Scientists--Botany and Chemistry

Posted on Sat Nov 2nd, 2024 @ 9:06pm by Lieutenant JG Adrian Sage & Lieutenant JG Melinda Sommers & Lieutenant JG Abrasax

1,721 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 8: Palingenesis
Location: Arboretum then Chemistry Lab
Timeline: Prior to "The Great Survey Begins" | After "Episode 7: Non Seipsum: A Long Time Coming"

IC:

Having not heard from the Botany department much, Abrasax wondered if they got lost in their work. It happens to him as well so he smirked as he entered the Arboretum. He looked around at Nature's beauty.

He spotted a woman and realised it was who he had come to see. He approached calmly and knocked on a nearby table. "Hello," he called softly not to startle her. Last think he'd want is for someone to scare him while he was engrossed in his work.

Melinda smiled as she turned to greet her visitor. Dark grey eyes settled on the man, though they were open and friendly despite being a blatant betrayal to their owner's heritage. "Hello," she answered as she put her PADD down. "How may I help you?"

"I'm Lieutenant JG Abrasax, I've been placed as Chief Science Officer and I wanted to check in with the various specialists. I would love to know about the various projects that are currently being conducted," the Denobulan/Antaran hybrid said with a smile and gave a small wave. "That is if you have some spare time?"

"Melinda Sommers-Yoshida," the young woman smiled as she offered her hand in greeting. "And of course I have time for a chat with the chief. I'm the station's botanist and I run a shop in natural products on the promenade. When on duty I busy myself with cultivating greeneries and cataloguing alien flora. Off duty, I make perfumes and creams for a variety of purposes." She continued to smile, her dark grey -near black- eyes studying him. "What's your specialty?"

Abrasax smiled. "Impressive, that is all great. Well done on keeping on top of all that you do," he said and did a quick glance at her collar. "Lieutenant," he smiled. "I might just purchase some of your products. I majored in astro sciences and stellar cartography while minoring in planetary and xeno sciences, though that would have been on top of my Assistant Chief duties then I got Chief so I don't think I'll have much time to put my specialties to the test."

He suddenly smirked. "Though that remains to be seen, anyway. I hope we find many flora and fauna during the system survey that I am certain will be happening soon. Would you be interested in being on the survey team Lieutenant?"

"You have as much time as you allocate yourself sir," Melinda smiled, "you're the chief, all you have to do is schedule the needed time." Her dark eyes lit up at the offer. "Oh yes, but I'll need to talk to Hiro, I mean Lieutenant Commander Sommers - Yoshida. He's my husband and we have two small children. If I can't take them I'll have to find someone to watch them."

Ah the family dynamics, he thought with a half smile. "If he has a problem, I will talk to him." Abrasax gestured at himself and grinned.

"Oh I don't think he'll have a problem," Melinda smiled, "we'll just have to compare duty schedules. Rowan is too young to look after his sister without supervision. He'll brag he's big enough but he's not and he's not grown into his telepathy just yet."

The chief smiled. "I'm sure you are aware that there are additional family support services that can help as well. No one should feel they have to take on all the responsibilities themselves." Abrasax said as he gave a nod. "Forgive me if I did overstep my bounds," he added quickly.

"I know, but one of us still needs to take them or pick them up. We can hardly leave them there for days on end. Even so I'll talk to Hiro, because I'd really like to have this opportunity. If anything, my brother recently moved to the colony to serve as medical. Maybe he can watch them. I'm sure his children might like to have the opportunity to babysit too " she beamed at the man. "Do you have a family sir?"

Abrasax shook his head, "I'm only in my early twenties, well by Federation standards anyway, far too young to be settling down." He laughed awkwardly and gestured to her. "I'm glad you are accepting my request, we leave soon. I hope your projects will be in good hands while you are away, please enlist any help you need." Abrasax smiled. "If you have any recommendations for other staff to join us please do put them forth to me in the next day or so. Who knows what we will find out there and I would like to have many experts as possible, well as many as the station can spare."

He nodded. "If you could let me know as to your needs that your department will require on the Copernicus along with your personnel recommendations would be great as well."

It seemed like he wanted to avoid the whole family of his own subject for the time being. Abrasax did have much to do and time was counting down, though he did have one last question. "What projects are you conducting Lieutenant?" He asked hopeful that they could move onto business.

