Some Fitting Questions

Posted on Friday July 2nd, 2021 @ 8:00am by Commander Sam Perkins & Captain Franklin Johnson
Edited on on Friday July 2nd, 2021 @ 9:00am

1,465 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: S1-A1-Ep. 1: Spectrophobia
Location: USS Poseidon; Bridge, Captains Ready Room
Timeline: Arrived at Betreka Nebula

[ON]

It finally looked like things were going his way. The Norman incident was looking like it would be forgotten and no new collar pips would be lost. If Russhook was in the nebula waiting to hurt Sam the Poseidon would make him think twice. Plus he had made a surprising discovery about the nebula. All was going well.

All it took was one series of chirps. To ruin his day.

Captain Johnson sat down the PAD he was looking at after reviewing the recent report concerning his Chief Science Officers "experiments". There was a bewildering expression on his face, followed by something akin to mild disgust. He quietly sipped his tea as he considered the situation, refusing to write off any further comment to the system until he had further information. After a time, he tapped his combadge.

=/\= Lt. Commander Perkins, please report to the Captains Ready Room =/\=

" =/\= Yes Captain on my way.=/\=" He replied.

Sitting on a high shelf surrounded by a force field. Sat Norman and Susan in their pots. Both were flailing their tenicles at each other. As Sam left the lab carrying a padd. He gave them a really dirty look that seemed to say. " Go ahead plants, make my day"

Soon he was standing outside the Captains ready room. He pressed the door chime waiting for Captain Johnson to call him in.

"Enter!" invited the Captain. He stood, setting his PAD back down as he finished reviewing another recent incident. As Sam walked in, he gave a stern look.

"Mr. Perkins," Franklin greeted, though in a more formal tone than usual. "I just had a report come across my desk about the recent incident with your....experiments. I also noted it involved not only our Chief Engineer, but also a few crewmen as well. Would you mind elaborating on this?"

Perkins nodded and stood to attention as he spoke.

" Kord was having problems with a skin condition. You see when he was a slave he was branded by his slave masters. The brand was causing him problems.We discovered an ointment that would help and erase this brand. But the brand was booby trapped and set off his feromones. This effected Norman a plant that a Cadet. Who has been dealt with and reprimanded. Had smuggled on board. Norman fell in love with Kord and got rather out of control. But with the aide of our Chief Engineering Officer we managed to rescue Kord. Norman was sent to quarantine. No one was hurt and Norman and his girlfriend Susan are now behind a force field. Unfortunately the two plants cannot be returned home. Due to an ecological desarster caused by the prominent race on its planet." Sam explained.

Franklin listened to Sam's explanation, nodding along as he spoke. The Captain pondered what was given to him after Sam had finished, placing his hands behind his back and looking away momentarily in thought.

"Would you mind telling me," he began to ask as he looked back at Sam, "just how your experiments got out? You are our Chief Science Officer and, despite the innocent and good nature of your intent in preserving them, you did just allow something out that could have very well injured our crew. So I need something better from you than a simple explanation. I need to know why it happened and what you're doing to fix the situation."

Sam nodded.

" Up until this all began. Norman showed no signs of any independent acts. It was sent to quarantine were it showed no ability to move or react. I believe that is why the Cadet called it Norman. After an uncle of hers that just sat around doing nothing. The brand on Kords back was booby trapped by his slave masters. If anyone tried to remove it would set off his feromones. His owners would notice that their slave was suddenly more attractive, meaning the brand had been tampered with. The dominant species on Norman's planet is an off shoot of the Gorns. So that would explain why Norman went love sick with Kord. I have not had any dealings with slavers or their brands. So we had no idea the brand was booby trapped in this way."

Perkins drew a breath.

" After the incident I ran an investigation. It seems a Cadet broke the Jeffries tube grate without reporting it. Then they moved Norman to a lower shelf. Where it was able to sense Kord and escaped into the Jeffries tube network. Since its recapture Norman was sent to quarantine again. Once cleared it and Susan were not only placed on a high shelf. But in cased in a high level force field. They cannot escape. Plus extra security monitoring systems have been placed. Near the grate so if it gets damaged again a force field immediately goes down over it. This will also re-act if Norman or Susan get anywhere near it as well. If they do they will be beamed back to the high shelf. This will never happen again.You have my word sir."

"Alright, I believe you," Franklin replied, giving a sigh. "I'm just satisfied no one was hurt. But they could have been, and it's the could-have that is the reason for this meeting. As such, this was your department and your responsibility. I expect better of that department. I understand cadets not giving their all because they don't know how to, but insofar as my department heads? I expect better. Do you understand?"

Why should he be the one getting an ear twisting? After all it was Captain Johnson who had allowed these idiot cadets on the Poseidon! Then again Franklin was correct Sam was as department head responsible. Things could of gone very badly. He should of double checked Kords brand for signs of any traps. Perkins should of known the slave masters would of left a surprise. If anyone and tried to remove it. So Sam did not contest getting a dressing down.

“ Yes sir. Actually Captain there is something else I need you to see. It’s about the Betreka nebula.” Perkins said.

Franklin nodded, heading to his desk to sit and inviting Sam to sit in the chairs across. He adjusted his uniform as he got comfortable and accepted the change of subject as the formal conclusion of the prior line of dialogue. "Alright Mr. Perkins," he said, "What do you got for me?"

Perkins gave the Captain his padd.

" Well sir as you can see we sent two probes into the nebula. As you know a nebula is usually a cross between dust , hydrogen , helium and other ionized gasses. This causes a static discharge known to interfere with a ship like the Poseidons shields. What we have discovered so far. Is that all the gases and dust in the Betreka nebula seem to be in balance. So there is virtually no static charge of course more study we be needed. But at this point in time we could enter the nebula with our shields intact." Perkins explained

Franklin looked it over and nodded after a minute of glimpsing the data. He handed the padd back to Sam.

"That is excellent to know," Franklin replied. "So no anomalies are anticipated in the nebula. Very good. Have we detected any of the prior incidents of combat; wreckages or traces of explosions, per say? Any of that show up yet?"

Perkins had already looked over the data so he knew how to answer.

" Well. The first probe just went on the outer boundary. There was nothing to suggest any shenanigans. It just picked up the absence of any static field that could effect our shields. The second probe went in further. It did come across a slight increase in gas density. This was probably caused by a damaged ship venting plasma. But there are no signs of wreckage or tail tail signs of recent battles. " Perkins reported

That was odd. Franklin was sure that intelligence reports indicated very clearly that there would be wreckage. Venting plasma, though? He rubbed his chin in thought briefly before giving a nod.

"The venting plasma is somewhat concerning, as it could be a current vessel, but I doubt it," Franklin stated softly. "Though I suppose that'll do."

He sat a bit straighter. "Alright Mr. Perkins, I think we're done here for the moment. Keep an eye on those readings, especially if you pick up any fresh trails of vented plasma. If that's the case, report to me immediately."

Franklin extended his hand for a shake with his CSO.

" Thankyou sir I will." Sam stood shook Johnsons hand and left his Ready room.

[OFF]

==========

Captain Franklin Johnson
Commanding Officer
USS Poseidon

&

Lt.Cmdr Sam Perkins
Chief Science Officer
USS Poseidon

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