Star Trek: Theurgy

Epi S: [Day 03 | 0800] Meeting of the Minds

January 27, 2026, 02:12:32 PM

[Lieutenant Dr. Nathan Frost, Ph.D. | Deck 01 | Conference Lounge | USS Theurgy]
[Attn: @Brutus, @Pierce, @chXinya, @Eirual, @Ellen Fitz]

Doctor Nathan Frost covered his mouth with the back of his right hand as a yawn escaped his lips. After his arrival earlier that morning, which had been followed by his visual assessment of Theurgy’s various laboratories, he’d only gotten two, maybe two and a half hours of sleep at most. Or rather, Frost spent that time in bed to ponder over his findings, because it turned out that Commander Cross had been right. The situation was pretty bleak, with laboratories in varying states of damage, specialists either dead or wounded and no clear plans for either the short- or the long term. It was part of the reason why he’d called for this briefing; partly to meet his Science Officers so he could assess them, but also to coordinate their efforts to get the department running again.

Despite his lack of sleep, Frost had made an effort to look his best though. He’d managed to take a quick shower before heading off to the Conference Lounge for this briefing, he was wearing a clean uniform that didn’t reek of Klingon and, on top of that, a white lab coat. The lab coat featured the patch of the Federation Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, along with the text “Dr. Nathan Frost, Immunology” stitched onto the right breast in black embroidery.

When he finished yawning, Frost rubbed his blue eyes with the thumb and index finger of his right hand. As he did so, he leaned back into the seat that was normally reserved for the Chief Counselor and heard a kind voice speaking up to his right. ”Short night?” Frost opened his eyes and turned his gaze towards the Chief Engineer’s seat, where Lieutenant Junior Grade Morwen Angharad was currently seated. The woman was looking at him with a kind smile that matched the tone of her voice, and Frost shrugged in reply before answering. ”I wish.” He reached for the white mug in front of him, which had the Theurgy logo printed onto it, and as he brought it to his lips to take a sip of hot coffee, Angharad raised her own mug to toast him with a dry ”Here here.” While he took a sip and savoured the bitter taste of the hot drink, Frost dourly thought that Angharad at least had a night, albeit short.

Several more minutes passed, which both Frost and Lieutenant Junior Grade Angharad spent in uncomfortable silence, before a door on the far end of the Conference Lounge opened with its signature hydraulic hiss and a male Benzite walked in. Frost noticed a gash in the man’s face that had only recently begun to heal and the Benzite, who had apparently caught the surprised stare, spoke up to answer the unspoken question. ”Vole hunting.” While he spoke, the man gestured at his face as if that explained the injury, and at the same time made a somewhat uncomfortable impression; almost as if he didn’t entirely felt at ease in the Conference Lounge. Frost nodded and replied with a somewhat unconvinced ”Ah.” before rising from his seat and gesturing at the seats around the table. ”I’m Doctor Nathan Frost, Immunology. Take a seat.” The man answered with a curt nod and, as he made his way towards the Chief CONN Officer’s seat to Angharad’s right-hand side, introduced himself. ”Thank you. I’m Lieutenant Junior Grade Zarqan, Xenozoology.” At least that explained to Frost why the man had been Vole hunting, prompting the Canadian to reply with a somewhat fascinated ”Ah!” while Angharad poured Zarqan a cup of coffee.

And with that, the uncomfortable silence returned while the three officers waited for the other Science Officers to make their appearance. Aside from the officers, Frost had also invited Crewman Holly Kane of the Hydroponics Lab and the librarian, Crewman Luther Ford, to attend the briefing but they had yet to show up as well.

Re: Epi S: [Day 03 | 0800] Meeting of the Minds

Reply #1 – January 30, 2026, 10:41:26 PM

[ Lt (jg) Sarresh Morali | Conference Lounge | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @Nesota Kynnovan @Pierce @chXinya @Eirual @Ellen Fitz
  
[Show/Hide]

In desperate need of a shave, sleep, and a month off, not to mention a hypospray full of a heavy analgesic to numb the throbbing pain in the back of his head, Sarresh Morali, Jr. Lieutenant, Temporal Affairs Officer, displaced time traveler and unwilling (former) cult leader, shambled down the corridor from the turbolift that ran around the outside of the Theurgy's bridge module, wondering what idiot had summoned him to a conference at 8 in the bloody morning after a battle that had raged into the early morning. Never mind that he hadn't had a real break since the run across the Neutral Zone, and the attempt to prevent the assassination of a future temporal asset, and keep the timeline from further destabilizing. 

Not that the future I left is likely to be there when this is done. Ives...you weren't supposed to be injured like this. Is that a fair trade for all those lives we saved at the Azure Nebula? Lt. Morali shook his head with a bitter snarl across his face. He had come from where the captain was now secluded in stasis. Not that he was supposed to have access to that section of the ship. But he had access all the same. There was a lot he had access to that he wasn't supposed to, based on his rank. But then again, there was much he wanted to know that he couldn't, until the last minute. His head was a mess, to say the least. He kept waiting for Ducane to show up around the corner, but he'd not heard a peep from his handler since he returned to the Triangle. 

