A Civilian Walks into Science ...

Posted on 21 Mar 2016 @ 3:07am by Yasmin Khoroushi & Lieutenant JG Lenaris Marika

986 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Episode 10 - Symposium
Location: Science Department, USS Galileo
Timeline: MD 85 - 0900

OOC: So just playing by ear to start ... about when is Marika available? As soon as the ship comes into station?

It was her first official day of working in the Science Department on the USS Galileo and, needless to say, Yasmin was excited. Stepping into the main gallery, she simply stopped and stared about her at the myriad of equipment stretching in every possible direction. "Holy Wow ..." She'd taken the tour shortly after coming onto the station, but the thought of actually being here as more than just a guest ...

Stopping right besides the teenager she'd been following for the last few corridors, Marika looked around herself. Turning to look at the young woman, she beamed a smile. "I know right? Every time I step in here I'm sure someone's playing a joke on me. One of the perks of being on Starfleet's best science vessel. It's just all so shiny! And quick! And awesome! And don't get me started on the bio-neural gel packs, soooooo great. But the best part, has to be the people. They're just the best. I'm Marika!"

The young woman didn't look that much older than herself, yet she was already an officer where Yasmin was only a sophomore in college. "Yasmin. I've been in some high-class labs on campus, but never anything on this level. It ... it's beyond awesome!" She grinned, then shook her head. "Sorry, Ah ... I'm here as a student intern, specializing in Biological studies."

"That's great!" Beaming another smile at her civilian friend, Marika reached out as if to grab the other woman's arm, but stopped herself, and turned the motion into a wide sweep of the room. "Want to poke around? I hear there are gremlins hidden in the consoles. I'm pretty sure I heard some the other day, but I've yet to discover them."

Yasmin giggled. She liked this woman! And for all she was here for serious work, it was great to know that Starfleet officers weren't all stern faces and business at all hours. Sure, Noah could have fun now and then, but he was her big brother and more or less required to take it easy with her.

"Come on!" Waving the other woman in, Marika walked in with a false air of nonchalance. One the few people in the room immediately recognized. One groaned, the others grinned. Arriving at a remote sensor console, Marika pointed excitedly. "This one is my favorite. Keeps getting a glitch every so often. Just a small pixel jump. But I haven't figured out why yet. I call her Moe."

Moe. "I never heard a girl called just 'Moe' before. Moeselle perhaps ... so I guess I could see that." For a brief moment she wondered how she would even find her way around the department. Though she'd taken the initial tour upon arrival, and poked around a bit on her own, it was still mind-boggling the size and content. She could spend months here and not have a chance to even use a quarter of the equipment!

"Whats wrong with Moe?" The Bajoran perked up on her toes and cocked her head. "I took the name from an old earth visual entertainment medium. It was funny. BUt now that you mention it, I do believe the character was male. Not that it really matters seeing as this console is neither a she or he and more of a it. Although if you ask the natives of Theslak Three, they believe everything had one of the five genders. No matter what it is. I've always found that interesting. Much like how humans anthropomorphize so many things. Like that study with the piece of wood and the face drawing and name giving. Very interesting. Although I'll admit, I myself tend to use female pronouns when speaking of the Galileo. I'd have to dig deeper into that. Maybe there's something to get out of it. What do you think?"

She talked a lot and she talked fast - definitely someone Yasmin could come to appreciate! "I've never really been on a ship before - other than transports and shuttles and the like - but I know my brother ends to refer to the ships he's served on as women." She grinned, her nose crinkling slightly. "I thought it was a guy thing, but I guess not. As for the rest? Well ... what are we to say there are only two genders ... or five ... there could be more and we might never find out for certain."


Marika's eyes lit up! "Yes! Exactly! You'll make a GREAT! scientist with that thinking!" She beamed a smile equally as lit up. "Besides, being a biologist you probably know more about gender than I do. I personally don't tend to dwell on it too much. Sometimes though I'll meet someone and I get a specific feel, which doesn't fit with what I see, or am told I see." She shrugged. " I guess people have to find themselves on their own. And hey! Who am I to say what really is, or should be? Ooooooo! Ooo! I have to show you the potato sequencer!" Running off without waiting for her companion she promptly disappeared into a opening in the wall.

"I ..." Yasmin broke off in confusion as the officer suddenly disappeared. She couldn't help but giggle a bit as she nervously peeked her head through the opening. "Ah ... Ensign?"

"Please! Marika. No rank calling with me. In here!" Pointing enthusiastically at a genome sequencer she grinned at her new friend. "This is Curly! He looooooves potatoes. Come say hi!"

"Then you can call me Yaya." Submitting gleefully to the insanity, she waved to the device in question. "Nice to meet you, Curly!" This was by far worlds better than she'd ever expected her internship to be!

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Yasmin Khoroushi
Civilian Student
USS Galileo

Ensign Lenaris Marika
Archaeologist/Anthropologist
USS Galileo

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