Operating with Scientific Cadets

Posted on Sat Feb 1st, 2025 @ 11:00am by Lieutenant Commander Deanna Celes & Lieutenant Inara Senn

Mission: Training Cruise
Location: USS Washington

Deanna was working with Cadets Kuzma and T'Pol on a cross science and operations project. They were working in the holodeck when Cadet Belor entered and walked over to speak with Deanna. After speaking for only a few moments, the door to the holodeck opened again and a somewhat fuming Inara entered.

Deanna told Iliana to join the other cadets and work on the task they were in the process of completing. She turned to Inara, "I understand your training has had a rather interesting turn of events."

"I'm done with this, Commander. They are arrogant and foolish, and they're going to get themselves and others killed." Inara then turned. "Look I realize Starfleet Command has inadequate common sense. But to repeat history? I'm beginning to come to the conclusion that this is some publicity stunt or another form of politics. If that's the case, I'll gladly disappoint them." Inara was reading some historical texts on a particular group of twentieth century scientists after the Eugenics Wars.

"As you were lieutenant. I am not about to let your misanthropic attitude and constant blind bias towards Red Squad and Command to muddy the waters here. I have been informed of your training method, your apparent lesson, and the cadet informed me of her comical albeit improper response. Now, are you ready to tell me your side of the story, or are you determined to act like a bratty child?" Deanna responded sternly, showing no desire to show any weakness in front of the cadets.

"Belor failed. I have been teaching her how to deal with the things we find out there using unorthodox simulations. Apparently, she's quick to embrace her Cardassian nature, and I would have thought she'd learn something about her failings by now. I gave her the Apollo scenario. She shot the hostage." Inara mentioned. "She will be assigned to Lt. Dalton. He'll give her what she wants, and then we can cycle this publicity stunt out, so it does not disrupt our work. For now, I have to figure out how a group of scientists in the 2010s on Earth got a hold of a sleeper ship in backdoor negotiations with the old US State Department.

"Actually Inara, you are the victim of the cadet seeing your simulation for what it was and deciding to do something she thought would be humorous" Deanna explained. "I will not have you toss her aside simply because she doesn't conform to your ideals. You were wrong to try to force your beliefs on the cadet, and she was wrong for thinking she could not take things seriously and attempt to prank you. Now, I know you hate following StarFleet protocol and procedures, and you are loathe to really function as a teacher, but you are a StarFleet officer, and the captain expects everyone to do their job, and do it right. So you will continue to oversee the cadet regarding scientific work aboard the ship. If that means you have her working with every science team on the ship running scans and other fopher work, so be it, but you will do your job."

Deanna was silent for a moment after her short tirade. "And the answer to your question seems rather obvious. It was the early 21st century, Earth was recovering from the Eugenics War. All sorts of sleeper ships were being launched, some with known destinations, others in secret. you might remember from your StarFleet history class that Kirk and the Enterprise encountered one, which had Khan aboard it with the remainder of his followers. Picard and the Enterprise came across a pair of colonies that had taken one that had its flight plan lost, one colony on a planet with an unstable star which turned out to be Irish immigrants, farmers mostly, and the second colony turned out to be clones. As I recall, the CMO at the time, a Dr. Pulaski ultimately found a solution for both colonies by having them rejoin each other. My suggestion to you is to not look for flight plans, but rather to seek out cargo manifests. The ships had to be loaded."

Inara shook her head. "Talk about being railroaded." She whispered under her breath.

"I'm going to keep the cadet here with me right now. You seem to need to clear your mind" Deanna said flatly. "I'll have her report to you in the morning. That gives you time to work on this side project you seem to be focused on."