What's That?

Posted on Mon Sep 2, 2019 @ 9:40pm by Ensign Autumn Rivers & Lieutenant Commander Arrda

Mission: Refits and Reviews
Location: Security
Timeline: MD 1 || 1300 hours

Ensign Autumn Rivers strolled down the corridor with a PADD in her right hand and a map in her head. She studied both while she walked and seemed to avoid bumping into people before they got close enough to her and still didn't look up. However, a muted apology issued from her lips as to not be rude, except in one instance where an alien would have taken offense at the apology and she adjusted her response to an insult instead.

When she reached Security, she entered the foyer of the large complex and looked at a nearby Yeoman. "I wish to find Lieutenant Arrda," she said simply.

The yeoman stopped and blinked at the woman. "Excuse me? Is he expecting you?" she asked, moving to the security check-in desk and opening the appointments application as she spoke.

"Does he need to expect me for me to be here?" Autumn asked.

The yeoman looked up. "No, ma'am, but I do need to know whom to tell him is here." she said, not immediately recognizing the officer before her.

"Ensign Rivers," Autumn said. "Operations and Engineering."

The yeoman nodded, touching keys on the holographic screen before looking back to Rivers. "Go ahead, Ensign." she told the other as she read the response from the chief. She wasn't sure what was going on, but it wasn't for her to worry about. Let the boss deal with it.

"Thank you," she said before she headed to the Chief's office and pressed the door chime.

Inside the office, Arrda was trying to get through the stack of PADDs that seemed to breed every time he left his office for more than five minutes. He didn't seem to be making much headway, though, and so was glad for the distraction. It gave him a chance to stretch, which he did as he stood from the desk, calling, "Enter!"

Autumn entered the office and looked around at all the space and technology. "Hello," she said as she looked at the big man. Even sitting, it was clear he was a giant among the crew. "I'm Ensign Rivers and I've come to introduce myself. I work in Operations and Engineering."

Arrda studied the woman for a moment, then he moved to the table along the wall to the left -- from her position -- of his desk. On it were teas and coffees. One of the coffees had been brewed in a device, and a carafe was sitting on a warmer plate. "Would you like some coffee, Ms. Rivers?" he offered. "Or I can order something from the Replicator if you prefer." He was not sure how long this meeting would last, so it was only fair to offer her something if he was refreshing his coffee.

"I've never had coffee, so it couldn't hurt to try it," she said. "Thank you, Lieutenant."

Arrda paused, hand over the coffee pot, and looked at the young woman. "Never? You know, you're the first person to say that to me." he commented, returning to pouring the Marai coffee from the carafe into two mugs. These, he took and brought to the desk, handing one over to her. "This is not Earth coffee, though. It's from my home world. I hope you like it." He preferred it as it didn't have the bitter undertone to it that Earth coffee did, just the full flavor and a hint of sweetness. "So..." he said after taking a sip of his, "what can I do for you?"

Autumn accepted the coffee and took a minute just seeming to look at it. "Very interesting mixture," she said. "My database indicates that it has a high dosage of caffeine. Does this increase your productivity?" She asked. "And I'd like to take a look at the armory."

Arrda chuckled softly. Having read her file -- as Security, he read everyone's -- he knew what she meant by her databases and how she had scanned his coffee. Being part of the Tri-Alliance with the Lessanthi, he was more than accustomed to AIs. The Legashi version of it was very different, though, and part of him found that fascinating. It didn't bother him, though, that she was analyzing as she was.

"Sometimes it does, yes. Especially when I've worked a long shift already and need to keep focused for a while longer." He studied her for a moment, critically, at her last statement. "Why would you like to see the armory?" he asked. She was Operations with a secondary in Engineering, not Security, so that had caught him as... odd.

"Merely to run a check on everything that Operations says we have," she responded. "Being in Operations, I like to keep a mental list of everything so I don't have to access the LCARS every time I have a question."

Arrda thought about that a moment, then nodded. It did make sense. "I can do that, but I must accompany you at all times." he answered. It wasn't that he didn't trust her; it was that he had learned long ago to be careful, no matter whether he trusted someone or not. "Just procedure."

He considered the woman for another moment, sipping his coffee. "That memory must be a bit of a double-edged sword, hm?" Sure, it meant that she remembered all of the tiny details she needed to for her work, but it would also remember all the tiny details of things she'd likely rather forget, wouldn't it? Seemed to him, that was a bit of a mixed blessing.

"Not really, because I'll be able to access the ship's computer when Commodore Aravan authorizes me," Autumn said. "There's a probationary period for Lagashi in Starfleet before we are granted access to link it to our hardware. Once I'm authorized, I can correct the numbers automatically and make my reports directly. I don't have a problem with you accompanying me."

Arrda blinked. They were obviously on different wavelengths. "I'm sorry. I guess I wasn't very clear. What I meant by the two-edged sword was that a memory like that can be good in the ways you just specified. But by the same token, wouldn't it tend to hold things you'd rather forget as well?" That was what he'd thought anyway. Maybe it was not so for her; and if that was the case, good for her.

"Not at all," she responded. "I process everything and then analyze it and apply the best way of coping with it and store it."

