From: Shawn _ (alamo_nate_at_yahoo.com)
Date: Sat Aug 23 2008 - 03:32:57 PDT
=Nature Vs. Nurture=
(cont'd from "Trick Or Treat")
LOCATION: GATEWAY Station
SCENE: Science Lab
STARDATE: [2.8]0823.0228
Crichton and Varn had worked in tandem to arrange proper conditions for their preliminary examination of the alien devices. Both men were wildly excited, but for different reasons. Varn was fascinated by the scientific knowledge that could potentially be gleaned from the technology, eager to review the data and begin forming hypotheses about who these ancient people were and what they were capable of. For Crichton, on the other hand, all the fun lay in *collecting* the data; the young engineer was practically bubbling with his eagerness to take the devices apart and see how they worked.
Of course, there were precautions to be taken. No one had been exposed to this technology except a lost team of researchers, a handful of escaped prisoners, and one Vorta who, rather inexplicably, had undergone a sudden change of heart as to his loyalty to the Founders. Crichton found this last part especially intriguing. He knew that both Vorta and Jem'Hadar were cloned-servants to the Founders, and their reverence was supposed to be genetically programmed. Of course, it could always be as simple as a hiccup in the cloning process... but what if it wasn't? The implications were incredible.
In order to ensure against potential contamination, Varn had set up a lab table beneath a protective forcefield. The artifacts could then be scanned for every known contaminant in the Federation database. If the devices were found to be cleaned, then the process would be turned over to Crichton, who would subject the devices to a number of stability tests, to ensure that they wouldn't explode during disassembly. Only then would the forcefield be lowered, and a more *direct* examination be made.
{{I'm getting a report from the Dominion ship,}} Lt. Savitri Ganesh reported from Ops. {{Preparing to beam the items to the lab now. Stand by.}}
"Thank you, lieutenant," Varn nodded. He turned to Crichton. "Excited?"
"If these devices are as advanced as advertised," Crichton nodded.
"Of course, we're taking it at the word of a Vorta that they are," Varn pointed out.
"You think he's lying?"
"His kind are eternally loyal to the Founders," Varn said. "They can't help it. It's genetic."
"Nature versus nurture, Wings," Crichton shrugged. "Genetics provides a framework, but eventually we all became the sum of our experiences."
"Not when you're genetically conditioned not too," Varn said flatly. "It's tough to ignore your genes, Jake. Trust me. I've had mine messed around with enough times to know first hand."
"You really think a person is just a collection of genetic markers?" Crichton asked.
"Of course not," Varn shook his head. "But genes aren't really a frame. They're a box. You can grow spiritually, you can grow as a person... but you don't *exceed* your genetic potential. Nobody does."
Crichton sighed. "Maybe your right."
"Why the sudden interest in genetics?" Varn asked, raising an eyebrow.
"It's those mirrors of us," Crichton said. "Meeting the Crichton from the other universe, seeing what he's like..."
"He saved your life, didn't he?"
"Yeah," Crichton nodded. "He told me he only did it to help himself, that this universe and I can all go to Hell as far as he's concerned."
"Do you believe him?"
"About the universe, yes," Crichton sighed. "But about me? I'm not so sure."
"He's not you, Jake," Varn said. "You can agonize over whether or not you'd have become like him if the same things had happened to you, but in the end, it doesn't matter. They *didn't* happen to you, and you *aren't* like him."
"But genetically, we're identical," Crichton pointed out with a smirk.
"Technically not true, but you've made your point," Varn smiled. "I'm getting a signal from Operations... the devices are coming in now."
Crichton and Varn riveted their attention to the forcefield, eager to see the artifacts and begin their investigation.
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SCENE: Promenade
Budo didn't like to leave his ship.
