Lt. Commander V'Lar - The Art of Misdirection
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Chris M
Mar 30, 2026, 9:21:29 AM (3 days ago) Mar 30
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((Medical Laboratory, Gibaria Outpost))
oO While a physical task would be adequate, the sudden introduction of a recreational object represents a jarring tonal shift. There is a distinct possibility that, as trained Starfleet officers, they might eventually deduce they are being managed like juveniles. I cannot risk the distraction failing. Furthermore, introducing such stimulating kinetic activity into a medical laboratory risks collateral damage to vital instrumentation, or accidental self-injury. Reluctantly, I must conclude that actively encouraging their baseless speculation is the most efficient, covert method of sustaining their engagement. Oo
V'Lar regularly gave direct eye contact and offered precise, periodic nods to simulate active listening. In reality, her mind was almost entirely elsewhere. While Tahna and Pace debated the ecology of the alien flora, V'Lar was silently fine-tuning the retroviral framework for the inoculant's delivery vector, whilst giving remote directives to the civilian medical team.
oO It is highly fortunate that so many non-Vulcan species possess such a limited capacity for truly simultaneous cognitive processing. Their inability to multitask renders them remarkably susceptible to conversational misdirection. My efforts appear to be yielding results. Oo
To sustain their distraction, V'Lar formulated a secondary inquiry, presenting a plausible scientific rationale to ensure they remained engaged in theorising rather than focusing on the horrifically visceral deaths being experienced in the room next door.
V’Lar: Is there any data to suggest the flora is actively altering the ambient atmospheric composition to suit its metabolic needs? It would be beneficial to identify what environmental factors accelerate or impede its growth.
While the Gorkon's bio-neural computer cores ran concurrent biomolecular simulations to verify the theoretical structure of a biological shield, the medical personnel in the adjacent triage ward were fighting a losing battle against the catastrophic cellular decay inflicted by the extra-dimensional radiation.
V'Lar glanced towards Lieutenant Pace, who was overseeing the simulations, before returning her attention to the Bajoran First Officer.
V’Lar: ::Lowering her voice further:: The civilian medical personnel next door are experiencing acute emotional distress. They are not equipped for the psychological strain of witnessing their colleagues expiring in such a manner. I propose I trade places with them. I am biologically equipped to administer terminal care without succumbing to psychological strain; furthermore, I can still contribute remotely to the development of an inoculant.
oO Medical ethics prioritise the preservation of life, but when mortality is a mathematical certainty, the parameters must shift to the mitigation of collateral harm. To permit their continued emotional deterioration when I can absorb the burden is fundamentally illogical. Oo
V’Lar: ::Lowering her voice further:: The civilian medical personnel next door are experiencing acute emotional distress. They are not equipped for the psychological strain of witnessing their colleagues expiring in such a manner. I propose I trade places with them. I am biologically equipped to administer terminal care without succumbing to psychological strain; furthermore, I can still contribute remotely to the development of an inoculant.
oO Medical ethics prioritise the preservation of life, but when mortality is a mathematical certainty, the parameters must shift to the mitigation of collateral harm. To permit their continued emotional deterioration when I can absorb the burden is fundamentally illogical. Oo
Tahna: No one is equipped for that psychological strain, but we need you here. The best thing we can do for everyone is finish an inoculant.
V'Lar accepted the Bajoran's command veto without outward reaction. The Commander had no doubt performed a utilitarian calculus: the long-term psychological damage to the civilian medics was an acceptable loss when weighed against the necessity of V'Lar prioritising her efforts on devising the inoculant.
V'Lar accepted the Bajoran's command veto without outward reaction. The Commander had no doubt performed a utilitarian calculus: the long-term psychological damage to the civilian medics was an acceptable loss when weighed against the necessity of V'Lar prioritising her efforts on devising the inoculant.
Pace: S-sorry to interrupt, sirs. The simulations are about a quarter complete now and are currently corroborating our hypothesis.
V'Lar turned her attention to Lieutenant Pace, observing the Bajoran First Officer physically pivot to do the same.
Tahna: That's good news.
V’Lar: It is an encouraging milestone. However, confirming the biochemical structure of the flora's protection is only the first phase. We must now determine how to translate those extradimensional elements into a compound safe for humanoid metabolism.
Pace: I could try and start finding equivalent options from our universe to use in the inoculant if that would be helpful, sirs? I mean, nothing will be solid until the end of the five minutes, but having options may at least speed up the inoculant process, right?
