Minerva's eyes were permanently wide; she couldn't help it, when the mention of the ship that this mission would be using was bought to her attention, how could she not go and see it? It wasn't just that, she also had to...as temporary head honcho of this whole thing. Minerva had to try and muse over what her father would say, how he would react, certainly already she figured he wouldn't be standing, mouth agape like some sort of fish. She couldn't help it. Seriously, the ship was huge, it wasn't just huge, it was massive, it wasn't just massive, it was ginormous. Honestly, she hadn't ever really ever seen any ships, space ships that is, but this vehicle right here was surely going to be the biggest she'd ever see.

The huge, massive, ginormous hulk of metal which so far was the skeletal structure of the ship outdid any small family house. She had to crane her neck up to look at it all, David beside her looked up, minus the fish impression. He even reached across and placed a finger to her chin and pushed it upwards, mouth firmly shut now, no more fish impressions. Even he could admit that it was something fantastic. Humans never failed to amaze when it came to engineering, building, and sheer imagination. He didn't know who designed this ship, but they had a wild imagination.

People busied around the large hangar, everyone doing their own little job, or working together in teams to get the ship done. Minerva turned her face slowly, peeling her eyes away from watching and looked to David. He'd got bored of looking at the ship a few moments ago, so stood looking blankly in her direction. Seeing his blank blue eyes just staring at her caused her to jump. David's lips twitched upwards in a small smile, "Is there a deadline?"

His smile slipped, "Perhaps."

"Is that a yes or a no?" Minerva asked, not understanding.

He sighed and tilted his head, he looked bored with the topic of conversation as his eyes flicked up to watch the rushing people. "Your father will know."

"But you know everything he does when it comes to this project." Minerva said matter-of-factly. Which was true, there was very little David didn't know that he didn't share with Peter Weyland. The information those two stored between their collective brains was really something. It made Minerva's mind boggle. "Or, is it a need to know? And I don't need to know?"

David smiled again, he shouldn't find her frustration endearing, but it was. She'd pout and frown and look really quite ticked off, but David imagined it would be the same as a puppy trying to be angry. Failure. In one word, failure. Too cute and getting fur all backed up for nothing, only to end up whining and rolling over. Not that Minerva would do that, because that would be incredibly weird. But, it was the same faux anger. Just to make it worse, he didn't answer her.

Minerva frowned more and tugged his sleeve, "David! David," she whined quietly, he raised an eyebrow, so the whining happened, the latter thing is a massive no-no. "Please...I need to know."

David inhaled, he exhaled just as slowly. "Sometime this year."

Minerva looked deadpanned. "That doesn't tell me anything!" Her shout only just went over the hum and clanking of machinery. "Maybe if I find the foreman, he'll tell me something...well, something more substantial as that was of no help to me, David, no help at all." Minerva let out a quiet huff and looked about herself. Noticing a small office space, she picked up walking towards that. David's face turned to one of displeasure, he thought he was helpful with his answer, and he certainly didn't like being made to sound useless. Regardless, he picked up walking and followed after her.

He reached her side just as the door opened and a shallow faced, middle aged man in safety gear answered the door. "Hello!" Was Minerva's cheery greeting, the man's dark eyes flicked over her, clearly trying to click who she was, or if he was meant to have a meeting today, or if he had ever met her before. The fact that the man just stared at her, muttering under his breath and side stepping past them both, made it clear he had no intention of talking to them.

Minerva looked up at David, he frowned. He may have disliked Minerva's little moment, but he disliked being ignored even more. Let alone by someone who looked dulled down by his work. Not saying it looked like the man had lost the will to live, but he did look rather rundown. Minerva tugged on his sleeve again, David looked at her as she edged into the room. He glanced once more at the man before moving on in too. The pair looked over blueprints on the desk, Minerva scoffed, David raised an eyebrow at her while turning plans over too.

"What's funny?" He asked, he was curious.

Minerva looked up, "David, our brains are hardwired to searching and learning. There is nothing we can't see or be confronted with, that our brains won't try and solve and determine answers for. We don't need a person to tell us what's going on, we're smart, we can figure it out ourselves." Minerva said while sitting down in the seat and wheeling nearer to look at the thin screened computer on the desk.

David leaned against the back of the chair, leaning down more he reached over and tapped the screen with a finger. Minerva moved the clicker over the file and opened it up. "Well, well," David said, looking down as Minerva looked up. "Next generation," ironic, considering the pair of them. David was about to say something else before there was a shout from the doorway, both looked up startled. David especially stood up and in front of her, no longer basically ear level and close by. He felt Minerva's hands though, mainly on his waist as she stood and peeked around him.

Another man stood there, not that misery from earlier. This one was taller, stockier though, more muscle and a lot more lively looking. "Foreman?" Minerva piped up from over David's shoulder. He was still standing slightly on the offensive, a frown firmly on his face despite of the fact that the man evidently didn't mean harm.

"Grant," the man corrected in a firm voice. "You?"

"Foreman Grant-"

"You don't need to use foreman as a title," David looked at her from over his shoulder. Minerva looked bemused, as if he just started speaking another language at her.

"Right...Grant, I am Minerva, this is David." She gestured a hand to him, he smiled, he got nothing in return so his smile slipped. Minerva though kept a hand on his arm, "I'm standing in for my father. I'm sure by now you've received the message that he is in hospital?"

