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Side Sim - Tom Little reporting to DH

Posted Jan. 29, 2022, 9:24 p.m. by Ensign Tom Little (Science Officer) (Tom L)

Posted by Ensign Tom Little (Science Officer) in Side Sim - Tom Little reporting to DH

Posted by Lieutenant Markus Woods (Chief Science Officer) in Side Sim - Tom Little reporting to DH

Posted by Ensign Tom Little (Science Officer) in Side Sim - Tom Little reporting to DH
Posted by… suppressed (6) by the Post Ghost! 👻
(OOC: Greetings! As permitted, this thread will be three check-ins in one. He will report to each place by the order from the title. Looking forward to RP with you all. )

<Snip>

OOC: I love the detail here, a wonderful first post. Just a quick note that I did a little edit to the thread title. I think it’s great for you to do one check in at a time. It keeps the time line flowing, but to prevent confusing on where are you are at the moment I removed the CMO and CNS tags. After you finish your check in with your DH just remove “DH” from the title and replace with where you are going next.
-Jenn

(OOC: Thought the same and you were faster. :)

As he turned to go a figure stood a couple meters behind and to the right with a mug of something dark in one hand. Standing a solid 178 centimeters (5’ 10”) was a Lieutenant dressed in science blues with dark chocolate hair slicked back with steely gray eyes and looked to be about five years Tom’s senior in age. His posture was relaxed and casual, though those same eyes swept the lab, bouncing over the eqiupment, piece to piece, as though he expected some or all of it to be missing. Though there was no accusation in his gaze toward Tom. There was a slightly haunted note in his expression, similar to others he might have already seen. Long-timers on the ship. Despite the Viking-A having been out of the docks for a little while, the rumors of the original Viking having been a cursed ship were still circulating. Perhaps there was some merit to those rumors.

The specter of the past faded as the Lieutenant’s hawk-like gaze locked on Ensign Little. “Welcome to the Viking, Ensign,” he gestured for Tom to follow him into the office. “Cop a squat. Sorry if i startled you. I was over in the high energy physics lab. Can I get you something.” As he offered, he jerked his thumb toward the small office replicator. The labs had their own, but it wasn’t geared for making things for people to enjoy, though … he could make a mean pot of coffee with it. Or enough alcohol to put Jack Daniels out of business. Not that he used it for those purposes. Even regular replicators could do those things though.

Making his way over to the desk, he swiped one hand across the inset display, which showed Ensign Little’s profile. “So computer sciences. Good. We have a number o’ linguists, botanists, exobiologists, astrophysicists and stellar cartographers. Not as many computer science majors,” Markus said. The more he talked, the easier it was to pick up hints of a Texas drawl, though Markus hadn’t set foot on Earth until he’d landed at San Francisco, at the academy campus. “So why computers,” he asked. It was less of a challenge, and more wanting to know more about the man across from him. Everybody had their own pursuits. The why was as important as the what.

Lt Woods, CSO

“Sir,” Tom chuckled, “the people you’ve just mentioned can’t fully function without machines, for a day.” He continued. “Basically, things can do the computation, data storage, input-output is related to computer. Language experts will need to use UT for someday. Botanists and biologists will need to maintain good conditions of the room for plants or compounds…oh, and of course, the Astro people can sleep better with machine-controlled telescopes or probes to track stars and planets during the off-time…”

“In fact, you can’t make a drink without the replicator recognizing your voice and menu data. Unless making it from scratch.”

“I’m just filling in the blanks. It’s good for us to be cared by machines, but someone has to take care of them too. Sir.” The last time he cooked something from scratch was probably the survival class in Australia. As the locals often referred to it as ‘a little camping’.

The clichés above were one of the talks he used when that kind of question was asked. The truth was, computer science was the least competitive subject in his time, so the entry score was lower than others.

“Coffee is fine. Thank you, Sir.” He hopped in a seat while putting down the bag.

Ens Little, Scientist

Mark nodded as he made his way back to the replicator. “Black? Sugar? Cream?”

Once he had the specs for the ensign’s order, the familiar blue-white energy field sprang to life and rapidly assembled, molecule-by-molecule, the admixture and container in question. This he passed over to the ensign.

