Taking Stock

Posted on Thu Feb 27th, 2020 @ 8:48pm by Commodore Jane Saulitis

Mission: Cruel Meridian
Location: USS Majestic Deck 12 Cargo Bay 3
Timeline: MD 02 10:00 Hours
1046 words - 2.1 OF Standard Post Measure

M'Jart held a PADD that contained the latest Supply Manifest from the Starbase. Usually she could do these checks from the Ops office, but for some reason the internal sensors in Cargo Bay 3 were malfunctioning, so it had to be done by hand.

"Lieutenant, have you seen the crate of geological equipment?" She asked her colleague who was at the other end of the Bay.

Kav had accompanied Chief S'Rem on the stock check ups. Normally this could be done by one person. But he learned that having company could be beneficial and also very efficient. When he heard her call him he looked around as he checked for the number on the list he was holding. He quickly found the box she was referring to. "Yes, Chief, I got it here." He scanned the barcode with his tricorder and assured himself of the content. "Everything seems to be present and accounted for."

He found it refreshing to work with the chief. She seems to be just as focused and concentrated on her work as he was. Not that the others on the crew weren't like that, but sometimes it felt hard to be among a crew full of emotions and always on display. He had adjusted of course, but this was a pleasant change for him, he had to admit.

"I am sure the Science Department would happy to hear that." M'Jart said. She liked the Lieutenant, he didn't try to engage her in pointless conversations about weather or ask her if she were well. If she were unwell, she would visit the Sickbay.

The SerNumi scanned what should have been a crate of engineering components, but her tri-corder told her it was full of lime jello. "Lieutenant, could you come here, and scan this crate, my tri-corder reads it as containing lime jello."

Kav walked over to M'Jart and started to scan the crate. He started to punch something on his tricorder and then scanned it again. "I think your tricorder is adequate, unless my tricorder has the same error." He walked up to the crate and punched in a code and then opened the crate and looked in it. He then stepped aside to let the chief look in to it."

M'Jart looked into the crate and sure enough it was filled with a green gelatinous compound. "It appears to be lime jello." She told the Vulcan.

Min knew the places she was allowed to roam but this particular door was not on either of her lists. She stepped up to it and sure enough it opened for her so she ventured in, her notebook and pen in hand to see what she could discover. "Hello." She said to a humanoid who was bending over a container.

Kav turned around and looked at the young girl. He raised his eyebrow. He then turned back and said, "I think the jello is not our only problem." He turned back to the girl. "Can we help you, miss....?"

"My name is Min. I'm here visiting my godfather. "What are you doing? Can I look? I'm reporting on activities all over the ship, I could even draw you and include you as part of my report."

Kav put the lit of the crate they were inspecting down. "We are currently taking stock of our inventory. We are operations officers, this is what we do. Do you have permission to be here, Miss Min?" He now asked a bit suspicious yet serious.

"This isn't one of the areas on the Captain's restrictive list. I checked," replied Min cheerfully. "Can I help?"

Kav didn't do children well, since he never had any children. But the child reminded him of his younger sister T'Meela when she was this age, only T'Meela was a bit more Vulcan, but she was extremely curious. He studied her a bit and then said, "If the Captain allows it, then I see no reason you cannot help us." He looked to M'Jart. "What do you think, Chief?" He raised both his eyebrows, "we do need to solve this mystery of the missing engineering supplies replaced with the jello." His voice was serious and monotone, as could be expected from a Vulcan. He realised the child was obviously here to learn something, so he wouldn't mind indulge her.

"Okay, Miss Min, what do you know about lime jello?" M'Jart asked the little girl.

"I . . .," Min said looking back and forth between the two of them. "Nothing, I don't even know what it is." She reached her hand down in there and touched the substance which jiggled and caused her to jump back in surprise and then giggle.

Kav still looked half surprised and half curious. He titled his head at the child's reaction. He then reached into the crate taking out one of the jellos. He then took out another one with his other hand. He took that last one in his mouth and said, "Jellos are also an Earth's dessert. Would you like one, Min?" He took a bite as he offered the other one to her. His brother told him, children are more trusting to eat something if you take some yourself too.

"What's in it?" Min asked skeptically. She knew most Earth foods wouldn't hurt her but this stuff looked really weird and she'd never herd of it before.

"Gelatin, a chemical extracted from animals." M'Jart explained.

Her eyes became very wide. "I'm an animal."

"Yes, but this comes from cattle." M'Jart said.

"Oh." Somehow Min seemed to be okay with that. She ate beef after all. She looked down at it again. "Where did it come from?"

"We don't know." M'Jart said.

"Weird," Min said. "But I shall investigate!" Min happily hopped away without another word, leaving the other two standing there.

Kav raised his eyebrow as the child hopped away. "Well, the easiest way would be to check the shipment records. It is possible they made a mistake when we were docked for resupply."

Min didn't hear anything that was said after that. She had a mission now and would get to the bottom of this jello stuff.

---

Lieutenant Junior Kav
Operations officer

Min
Mini Ambassador/Murphy's goddaughter
PNPC by Saulitis

Chief Petty Officer S'Rem
Assistant Chief Operations Officer