Posted by Lieutenant Commander T’Aria (XO/ Navigation Officer) in PreSIM: A Change of Scenery (Arrival, OPEN)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander William B. Grey (Chief Science Officer / 2nd Officer) in PreSIM: A Change of Scenery (Arrival, OPEN)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander T’Aria (XO/ Navigation Officer) in PreSIM: A Change of Scenery (Arrival, OPEN)
Posted by… suppressed (5) by the Post Ghost! 👻
[Snip-snip!]

William gave the new first officer a tight smile “I am, thank you” He took a step to the side, allowing T’Aria to walk first and joined her “I don’t particularly enjoy the responsibilities of Command” He changed the subject “I do have to admit I was surprised when I heard you were returning here as XO. I didn’t know you well but I never had the impression you were very interest in Command” He spoke with the calm emotionless tone most people associated with T’Arias species “I gather you went to Earth for Command certification?” He asked.

CSO, 2O

“Command is..” T’Aria’s voice tapered into a pensive hum “..an ‘acquired taste’.” She slowed her pace to match Grey’s, raising an eyebrow in mild curiosity. He was quick to change the subject. Intrigued as she was, T’Aria suppressed the knee-jerk reaction to investigate. She didn’t possess the credentials nor the desire to pester him into opening up. Talking was his prerogative.

Although Grey’s observation caught her off guard, it wasn’t unfounded. T’Aria was comfortable in her role. Between aberrant coworkers and endless dramatics, the duties and responsibilities of the ship’s medical officer had yielded her a lifetime of excitement. She refused to submit to content, but those years had provided a sense of purpose.. and endless entertainment (or in her case, vexation). It seemed odd that she’d given that up.

“It was never my intention.” T’Aria affirmed. She didn’t see the logic in mulling over the minor details. “That said- yes, I eventually transferred to Earth.”

Vulcans weren’t considered adventurous - change seemed almost taboo - but a challenge was an open door that T’Aria had curiously pursued. Command was riddled with nuances she hadn’t begun to consider. There were holes and blurred lines that, in medicine, would’ve been the difference between life and death. It wasn’t a puzzle, nor an equation solved by tweaking a variable. The variables were constant but their values were fickle. T’Aria couldn’t say she chose command for a singular reason, but she’d admit to a change of perspective.

Adjusting her bag, T’Aria chased away the concept of command in favour of something she assumed Grey might be more inclined to discuss. “Beyond the weight of your recent assignment,” she paused by the turbolift, “have you pursued any personal projects or scientific endeavours?” Small talk evaded her, but weaving work into the conversation made it at least tolerable.

– Lt. Cmdr. T’Aria, incoming XO

William blinked twice at her question, he didn’t give another reaction but it could be inferred that he was surprised by her question.”Well I’ve recently started my latest doctoral thesis, I felt I haven’t been as active in my academic pursuits as I have been working on my career. I managed to write a handful of papers on our last few missions that have been approved for publishing, mostly astrophysical analyses and some work on my visual information gathered on the strange aliens we’ve seen.”

CSO, 2O

T’Aria straightened, tilted her head and attentively listened. His inflexion awarded him a scholarly air that ornamented his words with flickers of cerebral passion. He was undeniably taken with the art of research. Although diluted to the point of curtness, T’Aria had no doubt Grey’s budding dissertation was a striking antithesis to his brief overview. She wanted to know more.

“I cannot assert expertise in astrophysics.” T’Aria’s heart had been claimed by medicine. “But I am curious about these.. ‘strange aliens’ you’ve encountered and how they’ve impacted your studies. Does your thesis relate to your recent publications, or is it entirely separate?”

She hovered by the turbo-lift doors and gestured him inside once they’d peel open. “After you, Commander.”

– T’Aria, incoming XO.

“My analyses of the strang aliens were more akin to anthropological observations I gathered through communicating without a translator, building a rapport and gaining their help in a fight” He inclined his head and entered the turbo-lift “But anthropology is not a field I’m very interested or do I plan on exploring further but it gave me valuable insight into the field. However, it is not connected to my doctoral thesis, which is a continuation of my Xenobialogical studies. The encounter served more as a reminder to get back to my work. We had an incident a few months ago with a strange acidic like creature, my work is focused on beings similar to that. Sapient creatures like the recently discovered Horta, a silicon-based lifeform.” He continued

The words ‘silicon-based lifeform’ seemed to lift T’Aria’s eyebrows in pique interest. “Hmm,” she hummed in a second of contemplation. “Your studies may be equally beneficial to the medical community. I should doubt we will have silicon-based lifeforms serving in Starfleet anytime soon, but wielding a basic understanding of these creatures may provide us with enough information to build a sense of how to treat them or defend against them.” She understood ‘lifeform’ was seldom exclusive to multicellular creatures. If silicon could provide the foundation for a sentient being, she had no doubt it hosted a wide variety of bacteria- and virus-like parasites.

He turned around and placed his hands behind his back “I’ve only just started my work but now that you’ve assumed first officer duties I believe I’ll be able to focus more on my research.”

CSO, 2O

“Good,” she nodded. “Your exobiological studies sound fascinating.” T’Aria stepped into the turbolift beside him, ordered it to Deck 3, and turned to face him. “If you don’t mind,” she added, “I would like your thesis when it’s done.” She was an innately inquisitive woman who, though endeavouring a new field, would never lose her passion for science.

– T’Aria, XO

William nodded “Of course, I would appreciate your insight on the matter. The Captain may be a doctor but he doesn’t seem very interested in Academics and Doctor Kane” He paused for a moment “Is still Kane” he said calmly.

CSO, 2O

“I cannot say I’m surprised,” she shook her head following a moment of silence. “Dr. Kane is…” T’Aria furrowed her brow. “Kane. And Captain Taggart seems more enthralled with the empirical side of medicine than the practical. I suppose you could say they are a different.. ‘breed’ of physicians.”

“In the interest of command,” T’Aria continued, “are there any pressing matters I should be aware of?” Though he was retiring back to science - a gesture that seemed long overdue - T’Aria valued whatever insight he’d procured as XO. “Or any concerns you feel must be addressed?”

– T’Aria, XO

William considered her question for a minute “Nothing that requires immediate addressing, I suggest keeping spare parts for the Captain’s prosthetic limbs as he still has a tendency to break them.” His tone had no shortage of dry humour “I’m not very qualified to speak on interpersonal relations between crew members but not too long ago there was some drama between the Captain, Kane, and Engineering Chief Marshall. Or at least that’s what the gossip mongers in my department whispered about when they thought I wasn’t listening. But seeing as it didn’t impact their work ethic I didn’t get involved” He explained, “I can’t really think of anything else.”

CSO, 2O