“That’s all well and good. And is the obvious. But it doesn’t answer my question. Why. Why do you choose this specialty? Is it for the challenge? A feeling of power? A sense of accomplishment? I doubt it’s for t he compensation. So what about it gets you out of bed in the morning.”

Lt Woods, CSO

Tom took the cup and greeted the man. After a sip, a scene went back as if grids were behind his seat. A holographic-like spectrum reassembled a recruiting desk. There was a Lieutenant Junior Grade and a line of prospective candidates. Those questions were part of the interview. Many were giving similar answers: He wanted for adventure, she wanted for authority, it wanted for achievement…A candidate who saw some actions first, said “Opportunity.”

Back to the present, he said, “This occupation is relatable to…pretty much all respected fields. I get to observe different jobs using different functions of the machines. It’s a joy to see and figure out some interesting updates. That satisfies a nature of a scientist. However, ” He took another sip, wishing there was no ‘mustache’ around his lips, smiled while raising the cup, “this is enough reason for me to get up and work.” He was implying the drink.

He also remembered a question he asked a CSO on the training ship. It seemed that asking questions was quite common in the science department. But only a few crews were able to answer the important ones that mattered most. He and other candidates had to write around 200 words about the reason for joining. For him, it was just another opportunity to learn new things.

Ens Little, Scientist

“So it’s all about learning, tinkering, and solving puzzles,” Markus said as he parked himself in his chair behind the desk. That was admirable. He wasn’t sure it would have been enough for himself, but in the beginning, certainly. He’d not been much different when he first started. Bright-eyed and wanting to unravel as many mysteries as he could. And sure enough he still did. Experience had tempered his expectations somewhat though. “I’m not sure how much of those things you’ll get out here as far as computer sciences go.”

Those steel gray eyes locked on Ensign Little for a moment, and there was a feeling as though the man was looking through him, a tingle along the scalp accompanying it. “How good are you with sensor scanning and resolution algorithms? Do you think you can lick our current software?” If they could get an improvement out of the Viking’s slightly dated systems and bring them to par with the latest state-of-the-art gear, well, it was a boon for all of them.

“And as much as I might have hated this question in the past, where do you see yourself in five years? Meaning.. what are your plans for your career, or professionally?” It sounded like an interview question. And he’d probably been asked when signing up. But it was his job to help Ensign Little grow into the scientist and/or officer he wanted to be. Anything he could do to facilitate that was good. But he wouldn’t know if he didn’t ask. It wasn’t exactly in his file.

Lt Woods, CSO

“That’s fine, Sir. I’m kind of sick of it anyway. I mean, anything science or other than that is welcome.”

“I’m not. But I hope our ‘colleague’ can do the job. I’m just here to assist it when the time comes.” Tom was implying the machines. “I’d rather work with someone, maybe engineers who already know the system first if there are major or minor malfunctions.” He was speaking from the books.

“With my limited experience from the ground, I found that the starship is using quite sophisticated ones I’ve seen.” He wondered if he could find anywhere on Gaia using at least two cores, four decks tall, many isolinear chips, and maybe gel packs to function as a whole. It was almost like a nerve network that looked like a brain. He remembered once he said to his first CSO that this was a life form. His opinion remained unchanged.

“Based on that, I would not recommend using too advanced software. Because I consider more about the practical side and compatibility.” Also known as needs vs. wants.

“Speaking of the scanning, Sir, I’ll need a tricorder. Mine had to return it when I left the training ship.” His corder was for practice use only, meaning no privileges of accessing ship sensors and writing capability.

“I’d probably transitioned back to civilian.” He didn’t think twice and spoke about his plan after the initial contract. “After all, I was going to write about this journey. Something to be referenced for what’s out there and what’s to expect.” He sipped and waited for the response to the comments. He understood that the purpose of this ship is for exploration. So crews were most likely agreed with using new technologies and new gears to test and taste the waters. But he preferred playing safe than sorry. There was an old saying that the more you read or experience, the less actions you do. Perhaps he was one of those living proves.

Ens Little, Scientist

(Bump. If nothing’s change he’d proceed.)


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