Star Trek PBEM Sim / Star Trek RPG
OUR STAR TREK PBEM STORIES: OF MICE AND MINARANS
Title: Of Mice and Minarans
Location: USS Victory
Setting: Transporter Room
Violet had packed in record time after getting her orders. She had seriously considered contacting Starfleet Intel and refusing the assignment. It would have meant an end to her career, or worse. She had been torn in two after reading the message. Half of her was ecstatic because she was pretty sure that it meant she'd be with Alan. The other half wanted to run as far as she could because she knew he would hate that she was there. In the end.... she couldn't refuse.
She had managed to pack her plants except for the very large ones, and her equipment all in nice neat little cases marked 'fragile, sensitive equipment', and 'this end up'. In truth, she traveled light. The mice were tucked securely in the pack slung over her shoulder and she carried the heather plant in her arms along with her pillow. She dared the transporter officer to say anything about them with a look and a raised brow.
The lieutenant looked at the CMO. "I am sorry sir but orders are no plants and animals," he said.
"They are medical supplies," she told him. "The mice are necessary for testing the viability of the plant matter once the active properties are extracted. If you would like copies of my ongoing experiments I have them here," she offered. "All the plants and the mice have been entered into my medical logs."
"Sorry, sir. I'll have to see the reports. SI is pretty strict on things," he explained apologetically.
"Don't be sorry," Violet smiled at him. "They're in my bag. Would you hold this please?" she asked and offered him her pillow before she dug through her bag and produced the reports. "I believe you will find them all in order." She offered them up and reached for her pillow.
The young lieutenant read quickly them and quickly determined that there was enough there to justify her taking them. "Thank you," he said, visibly relieved. "Ready?"
"Ready," she nodded and held onto the plant and pillow.
"Energizing, " the lieutenant said watching the controls and the CMO disappear. He wondered again what was so big and important that it required taking a ship's CMO off the first three months out of a deployment.
Violet closed her eyes. It wasn't that she was afraid of the transporter, but it wasn't something she enjoyed either. There was something inherently wrong with being dissolved into bits and then put back together again. She dissolved away into nothing and a split second later found herself in the transporter room of the Pandora's Box. She let out the breath she'd been holding.
The transporter chief spoke, "Welcome to Pandora's Box, sir."
Ensign Molly Ferweiler stepped forward out of the background. "I am here to help escort you to your new quarters and help you get settled in," she said.
"Thank you, Lieutenant, she nodded to the transporter operator and turned her attention to Molly. "Very well, Ensign," she smiled and stepped off the transporter pad. "Those two cases go to my quarters and the rest go to the lab," she announced.
The young officer motioned. Two crewmen came to take her containers to the lab. Ensign Ferweiler went to get the two cases for the quarters.
"This way, sir," she said politely. Molly pointed the direction by moving her head to the right in an exaggerated fashion.
"Thank you, Ensign. Lead the way." Violet followed Molly from the transporter room. "You were on the Victory, weren't you?"
"Yes, sir," she replied, smiling. She exited the TR and began to walk down the passageway. She looked back at the CMO. "If you need anything while you are here with us, let us know and we'll see what we can do to make this TAD easier on you," she offered.
"Alright. Thank you," Violet smiled at her. "Can you tell me anything about the ship and its facilities?"
"Pandora's Box is an experimental vessel. The first in the new Elpis class. She is fast, strong and sure but much smaller. What did you want to know about the facilities?" she asked. It was always good in her line of work never to volunteer more information than was requested.
"I am naturally very curious about the medical and research facilities," Violet admitted.
"Top notch. Considered a high priority. Not much expense spared. I can take you there later, if you like," she said.
"I would like that very much," Violet admitted. "Do you know when I am scheduled to meet with the Captain? I assume once we have dropped my things off?
"0900, tomorrow morning. The Captain wanted to give you a chance to settled and get some good rest," she explained.
"That will be fine," Violet smiled. "I think once we reach my quarters you can leave me to get settled. Unless there are restrictions, I prefer to explore on my own. What is the Captain's name?" she asked curiously.
"Your quarters are your own until someone else comes," she explained.
