Lt JG Taj'el - Give me your pants!
Taj'el
((CMOs Office, Main Sickbay, Deck 10, USS Thor))
Taj’el could understand the general appeal of music to a certain extent, they enjoyed it themselves on occasion, but the idea that it could actively influence emotional state or alter the atmosphere of a situation so significantly remained somewhat unfamiliar to them.
Still, as they continued working, they began to suspect the reactions earlier had not been solely about the playlist itself. The inventory discrepancies and mistakes likely carried emotional weight as well. That, at least, Taj’el could empathize with. Being associated with an error, or worse, responsible for one, was something they personally found deeply uncomfortable.
A small point of disappointment lingered, however. They still had no clearer understanding of what “NeraRock” or “Nera 2 Rocx” actually referred to. Oddly enough, they had wanted to know. It seemed like the sort of informal detail that might reveal something meaningful about Doctor Ay outside of formal duty, a perspective Taj’el realized they had become quietly interested in understanding.
Taj’el: I’m finding multiple discrepancies.
Tam: As am I. The containers that were touched less frequently are consistently more in line with the documented inventory list. The more frequently accessed containers are a mess.
Watching Doctor Ay’s reaction more carefully, Taj’el began to recognize the underlying emotion more clearly. There was embarrassment there, perhaps even shame, tied not merely to the inventory itself, but to what the state of it represented under his responsibility.
That realization shifted Taj’el’s perspective. Doctor Ay was their superior officer; the condition of the supplies and documentation would inevitably reflect back on him, regardless of intent.
In retrospect, it seemed more likely to be oversight born of workload or competing priorities rather than negligence.
Nera: ::rubbing the back of his neck in embarressment:: Unfortunately, these boxes are the same. It seems that some people in the department aren’t putting things back properly or recording things correctly.
Tam: Doctors, was there some sort of an accident in here? Perhaps the ship was in a battle, and the boxes popped open during a maneuver? Was there no time, and were supplies shoved wherever there was an opening? Or space monkeys? Where space monkeys set loose in Sickbay?
Nera: Well….there was an amorphous blob loose in Sickbay once. Not quite as cute as space monkeys.
Bio? The transition felt so sudden that for a moment they struggled to determine whether they were still discussing inventory, the state of the room, or an entirely separate topic.
Their mind immediately fixated on the terminology itself. Space Monkey. Monkeys were Terran primates, so was the phrase metaphorical? A nickname? A cultural reference? They could not identify a direct logical connection between terrestrial animals and a ransacked storage area.
As for Bio being described as “cute,” Taj’el found themself internally disputing the classification. In its earlier stages, perhaps the term had some merit by broader social standards. However, once Bio had developed into a small humanoid form, the descriptor became considerably more subjective.
Taj'el: Pardon, why is the current hypothesis attributing this situation to “Space Monkeys”?
Tam: I'm just saying monkeys could explain this mess.
Taj’el paused at the comparison forming in their mind. A black hole appearing as an explanation for the mess, technically, within extreme theoretical bounds, not impossible in a universe where such phenomena existed. But in practical terms, the probability was so negligible that it functioned more as an illustrative exaggeration than a viable hypothesis.
Nera: Perhaps we should up the overflow room security, add a keypad. Space monkeys can’t get in if they don’t know the code.
Taj'el: The probability that “Space Monkeys” are the actual cause of the disorder here is negligible at best. ::beat:: Unless there are, in fact, documented spacefaring primates aboard the Thor of which I have not yet been informed.
Doctor Ay made a small, uncertain sound, something between acknowledgement and embarrassment, before shifting his attention toward Commander Tam, as if seeking confirmation or relief from the direction the conversation had taken.
Taj’el, meanwhile, remained where they were, visibly trying to reconcile how the discussion had drifted so far from inventory discrepancies and documentation errors into “Space Monkeys” as a working hypothesis.
Tam: And just what medical purpose do these serve?
Commander Tam produced a pair of shorts marked with scattered paint splatters, clearly functional, well-used, and not particularly concerned with presentation.
Taj’el’s eyebrow lifted almost immediately at the sight, the visual prompting a brief pause in their otherwise analytical focus. The item did not immediately fit into any inventory category or operational requirement they had been tracking.
Nera: ::stammering:: I have absolutely no idea how that got there.
Taj'el: Are those the pants you wore on Seda?
Taj’el observed Doctor Ay quickly retrieve the paint-splattered shorts, his speech pattern shifting, becoming noticeably faster and more reactive than his usual cadence. The change was subtle, but distinct enough to register. Whatever context the item held for him, it appeared to carry immediate relevance or personal significance that prompted an instinctive response rather than a measured one.
Nera: I’ll, um, take hold of these for now. Make an announcement to the team, let them know that this is entirely unacceptable. Of course. That’s what I’ll do.
Not trying to bring more attention but did think they could maybe use the pants.
Taj’el: I may actually have a use for those, if you are willing, Doctor…
Taj’el’s request lingered for a moment as their thoughts briefly shifted, back to their moth patient and the unusual cluster behavior they had observed around Commander Caras. The image of the moths interacting with him, cleaning and clustering, resurfaced with quiet clarity.
In that context, the idea of a familiar, textured, paint-marked fabric made a certain kind of sense. It might serve as a comfort object or environmental enrichment for the specimen, something with scent, texture, or visual familiarity tied to a non-threatening environment.
Tam: Response
Nera: I have no idea why someone would stuff them back there. Awful behaviour, really.
Taj’el: Did anyone assist in cleaning your office? They could have relocated this item…
Tam: Response
Taj’el’s attempt at reassurance never fully formed into words as Commander Saa’s voice cut through the room over the comm system. The shift in attention was immediate.
Right. Commander Saa was currently acting Captain.
Saa: =/\= Crew of the USS Thor, this is Commander…. And currently acting Captain Sevantha Saa. We have received an SOS from our Captain onboard the Syren’s Song and have learned the USS Janaran is unresponsive. I need every Department Chief to start preparations for their teams to depart in under an hour. =/\=
The moment the SOS transmission came through, the atmosphere in the room shifted from discussion to action. Taj’el processed it immediately: an emergency signal meant protocol activation, not continued deliberation. Whatever uncertainties had existed moments before were now irrelevant in the face of duty.
Saa: =/\= Lieutenant Tito and Commander Aislin will be temporary joint Chief Science Officers until Commander DeVeau is back with us. =/\=
Taj’el quickly catalogued the names as they came up, cross-referencing them against their recent interactions and known personnel roster. Lieutenant Tito, recognized. Recent contact confirmed. Their assessment of his capability aligned with “proficient,” which suggested he could likely manage his assigned station without additional oversight. Commander Aislin, however, did not immediately resolve into a familiar entry in Taj’el’s mental database.
Saa: =/\= Once we’ve set out all Chiefs report to the Ready Room for debrief. =/\=
Nera: We can pick up the state of the Overflow Room at a later stage. Divya, always a pleasure to see you. Please do drop by again! ::to Taj’el:: You, my dear Doctor, can give me a hand in making preparations.
Taj’el: Of course, Doctor. I’m right behind you.
Tam: Response
The urgency of the SOS reframed everything into immediate priority. The uncertainty around the Janaran, the Captain’s status, and the rest of the crew added weight to the situation, but there was no space to process it fully in the moment, only to act. Taj’el’s focus sharpened as they moved with Doctor Ay, compartmentalizing the broader concerns into a later task set.
[[End Scene for Taj'el]]
