"My thanks," Azami replies, but they're not yet finished.  Eyebrows rise slightly as the question comes, and she nods slowly along with the man's explanation.  His worries are understandable.  "Cats are not my area of expertise," she cautions.  "And if this continues, or has been an issue for more than two or three days, you should bring your companion to a veterinarian."

Squinting, the young woman searches her memories, hunting through her education for possible answers.  "Wet food tends to be better than hard, as hard can promote diabetes in cats.  But the wet food has its own problems; best you ensure it is high-protein, very good quality.  Not always possible to find," she admits with a shrug and a wry glance around the Starbase.  "And, of course, there is the issue of teeth cleaning.  But setting that aside, are we speaking of diarrhea?  Or merely soft stools?  And the hairballs - how often, and compared to before?"

Slowly she leads the man through a more thorough description of what ails his companion, seeking as she does to find a potential problem...or eliminate possible issues, one by one.  It's no issue for her whatsoever; it is, in fact, the very reason Azami chose the uniform with the green piping when she joined Starfleet.

OOC - Should I make a dice roll?  :D

In reply to LCDR D'rala Vex (msg # 11):

As D'rala went about familiarizing herself with ship and crew, she became aware that - while the crew were good people and well-trained - recent events had left them in somewhat of a disarray.  Too many changes in too short a time had caused confusion and damaged morale.  Their XO had been promoted to Captain, leaving a junior officer filling in as security chief; their CMO had transferred to Abyss station along with the former captain, leaving no clear head in Medical; and they'd lost a popular young helmsman in Mcreeg.

And the situation in Engineering was similar to Medical, but worse... as there were more repairs needed to the ship than to the crew.  As D'rala saw when she entered the cavernous main engineering to the sounds of exasperated shouts and clanging...

"Shiksho...!  Bakayero!!  Be careful with that! Watch that main damper or you'll blow out the whole impulse deck!"

Engineers scrambled to handle fractious repairs while heavy equipment moved about, sparks flying from welding arcs and open panels.  A thin haze of smoke filled the air, overwhelming the environmental purifiers.  At the center of it all, somehow coordinating chaos, was a petite young woman, a human of Japanese ancestry.  D'rala had met her briefly upon return to the Independence... LT Kimiko Harada, JavKer's assistant engineer.  Now the de facto CHENG.

She'd been overwhelmed with grief and emotion then.  None of that was present now.  She was doing her best to tame the hurricane.  But the strain was obvious.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:08, Mon 31 May 2021.

In reply to LT Tsolo Kloshe Saghalie (msg # 12):

Nipay smiled at Tsolo's reference and encouragement.  "Thank you, sir," she said.  "Let's do that.  Here's what I've got so far..."

The young Lieutenant went about helping Tsolo up to speed on Indy's COMMS protocols and equipment.

Tsolo is relaxed. However, perhaps to LT Nipay's annoyance, he asks from time to time before moving on What might go wrong related to what we've just covered. If anything, how do we correct or fix the matter?  At some time, the team identfies parts that least unlikely to have a problem (think keyboard, mouse, power failure).

The team visits Supply and procures relevant substitute parts, including a spare battery and places them at/by Comm, using duct tape to secure against sliding around.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:23, Tue 01 June 2021.

When he returned from the gym, Decker checked his messages before heading to the sonic shower. While he was confident in his subordinates' abilities to handle Science's R&R duties, he was keenly aware that he was ultimately responsible for the department performance. After responding to a few routine questions he read Tsolo and T'Lara's replies. He quickly pulled up all three of their schedules and suggested a couple of meeting times in the next 24 hours.

Then he headed off for a badly needed shower before an even more badly needed late dinner.

OOC: I'm assuming Science got off relatively lightly - no major damage, either to equipment or staff. If there are issues that really need his direct involvement he will spend the time necessary to take care of them, albeit the minimum time necessary.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:06, Tue 01 June 2021.

In reply to PO Amamiya Azami (msg # 16):

The Latino man smiled, his broad mustache widening with his grin.  "That's great!" he beamed.  "Thanks, Doc.  The last medic I asked, well, he took offense on account of he thought I was only asking him about my cat because he was Caitian.  I mean they're both felines right?  Made sense at the time..."

"Just grab a seat there, I'll get ya on the shuttle as soon as it's loaded," he added.

Azami restrains herself from wincing; it seems likely the other medic took offense a tad too soon, given the supervisor approaching her as well.  There is nothing feline in her lineage, to the best of her knowledge.  "I am more than happy to assist," she assures the jovial worker, glad she doesn't need to step in with a correction with regards to speciesism.  "Though please keep in mind that I am no veterinarian, and my own advice should be followed up with a professional."

With a small nod, she moves to where the man indicates, sitting herself down and waiting patiently, carry-all on her lap.  It's not uncomfortable at all; there's little enough in the bag, beyond a few necessities; the young woman prefers to travel light.

