Looking Around
Posted on Mon Nov 27th, 2017 @ 6:02pm by Commodore Tyler Malbrooke & Sergeant Azure Thompson
Edited on on Thu May 31st, 2018 @ 9:59pm
1,611 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Episode 2 - The Enemy Within
Location: Mess Hall - Deck 2 USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD001 1530 hrs
Tags: SD 71370.1530
Azure was acquainting herself with her new home. She'd visited the Sickbay, it appeared to be well stocked and the equipment was shiny and new. She was a little envious.
She'd not been allowed to enter Main Engineering, not that she cared.
She was a little unhappy that there was no arboretum or plants of any kind, maybe she'd have to talk to someone about it.
Eventually she found in the Lounge. Felling thirsty, she ordered a root beer and looked for a place to sit.
She spotted a man sitting alone and approached him.
"Hi is this seat taken?" She asked.
Tyler had been reading the final briefing from Captain Vela for what seemed like the one hundredth time. He was trying to ascertain what his crew was in for and who the enemy really was. A female voice startled him out of his thoughts. Tyler looked up and saw a female Andorian in a Marine uniform.
"No, Corporal this seat is not taken. Welcome to the Pioneer Corporal...?"
"Thompson, sir. Thank you, good to be here." She said taking the seat.
"Corporal Thompson, I am sorry I will get a handle on everyone's names at some point." He chuckled. "So what is your specialty Marine?" Tyler said as he placed his PADD face down. He welcomed the distraction from the intensity of the mission ahead.
"Field medic, sir. I'm also a botanist and have studied herbal medicine." Azure replied.
"Interesting, we will have to get you some duty shifts with medical and science. Perhaps they can benefit from your expertise and you from theirs. So how does a botanist wind up in the Marine Corps?" Tyler was curious in particular because Andorra, if he remembered correctly did not have much in the flower and plant department.
"Well, I was 'born' on one of Andor's colonial science stations and spent my early life around scientists. I later came to Earth and was amazed by the variety of plants and trees. As I learned about them, botany eventually grew on me." Azure said.
"As for joining the Marines, prior to coming to Earth, my transport was attacked by pirates. The U.S.S. Thermopylae's Marine detachment were the first responders. I later decided to repay that help, by joining the Corps and becoming a medic."
"Well it is nice to have a member of one of the Federation's founding species aboard the Pioneer. As I stated if botany, and medicine interests you perhaps you can seek out Dr Ballston and Lieutenant tr'Hwersuil they may be in need of your assistance at some point or they can assist you in furthering your studies. In my opinion part of exploration is expanding your knowledge, and that is a relatively easy task here with the breadth of knowledge at our disposal." Out of the corner of his eye Tyler noticed that a few people were looking at the two of them. He hoped that his plan was working, his plan of making this crew bond. Not enlisted and officers but one crew.
"Nice to be here, sir. I will take your advice and get in touch with the Doctor and the Lieutenant. Perhaps I could also create a garden in one Cargo Bays." Azure said.
Tyler had thought for a moment, a garden that is not a bad idea. Voyager had an hydroponics bay but the needed it he thought. "I will tell you what, I like the idea and the initiative. Write a proposal and send it to the XO and myself and we can see what we can do. I know it takes a lot to keep a garden in space, but in truth I do not know exactly what. Why do you feel that we need one? I hate to sound like I am putting it down, we have holodecks for a walk through nature, and replicators for food supplies..." Tyler wanted to see where the woman was going with the idea.
"True, but I'm sure that Doctor Ballston will tell you that fresh food is nutritionally better for the body than replicated food. Also there are plant-based medications that are difficult to artificially synthesize. In addition a garden would help purify the air, and we could use some of the ship's biological waste as a grow medium, reducing the work of the environmental and waste systems." Azure replied.
Tyler was astonished, she had put more thought in this then he could have perceived. "You sound like my wife. She is always trying to get me to lay off the replicators and eat healthy natural food. However, the other issue is that we are not equipped with a galley. How would we go about cooking these fresh vegetables etc..."
"Well, there's a saying in the Corps, 'we make do'. I'm sure we can find a suitable place in Marine Country, Sir."
"You talk over with the First Lieutenant and see if we can find space. We will definitely take it under advisement if we can make it work. So other than growing and healing, what interests you Corporal Thompson. What makes you tick?" Tyler leaned back in chair and sipped his coffee.
"I have an interest in military history and I work out every day, but mostly I endeavour to live around natural borns, like yourself, sir."
"Natural Borns?" Tyler asked, that was a random a thing to say he thought.
"Sorry, a phrase my brothers and I came up with. We were created in an attempt to cure an infertility problem our colony was having. Andorian and human DNA were used. My 'brothers' and I were the only viable 'offspring'. When the experiments were discovered by the ruling council, the scientists were incarcerated and my three 'brothers' and I were exiled from Andorian space." Azure replied.
"What caused your people to test on others? That is a horrible crime. The fact that they punished you and your brothers for birth is also just wrong." Tyler couldn't believe it... He thought experiments like these were things of the past.
"I believe they were desperate and too prideful to ask the homeworld for help. I'm not condoning what they did, but it is hard for me to condemn those who gave me life." Azure said. "Don't get me wrong I am angry for my banishment, but I would not have been able too live with them anyway, after what they had done to others."
"Fair enough, fair enough..." Tyler looked at her thoughtfully. The adage of Marine jar heads did not hold true with this one. "Have you ever had the urge to return home?"
"No, I see Earth as my home now and the Corps, and the Thompsons, my adopted family, are the only family I need." Azure replied.
Interesting she did not associate with Andorra at all. "Well it is said that home is where the heart is. As for me my home is where my wife and ship are..." Tyler smiled.
"Exactly." She said returning his smile. "Is your wife on-board?" Azure asked.
That question was a little bit of a misstep for an enlisted, to ask a senior officer a personal question. However, it was exactly what Tyler wanted from his crew. "Unfortunately, or well fortunately in some cases no. My wife Katherine, or Lieutenant Commander Malbrooke as you may come to know her, is aboard Empok Nor serving as the Assistant Chief Engineer. Even though she is close on the station she is still missed while we are on mission. But such is the life of one in the fleet." Tyler smiled at her wistfully he missed Kat's presence right now he was sure that she would like this Andorian. He chuckled, "You know she would like you, it is just a feeling that I have."
"I agree, my adoptive father, Robert Thompson, is also in Starfleet, he's Chief Science officer on the USS Vengeance. I don't get to see him much." She said. "If you think so, sir. I'm always willing to meet new people."
"He sounds like a good man... Well great minds..." Tyler said. "Tell me since you have this interest in botany, would you like to expand your service on this ship to include duty rotations in the Science Department?" Tyler had been looking for ways to expand the use of his Marine personnel and perhaps this was just the way.
"Sure. It looks like I'm going to be busy between missions, with duty rotations in Science and in Medical." Azure said. "Should keep me out of trouble." She added with a smile.
Tyler laughed "Life for a Marine can get a little shall we say boring on a ship when not on a mission. The only request that I have of the Marines is to guard the SCIF. I am sure the First Lieutenant will create a duty rotation to assist there. But I want you to know that if you would like the option is there. Simply contact Lieutenant tr'Hwersuil about any rotations you would like to do in Science."
"I'll do that, sir." Azure said. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Commander, but I best get back to Marine Country, before the L.T. comes looking for me."
"Very well Corporal as you were..." Tyler watched as she left and thought that Marines would take some getting used to. They were indeed a breed all their own.
A Joint Post By
Commander Tyler Malbrooke
Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer
Corporal Azure Thompson
Marine Field Medic, USS Pioneer
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