So with all of you here, we can get started

Posted on Tue Sep 26th, 2017 @ 6:38pm by

Mission: Mission 4 - Combustion
Location: current garden area
1921 words - 3.8 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Braden was never known as being shy so he had requested everyone he might need and was not in the brig here to begin the project. For the past few days he had been caring for the dwarf fruit trees by hand. As people showed up he greeted them. The Chief engineer was a person he truly needed and he approached Draia as she came into view. "I am very glad you could join us here. I have that power amplifier over there that needs connected to the ship power grid. I was told it would provide power for my needs to run the expanded garden here without draining more energy from the ships grid. The rewards are obvious if you like fruit and veggies."

As she strut past Braden, Draia Theroh made no effort to hide the way she looked him up and down, drinking in every inch of his athletic frame. The pleased expression on her face quickly turned to stink-eye, though, when her eyes landed on the mechanical cylinder that Braden had pointed out. "Where did you scavenge this energy amplifier?" she asked. From a pocket of her jumpsuit, Draia hefted an asymmetrical tricorder of Cardassian design. She waved her tricorder at the amplifier, and asked, "You didn't barter with a Pakled, did you?"

Braden Laughed at her antics, "you can play the disgruntled engineer asked to do the impossible on someone else. I did my homework and this is a new model used by colonies for their greenhouses. It is brand new and it might be hard to adapt to this ancient ship but it is state of the art as of eight months ago. Anything newer has not gotten out this far as yet." Braden pointed to the crate Federation seal, it might have been blackmarket but it was new. "My name is Braden MacCloud and I invited you to this party. Snacks are on the table under the wall chart."

Shaking her head, Draia looked MacCloud in the eyes and remarked, "Braden, baby, I don't play." That last word landed with a heavy listen to me tone. She waggled a dismissive finger at that same crate. "I actually, literally don't know what that is," she admitted, some of the hardness cracking beneath sheepishness. She held up her tricorder helplessly, saying, "I'm accessing the maintenance manual now. I promise you, I'm a step-by-step girl."

Braden shrugged dismissively "page 15 begins the set up procedure, before that is the standard warnings and a parts list. Step by step is advisable when you don't know what you are doing." Braden had enough attitude since coming aboard a few days ago to last a year. He saw someone else walking up so left the engineer to her maintenance manual. Braden welcomed Paul into the mix as he arrived "I was told you have expertise in growing plants? If you do I may well turn this project over to you as I do not. I do a decent job of research and I have a wide variety that I have seen growing together in other botanical gardens. However an expert I am sure would be able to plan an optimum rotation based on the plants needs for light, temperature and moisture." Braden showed Paul the wall charts for the six walls they could use. He had in wall planters, terraced planters, and hanging planters. Each wall was dedicated to plants with the same requirements. Then the pathways through the area were bushy plants and of course the dwarf fruit trees. Planita's wall was obvious only because it was separated in a way from the rest.

Paul looks down at the charts, "I wouldn't say expert but I do enjoy the challenge of using plants to achieve planetary level M class status." He looks back down at the papers, "I see a few points where the plants could actually be mixed more to improve their homeostasis and require less transplanting. But leading any sort of organized effort is best left to someone more outgoing. I'm likely to not leave the botanical area until dragged out while I tackle this problem." He blinks when he notices Draia, blushes and looks back down at his papers, "For various reason I would not feel comfortable in such a role as it wouldn't not profit the project at this time."

Popping up from behind the energy amplifier, Draia Theroh immediately recognized Paul's voice and immediately clocked him with her own eyes. Having lost touch with most of the people she'd grown up with, Paul Cullars was quite literally one of Draia's oldest friends. They'd met in their respective Starfleet days, but even those days seemed long ago now. At this point, Draia wondered if he was her only friend aboard this ship. "Yeah! You'd better believe my Borg Buddy," Draia said, "He knows of what he speaks."

"I take it you two know each other. Well there is another whom I have not overly impressed with my leadership and she might just want the lead.

Paul chuckles and scratches at the edge of his cybernetic eye, "Yeah she literally saved my head once on while we were on the USS Viking. A little bold...." He trails off and shakes his head, "But yes a very reliable Engineer female."

Closing the distance between herself and Paul, Draia interjected with, "I don't know that I'd say reliable." She grinned impishly. "I did almost kill you when I was trying to save you. I like to think of myself as more tenacious. I'll get there in the end."

Paul chuckles, "Considering the alternatives to your rescue attempt it worked out rather well. And you are aware that I do not give false praises. Your record speaks for itself as a member of species two zero zero zero you have gained great affection from your coworkers. Went out of your way to rescue a former borg risking your own life in the process."