Baggage can become problematic, at times.

Her eyes flick to follow the movement of the shuttles to and fro, and sweep about the area, searching for possible hazards; it's a loading dock, and large, heavy crates are in motion.  Always best, Azumi ponders, to be on at least partial alert for danger.

Always best.

Again, her eyes return to the ship.  A small smile touches her lips, there and gone again.

After consulting with LT Nipay, Tsolo suggests one of the meeting times and places. "No reply means 'Yes; agreed.'"
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 19:50, Tue 01 June 2021.

In reply to LT Kimiko Harada (msg # 18):

D'rala stepped carefully through the hazy engine room. Spotting the engineering chief standing in the eye of the storm, she dodged between the scrambling engineers to reach her.

"Chief Harada, I hope I'm not intruding," she said. "I've been wanting to stop by for a proper introduction."

With nothing better to do but wait, the PO slowly relaxes her body against the backrest, sinking into the chair.  With the supervisor alerted to her presence, it's unlikely he'll forget her; to everyone else, Azami knows she'll slowly become part of the background, eventually passed over completely.  That is, and has always been, part and parcel of her presence...or lack thereof.

It's a perk for her, not a curse.

This gives her time; time to read over the latest medical notes regarding the potential species she might need to deal with upon the Independence, cross-referencing them with her own, trained knowledge of biological systems and kinesiology.  Andorian, Human, Orion, Vulcan; a wide range of systems and motion potential.

What were the norms?

Andorian.  Blue-blooded.  System incompatible with current IV technology, muscular injection necessary.  Emotional content in reactions considered...

Humans.  Multiple blood types to consider.  Allergies to different medications and compounds varied across individuals.  Tribal sense overdeveloped with regards to...

Orions.  Strong circulatory system.  Higher-developed fast-twitch musculature.  Blood types similar to...

Vulcan.  Copper-based blood.  Extremely strong constitution.  Circulatory system generally consistent with...

A great deal of information to process, and she plays it over and over in her head, contrasting her Starfleet training with her own, earlier experiences.  She needs to be prepared, to know without thinking; people's lives will depend on her ability to react, and react properly sans pauses for thought.  That is, Azami considers with bleak amusement, both a contrast and similarity to her youth.

Breathing out a sigh, she releases the information into the back of her mind, allowing it to settle itself once again, hopefully in a more immediately accessible fashion.  Rising, the young woman stretches once, relaxes, then sits.  Once again, she checks her roster; it's dated, and there's some indication from the updating system that there have been changes to the command staff.  Best she set aside her assumptions on 'who sits where' for the moment; better to start from scratch than have an embarrassing slip-up.

Back to waiting.

PO Amamiya Azami knows the Tsolo's blood type is O negative.

Decker responded with a short affirmative message. He arrived early, making sure that his chief assistant could handle matters for the next few hours, with extra PADDs loaded with the relevant data.

He hoped there was something at the end of this road that could come close to the price they'd paid for it. Either way, he just wanted to get past it.

In reply to PO Amamiya Azami (msg # 23):

"Vets are hard to come by on Starbase 24," the quartermaster replied, chuckling with relief that things had gone well.  "But I'll keep an eye out.  Thanks again, Doc!"

As Azami sits, she has a marvelous view of the Independence slowly easing into dock.  She's a bit battered and blackened, but no severe damage visible to the naked eye.

After a moment, a young enlisted approaches her.  "QM said you needed a lift?" he asked.  "This way, please."  He indicated a cargo shuttle loading supplies.

In reply to LT Tsolo Kloshe Saghalie (msg # 20):

To Tsolo's queries, Nipay proves both capable and patient.  She runs him through protocols and contingencies.

"At some point, we should introduce you to the COMMS staff," she added.  Then she worked to arrange his meeting with Decker and T'Lara.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:39, Thu 03 June 2021.

Harada turned to the XO, and just as she did, there was an earth-shattering CLANG from behind as someone dropped a length of conduit - hollow metal - on the deck.  Kimiko winced, then lowered her head, regarded the deck, and sighed, "Shimata."

Raising her gaze with forced composure, she let out a breath and said, "Commander.  I apologize.  If I'd known you were coming I'd have..."  BONG!!

She winced again.  "...made sure to greet you."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:40, Thu 03 June 2021.

Coordinating, even as the Independence pulled into dock, T'Lara, Tsolo and Decker were able to translate the data and findings from the ancient artifact.  Together, they discerned a startling fact:

The artifact was not unique.

There's data that shows several other weapon sites throughout space. The biggest problem is that at least one of these sites is in Klingon space, and another in Romulan space.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:39, Thu 03 June 2021.

Tsolo takes a minute to consider. Soon. Relaxed, he looks at her.  Thank you for how and what you've done so far. This is how we're going to work. As the Captain delegates, I make decisions. In turn, some matters I shall delegate for you to make decisions. To bridge personnel, our faces change, but the accuracy and promptness of service...we're like interchangeable parts. By the way, say in the matter of species or languages, none of us can come close to knowing what we collectively, perhaps, should. Therefore, we may ask members of our team to specialize. Comments?

