Quiet Entrance

Posted on Sun Dec 15th, 2019 @ 7:34pm by Lieutenant Remy Boudreau

982 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Caverns of the mind
Location: USS Aurora Science Lab
Timeline: Current

ON

Boudreau stepped on to the transporter pad of the runabout that had brought him here. As the Aurora was so far out of its way, he had offered to pilot the runabout himself to the rendezvous point, assisted by the ship’s navigation system. Short moments before he had entered the pre-programmed subroutine to enable the ship to return to port. Starbase 212 should be able to track it back.

Here we go, podna he thought to himself as he dematerialised.

The transporter room of the Aurora materialised around him as he finished his thought. Empty, save the transporter tech and a slender brunette with a bob cut in sciences blue, Boudreau took the proffered hand and shook it firmly.

‘Welcome aboard, I’m Lieutenant Ashlee Kemp, the Assistant Chief Science Officer,’ said the woman with a smile.

He smiled in return, ‘thank you kindly for the welcome, ma’am. I trust my personal effects were transported safely to the cargo bay?’ Kemp nodded, ‘all trunks present and accounted for sir. If I could show you to your quarters?’ She motioned towards the door, ‘the CO or XO would be here, but unfortunately, we’re in the middle of a mission – an away team is on the planet below.’
The Cajun shook his head as he stepped off the pad and followed his deputy’s lead, ‘no need to apologise, I understand entirely,’ he looked over at Kemp and flashed a smile as they both exited the room, ‘besides, I like low-key.’ She nodded and smiled in return.

‘I can show you to your quarters if you’d like? The journey from Two-Twelve can’t have been a short one,’ she flicked a lock of hair over one ear as she bent her head down to check her PADD, ‘it’s not far – though nothing is on the Aurora!’

Boudreau shook his head once more, ‘no ma’am. I had plenty of time to sleep on the trip over, the runabout’s computer managed most of it for me. If you don’t mind awf’lly I’d like to clap eyes on our science labs, maybe go over a few of the projects we’ve got going here? I know there are some multi-purpose labs down one deck.’

Kemp nodded, not entirely surprised, most senior officers she’d known were eager to get going once they got aboard ship. Want to make a name for themselves as soon as possible. Then they’d move on, get their own ship. She herself had reached a point where she had a nice division between departmental admin and actual work. Glancing over she hoped her new dark-haired Chief wouldn’t change that too much.

‘Sure, one deck down – if you’ll follow me.’

A short turbolift ride found them on Deck Three, and outside the first of the ship’s multi-purpose science labs. Keying her access code, Kemp ushered Boudreau inside. ‘Lights are low in here,’ said Boudreau quietly. Kemp nodded in acknowledgement, indicating beds of plants arranged in rows across the room, ‘yeah, one of our guys is looking at a plant we picked up on a planet a few months ago. We believe they have a medicinal benefit, but they grow in a low-light environment. We’re still working out how to grow them, truth be told.’ She indicated an empty bed.

He nodded, ‘it’ll take time to work out the kinks, no doubt,’ Boudreau indicated the other two beds, ‘still, they’re doing well here – please put this project at the top of my pile, I’d like to read some more about this. Never seen plants thrive in such low light. Now lead, on if you would Ms Kemp.’

They moved through the multi-purpose labs. Boudreau was introduced to the remaining projects on the deck, taking some half hour to inspect the work. A project was being run on tardigrades in zero gravity, encapsulated in a forcefield calibrated to only let air in or out. ‘Exquisite calibration,’ noted Boudreau as he inspected a console zoomed in on the microscopic beings.
The next was more prosaic, running a program crunching data on a virus that had recently been discovered on Doorna II. Due to its virulence, a fleet-wide program had been initiated in order to utilise the most computer data possible to develop a vaccine.

After the thirty minutes had elapsed Boudreau held up a kindly hand, ‘alright Ms Kemp, I guess that’s enough for now. No doubt I should go introduce myself to the command team.

‘Of course, sir,’ she nodded, ‘though that might be difficult – Commander Quin is planetside with the Away Team.’ Kemp leaned in, so that Boudreau could make out the individual freckles across her cheeks, ‘they say a science team … it’s gone missing. Not checked in for weeks.’

The Chief Science Officer frowned, ‘they haven’t clued you in? You’re the senior-most science officer this ship has.’ Kemp shook her head, ‘no … Commander Quin has a science background. They’ve kept it quite close to their chests so far. I think the command transition to Commander Ka’Tok may have unsettled some of the senior crew.’

‘Well, well, well,’ drawled Boudreau after a moment, absorbing the news. ‘I guess it is a good idea to check in with them. No wonder it’s so quiet here either. Thank you, Lieutenant Kemp, you’ve been a mighty fine help and guide – as soon as things settle, we’ll get a routine going for the department.’ She nodded.

Boudreau shook her hand once more and strode off to the turbolift. As the doors closed, he made up his mind. ‘Bridge.’

The Captain would surely be delighted to meet his new senior officer.

OFF

Lieutenant Remy T. Boudreau
Chief Science Officer
USS Aurora

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