LtCmdr Jovenan – I’m something of an archaeologist myself. We found some very old landmines from a cave once. They blew up.
Jovenan
((Archaeological Survey Site, Serein Basin, Rylor))
Volunteer coordinator: And here you go, gloves, a trowel and a pair of gloves. If you need water or anything else, you can come talk with any of us by the entrances.
Jovenan: Thank you. So, that trench over there?
She pointed out towards one of the lower dig sites. A handful of other volunteers had arrived already to the other stations there, digging or moving discovered loose items on trays under the supervising gaze of the actual archaeologists among them. The public call for volunteers to come and help at the site had apparently appealed to a variety of different types of people, students, tourists, locals, families, each recognisable as non-professionals by the colourful mismatch of clothes, some more suitable for the warm and sunny day than others. Jovenan had chosen a light straw hat, a t-shirt and knee-length cargo shorts – not the most fashionable outfit out there, but it should give her some comfort when expecting to kneel and walk quite some amount under the sun for the day.
Volunteer coordinator: That’s right. Lieutenant Tal is supervising in that sector, she’ll give you further instructions.
Jovenan: Okay. Thanks!
Leaving the coordinator to deal with the other arrivals, Jovenan headed towards the indicated trench. The air smelled of summer and of dry dust. She inhaled deep, testing herself is she could still identify the rock type from the odour alone and closing her eyes to enjoy the warmth of the sun against her face. She liked it already. No caves, no bulkheads and no predators, just the open field, some rocks and fascinating discoveries waiting for someone to find them. Perhaps she would have been happier as an outpost scientist, who got to stay in a place like this for as long as they wanted, but then again, she might have also grown tired of staying put. In Starfleet, as much a golden cage as it was, you often got to see a new world every few months, even if the in-between time was spent in a metal capsule. There was variation.
Cole: Commander?
Hm?
Approaching her from another direction, seemingly heading towards the same trench, Jovenan saw a familiar face. Lt Cole’s olive green clothes weren’t all that much different from her khaki outfit. Jovenan hadn’t spent any time with the security officer during the shoreleaves yet, so seeing her out of the uniform was a surprise in itself. Not just that, she wouldn’t have expected the one officer with a reputation for less-than-delicate manoeuvres to volunteer for something like archaeology.
Jovenan: Oh, Lieutenant! Sorry, I’m a bit surprised to meet you here.
Cole: I was going to say I didn’t expect to see you here, but that would make it sound like I’ve learned absolutely nothing about science officers.
Jovenan let out a small, jovial laughter. Of all the crewmembers to come down to see a dig site, she would have first guessed the couple of specialists of the related fields in the Science Department – in all fairness, they were probably somewhere in here already – and then herself. Then again, who knew, history was a popular hobby and the Artemis crew was for some peculiar reason famed for the workaholic attitude, so perhaps there were more. As demonstrated by Lt Cole.
Jovenan: It’s okay, you’re not wrong. Archaeology isn’t my field, but I wanted to see what it’s like in practise and also get my thoughts in order.
Cole seemed equally jovial, as she laughed and gestured towards the trenches they were heading towards.
Cole: I came for the opposite reason. It seemed like a respectable way to avoid spending shore leave stuck with thoughts I’d rather not deal with.
Ah. That was entirely understandable. Jovenan suspected that the previous mission had been as rough on the Lieutenant as it had been for most crewmembers. Getting away from the confined spaces and into the open nature had been a motivation for Jovenan for a reason, even if she didn’t say it out loud. Then again, she knew very little of the security officer as a person, so maybe she had other issues to deal with – or to avoid, as she said. Whatever it was, this wasn’t the occasion for Jovenan to inquire more but just let her enjoy of their day.
Cole: Also, dust feels more productive than paperwork.
Jovenan smiled. She could respect that. Even if her own work had become more and more PADDwork over the years, she still enjoyed the practical lab work on the ship. It gave her daily labouring a lot of variation. She could imagine the security personnel had little to do on most days, but then again, she knew little of the field.
They approached their designated work area. From distance, Jovenan spotted the person whom she believed to be the supervisor. The Trill woman was talking with two volunteers, clearly giving instructions even before Jovenan could hear her. They got closer, and while Jovenan would have waited on the side for the archaeologist to finish the discussion with the others, Lt Cole didn’t seem to share the plan and instead went straight in.
Cole: Lieutenant Junior Grade Natasha Cole. I was told this was the place to report if I wanted to exchange paperwork for dirt.
That sure was an introduction, though Jovenan couldn’t say if Cole was overtly formal or too informal. It was like she had switched her tone mid-sentence. Was she nervous about new people, despite the personality that otherwise came off as outgoing? Well, either way, no reason to wait now. Jovenan joined Cole to the trench with a smile.
Jovenan: I’m Jovenan. We’re here to volunteer.
Just Jovenan. For a day, she didn’t want to deal with ranks and hierarchies. Just dig a hole and find rocks.
Tal/Cole: Response
Jovenan: I haven’t done archaeological work before, but I’m familiar with rocks and digging. I’m a planetary scientist. Would that help at all?
Tal/Cole: Response
She looked to her feet and to the trench around them. Slots had been divided by lines, indicating where to dig. A few other volunteers were fully in work nearby, brushing off dirt and dust from what looked like a brick of well-weathered sandstone. Her gaze returned to her new study partner, seeing what had caught her attention, turning then towards the supervisor.
Jovenan: What kind of findings can we expect?
Tal/Cole: Response
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Lieutenant Commander Jovenan
Chief Science Officer
USS Artemis-A
E239911J11