Science of Survival

Posted on Fri Oct 20th, 2023 @ 4:54pm by Lieutenant Commander Annalise Faulkner & Lieutenant JG Orion Wolff
Edited on on Fri Oct 20th, 2023 @ 5:03pm

Mission: S1 Episode 6: Joy and Ashes
Location: Science Lab; Gladius
Timeline: Date 2371-09-01 at 1330
5454 words - 10.9 OF Standard Post Measure

Since their arrival in the Delta Quadrant, Orion had found his scientific endeavors limited by the more vainglorious scope of their previous Captain's ambitions, demanding better ways to fight and raid their enemies despite the Gladius being one lone ship and a small one. With no means of reliably replacing their losses in battle, the demands turned to finding a way to replace their losses, then finally, the orders changed with Annalise taking command. They became ways to help them survive and attempt to find a way home.

Sadly, their previously bountiful resources had been wasted in fruitless endeavors. Now, Orion was forced to find ways to create an easily renewable and reliable power source for use on the ship to ease the strain on the warp core. He stood in his lab, everything just so and neatly organized as he went over his latest experiment using a highly energetic bacteria they had encountered to make emergency batteries that could be sustained by feeding them matter gathered through the bussard collectors of the ship. He had sent a message to Annalise asking her to come to see him as he'd managed to keep the latest battery test with the bacteria stable and was currently providing full power to some of his lab equipment with no significant drop in the output.

Annalise was tired. Exhausted. The mental toll the last months had taken on her was hard to ignore, but she was doing her best to be strong for what was now her crew. She had been training for it. Of course, the command had always been her goal. After their original mission had been completed, she knew she was slated to become the executive officer on the ISS Cerberus, but that seemed like a distant memory. Right now, she felt woefully underprepared for the task thrust upon her by the loss of their Captain and the stupidity of their XO. She would do her best to see them through, but to what end?

The Gladius was an advanced ship, but it was small, and they had lost so many of their crew already… while she would never say it or truly give up hope, the realist in her had confronted the reality they found themselves in and the likelihood of what would happen to them…

She sighed as she stepped into the small science lab, one of two they had on the ship. Her beautiful blue eyes instantly found Orion, and she smiled at him. "What do you have to show me, Mr. Wolff?"

"Mon capitaine," Orion greeted Annalise warmly as he turned to face her, obviously quite pleased with his efforts on his assigned tasks. He paused to pull out one of the lab station seats, given she looked rather worn down, though he was surprised that any of them had anything else to offer. However, they were Terrans, and it was inconceivable for them to give up; he admired Anna for having shouldered the weight of her new command as well as she had; he hoped they found a way home as she would make a fine officer for the fleet.

"Take a seat and relax, but I've managed to finally create a stable power source using the bacteria we discovered; the battery is currently powering the workstation and has been doing so consistently for almost an hour now." He indicated the bulky-looking casing with a glowing panel on the front that pulsed brightly while the lab table seemed to run at full power.

"Alright, and how long do you think it will last?" Annalise asked as she moved to take a seat and crossed her legs. Her eyes moved down to the device, and she watched the almost hypnotizing pulse while considering its size. It was rather bulky.

This question caused Orion's well-formed features to screw up as he considered the device. "With refinement, they should be able to replace our depleted or damaged batteries on the ship, and as long as we have a thriving colony of the bacteria, it is a stable, renewable power source,"

"But with Lieutenant Urso's help, I think we should be able to refine my proof of concept design here," He indicated the bulky device before leaning back against the table, doing his level best not to let the exhaustion he was feeling show through as it was his duty as one of the few members of the nobility to lead by example. "Small victory but not every victory must be grandiose."

"Don't undersell this, Lieutenant." Annalise encouraged him gently and gave him a tired smile. "If this is as you say, it could be an incredible help to us. Have you spoken with Lieutenant Urso already, or will you do that now that you have this working prototype?"

