From: Masako Goto 
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 1997 12:12:15 -0500 (EST)
Subject: USS CHESAPEAKE: Taking on the First Group...

SD 90321.1636
 
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Science Lab 1
-------------
 
MD 3.1405
 
Anne faced her Physical Sciences Division students with
what could be described only as cold calculation.
 
"Let's get to work, then," she said, nodding to the
ten students.  She handed each of them a thick packet.
"This is the hard copy of department and shipwide
protocol, complete with emergency procedures.  I want
you to read it and *memorize* it." She put down her own
copy on a table nearby.  "You will be tested on the
material the day after tomorrow.  Yes, you have a
question, Mr. Bovina."
 
"Sir," said Josef Bovina uneasily, "we might be on a
mission by then..."
 
"Yes, that's true," conceded Anne.  "Perhaps we should
have the tests tomorrow..."
 
"I mean, sir, why should we be tested at all?" asked
Bovina daringly.  "If we read it, we'll know it."
 
"Yes, yes, Mr. Bovina, but your division has shown an
amazing ability to read and promptly forget emergency
procedures.  You all remember, I trust, the fiasco in
your division headquarters two days ago?"
 
The room was silent.
 
"Very well, then." Anne ticked *that* off her agenda.
"We will be running some exercises now; best speed to
your division headquarters, please."
 
The students began to rush out the door like a bunch
of mice released from captivity.
 
"IN AN ORDERLY FASHION, please!" Anne glared at them.
"We don't want any accidents on our way to our lesson."
 
--------------------------
Physical Sciences Main Lab
--------------------------
 
MD 3.1410
 
"Stations, please," said Anne, looking at the chart that
Denise Oxmyx, the division chairman, had given her
earlier that day.  "Run standard analysis on the
following samples..." She assigned them some chemical 
analysis problems, then moved to Bovina's side.
 
"When you hear the 'computer access failure' warning,
what are you going to do?" she asked softly.
 
"Ummmm..."
 
"I'll give you a hint: it does *not* involve fire
extinguishers." Anne wasn't smiling.
 
"I guess... I dunno..."
 
"You alert the nearest officer," Anne told him.  "You
don't have the experience or the authorization necessary
to do anything about it yourself.  Got that?"
 
Bovina nodded dumbly.
 
"Good.  Please go on with your analysis."
 
Anne moved to the second student.
 
"Mr. Brook, what is proper procedure for using the
oxygen dispenser?"
 
Brook was stationed next to Bovina and had heard their
conversation of moments earlier.  Now he stared at
Anne with a stupefied expression.
 
"You're not going to ask me about the 'computer access
failure' warning?" he asked.
 
"Of course not, Mr. Brook," said Anne.  "You had no
problems in that area.  I want to know what you're going
to do the next time you decide to use an oxyten
dispenser." She fixed him with her piercing black eyes.
 
"Well... uh..." Brook faltered.
 
Anne nodded to herself and proceeded to tell him the
proper times to use the device, when and what types of
precautions must be taken, and when *not* to use it.
 
She made her way down the line of students, asking
individualized questions based on her observations of
their weak points combined with reports from their
division chairman and the Resource Manager.
 
At the end of the session, Anne had satisfied herself
that the students would be able to handle minor problems
and that they were able to come up with a good chemical
analysis to boot.
 
She stepped to the replicator and ordered it to produce
the ten samples she had given to the students.
 
"Thank you," she said to the ten students, getting 
ready to leave the room.  "First phase of your review 
sessions is over.  Please remember to memorize your 
handbook.  Sample analysis and reports are all correct."
 
She walked out into the corridor happily nibbling on
Bovina's sample.  On the plate she carried were the
nine other samples, and she slowed her walk to a
comfortable stroll so that she wouldn't spill them.
 
After all, it wasn't every day she got to eat ten
different types of chocolate.
 
Respectfully submitted,
 
Masako Goto
Lt. Anne Murray, Ph.D.
CSciO
USS CHESAPEAKE NCC-31813

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