaring at Tom a little.
“In front of me? Is that what you mean?”
“Hm. Well.
Yeah pretty much.” Tom shrugged.
Edd frowned. “Don’t be rude, Tom. I told you last week I got us an engineer.”
Cut to Edd talking with a mouth full of fish shaped cereal (it was the only one Matt wanted), absolutely unintelligible. Tom stared at him, unimpressed.
“Yeaaahhhh. No you didn’t.”
“Yes I did. You just don’t listen.”
Tom breathed in, doesn’t listen—okay.
This Tord probably won’t last long. First time Edd tried hiring other people on board, it ended in them having to avoid a lawsuit.
Multiple times.
“Okay. Whatever. Just don’t touch my stuff.”
Edd gave him a thumbs up, with a happy grin. Tord shrugged, not bothering to glance at Tom as he walked behind the chatter box that’s Edd.
Tom didn’t see Tord for the rest of the day, even when dinner rolled around and the crew was meant to sit together and eat. It was tradition.
Only further proved to Tom that Tord wouldn’t last the week.
“So, if they have multiple jaws, it’s a moray?”
“Yup! Morays have multiple rows of teeth that extend from the back of their mouths to the front when they open their mouths!”
Edd nodded along to Matts random sea creatures fact of the day, despite the smallest look of distress on his face.
Edd isn’t fond of the more disturbing fish facts like Matt, and occasionally Tom, is.
Just as Matt begins on yet another ramble about Lobsters (he really loves his lobsters, jesus.), Tord comes shuffling into the room,
The doors slide silently open and shut behind him.
“Tord! I was wondering when you were gonna join us.”
“Yes, sorry. I was caught up in a check over all the ships mechanisms.” And you could see it too,
Tord was covered in black oil and soot, his hair a bit matted, as he wipes his face with a towel.
“I’m honestly shocked this old girl runs on oil fuels still. Older ship?”
“Yeah…. Passed down from Matts grandfathers, grandfathers, grandfathers, grandmothers, grandmothers, grandfathers, grandmothers grandmother.”
Matt nodded enthusiastically, still munching away at his plate.
Tord just nodded, wiping his hands “clean”, and taking a seat at the rounded benched table.
Tom held back a scoff, and went back to zoning out of Edd and Matts conversation.
…he’s a little concerned about exactly what Tord did to the ship, to be covered in that much mess.
But Tord seemed completely indifferent about the ordeal, picking at the chipping table paint.
“No, sharks have cartilaginous skeletons,” Matt began, shaking his head at Edd disapprovingly.
“Meaning they have soft bones, like our ears and nose, though as they eat their bones strength over.. time…..” Matt trailed off, staring at Tord as both spoke in unison.
Tord glanced up from his spot. “What?”
“….you knew that?”
“It’s… common knowledge if you took any time to research it.”
Edd grinned as Matt gaped a bit. Matts eyes shone just the littlest bit.
“You’re interested in marine biology?”
Tord fully sat up, nodding hesitantly. Like this would somehow be a trap. “…..I mean I studied it for a year or two, in my free time.”
“TELL ME EVERYTHING YOU KNOW.” Matt exclaimed, leaning all the way over the table to get in Tord’s face, who jumped back enough he’d’ve fallen if not for the safety of the bench.
“..uh. Okay.”
Tom sighed quietly, he’d’ve thought Matt would get upset there’s someone else on the ship who knows just as much dorky stuff as he does, but lo and behold.
Matts ecstatic.
Shocking.(heh.)
A few days had passed, Tord had barely been seen by any of them, and when he was, it was because he’d needed a part or tool he didn’t have and couldn’t find,
Or he’d worn himself thin and inhaled a snack. And then disappeared again for the next 3-4 days.
But.. subtlety. Things on the ship started to change. Not socially, but actual physical things.
“Tom.” Edd called out from the captains seat.
“What?” He stared at the navigation station, blinking his boredom away.
“I don’t understand.” What? Tom looked over to Edd, leaning his swivel chair ever so slightly back.
The captains panel, which was once a organized, minimalized, only somewhat complex system of buttons,
Was now a wall of new, shiny buttons that probably did more on this ship than Tom ever would.
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
Tom glanced at Edd, and then the panel.
“It’s not the damn sea gremlins again, is it?”
“I told you Tom, those weren’t real! None of us saw them but you!”
“Then how in the world did your controls get like that? It’s not like anyone else on.. board.. could do…. That……” Toms words ended slowly,
As Tom and Edd both came to the same conclusion. Tord.
“Ugh. I’d told Tord to ask me before he started rebuilding the ship!”