"Doing that now as I wanted to bring something to her since the last time I came to her with just an idea...she became over-enthusiastic about it." He replied with a wry chuckle before picking up a PADD with some of the technical details he'd worked up, offering it to Annalise as he sat next to her. "A condensed version of the science that lays out where we could apply it as well as a proposal for a more robust system if this proves stable enough going forward, though I do fully expect the Lieutenant to do something out of the left field, though the gift of brilliance is rarely without its...quirks."

"Be kind," Annalise replied, firm but not biting in the directive. "Marikit has gotten us out of many sticky situations in the past few months."

She turned her attention to the PADD in front of her. While it may not have seemed likely, science had been a consideration for her before she settled on command, and she had filled all her elective classes with those studies. "My first concern, without being too in-depth on anything, is the bulkiness of this device."

"Which is something that I would be addressing with Urso," Orion admitted; while he did have a bit of pride, he also knew their chief engineer would have her ideas. "With the prototype, it uses a larger reservoir for the bacteria colony, but if you continue reading, I included a proposal for the creation of replaceable power cells like what our phasers use,"

"The colony power cell should be able to reliably provide power for at least three to six months of constant use; with intermittent use, we could see upward estimates of a year or more, and that's before we consider modifications and upgrades to the design since with larger scale use we will only have more data to improve the design, which I find to be an exciting prospect all on its own since when we can return home, we will have something tangible to provide the Empire,"

It would go without saying that he could provide his father Kasper with something to show he hadn't been willing to lie down and die when things became difficult.

"How hardy are these bacteria? What is their repopulation rate, and are there any risks to the crew?" Annalise prompted, lowering the PADD and looking at Orion. She then smiled slightly, "I'm sure it is all in here, but if you call me to you, you get to answer the questions yourself."

"I believe in being thorough, but I'm more than happy to answer any questions you might have about things." He chuckled softly while smoothing out the front of his uniform as he sat up a little more straight, a habit he'd had drilled into him by his tutors and, perhaps more pointedly, by his father. He looked to Annalise before continuing, "I'll answer in the order that you asked; the bacteria are quite resilient, which comes from the hostility of their native environment since there is little to protect them from the near-constant bombardment of radiation in the vacuum of space, they adapted to feed off of radiation which in turn causes them to in essence act as a biological battery."

"In regards to what it takes to destroy a colony, it would require an energy discharge equal to a phaser set to the level five disruption setting; it's not immediate, given that they can feed off the energy for approximately 15 minutes before they effectively immolate from an energy overload."

"As for repopulation, as long as they are receiving an adequate supply of nourishment, they have a doubling cycle of about twenty minutes from a single organism, I've been using a power feed from the solar collectors we deployed, but we can supercharge their growth with carefully applied bursts of energy, which would be the most efficient way to produce the colonies for the batteries." He continued and looked down at the prototype battery, which pulsed away with seemingly no issues. "As for risk to the crew, it would mainly be from energy absorption of the bacteria."

"Initial contact with the bacteria can cause injuries that are similar to a minor electrical discharge; exposure for five to ten minutes would disrupt the nervous system, which leads to loss of motor function in the affected area; exposure over twenty minutes to an hour can lead to a serious impact on the functions of the nervous system, while complete bioelectrical impulses cease after fifty-two hours, though that time could be shortened if the bacteria were either introduced directly into the bloodstream, to the brain or heart I didn't have enough test subjects to determine the effective times those processes would take."

"I have outlined theoretical treatments that could be used to combat an accidental infection; anti-radiation therapies will suppress both the colonies' growth as well as their ability to absorb radiation, Arithrazine is capable of killing an entire colony by itself, but the drug is also potent and would need further research on living subjects to determine the specific dosage needed to purge a bacterial infection."

Annalise listened patiently and quietly. She was thankfully able to follow what Orion was saying even though it was a lot of information at once - science tended to be that, after all. Now and then, sparing a glance at the PADD and the information there to confirm what he was saying, but otherwise didn't interject. Only when Orion stopped did she speak again.

"I know it is the scientist's preference to have live subjects. However, I want you to attempt to run more simulations through the computer to figure out those variables. If you need the holodeck, I will also make sure you have time. This is excellent work though, Orion."

