Let's Steal A Garden!

Posted on Sun May 23rd, 2021 @ 3:11pm by Ensign Elegy Nascimento & Lieutenant Narv bim Huffill & Crewman Finn Jones

Mission: Mission 4 - Eden
Location: The Caelestis - Hydroponics
Timeline: Day 165 - 16:40 hours
1598 words - 3.2 OF Standard Post Measure

The heavy double-doors sighed their way open, allowing Ensign Elegy Nascimento entry to the Hydroponics Bay. "Sorry I'm late, gentlemen," Elegy muttered, as he scurried into the massive chamber. As he'd noticed in his last visits, this space practically felt tropical compared to the rest of the ship, with so many of its bulkheads, computer panels and hydroponic shelves masked by overgrown vines and flora of every variety. Elegy's environmental suit felt particularly warm and heavy; he tapped a couple of controls on his arm-panel to adjust the suit's settings and lower his body temperature.

"Well, now," Elegy said excitedly, "Does anyone else already have grand larceny on their personal records?"

Finn held up his hand for a moment to signify his crime before he put it down. He had never seen inside de a police station let alone a cell or court room. “Sadly no this will be my first.” He admitted almost sadly.

The word was unfamiliar to Narv, despite a fairly good grasp of Terran language. He pieced it together from context clues and snorted. "Are you just a race of looters? Pillaging your way across the universe? I don't intend to steal anything. Reappropriate, maybe. But that's the extent of it."

The Tellarite looked around with suspicious eyes. The hydroponics facility was very innocuous; lighting along the walls was indirect and shadowless, though it flared at various intensities and spectrums at different points around the room depending on the vegetation in question. For all he knew, one of these plants ate sentient beings, and he treated the room like it was absolutely full of them.

Shaking his head slowly, Elegy followed Narv bim Huffill with his eyes, making a soft "tut tut" sound. Smirking at the Tellarite, Elegy said, "Not every species can make do on their looks," in a timbre that may have been accusatory or flirtatious. "Some of us have to loot," Elegy declared. In comparison to Narv, Elegy strode deeper into the bay with abandon, hardly even looking where he was going. "There's such abundance here," Elegy said, emphasizing his point with his arms stretched wide, "and evidently no crew."

"That we have seen but others have," Finn commented on quickly as if it was his sole job to remind them that they were not alone. He trusted the people who had seen someone dressed in black running away for them to have actually seen something.

"What a novelty - a superstitious scientist!" Narv said with a snort. "Are you telling me you believe in all that 'man in black' nonsense? Not that I'd be the least bit surprised, mind you."

Finn shrugged awkwardly. He would not count himself as a scientist more a Gardner but he was not about to correct the man. “I believe that Darru a man logic and science saw something. He is a lot more believable than Ensign O’Connery but even then I believe her.”

"I once saw Ensign O'Connery consume an entire ration bar in one bite," Narv said. If it meant something to him, he didn't seem moved to elaborate. "And if you trust a Vulcan, you're just flat out gullible. You people haven't known them for very long, but they have an annoying habit of leaving things out. Or, worse, telling the 'truth' as they see it."

"If there are crew members hiding aboard this ship," Elegy interjected, "we're going to have to act fast. "Waggling his index finger ahead of him, Elegy said, "I want to start by looting that." What he pointed at was a tall metal box, looking vaguely like a white-sided refrigerator with a transparent front door. "Their seed bank is stored in an army of stasis units. Our analysis suggests even one of them has a lifespan that far outstrips any stasis units aboard Atlantis. They appear to require only a fraction of the electroplasma our stasis units drink up."

Narv looked from the stasis unit back to Elegy, locked eyes with him, and asked, "Are we reappropriating just the stasis unit? Or the seeds, too? It's not like they're full of a bunch of your..." He paused, searched for the words. "A bunch of your toe-mah-toe seeds in there. Not to mention, we've got to get it back to the ship. And I'm not carrying it. I'm built for speed, not stamina."

