LtCmdr Jovenan – I’ve heard they like their multiple ships on the Amity, but here on the Artemis, we live for the ship!
Jovenan
((Science Centre, Deck 9, USS Artemis))
Jovenan gestured with her hand, presenting the Science Centre to its new employee.
Jovenan: I hope you’ve already received a thorough introduction to the ship and had at least some time to relax on Risa, because if it’s okay, I’d like to get straight to work. ::points around:: This is the Science Centre, where most of our research facilities are, including the Astrometrics and the Geology Lab. My office is also here, let’s pop in there for a moment to chat so we don’t bother the people working here.
Richards responded with an affirmative nod, and Jovenan led her towards her office on the side. As she turned, Jovenan had a discreet peek at the Department’s administrative assistant, Petty Officer Milath, who had taken into the habit of supervising who she invited to her office and when. The Selkie enlisted must have figured out why she had rushed out of her office to meet Vitor or invited him in. Now that she was using the office for the intended purpose, the assistant appeared merely indifferent. Jovenan found herself mildly disappointed that her reaction wasn’t stronger than that. She was conscious enough of the nagging feeling that she needed to try and convince Richards that their small Department wasn’t a downgrade compared to the Amity’s one, she didn’t need to spend any minute more on evaluating how disappointed her assistant was in her this time.
In the office, Jovenan sat behind her desk and dropped her PADD on it. She had been reading through Richards’ papers and other documentation of her career, but she preferred to hear it straight from the person in question. Matters of specializations and such helped her with management of research teams, but when it came to a fairly young scientist without dozens of papers to her name yet, talking to them was the best and perhaps the only way of finding where their interests and true talent lies.
Jovenan: I’ve got some of your old work here, but I’d like to hear more. What kind of research projects have you been engaged in recently?
Richards: Well, it wasn’t long ago I got to do a planetary survey of Gramineae IV and helped sort through the findings and did research on some of the bioluminescent flowers we found and we were even able to start growing some of them in the Botany Labs. My latest bit of research was on a Chalcopyrite Crystal asteroid we found just hangin’ out in the DQ. I unfortunately had to pass that off before I left, but it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.
Jovenan nodded along as Richards spoke. The Borderlands were still full of unexplored areas, but the Delta Quadrant, with the myriads of unknown wonders it harboured, must have been a treasure trove for a planetary scientist. However, what caught her attention more was the wide area of expertise Richards’ account implied she possessed.
Jovenan: Petty that you couldn’t finish your project, it sounds absolutely fascinating. But may I take it that you also have competency beyond planetary science?
Richards: I do specialize in Planetary Science, but I did take some Botany and Astrometric courses at MSU, so I feel like I am fairly well rounded. ::Rubbing her belly:: In more ways than one.
Jovenan opened her mouth as if to say “ah, I see”, but then turned the expression into a smile. She hadn’t wanted to assume or ask it straight, but she could see one more reason for Richards’ transfer and how Talos may have caused the change in her body shape since their last encounter.
Jovenan: That’s good. We really need people who can tackle onto problems in multiple fields.
Richards: I am curious as to what kind of research has been going on here? What’s a typical day look like here in the Science Center?
Leaning back, Jovenan rested her hands on her lap with fingers interlaced, almost mirroring the other scientist’s posture. She admittedly didn’t know much about a station scientist’s routine, but she could guess how different it would be for Richards to start working on a ship now.
Jovenan: Our work is… rather fluctuating. The Artemis changes location frequently, so we often have to switch between hyperfocusing on a specific mission or scanning our destination and continuing our long-term, less urgent projects in-between. We just visited a Genesis planet – our landing parties were limited in size due to security concerns, and someone with your skill set would have been more than a welcome addition – but once we depart Risa, we are expected to resume with our other projects, such as analysing the results from our past missions… Until something unexpected happens. But I assume that isn’t much different from the routine you’re already used to.
Richards: Response
Jovenan nodded. Obviously, life on a station wasn’t without its interruptions either, especially considering that she had first met Richards for the first time on a Borg Cube thousands of light years away from where she was supposed to be on the Amity.
Jovenan: Besides the missions and our own projects, there’s the bridge duty that rotates between officers. Which is, uh, something I’ll need to check with the Captain if you’ll be expected to take part in it. Did you do anything like that while on the Amity?
Richards: Response
Jovenan wrote down a reminder to herself while listening to Richards.
Jovenan: Okay. By the way, how’s your competence with other Starfleet systems? Databases, computer architecture, research publishing platforms, sensors… weapons? We mostly use stuff that’s specifically made for Starfleet, and they can be different from the civilian ones.
Richards: Response
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Lieutenant Commander Jovenan
Chief Science Officer
USS Artemis-A
E239911J11