Posted by Lieutenant Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in Side Sim: The Officers in the Lift

Posted by Ensign Kovan ch’Sirhc (Engineering & Communications Officer) in Side Sim: The Officers in the Lift

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in Side Sim: The Officers in the Lift
Posted by… suppressed (10) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(Snip)

“Reports. Notes.” Came Roman’s short reply. He wasn’t very good at idle conversation, as much as he didn’t like it. The waste of time was a problem on its own, but being trapped with someone else made it absolutely tedious. “Lot of work lately?” The question almost felt strange to form, it was so out of character for him to ask.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Kovan, an equal stranger to this took a moment to answer. If this were any other time or place (and not to his XO) his response would be sarcastic and scathing. Something like, I’m engineering and communications. Of course I’m busy. How do you have so much time to ask such pointless questions? He had the restraint to not speak to his XO like that, at least. So, Kovan took longer to reply because he needed the time to compose a measured and (this hurts) polite, reply. “There’s always something happening in engineering.”

Roman could tell there was restraint in Kovan’s answer. It had been a dumb question, and he really couldn’t blame the engineer for his trite response.

If someone had said that to him. . . Kovan would have called that reply a pointless non-statement that might as well be life on space debris: something so entirely insignificant it might as well not exist to begin with. Now he had to say something to keep (why him) conversation going. Perhaps if he keeps conversation on work they could entirely avoid personal questions. “Is there. . . a. . . interesting. . . experiment? In the labs?” He grimaced through that entire sentence.

Ensign ch’Sirhc (COMMO, ENGR)

The question was meaningless and his response would normally quite clearly indicate so. However, they were trapped here together and it wouldn’t do him any good to respond in that way. Instead he said, “I study exobiology and alien environments. It’s always interesting.”

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Exobiology and alien environments. Kovan. . . could work with that. He took a deep breathe, closed his eyes and tried to pretend that they weren’t trapped in the lift, but talking of their own volition. Which, was something he actually did, years ago. “Have you heard of the Autzan people of Tani Khanaii?” He asked, eyes still closed because that helped. “Humanoid. . . ish. Hollow chested. No vocal capabilities. Communicated by tapping on their chests, which amplified the sound.” Kovan drummed his fingers on his chest, basically repeating everything he said in the Autzan language. Their homeworld had many sound-sensitive predators and other factors that lead to their quirk of evolution.

Ensign ch’Sirhc (COMMO, ENGR)

“I do more study of the animals and plants but I have heard of the Autzan people. Evolutionarily, they’re highly interesting, because of the differences from how they evolved to humans. Sound based and sensitive predators led to most if not all animals to evolve sound based adaptations.” Excited and talking about his own field now, there was little anyone could do to shut him up. Biology had been his passion since childhood.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

“Yes, like the hortas. Never saw a live one but I have seen a skull. Ten sets of ears. And two mouths if I recall right. . . can’t remember what the second mouth was for. I do remember that one of their earliest gods was depicted as a bipedal hortas. Which has caused many religious, biological and historical debates.” There was a prominent theory that hortas were once far more intelligent, and even sentient before the Autzan people evolved to stand on two legs.

Ensign ch’Sirhc (COMMO, ENGR)

“One for killing, one for eating,” replied Roman, about the hortas’ two mouths. There was certainly evidence of intelligent hortas, evidence that thousands of years ago, perhaps millions, they’d gathered into tribes much like early man, however they hadn’t progressed. No horta structures were ever found. And once Autzan people evolved, it seemed horta was unable to get its footing again as an intelligent species. “It would’ve been quite the thing to see if they had retained their intelligence.”

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

“Would it really, though?” Kovan questioned, highly skeptical. An intelligent apex predator sounded like something out of one of those horror holovids. That god depicted as a bipedal horta was a god of destruction and suffering. The Autzan were a quiet and highly retrospective people (a life spent mostly in silence seemed to encourage that). He didn’t think they would have survived into a space-fairing race if the hortas continued to evolve. They could have become another aggressive species like the Klingons.

Ensign ch’Sirhc (COMMO, ENGR)

On the other hand, humans were considered apex predators, and they weren’t like the Klingons. In Roman’s mind, one could never tell what could’ve been. He nodded. “Things would be different, sure. But different doesn’t always mean bad.”

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Bad things always happen. In Kovan’s mind it seemed the bad always outweighed the good. “It doesn’t always mean good either,” He challenged, letting his (non-natural, but learned) cynicism come out. “But now we’re getting into semantics over something that does not exist.”

Ensign ch’Sirhc (COMMO, ENGR)

Roman was quite optimistic actually, and despite bad things having happened to him in the past, he refused to believe they were always the outcome. “You’re right, we shouldn’t get in a theoretical semantics debate,” he agreed. “Do you know of any other interesting alien worlds?”

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Any other interesting alien worlds. He knew plenty. “There are the Holiholiholi people. Avian-like humanoids with feathers but no flight capability, and reptilian faces. Perhaps dinosaur-like would be a better descriptor.” He added, remembering about Earth dinosaurs. “They believed three was a sacred number and built their entire culture, language and cities around it. Non space-fairing but were discovered by their system neighbors, the Duloi who trade on their behalf.” It wasn’t the best trade relationship. Though, the Duloi were often the only ones willing to trade due to the Holiholiholi’s adherence to rules of threes.