Arrda stared at the woman for a moment. Having grown up in the Tri-Alliance, he had a very open mind about a lot of things. The way she spoke made him think of Artificials. Well, some anyway. But she was organic... though blended with an AI. That had to have some interesting effects on a person's personality, he figured.

"So... then what most people would consider bad memories... they don't trouble you?" She had made him curious, but he was well aware that he might be treading into ground he should step away from. It just... it was odd. The only other person he'd known with an eidetic memory, which was similar but not the same exactly, had told him that while you never forgot the good things, you never forgot the bad ones either, and they were always crystal clear. So her answer had thrown him just a bit.

"Whether they trouble me or not really isn't relevant, Lieutenant Arrda," Autumn replied. "I'm here to get an inventory of the weapons. Sir."

She was right, and he knew it. He also had the common decency to look apologetic and slightly embarrassed. "Apologies. Intrusion wasn't my intention. I admit to a bit of curiosity since I have known a few people who had eidetic memories. I wondered how similar and how different it was. But you are right; it's none of my business, and I apologize."

Well, that's enough stupid for you today, Arrda! he chastised himself, taking his mug and standing. "And you are quite right; we should begin that inventory." Rounding his desk, he moved to the door and stopped when it opened, the modern equivalent to holding a door for a lady. "If you will just follow me, please?"

"Your apology is accepted, Lieutenant," Autumn said. "Perhaps we can meet off duty and discuss things further there. I have many questions about your species as well." She headed after him.

Arrda smiled at her as she passed him. "I would enjoy that." he agreed. When she had passed, he let the doors to his office close and fell into step with her, guiding her through the Security areas on Deck 22 toward the Armory. "You just let me know when is convenient, and we'll work it out." he offered as they walked.

When they reached the Armory, he entered his code -- there was no point in hiding it; she could get it from the computer, but it wouldn't work for her anyway -- and stepped aside to allow her to precede him into the room. "You may examine anything, catalog it, and whatever else you need to do. I will be right behind you but will not interfere unless needed."

"Even the weapons that require the Commodore's authorization to even get to?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Arrda fixed her with a look that basically meant, 'You already know that answer.' but shook his head. "I can't show you what I don't have access to, can I?" he asked somewhat rhetorically, but with a smile.

"If you don't have access to it, there's a problem, but having the authorization is a different story," Autumn quipped and headed towards where the grenades were. "Let's see. Photon. Stun. EMP. Where's your audible grenades?" she asked.

He shook his head slightly at her. "You knew what I meant." he said, frowning at the question. "Sonic only or Sonic and Light?" he asked. There were some that only produced a lot of noise, but there were also what Humans called 'flash-bangs' which produced a lot of noise coupled with a bright flash of light meant to temporarily blind their opponent as well as the deafening effect of the sound.

"Audio only," she clarified. "I have seen in the database archives of the past, they deployed one hundred and thirty decibel sound grenades to stun large segments of crowds. It also was found to damage auditory organs at anything above one hundred and ten decibels. I would recommend getting the one hundred and ten decibel grenades and launchers, Sir."

Arrda considered the woman and her words. In some ways, he was surprised they didn't have them already given how much Starfleet preferred to stun opponents rather than kill them. Such stun grenades would make a lot of sense in this environment. "I will note that in my next report to the Commodore. Thank you." He smiled. "Any other ideas you would care to share?"

"Not at the present," the Lagashi Ensign said as she finished going over the Type II pistols, charging stations, power cells and records. "Have you introduced any of your people's weapon technology to Starfleet?"

He shook his head. "Our personal weapons aren't like yours." he said more by way of information. "They're biotech, and they choose their wielder as much as we choose them." he explained, his left hand going unconsciously to stroke the weapon coiled around his right arm beneath his sleeve as he did. He frowned as he continued. "And as to ship weapons, I had thought of talking to the Commodore about a couple of them, but had not had the opportunity as of yet."

"It does not take long to submit a request, does it?" Autumn asked with a confused look.

Arrda shook his head. "No, I suppose it doesn't." he admitted. He supposed it was old habits that had made him want to deliver that request face-to-face. But it wasn't necessary, he guessed. If the commodore had questions, he knew where to find Arrda. "That is a valid point. Thank you."

"You are welcome." Soon, Autumn was finished with the Type III phaser rifles and moved once again. "I am detecting a variance of point one eight in the last row of chargers," she said.

Arrda came up behind her and looked over her shoulder at the readings on the tricorder. A frown slid over his features as he read the screen. It did indeed show a variance, and he had told the person responsible for these that he wanted no more than point zero five at the most. Someone had not been doing their job, and he was going to deal with it when he was finished with this.

"Noted, thank you. I will have them tended to when I have finished with your tour," he told her, noting it on his PADD. "What else do you need to see?"

'This covers it for now," the Ensign said as she finished the last of the phasers and power cells. "Thank you for letting me in here to inventory these."

Arrda nodded. "Of course. And thank you for your input and suggestions." He escorted her from the Armory and back to his office where they had begun. "Is there anything else I can help you with?" he asked, not in a desire to get rid of her but because he wanted to make sure she had everything she needed before he moved on to the next thing he had to do for the day.

Autumn cocked her head to the left a fraction and her eyes sort of glazed over, then she shook her head. "No, that'll be all for now. Thank you, Lieutenant."

He nodded with a smile. "Then I will let you get back to your work, and I shall return to mine."