Melinda gave it a few seconds to let it all sink in. "I'll let you know what I need before shift end," she promised, "and my experiments are mostly to get things to grow in the various climates down planet. Both regular things like roses, but also fruits and vegetables." She paused. "There's a young man in one of the other labs, a recent arrival who I think hasn't got much away team experience yet. A lieutenant Sage? I've seen him in passing but he doesn't seem to be chatty either."

"Very important work," he smiled. "Oh and what does Lieutenant Sage do?" Abrasax asked, he had only recently been going through the Science manifest and learning names, faces and their jobs.

"He's always holed up in one of the chem labs,I don't know him very well," Melinda admitted, "all I know is he's a chemist."

"Thank you, see you on the Copernicus later," Abrasax replied with a smile and waved as he left.

"Of course," the young woman answered, before returning to work.

===Hour or so later, Chemistry Lab===

After Abrasax had bid Lieutenant Sommers farewell and had found the next officer he wanted to enlist. Lieutenant Adrian Sage. He wondered what Adrian was like.

He entered the laboratory for Chemistry and looked around. "Lieutenant Sage?" Abrasax called out.

Adrian lifted the safety glasses from his eyes to look up at his visitor. "I'm he," he answered as he made sure his equipment was safe to leave in place before walking around the desk. He stuffed his glasses into the breast pocket of his labcoat. "Adrian Sage," he introduced himself, "local labrat. What can I do for you?"

A labcoat, Abrasax had to get one soon. They were so useful, some had so many pockets that he could carry some tools with him at all times. "Hello, I'm Lieutenant Abrasax, I've recently been placed as Chief Science Officer and soon we will be conducting a survey of the system. I'd like to see what projects you are working on first up as I am still catching up on department reports." He explained with a smile.

"Not much yet," Adrian explained, waving back to his station. "Determining mineral composition of rock samples brought back from the surface at the moment. And doing some dating too to see how ancient things are"

Abrasax smiled. "Does Cardassian hardware, even though I'm sure our engineers did replace a lot I assume, offer any hinderance?" He asked concerned.

"Not that I've noticed," Adrian admitted, "but I use tricorders mostly and keep my data on a PADD until it's ready for uploading to the computer. Anything else is Federation equipment... so I don't deal with the station's systems much at the moment. Have you noticed any issues?"

"I haven't, which is great, though," he replied and quickly tapped a nearby console top. "Touch metal, it stays that way." Abrasax smiled.

He gestured to himself before he gestured at Adrian. "May I see what your latest project is?"

Nodding, Adrian gestured to the pile of rocks and the various jars of crushed rock. "As I said, chemical composition of planetary rock formations, and carbon dating of various elements found down on the planet."

"Which planet?"

Adrian cast the man a look of surprise. "The one we orbit," he answered, unable to keep the surprise out of his voice.

Abrasax laughed at the reaction. "Shows you I just got here," he said and smiled. "So, do you have a theory as to this station's previous purpose?" He asked to distract the scientist from the newly appointed Chief Science Officer being a new arrival to Styx.

Adrian shook his head. "It's a Nor class station, other than that I know as much as you do I'm afraid. I haven't been here long myself. But we're in orbit of a planet we know little about so perhaps the Cardassians intended colonisation?"

"It is possible," Abrasax replied with a nod. He smiled a moment later. "Well there will be a survey mission to start finding out answers to our questions coming soon, could you join that mission?" He asked.

"Of course, though I believe there already have been people down planet, especially science and medical teams? I heard some even made a home there."

Abrasax grinned. "I mean the rest of the system, not the planet we orbit."

"Ah .." Adrian smiled back. "Yessir, I'd be interested, though I don't have a whole lot of experience with away missions. Usually I just analyse what samples people bring back from their adventures."

With a smile, Abrasax chuckled. "Well, now's a great time to expand your horizons and get experience." He said before he offered his hand. "I better get to other preparations, I will send you the survey mission profile when it is completed. Get ready."

"Yes sir," the young Human smiled, taking the offered hand. "I'll be ready," he promised.

"Cheerio," Abrasax bid Adrian a temporary farewell and headed out of the lab to meet with the other officers.

off

Lieutenant jg Abrasax
Chief Science Officer
DS21

Lieutenant j.g. Adrian Sage
Chemist
pnpc Peter

Lieutenant j.g. Melinda Sommers-Yoshida
Botanist
pnpc Peter

 

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