Posted by Lieutenant Commander Janusz Korczak (Counselor) in Side Sim - Bio-chemistry and Neuroscience (Attn: CNS)

Posted by Lieutenant Markus Woods (Chief Science Officer) in Side Sim - Bio-chemistry and Neuroscience (Attn: CNS)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Janusz Korczak (Counselor) in Side Sim - Bio-chemistry and Neuroscience (Attn: CNS)
Posted by… suppressed (18) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Mark read the notice from the CO once more. Senior staff were to report with the CNS. Tapping the display in front of him he pulled up the block scheduling for the good doctor to see what was available. Of course it wouldn’t list what crew member had signed up when. He’d selected one of the blocks early in the morning. Captian’s orders. But better to get it out of the way. He was overdue for review anyway. Though it seemed his neurological scans had been neglected. There’d been extenuating circumstances thanks to the Viking’s past… eccentricities. He was surprised that Command wasn’t chewing on his rear end about it.

Quickly, he had pulled up the department schedule for his people and scheduled that same block of time as being out of office.

Only now, he was standing just outside the office door. Reaching over he tapped the chime button. In most cases it would have sent a silvery shiver through the air inside, but a lot of counselors preferred to keep it silent, only giving them a notification on a padd or their terminal. As he waited, the science officer took a few deep breaths and let them out slowly, even as his stomach tried to wander around on him a little. Why were his nerves up? That wasn’t like him.

Lt Woods, CSO

The door slid open silently to a room much different than most of the ship. It seemed the new Counselor was efficient at making the space less ‘clinical.

The office was obviously going to be different from the rest of the ship, and was already well on its way. It had the feel more of an old fashioned den or study than an office. It was lit in a more subdued manner than the rest of the ship and bookcases now lined one wall, filled with copies and originals of many texts on many different subjects and in more than a few languages. The desk was moved, set against the opposite wall facing away from the corner, window to the left of a person seated at the desk and allowing for a large open space in the middle. Here there was a couch and a few chairs, one of which sat in front of and facing away from the desk. A low table graced the middle of the area, and on it was a small bowl filled with softly glowing crystals. Pictures hung on the walls, some were even old photographs.

The man seated at the desk was wholly plain looking. So plain looking in fact that he may have been overlooked entirely except for the fact that he wore actual glasses on his face.

Korczak rose and said “Lt. Woods, a pleasure. I am Lieutenant Commander Korczak.” and he held out his hands to the new arrival. “Please, have a seat. Would you care for anything to drink?” he asked politely. The man’s voice was clear and easy to understand, but his accent was certainly unique… as if two wholly unrelated accents were vying for supremacy, but neither one was dominant.

Korczak, CNS

The smell of old, even ancient books wafted past him as he steppe din, surveying the space. The office reminded him of an old study. A fireplace, and a dozing hound wouldn’t have been out of place in here. Making his way over to Korczak, he took the proffered hand with a firm grip, quick shake. He came in at a height of 178 centimeters (5’ 10”) with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He had slicked-back dark chocolate brown hair an steel gray eyes that glinted with intelligence and cunning. With high cheekbones and a decent jawline, he seemed like he’d stepped straight out of a Starfleet recruitment poster. A well-kept mustache and goatee added to his rakish look.He had a walk almost like a security officer which almost belied the science blues of his uniform.

“Pleasure’s mine, I think,” he stated, breaking into an easy smile. His voice was warm and deep, relaxed, with a hint of a frontier drawl. At the question about a drink he feigned checking a chronometer he didn’t have. A couple of flippant responses went through his head, but just as quickly vanished though the smile only brightened just a hint for a moment. “I would say coffee, but It’s probably better to go with some hot sweet Earl Grey.” Expecting a funny look he put his hands up. “I know, there are one or two folks famous in the fleet for it. But I found it’s great in the morning for waking up with, cuz of the bergamot in it.” Coffee had a way of waking a person up, but right now he wanted to avoid anything that would make him jittery.

Making his way over to the seating area, Markus took one of the chairs, tucking a foot up under him and settled. “So, do you prefer your title, or your rank, for terms of address, sir?”

Lt Woods, CSO

((Sorry for the delay. My task tracker apparently borked on me. I know I don’t have everything filled out on Markus’ service jacket but most of the details are in my head.))

OOC: No worries. And we’ll play it by ear till you get in set up!

IC: Korczak nodded and went to the replicator returning with the desired beverage, setting on the table. “I have no strong preference. Doctor is fine. Mister. Rank is perfectly acceptable. Whatever you feel comfortable with.” He took a seat opposite the CSO and crossed his legs and folded his hands in his lap. ” If you are feeling adventurous at some point, I could offer you some of my own tea. It is sent from home. It’s a black tea made with black currants, hibiscus flowers, elderberry, and black currant leaves. Add a bit of lemon and it’s one of my favorites… also, it is real tea. Not replicated.” He had no visible means of taking notes, but was obviously going to begin anyway. “So tell me a bit about yourself, Mr. Woods… and how you came to be on the Viking.”

