Posted by Commander Aaron Foley (Executive Officer) in Arboretum - Cadet Dawes Gardens on USS Challenger (Open)

Posted by Cadet P’Mala Dawes (Doctor) in Arboretum - Cadet Dawes Gardens on USS Challenger (Open)

Posted by Commander Aaron Foley (Executive Officer) in Arboretum - Cadet Dawes Gardens on USS Challenger (Open)
Posted by… suppressed (3) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Finally off shift, but not quite ready to return to her quarters, Cadet P’Mala Dawes blended in rather well as she explored the ship. She didn’t know what to expect on her first posting, but one fact that surprised her about active duty was the inevitable downtime. Of course, after her duties ended, she’d inevitably return to her room. Maybe send a message or two. Practice playing the ka’athyra, the Vulcan lute she’d replicated on her second day aboard. She was terrible.

But today, she explored Deck 5–past the astrometrics lab and away from the wing with the junior officers’ quarters. She knew that the scientists and folks who ran the kitchen must be growing something on this ship and at last she’d found it–the arboretum.

Small, cultivated fruiting and flowering trees grew from floor-height planters, each temperature controlled to mimic the habitat of their indigenous growing locations. An NC trimmed a small shrub with a pair of pink scissors and quietly left. To a lab, perhaps–P’Mala didn’t know. Fruiting plants sat in planters on shelves under lamps expertly set to mimic the light of dozens of different suns–a fitting metaphor for the ship itself.

Though the half-Vulcan admired her own self-sufficiency, she knew she’d never been great at reaching out to others. Sometimes she even regretted it.

P’Mala scanned the room for something familiar, wanted to put her hands into some soil, if there were space. Even replicated seeds would grow into a plant–maybe a patch of personal eating veggies would be just the thing to make the Challenger feel like home.

Cadet P’Mala Dawes

“There is something uniquely relaxing about being in here. Perhaps it’s the fact that we are on a very rigidly built ship, speeding at incredible speeds throughout the galaxy, but there is a comforting randomness to plant life that just can’t be replicated,” Aaron said walking up next to P’Mala. “What do you think Cadet?”

“Commander!” P’Mala jumped a little, straightening her back. “I agree, sir.”

She softened somewhat. “Plus it’s nice to see something growing in space–something that should be impossible.”

Having a few spare minutes of time between his routine check-ins with different departments, Aaron had decided to take a moment to detour through the Arboretum.

Cmdr. Foley - XO

“I’m just exploring the ship in between duty shifts. Are cadets allowed to plant in here, even if they aren’t Science officers? I’d like to grow something–reminds me of home.”

P’Mala thought about her human grandparents’ farm in rural Kentucky. They lived without a lot of the modern conveniences by choice–her papaw still grew a garden with seeds generations old–varieties of jewel-colored heirloom tomatoes.

-Cadet Dawes

“Nothing wrong with exploring. The Challenger may be an old ship, but she still has plenty of secrets to discover,” Aaron said trailing off for a minute as he looked around at some of the plants that were growing.

“As for your little planting project, I would check with Lt Williams. I’m not sure what plots have already been reserved for any upcoming projects, but he would know for certain.

“Absolutely, Commander,” P’Mala deferred. She’d spent enough time with Lt. Williams to guess that he wouldn’t mind, especially if he’d ask him. Good advice.

“How are you enjoying your time on the Challenger so far?” Aaron asked as he turned back towards P’Mala.

Cmdr. Foley - XO

“To be frank, Commander, I can find it hard to connect with individuals sometimes. I’m used to spending time alone. The social part of being a crewmember wasn’t something I’d considered.” She paused, trying to get the right words. “But I am finding this experience edifying, and I am beginning to find my place here.”

P’Mala knelt and touched the leaf of a small blue flowering vine growing in a planter. “This is a Vulcan ground creeper, Commander. On Vulcan, it grows in a very dry region and flowers seldomly.” She stood. “With the supply of water on this ship, their blossoms can thrive year-round.”

Her brow wrinkled thoughfully. “Is there anything that I can do to make a better impact here, sir?” she asked. “It is different being outside of one’s natural environment.”

-Cadet P’Mala Dawes

“Interesting,” Aaron said looking down at the vine. “While my study of botany has been limited, I am sort of surprised to find it here. It sounds like it would need a different enough environment to what is typical in here that it would actually be considerably harder to grow.”

Aaron looked over at the Cadet, “But I think that is a good analogy. You’d be surprised by the things that survive here on the Challenger that some people would not expect to survive. The best thing you can do Cadet is be yourself, but don’t be afraid to stretch a little bit. There are times that you can be alone and bury yourself in your work, but there are also plenty of opportunities for collaboration that you might not see, if you are so focused on just your own work.”

Cmdr. Foley - XO

P’Mala weighed the commander’s words–she knew she’d due well to listen to this advice.

“Thank you, Commander,” she said. “Not only was your response logical–but it struck a nerve with me.”

This was the hard part about talking with humans–the way they could bring emotional responses to surface, like carbon bubbles escaping a bottle of Coke.

“I know this is a complete change of subject, but how did you end up serving on the Challenger?”

-Cadet P’Mala Dawes