Science Fair

Posted on Fri Jun 23rd, 2023 @ 6:17am by Lieutenant Darru & Ensign Anne Marie "Ree" Beckett
Edited on on Fri Jun 23rd, 2023 @ 6:20am

Mission: Sojurn
Location: Relea
Timeline: Day 334 18:00
2500 words - 5 OF Standard Post Measure

An odd mix of elation and dread had filled Ree Beckett at the mention of the word festival. First because she had fond memories of the festival grounds outside of Winnipeg with all of its niche handmade soaps, chainsaw wood carvings and hemp clothing straddling half of the grounds, an odd mishmash of ultra modern mini shops and trade stalls on the other, and somehow food and livestock got pushed into the middle. There was a certain magic to it- like if you walked a straight line across you'd travel from the past to the future in less than an hour. At that point, it was the most people she'd seen in one place in her entire life, and that made it unimaginably huge.

The latter half of the emotion came from her first festival in California, which she was woefully underprepared for. If Winnipeg was large, then San Francisco was colossal. Add that to losing the rest of her group, having way too much beer in the heat, and ending up walking back to the hotel minus a shoe and a plus a new tattoo. There was a lot that she'd like to forget that happened that day.

Stir all of the together and there was the makings of the expression on her face when it was suggested that she go. Ree was more than a little convinced that it was only because her companions were a little tired of her impromptu 'story time' moments where the right word could launch a verbal rabbit trail that she'd chase endlessly in this awe filled tone, jumping topics like an acrobat until she was interrupted or set onto a new topic. But more than likely- she told herself- everyone was invited. So when it was time to go she dutifully appeared with a hand pressed to her stomach while saying a silent internal mantra to avoid anything that could be alcoholic. Remember that she was representing the ship. And above else try not to get separated from her group again.

Darru had spent the day with his officers being the silent shadow following and taking it all in. When the group decided they were tired and were going to head back Darru decided to finally speak up to the woman who had not stopped talking despite him not responding much.

Darru was not tired. It was very hard for the Vulcan to get tired, especially when he had slept at least five hours which was more that adequate. But he was tired of feeling cold. His species was not at all capable of surviving long in cold conditions. Even if they liked to think they were something more than human or other species they had met. They were a desert species and thus his quarters were always warmer than the rest of ship. Even with insulated uniform, he was definitely feeling the cold seeping in. “Where shall we go next ensign?” He asked. “Unless you are heading back with the rest of the group?”

Beckett almost jumped at the measured, patient voice from behind her. She'd been so engrossed watching some kind of ice sculpting (and trying desperately to guess what was powering the tool used to do so by what she could observe) that she hadn't really noticed that the others had left her standing there. "I'm *so* sorry. I thought I was with everyone still- they're heading back? Already?"

The chill sting to air might have been too much for some of the others, but for Anne Marie it was downright pleasant. They'd had winters in Manitoba that crept down past -47C. This was almost like home to her, only without the not so frigid that it hurt to breathe part of winter. "If you don't mind, sir, I'd like to stick around some more. There's so much going on that I'd hate to miss anything."

“Cold.” He advised with a bit of a shrug as to why the crew were heading back. It was understandable to him that they had had enough and wanted to head back to where they would be able to warm up and process the day. “I will stay with you then Ensign.” Whilst there had been no strict guide line on staying in groups it was something that would he had advised to all his officers and enlisted.

Ree's smile instantly dropped into an apologetic little frown. "Oh, if you're cold- I won't put you through the wringer. It is a bit stingy out here in the direct wind. We need to get you a coat and a hat of some kid since you don't have hair long enough to cover your ears and cheeks. Sorry for not thinking of that earlier. I was so excited to be out in the snow again. Would you be willing to see if there's something here we can improvise with? Maybe barter? Or we can head back to ship. I'm not going to have you suffer 'cause I'm curious."

“The crew are cold and why they have returned to the ship or lodgings. I am still within my limits Ensign.” Darru assured as he pulled up the hood of his coat again as the wind blew it down revealing his ears. “Being curious is one of the most endearing traits of being human please do not stop now.” He advised with a bit of a nod.

Ree's bright smile returned as easy as breathing. She hadn't exactly been the most social of creatures on ship with her tendency to become terribly engrossed in her work, but the cold was bring something wonderful out in her. And she wasn't even rambling on about it. For once.

That couldn't last long. "I've been watching the different tools that I've seen used in the different displays and sports and trying to think up comparisons to what we commonly used on for the same means. There's so many similarities in means and function, but differences in form and power. I was wondering how many other similarities there are in flora, fauna, mineral... I'd love to ask some questions, though I know we're just in the courting stage of this little back and forth. I mean, I know we were invited to relax while we were out here, but this is fun to me, you know? We walk by food stalls and I try to compare to smells that I know. A whiff of perfume, the shape of a tree, the length of the day to the temperature. The commonality of music and tone. It's always amazing. Every world. Every culture. Don't you think?"

"I have been to many worlds Ensign this one is the most unique among them for sure." The man decided quietly deciding that this was going to be an experience. "You will always try to compare to things you know. It is how we process stuff. I have heard that they have huge under glass gardens. Maybe you can learn more about the fauna and flora there?" He said pulling out a leaflet from his pocket to hold out to her.

