Meeting of the minds

Posted on Wed Apr 29th, 2020 @ 11:46pm by Commander Dominic Aldrich & Lieutenant Orin Sempton

Mission: Cruel Meridian
Location: Deck 7 - CSO's Office
Timeline: MD 01: 1100 Hours
857 words - 1.7 OF Standard Post Measure

Reminder to self, memorize deck listing. Orin thought grumbling as he stood outside his new CSO's office. He'd gotten lost once and turned around 3 times before finally asking the computer for help. Within minutes, it had deposited him here, outside the office, which he realized he'd passed by at least twice.

Orin pushed his glasses up, letting the nose pieces sit above his eyebrows as he rubbed his eyes. His meeting with the captain had gone surprisingly well considering his expectations. Now it was time to meet his other new boss... Only this one would be reviewing and critiquing all his work. Orin let out a long breath and shrugged his eyebrows, dropping his glasses back to their normal position on his nose, before pressing the alert chime next to the door.

"Come in," Dominic said as he lifted his eyes up from the report he had been preparing about recent sensor calibrations. As the Ensign entered he raised one eyebrow, "Now that is the most interesting thing I've seen all day."

"Uhhh?" Orin began looking around and behind him, wondering what the man was talking about. Not seeing anything, he turned back and stepped through the door. "Sir?"

"The glasses. You know how odd it is the see someone else with glasses when nowadays it seems like everyone just opts to have their vision corrected?" Dominic smiled at the man as he stood, adjusting his own glasses. "Please have a seat," he said motioning to the chair across from his own.

Orin's jaw hung slack for half a second before he drew it quickly shut. "Uh, yes sir." He managed to finally stammer before taking the offered chair, placing his bag on the floor and leather tome on his lap. "I'm Ensign Orin Sempton, your new Xenoarchaeologist."

Dominic nodded, "And what brings you to my Science team, Ensign?"

"Hopefully, Sir, to get something done." He shifted his glasses up, rubbing an eye with his thumb before dropping them back to position. "I-I just transferred onboard, and after talking with the captain, I wanted to introduce myself and get started as soon as possible." He shifted uneasily. "I've not had much to work on that has been sufficiently mentally stimulating in a little while..."

Dominic regarded the man, "And what, specifically, would you find mentally stimulating? You see, you have a very specific skill set that may not always be needed when the sensors are on the fritz. So, tell me, outside of archaeology what you like to investigate."

"Well," Orin began, his voice slipping into a monotone reserved for lecture halls and presentations "Archaeology is just a small subset of Anthropology, and all cadets are given training in the five field approach. This means I could be of use in diplomatic situations using my background in cultural and applied anthropology and I can use my basis in physical anthro to help in the Biology labs. Unfortunately, as you've pointed out, archaeology is somewhat useless unless you have a culture to study and since the invention of the universal translator, linguists haven't been needed." He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I know some stellar cartography, but I'm better at that using ancient tools..." Orin's head drooped, attempting to conceal his growing embarrassment. "Me-mentally stimulating, to me Sir, just means w-working. I'll sweep and mop the labs if you need me to. I-I just want something to do."

Dominic raised an eyebrow, "You just want something to do, eh? It would be a waste of both of our time to simply have you sweep and mop." He stood, walked over to the shelf and picked up an old Egyptian hieroglyph. Picking it up, he set it down in front of Orin and smiled. "You see, Ensign. Just because something isn't immediately seen for its use, doesn't mean it isn't valuable. This old piece of a hieroglyph does nothing for us these days but look nice on the shelf and start discussions. That doesn't mean it isn't valuable. It doesn't mean it can't lead somewhere." Dominic walked back to his chair. "Here is what I want you to do. Take that with you for the rest of the day. Think about how you can come in here and tell me that you are indispensable to me. Give me vision. Don't mop the floors, cover them with conviction. You do that, and I'll give you more work than you can shake a stick at." He liked this officer, he just needed to make him think for a little bit.

Orin stared intently at the chunk of sandstone before him, his brain attempting to suss out time periods and definitions. "My father would be laughing at me right now..." He muttered. He reached out reverently and gently lifted the artifact, placing it tenderly on the tome on his lap. "I will do just that, sir." He looked back at the Chief with new conviction in his eyes. "With your permission, I think it's time to visit the lab."

Aldrich smiled, "By all means, Ensign. You're dismissed."



Lieutenant Commander Dominic Aldrich
Chief Science Officer

Ensign Orin Sempton
Alien Archaeologist/Anthropologist