"Its only a matter of time. Everything is only a matter of time," he muttered to himself, before allowing a small laugh to escape his lips. Speaking of time, Sarresh knew he was making good time and almost paused, debating if he wanted to wait to arrive until he would be noticeably late, to get a point across. He was feeling fairly petty at the moment. Why the hell had Lt. Vanya booked the main Confernece room? he wondered as he let out a huff and pushed onward. Had something happened to the room the science team usually used down near the labs? His own lab was fine, but then Sarresh expected nothing less, for all the reasons that no one really had access to the place without his say. To call it reinforced was an understatement. Not even he fully knew, understood, or remembered everything that had been done when the Relativity had retrofitted the previous version of the lab. And unlike much of what he didn't remember, he was fine with this. 

Pausing to scratch at the beard that now covered his face, Sarresh summoned up a bit of righteous indignation and strode into the conference room, looking for the Romulan Android in charge to question her logic subroutines, only to blink in surprise at a new face sitting about where he would have thought the Lieutenant. would be, instead. 

"Who the hell are you?"

Re: Epi S: [Day 03 | 0800] Meeting of the Minds

Reply #2 – February 02, 2026, 01:08:32 AM

[Lieutenant Dr. Nathan Frost, Ph.D. | Deck 01 | Conference Lounge | USS Theurgy]
[Attn: @Brutus, @Pierce, @chXinya, @Eirual, @Ellen Fitz]

When he heard the signature hydraulic hiss of the doors, Frost looked up from the display of his PADD and turned his blue-eyed attention in the direction of the door. His blue-eyed gaze came to rest upon a tired, maybe even somewhat scruffy looking man wearing the blue uniform of the Science Department and, in an attempt to build rapport, Frost had been about to rise from his seat to welcome the newly arrived scientist to the meeting.

And then the scientist spoke up. Frost found himself somewhat caught off-guard by the man’s words, half-expecting to be welcomed like the greatest event to befall sentient life since the invention of sliced bread, and he briefly turned his gaze to the other two scientists in the room to gauge their reactions. He found that Lieutenant Junior Grade Angharad had looked at the doors to see who had entered and now presented the scientist with a friendly wave. Lieutenant Junior Grade Zarqan hadn’t even bothered to look up but was idly stirring his coffee instead. It were the kind of reactions that made Frost realize that the scientist’s question maybe hadn’t been entirely out of place, especially given what the crew of the USS Theurgy had been through these last couple of months. Swallowing the indignation he’d initially felt boiling up inside him, Frost rose from his seat and presented the scientist with a smile. ”My name is Nathan Frost.” As he spoke, Frost’s Canadian-accented voice matched the smile on his face and both got more friendly as he went on. ”Thank you for joining us, help yourself to a cup of coffee and take a seat.” With those words, Frost gestured towards one of the many empty seats before sitting back down and reaching for his own cup of coffee.

Re: Epi S: [Day 03 | 0800] Meeting of the Minds

Reply #3 – February 02, 2026, 02:44:00 AM

[Ens Mia Dunne  | Deck 01 | Conference Lounge | USS Theurgy]
[Attn: @Brutus, @Pierce, @chXinya, @Ellen Fitz, @Nesota Kynnovan  ]

Mia dragged herself to the meeting. She’d been cleaning up the Geology lab, and then her own quarters, which hadn’t fared much better. And that was after she’d spent time assisting in medical where she could. And to make matters worse, something, or someone, had been making weird noises all night. If she didn’t know any better, she would say something had been chewing on wires in the walls. But that was impossible, right?

 All she wanted to do right now was to rest. But that was not going to happen any time soon. Not with this meeting called by the Chief of Science. “It should have been Tyreke in charge,” she said quietly to herself, the feeling of sorrow blooming in her chest at his loss.  If she’d been in charge, she would have thought having a meeting right now was probably the last thing they needed. And maybe she was still upset about Tyreke’s death and just wasn’t in the mood to deal with her department chief. Not that the half android had done anything to assist during this whole disaster.

She sighed heavily as she tugged on her uniform slightly before entering the conference room. “It’s way to early,” she grumbled to herself tiredly. She allowed her gaze to go to the others and gave them a nod, almost giving Morali a smile, “Good to see you Sarresh.” She gave a quick nod to those already in the room and took a seat opposite a new face. She had to read his coat to see his name, Frost. He looked more like he should be in medical and not in science, since his while lab coat and Immunology embroidered on it.  Her attention turned to the blue-eyed man in the white lab coat and she frowned, “Are you sure you are in the right place? This is supposed to be a science department meeting,” she asked, her eyes narrowing as she looked at his too pristine lab coat, “Medical is likely somewhere else.”

Re: Epi S: [Day 03 | 0800] Meeting of the Minds

Reply #4 – February 03, 2026, 05:24:44 PM

[ Hirek tr’Aimne | Conference Lounge | Deck 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus  @Pierce  @chXinya  @Eirual  @Nesota Kynnovan 

The doors sighed open. Hirek tr’Aimne stepped through them on stubborn momentum alone.

Bone-tired didn’t begin to cover it. His body felt like a poorly reconstructed schematic—stress fractures never properly sealed, internal diagnostics screaming quietly in the background while he pretended not to hear them. The Allegiant’s field patches had kept him functional, technically alive, but no one with a medical license had ever cleared him. The Tal’Shiar’s interrogation protocols hadn’t exactly prioritized long-term survivability, and whatever had cracked in his ribs back on Romulus still ground together every time he drew a deeper breath than strictly necessary. There was a pressure beneath his sternum that worried him in the abstract, filed away as potential internal bleed, thoracic cavity, but it hadn’t dropped him yet. That meant—by every metric that mattered lately—it wasn’t urgent.

