Lieutenant Arlo Thornton - Better The Dino You Know

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Michael Meir-Wright

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Jul 23, 2020, 12:42:59 PM7/23/20
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((BetaGen Inc. Science Complex))

Arlo was distracted by a soft, wet cracking sound from the incubator. Full of anticipation, she looked down at the egg, a breath catching in her throat. Cracks were forming across the surface of the egg's semipermeable membrane, like fissures on an icy lake. Something was attempting to break free, banging against the inner layer of the shell. Then with considerable effort, the top of the egg broke apart revealing a tiny lifeform covered in albumen fluid. It's bantam head was dominated by two large orange eyes with black slits down the middle and a pocket of inch-long feather-like protrusions. It seemed to struggle to adjust to the sudden arrival of light, its eyes struggling to remain open. It twisted in its short but bulky neck and looked around, unsure of itself. Suddenly top-heavy, the creature flopped forwards and dragged itself out of the ruins of the shell by two slight claws on spindly legs. Each forward leg had sharp, narrow and vaguely boomerang protrusions that seemed to extend longer than it's primary body. Wings! Arlo realised belatedly. After several more seconds, the diminutive creature pulled itself completely free, revealing a sodden body composed of both cobalt blue scales and creamy feathers, two hind legs missing the boomerang wings and spindly tail.


Even with her myriad of misgivings, Arlo could not deny that she had just witnessed something revolutionary. She looked at her fellow officers- and Hankins- her face a visage of wonderment.


Thornton: That's incredible! ::she breathed even as she unclipped her tricorder and began scanning the newborn dinosaur. Biological data flooded across the screen. Though she had no baseline for comparison (not to mention that she was not a veterinarian) everything about the tiny creature seemed to be healthy.:: Cardio-pulmonary and neurological readings are all with expected parameters for newborn life. I think. ::she looked across at Loxley and passed him the tricorder. It made sense for him to make the final determination.::

The physician took the proffered device and reviewed the results.

Loxley: Er, yeah, what you said, Arlo. It looks perfectly healthy, and perfectly normal for something's extinct. ::he shook his head in wonder at the little creature:: Everything is, well, fine.

Perhaps not the most detailed of analyses, but what had she been expecting?
Nobody has ever taken tricorder readings from a dinosaur before! She reasoned with herself.

Fortune: It's so adorable! A little confused, I bet.

Arlo looked back down at the newborn creature that was now looking about its surroundings. She had to concede that Corliss had a point: it was incredibly cute. It certainly did not look like it would grow up into a creature that might view the five people present as a future meal.

Thornton: I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be present for the birth of a dinosaur! ::she let out a chuckle, shaking her head in a mixture of awe and disbelief.:: This is so surreal. oO
He might actually be on to something. Oo

It might have been a premature thought- and Hankins might have still have been a pompous egomaniac- but Arlo could not deny that the scientist's zealous explanations and the hatching of the creature were changing her mind somewhat.

Loxley: Technically it's a sauropsida rather than a dinosaur. ::he caught a look from Corliss.:: But semantics...
Fortune: A baby. ::she nodded, seeming serious before cracking a grin.:: I'm sure they have a more scientific name, however.

Arlo exaggerated the roll of her eyes in a display of mock annoyance towards Loxley.

Thornton: You say potato, I say vodka...

Hankins: Yes. Technically... ::shooting Loxley a little look.:: it
is a saurospida. It's classification is pteranodon kansii.

Loxley handed Arlo's tricorder back to her before he crouched in front of the incubator- just as she had done to witness the birth of the creature.

Loxley: The results are pretty astounding. It's clear that most of this stage of things is automated, Doctor, but I'm with Lieutenant Thornton. I'd be very interested in meeting with some of your science tram as we continue this journey. So, what's next?

The wonder that she had felt witnessing the hatching of the pteranodon had taken precedent over the fact that Hankins was the only person working in the Science Complex that the away team had seen. Loxley's question jogged her memory and she looked to the balding scientist.

Neathler: What my colleagues said. And more personally I'm interested in participating in one of the drills you daily conduct to simulate escaped animals.

Fortune: Yes it's... a little quiet, isn't it?

Hankins: I'm sure I can arrange for you to view today's drill. And my team stays very busy. They're responsible for the health of every creature here after all. Our job doesn't end with their birth.

Neathler: So what's the next stage? You can't leave that poor creature in the incubator just all alone?

Fortune: Are they pack animals? Or are they required to separate? ::she leaned in closer to the incubator cooing, causing Arlo to raise a mirthful eyebrow.:: What a little thing you are!

Hankins: The babies will be placed with a surrogate adult which will raise it to maturity. Some species are pack animals not too dissimilar to the Terran
loxodonta africana but the majority seem to prefer solitude or familial solidarity.

It's not like any elephant I've ever seen, Arlo pondered, her eyes catching the boomerang-shaped wings that the little tyke was now stretching as if to see what they did.

Loxley: Response.

The Pteranodon sqwarked at the same time as the door embedded into the far wall opened, admitting a Bolian man. He was clad in the same uniform as the driver who had dropped them off at the compex, right down the cap embroidered with the garish orange BetaGen Inc logo. Seemingly not expecting to find Starfleet officers, the Bolian eyed the quartet nervously before diverting his attention upon Hankins.

