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EPIL: S [D06|1300] Rather On the Nose

[ Lt. JG Sinead O'Riley | Biology Lab | Deck 9 | Vector 02, The Sword | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Arista
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“Deck, nine,” said Sinead slowly and carefully. She knew well the issues Meony had with turbolifts which struggled to fathom her thick southern accent, and there were times when Sinead herself had this issue in her early years. She'd since developed the habit of speaking clearly and carefully her desired destination, though there were times when she was under pressure, that she'd fire off a location in a hurry, and it would result in her having to repeat herself.

She had heard of the Cardassian she was about to see through her fellow Resolvers. The man had been instrumental in aiding them during their flight and eventual integration with Theurgy. Meony also seemed to have a special relationship of sorts with him. The fiery haired pilot always did seem to make the most curious friends, but all of them people of incredible talent and capabilities, perhaps like Meony herself, who was by far one of the most talented of survivors, always coming out from the worst scrapes somehow. The cowgirl had attributed it to her being mostly too stupid to die.

As she approached, and more by habit than anything else, Sinead made her entrance stealthy, all but sneaking up to the Cardassian unannounced, and she spoke up, “Hello there.”

Re: EPIL: S [D06|1300] Rather On the Nose

Reply #1 –
[ Dr. Silim Parnak | Biology Lab | Deck 9 | Vector 02, The Sword | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Triage
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Sitting comfortably, Parnak stretched idly behind his desk. The day have progressed far better that he had expected. Firstly, he had the pleasure in being joined for breakfast. Now, in his hand he held a PADD that contained the scans that he had taken of a known infected Câroon.

Initially they had showed very little, but Silim knew the secret would lay within them. Just like an onion, he needed to peel away each layer until all but the core of the truth remained. Over his lunch he had pondered and programmed a new search method to sequence and search the nucleic acids. The smallest details often held the biggest secrets.

Now the programme was compiling, after which it would run, and he could do his analysis. For now, however, he could just sit back and relax. The day had been productive enough already. His mind could wander and like before in those sorts of situations, his found himself humming a song. It was old and a song from his past, something telling for those who had the right sort of ear.

Wistfully daydreaming, he hadn’t noticed that he had been joined in his workspace. That was, of course, until she spoke. Turning, Parnak appraised her immediately. No blue collar, thank goodness. He had had enough of his allocated workspace trying to be commandeered from the hybrid who had latched on like a proverbial limpet.

If she wasn’t here for his workspace, then it did raise the question of her purpose here. Had someone hung a sign in the corridor? The Doctor is in? Come and stare at the Cardassian?

Watching the girl in silence for moment, Silim wondered if he should think about charging an entrance fee.

“What an interesting intonation you have, my dear.” He finally commented, as if suddenly breaking from a spell. Bumbling, thoughtful Professor Parnak was gone. In his stead was business Parnak. Indicating with an open palm, he gestured to the chair for guests in front of his desk before bringing his hands back together with steepled fingers. As with most interactions, he held a calm, pleasant smile on his face.

“Now, what is it that I can do for you?”

Re: EPIL: S [D06|1300] Rather On the Nose

Reply #2 –
[ Lt. JG Sinead O'Riley | Biology Lab | Deck 9 | Vector 02, The Sword | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Arista
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She had studied the man thoughtfully, making note of his demeanour, and trying to recognize the song he was humming. She took note of all the nearby objects, the relatively distance from the door to where she stood, and the tactical advantages and disadvantages presented to her. It was her instincts kicking in again, to always be prepared for the unexpected, and she was analyzing him based on the potential threats he represented. This was his domain.

When he turned around to look at her, he seemed to be similarly studying her. Idle curiosity, or doing the same thing she was?

He wanted to get right down to business, which was acceptable. Moving with languid grace, she settled into the proffered chair, and considered for a moment her wording. “Yeh have skills tha' I will be needin' t' assist me in a project, if yeh be willin'.”

She watched him with her usual unreadable mask, “D'yeh knowh th' fundamentals o' translatin' olfactory senses into a data stream. It do be like makin' a sense o' smell for a compewtah.”

