[sb118-artemis] Ensign Tho'Bi - It Takes Four, Baby ...to make a

[Tobi]

——————————————

((USS Artemis-A - Deck 3, Quarters 1785))

The familiar user-friendly interface of the control panel had been replaced by a stream of diagnostic data.  The young Andorian Ensign had been tasked with checking the Environmental and Crew Support Systems for newly arrived Chief of Operations, Lieutenant Vailani.  Working engineering problems always calmed him down; but the Ensign’s anxiety was still there, lurking below the surface.

Tho’Bi: Eh, ::shifts awkwardly on his feet:: Fo-fogive me (beat) I don’t know a lot about Bajoran Religion, but (beat) ::tilts his head and back again:: If you want to light candles or (beat) incense (beat) I-I can set the safety protocols, so (beat) so they don’t go off (beat) and drive you crazy ::nods and smiles::

For a moment it looked like the newly arrived Ensign was in for another stern talking to from the Chief Operations Officer; after the debacle of yesterday, Tho’Bi remained a little shell-shocked and more than a little afraid of the petite, but intimidating Bajoran.  It was his turn to brace himself, but the stern talking to never manifest; instead, the Lieutenant’s tone was not friendly, but, at the very least, neutral.

Vailani: That would be for the best, Ensign.

The young engineer gratefully retreated into the sub menus of the Tricorder.

// Tricoder Display //

Status: Sync-Locked

Sync-Lock: Artemis-A|D3-Q1785|ENV-CTRL

Path String: ENV-CTRL>PRTCL>CLTRS>BJRN

Affected Subsystems: Airborne Particle Detection System (APDS)

Fire Suppression & Alert Subsystem (FSAS)

Atmosphere Composition Regulation (ACR)

Protocol Impact:  APDS|THRSHLD=+300ppm|

FSAS|TMPTHRSHLD=+2C|

FSAS|CO2THRSHLD=+27%|

FSAS|O2THRSHLD=+0.05%|

ACR|O2INJCT|+0.05%|

ACR|CO2SCRB|-27%| 

Impact Status: Minimal

System Status: Nominal

Fall-back Protocol: Activated

Protocol Event(s): Reserve Power

Battery Power

Warp Core Shut Down

Standard Bridge Override

Standard Engineering Override

Automated Critical System Override

Protocol Status: CONFIRMED

Engineer: THOBi|ENSIGN|EG - 793 - 322|

// End Tricoder Display //

The Andorian engineer look up from the Tricorder and once again flipped around so the Bajoran Lieutenant can see it.

Tho’Bi: O-Okay, so you shouldn’t have any problems now with candles or incense. (beat)(beat) Because this setup ::gestures with thumb and index finger to indicate small:: uses a little more power (beat) ::makes a circular motion with his index finger:: for the air filtration (beat) in certain power critical situations ::points at Tricorder display:: it can override to the default setup. (beat)(beat) So, for example, if the Warp Core is shut down for maintenance or (beat) ::speaking slows down:: they need to draw power for…

It was at this moment, the young engineer realized that he was explaining basic Operational Power Management to the ship’s Chief of Operations.  

Tho’Bi:  …and you’re Chief of Operations, so you already all of this (beat)::tilts head:: sorry.  ::looks to one side::

Vailani: Response?

Vailani: What about Andorians? Do you have any spirituality or faith? A higher power that you believe in?

Like so many things Andorian, the space-born Tho’Bi struggled to find a place to put them in his life; let alone, know how to talk about them with others.  Andorian religion centered around ‘Uzaveh the Infinite’ and what was known as ‘The Tale of The Breaking’; the belief that Uzaveh was responsible for the four genders of Andorians.  This, in turn, was central to reproduction, as it took all four Andorian genders to sire a child; at least it did, without modern medicine to help.       

Tho’Bi: Oh, yeah (beat) that.  (beat)(beat) Andorians have four genders, and (beat) each gender represents something (beat) …a value. (beat)(beat) And it’s all because of this Infinite Guy (beat) Uzaveh. (beat) But…

Vailani: That sounds … complicated?

The young Andorian looked at the Bajoran Lieutenant and smiles wistfully.  His parents were serving in Starfleet when they decided to go for a child.  Neither of them wanted to return to Andoria and so they turned to Starfleet Medical to fill in for the two absent Andorian genders.  First his Mother’s egg was artificially fertilized, then his Father took his turn; the fertilized egg was then passed from his Mother to an artificial womb, where the final quarter of necessary genetic material is added; this was all done on board a Starfleet medical ship.

His parents returned to their respective postings while the egg gestated; even after ‘birth’, Tho’Bi stayed on the medical ship, until Starfleet medical personal were certain the artificial substitute pairings had been successful, and proved stable.  Tho’Bi was nearly one-year-old, when his mother was finally able to take him home.

He often wondered if this was partly why his mother had made such an effort with him; to make up for an absence she felt, but he had no basis of comparison; he also wondered, whether this might explain why, he took such comfort in working on machines; he was, after all, natured by them for the first year of his life.

Tho’Bi:  Yeah. (beat)  Complicated. (beat) ::smiles:: I was born space.  (beat)  I grew up on Deep Space 3 and other (beat) ships ::shakes his head:: I don’t really (beat) get (beat) religion.

Vailani: Response

The young Ensign heard his own words out loud and quickly tried to backtrack.

Tho’Bi: Oh!  I didn’t mean (beat) your religion ::jumbled mess of syllables:: I-er-oh-I (beat) I like machines (beat) They make sense.

Vailani: Response

Bip! The PADD leaning against his Engineering Kit chimed.  The Ensign hurried to pick it up and looked at the Alarm Message that had flashed up.

//PADD DISPLAY//

Environmental and Crew Support Systems Check

Crew Member: Lieutenant Junior Grade Alyndra Syrex

Crew ID: FE - 097 - 002

Location: Deck 3|Room 1338

Engineer: THOBi|ENSIGN|EG - 793 - 322|

//END PADD DISPLAY//

Tho’Bi: Oh! Bip! (beat) I have to go

Vailani: Response

The Ensigns crouches down and stows the Tricorder back in the Engineering Kit; he then snaps shut and locks the kit case.  Case in one hand, PADD in the other, he stands up.

Tho’Bi:  If there’s any problems with the environmental systems just ::taps his communicator:: notify me and I’ll fix it.

Ship’s Computer (from Tho’Bi’s comms badge):  Designation not recognized.  Please repeat.

Tho’Bi: Disregard designation ::taps communicator badge off:: (beat) I should go.

Vailani: Response

The young ensign makes for the door; but almost as soon as he has started moving, stops and turns.

Tho’Bi: ::standing to attention:: Lieutenant (beat) The… Review of Starfleet rank and protocols (beat) whenever you have the time.  I would welcome the opportunity to improve (beat) on my performance (beat) in that regard (beat) Sir.

The young Ensign came surprisingly close to sounding like a career Starfleet Officer, but fell at the last hurdle, picking himself up again, and proceeding to fall again.

Vailani: Response

TAG/TBC

((OOC After Formating discussion on Discord - tried for a Tricorder Display and a PADD Display.  I also added an extra ‘Vailani: Response?’ before she asks about Andorian Religion - in case you wanted her to respond to his ‘mansplaining’ of Operational Basics.  This scene can pretty much wrap up at this point.  Feel free to ‘send Tho’Bi’ on his way.))

————————————

Ensign Tho’Bi

Engineering

USS Artemis-A

A240203T11