Lab Coats and Opera Notes

Posted on 12 Oct 2023 @ 6:16am by Lieutenant JG Sofie Ullswater & Lieutenant JG Montgomery Vala
Edited on on 06 Nov 2023 @ 1:44pm

2,996 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: Episode 18 - Cold Station 31
Location: USS Galileo-A - Deck 4, Chief Science Officer's Office, Geology Lab
Timeline: MD18 - 1030hrs

[ON]

As a first day, it was proving to be more of a marathon than a sprint. He'd already had a medical check up, investigated some of the labs, met the bright and breezy Ensign Zalos, and been confronted in a strange conversation with an engineer.

Next stop was his department lead, someone who had been eager to meet but had precious little details of. During his long journey to Regula I he had been given some briefing documents, but the Chief Science Officer position had been listed as unfilled. Upon arrival he was provided with an update that he needed to report to a Chief nontheless so after preparing a station in the labs, he walked down a deck to the CSO's office.

Upon arrival he pushed the chime and straighened himself up, running a hand through his hair. "Lieutenant Montagomery Vala, for uhm..." He did not have a name. "...the Chief Science Officer."

He was answered by silence. Nothing for a moment, and then another moment, and it would have gone on like that had it not been for a passing crewman "I don't think she's moved in yet, sir. You could try the geology lab." With a helpful smile the man gestured down the corridor, but he clearly had other things to be getting to and didn't linger.

"Oh... thank you." Vala called after the busy crewman, feeling a little awkward, then proceeded in the direction of the gesture. Moments later, and a quick check of the deck listing that he was in the right place, he walked into the geology lab and looked around. "Hello?"

Sofie glanced up from where she sat at a small desk, placing the documents she'd been reading neatly down on the table. She didn't recognise the man who appeared at the door but the teal uniform immediately put her on guard, he could be another doctor come to poke around in her head. There was no need to let that show though, she put on her winning Ullswater smile and asked "Hi, can I help?"

Vala immediately turned towards the woman at the desk. He hadn't seen her as he first walked in. "Yes, perhaps you can." He returned a small smile. "I'm looking for the Chief Science Officer. I was told to 'report in' as it were."

"That's me, Sofie Ullswater." She answered immediately but it took her a moment longer for the man's second sentence to sink in. This was not a doctor, her eyes flicked down to the desk and what she had just been reading, she hadn't made it to personnel changes yet. She rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Report in? I'm sorry, are you a new member of the crew?"

"Yes I am. New I mean." He nodded. "I arrived the day before yesterday. Lieutenant Montgomery Vala." He walked over and extended his hand. "It is good to finally meet you. I am your new Deputy. My apologies for not being well acquainted with the situation - my briefing pack didn't include your name I'm afraid."

"And I'm still reading mine." she pointed down at the notes on her desk before standing up and grabbing the hand. It was then she noticed just how much taller the other lieutenant was than her, it was almost comical. "It's my first day on the job." she gave in way of explanation "So, given that neither of us know who each other are why don't you pull up that chair," She pointed at one on near one of the workbenches "And we'll have a natter about ourselves."

"Very good." Vala cast his eye in the direction she was pointing and moved quickly to retrieve the chair. As he did so he regarded the woman who had greeted him. It was clear that Sofie was substantially younger than him, probably as handful of years out of the academy. No issues there - he'd not taken the posting for rank or favour. He sat down next to her. "So are congratulations in order. Or are you a fellow transfer?" He asked lightly.

"I've been with the ship a while, but I'm also not exactly sure congratulations are in order." She crossed one leg over the other and leaned an elbow on the desk, presenting herself as relaxing into the conversation "I'm filling some rather large boots and..." she tilted her head from side to side "Things are a little fraught on the ship at moment, we're all waiting for Captain Saalm to come back."

"It is often the way... the shoes are usually large." Vala recalled his first posting on the USS Antares, his first stint leading the science department there was from the trenches of a dead planet, having witnessed the true power of a Seletron radiation weapon, desiccating Lieutenant Freelock, his then CSO and mentor. "You will surely end up filling them. People out here on the frontiers always tend to rise to the challenge in my experience." He gave what he hoped was a look of confidence. "Captain... Saalm? I'm unfamiliar. To be honest I'm quite hazy on the details of your last mission and the situation at large. Everyone I have spoken to about it has been rather vague."

