Lunch with a returning friend.

Posted on Sun Oct 24th, 2021 @ 7:33am by Lieutenant Anthony Edwards Ph. D & Lieutenant Helena Wells
Edited on on Thu Nov 4th, 2021 @ 4:40pm

Mission: The Silent Scream
Location: Science labs/Mess
Timeline: 19th April 2395

ON:

Parts of the science lab no longer looked much like a lab as it seemed to have become a sort of hot house with all sorts of plants growing, but even more so, the loamy soil there were all sorts of fungi sprouting up. While mostly white, there were some that had odd colours and other that seemed dry and others that seemed they had a gelatenous coating on them.

HG was busy at work with a tricorder and a mask on seemingly pointing at random bits of the flora and fungi.

Speaking through a mask he was wearing Anthony asked “Still doing well then HG?”

HG turned and nodded. "Wonderful actually. Ah heck, let's get out of here and take these off. A spot of tea sounds good to me. I know you probably got blindsided a bit by the going ons."

"I agree a nice hot cup a Chai would be nice. He liked scones with jam and cream thankfully the world had moved on from the time that they thought the Devonians thought of it and with passion disliked how the English said Scone. The scots sounded it with no e, Though Then English always like to mispronounce thinks and call it their accent. "Maybe some scons and jam and cream. Your right the last I knew you were leaving us and then your back with about a thousand mushrooms."

HG jerked her head toward the exit and went through the airlock and decontamination. The last thing they needed was fungal spores going everywhere.
She pulled off the mask and said, "How about the lounge, we can get a small table and talk?"

“Yes, the lounge is a much more conversation-friendly environment.” Anthony said with a smile. He ran his tricorder over them just to be certain decon had worked fully. “We’re clean, let's go get a cup of Chai?”

HG declined Chai going for her favourite Oolong instead without cream or sweetener. She took a seat in the corner out of the way and blew on the cup for a moment before nodding her chin. "Well first off, did not have a chance to say it before properly but congratulations on the promotion. Well deserved."

“Thank you, you too I see. Was that to do with the Fungi you brought back?” Anthony asked as he came over with his Chai and some scones, jam and cream to share. “Linguists always take a bit longer than pure sciences to get promoted.” He laughed remembering the story. “Captain Tigran called me into her ready room and says to me I made a mistake in my report before informing me that the science department was supposed to be run by a Lieutenant.”

"Oh, these, well I was given these after winning the Zee-Mangus before I resigned. So no not with the fungi. No I was reactivated under the emergency clause. Oh sure I could have told them to bugger off and stepped off at the nearest starbase but let's just say they and perhaps I have matured a bit more. Anyway, the fungi are part of the research project which technically only me and the captain can talk about. I will say though it is related to some of the interest I had along certain lines."

Anthony knew enough science officers and other research scientists that unlike him had much more hush, hush study than his over the years he had become used to the statement, State secret. With a smile, he said "I'll leave it alone. So shall we instead discuss something we can discuss, it is always a better way to hold a conversation I've always found at least."

"Sounds good to me," HG agreed. "I know everything happened so abruptly, shoot the captain's head along with mine is still spinning a bit over everything." She tugged at the collar again and said, "If you asked me a month ago if I would ever be caught wearing this again I would have told you to sod off. Change it is was the universe is all about right?"

"Yeah, the other way of saying for that is that it makes the world go round. I always thought you were the more the sort to hold up the crucifix symbol type when it came to Starfleet. That said it is nice to have you as part of my official team now."

"Thank you. Yes, have to take orders now. If I get too out of hand you can now throw me in the brig....wait you could have done that before. Ah well, and good luck court martialing me as well, Fleet would probably override most anything at this point." HG chuckled. "None the less, I will try to be a good girl."

Anthony laughed at the comment about throwing HG into the Brig and said, "You're absolutely right I could have had you thrown in the brig for major infractions of the rules, however, I would likely have ended right beside you for locking up one of Starfleet's best Engineering theorists. I am sure you will try to play nice. Just like I know you will break the rules, but don't we all at some time."

HG got serious at least for her. "Yes, rules are there for a reason but they can never be hard and fast. Is Discovery, Enterprise, Voyager remembered because they played by the rules? It was because they managed to think, break them when needed and discover and isn't that why we ultimately are out here?" She sighed suddenly and made a face. She looked around and then leaned forward, "what if I told you there is vast network that extends throughout the universe, further that if one can access this network one theoretically could travel any place in the galaxy, for that matter even to another galaxy in the matter of moments. Here to say the gamma quadrant in a matter of seconds. What I can't tell you is that the fungi are any part of that." She chuckled.

"I would likely say something like Voyage could have used you thirty years ago. Then I would likely ask that do you need to kill me now for telling me that. I expect if that is what you're working on then I expect if anyone could prove that theory you would and I will proudly stand beside you when you win your next Zee-Magness prize. " Anthony said. "I might not understand much about it but the whole team will help you in any way you need it.

"My guess is that this work if it pans out will never really see the light of day. Imagine the tactical advantage. You could literally flash in, flash out before almost anyone had a chance to react. I still do not trust Starfleet fully, but do I paint a broad brush or realize that any place is going to have bad apples in the barrel. Anyway, enough of that, tell me what you have been up to? Found any more use for that personal phase device?" HG asked Anthony wondering what he had been up to even if relatively short time away.

