Lieutenant Ras El'Heem - Jorōgumo
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((Science Labs, Jorogumo))
As they separated from the others, worry began to trickle into her thoughts. Despite the way they had been talking with captain Rana, the fact remained: this was a highly aggressive and morally primitive society and the power they wielded to swat the Lattice Alliance like they were simply a nuisance was not lost on her. She’d need to balance scientific intrigue with her sense of self preservation.
The winding hallways folded over themselves in a mesmerizing pattern. Each turn resembled the last so closely that Rasha lost all sense of orientation almost immediately. She would struggle to find her way back to the shuttlebay on her own. It felt designed for things already familiar with its interior. For creatures that moved by instinct through silk-thread pathways unseen to others. The occasional Velithari that passed paid them so little mind that she felt invisible. Each one so calm and occupied with whatever circulatory task they were doing, it set her on edge. Unsettled her more than open suspicion would have.
There were no markings or signs and no attempt to explain the anatomy of the place. Just corridor after corridor after corridor, narrowing and widening in a much more organic way than one would expect from deliberate architecture. The further they walked, the more the silence between them and the distance they travelled from the shuttlebay felt like the ship was swallowing them. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, half remembered folklore surfaced. It was the kind shared around dim lights and low voices, about wanderers who only realized they were trapped long after they had mistaken the web for architecture.
One final corridor. Viday stopped abruptly in front of a depression in the wall that was identical to all the other “doors” they had seen along there way. Rasha flashed a worried glance at Michaels, then back to Vidya as the doors opened.
Vidya: ::doors parting:: This is our technological science laboratories. As you can see here we have many advances.
She followed closely behind. Inside, the Velithari scientists worked in in relative silence, none even looking up from their work to greet them. Rasha scanned the tabletops and attempted to parse what they were working on. She knew as well as any other scientist, you could not check in on an experiment halfway through and know what it was exactly that they were working on. This was doubly true on a ship where the technological tree deviated so heavily. Still, it was plain to see that whatever they were working on, it involved agar (or whatever form their medium of bacterial or fungal propagation required) but did not require a sterile environment.
El’Her: They are growing microorganisms?
Rasha looked to Vidya.
Michaels: Response
Vidya: Yes we conduct a number of experiments that advance our culture. You strike me as one who would have an affinity for plant life?
El’Her: Indeed. As fate would have it, my field is in xenobotany and mycology. ::walking closer to the table and looking over one of the Velithari’s shoulder:: Do these growth plates not require a sterile environment for inoculation?
Velithari Scientist: ::speaking without looking up:: The Jorogumo is under positive pressure and the cloud itself prevents contamination.
Rasha hummed in the affirmative as she watched the woman pull her loop through the medium.
Michaels: Response
Rasha returned her attention to Vidya and assumed her spot away from the tables once more.
Vidya: ::nodding:: Do you wish to observe the work here? Or can I show you our hydroponics garden? It is right through this way on the other side of the labs.
Michaels: Response
El’Her: Agreed. I would very much like to see the garden.
She followed after Vidya, who’s pace was confident and purposeful.
El’Her: Vidya. What is the Jorogumo? One of the lab assistants mentioned it.
Vidya/Michaels: Response
The lab they travelled through was long and the countless experiments they passed asked for her attention, but she remained focused on their escort.
El’Her: I see. Does the Jorogumo leave the cloud? Or those other ships we seen in the shuttlebay?
Vidya/Michaels: Response
El’Her: You see, that interests me as well. Just how large is the cloud, and what is it’s composition? Is this a naturally occurring phenomenon or did you…make it?
Vidya/Michaels: Response
El’Her: Lieutenant Michaels is an engineer and I’m sure that would interest her greatly. Let us first see the gardens and we shall go there after.
Vidya/Michaels: Response
TAGS/TBC
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Lieutenant Rasha El‘Her
Chief Science Officer
USS Khitomer (NCC-62400)
K240106RE3
As simmed by
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Lieutenant Ras El ‘Heem
Chief Science Officer
USS Khitomer (NCC-62400)
K240106RE3