"Your understanding is greatly appreciated," He confirmed with an easy smile and relaxed a bit now that the information part was out of the way. "I'll provide Lieutenant Urso with the design schematics for the device and the reservoir for the colony to get her thoughts on it while I further my research,"

"It feels good to finally accomplish something that feels more like a step forward rather than just keeping pace." A slight smirk formed on his lips before turning his attention toward Annalise, taking her in for just a moment and considering her. "Would you like something to drink? It would be rude of me not to offer refreshments and perhaps see if another project meets your approval."

"Alright... sure." Annalise lifted a brow at his hinting of another project. At least the man kept himself busy and contributed to the success of their journey. Most Terran scientists she knew of spent time figuring out creative new ways to smite their enemies.

Orion stepped away, humming to himself, and Annalise would be able to hear him rummaging about, the sound of something drinking and the sound of glass tapping together before he returned with a silvery vacuum-sealed packet and a clear glass of something that had a fruity, floral scent to it. He offered her the package with a smile and then the drink.

"The packet contains ration bars that taste like different chocolates since you did lament the lack of something sweet instead of savory, and the glass is an attempt at making a distilled alcohol from another food production project that didn't take off."

She took the packet, looking at it curiously before she took the drink. Instantly the smell hit her, and she peered down at the liquid. It was strong; the alcohol trumped any other scent she was getting from it. With a shrug, she brought the glass to her lips and took a sip. Instantly, as with the smell, the alcohol hit her palate first and was overwhelming, but as she swallowed the drink, the other flavors started to come through. Clearing her throat, she offered the glass back to Orion.

"Not bad, though stronger than I like. The alcohol hits first and dulls the whole experience."

"Hmmm, that's problematic; I'll need to adjust my equipment before I make more." Orion frowned before sipping his glass and making a face at the rather forceful bite of the alcohol. It wasn't something that would be good to clean power conduits, but it was overpowering everything else. Though he'd managed it in the Academy, he'd manage to make it here. "Thank you for the candor; the first batch tends to be strong, but I'll adjust the ingredients to mellow it out in the future, let me get you something else to drink to cleanse your palette."

He set the second glass down and returned with the water, offering it to Annalise as he took his seat, waiting for his companion to try the ration pack. "Before you ask, I learned to make alcohol at the Academy, call it a youthful rebellion against my upbringing, and it was quite intriguing to learn the process that went into making it." He chuckled a little, offering up a small piece of his past as he let the shields down, wanting to talk and give Annalise a chance to have some company.

"Well, I'm sure it will improve. You are the determined sort." Annalise pointed out as she took the water and sipped it a few times. His kindness was noticed, though Annalise hoped it was just to be kind, not because she necessarily looked like she needed it.

"What brought you to science, Orion? I don't think I ever asked."

Orion didn't immediately answer Annalise's question before taking a sip of his imperfect grappa, which made him internally frown at the flawed creation, his mind considering the potential ways he'd gone wrong. "From a young age, I showed an aptitude for the sciences, it was always a point of contention since my father was the Dominion Lord of Europe, and the sciences are considered beneath the heir of such a prestigious position."

His tone was even and smooth as he spoke, his expression charming but giving little else away. "My mother saw to it that my love for science was nurtured, and eventually it became what father called my point de fierté - point of pride, but it was what I used to define myself from him,"

"It seems silly that your father would have such a view about science. I was not familiar with a lot of nobility back home, but I did brush elbows with a few when I was younger, and I never heard anyone diminishing the sciences as such." Annalise pointed out, her head tilting just slightly. "Sciences helped make our world great and continue to do so. Or is your father the type that thinks scheming is the only worthwhile skill you could have?"

"My father sees advantages in science," Orion offered while swirling the liquid in his glass a little before continuing. "But views it as a pursuit as unworthy of me, I have to do something prestigious, worthy of my birthright, and that isn't science."