"We will be picking up more crew and passengers later. I do not know who will be assigned to your quarters yet. There are many restrictions for the ship as a whole. This will be explained later with a tour after you meet with the Captain. His name is Nikolai Kamaranov. He is human and a veteran of SI and many missions and commands for decades. He has a great deal of experience in the type of missions we will be undertaking. The nature of those mission and what you would need to know are for him to tell you. Much here is on a need to know basis. " she explained. Molly was going to tell her that punctuality was very important to the Captain but she decided against that not thinking the commander needed to be told.
Violet smiled. "Secret Squirrel stuff," she nodded.
Molly didn't understand what "secret squirrel" meant. She figured it was probably some code word she didn't need to know, so she didn't ask.
"I understand perfectly. You could tell me but then you would have to kill me, hmm?" she was finding this rather humorous. Likely the stress emotional roller coaster she'd been on the last few days.
Ensign Ferweiler blanched, hoping she wouldn't have to ever do that.
Violet smiled at the look on Ferweiler's face and the feelings she could pick up. "If it's allowed, I will explore Sickbay and the labs after I get settled in the quarters."
"The area from your quarters to the main lab and sickbay are permitted for your access. Much was moved to permit this so you would be free to access areas between work and your quarters."
"I do appreciate that. It will be like having my own wing. Except for the sharing part," Violet remarked. She didn't seem annoyed or upset by that in any way.
"The ship is much smaller than your last one. Every effort will be made when possible to make you civilians, um, non SI personnel more comfortable. Your quarters are larger than most of ours." Molly said trying to make the doctor feel more comfortable.
"If more room is needed, feel free to set up a cot in the lab and I'm perfectly fine staying there," the new CMO offered. "I will likely spend most of my time there anyway," she added. "Do you know if I will be allowed to upload some of my own computer programs? Limited to my lab, office and quarters, of course. Or is that a question more suited to Security or the Captain?"
"That is great. I will let the Captain know," Molly said, surprised.
"All programs will all have to be cleared through Security. The computer in your room has been loaded with information you may find useful regarding the ship, security protocols, what rooms you have clearance for and what protocols are needed for loading your programs. It also includes locations for places to rest, relax and eat," she explained.
"Perfect," Violet nodded. "And I am used to Security needing to examine my programs before installation, " she assured Molly. "Would you like them when we reach my quarters?
"No, sir. They will be returned to you later with anything else that might be absent after a successful inspection," the young SI officer explained.
Violet blinked. "You took my things without telling me?" she was surprised. "Why when I would have gladly handed them over if you'd just said you needed to examine them? If you distrust me that much... why am I here?"
"Not me personally, sir," the young woman explained. "Nothing gets on this ship without being checked. I don't trust or distrust you. If they didn't trust you, you wouldn't be here or have gotten the clearance. It has nothing to do with you personally. Everything is checked. Anyone can be tricked into bringing something bad onboard."
"I understand that," Violet said. "And I have no objection to my things being checked. None at all. What I do object to is the -way- it was done. It did not need to be done behind my back in that kind of distrustful manner," she protested. The synthesizer was very good at conveying her feelings on the matter. Her hands moved automatically, following her voice in sign. Her own version of sign, which was a mix of Federation Standard and something almost foreign.
"It wasn't done behind your back sir. There's no secret it was done. Nothing without being checked can be on the ship," the Ensign explained. She followed some of the sign but said nothing about it.
Violet eyed the young Ensign. "In the future I would appreciate being informed at the time my things are confiscated. Not as an aside at some point in the future." She felt.. violated and didn't like it very much at all.
"It's not confiscated, just removed as a safety precaution," the young officer sighed.
Violet thought that was semantics, but she didn't say any more on the subject. She knew this was a futile discussion. They saw things differently which was likely one of the differences between her and SI. "Very well," she replied and even offered Molly an understanding smile. She didn't want the Ensign to think she was upset with her in any way.
Molly smiled back hoping the doctor understood the difference. To her it was a big one and SI was looking after them to keep them safe. "We are here,"she said.
"Oh wonderful," Violet smiled and waited for Molly to open the door as it hadn't been keyed to her voice pattern yet. Or at least she didn't think it had... But this was a SI ship, so she had no clue what it knew or didn't know. She wondered if they knew what she had for breakfast and figured they probably did. "Is there anything special I need to do?" she asked curiously.
