Posted by Lieutenant Faye Calloway (Mission Specialist) in Deck Four- A Garden in the Works

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Maxwell Wynter (Chief Engineer / 2nd Officer) in Deck Four- A Garden in the Works

Posted by Lieutenant Faye Calloway (Mission Specialist) in Deck Four- A Garden in the Works
With seedlings underway and some of the hardscaping installed, Faye glanced at the layout and smiled. There was something so very satisfying about seeing the thing you have envisioned taking shape. More than just another science area, this would be a refuge for the crew, for her. While she often chose to not remember her time at the Santa Clara Treatment Centre, Faye had learned many important things aside from just her diagnosis. She had learned coping skills that had, in part, allowed her to withstand the torture inflicted by the Tal Shiar. What they couldn’t have known from her humming through the pain was that in her dreamworld of her mind, she walked lush garden paths filled with beautifully scented flowers, ducking her head under overgrown vines that covered pergolas and arches.

While she wasn’t trying to recreate that here, what she was trying to create was the feeling it had invoked. Faye was trying to fabricate a sense of peace in the hopes that it would manifest the actual feeling. She would probably agree that it was a bad idea to place all her hopes on one project, but she had no other hobbies, and someone like her with BPD needed positive outlets and ways to connect to people in ways that wouldn’t create stress.

In short, Faye was counting on this garden to help her find her way here. Because, if there was anything that was true, it was that the Manhattan was the first place n a long time that felt even remotely like it could be home. That terrified her, because she knew how easily she could lose it. But she figured that if she gave something to the ship and her crewmates, along with her continued therapy and personal work, she might once and for all find her way forward without so much drama.

Moving to the raised beds, Calloway gathered the drip tubing that would be buried into the top layer of the beds in order to water the plants in very specific and resource-mindful ways.

~Faye Calloway, Data Specialist

The doors to the garden slip open, and in walked Max. PaDD in hand, he took a few steps in, head down watching whatever was on the screen, then he paused and looked up. Looking straight at Faye, he blinked and then looked around the room and nodded, going back to his PaDD.

“It looks like it’s coming along well, Lieutenant.” He started, and then looked up at the systems criss crossing the ceiling. “The water system is treated and recycled for reuse in the next cycle, and the lighting is producing sunlight within parameters. We had a slight variation in the environmental system, but that looks to have levelled off. All in all, we are happily on track.”

Lt Cmdr Wynter, CE

Faye carefully laid the tube in a snaking pattern, knowing well in advance what would be planted there. Turning at the hips, she planted on hand and nodded, rather pleased with herself. “I’m happy with the progress. Most the hardscaping is in place. Now it’s about building up the levels to create height. I still have some arbours and other small things to install, but the rest will be soil distribution and planting.”

She smirked. “That wife of yours even helped me start some seedlings. There’s a good chance she’ll even get to plant the seedlings with me and get to see the results.” Faye held up her index finger to her lips. “But shhhh! don’t tell her. I wouldn’t want to jinx it knowing her black thumb history.”

~Faye Calloway, Data Specialist & Gardening Enthusiast

“Jasmine?” Max asked, looking confused slightly. “Jasmine helped you plant some seeds? Well I don’t think you have too much to worry about,” he smiled, and began to walk a path around the room inspecting elements of the system on his check sheet. “She’s an absolute machine when it comes to the anatomy of a person and she has a passion for whatever she chooses to involve herself in, she’s better than she says when it comes to plants though. I’m just glad she got out of the sick bay for a while.” Max laughed, but in his head he decided he would have to check the last time he changed the pot plant in their quarters for a new live one of the same variety. He never told Jasmine he swapped the dying plant out, just swapped it. So far, she thought they had had that same plant since they got married.

Lt Cmdr Wynter, CE