Re: EPIL: S [D06|1300] Rather On the Nose

Reply #3 –
[ Dr. Silim Parnak | Biology Lab | Deck 9 | Vector 02, The Sword | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Triage
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Silim Parnak watched his guest with amused scrutiny. A half smile etched upon his lips. She took the chair and in doing so, Parnak knew she wasn’t here to just rattle the cage. Despite there being another Cardassian aboard, he knew that he didn’t wear the Federation uniform. Tensions still continued to be high between Starfleeters and the Cardassian Union. Though he had only been subject to coarse words and a small, minor altercation, he knew he was on a ship of great emotional strain. If Parnak really wanted to antagonise, he’d probably declare the entire Federation sore winners.  

However, that was not what was happening here. It was best not to get swept in in his own mind and the short-givings of his current, albeit temporary, homestead. Not when there was a visitor to entertain.

Entertain she certain did. When she chose to go straight for the charm offense, using his skill as an opener, Parnak couldn’t help but give a soft, gentle snort of mirth.

“It is always such a pleasure to have your reputation precede you.” He said with a light, almost cloying sweetness. Of course, he was truthful. It was always nice for someone to know of your work. That said, there was a subtle hidden meaning in the words he chose. A small slither of sarcasm underneath the surface.

She hadn’t introduced herself. Much akin to others, who wouldn’t be named, this woman had waltzed into his workspace on a whim to disrupt the flow without so much of a passing reference to her moniker. All he had to go on was a gold collar and a couple of pips.

When his guest moved onto the actual topic for her being here, Parnak paused, turned off the screen on his PADD and placed it face down onto the desk in front him. He furrowed his brow, contemplating the request.

“Of course, I could build the framework to map and replicate a sensory input.” He said, matter of factly.  Deep brown eyes looking into the core of the woman sat before him. “…But what would the point?”

Re: EPIL: S [D06|1300] Rather On the Nose

Reply #4 –
[ Lt. JG Sinead O'Riley | Biology Lab | Deck 9 | Vector 02, The Sword | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Arista
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“It be a project I am workin' on,” said Sinead evenly, as it was the truth, yet she omited more than she was willing to divulge. She needed Silim Parnak's help, that did not mean she was going to involuntarily induct him into Starfleet Science Division. “Do forgive meh, my name is Sinead O'Riley. I be in haste t' get started on this endeavour. It be a long time in th' makin'.”

The man was a conundrum. Every sentence seemed veiled with a duality. Like there were double meanings behind every word, and he was gauging her for whatever secrets she kept. There were very few. Still, the realization she might have to dance her way around him, bandying words, made her head hurt. She wasn't fond of thinking her words through like taking tentative steps on a bridge made of straw. She tried to recall what she knew about Cardassian mentality, and she came to the conclusion that she spent more time figuring out how to kill them rather than how to understand their culture and nature.

“In th' long runh,” she began to explain, “this will for somethin' tha' will be a greath help to us all. Think of it as a highly specialized computer tha' can identify through a sense o' smell of its own. It do be th' start of an ever-growin' concept I be having.”

She tilted her head to regard Silim thoughtfully, and then leaned forward, her silvery-blue eyes almost shining under any shadow, “Will yeh be willin' t' help me? I have th' base schematics t' be housin' the specialized microchip.”

Re: EPIL: S [D06|1300] Rather On the Nose

Reply #5 –
[ Dr. Silim Parnak | Biology Lab | Deck 9 | Vector 02, The Sword | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Triage
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While she spoke, Parnak continued his appraisal of the woman. Finally, she had deemed it appropriate to give her name. At least that was one piece of the puzzle. The rest, however, was less obvious.

The human tried to dart around the details of the topic, first by playing to the greater good, then by pushing the ask for help alongside the promise of diagrams. The attractive, lithe timbre of the way she spoke aside, she said nothing to convince the elder Cardassian. He had seen this approach before.

Too many students had come to his door, imploring him to help on their own personal goals or projects which would revolutionise the galaxy. Each time they had had ill-conceived notions that would serve no real purpose, or they were just trying to convince him to do the work that were incapable of.

“My dear, I don’t know who put you up to this, but I am a rather busy man.” The words may have been harsh, but there was no malice in Parnak’s face. To the contrary, as he delivered his opinion of his own workload, there was a small bemused curl to his lip. 

