Schmoozing the Scientists

Posted on Sun Aug 30th, 2026 @ 9:33pm by Commander Percival "Percy" Tapper & Lieutenant Taras Mikovich

2,093 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Escape Velocity
Location: Conference Room #3, Cochrane Shipyards, Alpha Centauri
Timeline: 13 days before launch

As far as conference rooms went, Percy was convinced this one had been designed by someone who was convinced that meetings were better conducted in the presence of sunlight. One bulkhead consisted mostly of transparent aluminium, overlooking the procession of docks and construction berths that seemed to almost stretch away beneath the ventral portion of Cochrane Shipyards. Beyond them, Alpha Centauri's sun glowed warmly as an old star always seemed to.

Beyond the bulkhead, Eventide seemed occupy the primary berth at the shipyards with a half-dozen workerbees flitting to and fro. Even from this distance, it was easy to spot the several engineers in their spacesuits at work along her dorsal spine. The ship appeared complete, though Percy knew from the short walk from his quarters to the docking tunnel just how much work still needed to be done.

Inside the conference room, the atmosphere had resolved into a slightly pleasant uncertainty which often comes with new beginnings. Eight newly arrived crewmembers had spent the better part of an hour introducing themselves over coffee, tea, fruit, pastries, and a modest selection of alcoholic cocktails someone in shipyard administration felt made the function more agreeable. Most were civilians in typical academic garb that was most commonly seen at universities and research institutions. Two Starfleet officers in blue uniforms stood among them, their conversations wandering naturally from previous assignments to speculation about the vessel that would soon become their home.

Commander Percy Tapper stepped into the conference room with a leather portfolio tucked under one arm, accompanied by Chief Petty Officer Jacinta Mariñelarena. The Starfleet liaison--despite her barely five-foot tall frame--walked purposefully and confidently. She stood scarcely above Percy's shoulder, her dark hair braided neatly down her back, a data PADD clutched in one hand.

Several conversations fizzled-out naturally as heads turned toward the newcomers.

Percy smiled in the easy way he always did. He waited for the room to quiet before speaking, his voice carrying comfortably without demanding anyone stop what they were doing.

"Good afternoon, everyone. First of all, welcome. I'm very pleased you've all made it here safely, though I suspect a few of you already discovered how shipyards are uniquely designed for making straightforward directions overly adventurous."

A soft ripple of laughter made its way through the room.

"I've been aboard Eventide for a little more than a week now, and I'm happy to report that she does exist," he said with a grin and gesturing to the ship through the viewport. "I can also confirm that there are moments when finding your way from one compartment to another feels rather like making your way from one end of Hokkaido University to the other."

Percy noted the lack of response from the group and decided to avoid any further unique references.

Clearing his throat, he continued. "You're joining us during an interesting stage of the ship's life. Engineering is completing the last round of diagnostics before propulsion trials begin. I'm happy to say they're making excellent progress, although they would remind me to say that excellent progress isn't the same as rapid progress. We remain slightly behind the original schedule, and I suspect nobody in the engineering department would thank me for pretending otherwise. They'd much rather launch a reliable ship than a punctual one, and I find myself in wholehearted agreement."

His gaze moved easily around the room, stopping briefly on each face as though he were committing them to memory before full introductions could be made.

"While those final tests continue, I'd encourage all of you to begin settling aboard. Find your quarters, acquaint yourselves with the laboratories and workspaces assigned to your departments, and take whatever time you need to calibrate equipment or familiarize yourselves with the facilities. Every expedition develops its own rhythm, and I'd rather we discover ours before we're several light-years from the nearest shipyard."

He folded his hands loosely before him--an unconscious gesture he seemed to find himself performing over and over.

"For those of you joining us as civilian mission specialists, there is one additional item worth mentioning. Over the next several days, you'll participate in an orientation course designed to prepare you for life aboard a Starfleet vessel. It covers shipboard procedures, emergency protocols, basic technical systems, security practices, and extravehicular operations. None of it is intended to turn a scientist into a security officer or a linguist into an engineer. The goal is simply to ensure that everyone aboard shares enough common knowledge to look after themselves and each other when circumstances become... more interesting than originally planned."

Percy scratched as his chin and glanced down at the deck for a moment.

"I've spent enough time in academia to know that expertise shows up in many forms. Some of you have forgotten more about your fields than I'll ever know. All Starfleet asks is that we learn enough about each other's bailiwicks to work together safely."

He stepped slightly to one side and inclined his head toward the woman beside him.

"With that, I'll hand things over to the one person whose duty it is to ensure you all have somewhere to sleep and work. And, if all as gone according to plan, somewhere to find your luggage. Chief Petty Officer Jacinta Mariñelarena, our liaison from Starfleet."

Jacinta acknowledged the introduction with a perfunctory nod before activating her PADD.

"If I could ask everyone to come forward as I call your name, we'll verify your quarters assignments and make sure there haven't been any last-minute changes before you step foot on Eventide."

The conference room fell back to quiet conversation as the first civilian stepped toward the table. Percy remained where he was for a few moments, answering a question about lab storage from an exobiologist and accepting an enthusiastic handshake from a Rigelian historian who wanted to confess to having followed his work on the ancient mummies of Cait. He listened with genuine interest, asked where the woman had completed her doctoral research, and wished her luck aboard before gently excusing himself.

