And then there were five…

Posted on Friday, 30 July 2021 - 1:37pm by Lieutenant Alex Kingsley & Lieutenant Scarlet Rogers

Mission: Operation: Lazarus
Location: Science labs
Timeline: MD6

Designed for the study of spatial anomalies, Class 4 probes were ideal for the task at hand. Earlier in the day she had worked on calibrating three, yet in hindsight and wanting to keep herself busy, Lieutenant Kingsley had asked for Ensign Hamura and her team to include work on a further two. Just in case. And so Donald and Mickey came to be.

And while the engineers were making modifications to the hulls of the original three to help each probe endure the harsh conditions within the nebula, Lieutenant Kingsley had turned her attention to calibrating the latest additions. While she hoped they wouldn't have to be used at all, she would be failing in her duty if she didn't try to cover all eventualities.

Smothering a yawn, she reached for her coffee, pulling a face when she found it stone cold. Setting it aside she sighed, shaking her head as she forced tired eyes to focus on the exposed panel in front of her. Donald was not wanting to play nice, remaining just a hairs breadth out of alignment. It was infuriating.

The sound of approaching footsteps caught her attention and she glanced up from her spot on the floor. Almost everyone else on this deck was focused on the work next door, where under tight safety protocols the hard and dangerous work was underway. As such she had been largely left to work undisturbed. Or perhaps it was her stellar bad mood.

"Decided to burn the midnight oil?" she asked, before adding, "be warned, the coffee is cold already."

Rogers smiled, "that's OK, I drink tea, not coffee." She pulled up a stool and sat opposite Alex, sliding over a PaDD, "someone I used to work with, sent some more data over about T. I know we're most of the way through, but most of it is health and safety."

Picking it up, Alex flashed her a grateful smile as she forwarded the info on to Hamura. "They were almost all the way through but I'm adding these two into the mix," she admitted with a sheepish smile, "thinking worse case scenario it is best to have them on standby than not."

Scarlet nodded, "safe than sorry, really. There's a reason we got shut down-- this stuff is dangerous." She looked over to the additions, "if you're not careful, engineering will revolt."

"A benefit of overseeing this and being second officer," Alex mused. "And these are all the class 4s we have. I've ordered extras but until we get to a starbase we need to look after what we have.

Which is not to say Donald here is not going to be repurposed into a tricorder," she growled as she rechecked the data coming back from the probes sensors. "He likes to be point one or point two out of alignment. So maybe not a tricorder. I'm sure waste reclamation can use it for spare parts."

"Bit big and we're too far in the future for it to be used as a paperweight," Scarlet mused, "could use it as a new base for a lot, to be honest. Even a flowerpot."

"Some flowers around here would be nice," Alex conceded.

Scarlet chuckled then looked back to Alex, "You look tired. Perhaps you need a break."

"I just need coffee. Preferably hot. And a magic wand before I end up profoundly single again," she sighed as she kept working. Her hand hesitated and she looked up sharply, "erm... maybe forget I said the last part. That was unprofessional of me."

Scarlet waved her hand, "technically, you're one of my supervisors, not my boss. So, it's fine. Men can be-- difficult."

"Now there is an understatement," Alex agreed. "Although I am fairly certain he is thinking the same of me."

"I'd be willing to bet, though," Scarlet chuckled softly, "that, 9 times out of 10, with a 0.1 percent margin of anomoly, in cases where we huff and puff and get like this, it's because of a him."

The Science Chief couldn't argue there. Ultimately, the probe was working within acceptable limits. But she wanted perfection. Because it was her way and tonight she wanted a reason to be here and not face whatever might be waiting at home. "True," she admitted. "I keep finding ways to mess up. It's infuriating. Shouldn't it be easy? You love someone. Shouldn't that be enough no matter what curve balls life throws at you? Maybe I am just really really bad at being in relationships."

"I doubt all the blame would fall on you," Scarlet replied with a shrug before adding, "my dad used to say that if love comes easy, it's not love. It's how you deal with the bad times and the fact you keep coming back. I didn't understand what he meant up until I started dating, myself."

