[She takes all this in, trying to commit as much of it to memory as she can. It seems a peculiar style of machine to her, the way it's so closely modelled on the human form, and with a lance and shields, and she's not sure how much affectation was prized over efficiency of design, but she can't deny that the overall effect is very striking.]

I'm not an engineer, either, so maybe I wouldn't understand even if you did say more. [She smiles, self-deprecatingly.] I'm an astrogator, so that's - piloting, along with plotting courses and keeping charts. I do know enough to say that your Ahab Reactors sound very different to our engines and generators. Our artificial gravity is actually one of the most annoyingly unreliable things about our ships. Far too many fluctuations; you have to keep absolutely everything strapped down in place unless you want to risk returning to chaos in your cabin or your office.

[Of course, in this shipyard, she can pick out something which has all the advantages of Tradeliner technology, with none of the glaring faults. It's all a little overwhelming for the young lieutenant, and seeing Kimaris Vidar is a very welcome distraction.]

So he was yours, back home, and you brought him here with you? Will you have him instead of a starship, or in addition?