#vulcan zoology

[ichayalovesyou]

do you have any posts on the landscape/wildlife of vulcan?

First off, I am so sorry that it's taken me like, NINE, months to answer this ask. Secondly, I do not know much but I can direct you to a resource that does!

Unfortunately, we only have two named and confirmed animals in main Star Trek canon, the Sehlat, and the Le-matya. There's also that freaky animal that almost kills Michael in If Memory Serves that I thought was a Le-matya but upon rewatching is definitely NOT, we have no name or information on that creature yet though. That being said, Memory Beta has a VERY thorough Vulcan Animals page from an ample supply of Star Trek novels!

Unfortunately we don't know a whole lot about Vulcans flora or fauna. If you want more information on my headcanons about the Vulcan landscape that we do know about check out The Big Vulcan Biology Post, the first half of it is primarily concerned with the hypothetical environments of T'Khasi rather than directly about Vulcans themselves.

Although a couple of new pieces of information that have come to light since I've made that post.

Discovery confirms that Vulcan has seemingly deciduous desert forests considering there were no leaves on the trees, it's dark in the flashback so it's hard to tell. I imagine Vulcan trees have red foliage, trees with red leaves or leaves that turn red in the fall do so to protect themselves from higher intensity UV rays, because our sun is closer to Earth during cold months on the northern hemisphere. Vulcan's foliage is probably red by default due to the context indicating Vulcan's sun is either bigger, or Vulcan is closer to it's sun.

The Strange New Worlds pilot shows us a Vulcan ocean (or possibly a sea)! It is very tame from what I assume is strong gravity and lack of a moon (like I mention in the BVBP). Confirming that Vulcan's oceans appear amber due to the red/orange atmosphere of Vulcan, so it's nice to know my headcanon regarding this was accurate.

I also think it's worth pointing out that Spock and T'Pring having family residences so close to such planetary rarities as forested desert areas and bodies of water is highly indicative of their families' political status.

[mindblowingscience]

A massive extinction event that cleared the way for dinosaurs to spread and diversify at the end of the Triassic period was caused by periods of volcanic eruptions.

That's the conclusion of new research on a vast field of igneous rock covering four continents, supporting a hypothesis that states global climate change was responsible for the end of three quarters of the world's species 200 million years ago.

The study led by scientists from Oxford University supported suspicions that a series of volcanic pulses responsible for producing a vast mass of igneous rock called the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) caused widespread climate change in line with a global extinction event.

Continue Reading.

[bearsinpotatosacks]

In honour of Spock's birthday, here's some Spock thoughts and ideas and stuff. Some are tos, but I mainly think of aos when I write these because I mostly write in aos for fanfics.

As said in a previous post, he's not straight but there's no Earth term for what he identifies as, only a Vulcan term that I can't be bothered to actual specify

His sexuality and romantic attraction is always changing

He really loves Uhura but no other woman, he really like Jim and maybe Bones is some ships but doesn't always like men, he is attracted to non binary people too but sometimes not

Sometimes he is a bit more aversed to romance or sex so him and a partner are more friends when he feels this way

Btw he makes sure to inform all partners of this before pursuing a relationship because come on guys it's logical

He visited his earth family for certain holidays and maybe his maternal grandparents' birthdays

He didn't like it too much, too loud, too emotional, he wasn't allowed to study

But he was going through a zoology phase that he never really grew out of so he got to study frogs in Amanda's hometown

One birthday Uhura got him a small vial of Vulcan sand and that holds until his hand is red from gripping tightly when grief gets too much

Prime Spock became his gay uncle

Amanda used to knit him something for his birthday and he gets bittersweet feels illogical emotional flashbacks whenever Bones gives him something he knitted (bones got told of this tradition and wanted to maintain the tradition because he's lost a parent he loved too and knows about lost connections and stuff)

Just like Sulu smuggling alien plants on board and getting a 7 hour lecture about foreign pathogens and fungi from Bones

Spock (with help from Jim and Chekov) smuggles alien animals on board

Purely because it's logical to study these animals and sometimes they're gifts from the locals that would be illogical to deny because of diplomacy

He comes to terms with his emotions a bit sooner than tos Spock (surprising I know)

But only because tos Spock managed to hide his so well for so long that it was a struggle to break of the repression and use meditation and logic to process your emotions

Which aos Spock did quicker because he didn't truly reach full emotional denial and repression before getting his found family

I hope you enjoyed these, and happy birthday to the sassiest Vulcan around!