Korczak, CNS

Mark took the tea and took a sip. A little off from his usual tweaks but still good. Cradling the mug, he let it rest in his lap while absorbing its’ warmth. “Your tea sounds quite good. I may have to take you up on that.” A small smile flickered across his face as he took another sip.

“So tell me a bit about yourself…”

So it begins.

“Well, I assume you’ve looked at my service jacket. But a recap - My family is from Deneva. And while it’s every bit a homeworld like Earth at this point, there’s still a frontier attitude where a person’s word and a handshake mean a lot. My dad was a Starfleet captain who served with some distinction until he went down with his ship. My mother, Renee is an astrophysicist who’s done alright for herself.” He gave a small shrug. “Once I got out of primary education, I decided to join Starfleet. i suppose it was to bring me closer to my dad in some ways. But it also sounded like it would either be as boring as watching paint dry, or it would be a non-stop ride. The either one worked in my favor in some ways. I could get a lot of reading and research done. Make friends, and connections. Or I’d have a lot of stories to tell and see and do things most people only hear about.”

Lt Woods, CSO

“How old were you when your father passed? And do you go home often?” Korczak asked, his face passive and non-judgmental.

Korczak, CNS

Mark gave a small ‘hmm’ at the question, tilting his head to the right some. “Well, I was sixteen when he died. Intellectually, I always understood that could happen. Especially after the Dominion War, and the incident with the Enterprise-E in Romulan space. It’s just so rare that Starfleet loses a ship in peacetime operations. It seemed like all the world was doing alright, only for the rug to get jerked out from under me and my mom.” Idly he sipped at his tea for a moment, reflecting back on the matter. “I haven’t been back to Deneva since… Leave just after my Academy cruise on the Discovery. My mom wasn’t exactly happy with my decision to join up. ‘You’re gonna end up like your father’ and all that. And she might be right. I’ve been in more light-fights than I expected. Solved more situations with a phaser than I expected. But I’ve seen and studied some unimaginable things too. And after a tour on the Viking, it’s made me wonder if I shouldn’t go home. But that’s… I didn’t come out here to be safe or to quit.”

Lt Woods, CSO

“One would certainly hope not. This isn’t the career field for such aspirations, now is it?” Korczak said with a soft smile. “So what is it you did come here for, then?”

Korczak, CNS

Markus’ brows narrowed, knitting together in concentration as the corners of his mouth drew into a frown. His vision seemed to turn unfocused, or rather turned inward, examining memory and motivation. The air around him seemed to change, almost as if becoming charged. After a few seconds it seemed to pass. “Originally I came out here to find some adventure, and to push the boundaries of what we know about quantum mechanics and how it interacts with the universe. But that could be done anywhere, I suppose. In the end, I think I got more of both than I bargained for. Especially on the Darius.” He shook his head a little, looking troubled.

Lt Woods, CSO

((I finally updated his profile with most, if not all, the notes that I have had on him since his inception. I kinda regret not having it up so that it could be ruthlessly exploited by a good GM engaged with.

Sam))

Korczak nodded slightly and said “Yes… the device. Let’s talk about that for a moment. I have read the full report. It was… interesting… to be certain. But I do have a few questions for you. So… why did you spend so much time with the device, to begin with?”

Korczak, CNS

“Curiosity, and I suppose, ambition. The device was interesting, intriguing. I made first contact with it when we brought it aboard. I guess I felt responsible for studying it as much as I could. Especially after we discovered it didn’t seem to have any significant or lasting medical side effects.” A small grimace flitted over his face. “I was of the mind that if I could document as much as I could of the information it imparted by the time we got it back to a research facility, it would help them, and help advance my career. I never considered I would wind up a lab rat, since it seemed to have a lasting effect on me. If it’s something in my physiology or genetic makeup, I still haven’t found out. Or maybe it’s just repeated, prolonged exposure. I’m sure the researchers at headquarters are working to figure that out, or already have. At this point, they haven’t’ said much to me, but still expect frequent pokes and prods from the medical staff at whatever posts I wind up at.”

Lt Woods, CSO

“Is your career advancement so important that you would risk your health to move it forward?” Korczak asked with no judgment or condescension. “I am not criticizing, mind you. Many people risk far more just for another pip or a better duty station.”

Korczak, CNS

bump

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((Sorry for the delay. Had a hiccup that was taking a bit to get ironed out. Not an RL thing but related to STF.))

