Blinded with Science
Posted on Mon Mar 28th, 2022 @ 8:34pm by Lieutenant Commander Alyssa Maren & Captain Edmund Merrick & Lieutenant Junior Grade Mignon Mejia
Edited on on Mon Mar 28th, 2022 @ 10:07pm
3,257 words; about a 16 minute read
Mission:
Episode 12 - Risin' To Risa
Location: Science Labs - Deck 6 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD009 1100 hrs
Here he was on a new ship, sure he's been other ships before but, Merrick was just someone who had to check out the details of his new home. He could term it as an echo of when he used to be in security, finding and getting to know those on the ship. This way he would know who belonged and who didn't. Maybe it was a bit much, or then again, he might be just using it as an excuse to just explore. Maybe he could get a direction as to who to talk to, to get a plant or two for his quarters. Whatever the reason he may have, Merrick was going down to the Science department. The tall blond marine stepped inside the science area and took a look around, remembering the last time he'd been in one, going to talk to one of the scientists who he had struck up a friendship with. Adam Black, the man was pretty funny and had a sense of humor. A brief thought of him and the prank the man had played on a fellow officer, caused Merrick to have a smile. The smile it faded away, he had lost touch with the man, he having been lost in his own tangled path of life. Merrick shook his head, he will have to look him up, would be good to see if Adam discovered anything interesting in his life.
"Hello. May I help you?" A brown-haired woman had been scrolling through data on one of the computers. She got up and approached the man. "You must be one of the new Marines," she said, identifying his uniform. "I'm Alyssa."
"Yes, I am one of the new Marines, I am 1st Lieutenant Edmund Merrick." he spouted off automatically then he laughed, "Um call me Edmund and I am the Marine XO." rubbing the back of his head. "I just wanted to come look at the science department. Kind of nostalgia. I had a friend who was in science, he was a bit of a practical joker."
She grinned. "Some of them are. I'm new to the Pioneer myself, so I don't know everyone yet, but I'm getting there." She glanced around the room and then back to Edmund. "Where would you like to start?"
"First off welcome aboard, or should you be saying that to me." giving a laugh. "Secondly what is your favorite area of science. We can start with that." Edmund said with a grin.
"My favorite area is social science. History, archaeology, and anthropology," Alyssa said. "We don't have much of that, except for a lab. I think Mignon is working on something, if you want to go look."
"I would love to have a look." Merrick replied, "Show me the way." as they headed in that direction, Edmund remarked, "Any idea who I would talk to about getting a plant or two for my quarters?"
"I can help you get some plants," Alyssa said, leading him down to one of the labs. "What type of plant do you want?" She could either talk to one of the botanists, or take some out of the supplies she was gathering for the cube.
"Maybe some herbs like... Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. I guess I am wanting a miniature herb garden. " giving a light laugh. "I like to cook, and I like to have those around." then he remarked, "History what sort of history to you like? Mine has been a fascination of the Tall ships of yore."
"As long as you keep them small. I'd start with one or two, then add more as you go. Sage and rosemary can grow to 36 inches. Thyme and parsley are smaller."
Edmund nodded, "That is a good point, Rosemary can turn into quite the bush. I'd probably make it sort of a bonsai tree. The scent of the rosemary tends to clear a person’s mind, and lifts up the spirits." following after Alyssa.
She turned and walked into another lab. "Mignon, Lieutenant Merrick wants a tour of science. Care to show him what you're working on?"
The ensign turned and smiled. "Hi. I'm creating a holographic representation of the known archaeological sites in the sector." She entered a key command and a 3D image of what was left of an ancient village appeared in the middle of the lab.
Edmund watched as the details became evident, definitely taking a keen interest in it. "Is this near a sea or body of water?" he walked around to get a better perception of it. "I was part of an away mission with a team of scientists, exploring a new world, seeing if it would be colonized. Well. turned out that it wasn't going to be possible, due to the denizens of that area we had transported to."
Mignon changed the view, pulling back to show a river nearby. "Ancient sites have to be near water--or find a way to create canals or aqueducts to bring water to the village." She smiled at Edmund. "I haven't factored in local wildlife. I'll add that to the list."
Merrick gave a nod, "That is a good piece of knowledge that would be necessary. I've got a knife that I collected from that place. I had gone with the science team." he looked at Alyssa and then Mignon. "The knife is well made, and you can see that it was done by hand. Question for you, are there any remnants of those who could trace their lineage from those who previously lived there?"
Both women turned sharply to look at Edmund, surprised he'd been allowed to take any artifacts from the planet. Alyssa put that down to the scientists not following protocols and not ensuring that everyone associated with the site knew them. She'd send a message to the director later.
"That is always...debatable," Mignon said. "There are claims, yes, but none can be proven. The gap between the early settlements we know of and the current ones is great enough to suggest there are none, but that could be disproven as more sites are uncovered."
Merrick noted the response from the two ladies, "Something wrong?" Not realizing that what he said, could be misconstrued. "Well at times civilizations can be assimilated into another one and from what a friend of mine had said there needs to be a DNA tracker done."
