Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in side - sim: Honoring the Ardent

Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in side - sim: Honoring the Ardent

Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in side - sim: Honoring the Ardent
Posted by… suppressed (3) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Rand sat down before reaching over and squeezing his hand. She could tell he didn’t want to do this, but they were here, and Randy would probably say they had to try. This needed to be about the work. The personal stuff came later. She grabbed her PaDD, pulled out a stylus, and created a blank data file. “I am going to create a new data file for any new work. What is the study name?”

Roman squeezed her hand back, hesitant to let it go. Then she grabbed her PaDD and started to create a new file. “The.. the Chearian Outpost Environmental Study.” He began to give her the study parameters and basic information, the planet type, location, basic environmental details, the type of outpost they planned to place there, and then into hypothesis, research questions, study purpose. Then he described animal subjects. There had been a lot. With two main researchers, a larger science department, and a lot more resources the project had moved much faster than his study of Aldaria.

It was a little odd, but once Rand had the PaDD set up she was able to hold his hand while he talked and write with the other. She could have simple set the PaDD for audio recording, but she felt like putting the physical effort into taking the notes gave them both something to focus on.

The planet was called Chearia, it was in a system that bordered Federation and Klingon space. Starfleet has planned to put a military outpost, to keep an eye on the Klingons. It was meant to have defensive capabilities only, Starfleet wasn’t looking to start a fight, merely be cautious.

Chearia had long days and short nights, and a lot of rainfall, which meant plentiful plantlife, like a planetwide rainforest. Days, though longer than Earth, followed a similar hour cycle to Earth, about twenty five hour day/night cycles. The planet was in its mesozoic era if compared to Earth, meaning the era in which dinosaurs live. Despite the plentiful oxygen however, none of the animals had evolved to be as large as Earth dinosaurs, or at least, not yet.

The outpost was to be placed on the western continent, near a large river to source fresh water from, so that was the portion of the environment their study focused on. They studied both the land creatures, that was Roman and Jay’s specialties, and anything living in the river. They had chosen to place the outpost away from any oceans to prevent potential natural disasters like tsunamis or hurricanes, or other flooding events.

There were several varieties of edible plants, but also a great many toxic plants, and so they’d brought in the Ardent’s botanists to study them. That was on one of the data disks they’d look at later. They’d been studying several varieties of animal, how dangerous they would be and, like with Mr Wyvern, antitoxins and other measures to make them a little safer.

Slowly she worked through the basic information, name, location, environment, animal subjects, study purpose, research questions, hypothesis. She collected each of these for the general study and each animal. Rand couldn’t believe how many animals Roman had had. She wanted to ask all kinds of questions about them, but she stuck strictly to the scientific data as she created the file. It was slow at first, and never much faster, but it was a place to start.

Rand

Roman rambled through the information in a formal, almost robotic way, talking about things as impersonally as possible. As if it were someone else’s project all together that he just happened to be well read on. He answered her questions as she asked them, pausing briefly every so often to make sure she had anything she needed in her data file. He picked up one of the earliest datadisks and put it into his computer console - it was a written report only disk, full of scientific graphs and charts showing the basic planet data as he spoke about it, atmosphere makeup, soil type, plant viability, water type and sustainability, wind and weather reports. A lot of the sort of information they’d gathered on Kelmao. It was a slow going process, but faster than expected as Roman scientifically and formally listed things off as if trying to just belt it all out and be done. The first disk was the easy part, most of the photos and data had been taken by probes or other scientists with relevant specialties, not Roman and Jay themselves.

~ Roman

The first data disk was helpful. Not that Roman had forgotten anything, but it helped to fill in some of the minor details that got glossed over in the bigger picture. They went over each picture and image and sample collected by the probes. Some of the data was lost and had to be filled in by Roman’s memory. It took a few hours. Going over data for the planetary system, the sun, the lunar satellites, and effects on rotation and tide. Rand made them stop for lunch. Even if he didn’t eat. “I can’t ignore Nibbles, she doesn’t do well when I disappear, and Mushu is finally starting to be more active. We need to check on them.” Also Rand had seen the file names and new the next images would be the first recorded plant and animal life, and all she could think of was what Roman had asked her to tell Randy. On the way to the lab, deciding to approach this like the other projects, “We really should research into whether this study is needed. If Star Fleet has decided not to place an outpost or change their objective to the planet, that will decide how to continue.” She didn’t want to say the study was no longer needed, but if the planet had been abandoned then Roman didn’t have to do this at all.

