Life Will Out

Posted on 30 Jun 2018 @ 6:36pm by Lieutenant JG Rizil Chaya & Petty Officer 3rd Class Raine Ni-ya

2,266 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Episode 15 - Emanation
Location: Corridors, Near A Jefferies Hatch
Timeline: MD139 1400

ON:

The Galileo was home to an innumerable number of scientists and explorers, of varying species and cultures, including one Raine Ni-ya, who was mid-stride down the corridor at a quick pace to attend to one of her projects that had rapidly turned for the worse.

Unfortunately for Raine, an incident occurred that would quickly detract her attention away from work and to the individual who had literally just fell, head-first, out of a Jefferies hatch mounted on the wall.

"Aaahh!" the offending individual in a yellow services uniform bonked themselves off the deck plating, her light brown eyes wide in equal amounts shock and pain. "Ow," she decided after rubbing the lump which had formed on the top of her head. She felt around her ear, and then scrambled to her feet. "Oh no. Oh no oh nooo." She prised the hatch back open and craned on her tip toes to peer inside it.

Raine, who was holding up a tube with some liquid in a gloved hand and wearing the standard teal of Science, plus a lab coat, paused and looked over at the woman. For a moment it was with disinterest. The colour could mean a number of departments and she had her fill of Operations running over the place. And yet, she did lower the tube and secure it. Truth was, she was consciously making an effort here, to be...more...

Human.

Like a person, she supposed. Which in itself was interesting because the woman who had come in was not human. A quick look confirmed to Raine Ni-ya that she was Bajoran, although the shape of the eyebrows told her of some other heritage too. Romulan or Vulcan, it could be either. She walked over to her, clearing her throat to try and make it sound a little less gruff. "Can I help you?"

"I am the victim of an inertial-dampening related conspiracy," Chaya popped her head out to grin at the newcomer and wave, before reaching her whole arm inside and feeling around. "A ha!" When she withdrew it, she held a small silver earring in hand. "Veita!" she swore in Bajoran, which went un-translated. The clasp was broken, so she wrapped it up in a cloth and placed it inside the utility box on her belt. "Whew," she finally took a breath as she got a load of her bearings.

Raine looked at the woman before she gave a small nod. "Fascinating," she said and turned away from her, moving back to look at the readings on the screen. "Sometimes, a malfunction is just a malfunction and not a conspiracy."

"That might be true, but conspiracies are definitely more fun. Okay, scratch that, they are way less fun if they involve being unceremoniously dumped on my brain pan." As if reminded, she scratched her head once more. "I'm Lieutenant Rizil," she extended a hand. "Chaya," she amended with her first name. "As far as first impressions go, this could have probably gone better."

"Crewman Raine Ni-ya," Raine did not look at at, instead watching her readings, frowning slightly before she pushed back and moved to the other end of the lab, picking up a tricorder. "Lieutenant." She added about half a minute later, as if having reminded herself that the woman who crashed the lab outranked her.

"May I ask what you're working on?" Chaya gazed around the laboratory curiously, dusting herself off.

"Survival of the fittest," Raine said before she looked at her, meeting her eyes for a moment, unblinking. "One of the scientists is running an experiment by taking bacteria from various planets, putting two together and see which one wins. Then the strongest is pitted against another one and another one and another one. Don't worry, it is not the sort of bacteria that will make a humanoid ill...they're...harmless. For now anyway, although I have a theory that they will adapt and mutate until we get something that can eventually hurt. I am monitoring it though, so you are safe." She moved over to a console and brought up the microscopic view of the two bacteria...fighting it out. "If it changes, I will let you know and lock us down on quarantine."

"So, it's like a bacteria-themed cage fight?" Chaya condensed all that down, leaning over to squint at the microscopic imagery. "That. is. so. cool."

"I was aiming towards reckless and stupid but I have my orders," Raine said with a small shrug of her shoulders, her eyes going to the woman. Vulcan blood. The shape of the eyebrows had her leaning towards it. She would love a sample of the other woman's DNA to confirm, but that as rude. And Raine was still learning what was rude and what was not rude.

"I'm told that stupidity on this vessel is directly proportional to the axis of scientific achievement," the Bajoran joked wryly. Chaya caught her staring, and those eyebrows knit slightly. "Everything all right?" she offered a smile.

"Trying to determine how much of you is Vulcan," Raine said in complete honesty and with a serious face all while still watching her. "Of course, you are mostly Bajoran. I thought maybe there was some Romulan but I think it is Vulcan, the shape of the eyebrows, the forehead and proportions with the rest of the features suggests Vulcan to me."

"Uhhh," Chaya replied intelligently. She was a little taken aback, but not offended, and she laughed lightly, quick to recover on her feet. "Yeah, you're got a good eye. My great-grandfather was fully Vulcan, so I'm only 1/8th. Genetics are an odd thing. I look more Vulcan than my mother did! How about you? I'm sure you've heard this before, but I've not encountered your species. Are you a Federation member?"

"No," Raine shook her head and looked at the bacteria fighting each other for dominance. "I am Cereijan," she added, knowing it would not mean much for the woman. "We are not members of the Federation, we tend to...stay away from other species except to trade for necessities." She moved her hand to minimise the display, knowing the result but letting the computer record it regardless. She was under orders after all and would have to write up the notes.

