Computer start recording. The computer then made a beeping sound and I started to say. Ensigns Personal Log, Stardate 240107.18

Reporting to the Chief of Sciences is not a normal task. Most people would say it is a task that takes courage. Especially when the Chief Science Officer is a person of high regard and holds the rank of Commander already. Why would the junior officers be scared of this officer? Are not science officers usually the chillest of them all? I mean compared to the all of the department heads, sciences would be the least scary in a sense. Especially compared to reporting to the executive officer or the captain himself. 

But today, I found myself in a dilemma. I was told to report to the Chief Science Officer instead of my team leader. This is how the hierarchy usually works, we ensigns all report either to a lieutenant or lieutenant commander of our divisions then they report to the chief science officer right? But no. Earlier this morning, I was directly told by my team leader to report to the chief science officer. 

A lot of thoughts were running wild inside my head. Then the lieutenant commander said as I recalled, “Be there by o nine hundred hours. Good luck to you Ensign. Do not be late, she does not like people being late.“ That is when my heart dropped. Report to the chief of sciences?! No ensign aboard this star ship has done that yet. I am going to be the first? This is not going to go well at all. Not in any case possible.

Anyways, let me give you a short summary of what I know of the Chief Science Officer aboard the USS Athena. Her name is well, Elizabeth Roy. Her name was mentioned by several of my professors at the academy. She is well known for acing or perfecting several courses and its exams such as fractal calculus and quantum mechanics. Even me my self have took fractal calculus graduating with well at least an eighty percentile grade on my report card which would be somewhere around b something. Anyways, this means she is smart and dedicated enough to study for the hardest science and mathematics course that starfleet academy had to offer and has to offer. 

Let me describe what I had to present to the Chief of Sciences earlier. And by the heavens it was scary. I am so not doing that anytime soon anymore. I wish I did not have to do it at all! Having took astrophysics as my Major in the academy. It meant that I was usually assigned to research stuff all around the science department that was related to astrophysics. Let me tell you, with astrophysics having a wide spread or long spectrum of topics it is not exactly the most ideal to have that as your first assignment upon graduating the academy. Imagine having to do research upon your every shift and rotation. Countless samples and hypothesis to be examined and meticulously tested, evaluated then well that depends on what happens next actually. Anyways our conversation went a bit like this.

En route to the Chief of Sciences Room…

I was walking in a steady pace with my heart thumping and threatening to jump out of my chest and run away. Even my hands and forehead were sweating, that is how nervous I felt about the situation that time. Taking a left turn to the turbo lifts, I then stood inside the turbo lift and said, Deck 12. It was the place where all science stuff happens and most importantly, where the Chief science officers office or room you may call it was located. 

Taking a left then a right into the corridors, with my hands still sweating and my heart still threatening to jump out. I stood in front of the chief science officers room. Taking a deep breathes I went in muttering a small tiny prayer that everything goes well. With me, I had my PADD which I was supposed to present it to her. The boss of my boss, as you may call it. 

Chief of Sciences Room…

”Ah, Ensign. Take a seat. I’ll be with you in a moments of time. Apologies for the delay and wait.“ said Roy.

I was greeted with this statement so I immediately went to sit down on the chairs in front the desk of the big boss as I’ve fancied the term now. I was then straightening my uniform as a way to calm my nerves down a bit. But that seemed not to be working anyways. 

”Do you want anything? Tea or coffee perhaps?” asked Roy.

Ahh, I was screaming internally my head. With random and more random thoughts flying across my mind. Why is the Chief science officer offering me a drink for example?! I really should have waited for the others to report to the team leader before I did. Now, it is my doom already. I then managed to stagger out a small response, “Tea please if you would, Earl Grey.” 

Ahhh, not this again. Why did I still say Earl Grey?! What am I thinking?! I have surely lost my sanity. The chief science officers words brought me out of my internal monologue and turmoil that was currently still raging. 

“Ensign, what do you have for me?” asked Roy, while setting down the tea I asked for. 

Clearing my throat before speaking, I stammered out, “uhm uh, here ma’am“ handing her my PADD which is filled with data from all the preliminary results and research I have done.

“Ensign, you are speak to speak. Don’t be scared or anything. It’s just routine, it is just like you reporting to your team leader. Okay? Now take a deep breath.“

Taking a deep breath as the chief science officer suggested, I said, “Uh yes ma’am. Apologies.“

”Anyways, give me a summary of your findings if you would.” asked Roy.

I started speaking while my mind was still in a turmoil and in distress. “Ma’am, according to the preliminary data collected by the team which then got received by me. The asteroid belt that we are currently… I mean the ship is currently in front of was caused by the breaking of a planets moon someplace near this system. That is all I could find about the asteroid sample that was given to me.“

”And? Give me the scientific details. Everyone could deduce that hypothesis in any matter of minutes also. Even the engineering officers could do it. Give me more details. How it was formed. Where it came from. Why it is there. Surely you know that asteroids are just space rocks in a typical sense and the other important details you need to report.“

I was starting to sweat profusely because of the long line of questioning that was currently on going. It is not going according to plan. I can sense the disappointment the commander is feeling right now. “Uhm apologies commander. Going on, I can form a hypothesis that the asteroid belt is well. Or has been there for several decades at least. The formation of the rocks are intact which suggests this asteroid belt was somehow formed on purpose. We have perhaps entered an old trap or battlefield that was set by the nearby inhabitants of the system.“ 

“Science my dear. I want the scientific details.“

“Apologies again Commander.“ I stammered out, inside my mind I was screaming and running around telling my inner self to make this right or I will not be making a good first impression on the chief science officer. “The asteroid belt is well positioned near a nebula with the asteroid belt consisting of dense and highly volatile materials. We can maneuver out of the asteroid belt with minimal damage to the ship which nothing the shields can’t handle. We can’t just move around the asteroid belt because of the possible volatility of the substances in outer space which we still haven’t identified yet. The substances near the asteroid belt and the nebula pose a small risk to the ship. Small but still a risk. I have done the calculations using heliocentric and geocentric equatorial coordinates and it is in the PADD right there.“

“I am satisfied with your findings. Great job. Next time don’t be too nervous and remember to get to the point. You are dismissed.” said Roy.

”Aye, yes ma’am!“ clicking my heels together I practically ran out the Chief science officers room. I most certainly would not like to go back there anytime soon. 

And here I am once again. I returned to my bunk and started to record this, my personal log sort of thing. Anyways, today was an actual eventful day. I managed to pass off that I knew something about science while presenting my work. Wait, I do know something but I managed to make it seem that I know more about it. Genius, I know. Anyways it seems that I was given rest of the shift off by the Lieutenant Commander. Oh well! Free time it is. 

One last note that I must remember always in the near future if I want to make it out alive and get possibly promoted. Number 1, always directly get to the point. Number 2, calm your nerves down before presenting anything. It interferes with your speech and makes you more nervous and anxious. Number 3, be prepared for any and all questions that may be asked by anyone at anytime. Be confident in what you know and make it seem like that you actually know what you are doing. Which is what you are actually supposed to do. That should be all I think. Nothing more, nothing less. 

Computer, end personal log.