Scene II: The March

[moarhair]

T'Mirras blushes and turns away. She wills her facial muscles to return to their usual neutral expression. She risks a glance at A'Kora, only to see her frown and... pout? Some of the tension leaves T'Mirras' shoulders.

 

She waits a moment, giving the other Vulcan a moment to compose herself. "Admiration is not the usual reaction I get from other Vulcans when it comes to my... eccentricities. Disapproval is the more common response."

 

T'Mirras pauses, her eyes searching A'Kora's face, wondering if she's found a kindred spirit. She looks away. "I... grew up on a multicultural Starfleet ship," she says, hesitantly at first. "My parents and I were the only Vulcans on it. I was nine years old when I first met another. My parents did their best to teach me our ways, but... well, their work kept them busy. I spent a lot of time surrounded by humans, Bolians, Andorians, Tellarites... I learned a lot from them. This diversity of perspectives and approaches is Starfleet's, and the Federation's, greatest strength."

 

T'Mirras looks back at A'Kora, trying to gauge her reaction, before turning back to her work. "What about you? Did you grow up on Vulcan?"

[Roughtrade]

“Those other Vulcans are idiots.”  A’Kora says.

 

”There is a human phrase I was taught when I first began working with them.”  She says, avoiding for the moment the urge to initiate percussive calibration upon her tricorder.   “I was apprenticed first to a small freighter working the Kason corridor along the Triangle.”

 

“Of little importance other than this was not Starfleet.  The Engineer used to say computers are nothing but really fast, really stupid adding machines.  Simply stated; computers can count to one.  Positive, negative, signal or no signal.   Zero.  One.  And that is all that a computer does.”   Her grip on the tricorder tightens as she forcefully attempts to initiate the data processing.

 

“A program can be written, and it can be very complicated, so complicated that it seems indistinguishable from a living entity.  But ultimately, it is just a machine counting very, swiftly.   It cannot overcome difficulties unforeseen by the one who programmed it.”  

 

A’Kora shrugs.  “I feel most Vulcans can be described in this fashion as well.  Humans compromise more than eighty percent of Star Fleet.  The ability to assume their methodology at will is an admirable adaptation.  Stubborn insistence on doing everything ‘The Vulcan Way’ reveals a flaw in character and an illogical failure to accept reality.”

 

“With that said, overcoming years of ones own cultural norms and societal influence is difficult.  As with many learned habits, recognizing the problem is much easier than implementing the solution.  I admire your ability, even if it comes from the unique environment of your youth.”

In obvious frustration, A’Kora ceases her attempt to reprogram her tricorder.  Obvious meaning her brow has a single crease and her lips remain tightly pressed.  The former pout might have been a display for show in an attempt to mimic human behavior, but this is real anger.  She takes a deep breath, closes her eyes and releases the emotion, returning to a state of stoic equilibrium.

 

“It seems for the engineering tricorder to accept slaving it’s functions over to support Mister Hesk in his observations would require a destructive reconfiguration which would render it useless for the purpose of identifying the parts which we will require to return the Halo to the functionality necessary to return to the Firefly.”  Sigh.   “It is unable to overcome its programming.”

 

 

OOC

I am sure by this time, Star Trek has quantum computers that can recognize four states, or even some other particle that allows them to recognize 64 states.  But the basic concept remains.  Other than massive leaps forward, such as Data and other true Artificial Intelligences, computers will always be nothing more than really quick counting devices.   

 

 

 

Complete

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Maester1216]

"Don't suppose you tried turnin' it off and back on again? Usually works for me when mine's actin' all jittery." Hesk puts in a half-joke when the opportunity presents itself, hopeful for the chance to ease the tension or otherwise raise his team's spirits.

 

While his tricorder is processing some data, Hesk looks up for a moment to take in the scenery once more. "You know, this really is a right pretty spot. Our friends metamorphic issues notwithstanding, I could see myself summering here for a spell. Good hiking with magnificent views, beautiful flora; no combadges, no tricorders or padds, just you and the quiet splendour of nature. Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air... really, who wouldn't want a few weeks of bivouacking?"

 

With that Hesk turns back to his data, whistling a jaunty tune as he processes more information on the forest.

OOC/Mechanics

Another Reason + Science roll at Difficulty 2 for the second part of the Extended Task, Comparative Exobiology applying as a focus. Those two Assists from T'Mirras and A'Kora brought our total Momentum to three, so I'm gonna spend all three for two extra dice. (-3 Momentum).

 

So we've got two successes and two complications. Interesting.

 

The total value of the Work Roll was 7, so that would be another Breakthrough. However per the rules on p.91(If the Work track is filled, or if one or more Work is made after reduction for Resistance, when the Work track was already full, the character achieves a Breakthrough), would that count for another Breakthrough as well?

 

Untapped Potential'll add a point of Momentum to the Pool.

 

Current Momentum: 1/6

 

And for those interested, here's the tune Hesk's whistling while he works.

 

Edited July 16, 2022 by Maester1216 (see edit history)

[Scarecrow71]

After spending some time analyzing the plants in a decent-enough area, Hesk is able to determine which portions of the vegetation are safe and which ones are hazardous.  He can see that a specific species of plant, a type of mushroom with orange ribbing, gives off some odd-looking spores that seem to choke the air out of the space that they float in.  He can point them out, and you can plot a safe course through the flora so that you avoid the areas where these mushrooms grow in larger clumps.  Unfortunately, while he was doing his analysis, he was working too close to a clump of them, and he ended up breathing in too much of the spores.  He begins to cough, and he starts to grow pale rather rapidly.  This doesn't stop him from wanting to push on to the outpost, but you can tell that he is sick and needs medical attention.

