Shadowlands II

Posted on 30 Apr 2013 @ 3:25pm by Naskisem
Edited on on 08 May 2013 @ 9:25pm

1,835 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 03 - Frontier
Location: USS Galileo: Arboretum, LTjg Maenad Panne's Office
Timeline: MD6 1600 Hours

ON:

"Turbolift," Liyar mumbled, raising his hand toward the end of the hall. "Galileo is a small ship. Eight decks. The main decks that you will use are decks two and four. The mess hall is down there." His finger migrated to the hallway behind her and he crossed in front of her to lead the way. He rapped his fist against two reinforced sets of double doors. "Here. Escape pods are at the next juncture," his eyes moved to a door clearly marked authorized personnel only. They continued walking. "The observation lounge, storage facilities, holodecks one and two." He named each as they passed the doors. They turned another corner and headed back to the lift. He hit the panel at the side once they reached it. "Deck four," he called once they were inside.

Naskisem followed him intently. She thought the corridors were quite bland compared to the interiors. She thought the lights were unnecessarily bright, especially for empty corridors. Why they were on at all she found very confusing. Even for qom'i, it was wasteful. On a ship so small energy had to be conserved. "Who is the chief engineer?" she asked him. Perhaps the engineer would appreciate a good-natured suggestion.

Liyar leaned against the wall of the lift, resting his hand in the crook of his elbow. Her thoughts traveled from the floor, up his feet, simple musings. He let them fall away. A hint of amusement was buried in his eyes. "Ensign Lilou Peers." He decided to spare Lilou the hassle of dealing with Naskisem's overcuriosity. "The lights turn on to help simulate a suitable circadian rhythm," he explained. "This is to combat the effects of living in a totally sealed, isolated environment. Without a proper lighting schedule, most species will begin to deteriorate as their hypothalamus is unable to properly distinguish the passage of time. This is done by light/dark detection. A proper circadian rhythm is extremely important to a majority of species. Rather than meditate, their brains rely on the restorative properties of REM stage sleep. The absence of light/dark detection, causes abnormal sleep schedules, which affects productivity rates and make it difficult to adhere to workshifts. These lights are powered in grid blocks of EPS conduits which operate in closed detection systems. Each block is designed redundantly and retroactively to provide power to every area in the grid simultaneously during normal operations. This reduces the power load." The lift doors opened and he walked out.

"Fascinating," Naskisem raised her eyebrows. The explanation was satisfactory, she thought. But she was still troubled.

"Your file mentioned your specialty is archaeology. As we are a science vessel the majority of our facilities are laboratories and equipment, which you may find useful. The person you are here to meet is the chief science officer. You may request permission to utilize them from her."

"I do not anticipate that I will need to use the instruments during my visit," Naskisem replied, looking from the wall to his eyes. "I am on sabbatical."

The lift doors opened and they walked out. She was still preoccupied with the issue of power use. "The lights could be sensor-activated," she suggested from behind him. "They would turn on or off depending on whether the area was being used. If a corridor is empty, there is no need to waste valuable energy on its illumination." Naskisem was obviously enthralled with her idea. Qom'i, she knew, put a lot of stock in social interaction. How kind or relatable a person was played a major part in deciding their role in the social hierarchy. She knew that most of them were intimidated her species' mental superiority, but she did not want that to be a problem for her. If she could offer her assistance, if she could charitably share ideas that would benefit their ship, they might find it easier to accept her. Qom'i liked sharing and imparting of knowledge, despites its frequent illogic. "Does... Lilou... Peers..." she carefully repeated the alien's name "appreciate suggestions?" she asked, still following. Naskisem hoped that the engineer was receptive to suggestions for improvement. She wanted to impress Liyar's crew, after all. She wanted them to know and like her. She wanted Liyar to know that she was useful, and she wanted Liyar to like her too.

"She may," Liyar said. "Your idea is logically sound, if one were speaking of a single system," he agreed. "Creating a system that functions by sensor detection would theoretically involve recalibrating the entire configuration of the EPS network. There would need to be a separate sensor network, using more power. It would not be as efficient. Closed single-unit detection is more immediately functional." Liyar tilted his head. "It is not Vulcan," he said, "but these people are not unintelligent."

Naskisem tilted her head. She was unconvinced. Power saving was not inefficient. Buildings worked on the same principle she was referring to. Liyar was a diplomat, not an engineer. She would save her suggestion for this Lilou Peers. "Are you trying to be funny?" she asked blankly, as she would have the time. It would not be logical for him to try to amuse her, but she had to get used to that. She sighed in her head; she did not need to laugh to win his favour like the qom'i. She couldn't laugh anyway. She had never laughed in her life. And no matter how troubled he was, he should have known that. She thought that until Liyar allowed her to help him, he would only get worse.

