Writing Up The Research Part 1 (Backpost)

Posted on Wed Jul 10th, 2024 @ 8:46am by Lieutenant J'airesh Mora-Heath & Lieutenant JG Zac Smithson

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: 'Ten Forward'
Timeline: (Backpost)
1603 words - 3.2 OF Standard Post Measure

J'Air had been very moved by the situation of the creatures she and Zac had encountered when they had been out on their snow-mobile and she couldn't stop thinking about them since she got back to the Base Camp.

She sat at a computer terminal to write up the Research Report in the hopes that it would seem better as a report than it did in her head right now. Entitling it "Trigremler" she tutted and went back to add the important extras that needed, i.e. the species, yes, but the genus and more technical statements about where and when the observation had taken place and who had taken part in this project etc. etc.

Putting Zac's name in she did make a mental note to ask him if he'd like to combine their reports or if he was happy to do his own. She did hope he'd say he wanted to combine their accounts as she was very eager to see what he was going to say and how he would describe her own mistakes. It wasn't that she didn't think he'd be completely factual and honest - quite the contrary - she knew he would be more than fair but she was struggling with her own narration of what had happened and, whilst she had no intention of dodging the responsibility, she was still feeling guilty enough to have a desire to be really harsh on herself on the basis of the fact that it could have been disastrous due to her actions and she didn't want to take him down with her since he hadn't been to blame.

It was a quandry.

Was the end a justification for the means? They had (inadvertantly or otherwise) proven that the Trigremier parents were both involved in their offsprings' care and that they didn't abandon them if they found them interfered with in their absence. All very helpful information for the files on this particular species, however.... what if??

J'Air put in a call to Zac to talk this over with him. It was something that she simply couldn't be detached enough about and clearly she needed his ability to be more neutral.

=^= Mora-Heath to Lieutenant Smithson =^= she sent him a comm call hoping he might be free.


Zac was sitting at his desk, staring at his terminal, thinking on how to write his report and what to put in it about the encounter J'air and he had with the adult Trigremler and how fortunate they had been not to have been injured or killed after actively interacting with its offspring who had shown fear of the humans when J'air's call came through. J'air he thought had acted like the scientist she was. She was curious and eager to find out more about this new species. He couldn't and wouldn't fault her actions. Nor was he going to throw her under the bus. They together had decided to investigate and get up close with the infant Trigremlers. He nodded to himself as he thought some more. He would do the same thing again. =^= Mora-Heath to Lieutenant Smithson=^=

Tapping his combadge he replied. =^= Smithson here J'air. What can I do for you?=^=

=^= Hi Zac =^= J'Air began. =^= how are things with you? =^=

=^= Oh, not bad. Just been thinking about our recent encounter. How are things with you? =^=

=^= I'm good too, thanks. And coincidentally, I was also just thinking about our encounter as I was trying to write a report and I kinda ground to a halt. Are you free to go get a coffee and maybe look at the whole incident together? If you don't mind? =^= she asked, desperately hoping he wouldn't be thinking this was a sneaky way to get out of admitting what she did wrong.

Zac chuckled at J'air's suggestion. =^= It just so happens that I am free for a coffee as well as a brainstorming session and would like nothing better than to get together so we can come up with a report we both can be proud of.=^=.

J'Air sighed with relief. =^= thanks =^= she took in a deep calming breath. =^= The Arcadia Bar & Lounge? should we say 30 minutes? Lunch my treat? =^=

=^= You are welcome J'air. I'll see you there. I'll flip you for lunch. =^= He bantered back as he closed the com.

J'Air closed the documentation and saved it up onto the main computer files before hurrying to the long, iconic bar/restaurant/community area where she went straight to the bar and ordered two drinks in advance. She looked around to see if Zac was already there first and spotted him at a booth, close to the huge picture-windows of see through plasisteel that looked out to the stars ahead of the ship.

She caught the barkeep's eye and directed his eyes to the table where Zac sat requesting the drinks to be delivered there when they were mixed. She then took off to join Zac.

Zac stood up as J'air approached the booth. "Hi J'air. Good to see you." He greeted the young scientist. "So what do you want to discuss in regard to our report?" He asked.

"Thank you for coming" she began and sat down. The bar tender arrived with their drinks before she could go on. Thanking him as he swirled the Andorian Sunrises setting them to work their magical transformation through the deep blue they begin through rust, red, orange and sunshine yellow as they twisted around in their glasses, swirling on just as they were started off to do, slowing and deepening their colour changes as they settled.

"These are a most spectacular cocktail" J'Air commented, they're as entertaining to watch as they are to drink but personally, I have to sip them, as larger intakes are very intoxicating and it works fast on lightweights like me!" she laughed. The Server left them to enjoy his creations and when they were finished commenting on the charming concoctions and their remarkability, they returned to their initial conversation.

"So, I wanted to talk about my report with you because I'm concerned about how to describe what happened with the "Trigremler" family. Should I write it as a Scientist or as an ecologist? I wanted to brainstorm your feelings on that?"

Zac nodded. "They are beautiful and potent." He agreed. He waited for their server to leave before he continued their conversation. "Good question. I would write as a scientist, that's what you are. You can make observations about their family dynamics how protective the adults are along with how inquisitive their children are." He paused and picked up his drink and sipped it. "Wow. So good." He then continued on. You can add your opinion on how they conform to their surroundings." He then chuckled, "But that's me. I was going to write my report as a tactical officer and what if any threat the Trigremlers pose to people."

"Ah, okay. Do you think they do pose any threat then? I mean, I know they came after us and he was pretty angry but then we did approach and even .... as far as the parents knew..... might have tried to kidnap or attack their babies if they hadn't got back in time.....?" she replied, now looking more anxious about the Trigremiers getting the blame for her interference with them, scientific or otherwise.

Zac considered the question and after a brief hesitation he replied. "No, I don't think they do. I think they are solitary creatures, and we should respect that and leave them to their life. You are right when you say the male adult charged us, but it was also because we were a potential threat to his babies." He stopped when he noticed J'air growing more anxious looking. "Whoa now. Don't go feeling guilty. You did nothing wrong. You did what any good scientist would do. You wanted to gather more facts, to better understand the subject you were studying."

"But I didn't consider the fact that by intruding I could not only have got the babies abandoned because the scent of us might have lingered in the nest, but also that the parents might attack, which they did and now they're possibly going to be considered hostile through no fault of their own." she protested, feeling every bit as guilty as she was looking.

Zac listened as J'air gently rebuffed his statement to her regarding her actions and the infant Trigremlers. "J'air, everything you said is true and it is wrong. You, we were in a once in a lifetime situation with animals we're probably never going to see again. You got caught up in the passion of the moment. Plus, I think you are overlooking one important fact. Who is going to consider them hostile? They are thirteen million light years from our home. No one from the Federation is ever going to see them. I think considering that, your actions can be forgiven."

"You're very kind" she replied, lowering her head slightly to signify she wasn't going to argue further and would accept what he had to say.

"I'm greatly relieved that you feel that way as I was in enough doubt myself that I would have submitted myself for disciplinary if you had felt it was warranted. That's why I needed to discuss this with you first. I wasn't just looking for you to let me off the hook - which you have by the way - but also to hear your actual opinion because I was so split in my own ways of looking at the whole situation and event."

TBC.....