A scientific welcome

Posted on Fri Dec 11th, 2020 @ 4:10am by Ensign Ethal Luen & Commander Arrianna Salannis an Vantar & Lieutenant Nevada McKay

Mission: Season 4: Episode 3: Guided by Starlight
Location: Various
Timeline: MD1
2028 words - 4.1 OF Standard Post Measure

The Elysium's airlock door hissed open, followed by the ensign walking inside. her face was staring down into her personal datapad. she was planning her route through the ship, where to find her quarter, and where she could find her commanding officer. It was funny to her, life seemed so different on the other side of that airlock, but then on this side of the airlock she had a job - she had a purpose.
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Elysium Main science lab
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lieutenant Nevada McKay sat tiredly at her work station her Form hunched over with exhaustion and wariness, her eyes bloodshot with concern and frustration. Her Nanites had been malfunctioning in unexpected ways since her Unfortunate Encounter with the Mirror universes Agonizer technology. The Most Recent of which had been the complete neutralization of all consumed alcohol, something she'd only narrowly hidden during the ships extended Shore leave.

She barely looked up from her readouts as the ships computer system logged a New Science officer boarding the ship, A reminder cropping up for her to Welcome them aboard in her capacity as the ships assistant CSO.
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Elysium Docking port
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Looking at the map of the ship, she found where she needed to go. The Main science lab. The ensign put her pad back into her bag before making her way to the closest turbo lift. she was filled with excitement as it was time to meet her Conrads. The ensign found the turbo lift quite quickly. 'That's what you get for studying the map' she thought to herself as she entered the lift.

"Computer, Deck 18" she commanded. The computer accepted her request as the lift kicked into gear to take her to her destination.
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Elysium Main science lab
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The doors opened to the main science lab as Ethal walked in. she stopped to get a good look at her surroundings. She was in awe of all the high tech equipment, lab areas, and work desks that filled the room. If she believed in heaven, she has certainly has discovered it. The hum scanning equipment was music to her ears, she had been in science labs before but not like this one. Ethal sighed, she was home.

Arrianna was stuffed under one of the impressive equipment doing calibrations. "Computer, begin test of evolutionary stimulator."

A hologram of a cat appeared. It began to rapidly change from a small cat to a tiger.

Ethal saw the person doing the simulation taking in what they looked like as she stood there. She did not want to interrupt them in what they were doing, so she decided not to speak just observe. As the ensign watched she started to ponder what her assignments would be on the ship.

Dragging herself back to reality she noticed was an officer looking almost drained of life, the reason was unknown to the ensign, this piqued her interest. Instead of bothering someone from their work, she walked over to Nevada McKay in the Hope's of helping the officer with her problem or at least introducing herself to a colleague.

Ethal made a quick observation as she came closer and saw the officer was a lieutenant. She gave a quick cough to clear her throat before asking "Are you alright sir?" Concern was rife in the ensign's tone.

Nevada Jerked up from her work station, shaken from her Trance like state with a quiet gasp. "A...ah Ensign...yes I'm fine," she said quickly. "Just...dozed off," She sputtered quietly as she gave a quick shake of her head. "Ah...Ensign," she said as her gaze focused in on the Trill. "I don't believe we've met, you wouldn't happen to be Ensign Luen?" she asked trying to rapidly shift the conversation away from herself or her current state while her left hand discreetly tabbed her console away from her private research.

Ethal stood at attention. "yes sir, it's a pleasure to meet you". She said as she kept quiet about the lieutenant's attempt at hiding what she was doing. She had not seen what was on the screen but knew that it wasn't her place to invade privacy. For all she knew it was something that she had no clearance to know about. Something was nagging her about the situation but her inner turmoil kept going back to the fact it was not her place to investigate. Ethal was no Vulcan and it would be easy for anyone to see the cogs turning in her head.

Nevada gave a warm smile and offered her hand out to shake. "The pleasures Mine, Ensign," she said before giving a slight tilt of her head. "So whats was your field of focus at the academy if you don't mind me asking?"

She shook her hand happily. It wasn't until the lieutenant asked about what she specialized in did Ethal give into a smile. "I specialize in Planetary geosciences and Exo-biology sir" she then paused for a moment before continuing "Though I will be able to assist in other areas too if it is required of me sir"

Nevada shook her head and laughed. "you don't need to address me as sir, My Names Nevada McKay, but Nevada will suffice," she said quickly. "I'm a Medical researcher myself...so the Exo-biology has a chance to overlap with what I'm working...of course Commander Vantar might decide she'd prefer you helping her with her projects as well."

"I apologize s.." she stopped herself from saying it "I apologize Nevada, its a force of habit" she brushed her hair back to the side of her face "I'm glad I will be of use to you and the commander, I want to make sure I can prove my worth".

