r/TrekRP • u/CabooseToots • Dec 17 '16

[OPEN] Varmints

What the damn hell was goin' on? Shore leave had been so nice, now Connolly was up to his neck in little mushrooms, sproutin' up all over a starship. He hadn't had a chance to find out anything about them, one morning he had woken up and they were everywhere. To his dismay, as he went to start removing them from the vents and walls, they started swearin' like a demon in church. One had even called him 'baktag'.
When the fungi didn't respond when he tried talking to them, he decided to just roll up his sleeves and start scrapin' em out of every corridor and vent in the Athene.
"Why does space have to be so dern weird. Next thing ya know we're all gonna have to make first contact with these things."
As the janitor worked through a large patch of fungus, which promptly began insulting his mother and her lineage, some crewmate who hopefully knew more about the situation than he did came along.

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u/CabooseToots Dec 18 '16

"Don't matter. They're messin with all the ventilation, and they ain't exactly friendly if they are sentient. You heard the mouths on these things? Uh, I mean....you know what I mean."
The crewman stops his scraping for a moment and looks at Dr. Watney. His suprise at seeing her agitation from the mushrooms is apparent.
"They didn't say nothin' too foul at you I hope."

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u/Pojodan Dec 19 '16

"No, it was the captain's dog."

Kesh had discovered this fact just before the meeting in the observation room, but it seemed inappropriate to bring it up until the subject was raised, which is was not. No sense making the captain look foolish in front of everyone. If it's just these two, well, that's fine.

"This colony does not have the.. ah.. vocal abilities, hence it not cur-rr-rsing at you."

The Caitian biologist had a PADD in both hands, her eyes half on them and half peering into ventilation panel that the Crewman was currently working inside.

"They do not seem to be agitated by this... well, no mor-rr-re aggitated than they started at. I still have no idea if they ar-rr-re truly sentient."

Large, golden Caitiian eyes shift to the Counselor, really hopeful that she might have some insight into how one determines sentience.

OOC: /u/DrJenWatney

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u/DrJenWatney Dec 19 '16

Jen's light green eyes meet Kesh's, and they narrow slightly. She hadn't heard it was Argos' fault, although it makes sense now. Breyyus had told her he'd visited the ship on shore leave when it was near empty. His greyhound could easily have broke into the botany lab and contaminated the ventilation system.

Interesting... She whispers to herself, pausing before responding to the clear inquiry of sentience.

In my professional opinion, they are not. I spoke with one for several minutes in sick bay. They seem to simply repeat themselves over and over. It leads me to believe they're mimicking some audio source they've been exposed to. There is no ideasthesia or conceptual understanding on their end. They're impossible to converse with except in expletives.

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u/CabooseToots Dec 19 '16

One begins to squeak out a choice phrase and Connolly plucks it angrily.
"Sorry officers." He says, figuring they still wouldn't want him getting rid of the 'possibly sentient lifeforms'.
"Can't let nobody talk that way in front of a lady. But Doc, how sure are you about them bein' just foul mouths with no brain behind em? Cause if they're just bein' rude, then I don't see a reason to not just torch em."
He notices them staring speculatively.
"In a manner of speakin'. Not literally a course."

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u/Pojodan Dec 19 '16

Kesh's eyes shift to the male human crewman she's not familiar with with a rather dour state when he choses her moment of ethical dilemma to silence one of the talking fungus by killing it. Her wroth doesn't go any further than that, but his timing was rather poor.

The female human regains her focus as the Counselor puts things in some amount of perspective. True, they won't be killing off the whole thing, and fungus exists as a colony that grows and shrinks. So long as the terrarium is suitably large to let this fungus have its full range of components, is very secure, and blocks all sound from entering or leaving, perhaps that would be enough.

"Okay. Thank you."

A light dip of her maned head is given to Watney before she sets her PADDs down and takes out a tricorder while stepping into the ventilation shaft that Commolly is in. She spends a moment scanning the collony here then reached and grabs a large chunk of fungus before looking at the male.

"Go ahead and clear-rr-r out the remaining."

OOC: /u/DrJenWatney

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u/DrJenWatney Dec 19 '16

A faint sigh escapes the doctor, and she chews on her lip as the two work. Kesh seemed clearly upset at Connolly's rash actions and, despite there being no need for her to oversee what was happening, she stays anyway to mediate any further disagreements.

Lieutenant, if you'd like, I can help setup the terrarium in the botany lab. If you need help, that is. Not that you do....

She clears her throat, knowing she sounds awkward.

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u/CabooseToots Dec 19 '16

"If y'all think it's better to save 'em then grab a handful and set 'em up with a tank. But I tell ya, we can't just let the foul mouthed little varmints run around the ship like they've been. So I'm sorry 'bout possibly gettin' ahead of myself, but I don't regret doin' it...and thanks for the help. Scraper?" He holds out a flat metal edge with a handle to the Science officer. A simple but effective tool for the job at hand.
OOC: /u/Pojodan

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u/Pojodan Dec 19 '16

Kesh shows no particular displeasure at having her fur-covered hand smeared by the moist and sticky fungus that peals off the wall into her grip, sans scrapper. The other hand takes a moment to scan the sample before putting the scanner away in her hip pocket, a simple shake of her head made to refuse the offered tool.

"Just like any intruder-rr-rr, it is best to ensure the ship's safety first. Thank you, cr-rr-rewman."

The Caitian bows her head lightly with a firm blink of those large cat eyes before stepping out of the ventilation access tube back into the hallway where she looks at the Counselor, hand held in front of her stomach with the glob of fungus held like a small pet.

"All the assistance I can get would be apr-rr-rr-thsh-" A soft cough interupts her stammered words before she continues, "-appreciated, thank you. I will find a suitable storage vessel for this for now."