Posted by Lieutenant Commander Dr. Solomon Kane (Chief Science Officer/Research & Development) in Things That Matter

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Alexis Bonner (Assistant Chief Medical Officer) in Things That Matter

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Dr. Solomon Kane (Chief Science Officer/Research & Development) in Things That Matter
Posted by… suppressed (5) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Alexis had an idea, but she didn’t know anything about the topic. The two people on board that did were Kane and Borcheck. Since this was supposed to be a surprise, she could not ask Solomon. Surely, she could grasp enough of the basics from Borcheck to figure out the rest herself. In fact she spent a whole day reading everything sh found in the ship’s library on metallurgy and forging.

Quite aware of the CSO’s schedule, Alexis knew when she walked into the R&D lab, Kane would not be there that day. She pressed a hand to the door control and GALEN matched it to her combadge an the doors slid open. She scanned the lab, “Borcheck! Come here.”

The Bolian looked up at her his ever present friendly smile faltering, “I didn’t spill anything!”

Alexis looked at him and breathed before she spoke, “I know that. Over here.” She moved over to her lab table, it was still hers. “You’re going to show me everything you know about metal working. Then, I will help you with your task so you are not behind.” The truth was though that Borcheck’s team would get more done without him there. She was doing them a favor.

Borcheck, who was always trying to make use of Alexis’ lab space, but was locked out, was thrilled to get to mess around and see what she was up to. He was told quite clearly to stop touching things or what she had locked up in there might find his hand tasty. “Don’t touch anything. Just get what we need so we can start.” Alexis double checked all her cabinets and drawers were locked…just in case.

The ‘lesson’ went on for a few hours that seemed like days. Alexis found within half an hour she did have a limit to her temper. More than once, she barely stopped borcheck from setting off the safety protocols. Which would have brought Kane directly to the lab. Alexis would have called a stop but the other lab rats were getting so much done, Alexis endured it for the sake of the work. At the very least she would be able to tell her father all about it. Alexis had to be very mindful not to mutter into her ear piece with frustration. Finally, Aleix took over working with several types of materials in several different physical configurations.

When she was satisfied she knew what she was doing, Alexis cleaned up her station and, as promised, helped Borcheck with his task. It took her less than an hour to do what would take Borcheck all day. Then again, Alexis didn’t talk about nothing for 16 hours straight.

The next day found Alexis in the R&D lab again, after her normal shift. Today she used both auditory and visual distortion fields. Creating the mold was he easy part. The hard part was being sneaky enough to determine the size to make it without anyone figuring out what she was up to. Alexis was smart and observant, and eventually she had the data she needed.

Alexis experimented with all types of metal, eventually she settled on black zirconium. IT was metal which meant it was conductive, but it was safe around chemicals. It took her three days to get it right. She might have singed herself on the hot metal, but she was determined, and there was no skill beyond her grasp if she really wanted it. Why was she doing it this way instead of letting the computer program the replicator? Because he mattered, this mattered. IT drew attention. No one could really see what she was doing, but they knew it wasn’t medical. Once that part was done, Alexis really had a problem. What design to put on it. She still had not decided.

It was quite literally on her screen as she worked in her office. She was working on an in dept complete genome sequencing analysis. Going through each ‘line’ of code against the ‘master’ list. There it was on the CD38 gene. Alexis grinned and finished her shift, but after she made her way, with a short detour, to the medical lab. She had reserved time for a personal project. She was there for four hours, but when she was done, she had exactly the perfect design.

It took her another three days (because she till had to work) of study and practice before she was certain she wouldn’t damage the metal as she etched it. When she was finished, the task complete, she picked it up and turned it about, examining the final result. She nodded firmly, placed it in a box and slipped it into her pocket. She returned equipment and materials, recycled trash and scraps, had GALEN lock her workstation and then went home.

Bonner, AMO

Kane was aware of the activity in the lab. After all, GALEN provided a daily report of all experiments and personnel working in the labs. But he also knew that Alexis was taking great pains to keep whatever she was doing quiet (at least from him), so he didn’t pry. Besides, he had his hands full dissecting an eavesdropping device sent to him by his ‘other’s job and figuring out its point of origin. It took him a full two days to find the maker, buyer, and modification technician who had used the device; but find them he did and sent the information on to whomever would take it from there. By that point, Alexis was so far along in whatever she was doing he knew it would be futile to try and steer her off of it, so he didn’t pry. He was curious, of course. But unlike, well, ANYONE else… he trusted Alexis. So when she came home, he was on the couch watching a documentary on inner-system economics during the first years of the Federation. Without looking away, he said “Hey. How was your day?”

Kane

Alexis was inordinately happy when she saw him sitting on the couch. She also had that look - because she was a horrible card player - that said she was up to something. She tossed her jacket over a chair and pulled three…yes three…styluses out of her hair that were discarded on the workstation on her way past. Her other hand shook her hair out of the bun as she headed toward the bed room. She paused in the doorway. “Today was a productive day.” She disappeared into the other room. She opened the drawer in her bedside table and put the box inside. She appeared shortly after in one of his shirts. It was late and she wasn’t planning on going anywhere else. She sat down on the couch next to him, curling her legs under her. “How was your day?”

Bonner

“Decent.” he said. “Finished that Intel inquiry and turned it back to them. And I managed to stop Ferrar from beating Borcheck to death with a corrupted isolinear array he managed to screw up without even being in lab. I think that’s a personal best for him, actually. He screwed up someone else’s experiment while at lunch. Maybe I should promote him.” and he sighed. “Hey, did you know that before there was an actual Federation, the Vulcans and Tellarites tried to get Humans to buy into a standard currency based on helium credits? Wild…”

Kane

Alexis groaned, “Borcheck will be gone soon. I don’t know how he ever graduated Academy.” She glanced at the screen and nodded slowly, “Yeah I remember that from an Early Federation History lecture. The Andorians were really up in arms about it because the helium system would require them to completely overhaul their economic system in order to trade and participate in interstellar economics. They felt the Vulcans were doing it on purpose to weaken them. So is this catch up on current events homework or a topic you enjoy?”

Bonner

“Side avenue of inquiry from that project.” was all he said and then he looked at her and said “So what have you been up to? How’s the patient and her baby doin’?”

Kane

Alexis nodded, accepting that explanation and not inquiring further. Some things couldn’t be discussed, and some didn’t need to be. She looked back at him and grinned. “I told you the other day, something was bouncing around in my brain. I finished it today.” She leaned in and kissed him. “I told you, it’s a secret, you’ll have to wait. They are doing well right now. They are stable and the baby’s heart is getting stronger and oxygen flow monitoring indicates that the flow is correct and stable now. The mother is going to be on bed rest for the rest of her pregnancy. Sitting up more than 40 degrees puts too much strain on her own body. I hope as the baby gets stronger she’ll get better too.”

Bonner

Kane nodded,but remained silent until he turned off the vid. “So whats the plan for tonight? I have nothing to do or anywhere I gotta be for the next fourteen hours.” he asked.

Kane

Alexis turned her head to look at him as he spoke. She gave a little shrug, staring at him silently for a long quiet moment. “We can do anything you want, Mac,” she grinned over the nickname, “I don’t have anything to do either.” They had established they could do this whenever either of them wanted, and right now Alexis really wanted to, so she leaned in and kissed him.

Bonner