He breathed out through his nose. I tried. Maybe Lilou would hear him. He pushed open the doors to the arboretum and allowed her to go first, extending a palm outward innocuously over her head. "Vulcans are never funny." Visibly as they entered the room, the tension lines in his face smoothed and his shoulders dropped, posture becoming more natural. "Arboretum. Do not feed the ducks, squash bugs, step on butterflies, or cause any catastrophic time-related paradoxes," he instructed in a boring drone. He watched while a line of the waddling birds marched across the grass, circled the lemon tree and beelined for the pond. She thought he wanted to win her favor, but he didn't know why she cared. Why in the world would she possibly concern herself with him, he wondered. Her discomfort, her fear, exasperation, offense, they were clearly known to him. Was she trying to trick him? For what purpose? He frowned to himself, but wiped the expression before she turned to spot it.

"I do not intend to," she said back to him, turning around. She looked down at her feet to make sure that he hadn't negligently killed anything. This was an impressive place, she thought. "The use of holotechnology to create the illusion of being outside is impressive." Naskisem felt a chill in her shoulders. She was not used to this climate. "M class recreation," she could tell. The air was too wet, the surroundings too green, the sky too blue. Completely alien. "What is the function of this place? What are those creatures?"

"It is a laboratory," Liyar answered. "Most of these creatures, the trees and foliage, they are real, not holographic. The arboretum can be made to simulate many environments, to study the effects of life in each." He knelt down, placing his hand on the ground. One of the ducks broke off from the group and awkwardly ran toward them. "Species anas platyrhincos," he identified the greenish tinge on the tiny male's head. It rose its beak and emitted a loud squawk, nipping at the spot above Liyar's fingers. He rose his hand and let the duck follow it.

Naskisem watched in a feigned horror as the anas platyrhincos came running toward them. To her astonishment, Liyar did not care at all. In fact, he started playing with it. Her mouth opened a little in astonishment as he teased it with his fingers. "It does not appear intelligent," she observed.

Liyar shook his head. "Birds are not sentient, nor psi-capable, but they possess a high degree of functional intelligence," he said, making eye contact with the mallard. It moved its head side to side in excitement and flapped its wings. It was clearly very young, and harmless. He jerked his hand upward as it lunged at his fingertips again.

Then it bit him and she rushed to his side. The thing ran off as she grabbed Liyar's hand to inspect it. It seemed all right, other than a greenish spot under his skin. "You should be more careful," she said forcefully. "Instinctive creatures are unpredictable and dangerous, and now you are injured." Naskisem let go of his hand. She eyed the violent animal from where they stood, in case it came back for another go at them.

"Birds interact with their environment by biting, he was not harming -" he paused, tensing at the contact. He tucked his fingers into his palm abruptly, away from hers, and stood. "I am unharmed. We will continue. Through there." He pointed at the opposite door and began walking quickly toward it.

"You should see a doctor," she suggested, following him. On their way to the door she kept a watchful eye on the ducks.

"Your concern is noted, but unnecessary," Liyar said, a little less patiently. Once they left the arboretum, the tension quickly returned. "This is the sickbay," he did mention, tapping the next set of doors they passed since it was a vital area of the ship and would be negligent to exclude.

She said nothing as she followed him, thinking it unwise that he not at least get himself examined. "When can I speak to Lilou Peers?" Naskisem asked from a step behind. "And the captain?"

"You can send a message using your computer terminal to Ensign Peers and request to speak with her when she is not busy," Liyar said. This was it. This was his life. He looked down at the purple bands lining the cuffs of his uniform. Diplomatic officer. Maybe a duck would chase him down and peck his brain out. "Her public frequency is located in the personnel files. I will inform the captain and if she is amenable she will contact you with an acceptable time. Lieutenant Panne's office is that way, if you wish to speak with her now."

"I do," she replied. "Can you get me a commbadge?"

Liyar led them down the corridor to Maenad's office and hit the chime, waiting for her answer. "You will be given a commbadge, yes. I do not possess the ability to issue you one, but I will ensure that the quartermaster is aware."

OFF:

Lieutenant (JG) Liyar
Diplomatic Officer, VDF/SDD
USS Galileo

Naskisem
Alien Archaeologist/Anthropologist, CIV
USS Galileo

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