He was still standing. Still thinking. Still useful. Sickbay could wait. Especially since he presumed it to be overrun with more grieviously wounded at the moment anyway.

His eyes swept the conference room in a single, efficient scan. Faces catalogued. Absences noted. Too many empty chairs. He made the quiet, automatic calculation—who should have been there, who wasn’t—and arrived at the obvious conclusion without ceremony. Dead. Most of them.

No outward reaction followed. No tightening of the jaw, no flare of grief. That accounting had been done already, elsewhere, when the smoke was thicker and the blood was fresher. There was nothing left to spend on it now.

Without introduction, without acknowledging Frost’s lab coat or Morali’s presence or Dunne’s barely restrained irritation, Hirek turned toward the replicator. He keyed in a command sequence by muscle memory alone.

“Romulan broth. Personal program. Heated.”

The replicator hummed, and the smell hit him a second later—salty, mineral-rich, faintly bitter. It was the first real food he’d had since returning to the Theurgy. His stomach twisted unpleasantly, but that was expected. If Starfleet expected him to continue operating at even a marginal level of competence, sustenance was non-negotiable.

He took the bowl, ignored the faint tremor in his hands, and crossed the room. Morali was closest. Hirek barely knew the man beyond reputation and scattered temporal briefings, but proximity was proximity. He took the seat beside him without comment, set the bowl down, and finally allowed himself to exhale as he lifted the spoon. The first swallow burned all the way down. Good. That meant he was still present in his body.

He drank slowly, methodically, eyes lowered, saying nothing to anyone. Conversation flowed around him—barbed, tired, defensive—but he didn’t join it. Right now, his priorities were brutally simple: stay upright, stay conscious, stay useful.

Later—when this meeting ended, when the next crisis didn’t immediately demand his attention—he would probably go to Sickbay. Probably admit that something inside him was still very wrong.

For now, he drank his soup.

Re: Epi S: [Day 03 | 0800] Meeting of the Minds

Reply #5 – February 04, 2026, 01:09:02 AM

[Ens. Irnashall “Shall ch’Xinya | Conference Lounge | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy] attn: @Brutus @Pierce @Eirual @Nesota Kynnovan

One more time, the doors slid open with their signature swoosh sound to admit one last attendee: the tall, blue skinned Andorian with only one antenna and the stub of another framing the disheveled white hair hanging loosely down his back. His hand quickly moved away from where it had been pressing against his side, his pride straightening his back so that he could walk in as if everything was perfect. “Apologies,” Shall started, spotting faces old and new. “I went to the science conference room first by mistake.” He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been among this many of his fellow scientists, their department was small and he kept to himself for the most part, usually just sending in his reports and any material requests via text.

Seeing Hirek moving away from the replicator and noting mugs of various designs already sitting in front of most attendees, Shall made the assumption that he was clear to get his own morning stimulant of choice, so he stepped up. “Andorian katheka, double strong.” A moment later a steaming mug of his own was in his hand, antenna perking up just at the strong scent of his homeland. Grabbing the nearest seat (which just happened to be right next to Sarresh) he winced just a little as his barely-patched wound tried to twist itself open again.

“So what’s the plan from here?”

Re: Epi S: [Day 03 | 0800] Meeting of the Minds

Reply #6 – February 05, 2026, 02:47:50 AM

[Lieutenant Dr. Nathan Frost, Ph.D. | Deck 01 | Conference Lounge | USS Theurgy]
[Attn: @Brutus, @Pierce, @chXinya, @Eirual, @Ellen Fitz]

One by one, the other scientists began to arrive in the briefing room. In between two sips of coffee, Frost saw how Mia Dunne arrived at the briefing and a small smile appeared on his face. He’d met the blonde-haired Xenoanthropologist in the Archeology Lab just hours before, and thus far she was one of the few people he knew by name. When she spoke up however, mentioning how he was in the wrong place, he realized that he never properly introduced himself to the woman; granted, she knew his name, but he never told her that he was the new Acting Chief Science Officer because he’d only learned that himself an hour before the briefing even began. ”Good morning, Miss Dunne.” As he spoke up, Frost got out of his chair and presented the woman with a smile that was somewhat more genuine than the semi-insulted one he’d presented to the scruffy-looking scientist earlier. ”I can assure you that I’m in the right place. Please,” Frost gestured towards one of the empty seats. ”Take a seat and help yourself to a cup of coffee.”

As Frost sat down, he noticed how Lieutenant Junior Grade Morwen Angharad briefly waved at Mia and welcomed her with a friendly ”Hey Mia!” While he chose to disregard it, that small gesture was enough to remind Frost of the relative loneliness of his position; the scientists in this room went through a lot together and here he was, the person who was supposed to tell them what to do as Acting Chief Science Officer. It were some pretty big shoes to fill and, while there was no doubt in his own mind that he wouldn’t only be able to do that but also quickly outgrow those shoes, it was an entirely different story to convince them of the fact.

The next scientist to arrive didn’t acknowledge any of them but instead made a straight line towards the replicator. While the Canadian didn’t show it, the man’s appearance shocked him a little bit; while his blue eyes carefully looked over the man -he couldn’t tell whether he was a Romulan or a Vulcan- a part of him genuinely worried that the scientist might keel over and give them all the ghost at any moment now. Everyone looked just as bad as the USS Theurgy itself but this man, whom Frost now incorrectly assumed was Vulcan due to the simple fact that he wouldn’t let something as illogical as near-death keep him from attending a briefing, definitely raised the bar. It actually made him feel a little bad for calling the briefing this early. As the Vulcan sat down and drank his soup in silence, Frost presented the man with a nod and a friendly ”Good morning.” before turning his blue-eyed attention back to his PADD as not to stare. He made sure to sneak the occasional worried glance just to make sure that the man was still with them though.