"That would be amazing! I know I'm physics focused, but my dad Leo is an environmental scientist and papa Sam is a vet and a rehab for wild animals. I grew up enmeshed in their work since the next nearest person living nearby was like a two-hour trip on a good day. I certainly share their interests, it just wasn't my biggest interest. What about you?" Asked Ree as she stopped to consider a stand displaying various pieces of art. "Did you take after one of your parents or forge your own path?"

Darru stared at the woman for a long moment debating what he could and could not say. It was very likely that everyone on this crew was aware that he had been sent there to study the humans properly and to report back his findings to the Vulcan science council. He had been there to study the genetics of what made a good Earth Starfleet Officer which he has put to use in their current situation with the potential of a generational ship. "I took after neither. My parents were not science inclined." He finally settled on.

"So you forged your own path. That's great! When you've got no outstanding expectations shaping how you shape yourself, you really get to stretch out and decide how you want to grow. Like a tree only facing the elements and not being pruned by some arborist." Ree started to walk again as they spoke, her hands fluttering over what they passed without touching anything errantly. "I'd like to say that I did that, too, but I had so many people looking after me. I'm not very good with people, but I'm learning."

Darru cocked his head to the side trying to keep up with the words that she spoke animatedly. He had never considered that he had forged his own path especially when he had aunts, uncles and his family matrical to push him into something but to humans he supposed it did look like that. "Scientists rarely are." He offered catching up with her and indicated the building to their left that looked like a snow globe he had once seen on Earth. "It looks like an earth snow globe... you know one of those water filled glass containers that you shake up and it nows. Mostly children have them yes?"

Following his gaze, Ree grinned. "It does! They aren't just children's gifts, though. Some are for commemorating special trips or fond memories. Some even have music players in them to feed the nostalgia. They can get really intricate."

“I see. Well let’s go inside ensign.” He pressed on to where the gardens were kept nice and safe inside what he assumed were specially created to cover for the times that the planet was iced over and the festival happened. The door inside was like an airlock allowing them to remove coats and put them inside special lockers to dry and secure.

It took a moment to adjust from the edged cold to the warm green lull that existed inside the dome. There were all kinds of shrubs and flowers and tender vines carefully tended to thrive in their own little spaces while nestled in beside the other. It was beautiful, Ree thought. And amazing how such a mesh of flora could coexist in the same climate and humidity. "How odd is to see all of these in this little hothouse. I wonder if they're changed out. Grouped by region. Imported in. Some of these look tropical almost..." She picked through the little maze of plants, stopping to lightly touch a leaf here or sniff a flower there. "If we were on Earth I'd say that's in the bromeliads family. Sweetpea there. Honeysuckle... I don't even know what that one would be related to..."

Darru said nothing for a moment as he took in the flowers and trees inside the building. It was not what he had expected but it did warm his soul to feel exactly warm again. “I believe this is a tropical … hothouse. Though I do believe the term green house is more apt for the environment.” The building looked like it was used for growing from seeds and not just maintaining the place.

"It's beautiful whatever it is. And it smells beautiful. It'd be a wonderful place to put your back against a planter and read an afternoon away, don't you think?" Ree caught one of the locals also walking amongst the plants giving her an odd look and turned to look at Darru again. "We are allowed to be in here, aren't we? This isn't some kind of shrine to growth or something, right?"

“It will have optimal light and comfort.” The Vulcan relied agreeing with the younger science officer. “We are allowed here. I believe they are giving us looks because neither of our species have been seen here before.” Darru inclined his head in greeting to them both.

"Good point. Hi! Hello there!" Beckett waved cheerily, grinning. "We're just enjoying the lovely foliage. It's positively beautiful in here." And just like that her attention had jumped to the next thing. "Oh look at that! This one has fuzz just like lamb's ear. If it was it'd be too warm in here for it to do more than wither. The down is simply fantastic, though- I must sound awful being so caught up in greenery. So caught up in everything. Thank you, again, for staying with me. I really appreciate the company."

“Better to stick together.” The Vulcan nodded firmly and crouched to inspect the foliage that was in front of him. He did not touch it. he he’d had enough training to know not to touch in straightaway, but he did pulled out his scanner to scan items to check whether they were safe to touch or not before touching one. It was blooming with an orange flower at the top that reminded him of a viper plant that grew in the desert.

"Well, yes, but I'm being friendly here and I'm not the best at making light conversation, so this is me attempting awkwardly to be social in a social situation without saying um fifty times or finding a corner to stand in and people watch. I'm trying on a new hat kind of. Like practicing. Really pretty flower there..." She switched topics quickly as there was clearly too much attention on her even if it was she that was being introspective. "I like that color orange. It looks really cheery."

The Vulcan raised an eyebrow. Humans despite how long he studied then confused him. When had he or any of his species given the impression that they needed conservation? “I would just walk around in silence Ensign.” The man said quietly as he turned the topic onto something else. “I do not believe we would have the space to grow something else though it is cheery.”

Beckett's eyebrows raised in surprise. If she'd interpreted what he'd said right, that was the most polite request to shut up that she'd ever heard. "Oh," she said in a much more purposefully subdued tone. "I get it. I'll, um, let you have your peace." Just for the heck of it, she took a quick scan of the flower then stepped away to go look at a feathery fern-type plant with downy, curling leaves instead of continuing to try for conversation.

"I did not mean it the way you have taken in Ensign." The Vulcan commented. "I just meant that you do not need to fill the silence." Humans always jumped to the wrong conclusion more than they needed to fill every second with some type of conversation. It was admirable in some people but in others, it was repetitive and boring. "We shall continue how we are." He said simply and moved on.

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