SF Drabble #308 “Timbre”

The ship hums. A good engineer can tell from the pitch, from the quality of the tone, from the amplitude, whether things are working as they should be. Caroliana is my first posting as Chief Engineer, and I’m still learning her voice.

The Assistant Chief Engineer is a Phragnian. He shakes his head and says, “You have meters, displays and telltales. They show engine status with scientific accuracy. Why foolish listening? Humans are beyond understanding.”

You might chalk it up to Phragnians having big eyes and little ears. I think some people just don’t get the romance of space travel.

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