Posted by Lieutenant Achilleas Petrakos (Scientist) in Check-in with the CSO

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Dr. Solomon Kane (Chief Science Officer/Research & Development) in Check-in with the CSO

Posted by Lieutenant Achilleas Petrakos (Scientist) in Check-in with the CSO
Posted by… suppressed (8) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Achilleas found himself back in his old workplace. Where he had spent so many hours running experiments, analyzing data, or brewing uncounted cups of tea, It was incredibly daunting to be back in this place that was so familiar and yet seemed so alien to him. Had it only been a year or so and not actually several decades? He began to slowly walk to the CSO office while nodding to various crewmates, both those new and familiar. He ran his hand along a countertop and the sensation helped anchor him to this reality. This is both the main lab for the sciences but it was also where his hallucinations pulled him into a place of insanity. He was fine though or Starfleet Medical wouldn’t have let him come back. They would have kept him in the room that was always just a little too bright and far too clean. This place was real and he needed to be here even if being back reminded him of that horrible time.

His slow pace led him to eventually arrive at the office door. He could do this. He just had to reach up and press the chime. Preferably with his hand and not his forehead like with the Captain. This office was as familiar to him as the back of his hand and thus shouldn’t be inducing any anxiety. It did though as it represented a different part of his life. He would say a better part. He looked to the ceiling in an attempt to gain courage, a sign from above, or perhaps merely a distraction to procrastinate but in the end he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and let it out as his hit the chime at last.

Sci Petrakos

The door slid open to a scene that could only be described as chaos. PaDDs were scattered everywhere, some in stacks and some in piles. Bits of… stuff… wires, tools, actual papers… lay strewn about as if a storm had been isolated in the room and wreaked havoc. In the center of the storm sat a figure. Human male with wild hair that fell over one side of his bearded face. He wore the tunic part of the standard Star Fleet Science uniform, but also blue jeans and black combat boots. All under a white lab coat that sat on his shoulders as he reclined in his seat with his feet kicked up on one of the few uncovered parts of his desk. He was eating… well… something… and reading.yet another PaDD when the door opened and he said “Yeah? What is it?” without looking up.

Kane, CSO / R&D

Achilleas looked around the office curiously. It definitely could use a good cleaning and organizing but it actually eased his anxiety a bit. This in no way looked like his office and that felt refreshing. Despite the previous dread in which he felt at this meeting he couldn’t help but start to chuckle. It was first a quiet thing that grew into him having to support himself against the door frame gasping for breath. He didn’t know exactly why it happened but perhaps the removal of the tension he was under coupled with how ridiculous everything looked did it for him.

Sci Petrakos

The heavily tattooed man at the desk looked at him with a glare that could melt deuterium. “Something funny? Or are you having an episode? Lotta doctors on this ship. Maybe go see one and then come back.” he said, his voice a low growl that made it hard to tell if he was serious or not. Bur coupled with the look? Probably serious.

Kane, CSO /R&D

Achilleas held up a hand in response as he worked to get the laughter under control. “Sorry sorry.” He said when he could finally speak. He moved further into the office while being careful to not step on anything important. “I just was amused at how different everything looks now that this isn’t my office anymore. Ah but I should introduce myself. Lieutenant Achilleas Petrakos reporting for duty. I want to say we’ve met once or twice at a senior staff meeting before.”

Sci Petrakos

Kane looked at him for a moment and then said “Ok. So if you’ve been on board… and touched been going to meetings… and I’m assuming medical cleared you for duty on board as that is the rule before you do anything… mind telling why you are just now deciding to grace me with your presence? Or is the fact that this used to be your office give you a sense that the rules are somehow not applicable to you?”

Kane, CSO / R&D

Achilleas cocked his head slightly to the side as a playful look came and went on his face. “Not that they don’t apply to me somehow, no. My last experience in the lab was particularly traumatic, so I had a fair amount of trepidation to coming back in here. That was what delayed my gracing you with my presence. Well that and my best friend had a bit of a medical emergency while visiting me. Kind of got wrapped up in all of that.”

Sci Petrakos

“Uh-huh.” Kane replied. “Well, sorry that the job got in the way, but I’m glad you feel good enough to walk in. Baby steps, right? So… what do you intend to do here? What do you bring to the department… other than delayed arrivals, that is.” he asked. His tone wasn’t mocking, nor was it hateful. No… it was more acerbic and sarcastic… but he certainly did not seem to have any empathy to Achilleas’ situation.

Kane, CSO / R&D

Achilleas looked confused for a moment. It was an interesting question if a bit broad in scope. “Isn’t my purpose here really for you to figure out or assign? I’m sure you could read my CV easily enough and see where my specialties lie.” He ran a hand through his hair to get the bangs out of his eyes before he looked more closely at Kane. “Afterall, it’s what I would have done as Chief of the Science department.”

Sci Petrakos

Kane snorted derisively and said “Maybe thats why I’m here and your no longer in the office.” He slid his feet off the desk and leaned forward. “My job as CSO is to make sure I have the best people doing their best work. And that means them doing things that they are invested in. Everyone in this department can do literally any of the support work that has to be done for the patients. So what do we do when all that is done? Sot here with our thumbs up our a$$es? No.. We experiment. We design. We hypothesize. And if someone is being shoved in a box and told ‘You just do pregnancy tests.’ when they really want to be studying the effects of degrading neutrinos on necrotic tissue… they are gonna do s#!++y pregnancy tests. So, since this my department and not yours, I will ask you again… what do you bring to the table. And how do you intend to make yourself valuable?”

Kane, CSO / R&D

Achilleas stepped closer and put his hands on the desk in front of him. He looked unmoved by Kane’s speech. Especially considering pregnancy tests were part of medical and not science. Sure he could do it but that particular example was ridiculous. He smiled at Kane though and responded in a quieter voice. “No, I left because I was affected by the same fungal infection that most of the crew had at the starbase while waiting for the new ship to get out of testing. Unlike the rest of the crew however I had a severe relapse and it was necessary to go to Starfleet Medical for recovery.” He shrugged before he stood straight and removed his hands from the desk. “I do think your speech wasn’t bad but the example could’ve used some work. Perhaps having to calculate by hand stellar telemetry from a probe the ship dispatched or something. But since you insist on knowing where my specialties lie I will elucidate you. I’ve studied on the premise of dark matter and it’s interaction with various gravity systems and the interactable interference when influenced by stars going nova. So I’m well versed in stellar mechanics, astrophysics, gravitational systems and manipulation, as well as the processes and possible amelioration of stars in the process of going nova. I’m not well versed in the process of pregnancy testing, so I’m sorry to say you’ll need to find someone else for that.”

Sci Petrakos

Kane looked at him for a minute in silence and then said “And I’ve studied the anatomical proportionality of Debra Hans in my eighth grade science class, and I’m well versed in finding the best street tacos or equivalent on any planet I’ve been to… and all that means jack and s#!t when it comes to what I do here. Now unstickify your rectum and answer my damn question. What. Do. You. Bring. To. The. Table?”

Kane, CSO / R&D