LT Gila Sadar - Starfleet: The More You Accomplish, the Worse It Gets

[LT Gila Sadar]

(( Conference Room - Intel Suite, Deck 08, USS Artemis-A ))

Visiting Lt. Commander Dakora to enlist his aid in how to frame her after action report for their mission to the Rinascita system had definitely been the right choice. Beyond the fact that Gila trusted his advice and character, she also knew that he - as an expert at counterintelligence - would know just how to avoid writing anything which would accidentally out the crew-kept secret of the Tree of Life. Judging from the fact that even a great percentage of the Artemis’ crew was kept in the dark regarding that development, Gila was being run ragged just trying to keep the secret from her colleagues. She did not want to be the one to have to face Captain MacKenzie if she accidentally overshared with Starfleet Command.

Unfortunately, as someone who had been in charge of developing new medicine, and administering it to Starfleet personnel, she was obligated to submit a medical document stating what the medicine was for, how it was made and what effects it had had on the various species it had come into contact with. Explaining the medicine without going into problematic territory regarding oversharing was, to say the least, difficult.

Dakora: So don't. ::He paused.:: Don't explain it any more than you have to. Science is complicated. Can't we just say something like 'We don't fully understand the nature of the sentient plants at this time' yeah? We weren't on the planet long and our primary objective was to enforce the exclusion zone, not study the local flora and fauna.

He did have a point there. After all, the planet had been a no-fly zone prior to their arrival regardless. She didn’t need to elaborate on the findings of the science team. All she had to describe was what she’d seen with her own eyes while on the planet.

Sadar: ... I... I suppose not. Some flora is known to have defense mechanisms, even without a purported ‘sentience’, as we understand it, to control it.

It was, actually, a rather logical and entirely believable hypothesis. Flytraps, poisonous foliage, thorns - plants had developed to have numerous defense and/or hunting mechanisms to suit their purposes, and none of those plants had a giant Brain-Tree to dictate how they used them.

Dakora: Exactly! That nurse a while back... ::He screwed up his face trying to recall her name:: Stinky? Nappy? Something like that? --anyway, she had some kind of sentient plant living in her quarters.-- It doesn't matter. The point is, it's ok to be a little vague. We don't have to explain everything.

Gila blinked confused at the suggested names for this mysterious nurse - uncertain whether the implication that Lt. Commander Dakora couldn’t recall her name or the fact that he was certain her name resembled ‘stinky’ was the more concerning thing - but nodded in response to his comment.

Sadar: Yes, Commander. I will... Omit to the best of my abilities. ::considers:: If this is too personal an inquiry, I do apologize, Sir, but... Did you know the individual they say became the Tree of Life?

Dakora: No. No, I didn't.  ::He shrugged.:: I was assigned to the Resolution, but I never managed to set foot aboard the ship. I arrived on a runabout-- with the Captain and Commodore-- to distress beacons, a debris cloud, and escape pods drifting around. It was... a hell of a first day.

The Lt. Commander grew distant in his expression, a clear sign that he recalled that first day. Wait, first day?

Gila paled. She recalled vividly how utterly terrified she’d been at the beginning of her service, and she’d thought herself plenty unfortunate to have her first week aboard defined by the unlawful boarding of Suliban terrorists intent on taking the Artemis for themselves. Even imagining having one’s first day on duty on the day that the Ship actually blows up?

Mortifying.

Sadar: I... I can’t even imagine.

Dakora: But anyway, did that help clear things up? About what to include and what to... dis-include from your reports? 

A brief pause passed between the two of them, as Gila struggled with her position.

Sadar: Yes Sir... ::wrings her hands::

Dakora: Response

Sadar: Oh, uhh, n-no! I-It’ll be fine, it’s just... I-I realize this isn’t as uncommon as is ideal, but it still feels wrong.

Dakora: Response

Sadar: With all due respect sir, extra pips are more trouble than they are worth.

Dakora: Response

TAG/TBC

LT Gila Sadar

Medical Officer

USS Artemis-A

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