[bunkernine]

New Rome University Academics

(Part 3A- Undergraduate Studies)

Unsure about applying to NewRu? No other university has a curriculum like this! View a quick peek into our offered majors and you're guaranteed to find something you like:

Key: 🌟 Major, ✒️ Minor

[NOTE, bolded courses in brackets are new suggestions from the ex-Pontifex Maximus, Jason Grace, to help build relations between Greek and Roman legacies]

Art (Studio) 🌟✒️

Battle Strategy 🌟✒️

Biology 🌟✒️

Biology (MAC: Monsters and Creatures)🌟✒️

Business ✒️

Chemistry 🌟✒️

Classical Studies (Applicable Greek or Latin Concentration) 🌟✒️

Communications 🌟✒️

Economics 🌟✒️

English 🌟✒️

Environmental Science 🌟✒️

Environmental Science (Underworld) ✒️

Film 🌟✒️

[Greek (Language)] 🌟✒️

History 🌟✒️

History (Demigod Vers.) ✒️

Latin (Language) 🌟✒️

Mechanical Engineering and Design 🌟

Mathematics 🌟✒️

Monster Ethics 🌟✒️

Music and Composition 🌟

Philosophy ✒️

Physics ✒️

Political Science 🌟✒️

Psychology 🌟✒️

Sociology 🌟

Theatre 🌟✒️

Weaponry ✒️

Zoology (Monster) 🌟

... And more!

NewRu is incredibly flexible with course offerings, and general credits are easy to knock out within the first year. Try something you are interested in, or switch it up and try something new!

(Part 3B- Internships)

NewRu has a remarkably expansive alumni network. As a result, here are only a handful of places who offer internships for demigods:

DOA Recording Studies in Hollywood, CA

Aeolia Studios in Pike's Peak, CO

Aeithales in Palm Springs, CA

Lotus Hotel & Casino in Los Vegas, NV

Muses in Empire State Building, NY

C.C.'s Spa and Resort in ???

Vulcan's Junkyard in Gila Claw, AZ

Rainbow Organic Foods & Lifestyles in CA

... And more!

Nearly 65% of NewRu graduates complete an internship, so there is bound to be a right fit for you. Interested in interning for a certain deity not on the official list? No problem! Talk to our Career Center to get the paperwork done, and you're practically on the road already. NewRu encourages all students to step outside the classroom and dive fully into their studies.

---------

Feeling overwhelmed? Don't worry- students have until their second year to declare their area of study. Take as much time as you need to figure out what you like. See something you're interested in? New Rome University is the school for you! Got more questions? Feel free to visit our Admissions Office anytime.

Regardless of what you choose, New Rome University is your family to believe in. At NewRU, we believe audere est facere, and we want to be the next step for a special demigod like you. Apply today and receive sweat-proof stickers for your sword or knife hilt!

[Part 1 & 2 (Introduction and Why NewRu)]

[apolesen]

Cardassian Reproductive Anatomy

I decided to do something with all my ideas about what Cardassian genitalia looked like, and here we are. Below the cut are some anatomical sketches (of the kind you get in text-books, so they are mostly SFW, but it depends on where you work, I suppose) and a description of my take on the Cardassian reproductive systems. 

Content warnings: anatomical sketches, anatomical descriptions, mentions of menstruation and pregnancy. 

As this is about reproductive anatomy in broad terms, I have used the terms ‘male’ and ‘female’ in an essentialist way. This is mainly to be as clear as possible. I think that we should move away from referring to, for instance, “external female genitalia” when we could just say “vulva”. However, when you discuss an alien species where writer and reader don’t have any common frame of reference, that can get very confusing. There are definitely Cardassians who are intersex, trans and non-binary, so what is described below are broad generalisations describing cis Cardassians. 

Cardassian male and female external genitalia are fairly similar to one another. Both have a cloaca (in Cardassian, ajan), which the urethra and anus lead into. This means that Cardassian men and women urinate in the same way, and they find the human organisation very confusing. The reproductive organs are mostly internal, which makes it harder to tell at a glance what you are dealing with. It is very difficult to tell the sex of newly-hatched Cardassians, as their external genitalia will look basically the same. In adults, the only real difference is that in males, the tip of the penis usually sticks out of the cloaca, most often no more than one or two centimetres (5/8ths-4/5ths of an inch). Both males and females have a chuva, sometimes called (though never by Cardassians) as the groin spoon. The evolutionary reason for the chuva is to catch water and lead it over the outside of the genitalia when the Cardassian is lying on their back. From the point of the chuva, two thin scale-ridges run, one on each side of the cloaca’s opening. 

