Sticks and Stones May Break my Bones, but Leaves will Never Hurt Me

Posted on Fri Jan 22nd, 2010 @ 11:26pm by Commander Lucas Jackson

1,280 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: FORGING AHEAD
Location: Main Science Lab
Timeline: Current

Lee Quan had left the other cadets take off after they helped get the carts linked together. He made his way to the Main Science Lab and announced himself to the wall panel "Cadet Lee Quan here with samples from Tiberius V." Lee waited patiently for someone to let him in. Being an unknown quantity all of these samples would be dealt with in a high security enviroment, which Lee was looking forward to a great deal.

A tall man appeared at the door. His upper body was firm, but he had an overall welcoming appearance. "Hello, Cadet. I was told that you would be arriving soon. I'm the Chief Botanist, Lieutenant Cody Esposito. You may come in and just set your samples on the appropriate examination tables. And for future reference, you don't have to ring the doorbell for permission to enter." Cody winked at him, reassuring the fact.

Lee smiled happily, "Thank you, I would very much like to work with you on these samples if it is ok with you Sir. I think you will find everything well marked: time of day, location and terrain type where they were gathered. I have a good bit of interest in this and I think you would find me a decent lab assistant." Lee spoke matter-of-factly, sure of his skills but not wanting to seem as if he were gloating.

Cody just smiled, trying not to get strict with the cadet. "I'm sure you will make a fine assistant to work with," he confirmed. "...I thank you for pre-marking the samples. If you would, place the plant samples in the Cellular Control Chambers, so we can examine their make-up. I will also need you to take some holo-images of the plants, while I open the Plant Systematics Database."

Lee looked about the place slowly and took note of where things were, following logical work progression, he located other work stations and working storage facilities. He put on a lab jacket and protective gloves then he went about accomplishing the tasks given. He did everything quickly but with a classroom taught type caution and care.

As he photographed the plants and put them away, "Lieutenant Esposito, where do you want the insect samples and we also have body tissue of a large shark type predator?" He continued working as he spoke and just looked over to get an answer.

The botanist pondered the question for a moment. "Well, I'm not as skilled in the Zoology field, and the starbase has yet to acquire one. Lieutenant Commander Jackson majored in Zoology, but he won't be back, I'm told, till late this evening. Once we're done here, I can take you to the Main Zoology Lab...They have a small Entomology Chamber there that the insects can go into for the time being. As for the tissue samples, we can stick those in a freezer."

Esposito took a breath, "Now, if you would come here for a moment, I'd like to show you how we categorize the plants."

Lee walked over and stood a polite distance away, but close enough to see whatever the Lieutenant did. He had an excellent memory and would write down later what he saw. Plants were his kind of thing anyway, so he was enjoying this a lot. Much of what he did was like working...This was like fun time, he had plans on planting a hanging garden in his room. If he ever got to actually stay there.

"Alright, so this is a collective database of all the plant genera and their unique characteristics. You have probably already been taught that most plants, no matter what planet you go to, can fall under the same genus. For example, lets take the first sample you found. I'm already guessing it is a lily, just by the look of it, but lets be sure. First, I narrow the perameters to flowering plants grown from bulbs."

The Chief Botanist looked over at his student to make sure he was taking it all in. Once he realized he was, he continued, "After the search finishes, it will produce the genus that matches the cell structure and genome that we found earlier. As I predicted, this belongs to the lilium genus. So, to name it, you would use its genus and then the second part is usually attributed to the founder, location or other attribute of the plant. Since this was the first lily to be found on Tiberius V, we shall name it Lilium tiberiustus, or the Tiberian Lily."

"Now, how 'bout you try this next sample. I will tell you that is a grass, and look for distinct fusoid cells." Cody stepped away from the console, giving the cadet the spotlight. He was careful to watch over his shoulder and evaluate how he was doing.

Lee followed the steps perfectly and read the results "This appears to be a rice, genus: Oryza. Actually it is very close to Oryza barthii, an African wild rice from earth. Which makes sense considering the location it was taken as it grows in deep stagnant water. This might actually be edible!" Lee looked over for confirmation.

"I think you're right!" Cody confirmed. It wasn't a huge discovery, but Cody tried to act excited for the cadet. "I'll let you name this one if you'd like. Once we're done, we can bring the rest of those samples to the Main Zoology Lab."

Lee smiled "That is all right, but thanks anyway. Tell me, Sir, do you have children? You seem to spend a lot of time with them. I dated a grade school teacher once, she said it was something people can notice about you, that you spend a lot of time around kids."

Cody was caught off guard. He didn't expect a question like that to be asked. Regardless, he tried to answer it. "...No, I don't have any children. I'm not even married...I never noticed I spent a lot of time with them, but..."

Lee smiled "Tell me this then if you would, if I were an enlisted Tech working as your assistant how would you treat me? I respect your experience and skill and would very much like to learn from you. I am also older then most new enlisted techs, and have more experience then most of them as well. I am a Senior Cadet, Sir, not a child. I expect to graduate with honors and am in the top ten of my class. With the guidance of men such as yourself I hope to be an asset to the Fleet." Lee spoke calmy and quietly, just a hint of exasperation in his voice.

"Well," Cody began, making sure to think as he thought, "we always can use the extra help...Its not like starbases fill up fast. So, I guess the answer would be yes." The answer was short and to the point. Cody wasn't one for sappy, drawn-out conversations.

***

Working together, the samples were catagorized swiftly and before long they were all put away. "Looks like we are done here, Sir. Are you ready to go down to Main Zoology Lab?" Lee had spoken little as the work progressed; it seemed inappropriate to try to make small talk.

"Alright," Cody replied. "Just let me get my things and power down some of the systems in here..." The Lieutenant made quick work of what needed to get done before they could head out. As they exited the lab, he took one last look. All was good.

OFF


Lieutenant (JG) Cody Esposito
Chief Botanist
USB Typhon

Cadet Lee Quan
USB Typhon

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