Just the person I was hoping to bump into...

Posted on Sat Feb 13th, 2021 @ 11:01am by Lieutenant Jacen Rendar & Lieutenant Vanessa Jackson

Mission: The Mentarin Effect
Location: Chief Science Officers Office

ON

Vanessa had a number of plans for science, based on past experience. However, she wasn't sure what she could get away with--although get away with wasn't exactly the right way to phrase her request. What she wanted was quite practical, from a science perspective--but not everyone saw it that way.

She decided she should start by talking to someone in ops and find out what her options were. As the corridor was empty, she pulled out her PADD and looked over her list, adding and removing items now that she'd had a look at her department. Unfortunately, she wasn't paying as much attention as she should. When she rounded a corner, she bumped into someone. She put out a hand to steady herself and looked up. "I'm so sorry," she began. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

Jacen had his head down, reading a PADD as he turned the corridor, already assuming his duties in Operations during a time when the Resolution seemed to be in a state of tension that he hadn't experienced for quite some time. as he was wondering about the next job on his list, he looked up a split second before crashing into another officer, seeing that she'd fallen to the floor.

Without thinking and hearing her apology, he held out his hand to help her up. "I'm so terribly sorry, I was lightyears away as I was checking on my next job," he said, apologising. "Are you ok? are you hurt at all?" he carried on, wondering if she had hurt herself in the collision.

She grabbed her PADD and let him help her up. "I'm fine. A little embarrassed is all. It was my fault. Walking while reading is not generally a good idea, but the corridors were clear..." Her voice trailed off. "That's what I get for assuming."

"No please, I was guilty of the same crime as well, I was also busy looking at what else I had to get done today, please," Jacen offered, before deciding to try and make up for this embarrassing encounter. He needed to make sure that this didn't become a habit.

"Well, I suppose you better know who walked into you...I'm Lt Jacen Rendar, the ships new Assistant Chief Operations Officer," he said as he introduced himself.

"Nice to meet you." Her smile grew brighter. "I was actually on my way to ops. I'm Vanessa Jackson, the head of science. Welcome aboard."

"A pleasure," Jacen said before noting that she had a pair of Lieutenant pips on her collar and curious to know what Lt Jackson had said.

"Oh, you're on your way to Ops? Is there anything I can help you with, or anything specified that you are after?" he offered. Having been on board only a few hours, Jacen was already willing to help out other members of the crew an also get to know the other senior officers that he'd be serving with. "We're always happy to assist our fellow Science colleagues in any way possible," Jacen added.

"Actually, I was going to ask about the possibility of getting a secondary database and some backup power generators to set up in a couple of labs for long-term experiments. It's a precaution, mostly. Very few experiments actually fail catastrophically."

"I see no reason as to why not," Jacen answered. "The beauty of serving onboard a Galaxy Class starship is that there is a lot of space and power and redundancy and that also means that we should be able to happily accommodate any needs you have for the secondary database and some backup power generators for the labs."

Jacen pulled up his PADD and opened up a new section on it. "So what sort of equipment are we talking about? Just so I can check to see what we have onboard already to meet your needs," he offered.

"I plan to have ongoing experiments in several of the labs," she said. She was still a little flustered at having run him down. "It would be for scientists to work on personal projects, and those sometimes require a constant force field. I don't want to worry about containment failure and I don't want to be a problem for anyone, so having a couple of power generators installed will prevent that. And, if I have a small database to keep all those experiments, it will make it easier all round."

Jacen listened to Vanessa as she ran the list of items that she was after, checking the cargo bay manifests of equipment and spares that were also being carried on the Galaxy Class starship. What she needed didn't sound too hard to organise and even set up and once he completed his check of the manifest, Jacen smiled.

