Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental multi-fandom project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 10 April.

After the unauthorised flight of the NX-Beta, the Vulcan ambassador confronts the human engineer who assisted in the operation.

Disclaimer: Star Trek Enterprise and all associated characters and situations are the property of CBS studios, and are used by myself for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

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"...Just Takes A Little Longer"
By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

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"The difficult we can do immediately, the impossible just takes a little longer."

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Ambassador Soval thought the focus which the human engineer displayed to his work was impressive, would be impressive even for a Vulcan. The Vulcan diplomat and his party had been cautioned not to approach the engineer until he had acknowledged them and so far they had found themselves waiting for twenty-three minutes and seven seconds since their arrival during which time the human had allowed nothing to divert his attention from his work.

"Lieutenant Tucker," Attache Tos finally spoke, having reached the point where he felt any further waiting would be illogical, only to feel a sharp pain as something struck his forehead and then fell to the floor where it could be seen to be a small bolt thrown with surprising accuracy considering that the engineer had not changed from his position with his back on the floor and the upper half of his body inside the maintenance hatch. Appearantly the warning had possessed merit, judging by Lieutenant Tucker's reaction to Tos' interruption of his work.

"Keep your shirt on, I'll be out in a bit," the human drawled, adding to himself in a mutter, "Damn ding-bats did this wiring wouldn't know a peach from a teakettle..."

Soval raised an eyebrow at the human's usage of such colorful metaphors, concluding that between the less than complimentary tone and the statement regarding the differences between an Earth fruit and a piece of cookware that the metaphor involved negative connotations towards the person or persons who had previously interacted with the wiring which the Lieutenant was now.

"Blasted fools had done this on a ship, the whole Electro-Plasma System would've blown," Tucker continued to mutter, "Be just right if it did on a ship they were on an' they had to get out and push it home... There she goes, just like that..."

Tucker slid out from inside the hatch and sat up, but didn't stand when he saw that his visitors weren't Starfleet or United Earth, "Something I can do for y'all, gentlemen?"

Soval folded his hands together and began to speak, "It puzzles us as to why a man of science and engineering would take part in a dangerous endevour such as the incident with the Warp Two prototype. Surely your experience with technology has shown you the logic of a methodical approach to eliminate potentially flaws. I fail to see why you supported a dangerous attempt to prove a theory over a safer method of trial and error."

"Yeah, and Edison never failed, he just discovered ten thousand things that didn't work," Tucker scoffed.

If Soval had been human he might have frowned, "I do not understand."

"Ambassador, when Starfleet was formed we adopted the old United States Armed Forces slogan; 'The difficult we can do immediately, the impossible just takes a little longer'. It's not about emotions and logic, it's about the fact that humans don't quit like you Vulcans do. You just look at something and say it's impossible and walk away. We look at the same thing and say it's impossible now, what do we need to do to make it possible."

"How does that belief factor into the equation?"

"We coulda spent ten years working on the engines and gotten nowhere 'cause the problem t'weren't with the engines," Tucker rolled his eyes, "We had a theory and tested it, we got proved right. If we hadn't, we'd have known it was the engines and coulda gone from there. Now, maybe that ain't the way y'all woulda done it, but it worked for us. Instead of making a 'logical' assumption, we went looking for the problem, found it and fixed it... That's why you're scared of us."

"Fear is an emotion."

"Fear's a natural response to a threat," Tucker corrected, "We've done in a century what must've took you two or three times that, maybe more. That means we're a threat to the image of the great and powerful Vulcan High Command you want everyone to see, we're proof to everyone that your way's not always the best way for somebody else."

The Southerner leaned forward with a smirk, "And you should be scared, Ambassador, 'cause this is one tortoise and hare race that I plan to make sure ends with turtle soup when it comes to who's got the better engines."

"I believe we are done here," Soval stated firmly, turning on his heel and leaving the room quickly, Tos following right after him.

When the door had shut behind them, Tucker shifted his position slightly and leaned back against the wall, chuckling to himself at the thought of a bunch of Vulcans lined up like turtles on a log sunning themselves.

"Ooh, I'm a wascally one," Trip joked to himself in the empty room.