Helping hand

Posted on Wed Sep 19, 2018 @ 2:10am by Civilian Teena Otrei & Lieutenant JG Brianthe Oaxaca

1,091 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Victory Conditions
Location: Botany Lab
Timeline: MD8 PM

ON:

Teena was excited. When Liam had suggested this Kestra had of course balked. Typical, her sister not wanting to get her hands that dirty by doing so actual work. Teena however thought it would be very beneficial for their new business. And to just meet more people. People also with an interest in plants.

She had sensed from Liam the lady in question was ethereally beautiful but was not prepared for the loveliness of the woman who received her. She looked like a goddess of their people. She swallowed. It wouldn't do for a daughter of the 17th and her new house to be crushing on this woman willing to teach her about plants.

"Hi. I'm Teena. Liam's Reynolds Half sister. I understand you are needing volunteers for the arboterum. I would like to help."

Brianthe was walking through the trees, testing the acidity of the soil. When she heard someone approaching, she went to greet the new arrival.

"Hello, Teena," Brianthe said, smiling serenely. "I'm glad you stopped by. Do you like plants and trees?"

"I do. I make perfumes. I started as a project in school. My sister and I are now setting up a shop so I have been doing my own research into new and more exotic ones. The opportunity to help out and learn more was too good to miss. And Liam says you would be an amazing teacher,"

Brianthe's eyes sparkled. "What do you use for your perfumes?"

"My favourites are the ones that bloom by moonlight. Theres something so serene and … romantic about them. I bet they are hard to grow, could we grow something like that here? It would require some environmental work yes?" her mouth was suddenly running away from her in excitement.

"We could, but we would need to set up a large enough room for the environmental controls and the natural habitat. There are several flowers that bloom only during a full moon, but they also require sunlight and the proper climate to survive." Brianthe had considered a moon room, but that was something she would work on only after she had the main arboretum the way she wanted it. Still, if she had someone willing to put in the hours and TLC necessary, she might move it up her priority list. "What do you know about caring for delicate flora?"

"Well you have to get the environment right, feed and water them. Weed and prune them. Tend them. It might sound mad but I like to talk to mine. I think it makes them happier and I think a happier plant grows better," she told her.

"Of course talking to them helps. They also respond to different types of music," Brianthe said. "And they like the right kind of soil and water. Each plant is different. The computer helps, but sometimes you just need to see how the trees and plants respond."

"How do they respond to music? Are there studies? Evidence?" Teena asked interested.

"There are hundreds of studies dating back centuries." Well, not as many recently. "Believe it or not, classical music and rock work best. I personally prefer classic earth rock. 20th Century music was pretty amazing. Although some of the stuff coming from Altair is good, too. The right music can help them grow faster and better. The wrong music will kill them."

"What is classic earth rock?" Teena asked confused. "Sorry my interaction with Earth, humans, comes down to my step family. And they are only half human. Everything is fairly new to me. Even my girlfriends father who is fully human confuses me greatly."

Brianthe smiled. "You should ask the computer for songs that are similar to your personal preferences. Let's see... Computer, play Journey's Greatest Hits."

Teena listened to the song describing two people going to meet each other past midnight via a train. "I have heard similar," she said. "Liam sings. He's working on some songs from an artist called Mr Big. Maybe I could entice him to come down and sing to the flowers."

"He's welcome, if he wants," Brianthe said.

"How did you get into working with plants?" Teena asked.

"I grew up on a world thar revered nature," Brianthe said. "So I guess it was natural that I gravitated to botany." She waved a hand at the treees. "Actually, it's here I feel the most alive."

She turned To Teena. "What aabout you? What makes you want to work with plants?"

"I did an elective at school," Teena told her. "Back on Betazed. I started a garden and got more interested from there. I have a vegetable garden established at my new mothers house. I do hope someone's looking after it while I am away."

"We don't have a vegetable garden here, but we do have an herb garden, if you'd like to work there," Brianthe said. "Actually, you'd be welcome to help out anywhere, if you have the time."

"I'm happy to put some time in on the weekends. Well if I'm not summoned back to Betazed for offical engagements and Im here count me in. It happens sometimes. My new mother. She likes to follow the old ways," she shrugged.

"Then weekends it is," Brianthe said cheerfully. "I'll help you all I can. In the meantime, you should review the botany and horticulture databases. They're quite extensive." She waved a hand around the room. "Is there anything in particular you'd like to see while you're here?"

"I look forward to it and I will," Teena nodded. "Do you have any of the Vulcan fire pit flora?" They are rather facinating. Or the flowering organsims that survive on Andora?" she asked having only read about such breeds.

"Not here," Brianthe said. "But they are fascinating. Those are better on a planet than a station."

"Oh," Teena said getting excited. "Do you think they would let us plant them down on Pangaea?"

Brianthe raised an eyebrow. "I don't know. I've been so busy with the arboretum I hadn't considered the possibility of creating some sort of garden area on Pangaea. It could be fun, if we can get permission."

Teena nodded. "Perhaps we should not get ahead of ourselves. Get the arboretum sorted first. I can start this weekend."

"A very good point. One step at a time." She smiled. "We'll start with this weekend and go from there. I will see you this weekend."

OFF:

Ensign Brianthe Oaxaca
Botanist
Deep Space Five

Teena Otrei
Owner of the Tamashī no umi Perfumery
Deep Space Five

 

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