LtJg Lera Michaels - Alien Kevlar
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steve...@yahoo.com
May 12, 2026, 12:49:52 PM (yesterday) May 12
to USS Khitomer – StarBase 118 Star Trek PBEM RPG
((Science Labs, Jorogumo))
The interior walls and the ceiling of the science lab looked much the same as the corridors Vidya had led them through. There was an organic, nearly biological appearance to it. Some aspects seemed to serve no obvious function and were, perhaps, simply decorative. The floor resembled every other floor; padded and the same color as the walls. Their insectoid guide stopped at an indentation that Lera had learned indicated doorways. Lera find no indication of the room. She wondered if perhaps the Velithari's visual range included frequencies that neither she nor Rasha could detect. Perhaps there were large signs written in bright ultraviolet characters. Perhaps but at this point it did not matter. They were completely dependent on the good will of the over-sized preying mantis. If Vidya wished them ill, there would be nothing she or Rasha could do about it.
Rasha glanced back at Lera and all Lera could was to shrug her soldiers.
oO There is little to be gained by worrying about something you can not alter. Oo
Vidya: ::doors parting:: This is our technological science laboratories. As you can see here we have many advances.
Lera followed Vidya and Rasha into the lab. Vidya gave a long winded explanation of what they were seeing and Lera did manage to understand some of what Vidya was saying. She hoped Rasha was catching more of it than she was.
Lera found the extent of the research lab impressive. It easily rivaled the largest Federation lab she had ever seen. But Lera noted that all the experiments could be characterized as either chemical or biological. No one was working on anything she would describe as physics or engineering. Some were clearly studying the material properties.
El’Her: They are growing microorganisms?
Michaels: Interesting. It appears that what we would define as biological means technological here.
oO If that is true, it would toward explaining the nature of this ship... It would also set certain limitations. Oo
Lera glanced at the "skin" samples she had gotten from the shuttle bay worker. In its core was a mass of woven fibers. If it had a biological source than the threads were almost certainly organic polymers.
oO Why does this feel so familiar? Where have I seen something like this before? Oo
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.
Michaels: Positive pressure does not prevent infection if you bring the source inside. Ergo, the careful inspection to scan us for microbial contamination.
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: Of course. I struggle to think of anything on this ship I would not find interesting. oO With the exception of the diplomatic discussions. Oo
El’Her: Agreed. I would very much like to see the garden.
Vidya nodded and turned to leave. El'Her was close behind while Lera followed a step or two back and stared at the shuttle craft skin samples. She frowned.
oO What function could a organic polymer cloth skin serve on the exterior of a shuttle craft? Stealth? But from whom? Oo
El’Her: Vidya. What is the Jorogumo? One of the lab assistants mentioned it.
Michaels: I understood it was the ship itself. Did I misunderstand?
Vidya: Response
oO These fibers must be the result of this type of work. Ultra-strong organic filaments. Oo
Suddenly, Lera realized why the samples felt so familiar. She had gone on a field trip with her high school that visited a military museum in El Paso. One of the displays featured armor both for individual soldiers and for mobile equipment. Many years earlier, soldiers had worn armor made of a special cloth that was significantly stronger by weight than steel. They had been made of a polymer called Kevlar. Later versions were made of other, lighter, stronger polymers whose names she had long forgotten. Those materials had been used for vehicle armor and even used in early spacecraft.
El’Her: I see. Does the Jorogumo leave the cloud? Or those other ships we seen in the shuttlebay?
Vidya: Response
Michaels: My station on Khitomer is in Engineering and my work deals mostly with the engines, fuel systems and the physical structure of the ship. I am particularly interested in such things as how Jorogumo is propelled.
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?
Michaels: If the cloud is a constructed piece of work, it is an extremely impressive bit of engineering. I realize that you may not be at liberty to tell us some details. While some of it may be security related issues but I would be interested in whatever you are free to tell us.
Vidya: 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: Response.
As their host started toward the exit, Lera handed Rasha the piece of the shuttle skin with the embedded rock.
Michaels: I think you will find this of interest.
El'Her: Response
Michaels: One of the workers was repairing the outer skin of one of the shuttle craft. She was replacing this after removing this section. It reminds me of some of the early 21st century body armor used on Earth. I believe it is a damaged part of the vessel's shielding or armor system.
El'Her: Response
Michaels: None of the Velithari craft appear to have shield emitters. This sort of armor might be adequate at velocities less than half light speed. That would be my estimate of the maximum speed of any of their ships that I have seen. ::beat:: That should be fast enough for use within a single star system.