Shaking her head at Paul, Draia said, "It was no way out of my way." She looked him in the eyes --right in the eyes-- and spoke with certainty. "You're not a former borg per se," Draia insisted, "You're my friend. I'd burn down any house to save you."

When Braden saw Quang he waved him over, letting te borg and the engineer relive their fond memories. "I think we might just have more people to get done all that is needed. He tossed a tangerine at the quartermaster "bought these on the station so you can collect before we actually have our own fruit." Braden pointed to a wall chart with pictures of each wall and the pathways in between. Planita's wall was as it was now, he would keep his promise and not do anything to her area.

Quang caught the tangerine and took a deep whiff of it. The smell was delicious. "Sure thing," he answered. "The more the better. More mutual self interest after all."

He looked toward the crate with the federation seal. He smiled in appreciation. "Not bad, it's an authentic UFP seal. I don't know how you got it delivered, but I'm impressed. Very good work. I'd like to meet whoever it was some day. Could come in handy."

Braden pointed out the other two present "Quang Tran allow me to introduce our newest Chief Engineer Draia Theroh and another member of the ship science team Paul Cullars. Draia. Paul. This our quartermaster Quang Tran." Braden had stepped to the side so all could see each other. "Seems we are only waiting for one more of our team. Please look over what is here as we all have our own areas of expertise."

Paul nods to Quang Tran, "It is a pleasure."

To Paul's side, Draia raised her palm awkwardly. "Hihi," she said in an intentional sing-song kind of voice.

Tran nodded back. "Nice to meet you as well. Welcome aboard the Mary Rose".

Paul smiles, "I look forward to working with you sir. I can forsee many purchase requests being forwarded to you to raise effeciency to a profitable outcome."

"Oof," Draia said, visibly rolling her eyes when Paul spoke about profit again. "Don't mind him," she said. She walked away from the men to reach for the EPS cables she had pulled out of a panel in the bulkhead. While Tran considered the merchandise, Draia plugged the cable into a plasma manifold, and then plugged the power manifold into the energy amplifier. As she worked, she said, "He mind-melded with a Ferengi, like, one time and he never recovered!"

Unsure how to reply to that topic he turned at the sound of someone else approaching. MacCloud waved at Humili "I hope you approve as we have the people now, I think we can pull this off quite well. You will notice I have not touched your wall."

"Much appreciated." Humili was more level since their last encounter, though it had appeared she took precautions. The plants responsible for helping her secure her stay aboard the Rose were sectioned off by a makeshift fence, in case anyone found themselves hungry and thought tiny, bitter hop plants looked delectable. Others had labels, and two had a 'Do Not Touch Without an Operator Around' sign. She knew, with all the fluctuations in crew that they were soon to receive another scientist or two, and it was likely she would not have been able to meet them before they wandered into Hydroponics.

She did not expect whoever they were to be a botanist, a role that she had found herself swiftly adapting to, but until she met them, precautions had to be made. "And you'll also excuse me, between my kitchen experiments and my botany tending, I haven't had time to meet any of our new staff."

Over by the energy amplifier, Draia was down on her knees and haunches, as she fiddled with the new connections to the EPS grid. Since her hands were too full to wave, she shook her ass at Humili. As she did so, Draia called out, "Hullo! You can call me Draia. I fix things. Especially things I've broken."

MacCloud pointed "that voice belongs to the new Chief Engineer. This is Paul Cullars who will a greater assistance here then I will at making plants grow. You now Quang Tran." MacCloud lifted his arms "this is our team now while Draia works on power lets begin laying out this first wall. I think there is enough room for all four of us to work together."

Paul growled, "It was not a mind meld. It was a highly painful inter-cranial link using my cybernetics to link his fully organic mind to the Collective! Filling my neuro-pathways with his neural signatures that mixed with my own after his forceful separation when you saved me you enchantingly fustrating female!" Then slapped his free hand on his face, "And I said that out loud."

Draia's head popped up from behind the energy amplifier. "You say everything out loud, dear," she said to Paul knowingly. Draia smirked with affection. "Never change!"

He's still blushing and rolls his real eye.

OFF:

Braden MacCloud
Chief Science
S.S. Mary Rose

Draia Theroh
Engineering Chief
S.S. Mary Rose

Paul Cullars
Hydroponics Operator
S.S. Mary Rose

Quang Van Tran
Quartermaster
SS Mary Rose

Humili Planita
Hydroponics Operator
S.S. Mary Rose
[NPC - Mahone]

 

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