When the next scientist entered, an Andorian who looked just as scruffy as everyone else, Frost actually learned something. Apparently, there was a Science Conference Room somewhere aboard this massive ship. The Canadian made a mental note of this and brought his coffee cup to his lips, only to discover mid-sip that it was already empty, and while he poured himself a refill from one of the coffee cans on the table he turned his blue-eyed attention onto the man. He noticed that the Andorian was replicating himself a brew of his choice, but when the man sat down next to the scruffy scientist, Frost presented him with a smile. ”Good morning.” As he spoke, his Canadian-accented voice matched the friendly smile on his face. ”Don’t worry, we’re still waiting on some of the others to arrive. Please make yourself comfortable while we wait for them.”

It would only be a couple of minutes before the final three scientists arrived. Frost had also met them when he made his assessment of the ship’s science facilities hours earlier and he knew them as Crewman Holly Kane, whom he’d met in the Hydroponics Bay alongside the botanical technician, Crewman Amy Jenson. The fact that they decided to attend the briefing together was a sign that things in the Hydroponics Bay might have been worse than he’d initially assessed and it made the Canadian Immunologist slightly uncomfortable. The last scientist to walk through the door, right behind the two women, was Crewman Luther Ford, the librarian. When the doors closed behind him, Frost rose from his seat and presented the three Crewmen with a friendly nod. ”Ah, Miss Kane, Miss Jenson and Mister Ford. Good morning.” While he spoke, Frost gestured towards the empty chairs in the room. ”Please, take a seat and help yourself to a cup of coffee.” 

Contrary to when he’d welcomed the other scientists, Frost didn’t took his own seat but instead waited for the three Crewmen to be seated. After they had taken their seats and were all cradling a cup of coffee like it was the essence of life, which the bitter liquid essentially was, the Canadian cleared his throat and addressed everyone all at the same time. ”Good morning everyone, and thank you for attending this Science briefing at such an early hour.” Under normal circumstances, Frost wasn’t nearly as good with people. Yet, as he spoke, his Canadian-accented voice was friendly because he realized only too well that the people in this room had been through a lot; it was something he respected, and it showed. Despite the early hour. ”Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Doctor Nathan Frost and, as of one hour ago, I’m the Acting Chief Science Officer, pro tem. I wasn’t briefed on what happened to the previous Chief Science Officer, all I know is that Commander Cross assigned me to temporarily manage the affairs of the Science Department until further notice.”

While he spoke, Frost slowly switched his blue-eyed attention between each of the scientists; trying to read their facial expressions as he went. He didn’t know the previous Chief Science Officer, not even their name, but as he looked at the faces of the other scientists he knew that they were his people, at least for now, and it filled him with a sense of pride that they were here in the Conference Lounge after everything they’d been through. As he thought that, his blue eyes briefly came to rest upon the Vulcan just to make sure that the man hadn’t passed away in the meantime. It turned out he hadn’t, and at that moment the Canadian Immunologist swore to himself that he’d try to do right by these people.

”Right, let’s get to business.” As he spoke, Frost’s Canadian-accented voice didn’t hint at his sense of pride; it was instead relatively curt and neutral. ”Commander Cross has given me a preliminary damage report of our science facilities.” The holographic projector in the middle of the briefing room table began to show the holographic projection of the USS Theurgy which Commander Cross had shown him earlier. The Science facilities were coloured in different shades of red and orange, and Frost nodded at the projection before continuing. ”I performed visual assessments of some laboratories earlier this morning and there’s a lot of work ahead of us.” For a brief moment, his Canadian-accented tone softened a little. ”I can’t begin to imagine what you’ve all been through, but know that I deeply respect every sacrifice you’ve made. We need our facilities operational again though, so I would like to ask each of you to tell me what you need and how I can help you to get your laboratories up and running again.”

Frost highlighted the first section of the holographic display, which then zoomed in on a laboratory which was displayed in a normal shade of blue. ”During my assessment of the Chemistry, Xenobiology and Cybernetics laboratories, I couldn’t detect any damage. It appears that these facilities made it through the battle in one piece.” Having said that, Frost zoomed out again to display the entire USS Theurgy before zooming in on a different laboratory; the Xenozoology Lab. ”I would like to give the word to Mister Zarqan.” Frost then turned his attention to the Benzite scientist and sat down in his seat.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Zarqan rose from his seat and Frost saw how he was presented with a polite nod. ”The Xenozoology Lab didn’t take direct damage, but we did experience a loss of power during the fighting.” The Canadian Immunologist could see how Zarqan grimaced as he spoke. It was obvious that the gash in the man’s face was still painful. ”As a result, we suffered a catastrophic containment breach and several of our specimens escaped. Now, we managed to recapture most of them, but there’s one in particular that continues to evade us. A Vole; a burrowing, mole-like organism with a preference for circuitry.” Upon his arrival, Zarqan had mentioned that his facial injury was caused by Vole hunting. Frost now understood what he’d meant with that, but he wondered why Security or Engineering hadn’t dealt with the problem and instead told Zarqan to deal with it by himself. As if the man had read his mind, the Benzite spoke up once more. ”We tried to reach out to our colleagues in the Engineering Department, but they are currently too overburdened with damage control as it is and Security has no one to spare either. We basically got told that, since the Vole escaped from our laboratory, it’s our responsibility. We can call upon them once we recapture it and they promised to put any reported damage to their to-do list.” While the Benzite spoke, Frost noticed how the man turned his attention towards him. ”We’re trying our best to recapture the Vole, but any help you can spare would be appreciated.”

