SydneyRichardson

Syd stood before the science console, reading over the information the USS Curie had given them on the Vechwa’s status. The bridge felt like a strange place to be at the moment, after having so much information and responsibility thrust upon her. Next few months? Would he really be gone that long? Would she really be in charge of the science department that long? Behind her a Klingon was grumbling on the view screen, and to her right Lt. Marks seemed to be more than a tad fidgety. Trying to disregard all the distractions, she concentrated on the tasks at hand: Review the data, stop turning around to look at the Klingon, ignore the urge to chew on your braid, avoid hyperventilating, stop looking at the people at the consoles next to you or you will scare them... Later, after things with the Klingon Morg had calmed down a bit, she would go to Jamie’s office and sit down, and begin creating a list of the science personnel that would form the team to help out with the ‘Iwpey rop situation on Vechwa. There on the desk she would find a data padd, and on it would be a note from him. To her chagrin there would be no explanation for why he had gone so quickly, in fact there would be precious little information contained in the note at all. No, it would only ask for her to wait for him as well as a few more lines that brought a small smile to her face. She would sit there looking at it until Midshipman Baxter walked in to the office to tell her something. At that time she would put the data padd in a drawer to her left, and stand up to follow Baxter out of the office, still feeling trepidation about the duty she had been given. “We'll be relying on you and your department much these next few months,” Captain Davies told her. He then walked up to her, somewhat towering over her, and looked down. Placing a fatherly hand on her shoulder, he added, “Great leaders are forged by adversity... look at this as a challenge not only to your abilities, but to your character.”

Sydney looked a bit taken aback, but laughed. "Here, take the darn data padd if you want it so badly." She looked down at how he had a hold of her arms. Jamie merely smiled, and took it, but didn't let go. Once again tilting her head in a confused way, Syd continued looking at him. "I hope you will find the report... satisfactory." He was still holding her, but looking at the Padd. "I'm sure I will." "Hmm..." she smirked, "so if it isn't satisfactory, will you be pulling my arm from its socket?" He smiled, while reading through it and holding her. "I doubt it. I'm sure it will be the best weekly status report I've ever read..." Leaning forward, she told him, "I think you should know sir, I bruise easily," then nodded to his grip on her arm. He blinked, and then gently let go. "Of course...I'm...Sorry." Sydney laughed. "It's comforting at times to hold on to things; that's why I have this you know." She flipped her braid around, nearly getting him with it again, then taking it into her hand and chewing on the tips of the hair. "And what's the significance of your hair anyway? For me, it's just one more thing to cut and shave..." She Shrugged and admitted, "Not really and significance per se, I just... never thought of cutting it or shaving it off my head. Why do you ask?" He tilted his head. "No particular reason. Just, when one lets their hair grow that long, it's often out of attachment. Just wondering if there was a story behind it." "Perhaps it was because of my grandmother," Syd admitted. "She kept hers much longer than mine, but she also gardened in nothing but her house slippers on occasion, so I don't think it would be highly suggestible to take after her in every respect." She grinned impishly. He smirked, "Well now, don’t go jumping to conclusions here..." Sydney laughed. "Not to say that it hasn't been pleasant sir, but it is time for my shift to end. If you'll excuse me." She nodded and headed towards the door. He turned her around, with a look of importance on his face, before he pulled her into a kiss, rather unrepentantly. She kissed him back and then pulled away. "Now, now, what would the Captain say?" Then walked out of the science lab and into the hallway. He blinked, and she was gone. He had to think for a second what had just transpired, and could only think of one thing…"Muh?"