“It’s not bad exactly…” Alex reasoned as she sealed the unit back up, “more like complicated. Like a test I am always failing.”

"Life can be like that though," Scarlet smiled, "makes us stronger."

“Sounds like the back of a hallmark card,” Alex grinned. “But maybe. Either way, right now there is way too much work to be done. Although I am not above sleeping on the sofa in Dr Rose’s office in a bit. How are you two adjusting to being on the same ship?”

Scarlet was unsure how to take the sleeping comment. She trusted Ryan, more than any other doctor she'd dated. He didn't seem to be the type to-- she stopped that thought. Ryan was a genuine guy. "I'm struggling with not having two feet on a planet. Think I was smart in doing a base first. Feels a little claustrophobic, if I'm honest. According to the gossip, he's starting to have normal shifts instead of overtime. I guess that means he's got something outside of work now. I'm glad I can help. It's nice being together. Not sure about his recent bomb though -- apparently, we're heading to some planet that his ex wife is on. I'm not jealous of her or anything. I'm not that kind of person. I'm very laid back. It's that he felt the need to warn me, and now it's got me thinking stuff. Usul woman's brain I guess-- over thinking."

“I don’t think you have anything to worry about, anyone who sees the way he looks at you can see he has it so bad,” Alex assured her. “But yeah, I get how a ship like this might be claustrophobic. I usually spent my time in biohazard gear so anything is a step up and extra roomy. There is a petty officer who has about thirty mirrors in her quarters to try and make it look bigger. Or maybe she’s just messing with Serok, she has an ego bigger than the ship but terrible depth perception. Her species has one eye.”

Scarlet chuckled, "that's saying something about her if she has a tonne of mirrors." She then smiled and shrugged, "for me it's more about the fact that you can explore every inch of this place in a few minutes. Same grey walls everywhere. It's different. I'll get used to it. It's only been a few months, right?"

“Could always replicate some paint,” Alex grinned as she packed up her kit, closing it over. “Not that I’m condoning redecorating the ship without permission.”

"I think I made enough changes here already," Scarlet grinned, "upgrading the med bay with some software and new Holo-Patch Adams and then the lift music."

“The lift music was approved by the majority,” Alex pointed out. “You just gave the people what they wanted.”

"The lift is one thing," Scarlet pointed out, "getting rid of the Starfleet grey, that's another."

“Start out small, gradually phase out the grey with blues and before long we will have a whole kaleidoscope of colour going on,” Alex grinned before smothering a yawn. “But let’s deal with one ship crisis at a time. Nebula first, then Emerick then operation no more grey.”

"I've hit a dead end with Emerick," Scarlet admitted, "I've got his aesthetic files back and I have one or two little things that security footage picked up, to go on, but I need some sort of recovery dump file, which was deleted. Starfleet have two back ups, but both - - gone, or rather not gone, gone, but corrupted beyond my capabilities. On a plus side, if the umm... I don't remember their names... But if they can recover the file, it'll take me less than a day to get him operational to pre deletion."

“Fingers crossed the Binars can help,” Alex said with a small smile. “Otherwise all of this effort will be in vain.”

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Scarlet nodded in agreement, "at the least I can make a holo deck programme, non vocal, of him. Always wanted to see an EMH take part in a conga line or go full blown drag act."

“Yeah, I’d maybe stick to repainting the ship,” Alex laughed. “Okay, I can finish the other probe in the morning. Time for some sleep.”

Scarlet looked at the time and shrugged. "You can sleep in my quarters if you're avoiding home," Scarlet offered, "I'm about to catch Ryan as he leaves shift anyway."

“It’s alright, I want to stay nearby in case there is any drama, I’ll make space in my office,” Alex assured her, “but thanks for the offer.”

Scarlet nodded, "don't find stuff to do." The woman stood up and stretched, "I'm sure everything will be fine. Also, don't forget I'm on self study and trial the next few weeks, but if you need extra hands, let me know."

“Enjoy,” Alex offered brightly, “and you know where I am if you need anything.”

"Thanks," Scarlet replied, "try and sleep. Things never go right if you're doing something when you're overtired."

OFF