As Lieutenant Junior Grade Zarqan sat down again, Frost made some quick notes on his PADD to summarize what the Xenozoologist had told him. A burrowing creature with a preference for circuitry was problematic, and he’d have to see what the other scientists were dealing with before he could assign someone to assist with the Vole hunt. In the worst case scenario, Frost knew that he could report to Commander Cross and ask for assistance, but he very much preferred to keep things in-house as much as possible. He was actually considering to delegate the Vole hunt to Ensign Dunne, at least based on the visual assessment he’d made of her laboratory, but that was pending her own report. Before that, Frost turned his attention to the scruffy scientist (Morali) who had entered earlier. ”I don’t believe we’ve met yet. Could you tell me your name, your specialized field, an update on the status of your laboratory and what you need to get it operational again?”

Re: Epi S: [Day 03 | 0800] Meeting of the Minds

Reply #7 – February 09, 2026, 07:33:55 PM

[ Lt. JG Ashley Kerina | Deck 01 | Conference Lounge | USS Theurgy ] Attn:  [Show/Hide]

Attn: @Brutus @Nesota Kynnovan @chXinya @Eirual @Ellen Fitz

Ashley had made her way through the massive starship to the Conference Lounge on Deck 01 after stumbling around and having to ask the computer where to direct herself. She admired the beauty and the sheer engineering of this ship in her very short time aboard. Thankfully, Alana had gotten her acquainted and brought her here, but she didn't quite understand the mission of the Theurgy. She'd heard rumblings while on Romulus, but nothing that alluded to what they were doing as a ship on the run.

Finally finding the Conference room after running through corridors, she'd managed to get to the door, catch her breath, albeit briefly, and try to slyly step inside. She felt as if she were still at the academy, reading in the library, and missing class on account of information she'd gotten too involved with. The moment of truth had arrived, and she stepped through the threshold of the doors that swished open.

Inside stood various members of the science team and a man in the lead who looked not too pleased with her tardiness, to which she waved and attempted to slide into the back of the group sheepishly. "I apologize, I'm still getting my bearings, only being here a couple of hours now."

She observed some puzzled looks at her appearance that screamed different despite the Orion appearance; she had the pointed ears and eyebrows of a Romulan/Vulcan by appearance standards. Fearing that she may have slightly misread the situation, she forgot protocol as she'd not been on a starship in a short while. "Lt. Junior Grade Ashley Kerina reporting for duty, sir. I specialize in cybernetics." She stated calmly, awaiting the official welcome aboard, and anticipated the briefing she was no doubt late for.

Kerina hoped for quick acclimation in the department as right as of this moment, the only crew member she really knew and not all that well, was Lt. Commander Alana Pierce.

Re: Epi S: [Day 03 | 0800] Meeting of the Minds

Reply #8 – February 15, 2026, 10:43:46 PM

[ Lt (jg) Sarresh Morali | Conference Lounge | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @Eirual @Ellen Fitz @chXinya @Nesota Kynnovan @Pierce   

[Show/Hide]

Well fuck me, Sarresh thought, wondering idly if he was always going to be sticking his foot in his mouth. Then again, he wondered if he cared. Giving that thought due consideration, Sarresh shrugged his shoulders and decided the he did not, in fact, care, and moved to replicate a cup of Jumja tea, extra caffeinated. He needed something sweet to pry his eyes open, and he had fallen into the habit of that drink during his time with Ryuan Sel. Whom he could now think of without the massive pain in his chest flaring at her loss. Progress, he thought as he moved around the room, punching his order into the replicator now, and then looking for, and taking, his seat. To the new Lieutenant, Sarresh merely offered up another shrug and a muttered, "Welcome to the meat grinder, Lieutenant."

Rather affable, all things considered. 

More figures joined them, the room filling up slowly as officer after officer trickled in. He tumbled Frost's name around in his brain a few times to see if anything shook loose, either from personnel flies he'd read while on duty aboard the Theurgy, or from some deep memory hidden behind the mind block programing left by the Relativity, to be revealed only in a time of need, or when facing some trigger. He got nothing. That could mean many things, including his worse fear - that the future had been changed to such a point that any information still locked away in his brain was no longer of use. Or worse even, that the Relativity no longer existed as a result of the incapacitation of Ives, or who knew what else. Temporal shielding be damned. 

That way lead to another headache, and Sarresh realized that not only had someone sat next to him - Hirek, Romulan, knowledgeable, distant, but a known entity - but that the new face was talking again. Forcing himself to set aside his ever present meanderings and trying to focus, Sarresh shipped his tea and watched Frost, his mouth hidden by his mug. 

So something has happened to the Android, Sarresh realized, as Frost informed them of his position as Acting Chief. The man must have come aboard from one of the other ships that had swarmed into the Triangle in the wake of the recent battle. Sarresh still had much to process from that, but his focus had been on his own mission, and the debriefing he had given Stark earlier that morning. He wondered if Ducane would bring her further into the fold with Ives being unavailable, then realized he was about to spiral down the same drain he'd been circling for hours, and the smirk became a deep frown.  That wouldn't help anyone, least of all himself. 

