(boot steps running on metal, distant)

Captain: I say, old friend, do you hear that?

First Officer: Is it the dull droning of the alarm klaxons?

Captain: Oh, goodness no. I've tuned those out already.

(boot steps running on metal, less distant)

First Officer: Could it be perhaps the thrumming of the power conduits?

Captain: Ha! Like the beat of my own pulse in my ear, I'd be more worried if you couldn't hear that.

(boot steps running on metal, just outside blast door)

First Officer: Well, then, I haven't the foggiest. What does it sound like?

Captain: It's almost like-

(blast door opens)

Engineer: (panting, gasping) Cah... cap... tah... (unintelligible)...

Captain: -a poor, desperate woman running as fast as she can. It's stopped now.

First Officer: Goodness me, Chief. What drove you to run all the way here from Engineering?

Engineer: (takes water cup from servo-droid) Need... give... (gulping) ah... report...

Captain: Why didn't you just use the internal COMs to relay your report?

Engineer: COMs... down... (urp) oh... pulled... muscle...

First Officer: Is that your report? The COMs are down?

Engineer: No... sir... (throws up in water cup) also... trams...

Captain: Okay, that was gross. Quick question, how far is it from engineering to here?

Engineer: Several... kilometers... can I... have more water...

Captain: Of course. Also, what's a human being's top running speed?

Engineer: Really... slow... can't... do the math... right now... need to sit...

Captain: Let me help you out there, then. If you ran at a measly 13 or 14 KPH, it would have taken you about an hour and a half to get to the bridge.

First Officer: Not counting the various access tubes you'd have to climb to get on the same deck.

Captain: In that time, could you and your team, maybe... have fixed the COMs and tram system?

Engineer: ...

First Officer: Servo-droid, get her some more water, will you?