Fossilized Plant - A Remedy for Boredom

Posted on Sun Jul 25th, 2021 @ 6:11am by Lieutenant Percival Bálor Ph.D & Ensign Remedy Slim

1,047 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Out of Time
Location: USS Ontario | Deck 07 | Science Lab

Absentmindedly she tapped her stylus on the small workstation she was working at, knowing full well it was pissing off everyone around her. As that thought passed through her head, her lips curled into a smirk, truthfully she wasn't doing it on purpose, but the little side benefit did make her happy.

Now what didn't make her happy, was this ridiculous uniform, for she preferred skinny jeans, or leather pants, a simple black tank, and her black leather cropped bomber jacket. As an ensign, and just starting her career in a very very specified field her assignments were to peruse scientific journals, well civilian scientific journals, making reports on what they found, and whatnot.

"Ensign Slim, the chief would like to see you", a young Efrosian junior lieutenant said, his head popping into the small pod.

Remedy stopped tapping her stylus, and with a sigh stood before heading to the chief's office hitting the chime, the Rigellian waited to be invited in.

Percy was not one for administrative work at least not in the traditional sense. He very much liked to get dirty and be bumping elbows with the scientists serving underneath him, but as Chief Science Officer aboard the USS Ontario, there were administrative duties that took precedent over having fun and being in hog heaven tending to his own botanical projects. He had to manage the individual science sections, read reports from the section heads, and monitor the progress of various projects that were going on aboard the starship.

Other times, it was personnel matters. Moving people from project to project or dealing with conflict among scientists. One of the A&A officers aboard was Ensign Remedy Slim, a unique name for someone with a personality that was as tart and difficult to swallow as her namesake. 'Remedy,' it was practically medicinal and her name had come upon a few reports. People did not necessarily like her; however, not too many were fond of Percy either.

"Come in," he said scooting his chair aside and bringing it back over to his desk where he was examining a large slab of rock, running a tricorder over it when the ensign entered his office. "Remedy," he said addressing her by name. "Pull up a seat for a second."

Great, another touchy-feely talk, she thought taking a seat in the empty chair, "who wrote me up this time?"

Percy shrugged. "Oh who hell the knows," he replied to her. "Your name comes across my desk every other day at this point. Sometimes with some good adjectives, and at other times, it is simply boring run-of-the-mill 'hostile' or 'cold' etcetera etcetera etcetera. I usually just delete them" he added. "I did not summon you here for some campfire kumbaya heart to heart."

"Then why am I here," she asked, remembering to remain somewhat calm, problem was she just got annoyed so easily.

"OH!" Percy exclaimed and snapped his digits in a quick motion. "I'm sorry. I thought you were a science officer. I must have mistaken that uniform on you for something else. What is it that you do this ship again, wax the bulkheads? Scrub down waste extraction?"

"What kind of question is that, yes I am a scientist, you called me in here, so why am I here?" Remedy said pretty much losing any self-control she had, which was barely anything to begin with.

"It is called sarcasm," he fired back. "You may want to work on learning it, or something besides this tough as nail icy exterior you have going on. Personally, I don't care, but the others do." He pushed on through and focused on the slab. "This is why I called you in here."

He had gestured to the slap. "This is from Delphi Ardu IV," he explained. "There are several fossilized imprints from a plant on this slab of rock. It is not a plant that seems to grow on Delphi Ardu IV, and carbon dating of the fossil has placed it as far back as the end of the Tkon Empire." Percy looked over at her. "I want you to take the lead on this project. There is some sort of writing, glyphs I think on here as well. They may be Tkonian, but you will want to work with Petty Officer Pim in Intelligence to determine that."

The Rigellian ignored or did she even hear the comment, truthfully the chief disappeared as he pointed to the slab. It was unique, "who found it?"

"Federation archeological team," he replied. "It was sent over to us a while back, but I am only just getting to it now. The Ontario has better equipment since our latest upgrades, and the extra personnel to put on the project. That is where you come in."

Remedy just nodded, again really only semi-listening, "do you have their report?" She asked her hands gingerly moving over the slab, she wasn't touching it, it was like she was trying to get a psychic feel for the slab.

Percy turned his chair and picked up a PaDD. He then handed it over to the ensign. "Here," he said handing the PaDD over with a small smile. "All yours, ensign."

The first thing was first getting the slab down to the anthropology/archeology lab, after putting in the request a few science officers came in, and with that Remedy followed the pair of scientists out and down to the lab. She would do the initial and go as far as she can, mostly to prove she didn't need anyone's help, and also frankly she didn't want to work with anyone else.

"Enjoy," Percy said to the woman. "I don't have a deadline for that project yet, but I will be sure to give you a few months to make headway, but as soon as you know anything about the plant, let me know. I'm curious."

The Rigelligan just walked out. She knew she should have said thank you, and all that other crap, but really what is the point. It was his job to assign projects to people, so Remedy just left the office.

Percy sighed. "You're welcome," he muttered to himself. And they say I am the problem with the department he thought to himself.

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