Exclusive - Maenad Panne

Posted on 14 Feb 2013 @ 3:08am by
Edited on on 19 Feb 2013 @ 7:43pm

2,198 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Episode 03 - Frontier
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 4, Chief Science Officer's office
Timeline: MD02 1200

[ON]

Jool strolled down the corridor, listening to the subtle creak of well worn leather as she moved. She dressed a little more conservatively today, still gold trimmed black leather that helped to accentuate all the best parts of her figure, but she had plied the curls of her reddish orange hair up and held in place with a ring net. Her skin was flawless and her eyes piercing and mysterious (with the aide of artificial means) as she wanted to present a very professional visage for the woman she was on her way to see.

Her records indicated Panne had come to the Galileo after the crash so she wasn't a direct source for what caused the crash. But Jool had learned that sometimes unexpected information came from unexpected sources. For instance...she never would have believed she would be aboard this ship because of Zaren.

Lieutenant (junior grade) Panne may not be able to tell her why the ship crashed. Or Panne may very well be able to tell her everything. Either way, she was still an interview to 'get' regarding this entire trip. The woman had once been a very promising figure in xenoarchaeology and other disciplines. She wrote at least two books, both moderately well received and so far the only criticism Jool could find were from jaded religious types who wanted Panne's work to less forcefully deny the existence of a deity.

Well, Jool would see what she would see. Panne was the chief scientist aboard this ship. So, for this current 'mission' to do a planetary survey, that made her as important as the captain. And Jool wanted that interview. Among all this science and exploration and 'positive reputation and recruitment' hooplah, Jool still needed to make sure people knew she was the best at what she did.

She stopped in front of the door and pressed the chime, waiting to be accepted into the Doctor's embrace and need to put herself out there and explain all the boring minute details of her work. She hit the chime a second time, impatient already to get Panne to agree to go on camera with her.

Maenad was eating from a bowl of steamy ramen and vegetables; she had just begun her lunch after having endured a groggy morning on the bridge. "Computer, pause playback," she stopped a Bartok piece and set the bowl down on her table. She was sitting on her office sofa beneath the windows. The second chime annoyed her; once was always enough. Patience. "Come in," she called.

Jool entered as the door opened and took a good look around. It was an environment she figured someone like Panne would have. Very scholarly. "Doctor Panne," she started. "I'm Jools Fenta from the Federation News Network and I would just be honored to have you as a guest for my show!"

The woman who burst into her office was too enthusiastic for all the fun Maenad would have in ten of her own lifetimes - however long she'd last. Jools Fenta was shouting, smiling the phoniest smile she'd ever seen, and smacked full of bling. On first impression, Maenad thought she might have spent more time preparing to leave the house than she spent out of it. The words Federation News Network hit her like a bolt fired from a ballista. She perked up, eyes simultaneously narrow and dark in shadow, yet wide enough to see their bright green colour.

A confused-looking frown started to grow on Maenad's face. But she wasn't only totally ignorant of what Jools was talking about; she had no idea what species she was. She had never seen anything like her. Ever. Anywhere. And, she'd seen a lot of aliens in her time. Academic conferences brought the strangest of the strange from all corners of the galaxy, but she had never seen anything the likes of Jools. She'd find out somehow or another. At the risk of her musing becoming too obvious, she had to say something. "I don't watch the news," she said, "I'm sorry." She clenched her jaw before asking, "Your show? For what?"

"Why, the imitable Dr. Panne, leading the expedition to chart a new star system! That's only the entire reason we're aboard. Who better to inform my billions of viewers about the new system and everything that Starfleet does - in a non-military role?"

Maenad brought a hand to the side of her head and pressed on her temple. She closed her eyes. "You need to stop speaking so loud," she said quietly. "Sit down," she opened her eyes and gestured to a chair beside the coffee table. "I wouldn't get your hopes up; we do not know yet what is in the system, or what the Federation's plans are." She slowly looked away from the bizarre and increasingly irritating woman. Maenad only wanted to eat her noodles. "I am not a very exciting person, either," she tilted her head toward Jool.

"Oh, just the idea of the story is exciting. The first new star system to be explored in some time? By one of the Federation's pre-eminent xenoarcheologists? Heading up Starfleet's 'flagship' science vessel? Who knows what discoveries will be made. Maybe new life? New elements? The remnants of an ancient civilization like the Iconians? It's the potential that is exciting right now. But I'd like to follow the story through your efforts, discuss what is and is not being found and let the galaxy know what you're working on currently. You must admit some of your past work has been excellent for scientific debate."

The Iconians. Now that was a species that Maenad hadn't heard of in a long time. Everything that Jool was saying, though... Maenad agreed that it was all very exciting, but she showed nothing in fear that it could twisted out of context and reported on. "I don't know about preeminent, but my work is fairly well-known, yes. And, it has caused some debate. But the kind of debate I'm talking is, no offence, a little too... well, it's not as fun to watch on holovids," she tried.

"Oh, I'm not going to have you debate. Merely inform people of what you're doing, how you're doing it. Glam up science a little bit so that small children see it as interesting as it really is. Let's face it, when most people think of Starfleet they think of running phaser battles and 'launch torpedos'. I want to show a side of Starfleet that isn't all insanity and machismo and you, Doctor Panne, fit the bill for that!"