Cardassians are oviparous, meaning they lay eggs, so the internal reproductive organs of the female are collectively called the oviduct (a word that in viviparous species is only used of what in humans is called the fallopian tube). Cardassian females have two ovaries. After ovulation, the ovum enters the infundibulum, a funnel-shaped organ. (The term infundibulum is used of many other funnel-shaped anatomical features.) The yolk is also created by the ovary, but is distinct from the ovum, which is the actual cell. The ovum and yolk migrates into the uterine tube, where the albumen (egg white) is added. It stays here until one of two things happen. 

If the ovum is not fertilised, it is pushed through the isthmus, which divides the uterine tube and the shell gland (which is analogous to the human uterus). It passes through the shell-gland and vagina and is expelled through the cloaca. The result is analogous to human menstruation. As the foetus does not grow inside the Cardassian body, there is no uterine lining to shed, so there is no blood. (Bleeding from the cloaca is always a bad sign, and the average Cardassian is pretty freaked out that the concept of menstruation.) An unfertilised Cardassian egg does not have a shell, and the membrane holding it together breaks when it is expelled through the vagina, so what comes out is a runny mixture of albumen and yolk, a little like what one gets by messily cracking a chicken’s egg. This gets called vitelline effusion or passing yolk. 

If the ovum is fertilised, it is again pushed through the isthmus, but then stays in the shell-gland. There, the body starts creating the shell, including additional membranes. The time it takes to create the shell is about fifteen days. The Cardassian in question is able to tell they are gravid (the homologous term for mammals is ‘pregnant’) about five days into this process. The Cardassian egg has about the same circumference as a human baby’s head. A gravid Cardassian will in no way be as large as a pregnant human, but it will be obvious. As the creation of the shell is relatively rapid, it is not a comfortable experience. The oviposition (egg-laying) is not unlike human child-birth, with the exception that there is no afterbirth (which means no blood - again, blood is a bad sign) and an egg instead of a baby. At the point of oviposition, the foetus is still in the early stages of development. 

Because Cardassians do not have placentas, they do not have umbilical cords and therefore they do not have navels. It probably leads to them being weirded out and fascinated by belly-buttons. 

Cardassian male genitalia are in many ways not unlike human male genitalia, only it is internal. The testes have about the same position as the ovaries in female. As Cardassians are  ectotherms (cold-blooded) and have no constant body-temperature, there is no danger of the sperm being damaged by the body-heat. The vas deferens runs from the testes to a gland analogous to the human prostate, which produces seminal fluid. Cardassian females has a homologous gland which creates lubrication. The vas deferens then goes into the penis (sometimes called prUt). As mentioned above, Cardassian males do not urinate through their penises, so the double-duty that the human urethra does must weird them out to no end. The Cardassian penis is usually retracted, with only the very tip being visible. The rest of the penis is held in a sheath (the Latin nerds among you can imagine that this makes things complicated, as ‘sheath’ in Latin is vagina). However, arousal makes erectile tissue fill with blood, both in the penis and around the sheath. This pushes the penis outwards, making it protrude much further. This is referred to as eversion, literally tuning outwards. The penis is not covered in skin but mucous membranes, like the human vulva. The sheath is self-lubricating through glands on either side in order to make eversion easier. Without that lubrication, eversion is not fun. It also comes in handy during penetrative sex, of course.

The female homologue of the penis in Cardassians, roughly their clitoris, is referred to as the vit. It looks much like a small version of the prUt, with similar sheath and erectile tissue. It is far narrower (as much of the area taken up by the sheath in males is taken up by the vagina in females) and shorter (possibly because of hormonal reasons). It also does not have the vas deferens that the prUt has. Like the prUt, the vit will lengthen and be pushed outwards because of arousal, but because of its smaller size it tends not to reach the cloacal opening. The sheath of the vit has glands like the male homologue, though the posterior ones also lubricate the vagina. (This is mainly for the purpose of oviposition, as penetrative sex tends not to reach into the vagina). 

Naturally, there are individual variations. For instance, a vit may be longer than average, and a prUt may be shorter than average. Also, just like among humans, there are Cardassians who are intersex and do not fall into one of these categories but somewhere in between. 

Addendum: Cardassian/Bajoran hybrids (or: how narratives win out over anatomy)

It makes no sense to me from a scientific point of view how a cold-blooded oviparous species and a warm-blooded viviparous species can have children. What I have decided to appease myself is that through some odd coincidence, it is possible for a Cardassian man to impregnate a Bajoran woman, but not for a Bajoran man to impregnate a Cardassian woman. 

