A Plant's Lunch

Posted on Wed Apr 19th, 2023 @ 10:23pm by Ensign Kehl th’Kaaliq

1,213 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Descent
Location: Deck 10 - Botany Bay

The Botany Lab on Deck 10 of the USS Tokyo was a serene oasis amidst the hustle and bustle of the ship's daily operations. The lab was equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to accommodate various plant species that the Starfleet crew encountered on their exploratory missions. The room was dimly lit, with the only source of light emanating from the artificial sun lamps that created a perfect environment for photosynthesis.

Kehl was engrossed in his work as he studied the peculiar plant in front of him. The plant was unlike anything he had ever encountered before. It was reactive to touch and sound and had a tendency to lash out at anyone who got too close. He had spent weeks studying the plant and was finally on the verge of finding a nutrient supply to feed it. It naturally fed on insects. Kehl had been working on a way to feed the plant through a powder or liquid solution.

As Kehl was preparing a powder sample, he heard the door to the lab open and in walked his lab assistant, Petty Officer Shiela Vang. She was a bubbly young woman of about 24 years with blonde hair and a contagious energy. “Sir, you won't believe what I just found!" she exclaimed, barely containing her excitement.

Kehl turned to face her, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "What is it, Petty Officer?" he asked, intrigued.

"I found a container of live crickets in the storage room. I thought the plant might like them for a snack!" she said, holding up the container of bugs.

Kehl couldn't help but chuckle at her enthusiasm. "Well, that's certainly one way to feed it," he said, gesturing to the plant.

Shiela carefully plucked a cricket from the container with a pair of tweezers and held it out towards the plant. The plant immediately snapped it up, its leaves curling around the insect and pulling it in. Both Kehl and Shiela watched in amazement as the plant devoured the cricket. For a moment, they both forgot they were on a starship and not in a botanical garden.

"Well, that was certainly a success," Kehl said, grinning at Shiela.

She beamed back at him, clearly pleased with herself. "I knew you'd like it, Ensign! I think we should do this more often."

Kehl chuckled again. "Let's just make sure we don't bring any creepy-crawlies onto the ship by accident," he said, still amused.

Shiela nodded, her smile faltering slightly. "Right, of course, sir. I'll make sure to check everything thoroughly before bringing it in here."

Kehl patted her on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Petty Officer. You're doing great. And who knows, maybe we'll discover something new about this plant thanks to your ingenuity."

Shiela's smile returned, and the two of them went back to their work, feeling a renewed sense of excitement about the possibilities that lay ahead.

“Just remember, our goal is to reduce the need for live insects”, Kehl continued. “I’d like to try my latest work.. A powder, and then a liquid solution.”

Petty Officer Vang nods in agreement as Kehl reminds her. She watches as Kehl carefully sprinkles the powder over the plant's surface. The plant immediately spits it back out, sending a small cloud of powder into Kehl's face.

"Ugh, I think I got some in my mouth," Kehl says, coughing.

Petty Officer Vang stifles a laugh as she hands Kehl a towel to wipe his face. Just then, she notices something out of the corner of her eye.

"Ensign, look!" she exclaims, pointing to the plant. "It's glowing!"

Kehl rushes over to the plant and sees that she's right. The plant is emitting a soft, pulsing light that seems to be growing brighter by the second.

"This is incredible," Kehl says in awe. "I've never seen anything like this before."

Suddenly, the plant begins to move, twisting and turning in ways that should be impossible for a plant. "What the...?" Kehl trails off, watching as the plant seems to be reaching out towards him. Before he can react, the plant wraps a tendril around Kehl's arm and pulls him towards its gaping maw.

"Petty Officer, a little help?" Kehl calls out, struggling to free himself from the plant's grip. Petty Officer Vang rushes over and begins to pull on Kehl's other arm. Together, they manage to pry him free from the plant's grasp.

As Kehl catches his breath, the plant begins to shrink and return to its original form. "I think we need to add a warning label to this one," Kehl says, half-jokingly. "May cause sudden and unexpected plant attacks."

Petty Officer Vang can't help but laugh as she writes down their findings. It may not have been the success they were hoping for, but it certainly made for an interesting experiment.

“Let’s try the next one”, Kehl said through a little embarrassment. “Solution number five.” As Kehl carefully measures out the next formula, Petty Officer Vang watches intently, eager to see if this one will work. Kehl adds the solution to the plant's feeding tray, and they both watch as the plant eagerly devours it. At first, it seems to be working - the plant perks up and starts to look healthier. But then, to their dismay, the plant suddenly begins to wilt and droop again.

"Looks like it's only partially successful," Kehl sighs, scratching his head in frustration. "I just can't seem to get this right."

Petty Officer Vang places a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Sir. We'll figure it out. Maybe we should try a different approach?"

Kehl nods thoughtfully, then suddenly has an idea. "I know! What if we add some music to the mix? We could play some soothing tunes for the plant while it eats. It might help it digest the nutrients better."

Petty Officer Vang looks at Kehl skeptically, but decides to humor him. "Okay, Ensign. I'll go get my tricorder and we can try it out."

“No Need, Miss Vang.” Kehl moved to a nearby counter where his own tricorder lay. He lifted and welded it with pride. “Always prepared.” He tapped a few buttons and his tricorder played a relaxing Andorian tune he sometimes used to help fall asleep.

Petty Officer Vang nods in agreement and watches as the plant's leaves slowly open up and it starts swaying gently to the rhythm of the tune. Kehl looks at her with a grin, "Looks like the plant has a taste for Andorian music!"

Vang chuckles and replies, "Who knew music was the key to growing interstellar plants?"

As they watch the plant, they notice it starts emitting a soft glow that pulses with the music. Kehl takes out his tricorder again and starts recording the plant's reaction to the music.

"This is fascinating," he says, "I wonder if we could use this to develop a more efficient way to grow plants on long space voyages."

Vang nods in agreement, "It could definitely help reduce the need for live feeders and improve the quality of life for crew members."

As the music fades out, the plant slowly closes its leaves and returns to its dormant state. Kehl and Vang share a look of satisfaction knowing they've made progress in their research.

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