“Besides, I have no desire to work on a project in which the end goal is kept from me. For all I know your ultimate aim is for some sort of…” He waived his hand, trying to think of the best way to describe it “… smell seeking missile. “

In reality, Parnak didn’t really believe there was any real weaponization that could happen to digital odour detection. Instead, he was using this opportunity to be dramatic. To deny so that his guest would have no doubt to dig deep to win him to the cause, and in doing so she would give him something he wanted. What prize she could give, was yet to be discovered.

“You say that this will be a great help to us all, but I have no use for an olfactory device.” He shrugged nonchalantly, as if dismissing the importance of her work and ideals. Cardassians often worked or the greater good of the state or for themselves. Not usually for the grand benefit of the universe.

He breathed in and out with a loud, dramatic sigh, as if he felt sorry for the poor girl. After which Parnak drew open one of the drawers hidden into his side of the desk between them. He placed his hand inside and held it there. Time for one last push.

“If you really have need to try to implement a device that can analyse scents, then I may have just the thing for you.”

Out of the drawer and onto this desk in front of the golden collared human he placed the device in question; A Starfleet issue tricorder.

Re: EPIL: S [D06|1300] Rather On the Nose

Reply #6 –
[ Lt. JG Sinead O'Riley | Biology Lab | Deck 9 | Vector 02, The Sword | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Arista
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She could almost see the cogs in his brain turning as she spoke, and now, he processed all that she had said, and he began to formulate a response. As his first sentence was uttered, she tilted her head to one side, eyes fixed on him, to indicate she was paying close attention, but her face remained blank as usual. Unlike her very emotional fellow Resolver, Sinead's control over her emotions and expressions were almost perfectly Vulcan.

However, when he mentioned a smell-seeking missile, and when she considered the fact that she was indeed helping Thea, the ship, gain a sense of smell, and she'd be able to essentially track things by scent, it made her lips quirk upwards ever so slightly for a brief second. A brief remembrance of a sense of amusement.

Moreover, it intrigued her that he would express a reluctance to create such an object when during their breakout from Starbase 84, he had certainly contributed far more. She knew for sure by then that he was trying to coax more information out of her when he began to overact the burden she'd placed on him, or the inconvenience of taking his time to speak to her, and pointed out a few parts where she herself may have overused flattery when perhaps, being more obtuse might have served better. Still, her lips pursed and tightened into a thin line when he placed a tricorder before her. She would have to change up her methods.

“Fair point, doctor,” said Sinead, “p'haps I be overstatin' t' say that everyone would findh it useful.”

She picked up the tricorder, holding it between her slender fingers, and she seemed to be studying it for a moment, her head tilted down towards it. After a moment, she looked at him, raising only her eyes, but not her head, and she peered out from under her auburn locks, the silvery-glow of her unusual eyes more obvious under the shadows of her head's angle. “But th' fact remains, it is an important project...if no' t' the ship 'n' crew, then at th' least, to me.”

She looked past the man to regard the LCARs monitor, and then looked at him again, “If th' timin' is bad, an' yeh have more pressin' matters t' attend, p'haps I can returnh at another time, or I will find meself someone else who no be as busy as yehself.”

She placed the tricorder back exactly where Silim had placed it, in the exact same position it had been in, but her eyes never left the Cardassian's, “I do not know yeh well, doctor Parnak,” she said blandly, “and wi' time, tha' will change, but I canna offer yeh a lot more beyond what I have alreadyh told yeh. If yeh are willin' t'help, and if yeh choose yeh questions well, p'haps yeh will learn more, or p'haps yeh will know only as much as I have said so far.”

In so many words, she laid out the simple fact of a trust issue, but driven by a need for a technical and scientific expertise that she did not possess, and as close a plea for help as she would give for now.

Re: EPIL: S [D06|1300] Rather On the Nose

Reply #7 –
[ Dr. Silim Parnak | Biology Lab | Deck 9 | Vector 02, The Sword | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Triage
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Parnak laughed.

It wasn’t a small chuckle of mirth, or the titillation of the slightly bemused. It was the deep chortle of someone highly entertained. He had postured and positioned, trying to prise all the information he could from this woman before he shut her request down. Now, however, she sat defiant. Daring him to take on the project. Teasing him with the chance to know more.

“I like the shade of your scales.” He commented, using a particularly Cardassian idiom. Too many humans only tried the softly softly approach. What he relished was the challenge, both in the work and the company.