Despite his endless complaining and trail of questions left in his wake, the engineer moved to the stasis unit and began giving it a visual inspection.

Striding towards the stasis unit apace with Narv, Elegy scrunched up his nose in thought at the question. "Yes and no," was the most honest answer Elegy could offer, and he sounded conflicted on the matter. There were ample supplies on the Caelestis that could serve this lost and lonely Starfleet crew, but Atlantis only had so much storage space. "I would like to take some of their seeds for study," Elegy explained; "They could offer us new knowledge about nutrition and medication. But we'll need to empty it enough to make room for our own seeds too."

Whilst the pair spoke about tomatoes and the knowledge that could be gained Finn moved to look at the actual seeds. He started to scan them seeing if anything was similar to what they had or what they could adapt to their own diet. "Never know what is in these. Could be something very similar to our diet, the ship seems designed for a species similar to Vulcan's, Humans even Tellerite." Finn commented before he went quiet using the scanner. He was still not used to using the device or being out of the hydroponic bay but he was trying his best.

"Or they could grow giant sentient flesh eating vines," Narv offered. "How could we tell the difference? It's not like we've got a seed expert with us." He turned to look at Finn. "A seed person, yes. But expert? Hmm."

Finn looked hurt for a moment relieved that the only signs of emotion from where the others were was his shoulders slumping a bit in defeat. "We are all trying our best." He called over his shoulders simply. He was most certainly trying his best.

Although Elegy had his own hand-scanner pointed at the port where the stasis unit connected to the ship's power supply, the change in Finn's body language hadn't escaped his notice. Elegy moved to examine the stasis unit from the other side, and as he passed Finn, he gently clapped the young man on the shoulder. "We have a long road ahead of us back to Earth and, because of our diplomatic remit, we have the greatest educational library on any United Earth vessel," Elegy said proudly, regardless of what Narv might think of the greatest anything in Starfleet. Elegy shared what that meant to him, by saying, "This work. The work of studying these seeds could be what tips Finn over into becoming our seed expert."

Finn blushed under the thought of becoming an expert in something. He was happy where he was, trying the best he could it was everyone around him that was obsessed with greatness. "I will try my best Sir." Was all he could mumble before returning to what he had been looking at. Maybe he could work out a better watering system for the plants that they were not in their first area of plants.

Shaking his head, Elegy spoke through a pleased smirk, "Oh, I would never question your efforts, Crewman. I promise you that." Elegy crouched beside the stasis unit to take a closer look at the way it was connected to the ship to draw energy. Looking back over his shoulder at Finn, Elegy said off-handedly, "But if we're trapped on Atlantis together, I imagine we're all going to grow bored with our duties eventually. ...At least after the first decade."

Finn nodded he really appreciated the man saying what he did. He glanced at the Hufill but he looked back at what he was doing quickly. The other man was no so lenient or forgiving. “What are you going to expand your knowledge to Sirs? What other interests inspire you?”

"It's not the science for me," Elegy replied, making the admission easily. From his position crouched on the deck, he waved his hand-scanner behind the stasis unit, gathering more data. Although he glanced at the small display, his mind went back to his recent conversations with the Captain, and his new promotion to Chief Science Officer. Looking back over his shoulder, Elegy said, "I'd say leading a team is my newest challenge. I've spent too many months on this ship working alone in dark labs, late at night."

Finn nodded. It was a good challenge in the crewman's opinion, it was something to certainly reach for and for everyone to adjust to. It would take time and patience from everyone. "Seems like we are all coming out of the darkness. Just got to stick together." He murmured before blushing at the philosophy that was coming out of him.

Rising up to his full height, Elegy pocketed his hand scanner and he brushed his palms against his thighs. He cast a glance over at Narv's study of the stasis unit and then he returned his gaze on Finn. Offering a soft smile, Elegy offered to the young Crewman, "I'll light your path through the woods, if you'll light mine."