As the program got underway, the four members of the Agincourt assumed their roles in the western program. In the far corner of the saloon, Lt.(jg) JP Marks had taken the persona of Doc Holliday: he leaned back in one of the poker games with his sullen eyes looking at his cards and looking at the other members of the table. Near a window sat Mid. Sydney Richardson, in character as a female Morgan Earp: from what anyone could tell, she was quietly rolling a cigarette while leaning back in her chair, feet up on the table. Ens. Kansas JoNs had taken on the role of Virgilia Earp, the sometimes lawperson, all the time gunslinger: she stood by the bar, twirling a gun without a care, itching to shoot it. Lt.(jg) Javin Prell took the role of Wyatt Earp, and was sitting at the bar, knocking back a few drinks: he lovingly patted his shotgun, frowning when he found a scratch. Together, the Earps and Holliday kept order in the rough and tumble Tombstone, Arizona. JP continued looking at his cards, cradling his newly acquired rifle in his lap. One of the men laid down four aces to win the pot... which was a bit odd since JP had a pair of aces in his hands. JP frowned and looked up, "Computer, freeze program." Javin looked up at Marks. "Problem?" Sydney lost her balance just then and fell back in her chair, landing kind of hard. "Ow..." Kansas looked over toward JP, and JP looked back at Javin. "I think there is something wrong with the program. There are six aces in this game,” he said. Javin chuckled. "JP, it ain't the program that’s wrong… he's cheating you" JP's eyes widened. "What???" Sydney stood up, righting her chair, and scowling a bit, but then looking up at the others. Kansas smirked at Sydney, and then JP. "Get the sidewinder JP! I'll be your backup," she said, twirling her gun again. Kansas seemed to be having a lot of fun. In fact, Kansas hadn't had any time lately to participate in a western holoprogram, and was enjoying herself immensely. Javin smirked. "They didn't play fair back then, no honor like when we play now." JP frowned and his fellow card player after what Javin had said. "Indeed... Computer, restart program." With a whirl, the saloon music restarted and JP stood up. "Sir, I do believe you are cheating." Billy Clanton got up with a screech of his chair, and smacked a large hand on the table. "Them's fightin' words." JP looked back at Kansas, Sydney, and Javin and then straightened up a bit. "Sir, I suggest you leave before you make this quite unpleasant for everyone." Billy gave the table a shove. "What are you going to do? Send your woman after me?" He guffawed. "Not much you could do to me, that's for sure." JP's face went from amused to deadpan in a heartbeat. "My... woman?" Billy tipped his hat. "You heard me, boy." Kansas' hand hovered over her now holstered gun. "Watch it Billy, the women can shoot straight. Unlike your brother, Ike." JP slowly stood up from the table and rested the rifle on the ground. "Now you listen here Mister... I suggest you refrain from speaking much more before I shut your mouth for good." Javin, finding this all amusing, picked up his shotgun and got ready to shoot. Billy snorted. "Ike can shoot better than Doc here..." then looking back at Marks, "Maybe the little woman needs a real man. One that does something instead of just talkin’ about it. Callin’ me ‘sir’ like he’s some kind of big shot, hmph." The Caitian shot a bemused smile at Javin. Sydney sat at her table, resting her head on her elbows, watching the whole scene with wide eyes, enjoying the banter between JP and the holographic Billy. For JP, however, that comment was the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back. For that second, JP lost the sense of imagination and pictured this all as deadly real. Completely snapping, he quickly drew up his rifle and using it as a club, bashed Clanton in the face with it. Billy fell back, and lifted a hand to his nose. "You done broke my nose, you danged idiot," Billy yelled out, trying to stand up again. JP ducked his head and tackled Billy into a table, causing a huge riot to break out; he then began punching Billy with everything he had, ripping the Holodeck character apart. During the insanity, Ike Clanton, Johnny Behan, Tom and Frank McLaury walk in. One of them neatly pushed Sydney, causing her and her chair to fall over once more. She stood up, scowling, and looked over to Virgilia. "Shall we, sis?" Kansas pulled her pistols out and grinned at Morgan, "Let’s do this!" Taking a potshot at Ike Clanton’s hat, she knocked it off his head. The Former Sheriff of Tombstone Johnny Behan quickly ran to where JP was beating the stuffing out of Billy, pulled him off, and delivered a punch to his face. JP fell backwards with the punch, falling into Kansas at the bar. "Ooof!" JP shouted with Kansas’ shot. Sydney grinned and took a quick kick at Frank McLaury's hind-end, and when he turned delivered a swift punch to his chin. Thanks to the holoprogram, Frank fell to the ground from the blow, swearing as he went. JP quickly got back on the offensive, throwing a very deadly shot to Behan's throat. Behan fell to the ground coughing, trying to expand his collapsed esophagus as JP pounced and continued to throw more shots at him. Kansas righted herself, broken bottles flying by her head as the saloon further erupted into chaos. Javin continued to sit at the bar, silently watching what was going on… until one of the flying glass bottles hit him on the head. Meanwhile, JP was dragging Behan back up to his feet, drawing his pistol, and then shot him at point-blank range. Blood splatter flied backwards, coating both Sydney and Javin. Sydney however was now grappling with Frank, who was a little more than irritated at being hit by her. "Wyatt! A little help?" Syd yelled out, feeling a bit overwhelmed, even if this was just a holoprogram. Blinking, trying to get the blood out of his eye, Javin snatched up his shotgun and fired at Frank, talking care not to hit Sydney. With a "Mrrowwwl!" of glee, Kansas jumped into the fray. As Frank fell to the ground, Sydney grinned at Wyatt. "Hey, thanks." Then she realized her shoulder was a bit wounded... Javin jumped into the main fight, pulling Frank out by his collar and hit him in the head with the butt of his gun. The blood gushing from