“Is he gonna rebuild the entire damn thing while we’re under water?” Tom glared, god he hoped not.
Dealing with incompetent idiots who die on day 2 of this job is a lot more preferable than dealing with an idiot rebuilding the entire sub and drowning them all doing it.
“…..probably. If I don’t talk him out of it.”
Tom sighed, still glaring at Edd.
“This is your fault. You hired the damn idiot.”
“Tord’s a capable person! He needed a job and we needed an engineer!”
“Still your fault when we all drown.” Tom muttered.
Edd rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Just help me find Tord and talk to him.”
Tom mocked Edd under his breath, but obliged anyway.
Maybe Tord’ll get fired from this. Tom’s not a fan of this quiet, creepy dude coming on board and replacing the ship piece by piece.
The quarters, the library, the medical bay, the moonpool.
He hadn’t checked the engine room yet. Why hadn’t he checked there in the first place?
Opening the doors successfully this time, Tom stepped into the room. The dark room, with no lights on.
Expect for one, a blowtorch fire, being used on a panel in the wall. Tord sitting front of it with his stupid goggles over his eyes.
Hadn’t even noticed Tom come in.
He had tools and parts all sprawled out around him in a fae circle of mechanical parts.
Tom felt he should say something, but stayed quiet, a little curious. Tord set the torch down, still working through the wiring beside the panel he just welded.
Tom watched in horror as the supposedly capable engineer in front of him ripped a wire apart with his bare teeth, and began doing similarly before using wire tape to form different wiring.
Who. In their right mind. Uses their teeth. On electrical wiring?
“What in the newborn bird on a bay was that.”
Tord paused, turning back. Pulling up his goggles he had the audacity to look confused at what Tom said.
Like he was the one using his teeth on the electrical work.
“What?”
“Did you just use your teeth to rip the wires apart?”
Tord glanced back at his work, his face making some expression Tom couldn’t quite figure out.
“What of it? What did you just say?”
“None of your business. Why have you been ripping the ship to shreds?”
Tord scoffed, grabbing a pair of pliers, turning back to the paneling.
“None of your business. I’ve not been ripping her to shreds. I’m upgrading her.”
Tom gaped a bit.
“Well. Whatever you’re doing, Edds pissed about it.”
“Oh. Oh no. What will I do. Edds pissed about it. I’m so sad. I’m in such agony. I’ll repent right away.”
If he could roll his eyes, he would. Crossing his arms, Tom watched Tord replace things in the wall.
“He wants to talk to you.”
“Then tell him to come talk to me himself, massager boy.”
Tom scowled. Why was this guy being so unnecessarily uncompromising?
Tom hadn’t done anything to him.
Making his way over to where Tord’s working, he stood just beside the wall panel Tord had open.
“I’m not a messenger boy. Is that really your best insult?”
Tord scoffed quietly, not bothering to look up at Tom. “You’re acting like one, Meldingsgutt.”
Tom paused, before ignoring him. “If you keep up like this, how long until we’re sinking cuz you tried to upgrade the outside of the ship while we’re in it?”
Tord finally paused, looking up at Tom from his criss cross on the floor. “You think I’m stupid enough to upgrade the ships outer shit inside it?”
“Yup.” Tom leaned on the wall.
Tord poked Toms side with a small tazer. “OW?!”
“What—why the fuck do you even have that?” Tom scowled, clutching where Tord tazed him.
He grinned, sharp canines, like the Cheshire cat, holding the weapon in question up.
“For resetting certain parts without having to turn off the entire system.”
Tom didn’t really debate his options, he’s a fairly impulsive person, so tackling Tord to take the tazer from him was the only logical choice.
“Oh mother—“ Tord hissed, his foot making contact with Toms stomach, as Tom bashed his head to the ground.
The pair rolled, until Tom forcibly yanked the tazer from Tord, pulling with a bit too much force.
Sending the tazer flying right into the engines.
“Oh stoned storks on stilts.”
“Shit.”
Tord looked at Tom with a baffled expression.
Tom did not acknowledge him.
“That’s.. fine. Probably. Right?” Tom whispered, leaning over to Tord.
“…no. No it’s not. Why would it be fine?”
Tom huffed, ignoring him.
Tord moves swiftly, pushing Tom to the side—as alarms(which were not something previously installed on the ship) blared from the ceiling.
“You installed alarms?!”
“WHY WOULDN’T I??? WOULD YOU RATHER SOMETHING BREAK AND NOT KNOW?!”
Tom couldn’t, but almost tried, to argue with that. Annoyingly.
Though the headache inducing alarms definitely had him debating trying regardless.