Markus opened his mouth as if to answer, then seemed to think better of it several times.. After a moment he seemed to gather his thoughts. “I didn’t see it that way at the time. I was young, dumb… in my own way, and ambitious. Like a lot of young officers fresh out of the Academy.” The science officer rested his left elbow on the arm of the chair and his temple on his fingertips, rubbing at his head a little, then nodded. “I needed more seasoning. And I guess over the eight or so tours or cruises I got it. I still would like to go higher and farther. Per aspera ad astra. I still look to test mind and body in the endless expanse, I guess. Mind you, I don’t look to step on anybody on the way up. If I can, I’d like to lift everybody else up with me too. I don’t believe in using people.”

“An admirable trait, to be sure.”

“What about you? Why do you come out here on the raggedy edge and do this work? You could easily stay in Federation space and work on pushing out studies and papers. But you’re on the Viking.” Markus gestured around to the ship about them. “The Cursed Ship. The Black Sails. Possibly the ‘worst’ assignment in all the fleets.”

Lt Woods

Janusz laughed slightly, more like a dry chuckle. “Oh, I was never one for knocking out publications and making a name for myself in academia. No, my career has been a bit more… active… than that. But I am here because I was asked to come. So… I came. Simple as that.” and he fixed Woods with a look of curiosity.

“So do you believe the previous ship was cursed? And do you think that curse has followed to this vessel?”

Korczak, CNS

Markus nodded, taking those bits of data in. A few things started to come into focus as he gained a little bit of a sense of the man across from him. “Oh that’s a very good question,” Markus said breaking into a smile tinged with about a half-dozen tiny emotions. “Do I believe the Viking was cursed. I came tot he original Viking all cowboy and half-cocked. I thought I was gonna clean up the town, so to speak.” He paused to take a sip of his drink. “I’m a generalist, but focus a lot in quantum mechanics and dynamics. I’ve experienced weirdness plenty. I’m gonna sort it allllll out. Or at least give a better explanation than ‘ghosts and demons.’ Superstition is for the weak-minded.” He gestured vaguely to one side of himself. “That’s what I thought.”

“I get there, and the weirdness starts immediately. But I can’t verify half of anything. Because stuff keeps going missing. And half of my departments gear was missing or defunct. And Engineering was catching hell trying to keep up with repairs and all too. I rolled up my sleeves and got what I could back to working again. But that wasn’t the only strangeness.” He shifted uncomfortably and chewed the inside of his bottom lip for a moment. “I didn’t experience as much as the others did, but I saw enough to make me wonder. But more than that when I got there, I … ”

He sighed, rubbing his thumb pads against his fingertip pads of their respective hands. “I immediately, or almost immediately, began to feel this malevolent presence. Elusive and hard to pin down, but it was there. I still question whether it was my own mind making stuff up, or if what I saw a few times was real. Other stuff I don’t question, as to whether it was real or not, but just the whys.” Biting his bottom lip in thought once more, his gaze, once distant, came back to the present moment. “I don’t kn ow about cursed. Still not sure I believe that. But I do believe that something was happening there. Happening to the ship. Maybe there was intelligence to it. … I’d hate to assign qualities to it that don’t exist… but it felt evil.”

Mark held up a forestalling hand. “I don’t really ascribe to the the idea of good and evil in most cases. I do believe in self-interest and selfishness, when it comes to people. I do absolutely believe some people lack empathy. Like serial killers. And some have no moral code or compass. Even the Borg, scary as they are… might seem evil. Might even qualify as evil on most people’s scale. But this was concentrated malevolence. Like the thing on Vagra II. Though I would imagine the ‘flavor’ is different. And this didn’t seem to be localized. It was everywhere. Nowhere.” He thought for a moment then an idea came to him. “A close equivalent goes back to the late twentieth century to a movie called Event Horizon. A space-folding experiment went wrong, sent the titular ship into another reality or dimension. Basically Hell. It came back changed, alive, evil.”

“Interesting movie as a though experiment. Some of the science is wrong, but what did they know back then. Great story though, if you’re into horror.” As he switched to the subject of that particular tale his expression lightened, and he seemed more relaxed, almost as if discussing a fairy tale, something else he didn’t really believe in.

“So cursed? I’m not sure. Possessed? Maybe. Haunted isn’t exactly right either. There was something there though. Has it followed here? I have no idea. I hope not. I hope so. ‘Not’ is obvious. But why would I want whatever it was here? Not to put people in danger. But I want another shot at it. I don’t like leaving stuff unsolved. This time I would have a full science compliment, and a retrofitted Viking-class to work with, with all the latest bells and whistles. I believe I’d stand a much better chance of figuring out whatever it was, and either getting it to go away, or handling it in some other way, rather than being subjected to it’s whims. … But I’m much more in the camp of ‘I hope not.’” He grimaced a little as he thought back. “That’s a lot of explanation for… a much more simple question, I suppose. I apologize.”

