Welcome to the Nightmare - Part 1

Posted on 03 Mar 2025 @ 10:16pm by Ensign S'Ers-a M'Lyr'Zor & Lieutenant JG Sofie Ullswater

2,702 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Episode 21 - Helix
Location: USS Galileo-A - Deck 7, Arboretum and Main Engineering
Timeline: MD02, 0526 hrs

[ON]

The technical manual in the chief science officer's hands was very clear. She could understand everything it was saying. She could look at the water pumping and filtration complex in front of her and then back to the manual and easily identify which components were which. She could understand the troubleshooting tests that the manual suggested and she had indeed performed them. There was nothing unclear to this situation besides the water in the arboretum's artificial pond. She had no idea how to fix it.

A soft honk of a quack interrupted her, as if to ask why has our water become such and such a colour? "Don't worry Male Number Two," Sofie replied. She didn't need to look up from her work to know which of her feathered charges it was, she knew each of them by their distinctive calls. "I will determine why your water has become such and such a colour."

Could she though? Despite all her best efforts she still stood dumbfounded. It did not make sense why the pump was failing. She tried in vain one last time to adjust the gear-like thing that the manual told her it would be a good idea to adjust. Once again, the pump did not act in accordance with the manual. Sofie needed help.

She knew she needed help, she'd known for about half an hour at this point. She knew it would not be hard to get help from an engineer. After all, main engineering was just around the corner from the arboretum. But she also knew who was on duty in main engineering.

She took a step back from the pipework. A gaggle of waterfowl surrounded her feet. They looked up expectantly as she replaced the wall panel.

It was her job to look after these creatures, those smallest members of the crew who could not look after themselves. She had spent the last eight months getting to know them and she had undertaken it as a solemn duty to protect them. From the signs she had printed around the room forbidding overfeeding, to the occasional trips up to sickbay, she had done everything she could for her feathered friends. She would do anything for them. Even this.

"Comrades," Sofie addressed the assembled flock "I will go and get someone who can fix your water." There were a couple of quacks in response, the crowd was still anxious but her words were designed to bring them hope. She nodded in acknowledgment; she was now set this course.

She made her way over to the table at the side of the room. There rested a collection of artefacts she had brought down from her lab. Things for weighing and things for measuring, a box for fallen fruit, a box for eggs and a box with rows of neatly made packets of bird seed to be laid out on the table when she left, laid out under the strict written instructions:

DO NOT GIVE THE DUCKS YOUR FOOD. YOU COULD HURT THEM. ONLY USE THE PROVIDED BIRDFEED. - ULLSWATER

She pulled a bottle of pills from her bag that was also resting on the table. This would be it, the big moment, so better take two.

An instant later she was standing in front of the doors to main engineering. She wished it had been a longer instant, that there had been a few more seconds to steel herself but it never would have been. After all, main engineering was just around the corner from the arboretum.

Sofie stepped forward. The doors hissed open. "I require engineering assistance."

Sera was the only one in main engineering at the moment - as Andrews was about the ship working on the various work orders that were always outstanding. Such was the life of an engineer; they traveled through a vacuum in an object that was perpetually trying to fall apart on them. She currently sat at her desk working on administrative tasks that were within the purview of the chief engineer. That was until she heard a voice echo through main engineering. Assistance? That was far superior to administrative tasks.

Pushing away from the desk, Sera stood, pulling her uniform jacket straight and smooth against her lean form and strode out of her office. However, as she crossed the threshold, suddenly nausea roiled through her. It produced a momentary pause as she performed her own internal diagnostic but could not readily discover the source. It appeared to settle after a brief time however, so Sera pressed on.

Lieutenant JG Sofie Ullswater. Chief Science Officer and newly minted second in command. She had very few interactions with the woman with the most recent one having upset Lamar - although why Sera had not been able to parse out, yet.

"How may I assist you, Lieutenant?" Sera responded in a cool, detached tone all the while studying the petite woman to see if she could somehow discern what kind of interaction they would have.

Sofie managed to hold eye contact for about half a second before the floor suddenly became frightfully interesting. "There's an issue with the filtration and pumping complex in the Arboretum. I've been unable to fix it myself." One of her hands reached up to the side of her head to fidget with some loose strands of hair. She snatched another quick glance at Sera before her eyes darted away again. "That's a key element of the life support for the residents."

