Departmental Admin (part 2)

Posted on Thu Oct 22nd, 2020 @ 1:14pm by Lieutenant JG Elizabeth Jackson & Lieutenant JG Ronnie Wolfe & Ensign Maria Delgado & Lieutenant Aenar Torek

1,248 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Eye of the Storm

[CONTINUED]

[OLD]

"I'm doing comparison analyses between the ancient cultures we find and modern society. And helping map the location of said ancient cultures," Maria replied. She enjoyed the organizational work as much as she enjoyed field work.

[NEW]

'That sounds like good work - any cultures in particular? Or is it a more general, broad-based survey?' Though Aenar wanted to be fair in his attention to his staff, he found the archaeological aspect of their work too fascinating to pass up more detailed questioning.

"It's broad-based so I can get more data. As we get more cultures we can do more in-depth studies and comparative analyses, but for now, I'm looking for anything and everything."

'Excellent - sounds like a solid start to your project. If you ever need someone to look over a draft ... please consider me free to do so.' Aenar turned to Lancaster, 'and you're the Assistant Chief. I assume you have some broader-based duties that take away from your research time?'

"I cover for you when you have something more pressing--or if you want to go down to a planet," she said, smiling. "Unless you find some interesting bugs, then I want to be there."

'Ah, you're always going to be welcome to the bugs,' replied Aenar with a smile and a shudder, 'I can't stand them. Too many legs, mouths and eyes to be comfortable for me. You'll be my first call, I promise. And your projects otherwise? You have enough time to run them?'

"Since live specimen don't work well on a starship, most of my collection is holographic--or dead." She grinned. "I do have a lab all to myself for dissecting what I find and displaying my collection. I find a lot of people have a similar view of multi-legged creatures. My daughter has a stuffed centipede, praying mantis, and morpho butterfly."

'I ... well, I guess if you're introduced to it from a young age you're used to it,' Aenar smiled, a little too broadly, 'but so long as you keep those specimens contained inside your lab, then we'll be OK.'

Ronnie laughed. "I promise. If it's any consolation, most of the crew feels the same way you do."

'I'm sure it's just a genetic disposition to distrust the many-eyed and many-legged species of the galaxy. They are usually dangerous,' Aenar tugged on his ear, 'everyone has their interests though, and we seem to cover a decent range of scientific disciplines, which is pleasing.'

"We do manage. We could use a few more in the hard sciences, but we've managed so far," Ronnie said.

'It's difficult from what I understand, the hard scientists are the least likely to take a ship-board posting. They prefer the labs planet- and starbase-side. More stability I guess, less chance of getting lost down a wormhole unexpectedly.' Aenar flashed another smile. 'Still, I'll note it in any personnel requirements - hopefully someone will be assigned then.'

"The more the merrier," Ronnie said, smiling. "So, tell us something about you."

'Me? Uh, well,' Aenar took a sip of his tea to take a moment to think. 'Well, my speciality is Bajoran archaeology, the periods prior to the Prophets making themselves known to us if we're being specific. The Federation introduced me to baseball, which I love, and if it wasn't for Starfleet in several direct ways I wouldn't be an archaeologist.' He sobered at the thought, before looking up and smiling, 'and my favourite cuisine is Tex-Mex.'

"You know, I think Sam's specialty is Pre-Columbian earth, and lost Federation cultures. What's yours, Maria?" Ronnie asked.

"Northern Mexico, but I like mapping migration," the Latina said.

Ronnie nodded and turned back to Aenar. "You're the only Bajoran expert here, which is good. Baseball, huh? I've never played, but I've watched a few games. And I love Texas barbecue. We may need to have a departmentla dinner."

'Do you know what, that sounds like a great idea. The more and spicier the food the better,' laughed Aenar, 'I gather that baseball isn't to everyone's taste, but it was one of the easier sports Starfleet personnel could teach us back home.'

"I'm not much good at it," Ronnie said. "I preferred to see what was crawling under the bleachers."

"Remind me never to go to a game with you," Lizzie teased.

'So long as we're all having fun, it doesn't matter - though I don't think most holoprograms would cater for the bug-hunting,' laughed Aenar as he took a bite out of a cream horn.

"My husband usually doesn't mind my bug hunting, as long as I don't do it when we're out as a family," Ronnie added. "I can't say I blame him."

"Me, either. Although there are some bugs that are beneficial. We have a couple in the arboretum." Lizzie had a sweet tooth and had a plate piled with pastries. She picked up one and took a bite, "Oh, this one is good."

"She usually has chocolate chip cookies and vanilla ice cream in her workroom," Maria said to Aenar. "I think she's secretly a witch who lures her victims with sweets."

"I am not. I just like to share my cookies."

I think I'll get along fine with these guys, Aenar thought. It was a source of satisfaction he'd found able, amiable colleagues to work with, 'surely, nobody really wants to share their cookies? It's just done out of a sense of duty, usually ...' he teased.

"I make great cookies," Lizzie huffed, not really upset. "If I don't share them, they either go stale, or I eat them all."

'I look forward to trying them,' replied Aenar with a laugh, 'please, if there's any more food or drink you'd like, help yourselves.'

Lizzie beamed happily, then got up to get herself seconds.

So the botanist wouldn't look too bad, Ronnie joined her. "I can take some back to Elsa."

'Please, take as much as you want. It'll only go to waste otherwise,' Aenar knew it would be reclaimed, but still, it was a waste to a boy who had grown up in a refugee camp. 'Doctor Delgado, if you'd care to take anything, you're entirely welcome.'

Maria eyed the table for a moment. "Yes, I think I will. Thank you." She put several delicies on a plate. "I shouldn't, but they look so good..."

"I know, right?" Lizzie said, grinning. "I'll have to get the replicator info...or maybe not. I might eat too much. I'll stick to cookies and ice cream."

Ronnie replicated a small container for her pastries. "So I can take them to my office for later. I'll give Elsa one, but if I leave these with her, they'll be all over the quarters, holonanny or not."

The entomologist turned to Aenar. "Is there anything specific you'd like us to work on?"

'Not at this time - please carry on with your projects for now, though I'm sure we'll need to bring you in if the Calypso encounters a crisis. You're work brings value to the ship, and Starfleet, and I'd not disrupt that lightly.'

Lizzie grinned. "Thanks."

"Gracias," Maria said.

"Welcome to the Calypso," Ronnie said. "You'll fit right in."


____
OFF


Lieutenant JG Ronnie Lancaster
Assistant Chief Science Officer

Lieutenant JG Elizabeth Jackson
Botanist

Ensign Maria Delgado
Archaeologist

Lieutenant Aenar Torek
Chief Science Officer

 

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