Rand

Roman had resisted taking a break but in the end Rand had convinced him. Mushu was finally acting normally again and if he vanished for a long time, the lizard could go back to his lethargic ways. “Starfleet wouldn’t just abandon this. I’ve already looked, they haven’t moved forward with the outpost yet. But they will, once I submit my review.” Roman already knew what the finding was going to be: that it had been so close to finishing, it would almost be a waste not to finish it. And he was certain Starfleet would still want that outpost. So, once he submitted his review, they’d authorize it for testifying and assign it. He assumed they’d assign it to a ship closer to the planet.

~ Roman

Oh of course Roman had already checked. “I should have asked you. Should I see if there are any newer sensor or probe readings of the area in the database?” It made sense to her that there would be. If Star Fleet was still interested in placing an outpost there they should be keeping an eye on it, even from a distance. Rand entered the main biology lab and checked on Nibbles and scattered some food for her, hiding some of it among the plants for her to scavenge for later. Nibbles was more interested in attention than food at the moment. Rand slipped on the spare sleeve and obliged her. Nibbles had finally taken to the ‘ball’ Rand had left in the cage and would chase after it if Rand rolled it around. “I think she might be gaining weight, or her coat is just getting fuller.”

“Let’s finish the review and worry about new results if we have to.” All he had to do right now, was compile the data and submit it for further study. Like a project summary, sort of. Roman put his hand in Mushu’s enclosure and let the little lizard climb his arm again. He was letting Mushu do it more frequently and the lizard always loved his spot on Roman’s shoulder. “Her coat may be getting fuller. You noted previously she was hoarding food, as if for winter. If she feels like it should be winter her fur will thicken up to keep her warm in what would be colder temperatures naturally.” It was a pretty scientific explanation, not unlike those he used while talking about the project.

She nodded, “I did make note of that.” Rand tipped her head to the side, “I thought that instinct was triggered by a change of seasons, though. The environmental controls stay the same in the lab. So what would be triggering her to think winter was coming then?”

At the end of the hour Rand went to the galley and got two meals and tea for Roman as well. Rand opted for water. She loved tea, but she felt too wound up without the extra caffeine. She placed the tray near at hand that they could eat, but she didn’t say anything. Instead she picked up her PaDD and munched occasionally. She felt a little like Nibbles or Pipkin.

Rand

Roman returned to his office while Rand got them food. He forced himself to eat a little, if only just to keep Rand from worrying too much. Mostly he drank the tea. They still had the rest of the probe data to sift through. Next up would be the first photos transmitted from the probes sent to the planet surface. The very first image was the one Roman had told Rand about. Roman seemed to be avoiding it.

~ Roman

Rand was glad he was attempting to eat, but didn’t think his stomach would handle much. Maybe she should bring him peppermint tea next time? As the computer loaded the probe data Rand moved over next to him and hugged him while the images appeared on the screen. The first one Rand could understand Jay’s excitement that Roman had described. But she thought it was too adorable to be called a dinosaur. Dinosaur meant terrible lizard, and what she was looking at was scaly adorableness made reality. She held herself quiet rather than expressing her enthusiasm.

Roman only managed a couple of bites. It could have been the world’s best food, it still tasted like cardboard and he still felt overfull after the first bite. Rand moved closer and hugged him and Roman tightened his grip on her hand as the images appear. After the incident yesterday, it was too fresh in his mind. The image was exactly what he’d described: and eight foot tall, ten foot long lizard with a tall solid sail on its back like a stegosaurus, and a somewhat triangular head. It had short stumpy legs. Definitely an herbivore, by the looks of it. The trick was, its scales were harder than some gemstones, a difficult to pierce armour the creature defended itself with.

Jay, after the dinosaur debate, had elbowed Roman, Hey, Roman, let’s make a bet. I’ll say it lays eggs like dinosaurs did, and since you’re so anti-dino, you can say it’ll have live births. “She already looks pregnant,” Roman had said. He didn’t realize he’d repeated the words aloud, now, as he tried not to cry, leaning into Rand, his grip tight on her hand.

“It looks like the note files are intact for these,” she quietly told him, “I can check them later to make sure, if you want to move on.” She was fairly certain he would say no, but wanted him to know it was an option.

Rand

“No.” His voice was little more than a husky whisper. Any louder and he was afraid he’d start crying again, hard, like the day before. He moved to the next photo, a landscape photo showing a lush forest with rich underbrush. There were a few bushes with bright coloured berries hanging from the branches, and some large, bright flowers of varying colours growing near the river. The next few photos were similar, a few birdlike animals, and something sort of like a deer showing up in them.

~ Roman