V'Lar observed the Science Officer's visible swallow; despite her elevated stress levels, she remained efficiently proactive. Confirming the nature of the moss's defence against the extra-dimensional radiation was only part of the puzzle. The next part was finding a way of safely duplicating such protection for humanoid physiology.
Tahna: Do it.
Tahna: I wonder if the moss is able to recognize those elements in other creatures.
V'Lar turned her attention to Lieutenant Pace, observing the Bajoran First Officer physically pivot to do the same.
Tahna: That's good news.
V’Lar: It is an encouraging milestone. However, confirming the biochemical structure of the flora's protection is only the first phase. We must now determine how to translate those extradimensional elements into a compound safe for humanoid metabolism.
Pace: I could try and start finding equivalent options from our universe to use in the inoculant if that would be helpful, sirs? I mean, nothing will be solid until the end of the five minutes, but having options may at least speed up the inoculant process, right?
V'Lar observed the Science Officer's visible swallow; despite her elevated stress levels, she remained efficiently proactive. Confirming the nature of the moss's defence against the extra-dimensional radiation was only part of the puzzle. The next part was finding a way of safely duplicating such protection for humanoid physiology.
Tahna: Do it.
V’Lar: A logical initiative, Lieutenant. Compile a list of compatible molecular analogues and cross-reference the required polysaccharides, minerals, and heavy metals with the replicator database. I will review their pharmacological safety.
Pace: Response
V'Lar watched Commander Tahna retreat to her workstation. The Bajoran began repeatedly flexing her digits, a kinetic release of physiological tension. It occurred to V'Lar that while Meru had checked on her wellbeing during their prior interaction, she had not done the same.
oO While my attention has understandably been split between several urgent matters, I may have been negligent in supporting the mental wellbeing of my colleagues. Oo
V'Lar watched Commander Tahna retreat to her workstation. The Bajoran began repeatedly flexing her digits, a kinetic release of physiological tension. It occurred to V'Lar that while Meru had checked on her wellbeing during their prior interaction, she had not done the same.
oO While my attention has understandably been split between several urgent matters, I may have been negligent in supporting the mental wellbeing of my colleagues. Oo
Tahna: I wonder if the moss is able to recognize those elements in other creatures.
V’Lar: Many forms of plant life seek out essential metals while attempting to avoid toxic ones. This is frequently achieved through utilising chemical receptors to identify specific ions. The term 'recognise' implies a level of sentience.
While plants often demonstrated complex behaviours such as communicating, learning, and responding to stimuli, they typically lacked a brain or nervous system, which were generally required to support any level of consciousness.
While plants often demonstrated complex behaviours such as communicating, learning, and responding to stimuli, they typically lacked a brain or nervous system, which were generally required to support any level of consciousness.
Pace: Response
Tahna: We have no idea its level of intelligence, and we won't really have time to look into it. But I wonder if it's possible that those elements you found don't just inoculate it against its own digestive effects…maybe they're common to flora from this other universe. They don't seem to be digesting each other as readily as…us. I bet, on some level, the plants can tell their kind from ours.
To V'Lar, the First Officer's thoughts were highly anthropomorphic and lacked empirical foundation. They simply did not possess enough data to theorise about the ecology of the other dimension.
V’Lar: We possess such limited information about the other dimension. It is highly probable that some organisms experience coevolution, while others avoid direct competition through niche partitioning.
Pace: Response
V'Lar considered indulging in guesswork regarding the sociology of extradimensional moss as entirely inefficient.
oO However, they are both exhibiting signs of acute stress. As the Chief Medical Officer and their colleague, it is my duty to support their mental wellbeing. As we are currently constrained by the compilation time of the computer simulations, engaging their cognitive faculties in an alternative exercise may serve to 'take their mind off of things', temporarily reducing emotional degradation. A focused distraction, within certain acceptable parameters, is logically sound. Oo
Allowing them to continue their current discourse would satisfy this requirement, but it forced her to actively tolerate mere supposition. She briefly considered an alternative: replicating a simple kinetic object, such as a small bouncing sphere, that they could throw and catch while she worked in silence.
Tahna: We have no idea its level of intelligence, and we won't really have time to look into it. But I wonder if it's possible that those elements you found don't just inoculate it against its own digestive effects…maybe they're common to flora from this other universe. They don't seem to be digesting each other as readily as…us. I bet, on some level, the plants can tell their kind from ours.
