Science Labs

Posted on Wed Feb 16th, 2022 @ 7:29pm by Captain Dirk Taggart & Lieutenant JG Camille Lévesque PhD

Mission: Season Two - Incidentals
Location: Upper module science labs

Captain Taggart entered the Science labs, he never failed to be overwhelmed by the shear amount of tools and equipment in the Penn's science lab. He knew the scanning array helped provide advanced data, but the extra lab space that the module provided was quite impressive as well. He secretly hoped that the Pennsylvania's crew would find something that would help put her down in the history books for a scientific achievement instead of becoming know for her fighting prowess. Though he was a former Security Chief, he always believed that knowledge truly was power and he never stopped learning. Today though, he was not here to learn, he was here to properly meet and welcome his new Chief of Science to the crew. "Lieutenant Levesque please?" he asked a small Caitan who was near the door. With a nod he set out in the direction that he had been pointed in.

Deeper in the pod’s massive lab complex, Camille Lévesque sat on a work bench with her eyes locked onto a secure but open sample container on a work bench. She wore nitrile gloves, a blue lab coat over her uniform, and had safety goggles over her own glasses. She was measuring out chemical compounds when she heard approaching footsteps. Without looking away, she called behind her. “Goggles!” She gestured with one arm toward a rack containing all sorts of personal protective equipment, one-size-fits-most eye protection.

Captain Taggart grabbed a pair of goggles and placed them in the Lieutenant's hand, "I assume these will work," he said said as he stood beside her trying to figure out what she was working on.

Camille looked at the goggles and then up at the person who gave them to her. Flustered, she turned away from her work. “Oh! I’m sorry, Captain. I didn’t realize it was you. These are actually for you.” She put them back in the Captain’s hands. “Some of what I’m working with is harmful if it gets in your eyes, which could happen if the ship is hit with something. Safety is our top priority in the labs, sir.”

"Understood Lieutenant," he replied as he put on his goggles, "May I ask what it is you are working on? It looks intriguing to say the least."

“Fera detection and elimination,” Camille explained. “Nothing here is alive or infectious,” she reassured the Captain, “but I’m trying to bring a new set of eyes to the Fera problem. I know how devastating it has been in these parts. These are some common Federation solutions to microorganisms, fungi, and plants in their most basic, if highly concentrated, forms. If I can do anything to help eliminate the threat of Fera, then I will.”

She secured the caps on all open containers and pushed back from the work bench. “What can I do for you, Capitaine?”

"I wanted to come by your department to see how you were settling in, I know things were a bit hairy when you arrived, and I didn't get a chance until now to make sure you've gotten settled in properly. Though I have to admit it seems like you have found the lab to your liking," the Captain said as he watched her work.

“I love my new labs,” Camille said with a grin. She briefly lifted her goggles to adjust the glasses on her face. “Between these ones and the ones on the primary hull, everything is state of the art and impressive. I’d been working in the civilian sector for the past three years and they were well equipped too, but not like this.” She paused to take a breath. “I still haven’t met Lieutenant Kale, or had arrival meetings with Counselor Hart or Doctor Trallos. Wait, is Doctor Trallos still working in sickbay too? Or is there someone else I should find for an arrival physical?”

Taggart chuckled, "Doc is still handling the medical duties, and Kale and Hart will have returned to full duty status in a day or two. They were given 48 hours due to their incident planetside. I am pleased to see you like the lab," the Captain said steering the conversation back to something more lighthearted.

"Oh, I very much do," Camille reaffirmed. "My last ship before going to Daystrom was a Prometheus-class. My department was ten people and my lab was small, but we made do. This...just wow. Thank you for the opportunity to let me work here, Capitaine."

"I appreciate your enthusiasm, Lieutenant. We definitely have a larger lab here than the Prometheus Class. In fact because of the scanning array and extra labs, the Science Department is one the largest on board the vessel. Our primary mission here is mapping the area and of course finding the new and the strange," he said with a smile. "In fact I bet you'd be quite intrigued about a nebulous cloud we passed through recently, it over hyped everyone's emotions and caused quit a dust up among the crew."

Her eyes widened. “That sounds incredible.” She made a mental note to look up the mission reports…and the sensor logs. “I can only hope more interesting phenomena await us!”

"Me too, I find it quite exciting. I do appreciate your time Lieutenant, but I must me moving along. Is there anything I can do for you or any answer any questions you may have before I go?" the Captain asked.

“Nothing about the ship,” Camille answered, “but I am wondering if you know more about when we’ll be able to reconnect with the Federation, at least with live subspace contact. I don’t plan to go back any time soon, of course, but it’s been too long since I’ve actually spoken with my partner. The people at the Starbase wouldn’t tell me anything.”

"I'll let you know what I know," he said trying to sound comforting, "The negotiations with the Dalacari fell through with the Pathfinder or Pathstone Project, I can never remember the name. So travel between the quadrants is only done with special permissions from the Federation and the Dalacari. I do know they have passed some messages through for us, If you like I could add your personal message to the next set of dispatches and see if we can get something through, it may take a few months or a year to hear back, but at least there would be some communication. I will try to find out more when I meet with the other captains in a few days. " The Captain knew that the chances of getting communication to Alpha rested outside his abilities he only hoped the thin thread of hope he offered would help her hold on.

"I'd appreciate anything you can, Captain," she said. She took a deep breath to clear the discomfort and adjusted her glasses. "I know you're busy, Captain, and this lab has many things I want to explore."

"I will leave you to it then Lieutenant Lévesque, if you need anything let me know," the captain said as he stood, "I need to visit one more department before returning to the bridge. Thank you again for your time."

"Any time," Camille said with a smile before turning back to her workbench.

#The End