Broken

Posted on Sun Sep 5, 2021 @ 2:39pm by Lieutenant Rei Yamashi & Lieutenant Penny Mc Taggard

Mission: Mission 1R - Vigilance Be Our Shield
Location: Science Lab

[ ON ]

-Science Lab -

Penny was stressed. Not a good situation to be in when you were the new Chief Science Officer. She needed to get the science lab up and running. Unfortunately as always with engineers. They tended to leave minor areas alone until the end of construction. This meant no checks were done as by then. They were suffering from end of term syndrome.

So now Penny was left with an electronic microscope that would not focus.

Taking a deep breath. She tapped her comm. badge

“ =/\= McTaggard to Engineering come in please. =/\=“

Rei was familiarizing herself with the layout of the engineering compartments. Cataloging basic components and any after market alterations that had already gone into effect. So far, things looked rather iso standard. This she could work with.

It wasn't too long into her research that her comm badge chirped. She always felt it to be such a peculiar sound, and with a tap on the badge on her chest she replied. "=/\= This is Engineering, Lieutenant Yamashi acknowledges. =/\="

“ =/\= Hello I know you are very busy and I am sorry to bother you. But I have an electronic microscope that will not focus properly. Could you send someone to think.....sorry fix it please? =/\=“ Penny asked politely

An extradepartmental affair. A good chance to deal with another department and defend the honor of engineering... She gave an unseen nod, "=/\= Of course, my current schedule is free. I'll be down immediately. =/\=" and Rei was on the move even before her reply was out. Large, broad boots carried her through the length of hallways towards the lift.

As if sensing his mistress was now finished , talking to someone he could not see. Cara jumped out of his basket and made a bee line for Penny's trouser leg bottoms. His tiny jaws latched on and he began pulling.

McTaggard bent down and tried to grab him. But the small dog was far to nimble , for his own good. Every time she nearly had him, somehow he managed to move away. Taking her trouser leg bottom with her. Soon the material would rip she needed to end this.

Using a phaser even on stun was not an issue. For one thing the ships computer would stop her. So she filled a large test tube with water. Then Penny poured it over the Chihuahua which gave a very loud shriek. Just as the doors swooshed open.

Rei walked into the science division, intent on solving a problem. What she walked into was a specimen breach. She turned to the console near the door and engaged the locks, sealing them in with the creature. No one got in, or out, until the situation was resolved. That shriek echoed in those lengthy ears of hers, and would remain a part of her for the next few therapy sessions. What was in the beaker that was being poured on it to subdue it? Some chemical solvent? No, no fear of splatter from the Doctor. It was common, or at least common enough that it could be openly carried without hazard markers.

"Doctor, what is that thing?" she called out, ready to block any avenue of escape, "How did it get out?"

Thing. What thing? It took Penny a few seconds to realise what the person meant. She immediately began to chuckle as she picked up a wet and snarling Cara.

The small bug eyed dog. Turned its light bulb shaped head towards Rei and began to snarl.

“ This is my wee doggie Cara.He’s my pet. Best not to shake his paw or try to pet him. He’s a little highly strung at the moment. How can I help you?” Penny asked.

With the breach contained, Rei released the lock on the science lab doors. "Cara, you say. It's an interesting specimen, I've never seen one like it. Well, I've seen similar but, never a match. Apologies, I'm Lieutenant Yamashi, from Engineering. I'm here to deal with a power deficiency in some of the equipment." it was such a festive way to say 'I'm here to plug something in' but it had a way of not assigning blame or assumption to it. The rabbitess kept her distance from the snarling Cara.

Penny could feel Cara trying to lean over to Rei. So she quickly put him back in his travel basket. Even so he still managed to nip her finger.

“ He’s a Chihuahua a extremely ancient Earth breed of dog. He’s not usually like this. Anyway Penny McTaggard also a Lieutenant. Pleased to meet you.I am having a wee bit of trouble with the electronic microscope. It won’t focus properly and there is one other thing…” Penny gestured for Rei to move away from Cara’s basket.

“ I need a time out corner set up for Cara. Just a very light force field solid but no power. Just to teach him to behave. I don’t want his tiny bits frazzled.” Penny whispered.

"A pleasure." the rabbitess gave a nod, always policy to acknowledge a given name. "So ... he's normally not this aggressive. How peculiar." though as she listened to the scientist's plight, she gave a nod, "The microscope issue shouldn't be a problem, as long as it's a hardware issue. If it's software you might need to contact Operations, but I'll see what I can do before then. As for your... chihuahua issue, I can schedule an installation of additional specimen containment. You'll be able to regulate the power of the shock, down to zero as needed. Plus, in the future if you ever need to actually house a specimen, you already have the housing." she explained, a simple and elegant solution.

"Though, installation may need to hold off until we're underway. The troubleshooting on your equipment I can handle now. Please, after you." she motioned forward, to be taken to the problem.

Penny led the way over to way over to the electronic microscope.

“ This is the offending item. So… what’s it like here on the Hornet?” Penny asked

Rei took to her task, checking the hardware first. A few tests to make sure proper voltage was flowing through the system. "It's bigger than any ship I've served in thus far, and I've been on a few. It's incredibly spacious, almost to the point that I feel lost and adrift in the hallways when I walk alone." she answered, running through the normal checks before bringing her tech support up to the next tier. "The crew is friendly, though how much of that is curiosity at a new face, and how much of that is the appearance of that face I don't know yet. I choose to believe everyone on this ship is honestly decent." a bit of faith in everyone wouldn't hurt.

