*finishes writing something on his PADD*

Mr. Sulu, I have just sent a written message to the Admiral, concerning our previous discussion. I expect him to give me an answer anytime soon. And a positive one, I hope... *smiles*

*turns to the Admiral*

Excuse me Admiral.

*stands up and goes to Jonathan*

Greetings Captain. It's been a long time since we last met. How are things on the Sphinx? I've heard that my friend Chief Thomson had to go back to Utopia Planitia...

*walks into the restaurant carrying a PADD and talking to himself*

Ah, Admiral! I received the invitation to the opening party... I was busy at the lab so I had to bring some work to finish here... *smiles looking embarassed* Well, I hope you don't mind... I'll be through in a couple of minutes... I hope...

*keeps tapping on his PADD for some more seconds*

Oh well... I guess this can wait, can't it?

*puts the PADD on his belt and takes a seat*

Care to join me Admiral?

Well Mr. Sulu, it will be a pleasure to work with you.... *pauses for a moment and then looks at Harn*

Would you like to be my assistant? I have SARAH, my holographic assistant, but you seem to understand a lot about engineering and science. We could talk to the Admiral... If you don't want to join Starfleet I guess he could allow you to become an honorary member of my staff.

What do you think?

OFF: Chief Thomson was a character of mine.. He was your chief engineer before the Borg attack.

Well Captain, I barely knew your first officer. He seemed to be a fine man though. And it is a pity that the Sphynx has been decomissioned, she was a fine ship. I was happy to fight at your side when we repelled those pirates. I was the CO of the Lattes at the time. She has been decomissioned too, I'm afraid.

(Edited by Pierre Louis Assis at 7:36 pm on Jan. 6, 2004)

I must say they are going very well indeed, sir. I am being helped by my holographic assistant SARAH. She's very good with complex matrix analysis... And I expect to have some prototypes being tested sometime soon. I'm not very sure that the improvement I'll acheive will be significant over the regular warp drives, though...

This quadrant has a very exotic subspace, and we'd benefit greatly from interaction and cooperation with cultures indigenous to this quadrant. Those however have been mostly aggressive, don't you think sir?

From the reports I've read those Loxians are rather violent...

Excuse me Captain *turns and heads towards Huw*

Astonishing, isn't it? This planet is fabulous. I have never seen storms like the ones we have here.

I think they are frightening and beautyful at the same time. It depends on which side of the window you are, I guess. *laughs*

I'm sory Mr. Huw, but I didn't get a proper chance to thank you for your help in the lab. Did those power cells do their job well?

I also wnt to talk to you about a project I had a long time ago... A cultural project for the base.

OFF: I'm terribly sorry Harn... I guess I'm getting too old for this multicharacter thing... http://expansionfleet.sparks.priorweb.be/ikonboard/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'> Huw is a character who works with me on the Inteligence division...

Well Mr. Sulu, I guess I can help you with that. Why don't you send me the specs of your device? Perhaps I can build some power cells for you.

Replicating them wouldn't be so good... Replicators tend to be somewhat incapable of replicating complex devices, you know. Their quantum accuracy is not as big as that of a transporter.... *starts some two minutes of technobabble*

Anyway, send me the specs and I'll see what I can do for you. *smiles*

*the PADD beeps. he reads the message and smiles*

Congratulations, Honorary Science Officer Harn Sulu! You are my new XO on the Science Department.

*shakes Sulu's hand and pats him on the back*

And the Admiral said thet he will have me to train you, so you can become a full starfleet officer. It wouldn't be practical to send you back to the Alpha Quadrant, would it?

Well, Mr. Sulu. I think you can begin as soon as we talk to the admiral.

=A= Assis to Admiral Sullivan =A=

Admiral, could I speak with you for a moment at your office?

=A= Assis out =A=

OFF: Though this lab operates on a separate forum now, it is still part of the same complex, the Scientific Research Facility.

Computer, end reprogramming session and restart SARAH. *SARAH, the holographic assistant, disappears for a moment and then appears again, wearing the new uniform*

Well, I guess that covers all upgrades, doesn't it SARAH?

Indeed it does, Dr. Assis

Very good. I've just received an assignment from the new CO, Admiral Sullivan.

He wants us to work on a new warp drive system that is less likely to blow up in close proximity to that... Quantum Singularity Network... I think that's the name...

He gave us full access to all data gathered about this QSN, so I think all we need now is a good cup of tea before starting...

*a cup of green tea appears on the replicator installed on his table*

Thank you SARAH. Now, could you take care of data sets 2473.4 to 3342.7? I'll take the others, so we can work faster...

Right awy, sir.

*SARAH's hologram flickers while she works, accessing the databases*

OFF: Sorry for vanishing. I had the most difficult couple of weeks ever...

So, Mr. Sulu... I believe you are ready to talk to the Admiral... Should we schedule a meeting? Then you can demonstrate your knowledge and if everything is to his liking then you can become a full member of my staff.

Computer, set an appointment with the CO as soon as possible. Me and Mr. Sulu would like to talk to him about Mr. Sulu's assignment as a science officer.

I certainly don't mind, Mr. Sulu. Please proceed with the other lessons then.

I want a report on my desk as soon as you finish them. We will then start some practical exercises.

*enters the room*

Mr. Sulu, how are you? I was informed that the new CO of the station will be arriving soon and that I'm to put this lab to work again with your help ASAP.

*points to a large crate*

Could you help me with that? It's a bit heavy, but nothing that a reverse gravity field can't help us with...

*presses a button on the crate's size and it hums, becomming lighter*

*comes from behind a very large console*

Yes you are Mr. Sulu!

I was just setting the last couple iso-linear chips in place. i have programmed a holographic simulation thet will teach you almost all you need to know to become a Starfleet officer... I call it "Starfleet Academy in a nutshell" *smiles*

Oh, don't look so surprised about the simulation. This whole building is filled with holoemitters. It's almost like a giant holodeck.