Ensign ch’Sirhc (COMMO, ENGR)

“I have heard of them, but I know little about them,” Roman commented. “Trading with them, even by proxy, is technically a breech of the Prime Directive.” There was his regulation following, rule stickler side. Strictly speaking a non-space faring race had no business trading with space faring races, at least not within the Federation. “They do sound interesting. They can’t fly?”

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Kovan shrugged, “The Duloi aren’t apart of the Federation.” Not yet, anyways. Or not as far as he knew. It’s been a few years since Kovan was last in that area, and the Duloi may have joined since then. “Right now the Duloi and Holiholiholi are just beyond current Federation borders.” Which could also have changed since his last visit. “They’re too heavy to fly. The holiholiholi are giant, two point five meters tall on average. Their planet is hot too. Nearly all jungle and a high oxygen to nitrogen level. Most visitors need breathing masks when visiting. For that and the stench. That planet stinks.”

Ensign ch’Sirhc (COMMO, ENGR)

A faint smile appeared on his face. “Sounds like exactly the type of planet I’d like to study.” Oxygen/Nitrogen rich atmosphere planet’s were always interesting environmentally, with huge biodiversity. “I hope I get the chance to visit someday.”

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

“You just might.” Kovan said. The Federation was always expanding, sucking up planets and members like they were sweets. Always boldly going. “The holiholiholi enjoy visitors, just make sure you bring two others with you. Because threes.” They deeply mistrusted anyone that traveled alone or in twos, which Kovan learned the hard way. He thought back to his short time there, exploring the Two of Three Grand City. “Lots of insect life.” He recalled, remembering swarms of giant insects with translucent wings. They dominated skies, hunting for small mammal-like animals. “Every insect had legs that were multiples of three. And three or six eyes.” Which made insects a popular choice for motifs in Holiholiholi art.

Ensign ch’Sirhc (COMMO, ENGR)

Rand would go with him. And… Maybe one of the science officers from his department. But Rand would definitely go, so that was at least two for sure. “I could find three to go.” He said. And then he shook his head. “I’m not an entomologist. I do animals, not bugs.” He wasn’t scared of bugs, but they didn’t interest him academically.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Insects were like any other animal to Kovan. He understood the academic differences, it was just all the same to him. “I don’t recall seeing any animals. Just people and insects.” The animals likely all lived in the jungles, hidden from the many predatory insects. “Wait. I didn’t see any except as food.” He added, recalling a particular dish he ate before leaving the planet. “It was a kind of street food. But they would cook these small. . . rodents? Rodent-like creatures in huge steam broilers made of wood and a particular tree leaf that was as big as my chest. They wove the leaves into a mat that would be heated by steam and would impart some of their flavor to the meat.” It wasn’t bad, but very, very floral-tasting. “I think those animals were a type of fast-reproducing pest.”

Ensign ch’Sirhc (COMMO, ENGR)

“Fast reproducing pests are common on nearly every earthlike planet.” said Roman. Even Nibbles, the Atarivan mouse he kept in the biology lab, could be considered that. It was just that he only had one, so even though the mouse was coming of age, he hadn’t a mate for it. Probably better. He’d have to keep them separate. Allow them maybe one litter. From was what he could tell, the mouse was meant to have hundreds or thousands of litters in its likely around 5 year life span. He hadn’t been able to study it in depth yet.

“I wonder what else lives there that they don’t eat. And a tree with leaves that large! I’d love to see it.” He studied plants as well, though he generally preferred animals, and he knew of several plants on the planet the mouse was from which had medicinal properties. He had some seeds he had yet to plant. Others he grew in the enclosures if the animals, so that the environment was similar to their home environment.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

An old memory popped to mind, Kovan started to speak, then quickly shut his mouth. He nearly spoke of Diadem VI. Nearly (he’s going to be sick) told a non-crappy story about that place. About the little pests that everyone hated and nearly every kid learned to hunt for. Kids with the highest kill count were regarded with awe and jealousy. There were farmers who paid by the kill. “It’s an impressive planet.” Kovan said instead. Anything other than about Diadem VI. “The Holiholiholi strived for peaceful balance with their environment. There are six zones of their planet entirely untouched by their civilization. The ultimate nature preserves or something.” He couldn’t remember if those zones were entirely cut off from the rest of the planet or if scientists were allowed in.

“I’d have to ask if I could visit them. With two other people.” Roman was never one to forget a rule. But that planet sounded like biologist paradise.

Either way it seemed they found their conversation topic. Kovan visited many planets. For jobs, for the pleasure of seeing some place new, or otherwise. He could go on about the planets, the peoples. their languages, what they ate, their cities. Enough, with Commander Alden’s contributions, to last them until they heard the voice of an engineer call out.

“Oh, didn’t know anyone was stuck in the lift! I’ll get you guys free in a jiff.”

All Kovan could say was, “Finally.”

Ensign ch’Sirhc (COMMO, ENGR)

“Finally,” said Roman, ‘jinx’ing Kovan. It seemed both of them were relieved to be nearly free. “What time is it, anyway? How long have we been here?”

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Kovan checked his forgotten about diagnostic PaDD and noted the time, “Fourty-nine minutes.” Which was forty-eight minutes too long but they survived their ordeal. They can finally get back to work.

Ensign ch’Sirhc (COMMO, ENGR)