Frank's body didn’t stop Javin from continually beating him. The nimble Catian was throwing some punches at Tom McLaury. With a bit of a squeal, Syd ran between fighters and jumped over the bar, ducking underneath to check on her arm. The now totally out of it JP swung his gun around and starting firing at whatever was moving. He had literally lost it, even firing the holographic bullets at his shipmates. Kansas, getting up from a punch from Tom, looks at JP shocked as he fires a holographic bullet right at her. Seeing Kansas fall, Javin picked up his gun and took a shot at Tom. Sydney looked around behind the bar counter and finally locating a small gun. "Hmm how does this little one here work...?” After shooting a hole in the roof she figured it out. JP cursed aloud as his holographic gun ran out of ammo. He quickly looked around and picked up his recently acquired rifle loaded with real bullets. Having acquired a target, he fired a shot. The bullet ripped through the holograph character and embedded into the wall. The Holodeck shuddered with the impact of the bullet, causing everyone to stop and look in shock. JP suddenly seemed to snap back to reality, realizing he just fired a live shot in the Holodeck. His eyes quickly glazed as he looked wildly from side to side, praying he didn't shoot one of his crewmates. Panic level going up in Kansas as she realizes that JP is using his real rifle, Kansas yelled, "Computer, FREEZE Program!" as she leaps onto a table and jumps off, taking out JP. Sydney looks to the wall next to her. "Uh... was that... by any chance a real gun?" JP's eyes continue to dart, realizing he is now crumbled on the ground. "Wha... What happened?" The Caitian security ensign, currently on top of JP, says to him nose to nose, “You just went ballistic and fired a... ballistic." JP's eyes finally stopped darting and came back to lie on Kansas's. "Ensign... Is there a reason you're laying on top of me?" Slowly gets up off of JP, Kansas looked over toward Sydney and Javin, then back to him, "You fired the rifle. The one you bought JP. At us." She put a hand out to help him up. JP quickly pulled himself up and looked at Kansas. "I... I mean..." Kansas walked over to Javin and Sydney, "You both okay?" she asked them, tail swishing to show how disturbed she is at what has happened. JP shook his head, totally confused. "I don't know what happened... I mean... He said something about my wife and I just..." Syd shrugged at Kansas and began to answer her, but then looked at Marks. "No he didn't." Javin had joined the group, and also looked a little confused at what JP said. "He didn't say anything about your wife... JP looked at Sydney and Javin. "Well he said my woman and I thought about and uh..." He slowly noticed the three staring at him. "Err... Uh... Never mind." "And what the heck were you thinking, firing the real gun?” Javin added. JP coughed slightly and picked up his rifle. "Maybe we should just... Forget about this ok?" Kansas tail bristled slightly, as she became even more disturbed at JP's last statement concerning the Holodeck character. Javin snatched the rifle away from him. "No. What's going on JP?" Kansas looks at Sydney with concern, who, felling a bit out of place, was currently considering ducking back down under the bar. Kansas looked at everyone in turn. "I want to thank...everyone...for participating in this program. I do enjoy westerns. But, I think we all need to call it a day." Then shooting a look at Javin, hopes that he will back up what she said. JP looked at Javin. "There is nothing wrong OKAY???" Taken aback, Javin stared at Marks, not moving a muscle. Kansas also clams up and stops moving. JP continued staring at the three, feeling backed into a corner. Sydney, cringing at JP’s outburst, tries for a grin. "Hey, Doc Holliday... Will you look at this: Wyatt, my own brother, shot me in the shoulder. Freakish, huh?" When no one moves, she slowly reaches a finger out and touches Marks' eyebrow. "You okay?" JP recoils from Sydney like she was throwing a cobra at him. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" Syd jumped back, landing on her rump. "GOSH what is with you and landing me on my rear-end!" Standing up and brushing herself off and glares at Marks. "Why on earth are you freaking out about a Holodeck character saying something about your wife? You don't even HAVE a wife." JP's breath began to come out in spurts... "I have a wife... I... I..." Tears began to form in his eyes... Javin backed off from JP and sat a table back up and picked up four chairs, indicating them to sit. For all the months he kept his secret buried, emotion swept to the surface in JP. He stared at his crewmates who he now felt closer to then anyone he had in a long time. He slowly calmed down... Trying to regain control of himself. Javin took a hold of Mark's shoulder and sat him down. JP no longer looked like the imposing tactical officer he was known for but like a venerable man. "You all... Don't understand. You see..." Javin's commbadge chirped just then. Kansas closely looked at JP, deeply disturbed by what she witnessed, not really hearing even the commbadge chirp. All she could think was, And this man is my backup? Javin took a look at the badge, then got up and moved to the side, tapping it. He returned after a minute to the silent group. "Agincourt just got new orders. We need to get back." He looked at JP, making it known this was not over yet. Sydney almost hugged Javin, glad to be getting away from what had suddenly turned into a heart to heart. Kansas also shot JP a look, as in "this is not over", and out loud said, “Okay let’s get back. Thanks again for the Holodeck time." Javin picked up the replicated weapons, and the Real rifle. He nodded to Kansas, "C'mon, let's go." Sydney followed close behind him. As the group filed out of the Holodeck, JP remained in the darkness. He looked about for a second and then buried his head in his hands... "Game over JP... This is game over. You can't do this anymore... I don't care how much it hurts; you can't do this anymore..." With a swallowing of his pride and the swallowing of his feelings, JP sat up and walked out of the Holodeck. His "looser" mentality was gone, replaced by the hardness that allowed him to get through the years of pain...

