"Break time"
 by Ensign T'Kang


Hours had past and the Klingon Assistant Engineer had 
made literally half a dozen separate repairs about the 
Starship Intrepid.   T'Kang was tired, hungry and smelly.  It 
wasn't bad enough that Lieutenant' Gabriel had seemed to 
take it upon himself to teach T'Kang the manners that years 
of living in the Federation and Starfleet had failed to do.   
Somehow, the Bajoran officer seemed to find a devilish sort 
of enjoyment out of bossing the junior officer around to 
different parts of the ship on obscure assignments and 
insisting on the proper address of "Sir" and "Lieutenant".  
The very thought made T'Kang's Klingon blood boil.

Then there was that petite Trill science officer that seems to 
constantly be running into T'Kang in the ship's corridors.  
She seemed friendly enough, but also liked to wear some 
sort of fragrance that the Klingon found offensive.  Just 
standing in the vicinity of Ensign Cadan was enough to 
make the Klingon's sensitive sense of scent to cause him 
sneezing fits.  Even now after their last encounter over an 
hour ago, T'Kang's eyes were still running from the allergic 
reaction.  The wise thing to do would have been to report to 
medical and get something prescribed to alleviate T'Kang's 
symptoms.  But after the long afternoon the warrior had just 
had repairing systems and crawling through remote regions 
of the ship, all he wanted to do was visit the mess hall and 
relax with a good meal and a mug of bloodwine during his 
break.

T'Kang entered the busy eatery, still reeking from the days 
perspiration.   Glancing around the mess hall, the Engineer 
reached back and tugged at his uniform, pulling the extra 
material out from between his buttock cheeks before 
stomping over to the replicator and ordering a meal.   Taking 
the tray, the Klingon stepped over to an empty table and sat 
down, positioning his meal before him and reaching for his 
mug of synthesized bloodwine.

"Aren't you going to wash your hands first?"  a crewman 
from the neighboring table asked, gesturing to the Klingon's 
dark hands.

T'Kang lowered his mug from his lips, swallowing slowly 
while giving the officer an `evil eye'.   After a moment the 
Klingon glanced at his free hand and could see they were 
indeed covered with soil from the magnetic constrictor array 
he'd just serviced.    With a half growl that showed the tips of 
the warrior's canine teeth over his lower lip, T'Kang rubbed 
the hand across his chest in a swiping motion, half heartily 
cleaning it.

The crewman simply rolled his eyes in an unapproving 
fashion, while T'Kang took another drink of his bloodwine 
and let out a loud belch before reaching a hand into his plate 
of Gagh and picking up a handful of the slithering creatures, 
placing them in his mouth slowly.

+taps+ "T'Kang, have you finished repairing the magnetic 
constrictors on deck 17 yet?"  interrupted the voice of 
T'Kang's slave driving nemesis, Lieutenant' Gabriel.

With a disgusted look souring his face even greater than the 
look on the crewman's face that was watching T'Kang eat 
his meal, the Klingon tossed the half eaten Gagh back down 
onto his plate.  +taps+ "I am busy getting something to eat 
now!"  he responded.

+taps+ "Then you've started your break.  Good.  Soon as 
you're done report to main engineering.  Chief Hannoyh 
wants to see you in hish office.  Understood Ensign?" 
Bolden relayed over the open channel.

T'Kang's annoyed look at being interrupted during his meal 
had turned into a full scowl, increasing the folds of his 
warrior's ridges about his forehead and eyes ten fold.  It sort 
of made the Klingon look like one of those sun dried carved 
apple figurines.  +taps+ "I will be there when I am through 
here.  Not a moment before!"  T'Kang growled back 
stubbornly.

After a slight pause, Gabriel came back, +taps+ "I got the 
impression the Chief wanted to see you sooner rather than 
later T'Kang.  And you had better watch that tone on this 
ship Ensign.  Lieutenant' Hannoyh isn't as tolerant as I 
am." Bolden explained with a hint of sarcasm, "S/he runs a 
tight ship."

+taps+ "I heard you the first time!  Now leave me alone!"  
T'Kang retorted rudely.

+taps+ "Leave me alone,. what?.."  Lieutenant Gabriel 
countered over the channel.

Again with the warrior's sigh.   +taps+ "Leave me alone 
*sir*."  T'Kang hissed.

+taps+ "That's better Ensign.   I'll let hir know you are on 
your way.   Gabriel out."

Looking thoroughly discussed at the remnants of his 
replicated Gagh, T'Kang slid the plate away and grabbed his 
mug of bloodwine, downing the last of the tangy red liquid.  
When he'd finished it, he again let out a belch and wiped his 
mouth off with the back of his dirty hand glancing over at the 
crewman at the other table that had over heard the entire 
conversation.    T'Kang narrowed his eyes and curled his 
upper lip at the crewman, letting out a Klingon snarl that was 
his way of saying "mind your own business Mister!" Klingon 
style.    When the officer turned his attentions away, T'Kang 
turned to exit the mess hall and head for main engineering 
to find out what Chief Engineer Hannoyh wanted of him.  
T'Kang knew it wouldn't be long before the Intrepid and what 
was left of the Gold squad arrived at Starbase 202.