Grant looked the pair over, he shook his head which caused them both to look confused. "Your sister has already been here."

"Oh..." Minerva sounded confused, David frowned. That really wasn't good.

"I told her everything that she'd need to know for this, or rather what's going on here. She said she was going to report back to you, I take it she hasn't?"

"No."

"Then I also take it that she's acting on her own, for her own curiosity." Grant seemed to catch on quickly even as Minerva nodded her head, David remained motionless. He still wasn't too set on Meredith acting on her own accord. Granted, he suspected she would. Like she would accept Minerva being in charge without acting out. That would be asking for too much. "Want the tour then?" Grant asked, Minerva's head nodded frantically, David reached up and put his hand on the top of her head.

She just smiled then, and Grant sighed, he shook his head and turned on his heels. He waved a hand their way, not wishing to comment on how odd they were. He handed safety gear to Minerva, David merely got a glance. As Grant walked away, Minerva reached over and grasped onto a safety hat and tiptoed up to put it on David's head, she smiled. David smiled slowly too and looked up at the horrible orange material which made up the hard hat. Minerva just smiled and turned and tottered quickly to catch up with Grant. David touched the hat on his head, it was nice to be included.

"From our spying, I saw that it's in the Heliades class of ships." Minerva said while the three of them stood to one side looking up at the side profile of the ship.

Grant let out an odd noise, probably from Minerva's blatant statement of snooping. "Yeah, well, it is, but it's better."

"Aren't new models always?" David questioned, Grant looked at him questionably, David smiled and Minerva sighed. She opted not to comment, Grant however didn't seem to know what to say.

"So, it's better how?" Minerva decided to ask instead.

Grant seemed to put on his business face again. "It's faster, able to travel faster than light; at the moment, it's about the most advanced thing which is going to be out there in the skies. Seriously, this thing means business. It'll get you to where you want to go as quickly as it can, in one piece, no problem."

Minerva nodded, she even let out a whistle. "Woah."

"Woah indeed." Grant agreed and nodded his head, his boots scuffed against the ground as they picked up walking again.

"You know what this ship is being used for, right?" Minerva couldn't help but ask. Surely he was in the know? He couldn't honestly be given the task of building a ship, and not know what it's needed for.

Grant paused and turned, he raised an eyebrow and looked at her. "The specifics are hazy. But I'm just expected to oversee you get transport."

Minerva nodded slowly, "Would you like to know?"

Grant smiled, "Are you allowed to tell me? Isn't that like, classified information?"

Minerva shrugged, "Maybe. I don't know, I've not been told to keep shtum. A highly qualified group are setting out to the stars to find the origins of mankind." Grant's eyes widened over hearing that, he even looked at David for some reason, and David nodded.

"Deep space."

"Very deep space." Minerva confirmed, she looked up, they were at the back end of the ship now. The back seemed to be reasonably finished really in contrast to the rest.

Grant waved a hand, "Four nuclear powered ion plasma engines capable of vertical take-off and landing in any atmospheric and interstellar conditions. The cranes there allow remote access to load any gear onto the back of the ship. There's room for up to twenty vehicles, that isn't even including weaponry you're stowing onboard."

Minerva's eyes narrowed slowly at that. "Weaponry? Are we likely to need that? It isn't like we're going to meet deep space pirates..."

Grant snorted, "You can never be too sure."

"I don't know how to use a gun."

Grant looked almost sympathetic, Minerva was confused. Why would she need to know how to use a gun? "Flame units, pistols, shotguns, and Weyland Corp designed storm rifles, you know the chosen and go to weapons for those security types."

"You mean the mercenaries." Minerva corrected while crossing her arms, Grant just shrugged. Security was the nicer word for them, but paid enough money and it doesn't change much. A mercenary is still a mercenary.

Grant just decided to leave this topic. "The control room is naturally the main hub," he said while they walked around the propulsion units. "All technology, your spectrographs, for example, will be there. Controls for your hypersleep chambers are also there. Controls, etcetera." Grant said rather blankly, technology didn't seem to be his thing, as opposed to the nitty-gritty of making something like an engine, or whatever.

"Is there a list of things which are likely to be on this?" Minerva asked, they were walking back to the office now.

"Yeah, hold on," Grant rummaged about and picked up a list and turned it to her.

David stood and looked over her shoulder. Minerva trailed a finger down the list, letting out another whistle. "RT series group transport, ATV NR6, hypersleep chambers, Class-D escape module, Class-A ejection pod, Pauling MedPod 720i, Intergalactic comm antennas, space suits." She trailed off and looked up at Grant, "Woah."

"Woah indeed." He smirked, "Anything missed off the list?"

"My father composed this list I take it?" Minerva asked, lowering the list to the desk again and deciding to just drop it there gently.

"He did, it's been added to, and obviously things have also been taken off. But yeah, that seems the final list. Unless he's changed his mind?"

"Not that I know of...but then I haven't visited or heard from him lately." Minerva said while tucking her hands into her trouser pockets.

"Are you wanting your quarters to be like your sister's?"

Minerva frowned, "Excuse me?" She leaned her hands suddenly against the desk. "Show me the plans for that." And so Grant did, making Minerva raise an eyebrow and David look slightly wide eyed, if only for a moment. "No, if my sister wishes to have a power trip, let her. I'm quite happy having a room just like all the rest of the crew. We're all literally in the same boat, status means very little when in space."

——

(Edited: 14/June/2021)