"Glam it up?" She frowned. She'd never heard the word glam, but it sounded like Jool wanted her to lie to children. And the two seemed to have radically different views of Starfleet. "I don't think that I fit the bill at all. I would ruin your show." Her frown deepened as she twisted her jaw; maybe glam was a word unique to her race. "I am sorry, Miss Fenta, what species are you? I do not recognise you, and I am finding some of your words difficult to understand, I am afraid."

Jool smiled, "Quite alright, I'm Bannion. Most of my species would find speaking with you Terrans to be the cause of an induced headache, it would be the same as if you were forced to only converse with lower lifeforms, such as...water fowl. But, I was hoping as the Chief Science Officer I could get you but since you're reluctant, could you tell me which of these offices I could find Lieutenant Pendleton? I'm sure he'd just love the chance to be the 'face' of this mission. Get his name out there. Be the one to put his 'spin' on the project."

Maenad straightened her posture, drawing her knees together. She blinked several times, being caught out by the woman's sudden aggressiveness. No one had ever likened her to water foul before; her natural instinct was to snap back. "Whether he would love to or not is irrelevant; the science department is not authorised to speak to the media about mission operations without my consent." Maenad's hands were folded on one of her legs. "I have no qualms with giving you an interview, but I doubt that you or your viewers will find me particularly interesting," she said a little on the defensive side, looking at Jool from the sides of her eyes.

"Doctor, you bring the big brained smart talk and I'll make it interesting for the viewers. That's all I ask." Jool smiled, "After all, I've done this a time or two, no worries."

Maenad sighed, clearly reluctant, and rubbed at her purple-ringed eyes. She licked her lips quickly before replying. "I can do that, I think, but I wouldn't want you to exaggerate what I say."

"I. Do. Not. Work. For. Tabloids." Jool said. "I'm a serious journalist interested in reporting the truth...not sensationalism. Don't worry, Doctor, I won't be exaggerating anything. Only...making it interesting."

Maenad touched the tip of her nose, and held her fingers there for a long moment before replying. "Interesting how?" she asked finally, meeting her eyes.

"I don't know. Depends on you, Doctor. If you're the type that delivers information like a tenured professor who hates his classes, then I'll have to work on it. However, you may be the type that can show enthusiasm and engagement when giving information, in which case I do nothing. I won't know until we've got it 'in the can' as it were."

"When?" asked Maenad, still not sounding like this was something she wanted to do.

"Various times, worked around your schedule as the survey takes place."

Maenad looked at her steaming noodles, noticing that they were a lot less steamy now. They were getting cold; she didn't want to spend her entire lunch break with this Jool. Fenta. Breakfast returned to her mind. This was the woman that was shouting and going on like a crazy person at breakfast, Maenad suddenly realised.

"Miss Fenta, I am aware of your behaviour in the mess hall this morning," she said. "I must remind you that you are a guest aboard our ship. Publicly humiliating members of your staff might be standard in your work, but it will not do on the Galileo. That sort of display will have to stop."

"Cute," Jool said, looking at the scientist. "First, I'm not one of your little tin soldiers that you can boss around, I'm a journalist for the Federation News Network. Second, before you go around discussing guest manners, perhaps you should have your ship review host manners, starting at the top and coming right on down. Now that we've got that out of the way, I'll be in contact as the survey progresses. I'm sure you'll be happy to have your staff provide full access to information obtained. After all, the press is here at the request of Starfleet admirality, who will just love to hear how cooperative the staff of the ship has been."

"I'm not bossing you around," Maenad said. "I'm letting you know that your behaviour in the mess hall is not welcome on a Starfleet vessel and if that sort of thing becomes routine, you will likely be prevented from visiting public spaces or forced to do your work in private. You do not, nor will you, have full access to the information that we obtain. My staff has already been directed not to speak to the press without authorisation from me, so I am afraid that your attempts to threaten me will not work. The admiralty will get full disclosure of everything that we do or find, rest assured, but the FNN will not. How can we know what we will find? The FNN, you, will get what I choose to tell you, nothing more and nothing less. "

Jool smiled, "Oh, Miss Panne, I think your bravado is so...cute. So determined. So...misplaced." She chuckled, her emerald green eyes glittering. "Well, this has been most...enlightening. I can't wait to start receiving updates regarding this new planetary system. I'll just go ahead and thank you for your cooperation now." She stood. "No need to see me out, I'll find my own way."

She made it as far as the door before she turned. "Oh, tell me again, whose department does Pendleton work for?" she smiled as she declined to wait for an answer.

"Mine," Maenad said with the hint of a smile on her lips. She wondered, amused, why Jool said she would see herself out. She saw herself in, didn't she? The door was literally steps away. She reached for the bowl of ramen and replaced it in her lap, twirling some noodles around the prongs of her fork.

[OFF]

Jool Fenta
FNN Journalist
USS Galileo
(pNPC Rabe)

Lieutenant (JG) Maenad Panne
Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo

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