Sera took a slow, somewhat ragged, inhalation of breath at the science officer's curious behavior. The insecure stance, Pacing and verbiage were scattered, the inability to hold Sera's gaze. Sofie was acting...afraid? Prey, Her primal self supplied helpfully.

And just like that, the nausea returned. Kroy-kah! Sera silently chastised. The brief moments of primal irrationality and now physical manifestations were quite the damning proof that she had been grossly remiss in her duty to engage in meditation.

Sera tilted her head slightly to the side, curiosity evident in her mien as she inquired, "What is the exact issue, sir?"

Sofie felt very small, she felt vulnerable. It did not seem right to have Sera calling her sir. All these thoughts that had been place in her mind about the woman in front of her thrashed around in her brain. Standing with Sera, talking with her... Sofie felt sick.

"The pump is not pumping and so the filtration system is not filtering and if the filtration system isn't filtering then the water becomes murky, dirty, and not good for maintaining the health of waterfowl. You see, they need the clean water for even the most basic functions and I don't just mean digestion, but that is an important one to point out, of course they can't eat or properly swallow without the presence of water, but more importantly without a supply of water they can't clean out their sinuses, they may be air breathing creatures with lungs to process oxygen but without water to clean out those pathways they will get clogged up and the poor things would suffocate. So yes, this is a life and death situation."

Sofie took a couple of deep breaths, she had just said a lot of words very quickly. Gone was Sofie's normal careful way of speaking, words not placed with precision but blurted out with haste. "I tried to troubleshoot the mechanism using the instructions in the documentation, but I can't work out what the exact issue is. Haha!" She scratched the back of her head as she topped things off with an insecure laugh.

It was a rather unusual method to convey information that Ullswater had chosen to employ. The pump was malfunctioning causing filtration issues which were impacting...waterfowl? Sera looked away from the clearly uncomfortable science chief who was currently reaching behind her head--similarly to a pilot she was acquainted with--as she considered possible sources of this malfunction and what tools would be required.

"Given the...'life or death' nature of this mechanical issue, I will obtain my toolkit and proceed with evaluation and repairs immediately." Dipping her head slightly, Sera retreated from the direction she had emerged from, returning to her office to pick up the satchel that contained a veritable trove of various tools. It wasn't long before Sera returned. Ullswater really did not look well and it took considerable skill to ignore her own sudden physical manifestations. First meal really was not sitting very well.

"You are welcome to accompany if you so desire, Lieutenant. Any further details regarding the malfunction would not be unwelcomed."

"Yes, details, of course." Ullswater fell in step next to Sera, her eyes remained down on the floor as they exited Main Engineering. "Well things were functioning well yesterday or at least the water had not yet turned murky. It was only when I arrived the morning to perform my daily arboretum tasks that I noticed it. So I think something in the last 24 hours. This wasn't a gradual process so..." Her voice trailed off, the door to the arboretum was already in view, it was after all only a short distance.

Sofie admired the engineer. Carrying the tools of her trade and with such a competent and professional manner, it was almost enough to reassure Sofie. Maybe it would have been enough too if not for the other things that crossed her mind when she thought of Sera. She had all these memories of being intimate with this woman, yet this was maybe the first time the two of them had actually been alone together.

As they came up to the entrance Sofie brushed aside the invasive thoughts. "I care a lot about these birds. Thank you for your assistance." She might not have been able to look Sera in the eyes, but she imbued her voice with as much gratitude as she was able.

The door slid open, and several pairs of little eyes turned with curiosity to look at their latest guests.

Sera kept herself from staring at Sofie during the walk, but only barely. The woman's stance was so...uncomfortable. Her attention was diverted from the chief science officer when the little feathered creatures began making their way over to the two women with a waddling gait and a cacophony of noise.

"Ducks." Sera spoke, identifying the fowl as she slowly stepped forward towards their water feature as they continued to waddle forward. The sounds they made were quite distinctive, and she recalled the many hours spent at the academy sitting on a bench feeding the creatures. "I did not know Galileo had ducks." In her 'enthusiasm' Sera crouched down and opened up her hand towards the advancing hoard of birds who were currently announcing their grievances.

