Lt. JG Natasha Cole - Something Larger Beneath
Natasha Schell
(( Archaeological Survey Site – Serein Basin, Rylor ))
Jovenan: A lot of the system might have degraded. I would imagine the door was made of wood, but that would have either rotted or burnt. But there might still be nails, bricks or something else, I’d imagine. Small clues to find.
Nyra glanced once more at the surrounding grid, then back to the object, as though mentally extending its presence outward into the unseen soil beyond their square.
Tal: All right. New working hypothesis: this square is more interesting than it was five minutes ago. ::small smile:: Let’s see how far that extends.
Cole: So my square just got promoted?
Jovenan laughed a little.
Jovenan: With promotion comes greater expectations. The square better not start slacking now.
Tal: ::with mock seriousness:: I hereby promote Square C-7 to the provisional rank of ‘significant.’ ::sideways smile at Jovenan and Cole:: If it continues to exceed expectations, it may be considered for expanded accolades.
As she brushed a little more soil away, Natasha noticed a straight line emerging beneath the loose dirt. A seam. That was interesting.
Cole: ::tilting her head:: There appears to be a seam here. ::looking up at Nyra:: I think it belongs to something bigger.
This was turning out to be a bit of a mystery, which was tickling her inner detective. She glanced over to Jovenan. She was starting to understand why women like her and her own mother loved science. The discoveries were sometimes subtle, just a fragment or part of the picture, but to see something that hasn’t been seen for centuries or ever was thrilling.
Jovenan: A structure? That has to be a very lucky find!
Tal: ::squinting:: Hm, possibly. Archaeology tends to reward patience more than providence, in my experience. ::eyes tracing the emerging seam:: Though I’ll allow: it does look promising.
Cole: This is already a better shore leave story than I was expecting.
Nat looked up and caught a genuine smile on Nyra’s face, which made her smile too.
Jovenan: Agreed! If only more shoreleave destinations had activities like this. I think a lot more of our crew would be willing to come planetside.
Tal: If the rest of your crew are anything like the two of you, we’d be delighted to have them. You’re quite clearly a brilliant scientist, Jovenan. And Natasha. ::arching an eyebrow:: You… are becoming increasingly difficult to classify.
Cole: I could say the same for archaeology. It seemed simpler before you started explaining it.
Jovenan: ::to Cole:: I’m also quite impressed by your deductions. Did you ever consider becoming a scientist?
Tal: There’s still time to defect. ::lightly, to Cole:: You’ve already demonstrated strong observational instincts and an acceptable tolerance for uncertainty. That’s most of the job.
Cole: Defecting to science feels a little drastic. Can I start as an honorary consultant and see how it goes?
oO Right. That smile was becoming a problem. Slightly distracting, but manageable. Oo
Jovenan: I’m stepping back to my plot. Not going to let you hog all the discoveries!
Tal: By all means. If this turns into a professional feud over excavation squares, I’ll consider my afternoon extraordinarily well spent. ::airily:: I believe you're next up for a miraculous discovery, Jovenan.
Cole: Your turn, Jovenan. Try not to make mine look boring.
She had noticed that Jovenan hadn’t introduced herself with her rank. So Nat wanted to make sure she respected the Commander's choice and not out her.
Jovenan: Response
Tal: Excellent! A word of advice: don’t chase the dramatic interpretation. ::lightly, but not unkindly:: Archaeology punishes optimism almost as reliably as it rewards patience. Look for repetition instead – alignment, matching cuts in the stone, anything that suggests this seam belongs to a larger pattern.
Cole: Understood. I’ll try to keep up with your standards.
Jovenan: Response
Tal: If this is part of a threshold or access point, the interesting pieces may not be the obvious ones. ::gesturing lightly with the brush:: Fasteners. Post holes. Wear patterns. Evidence that something opened, closed, or was handled repeatedly. Small clues are still clues. Especially here.
Cole: I’m beginning to suspect archaeology and investigation have more in common than advertised.
Jovenan/Tal: Response
Cole: I keep thinking about the last person who touched this and had no idea we’d be here centuries later trying to make sense of it.
Jovenan/Tal: Response
Natasha looked over at Jovenan’s square to get a better look, a smile tugging at her mouth
Cole: Okay, that's a good find. ::playful smile:: I liked this better when my square was winning.
Jovenan/Tal: Response
Tags/TBC
----- ◌● -----
Lt. JG Natasha Cole
Security Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240205NC4