<snip>

Claude entered on autopilot, his face reading the display on the Padd in his hand. He glanced up absently only to find an open seat. Once that task was completed he resumed his reading. He had been reading about synthetic elements and the methods of their discovery. He was truly trying to figure out how they had an asteroid sized naturally forming synthetic element sitting in their geology lab. If he could solve that puzzle, he might be able to find a way to use that knowledge to their advantage.

• Lt. Genard

The other lab heads had arrived as well. “Genard, have you eaten? It’s been a long shift, and we are all past our normal duty shifts.” She asked the rest of the NEs as well. She did not want anyone confused or off focus because of fatigue or hunger. For herself she was munching on a grilled cheese sandwich.

She took a seat among the rest of them. Her office wasn’t really able to hold a conference table or allow for a circle to be formed, but they were all facing each other. “Alright, we’ve heard the captain’s announcement. It’s going to be awhile before things settle. I want you all to be aware, for yourselves, and those you work with, that one minute we may be fine individually and the next you or someone else may not be. The counseling staff is on board for a reason. Use them.” From someone else that might seem lip service but there was no one in sciences that didn’t know that Fayth had weekly and sometimes more often, meetings with the counselor. It was listed in her schedule so people could find her. “As Mr. Riley reminded me, let’s not talk the numbers. It is what it is, for now. So as much as possible let’s focus on what we can do.” The anxiety in the room was simmering dangerously under the surface and Fayth rubbed her temples absently. She realized she was luckier than others in the room. Some of them had family on board with them, others were alone far from friends and family. She was going to have to do something about making sure the department became family, the whole ship too, or that was a job for counseling and command she supposed, but sciences was her responsibility and she genuinely cared about all of them.

She took a deep breath and took fell into her roll of representing the botany department and civilian crew. “The arboretums are undamaged. We were lucky there. The civilian staff is working in arboretum 3 to try and increase our ‘crop’ production. Resources may be scarce so they are concentrating on providing fresh sources of food. Many of the plants in 1 are starting to bear fruit. I have been asked to collect a list of plant based foods that anyone would want to request. They will check the seeds stores and see if we have it. They have an idea to use the naturally produced oxygen in the arboretums to supplement our emergency systems. And, though it may seem a small non vital thing, when things settle they are going to start revamping 2 for the children, make it new, something to distract them, and I heard rumor of clearing area in 1 for an ‘outdoor’ game area. After the senior staff meeting I’ll be going to the shuttle bay. I know sensors are already being tested but I want to make sure that all the science areas are stocked with whatever we might need.” She looked around, meeting each of their gazes, and nodded in understanding, and waited for them to collect their thoughts and the next person to give their update.
Lt jg Fayth, CSO

Claude raising his hand and waited to be acknowledged before speaking. He was beginning to believe much more has been going on outside of the little bubble he and his team had been working under. Better to focus on what he did know, and hopefully he would get more details as the day progressed.
“My team and I assisted a team from Engineering with the hull breech on Deck 44. The Angel was hit by a large asteroid that did severe damage to several systems in that area. Emergency force fields were erected preventing too much exposure to space. Initial scans showed the asteroid to be rich in boridium. Knowing the properties of that element, I wanted to have it moved to the geology labs on Deck 13. Besides, we really couldn’t leave it in the corridor of Deck 44.”

He waited for the few snickers to subside before continuing, “After conducting several scans, the asteroid is 97% boridium. This is a synthetic element, but seems to be naturally occurring in this galaxy. I have been attempting to figure out how this can be using the knowledge we have. If I can figure this out, we may be able to use the asteroid as a supplement to our impulse engines.”
- Lt. Genard

Riley nodded as Claude spoke about the asteroid, pulling up the data about the asteroid field sensors had detected. “That makes sense,” he said, and transmitted the information to his colleague’s PADD. “We picked up an asteroid belt in this system composed almost entirely of boridium.”

He paused in thought. “It makes some sense we’d see naturally occurring elements we don’t see in our own galaxy, considering the age of this one.” His eyes lit up. “It likely means there is stellar phenomena occurring here we’ve never seen before.” He noticed then that everyone was looking at him, and he looked back to his PADD.

“Anyway, stellar sciences has done a rundown of all our probes, and tested the ship’s sensors and auxiliary craft sensors as well, to be sure we’re not blind out here.”

• Ensign Riley, Science