Calibration Needed

Posted on Thu Aug 21st, 2025 @ 12:39pm by Lieutenant Darru & Ensign Mercy Mourne

Mission: Remnant
Location: Planetside
1021 words - 2 OF Standard Post Measure

Mercy stood near the shuttle by some of the science equipment. She was useless in her current state when it came to loading things onto the vessel, so she had offered to check everything off against their inventory list before others loaded it. Really she was just trying to be helpful, but with home a few galactic quadrants away, it was important they left nothing behind.

She was checking over one of the scanners. She suspected it was the one she had taken down to the temple because it seemed to have acquired a few extra dings. Scanning the surroundings she looked down at the device with a small smile of relief. Tough little scanner this one, but it appeared to be working, at least the environmental scans were. A small blessing , she had not been looking forward to explaining to anyone back on the ship how she had broken the one piece of technology entrusted to her.

Darru rolled his shoulder as he stepped down from the shuttle. He felt hot, which was making him feel slightly more aloof than normal, as he was trying to show no discomfort when he should not be feeling as hot as he was. He walked over to where Mercy was standing, going through the inventory to check they were leaving nothing behind that could cause any issues for the future. "Anything else that can be loaded Ensign?" He wondered quietly.

Mercy was just flicking through the different modes on the handheld scanner, checking the input. When she heard Darru’s soft timbre she smiled slightly, and looked up. “That box of camping gear can go in, I’m just doing the last checks on our scientific equipment now. Thank you.” Mercy studied the Vulcan wordlessly for a few moments before going back to her checks.

Was it her imagination or was he a little less talkative than normal? He wasn’t exactly one for idle chitchat but it seemed he was avoiding conversation even more? Was he regretting their conversation? Maybe embarrassed and not sure how to interact? “Are you okay Lieten-? Huh…oh no.”

The scanner in Mercy’s hand beeped to say it had completed its scan. While she had been watching him she had it pointed at him and now, looking at the readings she was worried she had in fact broken it.

The man looked up at her as the scanner beeped, and she asked him if he was okay. Was he okay? He was not at all sure about that. "I am fine Ensign." He promised as he hauled up one of the boxes into his arms.

Momentarily distracted by the casual display of superior Vulcan strength, Mercy blinks and blushed. “Oh it must… uhm must be the scanner is broken. Probably when I fell down the hole. The environmental scans are fine but it’s saying your hormone readings are all over the place. I’ll put it in the pile of equipment that engineering need to check when we get back on board.” She made a note on her inventory list and added it to the correct box.

"What is it saying?" He wondered, taking the box inside, and then came back and picked up the scanner and looked at the results. He found himself sighing at it but he said nothing else. He had no idea how to tell her that infact it was fine and the results were all valid.

"Looks like the neurochemistry readings are off." Mercy leaned in and pointed out the specific reading. A small spike where there should be steady lines. "Might be it's not properly calibrated for Vulcan biology?" Mercy frowned. If that was the case, then it would be a little difficult to fix because they didn't have a glut of Vulcans to test the equipment on, but hopefully the information in the ship's data banks would be good enough to reset it.

"If these readings are true then you should be feeling jittery, maybe a little on edge..." she glances at him and then blushes. "But you look fine, uhm good-ah I mean you look normal."

"It is not wrong." The man finally admitted with a soft frown as he held out the scanner back to her. "My neurochemistry is currently off." He said using the terms that she had used to show he had been listening, but also to explain it to her a little. It was embarrassing to be explaining this but he had to explain it somehow.

Mercy had switched to trying to reset the device. The ancient ritual of turning it off and on again still a last resort before sending something broken to engineering. However with Darru’s words she looked up surprised. Her face showing immediate concern. “Off? That’s… are you okay? Is something wrong?”

“It is private and taboo subject to talk about with non Vulcans.” The man explained softly. How could he explain a biological mating process to a woman like Mercy who was only just starting to trust him? It was frustrating and the man hated how that emotion came so easily to him at the moment.

Mercy gave him a confused look. “What…?” She studied the man for a moment. Outwardly he didn’t seem any different, there was maybe a hint of frustration but if she was asking about something taboo then that was only natural. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up anything culturally sensitive. Uhm but… you know if you ever do want to talk about it I’m here. I wouldn’t judge you.” She gave him a soft smile, then put the medical scanner into the equipment crate marked for return.

The man picked up the crate and held it close for a moment as he tried to not think on the things that were about to happen to him whether he chose to accept or not accept what was happening. “My body is about to go through a neuro chemical change that I will not be able to control.” He said, slowly looking at the floor.

TRANCATED