The reason I want to salvage this instead of just reject it is that Cardassian/Bajoran children are the most interesting hybrids in terms of narrative since Spock. Spock’s human/Vulcan nature was a way of dealing with stories about internal struggles and external prejudice. Spock is clearly coded as mixed-race, while many TNG and VOY hybrids lack any thematic aspect within the narrative. However, Cardassian/Bajoran children are interesting because they are a living reminder of the Cardassian occupation. They represent the way that both Bajorans and Cardassians now have to live with what happened, and how they are interlinked through that history. This makes me willing to put aside how unlikely it is for these two species to be able to have children together. What changed my mind was Una McCormack’s novel Enigma Tales, which I highly recommend for its depiction of Cardassian/Bajoran children and Cardassia’s attempts at dealing with its past. 

With that put aside, what about the anatomy? I think Bajoran genitals are fairly close to human ones. Considering the Cardassian anatomy described above is so different, Bajoran/Cardassian children probably need surgery at a fairly early age to function well. (Some of the surgery might also be unnecessary and mostly be about making their anatomy more Cardassian.) They are also very, very unlikely to be fertile, but again, I am happy to turn a blind eye to this when the result is interesting enough, as it is in Enigma Tales, which deals with the ways in which Bajoran culture becomes part of Cardassian culture because of the descendants of Bajoran comfort women.

Sources, further reading and acknowledgements

Girling, Jane E. (2002), “The Reptilian Oviduct: A Review of Structure and Function and Directions for Future Research” in Journal of Experimental Zoology 293, pp. 141-170 – an article that was hugely helpful and also made me realise how little we actually know about reptiles.

Anapsid.org - My go-to place for reptile information. 

Speculative Cardassian Reproductive Xenobiology  - Good meta on Cardassian genitals, with special focus on sex.

Comparative Anatomy - A very smutty NSFW Garashir fic. It does an excellent job discussing Cardassian anatomy (even if I have ended up developing different ideas from this person). 

The Hatchling – A short fic by yours truly about Doctors Bashir and Parmak discussing Cardassian eggs, babies and sex assignment.

Thank you to my sister for letting me show her my work in progress, and D, who has been instrumental in my figuring these things out and first suggested the evolutionary reason for the chuva. 

[trade-baby-blues]

Diamond in the Ruff

Pairing: Jim x Reader

Word Count: 1790

Warnings: Suspense. Swearing (I think?? Probably).

A/N: Based on a request by @sebastianstanslefteyebrow. I’m sorry to the other requests I have floating around. I read this one and immediately had an idea (that I stole from the new Star Wars movie) and just rolled with it. I did NOT edit it all because I am super sick and can’t focus but I wanted to post it anyway so y’all can read it. Hope you enjoy!

Finding new signs of intelligent life. Exploring the outer reaches of deep space. This was exactly the kind of thing that got your heart racing. It made up for the last dozen away missions where all you found was soil and poisonous plants.

“Maybe we’ll find a poisonous animal this time,” you rambled to anyone who would listen on the shuttle to the planet’s surface.

Jim scoffed. “You're probably the only person who’s excited about that.”

“Poisonous, not poisonous. I don't really care as long as it's not another new species of subterranean fungi. The botanists always have a field day and the zoology team gets nothing! Ever! And don't you dare even bring up the Phylosians,” you glared at Jim. “You and I both know the botanists robbed us of that find. Sure they're plant-based life forms but they were sentient. Sentient!”

“Officially the Phylosians were classified as an alien race,” Spock interjected, “not a species of plant, therefore the botanists we're not qualified to classify them either.” Spock turned his attention back to the PADD in his hand and you stuck your tongue out at him, making Jim snicker.

“Stupid planet made of stupid rocks and stupid dirt,” you muttered. You kicked the ground, knocking up a small cloud of dust which you promptly inhaled. You swung blindly in front of you trying to disperse it while you coughed your lungs out, eyes burning from the dust and cheeks burning from embarrassment at Jim’s laughter. You flipped him off, but the sight of you covered in dust, tears on your cheeks, muffling a cough had Jim doubled over laughing even harder. “I hate this.”

“Captain,” an Ensign yelled as he ran towards you and Jim. “Captain there's something! Something in the woods! Over there in the...woods.” The ensign collapsed on the ground in front of you.

Jim called for help and dropped to his knees to check for a pulse. You stared at him, jaw dropped and smiling as if someone had just dropped a beautiful alien baby in front of you. Jim caught the look in your eye and pointed his finger at you like he was your father. “Don't you dare.”

