Posted by Ensign Luna (Security Officer) in No, Dudes! Don’t Drink the Water!

Posted by Commander McKenzie Curry III (Executive Officer) in No, Dudes! Don’t Drink the Water!

<SNIP>
McKenzie was now slowly moving into a sitting position, but was still on the floor, he had an embarrassed look on his face, and it seemed to be greener than the rest of his body,

“I caused a bit of a stir, it seems,” McKenzie said, “I’m Commander McKenzie Curry III, from Atalan. I’m here as your new XO.” He looked at the slight cut he had receivd, and continued, “your engineers were installing my tank with water from Atalan. They were going to drink the water, I warned them against doing that, but they were startled. The Atalan water is vastly different to that found on most other planets and while it has restorative powers for us, it isn’t the same for others. They screamed and ran, must have been my ears, I think and I called for help. My friend over there,” he pointed to Luna, “arrived just before you and found this for me.” He motioned to the object he was using to cover his slight cut.

“ I would not go as far and saying friend I am still not shure I can trust you, My name is Luna I think I forgot to introduce myself. ” Luna said calmly. She was not trying to be mean. She was just telling the truth. Luna had a hard time trusting anyone.

“No offence meant, Luna,” McKenzie said, “I don’t always use this language properly.”

“ trust takes time to earn” she said. It was clear she would be difficult to get along with.

Viktoryia had been in sickbay when the call from the XO came through. After she had finally finished receiving her nutrients she quickly made her way to Commander Curry’s quarters.

As she approached she saw her two engineering officers waiting out side “What happened?” She asked as she stepped up behind them.

Ravenfall, CO

“Please come in,” called out McKenzie, “especially if you can assist me.”

-Curry, XO

“ good morning captain “ Luna said with a smile.
Ensign Luna

“How exactly did you get injured?” Mike asked the XO. “Captain.. it seems the two engineers responsible for accommodation of our new XO got… startled by him and ran off.”
Mike could see how the XO could scare them, as he was large and well build. But his green skin didn’t seem that unusual to Mike. Orions had even darker shade, and there were quite a few of them in Star fleet already. If he’s going to hear about this, then the two engineers will get a lecture as well. And probably task of repainting the Viking’s exterior.

Lt. Mike Stone, CE

“They were here to install my tank. Due to my special physiology, the water within it had to be from Atalan, which isn’t the best for non Atalanians to drink,” McKenzie replied, “they were warned Yugumm jar mulli gwong! (Don’t drink the water) in the instructions, but their curiosity got the better of them and they were about to fill their glasses with the water, and I didn’t want you to have to deal with the results of that, so I warned them once again, Yugumm Marrogunn! Yugumm jar mulli gwong! (No dudes! Don’t drink the water). I was overly enthusiastic in my warning to them, and they spilled some on me, and the result is what you see. They actually dropped their drinking glasses in their surprise, at my voice and as well as the water splashing on me, the glasses broke and some of it cut me. The water, as you can see changes me into my aquaform. I am bleeding, also. Please, Lieutenant, don’t take action against your Engineers, they were young and curious and that shouldn’t be held against them.”

When they were permitted entry, Kristi came in and her smile actually brightened in surprise at seeing a merfolk on the cabin floor. She swiftly recovered and murmured a quick apology before moving to the desk where a pile of large towels was still stacked, she grabbed one and brought it over to help cover the XO with. Her smile was unwavering as she nodded to him and stepped back to let the officers decide how to handle this. She then silently moved to pick up the broken glass and finish straightening up from the tub install, including shutting off the water that was now within about 12 inches of the top of the tank.

Kristi

“Thank you, Ensign,” McKenzie said to Kristi with a smile, “you are very kind and thoughtful.”

Late, as the medical department always seemed to be, the slow shuffle of Harrington was heard long before the doors creaked open. His pale gaunt figure emerged in the doorway. Despite being back in Star-Fleet for more than a year he still looked more like a patient in a medical uniform than an acutal doctor. Those who knew him would argue that he looked worse now than when he had first come aboard the Viking, deep hallows ran under his eyes speaking of many sleepless nights. Even so his smile was warm as he looked eyes on Curry. “Welcome aboard, sir.” he said briefly standing to attention and giving the superior officers a formal salut. Before they could respond, he moved over to the First Officers side, “You seem to be well tended to, but if you don’t mind I’ll run a few scans just to be safe.”

Dr Harrington

“Thank you, Doctor,” McKenzie said to Harrington, “I appreciate anything you can do for me. Just a slight cut here, from the shattered glass.” He pointed to his side, “please, run any scans you need.”

Harrington nodded, his tricorder already in his hand from some point when McKenzie had been speaking and he knelt down next to the XO and used the dermal regenerator to heal the XO’s wound.

Already, the scales were receding and his legs were being restored to their former status as the water dried. As the scales receded and the legs returned, the legs were covered with his uniform trousers.

-McKenzie Curry III, XO

Mike tried not to stare too much as the transformation took place, although he found it very interesting. Instead he inspected the water tank.

“Well I think everything is in order here. There shouldn’t be any leaks, but if you notice or need anything give engineering a call.” He said after patting down the edges.
“I hope the temperature of the water is fine as it is. An additional heater could be installed if needed.

Although Mike offered an upgrade to the tank, he still wondered just how safe it would be. Lots of times they had to reuse old parts, and the ship was accident prone. If the safety on the heater failed, the XO could be boiled alive. If nothing else, USS Viking would then end up with enough fish soup for a week.

Lt. Mike Stone, CE

“The temperature will be fine, Lieutenant, we have ways of regulating our body heat, a doctor back home tried to explain it to me once when I was a jajumm (child), but it meant nothing to me. Thank you for your concern, though,” McKenzie replied.

Harrington for his part kept his eyes on the tricorder as he scanned through the XO’s transformation. A part of it was out of a respectable sense of politeness his parents had ensured he have, and part of it was because reading the scan results on the tricorders screen was completely different to anything he had seen in all his experience as an officer.

Dr Harrington

The scan would show something that would be of particular interest to Harrington, the blood chemistry of the XO did not contain hemoglobin, but rather hemocyanin which meant copper based blood rather than iron based.

Kristi had murmured a half whispered, ‘You’re welcome’, to the XO before stepping out of the way. She assisted Stone in checking the integrity and the temp of the tank. She also made note to have extra towels, perhaps sheet size, sent up in case the replicators went on the fritz at the wrong time. Awkward is the XO being called to the bridge and unable to dry off. A slight smile touched her lips once more as her head went thru a myriad of questions she hoped she would get the nerve to ask the XO before her rotation on the ship was over.

Kristi
Engineer

By now, the XO was fully back in his humanoid form, and he stood up once more.

“I truly hope the officers weren’t too scared by my appearance,” he said by way of apology, “I know I look strange to aliens, my need for the gwong (water) from Atalan is real, too long without any gwong (water), and I run the risk of dying. The Atalan gwong (water) is dangerous for non-Atalanians to consume, but not to touch. I do hope you can forgive me for the unneeded excitement.”

-XO Curry III

“ Of all the strange things for engineers to be afraid of they picked a perfect normal XO” Luna giggled.
Ensign Luna

Kristi smiled and nodded. “We’re just glad you are all right. I am sure, while it scared them, it probably wasn’t too pleasant for you, either.” She smiled and helped by finishing to clean up the last of what was spilled.

Kristi
Eng