Dear Zara, Greetings and salutations! How are you? I hope this letter finds you well. In response to your last letter, yes, I’m doing splendid. My coworkers seem to enjoy me and often make the most hilarious faces at me whenever I speak to them. Quite an amiable bunch we have here in Science. Although, most of them do regard my plants as a nuisance. Not the chief, though! He even told me once that my skills were necessary. Or something like that. There’s one particular Midshipman who I think I’m getting along with swimmingly, Ralph Baxter. However, he too seems frightened of plants. He’s more of the entomology type. As for my chief, he’s usually pretty busy, but, from what I’ve seen of him, he’s an okay guy. On the last away mission, it seemed like I met people from every department. There was the security guy, Marks, who pushed me to the ground; the engineering guy, Prell, who I tried to help fix the computers; and Dr. Levy, who almost killed one of my plants. Then, when I got sick one time and Dr. Levy had to take away one of my plants to observe it for a while, I met this other engineering guy named Ron. Other than that, I only know some of the science crew from the other shifts. I’m still trying to get the proper-care-of-the-plants-while-I’m-not-there thing across, but it doesn’t seem to be working. This reminds me, I think I need a new heat lamp. Mine looks slightly dimmer than it did last week. We are due to arrive at a Starbase soon. If I have any adventures while I’m there, I’ll be sure to write you. And write me back about that Dr. Thomas of yours, okay? Goodbye for now, Syd