El'Her: Response
Tags/TBC
——— ○● ———
LtJg Lera Michaels
Engineering Officer
USS Khitomer
K240106LM2
The interior walls and the ceiling of the science lab looked much the same as the corridors Vidya had led them through. There was an organic, nearly biological appearance to it. Some aspects seemed to serve no obvious function and were, perhaps, simply decorative. The floor resembled every other floor; padded and the same color as the walls. Their insectoid guide stopped at an indentation that Lera had learned indicated doorways. Lera find no indication of the room. She wondered if perhaps the Velithari's visual range included frequencies that neither she nor Rasha could detect. Perhaps there were large signs written in bright ultraviolet characters. Perhaps but at this point it did not matter. They were completely dependent on the good will of the over-sized preying mantis. If Vidya wished them ill, there would be nothing she or Rasha could do about it.
Rasha glanced back at Lera and all Lera could was to shrug her soldiers.
oO There is little to be gained by worrying about something you can not alter. Oo
Vidya: ::doors parting:: This is our technological science laboratories. As you can see here we have many advances.
Lera followed Vidya and Rasha into the lab. Vidya gave a long winded explanation of what they were seeing and Lera did manage to understand some of what Vidya was saying. She hoped Rasha was catching more of it than she was.
Lera found the extent of the research lab impressive. It easily rivaled the largest Federation lab she had ever seen. But Lera noted that all the experiments could be characterized as either chemical or biological. No one was working on anything she would describe as physics or engineering. Some were clearly studying the material properties.
El’Her: They are growing microorganisms?
Michaels: Interesting. It appears that what we would define as biological means technological here.
oO If that is true, it would toward explaining the nature of this ship... It would also set certain limitations. Oo
Lera glanced at the "skin" samples she had gotten from the shuttle bay worker. In its core was a mass of woven fibers. If it had a biological source than the threads were almost certainly organic polymers.
oO Why does this feel so familiar? Where have I seen something like this before? Oo
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.
Michaels: Positive pressure does not prevent infection if you bring the source inside. Ergo, the careful inspection to scan us for microbial contamination.
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: Of course. I struggle to think of anything on this ship I would not find interesting. oO With the exception of the diplomatic discussions. Oo
El’Her: Agreed. I would very much like to see the garden.
Vidya nodded and turned to leave. El'Her was close behind while Lera followed a step or two back and stared at the shuttle craft skin samples. She frowned.
oO What function could a organic polymer cloth skin serve on the exterior of a shuttle craft? Stealth? But from whom? Oo
El’Her: Vidya. What is the Jorogumo? One of the lab assistants mentioned it.
Michaels: I understood it was the ship itself. Did I misunderstand?
Vidya: Response
oO These fibers must be the result of this type of work. Ultra-strong organic filaments. Oo
Suddenly, Lera realized why the samples felt so familiar. She had gone on a field trip with her high school that visited a military museum in El Paso. One of the displays featured armor both for individual soldiers and for mobile equipment. Many years earlier, soldiers had worn armor made of a special cloth that was significantly stronger by weight than steel. They had been made of a polymer called Kevlar. Later versions were made of other, lighter, stronger polymers whose names she had long forgotten. Those materials had been used for vehicle armor and even used in early spacecraft.
El’Her: I see. Does the Jorogumo leave the cloud? Or those other ships we seen in the shuttlebay?
Vidya: Response
Michaels: My station on Khitomer is in Engineering and my work deals mostly with the engines, fuel systems and the physical structure of the ship. I am particularly interested in such things as how Jorogumo is propelled.
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?
Michaels: If the cloud is a constructed piece of work, it is an extremely impressive bit of engineering. I realize that you may not be at liberty to tell us some details. While some of it may be security related issues but I would be interested in whatever you are free to tell us.
Vidya: 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: Response.
As their host started toward the exit, Lera handed Rasha the piece of the shuttle skin with the embedded rock.
Michaels: I think you will find this of interest.
El'Her: Response
Michaels: One of the workers was repairing the outer skin of one of the shuttle craft. She was replacing this after removing this section. It reminds me of some of the early 21st century body armor used on Earth. I believe it is a damaged part of the vessel's shielding or armor system.
El'Her: Response
Michaels: None of the Velithari craft appear to have shield emitters. This sort of armor might be adequate at velocities less than half light speed. That would be my estimate of the maximum speed of any of their ships that I have seen. ::beat:: That should be fast enough for use within a single star system.
El'Her: Response
Tags/TBC
——— ○● ———
LtJg Lera Michaels
Engineering Officer
USS Khitomer
K240106LM2
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