Left-Handed Engineers From MARZ
The intern

---

Zephyr was engaging in some nice, mundane file-sorting when Connor entered his office.

"S'up?" said Zephyr.

"I need to talk to Reg about the Sweeney project."

"Yeah?" Zephyr knew what was coming next; he just wanted to find out if Connor would come out and say it.

"Will you help me?"

Score one for Connor! Zephyr thought. The kid's got guts. "Sure... come on."

They went downstairs to the workroom, Connor two steps behind Zephyr (Zephyr wished he'd stop doing that; it was annoying) and found Reg browsing through the trays of bolts.

"Hey, Reg, got a minute?" Zephyr asked, putting his hand on his partner's arm to be sure he got Reg's attention.

Reg stopped what he was doing and turned to face them. "Zephyr. I'm glad you came inside."

"Uh... yeah."

"This is a good place to stay. You don't want to go further back. I don't even go there much. It's dark."

Zephyr glanced at Connor, who was looking more like a frightened rabbit than an eager puppy at the moment. "Reg, you remember Connor, right?"

"Connor? That doesn't make any sense."

"Connor, our intern."

"Elaborate. Define Connor," Reg said.

Zephyr looked at Connor, and Connor looked expectantly at Zephyr. Zephyr motioned Connor to step closer, then took his hand and Reg's and slapped them together. Reg latched on; if Connor wanted to bolt, he'd missed his chance. By the look on Connor's face, Zephyr guessed that Reg had his hand in that famous iron grip.

"This," Zephyr announced, "is Connor."

"Hi," Connor said nervously.

"Careful," Reg said, almost as nervously.

"I'll... I'll try. I just wanted to tell you a few things about the notes I took on the Sweeney project." Connor tried to open the folder he was holding with just his left hand, but found it impossible. "May I?" he asked, giving a little tug on his firmly grasped right hand.

Reg nodded but didn't move.

Connor tugged harder. "Let go."

Reg let go... Connor opened his folder and located the notes in question, and Reg turned back to the parts trays. Zephyr stifled the urge to laugh out loud, or to interfere.

"Uh... Reg?" said Connor. Getting no reaction, he glanced at Zephyr.

Zephyr just shrugged. Connor needed to figure out how to handle this type of situation on his own, and Zephyr wasn't leaving until he did. He had to hand it to the kid, though... Connor didn't give in easily.

"Reg, I need you to look at this. Zephyr, he's ignoring me again. What do I do?"

"Well, what got his attention last time?"

Connor's expression turned to near-panic, but Zephyr nodded him ahead anyway. Gingerly, Connor stepped forward, grabbed Reg by the shoulder, and turned him around to face him again. Of course, being so large, gingerly for Connor approached forcibly for anyone else.

"Reg," Connor stated slowly, "I need to tell you some things about the Sweeney project. Listen to me."

Reg looked confused. "I... wasn't expecting you."

"That's okay. Just listen. Where it says 32" doorway, I forgot to take the door itself into account, so the measurements should read 30" instead. 30" horizontal clearance instead of 32"." Connor rattled on for a bit, listing several additional changes and he pointed to the corresponding notations on the paper he held in front of Reg. When he was done, Reg reached out and took the sheet of paper, leaving Connor to stare helplessly at Zephyr.

"That went pretty well, I'd say," Zephyr offered with a grin. "However, next time you may want to write him a memo. He likes memos. And then he tends to let you keep your own notes."

****

Hmm, let's see that again from Reg's point of view.

Reg needed six 1/16", 1 1/16" length bolts. They were in here somewhere, but somebody had filled the appropriate tray with 1/16", 1" bolts. Now they were all mixed together, and Reg was wishing he could have coworkers who checked measurements properly.

Everyone has shortcomings, the other voice reminded him, but he found the comment irrelevant.

He became aware of people in the workroom with him. They approached him; he located a bolt and then another. Two down.

It's Zephyr, the other voice said.

Then Zephyr was there with them. A large figure stood behind Zephyr but didn't make a move to join them.

Hi, Zephyr! the other voice said cheerily, waving and grinning. Reg greeted him too: "Zephyr. I'm glad you came inside."

"Uh... yeah." Zephyr seemed pleased to be there, but he was in his distant mode... no, he was almost, but not quite. Zephyr was very close, but at the same time distant.

Businesslike, the other voice suggested. Yes, that was it. Businesslike. Minding his business. But Reg would have preferred to invite Zephyr further into his awareness. He thought he noticed Zephyr peering curiously toward the depths of his mind and it occurred to him that maybe he should welcome Zephyr into there. It was... it was only fair. He shouldn't hide secrets from the person who loved him.

No, save that for tonight.

Yes, agreed Reg. Turning to Zephyr, he said, "This is a good place to stay. You don't want to go further back. I don't even go there much. It's dark."

"Reg, you remember Connor, right?" Zephyr said.

Reg inquired of the other voice. Connor? Oh... connor. Someone who cons.

"That doesn't make any sense."

It was just a wild guess. I don't know what a connor is.

"Connor, our intern," said Zephyr.

Zephyr knows. Ask Zephyr.

Reg did. "Elaborate. Define Connor."

Zephyr took Reg's hand and pulled the large figure forward, and before Reg had time to wonder if he should stop him, Zephyr had invited another person in. The large figure was a person. The person, it became apparent, was Connor.

"Hi," the other person said.

Reg was worried that the person would want to see the depths too. It was okay to show Zephyr... when he's not being businesslike! Right. But this person was a stranger. He might not understand how important privacy was. "Careful," Reg warned him. No poking around.


***
I'll finish this later. Too tired now.

****

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