The first two to reach Sera's outstretched hand were a pair of small white call ducks. Their curiosity was obvious as their beaks moved to investigate the hand. Their quacks were persistent. "Those two are always the first to greet people. The crew call them S'Task and Dostoevsky." Once again amidst the sounds and sights of the arboretum Sofie nearly instantly felt more secure. The roil of her stomach subsided slightly and keeping her eyes focused on the ducks, as opposed to the woman, she almost felt in control again.

A larger red-faced Muscovy had also waddled up to inspect the newcomer. "And they call her Noether." Sofie couldn't help but smile, she loved these ducks. She moved over to remove the wall panel, might as well get things started while the engineer was greeting the flock.

Sera dipped her head to the ducks and began to murmur respectfully in Vulkhansu as they came to inspect her person. They conveyed in their own way the concern over the change to their water home. It was a simplistic conveyance, but Sera understood and murmured assurances that she would rectify the problem.

"Their feathers are glossy and full, and beak and palmate feet are vibrant. The ducks appear to be in pristine condition." Sera commented as she slowly stood. She would have rather sat down at visiting with the ducks, but she was here to accomplish a job. Dusting her hands off, she moved over to the wall panel that Sofie was standing at and visually inspected it as she stood a respectful distance to the side of the chief science officer, not forgetting that the woman was demonstrating non-verbal ques of discomfort.

Once the panel was removed Sofie retreated from the opening to let the engineer get a better look. She didn't want to be any closer to Sera than she had to be. Though a couple of the birds excitedly followed Sera, a gaggle was gathering around Sofie too. Squatting down to be closer to the ducks Sofie began to give them her greetings. She let them inspect her hands, their beaks poked and nipped, and she commenced her own reciprocal inspections of them.

"They didn't choose to be here. Everyone else on this ship is aware of the danger that we put ourselves in, we accept the risks. These waterfowl have followed us into every battle not even knowing what is happening. They share in every risk but have no voice." They were beautiful and brave, but they were trapped here too. There was an uncomfortable memory from the temporal event, this one not involving Sera: Cold and desperate, huddled with the ducks but unable to save them. "That's why I must take good care of them. They deserve the best we can give."

Sera began inspecting the panel as she listened to Ullswater's commentary regarding the waterfowl. The human female was not incorrect in her assessment regarding the inherent dangers the creatures were just being aboard. Long, dexterous fingers reached out and she accessed the small screen which began to flash with a number of red blinking alarms. She entered in her access code and began reading the various errors and began extrapolating most likely culprits. "On first glance, it would appear that the pump is currently...bricked?" Sera said the word without thinking, and her brows shot up. It was not a word she would have ever selected to describe the state of the pond pump. One of the female call ducks chose that moment to quack loudly at Sera, and she crouched down again and put out her hand to show the animal she meant no harm, only to have the creature attempt to climb up into it. Assisting the small white bird with her other hand, Sera stood and turned to look at Sophie.

"We cannot change their circumstances, which is unfortunate. However, it appears that as a substitution for safety you have provided them with adequate sustenance, socialization, and a rather ideal environment in which to inhabit. S'Task is rather content...other than the current difficulties which we are working on rectifying." She reached out with her free and hand gently stroked the bird with two fingers over the crown of her head down her neck and the duck shut her eyes appearing utterly tranquil.

"To do any less would be cruelty." Sofie's grey eyes were locked with the stare of the intense black eyes of the closest of the waterfowl as she spoke. "Don't worry, we will fix your pond."

Sofie turned her head to look at Sera, she intended to begin discussions of repair but the jarring beauty of the scene stopped her before she could begin to speak. It was like a carefully composed painting, the tangle of pipes an machinery framed the ensign and the duck, quiet and calm, in pure white contrasted the black professionalism of the uniform. The seeming lack of emotion on Sera's face was deeply contradicted by the care with which she held the small bird. It read as a sublime expression of innocence and care and duty and dependence.

And Sofie found herself feeling very jealous of that duck.


To Be Continued...



[OFF]


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Ensign S'Ers-a M'Lyr'Zor
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Galileo-A

&

Lieutenant JG Sofie Ullswater
Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo-A

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