"Fun With Ferns"

[Kansas_Jones 0]

November 2, 2397

USS Agincourt NCC-81762

“Fun With Ferns”

 

Sydney sat on the floor near where she kept her plants. In her hands she had one of her "little babies" as she called them, and was busy lecturing it on how it needed to grow.

 

Kansas entered the lab, looking around for Sydney. She heard Sydney's firm tone of voice carrying through the lab. Se cleared her throat to announce her presence and called out, “Excuse me Syd?”

 

Narrowing her eyes, Syd said to her plant, "Shh... someone approaches..."

 

Standing up and sitting the plant down, she answered Kansas, "Yes? What can I help you with?"

 

Kansas looked around the lab. She’s not embarrassed, just totally out of her usual element. "I, ah, I'm here because I’m interested in a plant. You know, for my quarters. I completed a duty shift searching the Vacitu, had some free time...and here I am." She smiles in a "can you please help me out because I am totally clueless regarding plants" way.

 

Syd blinked. "That's odd. No one ever asks me for help with plants." Then, to her plants "Do they?" After taking a deep breath and letting it out, she started her speech. "You realize that a plant is a big responsibility, don't you? It is not something you can just flippantly accept and then leave to die. Plants are living things, even if they can't talk or sing or dance or play the kazoo. Do you truly understand the responsibility you're about to take on?"

 

The Caitian smiled. "Well, I think I do. The whole reason for me wanting to do this is...I want something living, other then me, in my quarters. I thought a plant would brighten up the place, and I should be more then capable of handling one. Plus the fact, if I let anything happen to it I know you WILL hunt me down."

 

Her eyes narrowed again. "For the last time, I did not hunt him down. I just confronted him in the mess hall. And with good reason too, as he hadn't watered his plant in two weeks!" Spinning around and looking at her flat of babies she asked Kansas, "What sort of plant did you have in mind?"

 

"Confronted? Ah, never mind. I think I'd be interested in a non-Earth and non-Cait plant. A plant from someplace I did not grow up. Since we travel around so much on the Agincourt, I want the plant to reflect that."

 

After sneaking a look at the special case Syd moved farther away from it. "Well, I have a small bush from Vulcan. And a little flowering thing from Betazed, but it's not due to flower for another three months..."

 

Kansas raised a whisker. "The Betazed plant isn't telepathic is it? That’s all I would need is to have a plant read my thoughts."

 

"If it is, it never told me..." Syd answered, giving the plant a side-ways glance. She slowly picked up one plant from near the back and held it up. Quietly she told Kansas, "You could have this one, but if you frighten it, it will bite you." It swayed slightly, and the petals of the flower seemed to open in a yawn, revealing sparkling shards within.

 

Kansas eyed the plant suspiciously.”So, I could be walking by this plant, and if it’s not expecting me to walk by, it can just up and take a chunk out of my hide? Ahhhh....I think I'll pass on that one. “She took a cautious step backward, just to be safe.

 

"Well, it looks like there's just one plant that's going to interest you. It's probably good that I get rid of it too..." Syd walked over to the special case and lifted it onto a table. "Inside this case is some highly classified grass. I can't even tell you where I got it, but I assure you that you've been there. This grass... this grass... makes me sneeze." She looked solemnly at Kansas. "However, it has a very special feature. Whenever you are sad it sways like this..." she wiggled back and forth to demonstrate.

 

"Would this grass interest you?"

 

Kansas, her curiosity aroused by the ‘classified” comment, gazes at the grass plant and takes a cautious sniff. She wrinkles her nose and coughs a bit. "That grass smells too much, to me at least, like an illegal substance that I encountered on Risa. It may even be the root plant of the substance for all I know."

 

“It’s not from Risa!" Syd pulled it away from Kansas. "Risa grass is nasty! You may look like a cat, but I would never offer you cat-nip!" She gasped and quickly clasped a hand over her mouth, looking aghast. "I'm sorry," came muffled sounding from her.

Purring, the Caitian put her hands up, palms out, showing she wasn’t offended. "Whoa, easy there! I'm not denying I am a *large cat* as you put it and I know you'd never offer me cat nip. What about that....Vulcan bush?"

 

The Caitian thinks to herself, wow, Syd really likes and is protective of them.

 

Syd sunk to the floor. "Oh what will I ever do? I'm screw up right and left when talking to people... eeeep I can't believe I said that out loud." Then, after a rather dramatic sigh she crawled on her knees over to the flat of plants. "Yes, I think the Vulcan bush would be a lovely choice. It doesn't need much watering either." She grinned and offered Kansas the pot.

 

The large cat took the proferred potted Vulcan bush from the sciences officer. "You're fine Syd. Don’t worry about it." She holds the bush up to eye level. "So what is the story with this one?"

 

"The man who gave it to me died five minutes after I took it from him."

 

Faster then a gunslingers draw from an old holo-western, the Vulcan bush was back on the flat. "Next!" Kansas called out.

 

Syd fell back laughing, holding onto her stomach. "Oh. My. Gosh. You should have SEEN the look on your face. That was BRILLIANT." She laughed some more before wiping the tears from her eyes. "No, no, really some old woman gave it to me because she liked my braid. Seriously, the only plants I've gotten from soon to be dead guys I keep in my room."

 

"In your room? Well, yes, lets keep the grim reaper plants in there shall we?” Kansas’ tail swished happily back and forth, and she grins happily at Sydney's amusement.

 

"Alright, so will it be the Vulcan bush thing or this..." Syd pulled out a pot with a tiny little plant in it. It seemed like a sort of vine, and at the moment the leaves were a purplish color. "This is more fun that the bush, but... if you're not careful it will take over your room." She held it close to herself. "Can I trust you to prune properly?"

 

The Caitian eyed the cute little vine curiously. "Pruning? Well, if shaping the plant keeps it healthy as well as under control, absolutely I will prune it regularly. It's a fun plant you say? How so?"

 

Looking very much like a five year old with a new set of crayons, Syd looked closer at it and told Kansas, "It changes in colors and smell with... your mood."

 

The Caitian’s eyes lit up, and a happy grin exposed her incisor fangs. "A mood plant? Really?"

 

Syd nodded, looking very serious. "I have it growing all around the head of my bed. When I'm in a sleepy mood it smells like happiness." She handed the small pot towards Kansas. "If you want a plant, this is the one you should take."

 

Kansas took the potted plant gently with her clawed fingers. "Yes, somehow I know that this plant is the one.” The little plant immediately started pulsating with a soothing green color and permeated the room with a slight scent similar to Earth jasmine. She looked up and favored the sciences officer with a happy smile. Thank You Syd. This is wonderful."

 

“Yay! I'm so happy for you." After giving her a big hug Syd ran off to where there was a supply closet...coming out later with a large basket full of gardening things. "Now, we must teach you about the care and keeping of a plant. First off..."

 

As Sydney handed her the gardening supplies, and gave her some pruning lessons and lectures on plant care as well as a PADD with further plant care data, Kansas couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

 

After all, taking care of a plant should be a Vulcan Flan Cake walk.

 

Lt.jg Sydney Richardson

Assistant Science Officer

 

Lt.jg M’rrett “Kansas” JoN’s

Tactical Officer

Edited November 6, 2005 by Kansas_Jones