"Before the Hornet, I was on a few training ships from the Federation, then a few from the Dalacari academy back home. Aside from those, I served my three years of service in the Ts'usu Navy. Mandatory of all citizens, but staying on is up to each person. I served my three, I saw all I needed to see and more, and I ran." no humor in that tone.

Penny gave a sigh.

“ Well that’s good to hear. To be honest I am a wee bit nervous. Yer see I was very surprised when I landed the Chief Science Officer slot. I am just a lowly Lieutenant yer see. They never to my knowledge give it to anyone over Lieutenant Commander.” She said

Rei stopped, and stood up straight. She smoothed out her uniform, ears perked and straight, before turning to Penny, "This... won't translate exactly." she warned, "But, the only one that can hold you back is you." she motioned with hands clasped in front of her. "You were chosen for your merits and capacity, not how well your neck holds up pips."

"Rank you earn, rank is something anyone can hold, but here in this room, in this department, you're in charge. No matter your rank. And the only one that can change that is you. You're a lowly Lieutenant, same as me. You have a department. I have a boss." she noted, and held that serious posture for a moment before her hard shell cracked with a smirk, "Sorry, I don't normally get so dramatic on the first meet. I just didn't want you to think less of yourself. They say that if you think you're less then you are, then you are." she returned to her investigation of the microscope. "Aha, found it. There's a blown pathing interlay on this board. Easy patch." she walked over to the wall replicator to get the tools she'd need, and the part in question.

“ To be honest rank has never bothered me really. I just love my chosen subject Science. Finding out how living breathing things behave. How they grow and thrive. Having a photographic memory helps…..Um do we ever interact with other vessels in the fleet at all?” Penny asked

"Sometimes. I'm not entirely certain how Starfleet handles fleet movements. I can only talk from my experiences on my people's fleet, and even then I'm not really allowed to discuss it much." then she paused, "A photog..." Rei almost dropped her repair tool. She turned towards Penny, a sad look on her features. Ears drooped, she shook her head, "I'm so, so sorry."

“ Och. Don’t worry. It’s my fault for asking you. It’s just I have a cousin also serving in the fleet. A bit of a weird one to be honest. He’s serving on the USS Wellington. Ensign Stan More he’s their chief botanist I think.” Penny said blushing.” Let’s just say I wish to avoid him if possible.”

"That wasn't why I was apologizing." Rei countered. Family in the service was just something that was a given. Everyone served where she was from. Every older sibling had to reassure their younger siblings they'd return, and every younger sibling would one day be the one to make the promise down the family line. "I've read the papers, seen the interviews. They say familiar faces help. Common settings, easy to blend together. Let me know if I can help you be at ease. The first time something new is seen, it's like making a bookmark."

She shook her head, "I admit, I've often wondered what it's like. Tebanasanai kokoro. The rarest neurological condition in all of Ts'usu's medical history. Only a handful of her people suffer from it. One of them is actually in Starfleet, or so I hear." a pause, "She must be going mad. I wish there were a way to find out, and for you two to talk. I think it would do a world of good for the two of you to be able to relate."

She paused again, "Apologies, let me get back to fixing this." and with that, she did. The repairs wouldn't take too much longer. Some attention here, a little TLC there...

"There. Give it a shot." she stepped back, to allow Penny the chance to look over her work.

Penny picked up a slide and placed it in the electronic microscope then she pressed a few buttons. The image of the slide came onto the monitor. The picture was Sharpe and clear.

“ Oh that is absolutely fantastic thank you. Would you like a cup of coffee as a thank you? It’s the real thing not that tasteless goo that comes out yonder replicator slot.” She said.

Rei gave a glance towards the nearest replicator, then back to Penny, "I'd very much enjoy a cup, thank you." the nature of the existence of the coffee did nothing to diminish or enhance the notion that it was, in fact, coffee. "Been a fan of the stuff since I was introduced. We don't have anything like it in the Empire. Closest we have is actually a Dalacari beverage, exactly like coffee in every way. Except it's blue."

McTaggard smiled.

“ Then prepare your taste buds for a real treat. This is an ancient recipe dating back to 19th century Earth. It’s liquid coffee with chicory. My great grandmother used to make this when I was a wee girl. I have many fondest memories going round to her house in Glasgow on a Sunday morning. The smell of it and her fresh baked bread. Was always a real treat for me.My Grandmother gave me a couple of bottles before I came on board. Don’t worry they have been through quarantine. So they are safe.” She explained.

Rei made her way over to claim a mug of the sacred ancestral beverage. A sniff to appreciate, and she held the warm mug in her hands for just a moment. "Well, as safe as anything can get. Keep medical on standby." and she took a sip. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.

Not dead. Another sip. "Apparently, no allergy across the stars. Though, this is very good." she complimented, "Very very good, I should say." One of Rei's ears twitched... a good twitch, though. As Rei paid it no mind. "I'll have to repay you, drink for drink. But, that's a topic for another time. I should get back and finish preparing the department for departure. Did you need anything else, while you have me?"

Penny put her finger in her mouth. A habit she did when she thought.

“ Nope. All is fine. That other thing we discussed.” Penny said pointing to Cara. Who was now curled up in his basket having a snooze.

“ Let’s leave it for now.”She said.

Rei gave a nod, nothing more needed to be said. Back Burner, as the humans say.