This was certainly something that he could enjoy, and he expressed so himself, collecting up the PADD from his desk top and placing it inside the drawer. It shut with a firm audible click. Nicander and his interesting genealogy was temporarily cast aside. New events were on the horizon.

Now, the next step was to check his guest’s knowledge. Either this human would have already done a good portion of the work, or it was something he would have to build from the ground up. On the desk, the tricorder remained exactly where the Starfleeter had put it back. A tool for comedic effect, yet still, it might prove useful yet.

“Very well. My dear, I should devote some time to this important project.” As he spoke, Parnak leant back in his chair to get more comfortable. “However, I do expect to be compensated for my time. “

As he talked, Silim gesticulated. His hands moving and the words flowed from his mouth. When he reached a pause, they settled into his lap. His fingers steeped.

“The prize I shall stipulate at the end of this project and one which is appropriate to the scope and grandeur I bring to this endeavour.” A wide smile crossed his lips, curling so much that he looked ready to swallow Regova egg whole. “Don’t worry. It won’t be out of your reach, but I think you’ll find that I also can be quite insistent”

Re: EPIL: S [D06|1300] Rather On the Nose

Reply #8 –
[ Lt. JG Sinead O'Riley | Biology Lab | Deck 9 | Vector 02, The Sword | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Arista
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If Sinead had pointed ears and eyebrows, she very easily could have contested actual Vulcans with her behaviour, expressions and all the eyebrow arching she was doing while talking with this Cardassian, as much a object of curiosity as a nearly-frustrating puzzle that presented new or unexpected challenges just when one thought there was a solution or conclusion in sight. Nevertheless, the auburn-haired woman seemed to have "passed" some sort of test. Were all Cardassians like this? Or just this one? A more thorough study was in order to find out. And there were quite a few ways this study could be conducted. Most of which she would require a place with far less lights, colder temperatures, and next to no clothing.

Bringloidi methods had a generally one-track mind or fell toward the simplest approach.

Complimenting the shade of her scales...now that was a curious idiom, one that had her raising both eyebrows so impressively high whilst keeping her eyelids almost drooped, a feat in itself, as she tried to put together what he might be meaning, and concluded it was a modified expression or a shared one across cultures, associated most closely with "I like the cut of your jib", in which case, she had suitably impressed the man, but she quickly surmised this will not prove sufficient. He was an intellect, and will more than likely expect more of the same from her. Thus she would have to redouble her efforts to protect Starfleet secrets. Yet, turning into a stubborn and unyielding wall will no doubt prove detrimental. She would have to slip out harmless facts.

Furthermore, Sinead never told lies, so he would eventually know when she's being tight-lipped, and when she was giving concessions.

It was like a game, almost, and Sinead had to refrain from rolling her eyes. She didn't quite like games, and preferred getting straight to the points these days. Brenna would sniff and turn her nose up at her choices, but Brenna Odell was not Starfleet, Sinead was.

This whole time, she'd just offered little more than her facial reactions to everything Silim was saying or expressing himself. His last statement however, finally prompted her to respond, with, “Fascinatin', but acceptable, an' agreed.”

Having accomplished what she more or less wanted, and hoping that he didn't want her to kill someone in return (that would be quite a problem, and not preferable at all), she took out a small plug-in drive that can be attached to a PADD, “I was able t' isolate an' identify me own sense o' smell t' use as a startin' template, but th' translation o' this to a computer is beyond meh,” her voice betrayed her vexation and annoyance at not being able to figure this out on her own, and how much pride she had to swallow to come seeking help, “Me understandin' is in th' hardware, an' photonics, but all I be needin' is th' key t' bridgin' physical to cybernetic.”

Re: EPIL: S [D06|1300] Rather On the Nose

Reply #9 –
[ Dr. Silim Parnak | Biology Lab | Deck 9 | Vector 02, The Sword | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Triage
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The terms were set. That means that progress could be made.

Although lately Parnak had been a bit mercenary with his outlook, he was by no means like a Ferengi. He was a man of who had certain levels of needs to be met and, on Theurgy, all he had to trade on was himself.

He had used it on Ives to secure a suitable living space aboard the ship. Likewise, Martin was next to get a worthwhile work area. Now, as he moved down his hierarchy of needs, he had to use the same commodities to extract another of life’s essential items – secrets.

