Wallflowers and Mould (Mercy's Personal Log - Day 367)

Posted on Sat May 11th, 2024 @ 9:07am by Ensign Mercy Mourne
Edited on on Sat May 11th, 2024 @ 2:03pm

Mission: Contagion
Location: Personal Quaters
Timeline: Day 367
772 words - 1.5 OF Standard Post Measure

Dear Diary,

I think in most of these things you are supposed to say ‘Captain’s log’ or ‘CMO’s log’ followed by the star date and such. However I don’t think anyone is concerned with reading a Lab Technician’s log, so I am probably safe to just say ‘Dear Diary’.

Yesterday was a good day, I actually managed to work up the courage to speak with my Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Darru. If I am honest, I usually do everything I can to avoid him noticing me. I would rather just get my work done to a satisfactory standard and be practically invisible. But actually when I finally did work up the nerve, he was actually quite reasonable. Hard to read though. I am never quite sure whether he is silently judging me, or going over his to do list. Makes it hard to relax, but he did listen to me. And he didn’t even seem to mind my waffling about 21st century DNA sequencing. It was… strangely refreshing.

Made me think that next time, maybe I won’t need to get quite so anxious before. I even managed to pass my security certification, it was a much less painful experience than that of the physical requirement exams at the Academy. For starters no one called me a useless lump, so win win really. Felt a bit bad for Clive though. I knew if he had a chance to catch his breath I’d never be able to take him on so I basically just took the bull in a china shop approach. Might have accidentally winded the poor man.

Then today I had a cup of tea with Maddi, from the Hydroponics Bay. She’s an odd duck, sweet natured but shy. Doesn’t settle into compliments very well. She’s very kindly offered to help (read I don’t think she’s been given much choice but she was good natured about it) with the Database work though, and she’s smart enough I think between the two of us we can nail it. Then she invited me to games night. I don’t know why I said yes, but I did. Must be lonelier than I thought.

There’s only so much mould research one can do to soothe the soul. I’m just working through old papers, considering writing a systematic review of some of the research, but by the time we get home, it might have been superseded. Maybe if we get lucky with the next planet we can find some novell species of mould, or mycelium. It wouldn’t matter then if the research on Earth had moved on in the time it took us to get home. I ‘ve been thinking alot about what else might have moved on.

It was the one year anniversary of us being out here 2 days ago. I didn’t realise until I went to bed. I was so set in my routine that it nearly passed me by. I’m not ashamed to admit it brought tears to my eyes when I remembered.

But best not to dwell on these things too much. I think a whole new mushroom species might be a bit much to ask for, but a new mould would make me very happy. Lots of people overlook mould. It doesn’t have the glamour of a bioluminescent flower, or the thrill of something big and carnivorous, but I always liked mould.

When you unpick it, mould and fungal networks are the building blocks of the universe. Wherever you find life, you find something breaking it down at the end of all things. Transforming death into information and fertile soil. We have an instinctive response to mould as a sign that something is no longer safe to eat, or that might make us sick, but when most people see something ready for the bin, I see a new beginning.

On Earth fungal networks traverse great distances, spreading nutrients through ancient forests. They even carry information from injured or diseased trees, allowing the forests to divert resources to individuals who need it. They actually help the trees to talk to each other. In the early days of Lunar colonies, it wasn’t until moulds and fungi were introduced that gardens and hydroponic bays were really able to flourish. My grandmother would have rolled her eyes, wanting me to focus on something pretty and ladylike, like flowers, but I have always been more interested in what’s in the compost bin compared to the vase.

Anyway I should get to my bridge shift.

Mercy out.