Chaya could certainly understand that. For years after the Occupation, she advocated for Bajoran independence, desiring the BPG to distance themselves from the Federation. After the War, though, the attitudes of most Bajorans had shifted, including Chaya's. (Obviously, since she was in uniform.) "How did you come to join Starfleet?" Chaya wondered, her tone purely conversational. She leaned her elbow against the counter that didn't contain any monitors or consoles, watching Raine work curiously.

Raine's gloved hands stopped for a moment before she shook her head, the fingers resuming. "I was at odds with my government," she said quietly. It was public anyway, a quick look at her record would see it. "Part of a...resistance to overthrow the government. We were discovered, my cell was destroyed and I managed to get off the planet and sought asylum with the Federation. After the debriefing and being granted asylum, I decided I wanted to give back. Starfleet was the place to do it. This is my first...posting. Well. Will be my first posting once the crew is together."

She elected not to give Raine a Bajoran history lesson. The crewman's clear knowledge of genetics and lineage made it likely she already knew, but once more Chaya found herself nodding along. She'd been at odds with her own government since she was old enough to pick up a phaser. She had been too young to fight, but she'd subverted the Bajoran-led Internal Council as best she could. "I'm glad you were able to escape that environment," she said, smiling genuinely. "And you definitely seem to know your stuff. I'm new aboard as well, just finished a year's posting on the Seine."

Raine glanced at her at the words before she gave a small shrug. "I do not know it. But I suppose a ship is a ship. How do you feel about such a long...tour?" She knew the ship she was heading onto was going out for two years. For many, that was a long time for someone to be away from what they were familiar with.

"Oh, I'm thrilled. I've been in the Fleet for a good eleven years now, just riding the waves, but I'm interested in obtaining more responsibility and experience. Being on a frontier ship is that means." She hopped up onto the counter, swinging her legs lightly. Chaya always seemed to be moving. "How about you? I gather the prospect is a little daunting, huh?"

"A ship seems more familiar than a planet," Raine said after a beat before she frowned, shaking her head slowly. "And Earth does not agree with me. I will be more of use doing science out in space. I want to see if I can experience a community."

"Is that not something you're familiar with, or are Federation communities in particular a challenge?" Chaya asked, head tilted thoughtfully.

Raine considered it, clearly thinking about it. "I just got told that it was like a family," she said softly. "And I am curious what family is, so...I hope to see it."

"I hope you do, too," Chaya said warmly. "Everybody deserves that. In my experience, family starts small. For example: do you guys have any kind of sports or games on your homeworld?"

"Games of logic, but they are educational," Raine said as he considered it before she let out a soft breath and rolled her eyes. "So no. No games. Or sports."

"OK, not unexpected," Chaya said, but it was not intended to be mocking. "If you'd like, maybe you could join me on the holodeck later? You know, reaching out, mutual activities, all part of the friendship train." She smiled brightly. "We could go a couple rounds of Springball. It's, uh, logical, because it helps hone skills like hand-eye coordination, and... you know... math, score... points..." she shot a finger-gun at Raine. "Physical competition can be just as stimulating as mental games." She tapped her temple. Thiiiiis was yeah, not going to happen probably. Her eyebrows arched hopefully.

Raine looked at her before she turned to face her, properly, arms folded. "Do I look like I am someone who will be good at a physical competition? I would be more likely to drug you and claim to have won," she said drily, seaching Chaya's eyes, her own unblinking. And yet, she was amused. She was amused by this conversation. By this woman.

"That, well, that is a... skill!" Chaya tried to turn it around on a positive, at least. "OK, yeah, didn't really anticipate that taking off. I sure love a good old fashioned educational game, though! What's your favorite one?" Look, she was determined, here.

"If you want to meet outside of work and talk, perhaps the bar is better where drinks can be had. Drinks where the hydroxyl functional group is bound to a carbon does work on me too," Raine said before she folded her arms across her chest. "If you are interested, Chaya."

"Definitely so much better than my idea," she beamed. "Count me in! I don't know what a hydroxyl functional group is! But you bet I'll find out. See? Working together, solving the big issues. We're nailing it."

"Nailing it..." Raine said before she leant close, to whisper in her ear. "And it's alcohol, by the way. In case someone ever asks you to identify it..." she pulled back from the other woman with a small smile, moving back to her work. "You will do well. You are disarming and beautiful. People, especially humans, respond well to it."

"Oh, really. Well, you should know, my ego totally responds well to flattery," Chaya grinned. "And my head just grew about thirty sizes. It's like I'm a reverse Grinch. I watch way too many Terran movies, don't ask," she side-barred for a moment, and then clapped Raine on the shoulder. "Perfect. Friendship initiated."

Raine looked at her for a moment before she nodded. "Well, at least a casual drink. Somehow, I think it is the only way to get you out of my lab so I can complete this before Lieutenant Waste of Space can take credit for my work."

"Youuuu would be correct," Chaya laughed. "Tell Lieutenant Waste of Space hiiii!" she gave an exaggerated wave, and then knelt to retrieve her PADD from the floor. "The lounge. 2000! Be there or be square. Or be there and be square. It's one of those things."

"How can I be...square?" Raine asked and looked down herself for a moment. "That is not my general shape. Unless you are going to...make me square?"

"Consider it one of life's mysteries!" Chaya said over her shoulder as she bowed and backed out of the room.

Raine watched her go before she smiled to herself, shaking her head. Despite her best efforts...she rather liked the woman. And she was pretty sure she would end up regretting it too.

OFF:

Crewman Raine Ni-ya
Science
USS Galileo
[PNPC Constantin Vansen]

&

Lieutenant JG Rizil Chaya
Security/Tactical Officer
USS Galileo

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