He didn’t know what secrets that this woman would hold at this point, but she was being specifically cagey for a reason. Of course, there could be the possibility that she was acting in this way under instruction to get the reaction she wanted. However, Parnak doubt that this would be the case. Either way, it was worth the risk.

A small interface device was passed across the desk. Parnak picked up the small item between his fingers and looked it over. It was pleasing to know that the human had the foresight to bring along the work she had already done. Whether it was good or not was another matter.

Idly, he placed it back onto the desk top in front of him.

“Neural interfaces are difficult.” He admitted. “Just recording a copy of the connections will only work so far. It’s like taking a bunch of data cables from a fusion reactor control matrix and plugging them in the same order into a replicator and hoping it’ll work.”

It was a clumsy example, but he hoped it would work. From the gold collar around her neck, O’Riley was either Engineering, Operations or Security. Her words indicated that she wasn’t security, so she should have some affinity for machines. Aside, of course, for her desire to give them the ability to gain senses.

“The key is to promote machine learning for the system to build its own synaptic responses based upon its hardware interfaces. Smells aren’t just mood inducing, they bring forth memories and associations. The key here is for the system to build those links itself.” Using an analogy seemingly common to humans, he tried to emphasize his point. “The smell of freshly cut grass may produce a memory of your grandmother’s house when you were 8 but, for me, it may make me think of walking along Talor Boulevard on the first day of spring. If a computer doesn’t have either of those memories, it can’t connect in the same way.”

He smiled to the officer. It was a sincere amused smirk. Parnak wasn’t planning on a downloading her memories, but he did have a plan.

“With correct neural mapping, we can build a common dataset to help your system evolve. However, in the first place it needs to be able to learn. Just what sort of system are you wanting to implement this in?”

If he found out that all this would be for a smell operated door, he swore he was going to leave right there and then.

Re: EPIL: S [D06|1300] Rather On the Nose

Reply #10 –
[ Lt. JG Sinead O'Riley | Biology Lab | Deck 9 | Vector 02, The Sword | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Arista
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At the very least, the man was definitely the best person to approach. She only wished he actually was Starfleet and she wouldn't have to do this dance of omissions and partial truths. Sinead did not tell lies. Nevertheless, listening to him and his responses to her proved that he was competent, intelligent and more than up to the task for what she needed done to help Thea. But the challenge was to keep him from getting too close to the truth, or take a terrible risk and tell him everything. It was her preference, but she was not the captain, and the secrets of Thea wasn't hers to give.

She hit upon something that she could use in order to keep the man from asking too many dangerous questions, but the Bringloidi would prefer it never came to that. It was far better to foster friendships than to run a brutal reign of tyranny.

She nodded whenever he spoke and offered explanations. To her mild amazement, he didn't sound condescending when he spoke. Most people tended to assume things about her because of her background and tendencies. But he didn't. Curious. Then again, there was the simple likelihood he believed her to be no different from other humans, even with her strange almost glowing eyes.

She concentrated on him when he began to explain how the sense of smell connects to neural mapping, and she nodded again. Of course, that made sense. Smell tended to provoke memories. And then came the hard question. She wanted avoid bringing anything closely associating with Thea to the subject, but that might prove almost impossible at this point.

Or was it...?

“Yeh know aboot th' works of Doctor Noonien Soong?” asked Sinead airily, as if she suddenly wasn't entirely there. Brushing her hair back and leaning forward, her palm pressing onto the table as she spoke, drawing him in with her eyes, “Ever since me eyes were opened t' th' galaxy at large, I have grown a fascination fer holograms 'n' artificial intelligence. Can yeh imagine me delight when I met th' likes o' Thea, or tha' Vee-Nine android or even th' owl I see followin' Thiran aroun'?”

She took out her PADD and showed it to Silim, having keyed up her own personal research and development on an artificial intelligence system. There was a great deal of raw data still missing, but some systems, especially the technical and hardware aspects, that were well thought out, clearly benefiting from Sinead's expertise in engineering. But it rang of a person's own works rather than something streamlined and in line with Starfleet ideals or restrictions. “Obviously I be wantin' t' make a system tha' can learnh and begin mappin' scents on its own.”