"I can easily accommodate all of those requirements," he confirmed to her. "When I came on board during the last stop off, there was an intense re-supply completed and we have all of the items you need in Cargo Bay Two. In fact, we have plenty of spares, so your requirements also won't affect any future needs the crew might come across or need." Jacen was happy about this and also glad to be meeting another member of the crew, just not in this way.

He could see that Vanessa look a little flustered still. "Are you sure your ok? do you need a drink or a sit-down or something?" he asked.

"Yes. No. Maybe." She gave him a self-deprecating smile. "I'll be fine. It's what I get for not paying attention."

"Hey, don't be too hard on yourself, we were both pre-occupied with work as we were walking, its a lesson learned, but happy that you're ok. The last thing I would want is for you to be hurt from a coming together like that," Jacen explained.

He thought for a moment. "If your not to busy, I can arrange for the equipment you require to be prepared whilst you show me where you want it and how you want it setup? there's also the Database type that's required as well?" he offered. "I can always have an Ops team work on moving everything and installation as well?"

"I'm not too busy. I'd be happy to show you what I want where." She smiled warmly at him. "I was thinking of putting the database in my office and the power supplies in main engineering, the new astrometrics lab, and a group of four labs set aside for long-term projects. I figure everything could be backed up to the secondary database."

Jacen agreed with a nod. "That sounds like a good idea to me, let's go and check out the various locations and see if we can get this sorted out for you," Jacen said. It doesn't seem to be a difficult task, but I want to make sure that theres room and space for what you need as well as the minimal impact it will all have on the ships power systems."

Standing to one side to make sure she had room, Jacen put out a leading arm. "shall we?" he asked. "And this time, we can walk and talk together and not bump into each other."

"Thank you, kind sir," she said, taking his arm. "It would be my pleasure." Bumping into Jacen had been fortuitous for a number of reasons. "We can start with my office and the main science lab."

"Very well," Jacen said as he led the way to the turbolift. Once they arrived at the required Deck for Vanessa's office and the science lab, he pulled out a PADD as well as his tricorder. "Ok, so give me an idea of what equipment you want in which locations, from there I can also see if there are any further requirements needed," he explained. "then we can check the labs as well."

Whilst he listened to her requirements, Jacen began scanning the room to take in measurements and power requirements or each piece of equipment she needed.

"I think we have the space to fit it all in," she said. "But you're the expert. The other two areas are astrometrics and a group of four labs. Those will have the greatest need for backup power."

Jacen finished scanning the area with his tricorder and then downloaded the data to the PADD, before checking the final specs. "Ok, we should be able to fit in the consoles and power conduits required with relative ease, in fact, there's quite a lot of space to work with so that should make the task go quicker," he explained.

Once he completed the new layout and power requirements for Vanessa's office, Jacen pulled up a schematic to show her how it would look like. As he handed over the details, Jacen also noted that the same power requirements wouldn't to be too difficult to set up in both Astrometrics and the Science Labs.

"One of the benefits of being onboard a starship of this size is that there is plenty of power to go around and that a Galaxy Class starship is easy to modify to the various needs on board. We can pretty much adapt the same layout to Astrometrics and the four labs if you want to have them that way as well?" Jacen offered.

"Yes. The needs will be similar, so the same layout would be perfect." She smiled. "I can't thank you enough for helping me."

Jacen nodded as he finished up the data and schematics for the Ops team to get started. "It's not a problem at all, its al part of my job," he said. "But its also been a very good way to meet one of the senior officers on board as well. I didn't have a proper chance before we left the station to catch up with my superior and also the Captain."

Jacen checked the data was completed. "However, I'd best make my way there to see him. I'll get the Ops team I have handpicked started on moving the parts needed and also re-routing power as agreed, it shouldn't take long, a couple of hours at best before they are completed with the work," he explained.

"Thank you," Vanessa said, smiling. "It was nice meeting you, Lieutenant."

"And you too, Lieutenant," Jacen said, before nodding and leaving the office to go and get the team on the various tasks he had set out and also to speak with the Captain.