Arrianna climbed out from under a piece of lab equipment. "Ah... Ensign Ethal Luen." She noted. "I was wondering when you would arrive."

Ethal turned to see who spoke to her. When she realized it was a commander her eyes widened. "Yes sir, Ensign Luen reporting for duty" she spoke both proudly and formally. Lieutenant McKay may have been fine with less informal when being addressed but she had no idea for her department head, or at least that's who she thought she was addressing given the rank.

"So, what do you specialize in?" Arri noted. "And do you have experience with probability simulation?"

"I personally specialize in both exobiology and planetary Geoscience sir, as to your request I do have some experience but it would depend on what is being simulated?"

Arrianna showed Ethal to a new piece of equipment she was working on. "This is something my people have been working on. We call it an evolutionary simulator, and it's designed to use a very intuitive probability matrix to simulate what life would evolve into given biological and environmental conditions placed on it." Arri mentioned. "It's designed for us to study what comes after millions of years after us."

Ethal followed the commander over to what she was working on. The answer astounded her - an evolution probability matrix. "This is incredible, I think I understand what I saw when I walked in" she said as it had really piqued her interest. "So is it fully operational? I guess it can work for more species if we feed that specific data in?" Ethal inspected the device as she asked.

"This project may continue beyond our lifetimes, Ensign. We're mapping the probability of life that does not exist. Protecting worlds that may host new civilizations." Arri mentioned.

"I don't know what to say but... wow" she said looking back at the commander. her face showed a mixture of shock and excitement as she processed what she was being told.

"Well...thats Her project, mine's a bit more down to earth as it were, a vaccine delivery system meant to replace The Hypospray in its entirety," Nevada said with a scoff from her work station. "Something that will actually benefit the Citizens of the hear and now."

Ethal turned back to Nevada "Oh really? If not a hypospray then what way are you working on so that the vaccine can be administered?" she asked just as intrigued by her project as the commanders. The ensign was just happy that there were projects going on in the science lab and whatever she worked on, she was needed.

"Right now I'm experimenting with Nanoprobes as a Vaccine Manufacturing system, able to self produce the vaccine without a trip to any Medical facilities," Nevada said with a soft smile.

She looked in shock for a moment as it processed "I'm surprised you were so open about that, most people that work with nanoprobes don't like to mention what they use for their research. Most people would probably think borg when they hear nanoprobes." Ethal realized she might have sounded really dismissive of the lieutenant's work, which was not her intention. "Not that I think that mind, I think that its the next logical step of medical technology"

"Well...the original Idea for this came from the way the Collective is able to have so many species with out having catastrophic failures in their systems do to virus's," Nevada said after a moment. "Of course the Probes proposed by system wouldn't be based off the Borgs probes, but something we manufactured ourselves...and the concentrations would be far smaller then the borg reportedly use."

"I did assume that they weren't going to be based off the borgs nanoprobes otherwise we wouldn't be having this conversation" she gave out a little chuckle. "I'm really interested in your work Nevada, if your successful it would redefine medical science as we know it"

"Right now its all in the experimental phase...we're testing the manufacturing methods right now for the probes, as well as programming them out for a most Species in the federation," Nevada said with a grin. "Its actually a lot harder with how diverse we are as a lot."

"I'm not sure what my duties will be but I'm sure I could assist you in your work if you're willing?" she asked as she gestured to her bag over her shoulder. The fact she still had it showed she hadn't even settled to her quarters yet.

"I'd be happy to have you assist me once you get settled in on board," Nevada said with a warm smile.

"That is probably for the best, there are some quarters on the ship waiting for me" she gave a brief friendly smile back. "Just to be sure is there anyone I need to see before the day is out? Only that I don't want to make a bad impression by being unaware of the protocol for new crew members" she said sounding nervous about the subject, which was appropriate given she had only recently graduated.

Arrianna smiled. "Here, let me help you get settled in Ensign. We are a quite friendly department down here."

That put Ethal more at ease "thank you sir, so what's first on my easing in list?" She asked curiously to the commander.

Arrianna grabbed her tote and with a smile. "Well, you get a tour of the facilities, and everything here. You have complete freedom to study anything in the science department when you don't have a priority assignment. Our facilities are the most advanced in the Federation. So, what subject fascinates you?"

Ethal walked with her willingly, she was more than excited to see where she would work. "I love to work on the study of worlds; using probes to scan, working through the data to make sure it's safe, addressing any anomalies that might be found, and working out a way of dealing with such anomalies so an away team may visit the planet." Ethal rambled a little when she was asked, though it was understandable why she would.

Nevada Tensed as the pair departed her work station, her stomach clenching up as she waved them of and quickly sat down to Clear her personal files from the console. That had been far to close of an encounter with someone who actually had a chance of Understanding the data stream that had been flowing over the screen.