Anemorphilous

Posted on Tue Mar 26th, 2019 @ 12:33am by Commander Dominic Aldrich & Petty Officer 3rd Class Tox Chara

Mission: Sojourn
Location: Marga III
1165 words - 2.3 OF Standard Post Measure

The ship's high strung botanist, PO3 Tox Chara, was waiting in Transport Room Two with her specimen containers neatly packed in the large pack strapped to her back. No one had actually signed up for her "Plantspedition" -- which she advertised would be a rigorous hike atop the breathtaking cliffs overlooking the central rainforests of Marga III -- but it didn't stop her from having hope that someone might still show up yet. They just forgot to RSVP.

"We still have two minutes," she told the transporter operator, who barely resisted rolling his eyes.

Dominic had only been on the ship for a few hours when he saw the notice for a trip to the surface for a biological study. Knowing that he'd be swamped with catch up duties as the new Chief in the coming days, he decided to go on the survey. After securing his field pack and permission from the CO, he headed to the designated Transporter Room. As he opened the doors, the room was mostly empty save for the transporter operator and a young, Female, Bolian crewman.

"Petty Officer Chara, I presume," Dominic said as he stepped closer to her.

"Tox, please," the botanist said as she spun around to find an unfamiliar face. It caught her a bit off-guard and she eventually added with a warm smile, "and I thought I knew everyone aboard, Commander." She seemed relieved that someone else was giving up part of their shore leave for her little expedition.

"I actually just came aboard a few hours ago. I'm Dominic Aldrich, the new Chief Science Officer. I'm actually glad I was able to make it. I know I'll have a lot of desk work coming up so I thought it would be nice to get out and meet some of my new team." He them raised an eyebrow, "Where is everyone by the way?"

"If we're being honest, I didn't think anyone was going to show," Tox picked up a pack that was leaning against the bulkhead and shoved it into the commander's arms. "Now it's just you and me." She flashed him a smile and stepped onto the transport platform.

Dominic was somewhat surprised, but then perhaps not everyone was like him and spent his shore leave actually working in a slightly relaxed manner. "Very well," he said as he stepped up next to her. "At least with only two of us, it'll be easier to compare notes and samples."

"That's the spirit, sir," Tox said before giving a nod to the transporter chief.

---

The small science team materialized atop a forested cliff. Several meters away, over the cliff, the sound of the ocean could be heard breaking on the rocks below. In the other direction, the heavy screen of deciduous trees dipped down toward a distant valley.

Tox pulled a tricorder off her hip and scanned around in a slow circle. "I picked this particular area because of the high moisture rate in the soil. I'm hoping for some interesting fungi. It's the only kind of guy I seem to be able to get these days. Fun. Guy. Fungi." She lifted her brow ridges at her own joke. "Get it?"

Dominic smiled. "Ah yes. That's an oldie but goodie." He looked around and asked, "what do we know about the flora of this planet?" He knelt and examined a small white flower with no leaf structures.

"Interestingly, this planet lacks insect pollinators," Tox told him as she squatted down to examine a small fungal growth with a bright red bloom. "It has less than five percent of the insect population of a comparable ecology on, say, Risa. Plants have adapted to use airborne pollination methods. I find that fascinating because it's so very inefficient.. but they find a way." She took out a small sample container and captured part of the fungal body for later study.

"That is interesting. I'm also wondering what their primary method of energy production is. With no leaf structures on this flower, for instance, it has no real surface for photosynthesis. Clearly, it must have some other method but without an analysis it isn't clear." He plucked as much of the plant as he could and placed it in a sample container before looking around. He noticed that most of the life around them appeared fungal in nature. "Other than the low insect count, what about other animal life levels? Could they have adapted to carry genetic material between plants?"

"No photosynthesis?" Tox pondered that and the commander's question as she stored away the sample and joined him to look at his leafless flower. "I mean we know animals can carry seeds and, to an extent, pollen, but I've never heard of an animal-plant symbiosis quite like what you might be suggesting. Have you encountered this before?"

"Not exactly. There are cases of documented symbiosis, but normally it is very lopsided. Then you have the example of a Venus Fly Trap, but that is strictly for energy production not really a full life-cycle symbiosis. It is also possible that this flower does grow leaves at other times of the planet's year, but without observation and analysis I just don't know. It is possible that a soil sample may also tell us something about their energy production." He bent down and took a small soil core sample.

The branches from the trees nearby rustled in the wind as it changed direction, pushing in cooler, moist air. The sunlight disappeared behind a dark cloud cover.

"I think we might in for a bit a storm," Tox speculated, looking at the sky. "I'm going to try to find a couple more fungal specimen before the rain starts."

"Sounds good. I'll look around for a spot that we can try to wait it out." As Commander Aldrich looked around, he noticed that the area was mostly flat and featureless. However, about fifty yards away was a small, rocky, outcropping the may provide some cover. We sent the coordinates to Tox's tricorder and began making his way as he looked for other specimens to collect.

Tox arrived at the rocky outcroppings just as the wind was starting to pick up and lightning was crossing the sky. The ion charge in the air seemed to have a particularly noticeable quality, similar to what happens before a storm, but magnified greatly.

Dominic considered what they had collected and the coming storm and said, "It may not be a good idea for us to ride this thing out. Despite this minimal cover, we are still fairly exposed.

Tox nodded, holding up her hand as a visor to keep the rain out of her eyes. "That sounds like a command decision for you to make, sir. I didn't get everything I wanted, but I understand."

"We'll come back, I promise." Dominic keyed his communicator, "Two to beam up, Majestic."


OFF:

Lt. Cmdr. Dominic Aldrich
CSO, USS Majestic


Petty Officer 3rd Class Tox Chara
Botanist, USS Majestic