Gods I need sleep, he lamented, sure he was far from the only person present to feel the same. He kept the mug in his hands, elbows on the table, body hunched forward as a status summary of the Science departments physical assets began to scroll across the display, eyes focused on the screen, and not the man speaking. Sarresh didn't even bother to stifle the chuckle as he learned that a vole was on the loose. Of all the things that could go wrong, a vole running a muck just hit him sideways. The sheer incredulity of it all was damn near staggering. Before the chuckle could develop into a full laugh, Sarresh caught the glare from the Benzite, and rolled his eyes. There was little need to antagonize Zarqan further than he already was. 

He didnt' have to struggle for long, as Frost called on him to give a report. Letting out a sigh, Sarresh started to push back from his seat (since Zarqan had stood up for his bit) when the doors opened and a new face walked in. He paused and watched the curious looking woman, some form of hybrid officer, judging by those ears and that skin tone, make an introduction. Not waiting for Frost to get around to doing his part, Sarresh finished standing and gestured to one of the empty seats. "Cybernetics eh? Something happened with the old Chief and no one has told us what yet, but she was an Android so maybe you can help. In any event," he dismissed her from his mind, wondering why he had said any of that, the words feeling foreign in his mouth. That he knew something had to be wrong, and not a simple change of duties was one of those gut instincts that flared up, and Sarresh presumed it was something leaking out of programing in his mind. Or he was going insane. That was always a possibility.

"Lt. JG Sarresh Morali. Temporal Affairs," there was curtness in his response as he finally addressed Lt. Frost, though it was novel to be an unknown for once. The upside of the high turn over for officers and the abysmal casualty rate aboard the ship. These new comers wouldn't know the rumors about him. Yet. "And my lab is fine. No major damage that I can't repair myself, and if I need anything, its a rather short list of engineers that actually have the clearance to enter the lab." He frowned for a moment, contemplating Frost and how much of an ass to be. 

"I'll have to see what it will take to get you clearance, sir," he barely remembered to add the honorific at the end. "Unfortunately, I'm not sure 'acting' head will be enough with the protocols put in place, and the person most equipped to provide command override is currently in a stasis tube." He was sure he could feel the glare of a few officers around the table, but he didn't care. Access to that laboratory was highly restricted after he'd come aboard, with all the future tech that had been worked into the background and hidden from site.  More than one of the other scientists found it something of an affront to their sensibilities when it came to the free exchange of thoughts and ideas, and felt that they were unfairly cut out of the loop when it came to how closely guarded Morali's little kingdom had become. 

Not that he cared of course. 

Extending an olive branch to the Lieutenant, he added, "But that does mean, baring any other command level briefings I get dragged into, I should be available to help elsewhere. Just let me get a few hours of sleep first, eh?" In truth it was less about sleep, and more about having time to meet up with the few people he actually cared about aboard this ship, and make sure for himself they were alright. Sure, the messages he had sent and received back said they were fine, but there was something to be said for seeing a thing for one self.

Sarresh waited until the Lieutenant signaled for him to sit, and then did, repressing a groan as he sank back into the cushioned chair. Say what you will about Starfleet, but they make sure the chairs are comfortable.

Re: Epi S: [Day 03 | 0800] Meeting of the Minds

Reply #9 – February 23, 2026, 11:49:03 PM

[Lieutenant Dr. Nathan Frost, Ph.D. | Deck 01 | Conference Lounge | USS Theurgy]
[Attn: @Brutus, @Pierce, @chXinya, @Eirual, @Ellen Fitz]

When the doors of the Conference Lounge hissed open with their signature hydraulic hiss, Frost shifted his attention away from the man he’d just addressed and turned his blue-eyed gaze onto the woman who walked in. He noticed how she waved at him and, in response, Frost raised his right eyebrow while he tried to figure out who this woman was supposed to be. The woman immediately apologized and mentioned that she was still getting her bearings and, in all fairness as he was a new transfer as well, Frost understood only too well how the massive multi-vector assault dreadnaught could be hard to navigate. Especially in her current state.

As the woman introduced herself as Ashley Kerina, a cyberneticist, Frost’s facial expression softened slightly and he presented the red-haired cyberneticist with a curt nod. Before he could welcome her aboard however, the male scientist whom Frost had initially addressed beat him to it by speaking up and mentioning that Kerina could possibly help the old Chief Science Officer. It prompted Frost to open his mouth and present the man with a somewhat exasperated look, but he couldn’t produce more than a petty, semi-annoyed sound before he closed it again. Unsure of what exactly annoyed him more. It was definitely because the man overstepped his authority, but a part of Frost wasn’t sure whether that was because the man had beat him to welcoming the new scientist aboard or because he’d began handing out assignments just like that.

Before Frost could settle on a satisfying answer, the man introduced himself as Sarresh Morali. Upon hearing that Morali was the scientist in charge of the Temporal Observatory Lab, the Canadian immediately disliked the man even more. Just mere hours ago, when he was making his visual assessment of the various laboratories aboard the ship and their respective conditions, Frost had spent more time attempting to gain access to the Temporal Observatory Lab than he cared to admit. The worst part was that he’d failed and Frost, not beneath harbouring a grudge, had taken it personal. On the bright side, the Temporal Observatory Lab apparently wasn’t damaged beyond anything Morali could handle himself, so Frost knew that it wasn’t his problem.