Re: EPIL: S [D06|1300] Rather On the Nose

Reply #11 –
[ Dr. Silim Parnak | Biology Lab | Deck 9 | Vector 02, The Sword | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Triage
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As she talked, Parnak furrowing his brow slightly when she spoke dreamily of a, presumably, scientist that he didn’t know. Then, like peeling away a layer, his guest continued her tale. Describing her past and fasciation with technology. In some spaces, it was like she was speaking a foreign language. Of course, it was. he reminded himself of the universal translator, it’s because she actually is. That said, he still didn’t understand what a vee-nine or a thiran was.

“My dear, it is most interesting how the same experience can equate two very different reactions.” He concluded. “Seeing the universe at large provided you with the inspiration to find technology, yet for me, it gave me the chance to strive to study life in all of its forms.”

Her story, although opposite to his, did provide the small part of insight to what the end product that this project would be placed into. Some form of hologram or android. He wasn’t surprised. There was a strange need to idealise technology with social traits. From Cardassian AI to humanoid androids, the need had been going on for hundreds of years.

Parnak wasn’t fan. Technology was a tool. Like a stick, a knife or a viola. It had a use to expand culture, but did it really need life thrust into it?
 
He had agreed to help, however, and that he would still do. The woman moved on to her aims and brought out a PADD to show her own designs.

“Very well. I think a good plan to start would be to give your ’system’ a base to build from.” Standing, Parnak brushed down any wrinkles that may have been onto his outfit and stepped away from the desk, leaving the woman’s small plug in device behind on the smooth, cold desk top.

“Come.” He instructed, as he made his way across the lab. Opening a drawer, he started to pull various equipment. “What I intend to do is to measure some of your neural responses to some smells that you know, before making a new connection.”

Looking back at the human. Her height would make it easy for him to attach the relevant sensors.

“Nothing to fear.” He commented, trying to avoid any potential hesitation.

Re: EPIL: S [D06|1300] Rather On the Nose

Reply #12 –
[ Lt. JG Sinead O'Riley | Biology Lab | Deck 9 | Vector 02, The Sword | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Arista
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She nodded at him as he spoke. When he furrowed his brow, she wondered if something she'd said prompted that. Perhaps there was a confusion of idioms or references to things he wasn't aware of or fully understood? He was a Cardassian, it stood to reason he more than likely didn't have access to Federation common references. Nevertheless, in the end, that seemed negligible as he at least understood the primary crux of the matter.

He spoke about building a system for the AI matrix. Her mind immediately snapped to full attention. She had to make sure she could perform the necessary reverse engineering when the time came. The complication would be trying to advance the system to match Thea's subroutines and pre-existing matrix, which is far more advanced than her basic concepts. She'd have to watch the man like a hawk to learn everything she could to compensate for her own present shortcomings.

She straightened up and followed the Cardassian when he beckoned to her, and he began to pull out equipment, and explained his intentions to her. At his assurance she had nothing to fear, she shrugged, looking indifferent, “Fear do no' be havin' a place here. Tha' woul' mean I felt threatened.”

There was of course the danger of him discovering other things, like the deactivated brain chip, so deeply embedded most base scans couldn't detect the foreign objects, but now that it had been deactivated, Silim Parnak could likely locate them with a casual scan. Narrowing her eyes as she looked at him, she asked, “Will yeh be connectin' t' anythin' other'n th' stimulus for scent an' memory association?”

Re: EPIL: S [D06|1300] Rather On the Nose

Reply #13 –
[ Dr. Silim Parnak | Biology Lab | Deck 9 | Vector 02, The Sword | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Triage
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As she approached, Parnak pulled out a high stool chair from one of the workstations and set it in the middle of the open lab space. Then with careful, guiding hands, he directed the female engineer to sit.

She was an odd one, that was without a doubt.  First, she declared she was not afraid, then in seemingly the same breath, she voiced concerns regarding where exactly Silim would tap into. This was concerning. The human appeared to be hiding something. What that was, was still a mystery. Never mind though, Parnak knew he would uncover it all eventually.

“I thought you weren’t afraid?” He jested, picking up the first tool in his arsenal. It was small, light grey and round with part of the lip cut off. In the centre was a silver button and opposite the flat side where was a darker grey housing and found unilluminated lights. Before the woman would have a chance to reply, he attached it to her neck.