"I'll fill you in on what I can though much of what is past is locked behind security clearance and much of it I myself don't know." Sofie was secretly glad that she had an excuse not to mention her unfortunate actions of the last week, some things do not make a good impression. "A portion of this crew has been serving under Captain Saalm for years now. There was a first Galileo and a series of incidents that were all before my time so I can't fill you in too much. But three weeks ago Captain Saalm was called away on a special mission leaving us under the temporary command of Captain Tarin." She paused in her narrative before it had even really begun "Have you met the Captain yet?"

"I understand, of course. I'm all too familiar with things that must remain under lock and key." The Romulan way, he mused. "Any information you deem pertinent would be helpful, but we can of course move on to other things... the future is our concern now." The circumstances of the Galileo were of course very curious, but he would find out in time details people were willing to share. "I have not. I was hoping to meet her later today."

"She's a reasonable woman." Sofie said briskly, her feeling right now were complicated and not in a conversationally interesting way, what was relevant were the feelings of others "She made a lot of changes looking to increase security and discipline that the crew haven't been fond of: an alcohol ban, mandatory exercise and surprise inspections." She gestured, with a curve of the hand, to herself "I'm also one of her changes, charged with increasing security in the department." And also rather unpopular... she chose not to add, it had nice symmetry but Vala really didn't need to know that.

"Well that is helpful context." He didn't really know what to make of it. "Given that I'm new I suppose it is just going to be my normal. And security is, naturally, important. I appreciate you filling me in." Vala kept his eyes on Sofie, he'd learned from years amongst the Rihanssu that until trust was earned, every word is deliberately chosen to paint a picture.

"I know you must be very busy. What with all... this." He gestured to the files. "I suppose the key things for me right now are first, how can I support you as your deputy in the immediate future and second, is there anything you'd like to know about me before I have to disappear off to other meetings." He gave a small smile. "You have my file of course but I am here in the flesh."

"Well I'll have to read it at some point but sure, while you're here, why not give me the short version," she replied leaning back a little "Who is Montgomery Vala?"

A question with many answers. Words carefully chosen paint a picture, he reminded himself. "Well to address the most obvious point, that is often a subject of curiosity..." He vaguely gestured to his face. Greenish skin. Pointy ears. "... I am Romulan. A refugee of the Star Empire." He paused before continuing. "I was a fairly promising scientist there but ended up on the wrong end of one political intrigue or another and was forced to flee. So took my modest talents to the Federation." From a commendation by the praetor to a Tal Shiar torture chamber. It was the kind of fall that the Rihanssu really relished in.

"Thankfully the Federation and I have gotten along famously. I have had two stints at Daystrom, and two deep space assignments before the Galileo." A wash of memories. Best to keep details vague for the time being. "And here I stand. Or sit, I suppose." He smiled a little, but did not break eye contact. "Recreationally, I enjoy the holodeck - who doesn't I suppose; literature; the odd game of Khariat; classical music... I'm not sure if that's in my file." He paused again, seemingly finished. "Oh! Probably pertinent for your... uh... planning..." He gestured to the desk. "My specialisms - particles and waves most generally. Astrophysics and a bit of exochemistry. Temporal mechanics too but I have not found many practical use for that on a starship. Lately I have been interested in hyper-magnetised Gallicite, but more for its magnetism than its geology..." He trailed off, having reached a sort of conclusion.

She probably should have been paying attention to the professional information, the specialisms and such, after all that was Sofie's job now. But there was one thing the the other scientist said that cut through all the layers of protective professionalism, all these years in science, to a Sofie inside her that she hadn't been looking after for a long time. It was clear in her voice that something had changed, that practiced precision replaced with almost childlike curiosity. "Did you ever, before things changed, did you ever go to the opera on Romulus?" When she was little she'd dreamed of one day singing in the opera houses of ch'Rihan, places that didn't exist anymore.

Vala blinked, and cocked his head to the side slightly. Curious. "Opera?" He blinked again. This was by far and away the most interested Sofie had been throughout their albeit brief encounter so far. "Yes. In... better times. " It wasn't his favourite period to recollect but if it broke the ice a bit it would perhaps be worth it. "There were a couple of years where I was 'on the up' as it were and I had the means and status to take in a variety of different pieces of theatre and music on Romulus. I attended the opera twice." He kept a close eye on Sofie, curious what her connection to this was. "I was fortune to see the great Thalor tr'Havran perform in Shalara's Kraep'lesafe, that is... Lament." The name rolled off his tongue in his distinctive Rihannsu accent. He had taken Celia. Before... everything. "And... I think it was... The Nexelis I'ekhokedh ...uhm... Nocturne. It was beautiful as I recall. All... well... gone now I suppose." He tried not to think about it. "Rihannsu opera... I have not heard many in the Federation speak of it. Why do you ask?" He smiled a little, hoping his response had been satisfactory.