Zhad: Sir, there's a problem with the one-day old Pratloraunus. I think you'd better have a look.

Fortune: Well we better get to it, should we?

Arlo nodded in agreement with the counsellor. This was a prime opportunity to examine in detail how Hankins and his team handled any issues with the nascent dinosaurs. For a moment, the man seemed torn on what to do and remained oddly still. Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, Arlo watched him closely. Evidently he was reluctant on some level to permit his visitors to observe.
After all, he reasoned, He's determined to make us think everything runs smoothly. A problem with one of the newborns would go against that.

Loxley: Response.

Neathler: Don't let us stop, mister Hankins, we'll follow you every steps of the way. I'm sure this will be a learning experience for us all. ::She paused a moment before she continued.:: It's the perfect opportunity to let us see how well-oiled your project is.

Fortune: Absolutely! ::she grinned bouncing on the balls of her toes.:: Also, we could see another little dinosaur, a bit older but all the same. And meet more of you team, possibly?

With a smirk of disportment, Arlo once more marvelled at Corliss ability to find the silver lining in every cloud. Then she looked back at the Doctor who was still trying to decide the best course of action.

Thornton: If there is anything we could do to help... ::it felt strange, offering assistance to a man that she did not personally care for- but she had just witnessed the birth of one of Hankins' dinosaurs. Evidently, the process worked and perhaps she had been too quick to call his professional abilities into question.::

Loxley: Response.

Hankins: Fine. Follow me.

And with that he began following the Bolian employee. If he was at all grateful for Arlo's offer his tone of voice did not betray it. Corliss hovered near the incubator as the Pteranodon made a trilling noise. Looking back down, Arlo saw the newborn pushing itself against the splintered and shattered remains of the blue-grey egg that it had grown in. She caught the beast nipping at it and realised that the semipermeable shell would likely provide sustenance until it was old enough to paired with the aforementioned surrogate parent.

The scientist stopped, turning back to answer Corliss' concerned question.

Hankins: No, no it will be fine. The automated systems will care for it until we return.

Satisfied that everything was in order and the little beastie had some form of nourishment to tide it over until it could be fed proper, Arlo went to follow Hankins. However, the civilian stopped again, regarding the quartet again.

Hankins: You know, the little guy is going to need a name. Thoughts?

Arlo made a 'hmm' sound as she pivoted her attention back to the pteranodon. As she considered the idea, her eyes fell upon it's little wings that were vaguely shaped like a pair of feathered boomerangs. Inspiration hit her quickly and she whirled about, looking at Hankins with a grin akin to a child who might have just aced a test.

Thornton: What about...
Kylie? ::she could the incredulity falling over the assembled.:: It's the Indigenous Australian word for boomerang.... and it's wings look a little like.... well, boomerangs... ::she trailed off, eyes blazing with excitement.::

Neathler/Loxley/Fortune: Response.

Hankins: Wonderful! I'll make sure to have it put in its records.

((Neonatal Unit, BetaGen Science Complex))

Hankins led the away team in another spherical room like the one the trio had just left. In the centre of the room on a raised dias was a table with a creature on it. About a meter and a half in length, It had a long thick head not unlike a rhinoceros, thin ears that swept back above its thick, rotund middle. It was lying on it's side with four stubbly legs that flared out into thick and wide feet. Almost from head to toe, it was covered in a thick material that appeared to hide and scale at the same time. The light from the overhead bulb caused the scale-hide to shimmer and refract all the colours of the rainbow. It was at once both ugly and beautiful; ungainly yet graceful.


That must have been one big egg
, Arlo thought to herself.

Hankins' attention was fixed upon a large wall screen on the far side of the room. Not being a physician she struggled to make sense of the readings although she did note that it's temperature appeared to be several degrees higher than usual according to one notation scrolling across the bottom of the screen.

After absorbing the information on the screen, Hankins turned to face them again.

Hankins; This is Zhad, my assistant. Zhad, our visitors from the Federation.

Neathler/Loxley/Fortune: Response.

Arlo nodded her head in greeting to the Bolian scientist before stepping towards the
Pratloraunus on the dias.

Thornton: What's wrong with the... what did you call it.... the
pratloraunus?

Hankins: Response.

Neathler/Loxley/Fortune: Response.

Thornton: Where did
pratloranus evolve originally?

Hankins: Response.

Neathler/Loxley/Fortune: Response.

She recalled as much detail as she could about Verdaka III. It was somewhat unremarkable world near the Parliament system, Class G and tidally locked to it's parent star. Most of the planet was uninhabitable save for a narrow strip around the planet's vertical equator where plant and animal life was abundant. The planet was perhaps only notable for the fact that due to the unusually high amount of crystalline sand deposits on the sunward side of the planet- giving the planet an 'aura' that glowed even from orbit. Most life started underground and worked its way to the surface over time and some species had been known to reflect the glare of the sunlight as a defence mechanism.

Thornton: If it's Verdakaian- could it be having an adverse reaction to the large amounts of light available here? Perhaps it is experiencing a form of sensory overload?

Hankins: Response.

Neathler/Loxley/Fortune: Response.

Thornton: How can we help, Doctor?


Lieutenant Arlo Thornton
Assistant Chief Science Officer
USS Gorkon
ID: C239203TW0

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