Posted by Lieutenant Commander Faye Calloway (Chief Intelligence Officer) in CSO’s Office- Visions of Green

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Faye Calloway (Chief Intelligence Officer) in CSO’s Office- Visions of Green

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Faye Calloway (Chief Intelligence Officer) in CSO’s Office- Visions of Green
Posted by… suppressed (6) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Faye tilted her head slightly as she processed the additional information. “Huh, interesting.” Her brain loved puzzles and Scales was a new little puzzle she was trying to figure out, but that puzzle was connected to the deeper one that was the CSO. And if there was something her brain loved more than one puzzle, it was multiple ones connected together.

“Have you figured out how he escaped the enclosure?”

~Faye Calloway, CIO

“Surprisingly, no. We inspected the vents and all the openings. Even the doors. Nothing appeared broken or out of place. He did have dirt on his claws, but he does crawl on the ground.” Liam’s fingers gently stroked down the lizard’s back.

Scales closed his eyes, flattened his feathers and puffed out his throat a bit. He appeared pleased by the attention and seemed more like a happy dog than a reptile. The long whip-like tail even swayed slightly after the petting.

Liam continued. “Since I’ve been coming in here once a day, Scales hasn’t escaped for a month now. It seems illogical, but I’m more worried he’ll hurt himself eventually.”

-CSO, Liam J. Madison, Sci.

Faye smirked. “Have you consider the possibility that he escapes to get attention? I know when I’m busier than usual, my cat will find a way to get my attention, even if it’s scratching up something she normally wouldn’t.” It was rare that Tess ever acted out like that though, mostly because Faye interacted with her constantly when she was in their quarters.

~Faye Calloway, CIO

Liam weighed what Faye had just suggested. His arm held up the reptile and looked him over, examining the content look on his face. It seemed he had dozed off now. His chest heaved in steady pace as his claws held on firmly, tail draped along Liam’s elbow.

“I will be honestly, that line of thinking had never really crossed my mind. I just assumed that his behaviors were instinctive rather than purposeful.”

His hand reached up and once more stroked the lizard’s feathered crown. Scales shifted, but didn’t move as he acted like a feline on a favorite perch. “He seems content and dozing. If you want enter and take a look around, now would be a good time. I can increase the heat in my palm to ensure he doesn’t notice you.”

-CSO, Liam J. Madison, Sci.

Faye nodded, though she was calculating the ways things could shift in a moment.

Stepping into the enclosure, she sussed out the way the plant material was set out, how it fell, how much Scales ate of any leaf (if it was obvious or not). “You have very specific control over your heat generation. That is… unexpected. Interesting,” she said as eh continued to catalogue the design and function of the enclosure.

~Faye Calloway, CIO

Liam continued to stroke the lizard’s crown as he replied. “I didn’t at first. I melted at least one or two data pads a week when it manifested. I believe Engineering started to dread whenever I sent in a request.”

In the back of the enclosure, a small nest sat. Several roots, leaves, and more had been piled together with a small indentation in the center. Scales, upon noticing her locating his bed, blinked his eyes smugly.

-CSO, Liam J. Madison, Sci.

“Welcome to the club. Though I can say these days my interactions with Engineering come with less swearing,” Faye said, casting a glance over her shoulder at Liam. “Perks of being married to the Chief Engineer.”

Faye peered closely at the bed and the ground, examining how many varieties of plants Scales used for his nest versus might be chomping on and leaving pieces of on the floor.

~Faye Calloway, CIO

The one with the most eaten from it was the wintergreen. Several small berries had been stripped, nibbled on, and scattered across the ground. Many of the fruiting shrubs shared the same fate. For his nest, lush green ferns covered the down of the lizard’s nest. It provided perfect shade from the heating lamps to aid his control of his body temperature. The ground had been dug out a bit, leaving an indentation for his belly.

“That would certainly help. I can’t say I have found time to explore relationships much. Usually too busy and heavily focused on my work.” He commented as he added. “I’m setting Scales down. My arm is going a bit numb holding him.”

-CSO, Liam J. Madison, Sci.