A little giddy with excitement she ignored the question. "I know that run of Kraep'lesafe, I had a recording of it when I was younger." In this moment gone was the Sofie Ullswater whose name was found Starfleet manifests and back was the Sofie Ullswater whose name was embossed on the fine paper of a cast list. "It had t'Aei singing the part of Vriha. I used one of the arias, ri'fvehai jol'akhe, as an audition piece often. I studied that recording so closely..." She shook her head, memories of late nights sitting in bed listening and making notes on her score. t'Aei had so beautifully captured that fiery indignance and Sofie had tried so hard to replicate that performance. "To have been able to see it in person... I can't imagine."

"t'Aei... yes. A true virtuoso." He nodded. It had been a beautiful night - Celia looking serene, a smile never leaving his lips. The great and the good congratulating him on his successes. He recalled the grand opera house in all its opulence - arches, vaulted ceilings, emerald green silks and crimson carpets. The first note t'Aei sang stirred the soul and chilled the bones. "Truly a master of the art. It was... profound." He wished he could put the experience more clearly into words for Sofie. He suddenly felt a deep appreciation for her earnest love of this aspect of his people's culture. Years of indifference or hostility meant it took him completely by surprise. A wave of emotion washed over him as a result. He took a moment and took a deep breath. "It is... gratifying to know Rihannsu opera is... appreciated by some in the Federation."

"Well," Sofie shrugged apologetically "I'm not from the Federation. I come from an independent Terran colony, might have something to do with it. I know in the last five years a lot of the interest has waned." She chose not to elaborate on that, he surely understood on a much deeper level than her the amount of cultural destruction that Hobus has wrought. "Its been a while since I've had someone to talk to about such things."

Vala nodded. He tried not to think too much about the supernova. He knew there was a lot of grief somewhere within him but his last experience of the Star Empire had been a trauma of its own. It was easier to let it lie as much as possible. "Well... admittedly... me too." He kept eye contact with Sofie. The meeting had taken an odd turn but not for the worse. "Its probably been twenty years since I have really thought about opera..." His voice had a slightly ethereal quality to it. "Perhaps..." He caught himself a little. He did not wish to be unprofessional on their first meeting. "Let me know if you would care to listen on some occasion. I would not be adverse to discussing it more..."

"Sweet as!" Talking about opera again that New Sydney accent, that she normally tried her best to repress, had started to come through in her voice. She hadn't noticed until that old colloquialism came out, and when she did she quickly righted the situation. "That would be nice." She gave a little nod and her tone of voice shifted back into that measured professional Sofie.

"Back to business, I'd love to tell you what I'll be needing from you as deputy but, well," Sofie shrugged and pointed at her reading material "I'm still working out everything that's involved in my own job. We're the ship's largest department which means there will be a lot of admin but I'm certain though that there will be plenty of time for gallicite too." She didn't intend to shake up Sandoval's policy too much, independent research was still going to be a vital part of life in the department even if no longer her main priority.

Vala silently acknowledged her enthusiasm by mirroring her nod, and made a mental note to make plans at a later date. He knew that them getting along well would be the difference between a mediocre and a excellent department.

"There is no rush, I am not expecting any lists of instructions or elaborate plans from you," he said with what he hoped was a reassuring tone. "Not until you are ready to provide any at least." He smiled. "I have worked in many science teams in my time, and led a few. I shall do my best to anticipate what may be needed and I will, of course, provide you with all the support I can offer." He sensed a strong determination from Sofie, he was keen for that to remain unabated. He was not someone who responded well to weak leadership. "Please let me know if there is anything I can do in the imminent future."

"I will," Sofie replied with a well practiced smile "And I hope you'll let me know if there's anything I can do to help you settle in. In the meantime I suggest maybe getting your bearings on the ship and meeting the rest of the team would be a good first day."

"I will do my best to do so, though many meetings await me I fear," he said lightly. "Nothing comes to mind immediately but I would be very happy to meet again once you have your agenda set and we are underway. An assignment will be coming any day now as I understand it." Vala was looking forward to getting past all of the introductory stuff. It was easier to get a sense of people when they were working. "I will let you get back to your things. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me." He stood up. "Jolan'tru, Sofie." He gave a respectful nod.

"Jolan'tru." She responded in kind with a nod of her own. This whole meting may have taken her by surprise but it wasn't necessarily a development she was unpleased by. This was something she felt she could work with, just slot it into the plan.

[OFF]

--

Lieutenant (JG) Montgomery Vala
Deputy Science Officer
USS Galileo-A

Lieutenant (JG) Sofie Ullswater
Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo-A

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