STF

Nibbles and Mushu

Posted May 3, 2021, 9:44 a.m. by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman) (Jennifer Ward)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Roman Alden (Science Chief, First Officer) in Nibbles and Mushu

Posted by Ensign George Anderson (Scientist) in Nibbles and Mushu

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Roman Alden (Science Chief, First Officer) in Nibbles and Mushu
Posted by… suppressed (7) by the Post Ghost! 👻

<snip>

Rand took a deep breath and without a care walked over to Alden with a PaDD in hand. “What did you think? If he’ll stand up to you about taking care of them, he won’t take any flack from anyone else. He’ll make sure they are taken care of. Or should I keep searching the personnel files, Sir?”
Yeoman Rand

Roman gave her a look which for a moment was full of pure fire. But then, the fire died, and he closed his eyes briefly. “No, Ensign. He’ll be able to do the job and do it right.” He said, looking to Anderson. “I am… sorry. For my temper. You are, of course, correct. I am no expert in snakes specifically. I keep the animals to study them, their effects, and their environments. They are not pets.”

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

George was silent for several moments, forcing himself to not react until he’d calmed himself down as well. He pushed away from his workstation, looking at Alden with a hard expression on his face. “Pets or not, animals need to be cared for correctly, in a manner that considers their needs.” he said softly. “May I speak freely for a moment, sir?” he glanced over at the enclosure Wyvern was being kept in. “I know I already have spoken freely, but I don’t want to overstep my boundaries too many times in a day,” he gave Alden a wry smile.

Ens. Anderson

“I meant no offense. He appeared to remain healthy, and I had no reason to think he needed anything else. Speak as you will,” Roman said, giving him permission to speak freely. He was not, at that moment, Anderson’s biggest fan, however, he was fairly certain that might be why Rand picked Anderson.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

George nodded slightly. “It’s hard for the inexperienced reptile keeper to tell when their reptile is doing poorly. Especially with snakes. They’re hard for us to read because they don’t express emotions the way we do,” he spoke, trying to console Alden slightly. “Personally, I don’t think Wyvern is being kept in an ethical habitat,” he said slowly, almost cautiously, checking Alden’s face for a reaction. “I can’t say for the other animals, but answer me this. Would you keep… Let’s say a cat, in a cage this size as it’s only place to live, and expect it to be happy?”

George “trying to be delicate” Anderson

“I realize that it may not be ideal - but this is my work. It’s what I do and what I have done for many years,” Roman replied, steadfastly keeping his position. “Perhaps you and Rand could work together. She had some ideas on how to make them more comfortable.” He suggested. Others in his field would euthanize the animals when they were finished with them. Roman preferred to keep or release them instead. He half wondered what Anderson would think of that.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Anderson was quiet. “I’d keep the meat eaters in a totally different room from their possible prey, where they can neither hear nor see each other. In larger enclosures, with only one side made of glass,” he spoke in a soft voice, but the quiver of his tone spoke volumes. He didn’t like how people took animals out of their natural habitat and thought that somehow the study of a creature in a cage would be an accurate example of that animal’s behavior and environment. And even in captivity, even if study was being done like this, Wyvern should have a whole room to explore, with a pool of water to curl up in, far away from the tasty smells of the other animals being studied. Well… at least Alden had given him lamps for heat and UV.

Ens. Anderson

Roman’s work studied their behaviour, yes, but it was more concerned with their venoms and secretions, biological things like that. Organs and physiology. Things that technically, he’d probably learn more about with an autopsy. But he did not like killing them. “We have limited lab space. In exactly what room should they be separated into?” He asked Anderson. The conversation was a tad like watching two dogs growl at each other… In the most polite way possible.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

“Are there not multiple science labs?” Anderson suggested. Most starships had at least a few, each dedicated to a different science. It wasn’t good to house live animals in the same room where potentially explosive or toxic chemistry was happening, after all. “I understand that it’s not the easiest thing to request, and I may be presumptuous to be saying all of this. Perhaps, if that’s not possible… House them on opposite sides of the room, and implement a strict hand-washing procedure for anyone handling the animals, and strict training for anyone who is going to be handling the potentially dangerous creatures. So nothing like what nearly happened with Rand has a chance to happen again.”

Ens. Anderson

Rand glanced up, “There are signs, Ensign.” She pointed to several areas around the room. Rand loved signs. They told everything you needed to know. She looked Alden, “But if you need new ones I can do that.” Paperwork! That meant she could sit in the Tony half closet of a Yeoman’s office away from people. The jab at her error had her turning away to the computer to hide her embarrassment. A quick glance at the computer told her what she already knew. “As you know, space on a Star ship is at a premium. I can try and find other space, but I can tell you it’s not there.”

“This is the biology lab. As you already know, the other labs are dedicated to other sciences and require their space for storing their own samples or chemicals. We can put them on opposite sides of the room, of course, some of them are herbivorous and dangerous so whichever side you’re on, it must be known which are safe. Generally, no one handles them besides myself,” he glanced at Rand after that one. She was the one who convinced him to let someone else do this. Because of how unsafe the animals could be, he generally preferred to be the only one to manage them. Rand had convinced him that because he was also first officer, someone else had to have the correct training, in case for any unexpected reason, he couldn’t make it back. “The other procedures can be implemented.”

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

She met Alden’s gaze which was very strange. Rand could be direct but there was always something subdued about her. But in this case she was right and they both knew it. Someone had to be able to care for the animals. “I have been helping the Cmdr post the care and precautions for each. If you are going to be his back up,” she chose those words specifically. This will not be his main duties, Alden was too intense with his work to allow another to do it regularly, “I will send you a modified duty roster so you have scheduled time for Cmdr Alden to train you.”
Yeoman Rand


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