Though he hid it well, a tightening of his expression spoke to his feelings regarding such a view and didn't match what his father thought. "Though I did learn to fight and scheme, to understand the rules of courtly etiquette, what wine goes with a meal, when to slip a knife between a rival's ribs...but my first love still remains science."

"What about you, Anna? Did you always aspire to be a pilot?"

"Honestly, no. I found my love for piloting at the Academy. My goal was always command, and the career most linked with it in our fleet is piloting and security." She lifted her hands. "These hands aren't really meant for fighting, you know."

With a lingering smile, she used those same hands to open one of the ration packs and took out one of the pieces to try.

"Yes, I agree that they're much more suited to helm controls rather than breaking someone's nose or other bones." He replied with a slight smirk as they relaxed together. "While it was a little less traditional, you have achieved your goal, and I think you're performing admirably, Captain."

He looked at the piece of ration bar and saw it was one of the paler pieces, the white chocolate, which he hoped wasn't too cloying with its sweetness.

"Thank you, Lieutenant. I have to say, though, I'd trade for a more traditional route if it meant we were safe back at home - all of us." There was weight to her words, and both verbalized and implied meaning. She popped the piece of the ration bar into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. The taste was pleasant, the texture less so, but that was to be expected.

"Tastes like white chocolate with a bit of nut... macadamia? A hint of vanilla?"

"Yes, macadamia and vanilla, with the sweetness of condensed milk to try and recreate the deliciousness of white chocolate," Orion's smile broadened as a treat seemed to meet her expectations, or at the very least, he'd succeeded in replicating the flavor to the ration bar.

"I set to work on the rations after your comment the other evening while you prepared dinner."

"Well, I'd say you succeeded." She smiled at him genuinely and looked at the second of the ration packs. "Is this one different?"

"Yes, one was white chocolate, and the other is dark chocolate since I wasn't sure which you might prefer," He offered up while watching Annalise, curious if she might show her preference with just a glance. The second was the rich, semisweet dark chocolate with a baked brownie flavor and hints of walnut, cinnamon, or allspice, which would be a different flavor profile to the sweeter white chocolate.

Opening it, she took no time to take another small piece of the bar and pop it in her mouth. She chewed thoughtfully, considering the flavors of this one as she had the first. She swallowed and sipped water, given the ration packs were always dry. "Sort of tastes like a weak brownie, but it is good for what it is."

"Dark chocolate can be a little finicky since more flavors make up its profile, but if you have a preference, I am sure I could replicate the variety of chocolate you'd like now that I know both have met your approval." He chuckled while watching her waste little time diving into the treats he'd made.

"Mmm... actually, while I like chocolate, it isn't something I crave too often." Annalise smiled, a bit sheepish; of course, he had assumed, but it was such a natural assumption - most people loved chocolate. "I tend to like desserts made with berries or citrus. I love strawberry shortcake, for example."

"Really now?" Orion grinned slyly at Annalise's admission, tilting his head a little. "I'm quite fond of strawberry shortcake myself. Do you prefer heavy or fluffy whipped cream?"

"It depends on what kind of cake it is being served with. If it is a dense cake, fluffy; if it is a light cake, heavy." She chuckled and shook her head. "It has been quite a while since I've had any of that."

"Not even using any replicator rations?" While it wasn't really an oddity given their situation, he wondered if she might have been denying herself so the rest of the crew could indulge.

"I don't take as many rations usually, and those that I do, I tend to save for times where I know a meal won't agree with me or in case I need to replace personal items." She shrugged. "If I really wanted it, I could just take what I am entitled to, but I suppose I generally just don't see the point."

"Captain prerogative, though it is good to indulge oneself from time to time so we can remember the little pleasures that keep us going." Orion offered while making a mental note of more he could do with the information he'd learned about their Captain. "You can also indulge your delight for chocolate with the ration bars as they will provide you with the nutrition of a full meal."

Before she could answer, he walked over to the replicator, the sound of it working, before returning with a pair of forks, strawberry shortcake, and a generous amount of strawberries mixed through. "A light and fluffy cake with heavy cream,"

"This is one of the recipes I brought with me when transferred to the ship, it was given to me by a friend who is a chef in Paris, and it is one of his signature desserts as he uses pancake batter for the cake and makes the heavy cream by hand." he sat the plate between them and offered her one of the forks.