 

Eventually you are able to make it through the vegetation and get to the science outpost.  The station itself, a small, single-story building no larger than perhaps two or three houses crammed together, is intact, but heavy damage is evident along the structure's exterior.  The damage is mostly dents and punctures marring the surface, but a few areas are scorched as if by phaser fire.  The sole entrance you can see on this side of the building - and, really, the only entrance you can find should you decide to circle the building - has been left slightly ajar.

 

MechanicsThreat: 12

Momentum: 1

Complication: Hesk is POISONED, and the difficulty for all tasks he makes from this point on are at +2 unless he is healed. One level of poison can be removed by using his Medical Kit (Reason + Medicine, standard difficulty of 2, or 4 if Hesk does it himself). The second level of being poisoned can only be removed by adding 2 to the Threat pool.

[Maester1216]

"Aha! That should about do it. The spores of these Omphalotus-like mushrooms seem to cause highly localized hypoxia in the space they pass through, quite literally sucking up oxygen around them. Nothing else in this forest seems anymore dangerous than normal flora, so all we have to do is avoid the areas thick with them and-" Hesk's speech is cut off as a burst of spores unexpectedly enshrouds his face, causing him to fall on his backside while trying to catch his breath... an act that was becoming harder and harder as the moments passed. A coughing fit wracks Hesk's body, but through raspy breaths he manages to sound out what's happening for the others. "Like C-Carbon... Mon-oxide p-p...poisoning. No time... for t-treatment. Tough... it out. Deal with it... at outpost" With that he begins tottering through the forest along the proscribed path.

 

A few moments of confused pacing notwithstanding the team does eventually reach the science outpost, at which point Hesk nearly keels over against the side of the building. Letting his medkit fall to his side, the Ensign takes several laborious breaths before speaking. "Need... Dexalin. Perhaps... Dylovene, a-s w..ell. Should... clear o-ut spores a...and comp-ensate for... oxygen deprivation."

 

OOC/Mechanics

I'll add two Threat to the Threat pool to remove the level of Poisoned requiring as much.

 

I'm gonna spend the 1 point of Momentum in our pool to activate Collaboration: Medicine. Whoever takes the lead on the Reason + Medicine Task to heal Hesk can use his score in Medicine, as well as one of his Focuses (Emergency Medicine is likely the only one really applicable though).

 

Current Momentum: 0/6

 

[moarhair]

T'Mirras raises an eyebrow at A'Kora's comparison between Vulcans and computers. Having regained her composure, she simply nods at the compliment. She spends another second looking curiously at the other Vulcan, then turns back to her own tricorder to resume her scan.

 

She looks up at the doctor's triumphant cry. When he collapses, she rushes towards him, but stops a few steps short. She waits for the spores to flutter to the ground, but by the time they have, the doctor is up and shambling towards the outpost. She catches up to him, takes his arm and puts it around her shoulder so she can help support him the rest of the way to the outpost. "You should not push yourself. You can lean on your team. In this case, literally," she says, matter-of-fact.

 

T'Mirras takes the opportunity to listen to the doctor's breathing and heartbeat, her Vulcan ears able to pick up their details in such close proximity. When they reach the outpost and he collapses against the side of the building, T'Mirras turns to the others. "The spores have reached his bronchi, but not his lungs. His heart rate is dangerously elevated... I think. I am not well-versed in Grazerite physiology."

 

OOC

Took some liberty with the location of the spores since Maester1216 added Threat to lower the Poisoned level.

 

Edited July 18, 2022 by moarhair (see edit history)

[Maester1216]

"Not...made of...sugar..." Hesk mutters a belated response to T'Mirras as he musters up the energy to start sifting through his Medkit. Despite his comrade's apparent lack of insight on Grazerite physiology, she had more or less hit the nail on the head; Hesk's increased heart was as much a response to the reduced oxygen levels in his body as a nervous reaction. He needed to act now and come up with the right cocktail of drugs to kill the spores and regulate the oxygen levels in his body. As luck would have it he had a few small doses of Dexalin and Dylovene on hand, which he swirled together in a vial before attaching it to his Hypospray and then injecting it into his neck.

 

The mixture seems to have proven successful, as Hesk's skin begins to take on a far healthier blush than before even as his breathing steadies. Slowly but surely he stands himself up and shakes the fatigue of his brief illness from his body. "Well now... that was a might scary there for a spell. I'll have to have someone gimme a once over once we get back aboard the Firefly, make sure there's no permanent damage. Now then, what's say we check this ol' base out?"

 

OOC/Mechanics

I'll roll the Reason + Medicine to clear the remaining level of poison. With the level requiring adding Threat I believe it should only be Difficulty 3. I'll add 3 points to the Threat Pool for two extra dice as well.

 

Task was completed with a point of Momentum generated, which I'll bank.

 

Current Momentum: 1(Generated from Task)

Current Threat: 17(14+3 for extra dice)

 

Edited July 21, 2022 by Maester1216 (see edit history)