"No, I expect your right, though you wouldn't really want to sell the pop in pop out idea to the Klingons or no one will be safe. That said, and because of it, the likelihood of your new tech being introduced to the universe is likely quite low. As to the personal phase devise there hasn't been much time planetside for testing and very little need to use them on the ship so no, no more research on them yet." Anthony said.

"That is too bad," HG mused. "I am guessing not enough time to pursue languages and societies. Well maybe we will stumble across an unknown culture and language to allow you to get your teeth into something more familiar. I have heard we have a new Chief Medical, well new to me."

"A new Chief Engineer too, again new to you. They both came aboard at the last station stop, as well as a new First Officer. He has Engineering experience too so Might understand the stuff you say that I don't too." Anthony said not ashamed to admit that some of the experimental stuff that HG worked on was beyond his comprehension. "As to testing out your device, I am sure the next time it is appropriate we will get more of an opportunity to use it."

"Really, I was unaware of that addition. Have you met them? As you might suspect I might need to get some permission to do some modifications here and there. So any heads up would be nice."

"Well Commander Acevedo I have only seen in passing or on Bridge duty he rose through the rank through Engineering but understands idiot is an Academy term for underachievement that isn't acceptable out in space. I think you and he with your Experimental Engineering background will like him." Anthony said enjoying the conversation now since HG was back. "However the new Chief Engineer I think is going to have an interesting time of adjustments to make. She quote doesn't sugar coat things, unquote Used Idiot to describe three underachieving Engineers directly to Captain Tigran. Of course, you know how that would have gone down, especially with her comment that she would like to ship them elsewhere. ASAP. Now I have moved a few on, but never for underachieving always because somewhere needed someone with their expertise, though I can't say I have always missed them."

HG laughed lightly at the last comment and filed away the information on the Engineer. "I will tread lightly then around the new chief engineer then. I mean it would be a shame if something went wrong with testing on of the phase devices now." She finally put out a hand on his and then asked, "So tell me really how have you been. I will tell you that I was happy the Firebird had problems. I am sorry I did not have time to say anything but everything was just so rushed. I feel really badly about not getting a chance to say goodbye."

"I'm a scientist out amongst the stars, I missed you for a bit and then like us all I just decided to just get on with my work." Anthony said with a chuckle as he thought over not getting to say goodbye, "HG It hurt a little that you didn't get to say goodbye, but it was as much my fault as it was yours because we were both very busy at the time."

"Indeed, blame a bit on Fleet, that emergency reactivation was a no nonsense, ship was already due to come by for pickup almost any minute. The captain herself was pretty taken by surprise as well. Anyway," HG smiled. "If you would like and I certainly would, perhaps a holodeck romp through some mysterious ruins in a Mayan jungle to figure out sounds a bit fun."

"Yeah, I thought it might be something like that cause one minute you were happily working away in the science and the next you were rushing to your quarters to pack. As to the Mayan ruins, they're always so hot and sweaty." Leaning in close he whispered in her ear "Unless you were planning on getting sweaty in the holodeck?"

"But of course, why I did not pick Egypt, the sand gets in all the cracks," HG smiled slyly.

Anthony laughed "Okay Mayan ruin sound much better, at least we won't get sunburnt. There is much more shade there than Eygpt. Plus I had an itchy butt for the next week last time we skinny-dipped at the beach."

"And I always wanted to swim in cenote. The pictures make them look like an enchanted place and I hear the water is some of the clearest and finest on Earth." HG added.

"I have heard that some of the real ones in the Yukatan Peninsula are deep enough to dive into without touching bottom. A cenote is something I could certainly see myself doing. More interesting than muddy sweaty Mayan ruins. Though I guess after we finish the shift." Anthony said with a chuckle.

"Then it is a plan, maybe find some ancient writing for you to explore as well?"

"If we must, I mean I could be convinced to not to be bothered to play scientist for an hour..." Anthony got a cheeky grin on his face and then added, "Or so!"

"Very good, then let's go do some exploring shall we?"

"I know you probably forgot them but you have some jeans and tops in my cabin I know I would feel better with a nice shower first, before doing whatever for an hour or so..." Anthony said, "Freshen up after work."

HG nodded. "Then let's go. Days like these I feel are going to be all too rare, thus we should take advantage of them while we can."

Anthony leaned over and kissed HG cheek. They had just been talking about the short term break-up that was forced upon them and knew in a little while they may be doing a lot more than just kissing cheeks, but he didn't want to seem to forward in such a public place. "shall we meet at the holodeck or?..." He left it hanging as to when she wanted to start linking back up.

"Sounds perfect! Well you know schedules as well as anyone so when do you have both you and I for some time? The magic mushrooms will take care of themselves for a bit. I will just post that no one, but no one, should enter without full protection. The doc would probably skin me alive if someone came down with mycosis of the lungs."

Anthony tapped away at the padd he had brought with him from science and opened up the science roster and a few minutes later he said to her "We both have a free day the day after tomorrow, which we could use to go exploring."

"Sounds like a plan," HG replied. "In fact," she added, "I rather look forward to having a bit of adventure, romance and just a bit of fun even it some of it is all just special focused photons."

OFF:

Lt Anthony Edwards Ph.D
Chief Science Officer

&

Lt. HG Wells,
Scientist