Her brows lifted in mild surprise as he returned with the shortcake; internally, she wondered if this was all to curry some sort of favor. It was common among nobles and common within the fleet, so it would stand to reason that Orion would be inclined to perform such an apparent nicety. She wasn't sure if she bought that this was randomly some coincidental taste that they shared, and he just happened to have a recipe, but as the blonde looked down at the presented treat between them, she found her care to be... less.

"Thank you." She said and took the fork. "It looks delicious."

"My pleasure to share a little taste of home," He smiled while shifting to relax once more as he carefully considered the treat as he gathered up one of the sliced pieces of strawberry and a dollop of the heavy cream. He knew she would expect this to be something he was doing to curry favor, seek advantage, and create alliances with those in power to enhance one's position, and his being a noble son, it would be something that was expected. While he certainly would play the game, he was merely trying to enjoy some pleasant company and give Annalise a moment away from things.

This particular recipe was one of his favorites and had been given to him as a quid pro quo of sorts; that was a whole quadrant away, and he felt like another life. "Strawberries are quite delicious, but I love this with plump summer blackberries, sweet but with just a hint of tart bite," Orion shared with his lovely companion before eating the fruit from his fork. "My mother was rather fond of them and had cultivated a patch that we would harvest,"

A warm smile formed on his lips as he recounted a fond memory. "Once I was older, I was allowed to try the spiced berry wine she would make with them. Have you ever had blackberry wine, Anna?"

"I'm actually not really all that fond of blackberries," Annalise admitted that while she gathered some of the shortcake onto her fork, she didn't seem in a great hurry to eat it. "Often just too tart for me; I've never really been a fan of tart things. My sister loves them, but I don't."

"What does your sister do? Is she part of the fleet?" He questioned her curiously since he hadn't ever heard Annalise talk about her family. At the same time, he met her gaze and offered her a warm, friendly smile.

"No, she's a fashion model back home. A rising star, at that." She finally took the bite she had gathered up on her fork. It was good, definitely not what she was used to back home, but good. "I was for a little while too, when we were younger, but I decided that life wasn't for me."

"Really? What made you choose a different path, if that's not too personal of a question?" Orion tilted his head and gathered a bite of the cake and some heavy cream, this time as he waited for Annalise's answer.

"I didn't want to always be a matched set with her, and I wanted us to be able to pursue our own paths. She is much more into the attention anyways. She's always been more outgoing and has a more appropriate personality overall for that life, and I think she was thankful for it. She will bring prestige through fame; I will bring prestige through service." Annalise shrugged, took another bite, and wiped a bit of the whipped cream off her lip with her thumb.

He was quiet for a moment while considering what she had shared, of the two paths they would walk as individuals, his mind briefly turning to what his life might have been like if he'd had a twin, though he silently shook himself from such a pondering. He caught her, wiping her lower lip off with her thumb before he smiled. "It is always good to find a place where you feel like you belong; though we are far from home, I wish your sister and family all the success they deserve."

"What about the rest of your family? Has anyone else served, or are you the first?"

"In non-commissioned roles, there have been a few, but I am the only officer in the last three generations." She set her fork down and left the rest of the shortcake for him. "We have never really been a family to 'reach' toward things too high. We value our lives and well-being too much for that. Though it is likely that when we get home, I might find my sister on the arm of some middling noble."

"Depending on how famous she becomes and how well she can handle herself, she could do better than middling," he offered.

However, he didn't know Annalise's sister; he did know that if she was beautiful enough and eloquent and graceful, she could do well for herself. "What is your sister's name? I apologize for not asking before."

"No need to apologize. My sister's name is Emmeline." Annalise smiled, though there was an obvious hint of sadness to it.

"Annalise and Emmeline," He said their names together, experimenting on how they sounded together before he smiled, nodding as he looked at his companion. "Both excellent names; since you modeled together, I'm guessing you were close?"