“There, that wasn’t so bad was it?” Silim smiled, the damage already done. In this case it was easier to ask forgiveness rather than seek permission. “That’s all we need for one. It’s a neurocortical monitor. It should build a complete encephalographic profile while we test that nasal cavity of yours.”

Turning from the human, Parnak chuckled and made his way to the replicator. He had some good ideas on what to use to get the best responses.

“Now I want you to close your eyes tightly. No peeking!” He called, pressing instructions into the device. “We need to capture exactly what you think of when you smell this, and I don’t want you seeing it to obscure the results.”

The replicator whirred to life and inside the alcove, a small silver tray appeared covered by a flat lid. Parnak eagerly collected it and moved back towards his guest.

“Are you ready?” He asked rhetorically. Before he gave her a chance to reply, he continued. “Let’s begin.”

Whipping off the lid, Silim moved the contents of the tray directly under the woman’s nose. There was no doubt in his mind that this would get her olfactory sense working overtime. It was, from what he had come to understand, a quintessential part of the human childhood.

On the tray, still steaming as if hot from the oven, was a seemingly freshly baked apple pie.

Re: EPIL: S [D06|1300] Rather On the Nose

Reply #14 –
[ Lt. JG Sinead O'Riley | Biology Lab | Deck 9 | Vector 02, The Sword | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Arista
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She frowned when he teased her. She felt indignant pride and a retort was on her lips, but he suddenly came at her with those strange things, and she found herself freezing for the first time in her life. Any other time, she would have swatted his hands, kicked him in the groin, grabbed his hair, and wrenched a wrist to interrogate his intent, and it occurred to her that this was possibly an instinct instilled by the microchip as a self-preservation instinct. Now that she was free to act on her own, she was presented with a myriad of choices, and she didn't know which one to go with. She calmed ever so slightly when nothing averse happened to her. The man took far too many liberties for her liking, but, she was slowly growing to respect his brazen courage and audacity if nothing else.

Oddly, he seemed to have his own form of forwardness that she could appreciate. But Cardassians were also so dangerously sneaky and subtle. What was it a friend of hers told her during the Dominion War? They could smile, shake your hand and make you feel welcomed, and only ten hours later you realize you had a knife embedded in your heart. That made little to no sense to her, but she was starting to understand the analogy.

She decided to take a risk on his mirth for now, and complied with his request, and closed her eyes. She immediately fell back on her training and relied on all her other senses, like smell, taste, feeling and hearing. She nodded when he spoke, and her nostrils was immediately invaded by a powerful scent, or a large number of them all at once. Her brow creased together as she concentrated, her hands blindly reached out to grasp Silim by the wrists and she brought her nose closer to it, absorbing the smells more acutely, remembering, and filtering out any external or extraneous  thoughts.

“'tis a replicatehd apple pie. I c'n smell th' pastry, th' apple cuts, lemon juice, sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, an' egg. Me moth'r made th' best ones at home. She taught me how t' make 'em when I was nine.” She released her grip on the Cardassian and slowly opened her eyes to study him. “Did yeh obtain wha' yeh needed?”

Re: EPIL: S [D06|1300] Rather On the Nose

Reply #15 –
[ Dr. Silim Parnak | Biology Lab | Deck 9 | Vector 02, The Sword | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Triage
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Parnak smiled as he heard the human say what she could scent on the tray, finding the scent rather cloying. This vile pastry dish with sweet fruit in it wasn't something he'd feed the solus bat he once studied, but for some odd reason it was something humans enjoyed and often had some kind of attachment to.

"Yes, that's excellent," he said with a beaming smile, and then moved on to other dishes that might stir the recognition of other ends of the spectrum.

Time passed, while the necessary data was collected, and in quite short order, the required basis for the new olfactory software was taking shape. Parnak had to admit that the research was quite interesting, and not just the undeniable allure of the woman he worked with. He could think of many other less rewarding endeavours in his career, that was certain.

"It has been my pleasure," he said when their project together had come to a close. He was fairly confident that the system would build its own synaptic responses after it had been applied, but as for the the library that the A.I. would begin with, it would be Sinead's, and Parnak decided that he would report his success to Lieutenant Commander Martin, whom Ives had insisted that he'd report to in his duties aboard the Federation ship. Perhaps it might earn him a higher security clearance... and get him more access?

- FIN
 
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