LtCmdr Orlon Aislin - We Need ta Call And Exterminator

[Karen Morris]

((Biology Labs, Deck 4, USS Thor ))

Ash followed along behind everyone.  She enjoyed people watching as much as she enjoyed chatting.  Just as much could be learned from one as from the other.   She tipped her head back and forth. oO And since Ah dunna know me way around yet, Ah’m killing two birds with one stone. Oo

V. Saa: Anyone with a tricorder want to scan before we open? 

Tito: I was thinking exactly that Lieutenant Saa. ::Tito arched his eyebrow as the first results started to show:: Curious… I am really a lot of life signs, as expected, but they appear to be more than it should…

Talyra pulled out her tricorder with a sigh and raised it to scan the room past the doorway. She frowned at the results. They confirmed what he was reporting.

Ash did have a tricorder in her pocket, but she wasn’t about to play how many astrophysicists does it take to scan a science lab.  So instead she clasped her hands behind her back.

Talyra: I am not seeing any humanoid life signs. There does seem to be more smaller life signs than I would expect from here though. Many more, as Lieutenant Tito says.

She looked up at the others with a raised eyebrow. This was a strange turn for this to take.

Orlon A:  Is the kitty goin’ ta get an extra meal after all? 

Sachiko: Response

Saa’s brows furrowed at their answers. He tapped in his access code to open the door and peeked into the darkened lab space beyond. The operations officer pulled a light from a pocket somewhere to pierce the darkness enough to do a visual scan of the space. As he stepped in, Talyra bent forward to get a look at the interior.  Shelves had been toppled and were scattered everywhere. Saa nearly stepped straight into a large web, causing him to freeze and shine his light above him.

V. Saa: Contamination seems to be more like a containment breach. ::looks around:: Also I don't see the mice or any signs the moths ate the mice.

oO Wait…moths eatin’ mice?!?  How big are these moths? Oo

Tito: I am not sure what their diet consists of… ::Tito raised the tricorder around:: There appears to be more spread around the room.

Talyra: It’s possible that the gossamer mice are in a neighboring lab space.

Ash gave a stomp of her foot.

Orlon A.:  Dunna tell me that in my first week as Chief of Science Ah have - nay just a mouse - but a webspinnin’ mouse infestation ta deal with.

Sachiko: Response

Tito took a few steps into the room. Talyra didn’t move.  Ash moved forward, wondering why they hadn’t decided to just turn the lights on.

Tito: I think we might have another problem…

Talyra: On top of the unexpected giant moth colony?

Orlon A.:  That sounds incredibly banjaxed.

Sachiko: Response

Tito’s finger moved up to the ventilation shaft near the ceiling. 

Tito: I am getting stronger readings from the ventilation system. It is self contained, but… We also have to check that…

Talyra: Well, they’re not the same as the spidermoths. See these marks here? I think we found out where the gossamer mice went.

Orlon A. : Where did they go?  

Ash looked at Talyra and shrugged. 

Orlon A. : Ash am’na a biologist.

Sachiko: Response

Talyra: The laboratories have measures in place to prevent cross-contamination, right? 

Sachiko/Tito/V. Saa: Responses

The sound and palm lights had apparently disturbed the spidermoths, who had now taken flight to investigate the intruders. They seemed to mostly be clustering around the lights. One bumped into Talyra’s arm. She shooed it away.

Orlon A. : So what ye’re sayin’ is we need ta call an exterminator.  Good thing we have an OPS officer amongst us.

Talyra: Is this a … normal size for these moths? Maybe they are eating the gossamer mice and feeding well, and the survivors left through the ventilation shaft.

Orlon A.: They are’na big enough ta eat the mice, are they?  Mice Ah am familiar with.  Ah did spend several summers in Eire.  They would have to be bat-sized moths.  

She looked between them.

Orlon A.:  Oh, please tell me that they are’na bat-sized moths.  

Sachiko/Tito/V. Saa: Responses

Talyra: ::mutters:: This is a big reason why I didn’t pick any of the specialties dealing with life.

Orlon A.:  ::to herself:: Ah dunna like bats.

Sachiko/Tito/V. Saa: Responses

Orlon A.:  Lieutenant Tito, do you have any suggestions on how ta take care of it?

Sachiko/Tito/V. Saa/Talyra: Responses

Orlon, A. : And do these creatures need ta be trapped?

She remembered something that Roe had said when they were dancing.

Sachiko/Tito/V. Saa/Talyra: Responses

Orlon, A.:  Could we use anesthezine localized ta just this room, and then we can pick up the creatures.

Sachiko/Tito/V. Saa/Talyra: Responses

~*~

To Be Continued

~*~

LtCmdr Orlon Aislin

Chief of Science

USS Thor

O240103SK2