Veggie Tales is protrek you know :P so how many trekkers are proveggie? SemaJ can be blamed for this poll... As for me, I've been watching for a long time now... and yes, I know all the words to "His Cheeseburger". B)

Sydney lay on the biobed, looking at Midshipman Lunn upside down. That is, he was not upside down. Rather, it looked that way from the way Syd was letting her head hang off the bed. There was a lot of commotion going on a little ways away from them, over by the marines, but Syd wasn't paying much attention to that. No, she was just thinking to herself how her lips felt kind of numb. "Whatever Dr. Levy gave me is making my lips feel numb," she told the Midshipman. He said something to her, but she was too busy thinking to hear him. He's very tall, Syd thought to herself. Even squatting at a console and upside down looking, he seemed tall. The Midshipman kept talking to her, and they finally exchanged names. Ron seems to be a short name for such a tall man, Syd decided. But he’s polite, considering that I just sneezed on his hand. Feeling a little better, Syd sat up to talk to Dr. Levy about the desert grass from Pax Primus. Dr. Levy decided to keep the plant for further observation, perhaps even having it euthanized if it was deemed necessary by more occurrences of allergic reactions to said plant. Sydney, quite sad about that possibility, headed back to the science bay…

The reason mothers tend gardens is because all the little babies can’t talk back. - Gail Bryan Sydney bent over a flat of plants. The light from the grow lamps above the plants played on her face and made the plants look warm and friendly. Syd began spritzing her “babies” with a vitamin solution. “Drink up, dears. It’s good for you, you know,” she told them. Midshipman Baxter, who was working to Syd’s right, leaned back in an attempt to see who Midshipman Richardson was talking to. “It will help you grow up big and strong,” Syd continued. “Then you will give off lots and lots of oxygen for the science team. They’ll like that, yes they will.” She pressed a finger to the plant’s soil to ensure its moistness, then stood up to face Midshipman Baxter’s bewildered face. “Were you talking to those… plants… again?” he asked. Syd nodded. “Yes, because Professor Ankerberg, at the Academy, you know, told us about Doctor Gustav Theodor Fechner’s theory about plants being capable of emotions and about Luther Burbank’s theories on telepathic plants, both being good reasons to have a healthy relationship with your plants.” She finished up packing what she would take on the away mission, while continuing, “And of course they say that when you talk to them you release carbon dioxide, which they need just as much as you need the oxygen they give you.” Having finished packing, Sydney stood staring at the door while saying, “But really, the reason I talk to my plants is because it reminds me of my grandmother, the schizophrenic, who always talked to her plants.” If Midshipman Baxter had anything to say about all this, he did not get the chance. At that moment Lieutenant Commander Robair made the call that the away team should report to Transporter Room One. With a smile and a nod to Baxter, Sydney headed out of the science lab and towards the transporter room. After she left, Baxter turned to the flat of plants and slowly walked up to them. “Hello… plants.”

Gender: Female Species: Human Age: 21 Height: 5'3" Hair: Light Brown, worn in a three foot long French braid Eyes: Hazel Father: Andrew Richardson, 49, OB/GYN physician Mother: Olivia Richardson, 41, homemaker Siblings: Rebecca Richardson, 18, student Gennie Richardson, 16, student Darcy Richardson, 13, student Bio: December 13, 2375—Sydney Marie is born to Andrew and Olivia Richardson at the New Kansas City Medical Hub. As a child, Sydney liked to be the center of attention. Known for her outrageous pranks and quirky sense of humor, Syd often got herself in a more than a little trouble, such as the time when she was eight-years-old and had hidden several caterpillars in her father's slippers. When asked why she did it, she justified the act as an opportunity to observe "human reaction". March, 2387—Sydney Richardson is taken to the New Kansas City Medical Hub with a laceration to her right hand. While conducting an experiment in a science lab about the absorption abilities of a celery stalk, Syd slipped with a low power laser scalpel and cut her hand. Instead of telling someone right away, she watched as the blood traveled up the celery stalk. Finally, one of her classmates, alarmed by the excessive blood loss, screamed and alerted the teacher to Syd's condition. As she grew older, plants continued to interest her. This fascination led to experiments with such things as ragweed allergies (though not her own), poison ivy, and a pet Venus fly trap. She also planted a flower garden that soon took over the yard, much to the chagrin of her three younger sisters. July, 2392—Anna Yung is rushed to the New Kansas City Medical Hub for poisoning due to consumption of a poisonous mushroom. During a nature walk organized by Syd, a twelve-year-old girl was given permission to eat a mushroom that Syd had identified as "edible". Although the girl's parents dismissed it as a mistake, the event left her doubting her choice of careers. 2393-2397—Starfleet Academy Throughout her education at Starfleet Academy she received average grades, which her professors blamed on the fact that she was constantly second guessing herself. Although she kept her quirky sense of humor, she did become less outgoing during her time at the academy. She preferred the company of the plants in the greenhouse over that of people. This did not, interestingly enough, keep her from developing a strong friendship with Zara Llewellyn. They promised each other they would keep in contact after graduation. 2397—Graduation After graduation, Midshipman Sydney Richardson joined the crew of the U.S.S. Agincourt as an assistant science officer specializing in botany. Additional information— Known languages: Federation Standard, French, and, according to her mother, the Language of the Plants Medical History: 2385 —Broken arm, cause: fell from a tree 2387 —Twisted ankle, cause: slipped on a floor —Broken collar bone, cause: fell from a tree —Severe laceration on right hand, cause: low power laser scalpel 2388 —Broken nose, cause: accidental blow from a sibling 2392 —Broken leg, cause: jumped from a tree Additionally 2393 —Sydney Richardson has never had any contagious illnesses. She has passed the mental and physical health checks at an expectable level

B)

Could I have... A weed?!