“We are close.” The correction wasn't biting but firm in how she spoke it. Though Annalise may have privately dwelled on the realities of their situation, she wouldn't dwell on certain things, including her family. She wasn't ready to speak of them in the past tense yet. "Our parents never forced us to be matching twins, but we liked to do it anyways more often than not."

"My apologies," Orion replied gently as he set the empty plate to the side, considering his relationship with his siblings; they'd never been close, but they were cordial. Still, there was always a divide between them, especially with his brother Adrian. However, their father had never outright stated that Adrian was a just-in-case if something should happen to Orion; it was an accepted fact.

"I know that it can be a form of developmental bonding between twins, matching, and the like. Did you both develop your own language given how close your childhood sounded together?"

"What do you mean by our own language?" She asked, quirking a brow at him slightly.

"It's called cryptophasia and involves twins developing their own language that only they understand with one another," He replied while considering how to explain it without giving it a scientific discourse. "It's something that can happen when children aren't consistently exposed to their parents speaking to them and is just something that allows the twins to speak with one another."

For a moment, Annalise considered the question. She couldn't remember anything like that but remembered some of her mother's comments. "Maybe when we were very young before we learned how to speak properly? My mother used to say it was like we spoke our own language when we were toddlers and small children."

"It would explain why you and your sister have such a close bond as well; some psychological studies have found that children who develop their own language maintain a strong bond throughout their lives." He offered up a smile before shrugging. "Just a little interesting information to take with you."

"It is interesting. What made you so interested in twins to know something so obscure to the normal population - even myself, a twin?" She asked, lifting a brow again as she looked at him with beautiful blue eyes.

Orion paused and picked up his fork as he inspected it intently before eventually looking up to meet her cool gaze with his own. "I was a twin; my brother died due to complications during birth, and once I learned that, I became obsessed over the concept of having a twin, the what ifs of it all when I was older I investigated on my own and learned we would have been identical, which I try to imagine what it would have been like to see someone with my face,"

"I like to call it an intense curiosity."

"Oh, I see. Well, that makes sense." She was caught off guard by his reply and sat there a beat to recover. Once she had, she licked her lips and spoke again. "My sister and I aren't completely identical, but you'd have to look very close to be able to tell us apart. It is... strange sometimes for someone to have my face, and there can be frustration when we are always seen as 'the twins' and not Annalise and Emmeline. That said, there's a comfort in knowing there will be a person who will always understand you and be there until one of you leaves this world."

"I think that is another part of it that has piqued my curiosity, never having that I fell into the teachings of methodological solipsism." He paused and considered his words for a moment before continuing. "Essentially, it's the idea that knowledge beyond our mind is uncertain; the world around us and other minds can't be known and might not exist beyond our mind.

"It is better as a thought exercise since it borders rather closely to nihilism, and honestly, I'd consider the philosophy to be as useless as the ideals of democratic reforms brought about by Spock."

"Honestly, that sounds tedious and off-putting even as a thought exercise." Annalise shrugged slightly. "But I suppose everyone has an obsession that gets out of hand at one point or another."

"Yes, once I figured out how exhausting that was, I focused more on different sciences such as microbiology, things with substance and merit that I could work with in the end, and eventually refocused my pursuit into something I could use to benefit the empire." He replied with a nod and a slight chuckle at his companion's statement.'

Annalise nodded and smiled, then finally slid out of her chair. "Well, I should probably be going now; work never waits these days. Thank you for the treat and chat, Orion. Keep me apprised of your work and meeting with Lieutenant Urso."

"You're welcome, and if you ever need to take a breather from work, my door is always open." He nodded and smiled at her while standing and gathering the dishes to be recycled. "Thank you for the pleasant conversation; once I have something more from working with the Lieutenant, I'll let you know."

With a final respectful nod, Annalise left the science lab and Orion to his own devices. She was doing her best not to get close or too personal, but she knew she couldn't sustain being alone all the time. It would be a fine line to walk, and she could only hope she could walk it well until they came to their end, whatever it would be.