Perdita: the lost infant in Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale. Captain de
l’Isle wasn’t as much of a Shakespeare buff as some of his peers and had
even been, somewhat ill-advisedly, chastised for this at a formal
dinner some years ago. He’d misquoted some Andorian thrash punk in
return.
Perdita Animo: literally, the lost inspiration, the misplaced
life-giver. Perdita Animo was the Lone Star’s chief science officer and
forever a mystery to its commanding officer. Why were they here? What
inspiration or life were they supposed to be providing? Generally, the
gelatinous Lt Commander provided conflict and the occasional invasion of
privacy.
It had taken until the ninth time that Felix had been interrupted, fully
naked in his quarters, to explain that using the computer’s optical and
holographic cortices in this way was not acceptable.
de l'Isle looked on, crossed-armed, as Animo was lowered into their
adapted tank at the centre of the Lone Star’s copious science
department.
The Science Department at the Lone Star housed two sorts of people
nowadays. There were the few veterans who'd stuck around and adapted to
their strange chief, and the newcomers. The latter category was often
rotated. Among many of the older guard there was a saying: "You don't do
two tours in here," meaning that if you hadn't gotten used to the
privacy-invading non-empathic jelly lump with short-distance telepathic
powers after one tour you were already on your way out, by transfer or
on medical grounds. If you had found a way to cope, you were likely to stay for a long time. That sort of environment does things to a person.
When Lieutenant Commander Animo had been submerged in synthetic amniotic
fluid, the life support harness was gently removed and a technician put
the finishing touches on the updated speech synthesizer attached to the
tank. Lieutenant Karien - having served 8 years mostly within 20 metres
of said tank - smiled and rested her forehead on the glass. The
conversation taking place in her head was like a missing half of her
mind had just come back after a vacation and had much to talk about.
"Try it out," she said, conveniently leaving out about 90% of the actual
dialogue.
"I do not understand the meaning of this," came a synthesized,
genderless, voice. The new software was capable of reading the emotional
state of the speaker and adjusting intonation and volume accordingly to
make the vocal exchange more natural. At least according to the
brochure.
The gelatinous shape currently making use of it didn't, in any discernable way, have emotional states.
While Lieutenant Karien explained, perhaps mostly to the new crew who
may overhear, how the synthetic voice module was meant to be less
intrusive and feel more "normal" than a voice injected into ones head,
Perdita Animo had shifted their attention to the Captain.
You are thinking about me looking at you while you're naked in your quarters, said a voice in Felix's head. It sounded like he was in a tin can, and the voice surrounded him.
“Delighted to know you still care, Commander, but that’s a piece of
research that doesn’t require repeating, hm?” Felix approached the tank,
with teal-topped juniors parting around him. Karien remained where she
was, acknowledging the captain with a knowing look. “I say this with
specific reference to the various misconduct issues I have fended off on
your behalf in the past.”
”You brought it up,” Animo said through the synthesizer. Even after all
these years they had yet to grasp the fact that not all thoughts were
willingly conjured. ”But I agree, there is no need to revisit the
subject.” Lieutenant Karien smirked and raised an eyebrow at the
Captain; no doubt she had just been informed what it was about.
Ignoring the gelatinous being’s audible and inaudible snark, de l’Isle
linked his fingers. “How was your research trip?” he asked, idly. “I
have received only four complaints, none of which serious, so I assume
we can call this a success.”
”It was a disappointment,” the gelatinous being admitted. Not because I didn’t cause more offence, Captain, but because of a lack of results.
The explanation was added in the same echoing telepathy as before. They
hadn’t yet gotten used to speaking through the synthesizer exclusively.
Then, because so many newcomers apparently thought that their chief
wanted to cause a maximum of offense, the explanation was repeated
through the synthesizer. ”The anomaly lacked sufficient subspace
distortions,” they added. ”Not enough data to verify my theories.”
Perdita heard how Felix’s thoughts travelled elsewhere. ”You believe
this new Ensign will cause trouble,” it said, once again leaving
thoughts unspoken.
“That is a theory with considerable supporting data.” Leaning against
the tank, Felix scanned the remaining crew, most of whom busying
themselves with Perdita’s orders. The science department revolved around
the individual, quite literally; over the past eight years the space
had become customised around their needs. “I am considering what to do
with him. He seems to believe his age and nonchalance gives him some
kind of tenure he has not earned.” Felix paused. “He may also believe he
has been posted to the Enterprise.”
A weird cackling came through the speakers. "That did not sound like a
laugh," said the Science Chief with their flat synthetic voice. "I meant
for it to sound like a laugh. Will have to practice that." Humour
wasn't one of Perdita's strengths, but they had learnt to understand
when humans intended something to be funny. It helped that surrounding
crewmembers thought of something as a joke.
Lieutenant Karien turned to the Captain with a smile. "We'll make him work, Sir. Count on it."
"The USS Enterprise," Perdita said. The voice almost carried a tone; an
afterthought, maybe. "Who runs the Enterprise these days, Captain?
Should we continue making him believe he serves there?"
After eight years Felix was just about able to insinuate when Perdita
meant mischief. It usually started with a leading question – something
his lead scientist would have known, as now. “Captain Cassa Paiján. A
formidable Argentinian with a mean left hook and a specialism in
tactical weapons systems. Also, about half a foot taller than me and
distinctly female.”
Almost in unison all the veteran crewmembers nodded their heads, some
snickering or smirking as they did. The speech synthesizer was installed
mainly for the benefit of new crew; those not used to mind games.
Orders had been given, and they would trickle down to new crewmembers by
word of mouth in smaller groups later on.
"A lot has happened in the last year, Captain," the gelatinous being
offered. They had heard about Ensign Burgundy's long sleep from de
l'Isle's thoughts. "I believe Commodore Paiján is serving at HQ
for the time being. Congratulations on heading the Starfleet flagship,
Captain de l'Isle." The synthetic voice was as devoid of intonation as
before, but Lieutenant Commander Animo managed to place dramatic pauses
effectively to convey the sarcastic sentiment. "Ensign Burgundy will
have to step it up a few notches, lest he be the laughing stock of the
fleet."
“That might not be off-putting to him. He seems to think that divinity
alone has brought him to the fleet, and that divinity will have to
answer to Ensign Burgundy for reasons that are not, in any lateral of
space or time, deserved or obvious.” de l’Isle had never been entirely
sure where Animo’s eyes might be, or even if they had them. He knew
better, also, than to linger on the matter for too long, and patted the
tank affectionately. “Let’s see how long we can keep it up. I’ve a mind
to assign him to the bridge for a while. Put him through his paces.”
Suddenly Lieutenant Karien turned towards the doors, right before they
swished open to reveal a young Lieutenant JG. "A new face," Karien said
with a smile. "Please don't scare her off, Commander. I'll show her the
ropes." Communicating by speech rather than thought would require
getting used to for her as well. This much was clear from the delay
between her two statements.
“Captain,” the Lone Star novice – a botanist, he believed? – squeaked in
his direction. The owner of the title turned to leave, not mentioning
to his latest junior officer that he was not the one, in this room, to
be afeared of.
“Welcome to the Enterprise,” Felix uttered, catching her by surprise as
he decamped, and leaving Perdita and their department to disambiguate
for the newcomer.
-=-=-=-
by Lt Commander Perdita Animo, Chief Science Officer (apb Björn)
and Captain Felix de l’Isle, Commanding Officer
USS ahem Enterprise