Lt Woods, CSO

Korczak waved off the apology. “No no… never apologize to me for speaking your mind. I appreciate the candor, actually. Most have been… hesitant… to discuss the matter.” He pause for a moment and then clasped his hand in front of him. “Evil, you say… you are not the only to describe the previous vessel in that manner. Evil is… complicated. You said you don’t really ascribe to the the idea of good and evil in most cases. You do believe in self-interest and selfishness, when it comes to people. I think I would disagree. Evil is a multi-layered thing… it’s malleable. And oddly enough, true evil is almost universal in it’s description. All sentient species have the concept of evil… and it’s oddly and eerily almost exactly the same everywhere. Now, many couch evil as a series of actions: murder, sexual assault, theft… things ost civilizations address with laws. But that isn’t correct form my view. Some cultures have no law concerning murder. Some encourage it’s use. So I don’t believe an action in and of itself is evil. Evil is… intention. It is wishing for an outcome based on malevolence and hate… not just selfishness and self-interest. True evil has little regard for the self. It only cares about the destruction. Neurologically speaking, studies of the brains of dictators and genocidal maniacs form all species have shown a divergent brain chemistry and anatomical abnormalities. So some individuals are simply created evil. Some become evil. So when you say you felt evil… I absolutely believe you. And as many of us know, there are life forms in the galaxy that do not fall into the standard definitions we have of life. So perhaps the previous ship was housing some form of malevolent entity. But I would caution you… you jeopardized your health before in the pursuit of answers. And you say you want another shot at whatever was going on on the previous Viking. That is a pattern. Perhaps some work on risk versus reward would help you determine less harmful ways to seek those answers you want.”

Korczak, CNS

Mark listened intently, his brows lowering a little. He was no anthropologist, psychologist, or neuroscientist. But he knew some. And certainly enough to respect the experts. As Korczak presented his views, and the cultural significance and variations, his brows rose a little. A chill passed through him as a thought came to mind. For something like that to be so universally recognized… What truly lay out there in the dark beyond mankind’s understanding? As for the murder thing, he’d been in more than one firefight in the line of duty, and he tended to hit what he aimed at. Self-defense was one thing. Execution, perhaps another, and perhaps necessary. If you can’t treat it, can’t fix it… allowing it to persist was irresponsible and asking for innocent people to get hurt. The thought was a little unsettling. For the moment he set it aside. He would examine that one in detail later.

As Korczak brought up that particular pattern he nodded. “You’re right, that does seem to be a pattern. Maybe I’ve got a bit of adrenaline junky in me that the holodeck doesn’t really get the job done. But in this, yeah I wanna know. What scientist doesn’t? It’s … our entire job to stick our noses in the dark, to poke at things, and learn. Curiosity is fundamental. I’m not so young, and dumb, as I once was though. I’d like to think that curiosity is tempered by good caution. I’ve no desire to do something stupid. Well, too stupid.” He broke into a momentary grin at that. “I’ll be perfectly happy if I never have to deal with anything like that ever again. I’d like to think I’ve learned when to walk away… and when to run.” Sobering a little he took another sip of his tea, getting close to the bottom.

“Also it’s good to know I’m not alone in my experience and assessment of what happened. I … don’t think it’s something most want to talk about, except for those they trust the most, and probably went through similar things with. So being on the outside is kind of hard. I’m sure they’ll open up more. As it is, since I’ve been here I’ve continually felt like an outsider. No close connections to anyone. Some passing camaraderie, familiar faces. Nothing more. I’m sure part of it is just due to the turnover. Or people going missing. I actually lost some of my science team in all of it. Personnel just… vanished into thin air.” He shook his head. “I dunno, maybe that makes me more chatty.... having nobody.”

He paused for a moment, rubbing his hands together a bit, spreading the warmth from the mug. At the same time it was fidgeting. And Reassuring self-touch. Great. Well that was about as big a tell as anything. Smoothing his hands against his pants he sighed. “Any recommendations for the risk versus reward thing? I mean, besides the poker games I used to play on previous cruises.”

Lt Woods, CSO

Korczak smiled and said “Poker, you say? That is actually a very good tool to use, actually. Perhaps… yes… perhaps we should play a game. Find some like minded individuals who wish to learn risk vs. reward. Kind of like a ‘group therapy’ session… but with cards. Tell me, Lieutenant… would you be up for a game?” and he grinned at the CSO.

Korczak, CNS

“I’m pretty much always up for a good game,” Mark replied, breaking into a small smile. It was good to see Korczak come to life in a new way, take on new interest. That, in and of itself was interesting. “What do ya got in mind?” The idea of getting a card game going on the ship was a nice idea too. he knew he’d probably have some rust to knock off, as it had been a couple years at least since he played. But being a cardsharp all through the Academy and in the Fleets, it wouldn’t take long to get his edge back. And maybe he had an unfair advantage. Or a few.

Lt Woods, CSO