"It is customary to label and archive all artifacts associated with a dig," Alyssa said. "taking them off world is generally frowned on, unless it's for research or to put them in a museum."
"We're not saying you did anything wrong," Mignon was quick to add. "You didn't know. it's more that the scientists should have ensured that everyone going to the site knew the rules. They clearly didn't, and so the blame is theirs."
"And you're likely not the only one who was allowed to take something," Alyssa continued. "It is quite possible there were so many they felt that one or two was okay. that happens at times with arrowheads. Even now, there are some places where people are free to search for and keep arrowheads because of the sheer number."
Mignon smiled at both of them. "We don't know the specifics of this site, so we're talking general rules. As Alyssa said, this site may be an exception." She didn't want the Marine to feel bad. There was definitely a chance the scientists at the site had plenty and let him take one as a thank you.
Edmund looked horrified. "Oh! The knife I have is not an artifact, it was from the mission I was on, or could it be considered an artifact?" he scratched his head on this question. "It was one of the weapons that had been used to try to attack myself and the scientist I was with on that expedition. Spears, arrows and well knives were used to try to bring us down. I had to use the phaser set on stun to keep the scientist and myself alive. I guess I should turn that in, shouldn't I." his face turning a deep red.
"Oh. Then we misunderstood. Sorry," Alyssa said. "It sounded like you took one of the artifacts." She smiled apologetically. "And that's what we get for assuming."
"I guess it's too many stories told over the years by too many professors," Mignon added. "So, getting off that track, is there anything specific you want to see?"
"What's funny is we both jumped to the same conclusion without any verification," Alyssa added. "Sorry. That was entirely our fault."
"Well, I wasn't clear either." Edmund giving a sheepish smile. "So. no one really to blame but... I am glad that you both are willing to make certain there are not any um treasure hunters er Collectors." grinning. Then he turned his attention back to the other question. "Actually, I do have interest in history, but I am also interested in what has been worked on, been discovered, and or a mystery being unraveled. Plus, I was looking into having some sort of greenery in the quarters." he took another look at the display, "However I am definitely interested in what you have found out."
Mignon grinned. "Computer, show village recreation."
The image of the ruins began to rebuilding themselves, then people began to move around. "This is what we think it would have looked like."
Edmund watched in appreciation and awe as the program did its building. When it was done being put together, his lips pursed in a low whistle. "That is amazing. Do you have something like this in a larger scale for the holodeck, I would love just to walk the streets of this place just to... Well, get that total immersion feel of it. There is just something about stepping almost back in time or stepping on a road of an ancient culture."
"There are some already out there, but Mignon is working on this one specifically," Alyssa said.
"I'm hoping it'll be ready in a week or two," the other scientist said.
"I am hoping that I will be allowed to see it when it is finished, and definitely I need to see the other ones that are done." smiling at the two women. "I have a program that I love and it has to deal with the Tall ships back in the day in the late 1700's to early 1800's"
"Really? Is it Eurocentric?" Mignon asked.
"It is for the most part, it deals with the East India Company and also the Dutch East India Company. But I can't forget the Red Flag Fleet, under the charge of Ching Shih, an infamous and yet famous female pirate." Edmund giving a smile. "That lady was able to rise above her status of being a prostitute and rose into a great amount of power."
"Yes. I don't know much about that period, but it is far more complex than most people realize," Mignon said. "If I recall correctly, there were several famous female pirates."
'Yes there were. There was Charlotte Badger for one, she was the first white woman to settle in New Zealand, which is where I am from. "
"There was also, Anne Bonny, and Mary Read. There were also Sayyida Al Hurra, and Grace O'Malley, to name a few others." Edmund replied.
"It's a fascinating era," Mignon said.
"And one that is highly romanticized," Alyssa added. "I find both to be interesting studies."
"Aye that they are." Merrick responded, "At the other place I had been stationed on, at times, the admiral had put into place what she had called, team building exercises. We'd take part in a holo-adventure, sailing tall ships and going after pirates. And yes, she did get involved in this exercise. She had been questioned one time as to why she participated and if she thought it could be viewed as beneath her rank." he grinned at that memory. "She raised an eyebrow and said matter-of-factly, she didn't think it beneath her rank to participate. In fact, she stated, 'Team building is just what it is, and I do not think that anyone of any rank should deem it beneath them. After all it is what it is team building, and without unity amongst those on the station it will fall apart.' That lady I admired, and well, found her attractive."
Alyssa chuckled at his comment about his former CO. "I agree with her. Team building starts from the top down--or should. If not, upper management--or command--loses contact with what those under them are doing, which often leads to a breakdown in communication and lack of performance."
"Spoken like someone who's been there," Mignon said, chuckling. "I like the idea of a team-building exercise on the holodeck. Maybe between science and another department?"
Alyssa nodded. The idea had merit. "Maybe."