Things only got worse instead of better as Morali continued though, and Frost’s facial expression hardened considerably as he heard the emphasis on the word acting head. A part of him wanted to speak up and voice his opinion on this affront, but he could see that both Lieutenant Junior Grade Angharad and Lieutenant Junior Grade Zarqan were glaring in the direction of the temporal scientist as well. Neither one of them wanted yet another fight so soon after the last Battle, that much was obvious, so Frost chose to hide his anger beneath an annoyed grimace before he took a long, quiet sip from his coffee. bitter liquid did little to improve his mood and Frost, once again not beneath harbouring a grudge, took it personal. Especially when Morali finished with ”eh?”, which the Canadian interpreted as a swing at his accent.

And then came the silence as Morali stopped talking and Frost just kept glaring at him, mirrored by Angharad and Zarqan. The quiet hum of the impulse engines, which was normally just a background sound that barely anyone actively registered in their minds, became quite obvious now. After several seconds, Frost nodded and gestured that Morali could sit back down again. After the Battle and everything else the crew of the USS Theurgy had gone through, which Frost quite honestly couldn't begin to imagine, he was willing to give Morali some benefit of the doubt for now, at least until he knew for certain if the man was deliberately trying to bait him. ”Right, thank you.” While his annoyance was mostly hidden beneath his grimace, it could definitely be heard in Frost’s Canadian-accented voice before he turned his attention to the blonde-haired Xenoanthropologist. ”Miss Dunne, you have the floor.”

Re: Epi S: [Day 03 | 0800] Meeting of the Minds

Reply #10 – March 10, 2026, 07:28:45 PM

[Ens Mia Dunne | Deck 01 |  Vector 01 | Conference Lounge | USS Theurgy]
[ATTN: @Brutus, @Pierce, @chXinya, @Nesota Kynnovan, @Ellen Fitz]

Mia had availed herself of the replicator earlier, getting a very large cup of hot tea that she had sipped in as the others gave their reports. She was still sore from her mission to the Hobus station, but she was hiding it well. At least she thought she was, even if she did wince and stifle a groan as she retook her seat.

 When the new Cybernetics officer introduced herself, Mia found it hard not to think of Tyreke. It still hurt so much. She forced herself not to let her sorrow for his loss become evident, although she had to blink back a few tears. She was also not happy that this man, this interloper Frost was now their acting chief. It should have been one of the crew already on board. This man didn’t even know they had their own conference room, for fuck’s sake.

Mia had to hide the smirk behind her tea when Sarresh practically told him to keep his ass out of his labs. She had already met the Canadian earlier, however he had failed to tell her of his position on board. A fact she found slightly disrespectful to her. She sighed and followed her fellow officers’ example and pushed out of her seat to stand, once again fighting to keep her pain from her face. “Well,” she began, “You already know my name, and have seen the lad I usually work in. Since we didn’t really have a geologist. I am a Xenoarchaeology as well as a Xenoanthropologist. Other than waiting on engineering to make some repairs to some of the equipment, I can take care of the lab. Sir.“ She sat back down letting her body sink into the chair.

Re: Epi S: [Day 03 | 0800] Meeting of the Minds

Reply #11 – March 31, 2026, 10:42:05 PM

[Lieutenant Dr. Nathan Frost, Ph.D. | Deck 01 | Conference Lounge | USS Theurgy]
[Attn: @Brutus, @Pierce, @chXinya, @Eirual, @Ellen Fitz]

In sharp contrast to the grimace he’d presented to Morali, Frost presented the blonde-haired Xenoanthropologist with a much more neutral smile as he listened to her. He had met Mia Dunne before, albeit just several hours earlier and before he was even made aware that he was the new Acting Chief Science Officer, and the fact that she’d been hard at work in the Geology Laboratory in the middle of the night had given him the impression that she was diligent. Diligence was something Frost could appreciate and, as such, the smile turned a little more friendly as the woman finished her report before sitting back down.

”Thank you, Miss Dunne.” As he spoke, Frost presented Ensign Dunne with a friendly nod before turning his attention to his PADD for a brief moment. He’d seen Geology Laboratory first-hand earlier that morning and, combined with the Ensign’s report that she had the situation under control, made her the excellent choice to assist Lieutenant Junior Grade Zarqan with the vole hunt. As he pondered on the decision, Frost’s blue eyes briefly came to rest upon Lieutenant Junior Grade Morali, whom he also considered to be a scientist who had things under control for now, but just one look at the man prompted Frost to realize that Ensign Dunne would be far better suited for it than the Temporal Affairs Officer. Frost suspected that Lieutenant Junior Grade Morali might downright refuse and that was not something he was willing to deal with. Not now. Thus, the Acting Chief Science Officer turned his attention to the Cyberneticist with a friendly smile. ”Miss Kerina, given the fact that you’ve just arrived and have yet to get started on any projects, I would like you to report to the Xenozoology Laboratory after this briefing concludes to assist Mister Zarqan in capturing his errant vole.” While he spoke, Frost turned his attention to Ensign Dunne. ”Take Ensign Dunne with you, she’ll show you around.”

With a nod, the Benzite Xenozoologist spoke up as well. It was clear that the man was appreciating the additional help, but when he spoke up Frost could hear a certain apprehension in his voice. ”If I may, I think it would be best to hunt our vole at night.” Lieutenant Junior Grade Zarqan turned his attention to Lieutenant Junior Grade Kerina and Ensign Dunne and smiled apologetically as he spoke, but winced immediately at the pain caused by his facial injury. ”…I tried to corner it during the day along with Ensign Sikia, but it attacked immediately. Our working theory is that it should be much more docile at night, while it is resting. I would hate for either of you to get injured just for helping me out.”