"We've made sure your room is safe. You should make a code for your door and check your computer for messages. I'll help you get set up and work on the lock for your quarters. The lab will have more security. You can change your codes after I leave."
"Alright. What's the protocol for inputting my code?" Violet asked.
The Ensign let the machine scan her and she entered the general code she was given. The door opened. "We can do it from your computer," she said. Molly set it up very quickly. It was apparent that she was very familiar with the process.
"Here," she said, showing the screens and the manner in which she got to her destination. "I'll turn around so I don't see your new code." She got up and went to look at something at the opposite end of the room.
It didn't take Violet long to work her way through the system and get to the screen Molly had showed her. The computer quietly checked and matched her biosignature and voice print with the information it had stored about her.
After she was prompted, she inputted her security code and then called over her shoulder. "You can turn around. I'm done."
"Good," she smiled. "Welcome aboard info has been sent to your terminal. What else would you like me to show you or tell you about? Perhaps the biggest change besides the size of the staterooms maybe the replicators. Depending on the needs of the ship these may be shut off even for food and clothing. Any larger replicating needs are handled by a special replicator with authorization. We have to conserve on a lot of things," she explained.
"Does that mean I should replicate my wardrobe now, before we leave?" Violet smiled.
"When in doubt horde," the young officer replied. "You just never know what might happen or we might have to ration. It can get pretty tight depending. Never been on a ship like this or such a big mission so I don't know for sure. Just smaller ones and this is SI. We could be out on our own a long time after an attack that cripples the ship. Best be prepared."
"I understand perfectly," Violet nodded. She was already prioritizing a list in her head. "Thank you, Ensign, you have been extremely helpful. I appreciate it. Coming aboard a new ship is, at best, confusing and stressful. You have made it a pleasure."
"Good," the Ensign said and smiled. "Anything else?"
"Nothing that I can think of," Violet admitted. "May I call upon you if I do have other questions that I can't find the answers to?
"Yes, please do," the young lady said. "It's not so bad just small but small can be good. We'll look out for you. You are not alone. If you ever want a few of the black licorice flavored ration bars just ask me. I have a lot but don't tell. "
Violet blinked. "I have never tasted black licorice," she admitted. "Thank you very much. I may have to sample one once I've gotten all settled in," she smiled. "And the quarters are perfect, really."
"Ooooo!" exclaimed Molly. "You're going to love it but the real kind, not flavor for the ration is much better. Treacle also."
"Treacle? I do not know what that is..." Violet told her. "And where does black licorice come from?"
"Treacle is syrup that can be made it to a licorice kind of thing. Licorice comes from a root and has some medicinal properties. You'll love it," she explained excitedly.
Violet's eyes widened. "Medicinal? Oh, I think I will have to look that up now," she smiled at Molly. Her synthesizer was so natural sounding that it was difficult to remember she couldn't actually speak. "Thank you so much for sharing that with me."
"You are welcome," the perky Ensign replied. "Anything else?"
"No. I'll be fine. You've been an immense help, Ensign, thank you so much," Violet answered. "I think I will find something to eat and then check out Sickbay and the Lab."
"Thanks," she said expectantly.
Violet smiled at the Ensign's tone. "Are you hungry? Would you like to come with me?"
"No, sir," she said. "I can come if you like."
"No, that won't be necessary," Violet assured her. "You can go now."
"OK," she smiled. "Let me or us know if you need anything."
"I will," Violet assured her. "Thank you again." Violet thought Molly was an exceptionally personable young woman. "Oh.... Ensign... what do you do on board besides show new recruits to their proper destinations? " she asked curiously.
"I just do this for some," she explained. "The Captain wanted to make sure that all the people from the Victory were well taken care of. He appreciates the sacrifices you made to come and wants to make the transition here with the short notice as easy as possible. I have a background in xenobiology, interspecies relations and various legal systems. I am also fairly good with old technologies, " she said smiling and very proud.
"Ahhh.. That is very good to know," Violet smiled. "Thank you, Ensign. That's all."
"OK," she smiled, "Bye." Molly left off on her next assignment.. .and to look for some more licorice flavored ration bars.