"Cross department team building can work rather well. Would help to dispel the um walls that are placed up between departments. " he went quiet for a moment then he spoke, "The CO of the station, Admiral Letsul, she left the station before I was transferred. I do wonder what happened to her, it sort-of sent shockwaves through the whole place. None of us were expecting her to leave. After all, the place was running rather well under her command. The new person isn't that bad but... whatever happened to Admiral Letsul?" Merrick asked.
Alyssa looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "If she's still in Starfleet, you could look her up. Or ask Captain Malbrooke."
"Maybe I'll ask Captain Malbrooke, he may know." Edmund looking concerned, "And I hadn't thought to look for her either. " giving a wry look. "I think I may have lost my security edge." raising an eyebrow at himself.
"It just means you're imperfect like the rest of us," Alyssa replied with a grin. It made her think about her own situation. She'd never followed up to be sure Jek'Lar actually got married. Then again, she had no reason not to believe his family, either.
"I'm sure there's still plenty of time," Mignon added.
"Now contrary to what I stated, I am perfect." making that comment with a straight face, then blew on his fingernails and polished them on his shirt. Then he laughed.
"I will definitely go look into where she could be. Though it had been said she went on a well-earned vacation. She may have just chosen to drop off the face of the proverbial earth to decompress."
Alyssa nodded. "Sometimes we all need to disappear for a few weeks."
Edmund gave a definitive nod. "Aye that we do. Well now, I probably have taken up too much time from your routine, though it has been rather enjoyable. I probably should take my leave?" Merrick felt like he might be over staying his welcome.
Alyssa picked up on the question. "We've enjoyed talking with you. We don't often get to share this with non-scientists. You've yet to see Astrometrics. My predecessor set up an amazing facility. I can show it to you now, or you can come back another time. I don't want to keep you from your own duties."
"I'm taking the time to explore so, if I'm not interrupting your routine, I would like to see the set up. One never knows when an opportunity will present itself, once more. And there is the old saying, opportunity only knocks once, unless it’s a salesman." he grinned.
"All right." Alyssa said.
She looked at Mignon. "Care to join us?"
Mignon shook her head. "You know the setup better than I do."
She smiled at Edmund. "Have fun."
"Well, thank you." Edmund smiled. "It has been a pleasure and hope to get more insight of the subject you are working on, Mignon." he then turned to follow after Alyssa. "I am definitely enjoying this."
Alyssa chuckled. "It's a nice change for us. We usually watch people's eyes gloss over when we talk science. I admit, I get a little distracted looking at archaeological sites, or digging into history myself." She led the way to the Astrometrics lab. "From what I've been told, this was Commander Vaebn's favorite lab. He's done some amazing work here, too."
As she walked through the door, the lights came on, revealing a large wrap-around holographic wall screen with a series of consoles to manipulate the controls. On a side wall were three work stations.
"This is primarily for stellar mapping and data analysis. It's continually being updated to ensure that we have the most accurate information. Mignon's project is more for ground-level historical reenactments." She went over to the main control console. "What would you like to see?"
Merrick stepped into the center of it and slowly turned around just to get a really good perception of the place. He was impressed with it. "Woah, this is amazing." he turned his attention back to Alyssa "I'd like to see your favorite scene to be honest. Then I'd probably figure out what I'd like to see." he smiled. "That is if you don't mind."
"Picking one is...difficult. There are far too many sites that are spectacular. I love the Eagle, Horsehead, and Orion nebulae. But for today, I think will go to Carina and the Mystic Mountain nebula." She pulled up the relevant files and sent them to the 3D projector. In a moment, the room was filled with the image.
https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/carina-nebulas-mystic-mountain
Edmund was amazed as he looked about at the sight, the truly magnificent sight. His mouth dripped open as he gazed, his imagination taking shape, putting shapes to the formations inside of the nebula. "I love cloud watching imagining shapes that appear in the cloud formations. This one seems to set my imagination to go in odd directions. These two look somewhat feline in shape and definitely fluffy and fuzzy." pointing towards the left To the right he pointed upwards, "That looks ursine in nature." to him it did look like a bear that was peering through a forked branch of a tree. "This is amazing!" he spoke, feeling rather humbled as well.
"That's how most star formations got their name," she said. "Early people looked at the heavens and gave names to what they saw. Then they created stories to explain who they were, or why they were significant." She smiled at Edmund. "The main problem was, whose stories did you believe?"
Merrick nodded, "That is a very valid question, but it is intriguing to hear the different versions of the stories." he took a look once more at the display, then he said, "I would like to come back here to look at this once again. For now, though, it is time for me to take my leave." he looked at Alyssa. "Thank you for this."
"You're very welcome," she said, smiling at the Marine. "Come back any time. If we're not busy, we'll be happy to show you more." From Alyssa's first meetings, she liked the Marine CO and XO. She hoped she'd be able to work with them in the future.
A Joint Post By
Lieutenant Alyssa Maren
Chief Science Officer, USS Pioneer
Ensign Mignon Mejia
Alien Archaeologist/Anthropologist, USS Pioneer
First Lieutenant Edmund Merrick
The Cure Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
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