Lieutenant Junior Grade Angharad spoke up as well, nodding thoughtfully in agreement with Zarqan’s idea. ”In the meantime, I’ll help Kerina to get settled in and show her around. You know, she’ll need quarters and someone has to authorize her for the systems in the Cybernetics Lab.”

While Zarqan and Angharad spoke, Frost made some notes on his PADD before nodding as well and turning his attention to the Orion Cyberneticist and the blonde-haired Xenoanthropologist. ”Very well, that settles it then. Miss Kerina, once you’re all settled in I would like you to pick up Miss Dunne and report to the Xenozoology Laboratory together.” With that, the Acting Chief Science Officer turned his attention to Hirek and his smile instantly turned more sympathetic. ”Good morning. Could you tell me your name, your specialized field and the status of your laboratory?” Before he finished, Frost also made a gesture with his hand; worried that the Vulcan would stand up and promptly keel over. ”Also, please stay seated. You don’t have to get up.”

Re: Epi S: [Day 03 | 0800] Meeting of the Minds

Reply #12 – April 02, 2026, 07:42:01 PM

[ Hirek tr’Aimne | Conference Lounge | Deck 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus @Pierce @chXinya @Eirual @Nesota Kynnovan 

Hirek did not move at first. The bowl had long since been emptied, set aside with absent precision, and he had reclined into the chair as though it belonged to him by right. Eyes closed, fingers loosely steepled against his abdomen, he had let the pain come and go in measured waves—catalogued, compartmentalized, dismissed. A discipline learned young, refined under less… conversational conditions. Voices droned on around him. Orderly. Polite. Inefficient. A faint breath slipped through his nose.

Tal’Shiar interrogators could learn something here, he mused. If only in how to prolong suffering without ever raising one’s voice.

Frost’s voice cut cleanly through the room, and Hirek’s eyes opened at last—clear, sharp, and faintly amused. He did not sit forward. Did not rise. The invitation not to was noted… and accepted with quiet defiance. His gaze settled fully on Frost now.

“Hirek tr’Aimne,” he said, voice husky, clipped, carrying that lilting island cadence beneath its restraint. “Bioengineering, biosynthetics by formal education. Botany and zoological integration by inclination… and necessity.” A slight shift in the chair—enough to ease the pull along his ribs, nothing more. “As for my laboratory…” He gave a partial shrug. “I do not have one.” He let that sit. “I was not issued dedicated space upon my arrival. I have, instead, made myself useful wherever doors were not barred.” A flicker of dry amusement crossed his expression. “A practical arrangement. If not an efficient one.”

His eyes moved briefly across the table—Zarqan, Angharad—acknowledging the earlier discussion without interrupting it.

“I have spent the last several days working within existing facilities—primarily assisting with analysis related to the Infested.” His fingers tapped once, lightly, against the armrest. “Prior to my latest mission to my home planet, I conducted a series of controlled bio-integration experiments. Cross-species adaptability under parasitic influence. Behavioral thresholds. Cellular resistance. There was one specimen of note. Highly promising.” His gaze returned to Frost. “It demonstrated partial resistance to neural override while maintaining host viability longer than any comparable sample observed.” A slight tilt of his head. “It was destroyed during the attack. If Starfleet wishes to pursue that line of inquiry, we will require a replacement.” His expression sharpened, just a fraction. “And ideally, a controlled environment in which to do so.”

Re: Epi S: [Day 03 | 0800] Meeting of the Minds

Reply #13 – April 20, 2026, 02:18:35 PM

[Lieutenant Dr. Nathan Frost, Ph.D. | Deck 01 | Conference Lounge | USS Theurgy]
[Attn: @Brutus, @Pierce, @chXinya, @Eirual, @Ellen Fitz]

As the man spoke up, the husky tone of his voice sent a shiver down Frost’s spine. It once more confirmed his fears that Hirek might keel over on them at any given time and, deep down inside, Frost both respected Hirek that he showed up to this meeting, but also felt bad that he called for this meeting on the morning after the recent events. To hide his growing discomfort, the Canadian Immunologist reached out to his mug of coffee and took a quiet sip while listening to the Vulcan.

While he listened, Frost couldn’t help but to be impressed though. It seemed like Hirek was on the verge of an important breakthrough and the Acting Chief Science Officer knew that they would’ve made that breakthrough months ago if Admiral Anderson had asked for his help when this entire mess started. It was regrettable, and Frost knew that much suffering could have been prevented if he’d been there from the very beginning, but he nevertheless quietly commended the elderly Vulcan for his work thus far. With an equally quiet nod, he answered the man before speaking up. ”That is… a commendable achievement, Doctor tr’Aimne. When he spoke, there was a hint of respect in Frost’s otherwise somewhat arrogant, Canadian-accented voice. ”I will see to it that you’ll get what you need to continue your work. Rest assured, no doors will be barred for you with this important line of research.” Frost raised a hand. ”But first, I want you to report to Sickbay. We’ll continue your research after you’re cleared for active duty.” He ended it with a polite smile, a sign that he appreciated Hirek’s work thus far.

With that, Frost turned his attention to the last officer whom he hadn’t addressed yet; an Andorian Ensign. He nodded at the man as if silently prompting him to introduce himself.