With the quartermaster's appreciation warming her heart, the PO sits and waits.  It isn't long before her destination comes into view.  Azami's eyebrows rise further at the sight of the ship, itself.  It's...damaged.  On another day, Azami might have gone with 'impressive', but right now that's the qualifier that fits.  She can't tell what kind of weapon or stress caused the buckled area, or the burned section, but clearly the Independence has been put through a wringer.

As a medical tech, she wishes for boredom; it seems this assignment might be anything but.

Her head swivels as the young man moves up to catch her attention, and Azami nods, a touch hesitantly, before standing.  "Thank you." With a small smile for her guide, she follows to where he indicates, glancing about in search of the pilot, and a seat of some kind...in that order.

It's always good to show one's appreciation for those who would help.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:00, Sun 06 June 2021.

@Decker

T’Lara concluded her last session an hour before she was set to meet with Decker. Enough time to stop by her quarters for a quick shower, and an even quicker bite to eat, before hurrying to the science department.   She was happy to be given the opportunity to decipher a new language – studying alien civilizations was one of the reasons she signed up for a position on the USS Independence to begin with.  The mental stimulation was welcomed as well.

Unfortunately, the actual information they uncovered from the station's databanks put a damper on her mood.

“This isn’t good, is it?” she raised her head from looking at the datapad “We better send a message to Starfleet command”

ch'Pertha had sent Ltn Commander Vex a request for a private audience.
It was official, but the politely worded request had (hopefully) made it clear that the matter was not urgent, and that he would appreciate her time when it was convenient for her.
It did, though, appear to be an official meeting between the two.

        I'm am guessing that we can run this simultaneous with Vex meeting Hanara:  but at another IC time.

When LCDR Vex entered the small room, ch'Pertha was alone, and reading her file on the data-screen.   He did not try to hide this.
But as she entered, he turned in his chair to give her his attention, rather than the datafile.

"Greetings, Ltn Commander.  Please, take a seat.
I invited you here so we could discuss our working relationship," he said, gesturing to the seat opposite.
Since the events at Abyss Station, the two had received their new assignments, but hadn't quite had the opportunity to interact formally in those roles.
"I hope you are finding your new quarter's satisfactory.   Is there any issues about your transfer to the ship that we need to see to, before we get down to 'talking shop' ... or 'ship' as the case is?"

Decker smiled thinly and shook his head, "No, it isn't good at all, T'Lara. But while this is a science and engineering discovery, the reality of the situation is that it's much more of a security issue. I won't be reporting this to anyone other than the Captain. I'm going to lock down all our working files as tightly as possible. And I think the three of us can save ourselves a lot of trouble and treat this information as well above our security classification - which I'm sure it will be very shortly. It should go without saying, but please do not speak of this to anyone else."

To Harada

"Think nothing of it," D'rala replied with a professional, though genuine, smile. "No need to stand on ceremony while you're working."

D'rala side stepped an outpouring of steam from a pipe being worked on by another engineer.

"I won't take up too much of your time, but I wanted to ask if you have everything you need."


To ch'Pertha

Sounds good, I was going to suggest a convo anyway! :)

The question of when and where to approach Commander ch'Pertha was resolved for her when D'rala received the summons to meet. She'd been intending to find the right  moment for a one on one since before launch. They had worked well together during the fatal crisis aboard the artifact, but what their working relationship aboard the Independence would be like was yet to be seen.

When D'rala entered the meeting room the image of her own face on the Commander's screen caught her eye, but she chose not to linger on it.

"Thank you, Commander," she replied, and took the seat opposite CDR ch'Pertha. She watched him with expectant curiosity. He seemed in good enough spirits, but there was always a bit of an edgea to meeting a new Commanding Officer.

"I was glad to receive the invitation; I've been looking for the right time to stop in, but I know things were busy during launch. I don't know if you were involved in the decision, but I appreciate you taking me on." She almost added another thanks for finding her on artifact, but the wounds of the losses had in that ancient place made her shy away from referencing it.

"None at all. The Independence is lovely, and everyone I've come across so far has been quite welcoming. I look forward to serving here." It was the truth. D'rala needed to leave behind the tragedy of her last posting, and a new beginning aboard the Independence felt alight with possibility.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:44, Mon 07 June 2021.

"I won't mention it to anyone" she had no intention to, but she appreciated the fact that Decker explicitly asked her not to.  They couldn't afford to take any chances.
"Would you need my help with anything else?"

"Uh, no, I don't think so. Unless either of you have anything to add or anything you'd like me to pass along to the Captain regarding these findings." He began gathering the PADDs and locking them down. "Thank you both for your help. Hopefully something positive will come from this."