Posted Sept. 25, 2020, 7:12 a.m. by Lieutenant Commander John McHarrie (Medical (Consultant Researcher - Abell)) (Jim Watkin)
Posted by Civilian Kara Nakuto (Engineer (Consultant Researcher - Yellow)) in McHarrie’s Lab - an old friend drops by
<snip>Posted by Lieutenant Commander John McHarrie (Medical (Consultant Researcher - Abell)) in McHarrie’s Lab - an old friend drops by
Posted by Civilian Kara Nakuto (Engineer (Consultant Researcher - Yellow)) in McHarrie’s Lab - an old friend drops by
“The Imp itself is no more dangerous than herd of tribble. Mischievous and a nuisance. But weaponised by neural programming is what makes them dangerous. Programmed with a specific objective along with the required skills and knowledge make a naturally difficult to detect creature well. According to Junior, the Romulans never worked out how to stop the Imps from breeding. Even programmed the biological need to lay and incubate an egg would take precedence over programming.”
John looked at Kara. “Their first hand knowledge is old. Developments could have been made. Imagine if the Borg were to assimilate such a weapon.”
-John
Nakuto nodded silently, the full implications of McHarrie’s suggestion etched across her own face. Although she would not be a warrior at heart were she not to attempt a counter. “But even with the Borg have we made advancements. Our mutual friend, GLaDOS, is testament to that. And I have heard the rumours of dissent within the ARU, the belief by some that our methods are akin to cracking a walnut with a sledgehammer.”
She laughed, then returned momentarily to her ale.
“So then, what are your plans with this creature?” she inquired. “If you are at liberty to share.”
- Kara Nakuto (Consultant Researcher)
“This one? It’s well preserved by the vacuum of space. Find out what makes it tick,” John replied, “Starting with the small stuff like what did it eat or drink all the way to a way to neutralise or even replicate the ‘amnesia effect’ that they generate with their telepathic fields.”
-John
A wide grin spread across the woman’s face. “The next thing I know, you will be putting a leash on this creature and taking it for walks around the ship, John!” she laughed.
Their reactions to the strange and mysterious had always been poles apart. Where Nakuto, weighted by her responsibility for their ever-diminishing crew, had reacted with anger or fear, McHarrie had approached the horrors of the Viking with an almost childlike curiosity. She envied him his ability to accept such matters as commonplace, although bore no illusion that a childhood which produced such an outlook was not one to be coveted.
“I am yet to select my first research assignment,” she mused out loud. “Until another portal opens at my feet, I must at least try to provide some value to the ARU for severing me from the Viking.”
- Kara Nakuto (Consultant Researcher)
“She will always have a place in my heart,” John replied, “I’ll never forget the when I first saw her through the portal and Starbase. She may have been a run down bucket of bolts to look at, but she was my first ship and I was proud to be part of her crew.”
John took a gulp of his drink as he caught sight of the photo on his desk of him as a child on the Viking’s bridge. “Little did I realise then how closely I was following the family footsteps.”
-John
© 1991-2024 STF. Terms of Service
Version 1.15.11
RSS Feed