Tord’d grabbed a tool box, trying to rush over to the engine, when the ship began to tilt forwards.
The two started to slide into the wall, Tom hitting into some crates, as Tord grabbed onto a support beam.
“WHAT’S HAPPENING?!”
“The engine went out! What do you think happens when we don’t have a functioning engine?!”
“….okay. Fair.”
With a huff, Tord pulled himself up, using the support beam as a seat. Edd and Matt were shouting in some other parts of the ship.
Tom cringes.
Tord sorts through the tools he does have, ducktape, a shit ton of screwdrivers, a couple hammers, some screws.
“I’m gonna need you to get my tools and toss them to me when I say!” Tord ordered.
Tom wanted to argue for the principle of Tords Not His Boss, but.. he also wanted to not go hurdling into the ocean bottom soon rather than later.
He ducked and rolled into the wall, hitting it harder than his body would’ve preferred, but ah well. He located the somewhat scattered tools, looking to Tord for instructions.
Tord’d jumped from the beam to the engine, tool kit gripped in his teeth, as he clung to the engines bars. He stared at the engine, uncertain the best way to fix this.
“I need you to get Edd to anchor somewhere!”
“SERIOUSLY?!”
“Very seriously!“
Tom groaned, throwing the tools in an empty crate, and kicking it to Tord, who grabbed it swiftly.
He then spent far too long climbing Crates and then jumping between things, until he finally found grip on the doorframe, and punching the open button.
He then very hesitantly, rushed along the wall, towards the front of the ship. It didn’t take long once he started sliding.
Edd and Matt were currently holding onto their own respective supports when Tom came in,
“Edd, we need to anchor down!”
“I KNOW. I CAN’T FIND WHICH BUTTON DOES THAT NOW.”
Tom’s gonna strangle Tord.
“PICK ONE THAT LOOKS LIKE AN ANCHOR??” Matt shouted, and Edd frowned, scowling at him.
“TORD DIDN’T LABEL THEM LIKE THAT.”
Tom cuts in, “they have labels?”
“Oh. Yeah.”
…
“It’s probably the one that has anchor under it.”
Edd presses the one that had the word anchor under it.
After a moment, they felt the ship halt, sending them all forwards again, grabbing onto other supports.
The anchor had found foundation on some rocks, hopefully stable enough to keep them afloat until they can get the engine back up.
“How did this even happen?!” Edd called to Tom,
“It broke my mirror,” Matt pouted. They ignored him.
“Uh. You see….. I should go see if Tord needs any help.”
Tom pretended like he couldn’t see the squint Edd gave him. Tom also did not make a move to actually go help Tord.
As far as he’s concerned, he can fix it, since he wants to remake the ship so bad. Also he’s partially to blame for launching the tazer in the engine in the first place. So.
Meh.
“I can’t believe we’re gonna have to.. hang here until Tord fixes this.”
Tom and Matt groaned at the pun. Edd grinned.
Eventually, Tord came sliding into the room, catching himself on the captains chair.
“Tord! Is it fixed?”
“You got it.”
He grabbed onto the steering, and without warning, began tilting the ship back into the correct direction.
Edd, Tom, and Matt all went flying.
Tord grinned just a little.
He feigned innocence when Edd came stomping over, glaring.
“Well. That’s fixed. I should be taking my leave.”
Tord began walking away.
“Hold on.” Edd huffed. Tord stopped in place, glancing back at him.
“Uh..”
“You’ve done enough upgrades for the day, don’t you think?” There was no room for arguing, in Edds tone.
Tord groaned, but found a seat somewhere in the room. Pouting, if you will.
Tom and Matt stumbled back into the main dock.
Matt rushed to his mirror once he saw it, broken and shattered on the ground. A violin played melancholic music as he cried over it,
“You were so young…”
Tom huffed, ignoring that for now.
He glanced to Tord. He has to admit that, while Tord was definitely partially to blame, he also lent a heavy hand in fixing it. That deserves some thanks.
Not too much, but some.
He took a seat beside him, casually. Taking a swig of his flask, he turned to Tord.
“Uh. Thanks. For fixing the engine.”
Tord looked genuinely surprised when Tom said that. So.
“Even if half of it was your fault.”
He scoffed, the surprise turned sour.
“Oh come on. You were the one who started it.”
“You tazed me, man.”
“And if you didn’t get so pissy about it, that wouldn’t’ve happened.”
Apparently, Tord wasn’t as half good as he’d maybe thought for a second there.
Edd and Matt glanced at each other.
“I really hope that doesn’t become a habit between the two.”