To V'Lar, the First Officer's thoughts were highly anthropomorphic and lacked empirical foundation. They simply did not possess enough data to theorise about the ecology of the other dimension.
V’Lar: We possess such limited information about the other dimension. It is highly probable that some organisms experience coevolution, while others avoid direct competition through niche partitioning.
Pace: Response
V'Lar considered indulging in guesswork regarding the sociology of extradimensional moss as entirely inefficient.
oO However, they are both exhibiting signs of acute stress. As the Chief Medical Officer and their colleague, it is my duty to support their mental wellbeing. As we are currently constrained by the compilation time of the computer simulations, engaging their cognitive faculties in an alternative exercise may serve to 'take their mind off of things', temporarily reducing emotional degradation. A focused distraction, within certain acceptable parameters, is logically sound. Oo
Allowing them to continue their current discourse would satisfy this requirement, but it forced her to actively tolerate mere supposition. She briefly considered an alternative: replicating a simple kinetic object, such as a small bouncing sphere, that they could throw and catch while she worked in silence.
oO While a physical task would be adequate, the sudden introduction of a recreational object represents a jarring tonal shift. There is a distinct possibility that, as trained Starfleet officers, they might eventually deduce they are being managed like juveniles. I cannot risk the distraction failing. Furthermore, introducing such stimulating kinetic activity into a medical laboratory risks collateral damage to vital instrumentation, or accidental self-injury. Reluctantly, I must conclude that actively encouraging their baseless speculation is the most efficient, covert method of sustaining their engagement. Oo
V’Lar: Your underlying premise may warrant further investigation. If we consider how the xenoflora interacts with this environment, we may deduce the parameters of its native biome.
Tahna/Pace: Response
V'Lar regularly gave direct eye contact and offered precise, periodic nods to simulate active listening. In reality, her mind was almost entirely elsewhere. While Tahna and Pace debated the ecology of the alien flora, V'Lar was silently fine-tuning the retroviral framework for the inoculant's delivery vector, whilst giving remote directives to the civilian medical team.
oO It is highly fortunate that so many non-Vulcan species possess such a limited capacity for truly simultaneous cognitive processing. Their inability to multitask renders them remarkably susceptible to conversational misdirection. My efforts appear to be yielding results. Oo
To sustain their distraction, V'Lar formulated a secondary inquiry, presenting a plausible scientific rationale to ensure they remained engaged in theorising rather than focusing on the horrifically visceral deaths being experienced in the room next door.
V’Lar: Is there any data to suggest the flora is actively altering the ambient atmospheric composition to suit its metabolic needs? It would be beneficial to identify what environmental factors accelerate or impede its growth.
Tahna/Pace: Response
V'Lar allowed the ensuing scientific discourse to continue to occupy the remaining minutes of the simulations. As V'Lar calculated the tests were nearing completion, she cleanly pivoted their focus back to their immediate situation.
V’Lar: As the biomolecular simulations approach completion, we must establish the parameters of our clinical trial. While we still need to develop an inoculant, the initial synthesis will be a prototype which will require testing on a living subject to verify its efficacy before we begin mass replication and administration.
V'Lar allowed the ensuing scientific discourse to continue to occupy the remaining minutes of the simulations. As V'Lar calculated the tests were nearing completion, she cleanly pivoted their focus back to their immediate situation.
V’Lar: As the biomolecular simulations approach completion, we must establish the parameters of our clinical trial. While we still need to develop an inoculant, the initial synthesis will be a prototype which will require testing on a living subject to verify its efficacy before we begin mass replication and administration.
Tahna/Pace: Response
V’Lar: The patients in the adjacent ward are not viable candidates for this trial. They have already sustained catastrophic radiological exposure.
V'Lar paused, anticipating the predictable emotional response. It was highly probable that the First Officer and the Science Officer would interpret her immediate dismissal of the dying patients as callous, rather than a strict requirement of the scientific method. Logic dictated she preemptively clarify her reasoning before their empathy clouded their judgment.
V’Lar: As this inoculant is a biological shield and not a restorative cure, administering it to a terminal patient will skew the data; we would be unable to distinguish between the failure of the inoculant and the pre-existing cellular decay. To definitively prove the shielding mechanism functions, we require a test subject with a healthy, unexposed physiology.
Tahna/Pace: Response
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