Beyond the tiny knot of civilians gathering around Mariñelarena, one of the Starfleet officers had remained quietly toward the back of the room throughout the introductions. A Lieutenant's blue uniform distinguished him from most of the gathering, though it was his attentive posture more than his rank that drew Percy's attention.

Percy made his way across the room unhurriedly, exchanging a smile with another arriving specialist as he passed before finally drawing within conversational distance of the man. His expression carried the same dose of warmth with which he seemed to greet everyone aboard the ship.

"Lieutenant?"

Taras stopped mid-stride and turned toward Commander Tapper, a man he had not yet met in person, but research was fundamental. He had seen that face on personnel files. It was the Eventide's Commanding Officer. Taras offered a polite albeit assessing smile that landed somewhere between confidence and mischief.

"Commander," Taras addressed him. "Whatever it is, I did not do it," he added. His tone was polite, but not intimidated by the superior officer's presence.

He clasped his hands behind his back, adopting the posture Starfleet seemed to prefer, though it still felt a touch unnatural after years in the Merchant Marine where he grew accustomed to being more laud back.

Taras looked the man in the eyes. "I was just beginning to think I'd made it through my first hour or so aboard without attracting anyone's attention much less yours, Sir."

His smile widened ever so slightly and he sighed.

"Though I do suppose I was getting ahead of myself as always," he added.

Percy gently lifted an open hand and let it fall a fraction, indicating for the younger man to relax. "At ease, Lieutenant."

He threw a thumb over his shoulder at the civilian scientists and leaned in conspiratorially to Taras. "You certainly don't look like a stuffy academic preparing for their first deep-space trip."

Taras jerked his head and looked around Tapper. "Whole different species, Sir. Those are the trekking nerds. Scientists. Most of them are too busy looking into microscopes than living in the here and now."

He shook his head. "My thing is languages, communications. I'm a collector of information and a messenger of needs. You're not going to catch me collecting dust in some lab."

Percy chuckled softly. "That is exactly what I'm eager to see, Lieutenant. We're a science vessel and, sure, we'll need the microscopes and the sensor analyses, but none of that will help us when we encounter a new species."

Taking a breath, he glanced around the room and silently wondered how many years working in a laboratory--total--their present company accounted for. He smiled again and turned back to Lieutenant Mikovich.

"That's where you become essential, Lieutenant. Between you and me, I'm relieved to have someone aboard who describes themselves as a messenger of needs."

"New species are why Starfleet attracted me, but the more years that go by... we're getting too dependent on the emerging universal translation software. Like you said though, new species will be where my potential is realized. The software can do its best, but at the end of the day if it is an entirely new language someone with a pulse is going to have to put in the work to understand it." Taras smirked. "I'm your guy."

Eventide's commanding officer touched his chin and cocked an eyebrow. "I can appreciate the universal translator. I've even relied on it from time to time. However, there is nothing more sincere than a human touch and a human voice."

"Then you haven't been to Risa," Taras replied with a grin. "The Risan touch is quite sincere, and I dare say I would not mind shoreleave there at some point. It may be a good place for crew morale, Sir."

Percy nodded noncommittally. "At some point, sure." His expression darkened slightly at the memory of his only visit to Risa. "Claire and I spent some time on Risa several years ago. I found it a bit mauzy, to be honest with you."

Behind him, he could hear Jacinta calling out another name from her PADD.

"Listen to me, Lieutenant," Percy said, lowering his voice and leaning in closer. "We'll be traveling to the edge of known space--and then going deeper. Scrounge as many subspace buoys as you can fit aboard because we're going to need them."

Taras' eyes lit up a bit. "Are we talking securing them through official channels with proper acquisition requests, or would you prefer a clerical error that leaves Eventide with more buoys than standard, and a few misplaced from Cochrane?"

Percy glanced side to side, stroking his trimmed beard. He wasn't suggesting theft, but then again he was quickly coming to the realization that Eventide may inadvertently be shorted a few necessary things upon launch.

"Command has issued us eight buoys," he said with a faint sigh. "I'm told they are state-of-the-art and capable to reaching a maximum range of fifteen light-years. I wouldn't push them that far so we're probably going to deploy them every eleven or twelve light-years. That gives us roughly one-hundred light years to work with. Knowing what I know at this very moment, we'll need at least another four buoys. However you can get your hands on them, get them."

Before Percy could continue, a hand was place on his back by a round man with a rather bushy chevron moustache that almost covered a smile. He turned around to see the man beaming at him and they embraced.

"Ah, Percy."

"Daniels, you scoundrel! What are you doing here?"

Suddenly realizing he had a room of scientists to entertain, he turned back to Taras.

"I'm so sorry. Why don't we schedule a meal together in the Captain's Mess when you're settled, Mister Mikovich...?"

Before Taras could answer, the Captain had his back turned and was already deep in conversation. It was part of being the Commanding Officer of a starship that would soon become home for dozens of civilian scientists, many of whom would never be capable of understanding a military hierarchy.

---

Commander Percival Tapper
Commanding Officer
USS Eventide


Lieutenant Taras Mikovich
Chief Communications Officer
USS Eventide

 

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