Bakserfield warped into the Framheim Station and got the same call again, and they answered. This time, they couldn’t hide the damage on the outside, where it looked like the ship had gone through hell.
((Cetacean Ops))
Stu had programmed the computer to toss various-sized hula hoops from a rack of hoops at different speeds on different trajectories as a game to keep himself amused.
The computer would toss the hoop, and Stu’s job was to steer himself through the hoop before it hit the water. With such a small crew, Stu didn’t have much interaction with anyone, so he had come up with his own way to pass the time. Narwhals were, by nature, more solitary than many of the cetacean officers in Starfleet(the orcas, dolphins, and pygmy beluga’s were universally recognized as the most social cetaceans)
“Pull!” Stu said, and the computer launched another hoop, and the Narwhal tracked it as it spun and tumbled through the air towards the pool. It reached its apex and began its descent before he leapt out of the pool and seared himself through the hoop.
Just then, the computer informed him that they were about to dock at Framheim station. Stu was wondering if this would mean he was saying goodbye to the Bakersfield.
Simon entered cetacean ops through hard ships where the ship took damage at the ten-finger nebula. Found Stu jumping through hoops and then decided to program the hoops with more energetic algorithms to make Stu a better athlete and to help Bakersfield when it’s time. “Stu, we have to talk about your staying on the Bakersfield,” Simon said.
“Oh, hey Cap, sure, what about it?” The Narwhal Lt replied.
“Stu, do you want to stay aboard the ship or leave when we hit Framheim Station? We all want you to stay in our little collective, where you have proved useful to us. Plus, we need a couple of things from you once you say yes..” Simon asked.
“I mean, yeah, I guess I could stick around if you want. Is there any way we could maybe get another cetacean ops officer assigned here? It can get a bit lonely in this pool.” Stu said.
Simon looked at Stu like he was going to say yes to the question, ” No, you’re the only cetacean ops officer here. So, are you ready to get the Borg device?” Simon asked and then pondered what he would tell the rest of the crew when he decided to make Stu a permanent member of the crew.
“Am I ready? I don’t know. Should I be ready?” Stu replied, he was a bit disappointed about the Cap saying no, but he was already ready to do his duty.
“Stu, since you’re ready, the procedure can get done in a matter of minutes with very little downtime on your part,” Simon said. Simon called Five and summoned her to put the Borg device in Stu.
“Wait what? I thought you were going to send me to retrieve some Borg device from somewhere. You want to install a Borg device IN me?” Stu recoiled and drifted back to the edge of his pool away from Simon.
“I dont know I’m okay with that. Whats the reason for this device, what does it do?”
“Stu don’t worry about what it does. We all have it here on the Bakersfield, and it won’t hurt to get one so we can make you a permanent member of the ship. Sam, privacy mode on. It’s so we can communicate with each other like the Borg, but with our thoughts when activated.” Simon said. Looking very confused as to why Stu doesn’t want it.
“Meee! Uh, ok. Thats doesnt sound too bad. Can I see the species for the device before it’s implanted, though?”
Simon nodded, went to a side control, and uploaded the species directly to Stu’s underwater pool station.
“Thanks, back in a sec.” The Narwhal submerged himself and could be seen scrolling through the pages of the specifications rapidly, Jenkins, and wiggling his head as he quickly consumed the info. After a moment, the Narwhal plopped back up to the surface.
“I mean, yeah its an integrated neutral link, not entirely dissimilar to the one that lets me operate my headset. So, sure. Go ahead, stick it in me.”
Two B started the procedure on Stu. It took 4 minutes for the procedure to be completed, and then Stu was told how to operate it and told that it only contacts Simon and Aurora and no one else on the ship. It can act like a one-way device if we need to listen to each other, too.
“Sounds good, boss.”
Simon said, “Privacy mode off, Sam.” Simon then said bye to Stu and headed for the bridge. Then ordered Sam to dock with Framheim Station for repairs.