Budo had long ago grown accustomed to getting everything he wanted, both in his business dealings and his personal life. Everything had to be *just so*, and he got very grouchy when events did not transpire the way he way he was expecting. As such, leaving his ship was a problem- even a man with the considerable wealth and influence of Budo Pumbular could only control so much of the everyday comings and goings of the galaxy. He had K'reshh with him, of course, but even the Nausicaan bodyguard couldn't prevent the odd person from bumping into him or stepping on his foot. Nor could he protect against the *smells*. But sacrifices must be made, and a man in Budo's position had a certain image to maintain. It wouldn't do to have the little people scoffing about crazy old Budo who was so afraid of the world, he never left his ship.
Budo waved his scented handkerchief under his nose, doing his best to keep the look on his face politely-disinterested, rather than outright disgusted. He was heading towards the large property he owned at the end of the Promenade, which he had acquired shortly after the siege of GATEWAY. It was still undeveloped, but Budo had plans for this sector of the Gamma Quadrant, and he felt reasonably sure that, at some point, he would need a place to conduct business that seemed a little more... *neutral* than his own private vessel.
Budo was totally uninterested in the crowd around them, but when he saw a familiar face waiting for him up ahead, he slowed his pace to a stop. Of course, he'd heard that Raxl Dreyton had survived the bomb on his ship, and had turned Martin Anders in to Federation authorities, but he didn't think the bounty hunter would be brazen enough to actually *confront* him. Behind him, K'reshh growled, but Budo put up a hand to restrain him. The Nausicaan obviously was displeased with these instructions, but he did as he was told.
Raxl came to a stop in front of Budo. For a long moment, he merely stared coldly at the fat merchant. Budo assumed it was supposed to be scary, but he was already growing bored with the confrontation and decided to hurry things along.
"Mr. Dreyton," he said, stifling a yawn. "What a surprise."
"You tried to kill me, you son of a bitch," Dreyton growled. Again, Budo somehow couldn't find it in himself to sink to the floor and quiver in terror. He waved his handkerchief under his nose and gave a slight frown.
"That's a serious allegation, Mr. Dreyton," he said. "I hope you have some kind of proof to back it up."
"No, I don't," Raxl scowled.
"Then I think we're done here," Budo shrugged. "Now, if you'll kindly get out of my way..." And he tried walking forward.
"I don't think you understand," Raxl said, extending an arm to stop him. "I don't plan on reporting this to Federation security. Like you said, I can't prove anything."
"Fascinating," Budo grumbled. "Now, if you please-"
"But here's the thing," Raxl said, ignoring Budo's protests and leaning in close. "I don't like people who try to kill me."
Before Budo knew what was happening, Raxl's fist had slammed hard into his stomach, knocking all the wind out of him. He dropped to his knees, sucking in huge, rasping breaths as his eyes bulged. To his credit, K'reshh was just as fast. In a flash, he had slammed Dreyton hard against a wall and was currently holding a large blade to his throat.
"No!" Budo managed to croak. K'reshh glared back at him and growled, but Budo shook his head sternly. "No, K'reshh. Not here."
Budo stood slowly, his knees wobbling beneath his girth. He braced himself against a railing and wheezed loudly, trying to get his wind back. He glared angrily up at Raxl, who stared back just as angrily. Eventually, Budo's eyes dropped, and he sucked in one final, gasping breath before standing up, straightening his clothes, and composing himself once more.
Once he had, he walked up to Raxl and stared him coldly in the eye.
"I'm going to be uncharacteristically generous here, Dreyton," he frowned, his voice quavering a little as he tried to sound composed. "I'm going to let you have that one, because you think I deserve it, and because I may have a use for you in the future. But, and let me be perfectly clear about this- if you *ever* do something like this again, you *will* be made to regret it."
Budo nodded at K'reshh, who tossed Raxl to the floor. The two continued on, neither one bothering to look back as Raxl Dreyton stood, dusted himself off, and stared coldly after them.
==========================================================================
NRPG: That's the wrap up to the Raxl story, and the start of the investigation of the alien artifacts.
JUSTIN: Hope you liked that scene with Crichton and Thomas. Tag!
Shawn Putnam
a.k.a.
Jacob Crichton, Lieutenant
Chief of Engineering
GATEWAY Station, GS-2
From HyperNews_at_youth.net
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Wed Nov 19 2008 - 03:10:56 PST