“Wasn't he with another ensign, though? We should really find them and make sure they're okay,” you said, inching your way closer to the woods despite Jim’s protests. “It would be cruel to leave them out there without help. I mean it could be a wild animal. A dangerous wild animal.” You had to suppress a fit of giggles, trying not to sound too desperate for a new discovery.

“Which is exactly why I don't want you- Hey! Wait,” Jim called, looking back up from the ensign to find you sprinting full speed into the woods. Jim wrestled with himself, not wanting to leave an ensign unconscious and unattended but knowing you had an even greater affinity for trouble than he did. “Damn it. Don't go anywhere,” he said to the unconscious ensign before running after you.

“This really isn't how I wanted to spend my afternoon,” Jim called out into the empty woods. He cursed under his breath again when there wasn't an answer. “I am not doing the paperwork if you get eaten.”

Jim prepped himself for another shout when something slammed into him from the side, pinning him to a tree back-first. A hand clamped over his mouth and Jim prepared himself for the worst until his eyes finally focused on your profile. He began to protest, albeit muffled, against the palm of your hand but you shushed him.

“They're close.” You saw the question in Jim’s eyes but the woods answered for you as a chorus of howls surrounded you.

Jim shoved your hand away and whispered “Please tell me that's a pack of known animals. Known vegetarian animals.”

“Maybe. Could also be wild sehlats.”

“Sehlats?” Jim coughed, trying to cover up the rising octave in his voice. “Like the one Spock used to have?”

“Oh no, no. Wild ones are much bigger and much more aggressive.” Jim tensed against you, and you could've sworn he stopped breathing for a second. “Of course I’m probably wrong! I mean I was top of my class so it's unlikely, but there haven't been any recorded sightings of sehlats outside of Vulcan before - maybe because anyone who spotted them got eaten - but probably not! It could just be one animal. One small, harmless animal.” A chorus of howls erupted again.

“Does that really sound like one animal to you Lieutenant “Top of the Class Zoologist”,” Jim hissed.

“It could just be throwing its howl. Coyotes have been known to do that to fend off other predators.”

“Oh yeah because coyotes are completely safe.”

“They are as long as you don't threaten them.”

“We’re in the middle of the woods! We have guns.”

“A coyote doesn't know what a gun is.”

“No, but they can smell fear.”

“So don't be scared.”

“Oh great,” Jim said, throwing his hands up. “Thank you so hadn't thought of that. You're absolutely right there's nothing to be scared of lost in the middle of the woods with one ensign already missing and a pack of foreign and possibly carnivorous animals on the loose hunting us.” Jim winced at the loudness in his voice. “They probably didn't hear that, right?”

A rustling from the bushes behind you shut you up before you could answer. Jim pushed you in front of him, reaching for his gun. You immediately crouched, opening your arms and extended your hands. “What are you doing?” Jim whispered sharply at you.

“They're less scared if you get on the same level. They won't view you as an alpha so you won't be a threat.”

“No they see you as a tasty snack!”

“That is completely -” Another chorus of howls, closer this time. A rustling in the bushes. A low growl that sent a jolt of ice through your body and stood the hairs on your neck on end. Jim stepped closer to you, whether to comfort you or himself you didn’t know. Probably would never know. Probably would die in the woods on an alien planet slowly eaten by vicious animals and never knowing if Jim was trying to comfort you in his last moments. Never knowing what it would be like to get married and have kids and a dog and that apple pie, picket fence kinda life you’d always dreamed of.

Gradually, the creature emerged. Snout first. Teeth bared. You quickly ran through a list of mammalian physiology. It was clearly canine like, though the fur seemed rigid and you’d never seen an animal with a lavender cut before. As the rest of the creature emerged, only one thought crossed your mind: “Holy shit.”

You immediately dropped to your knees, smile plastered on your face as if your parents had just surprised you with a puppy on Christmas day. “Holy shit, Jim. I think this is a new species of Vulptex. I’ve only read about them in stories, but they were said to have crystalline fur.”

The Vulptex crept forward cautiously. You extended your fingers farther, bowing your head. Jim whispered your name in warning but you ignored him as the creature finally brushed its wet nose against your fingertips. Your fingers ran through its coat, expecting harsh edges. Instead you were greeted by fur softer than you could have imagined. Your fingers slid through it as if it was water. The Vulptex seemed to be enjoying the encounter too, because it leaned into your hand before letting out a sharp bark.

A few other heads emerged from the bushes. Seeing their friend in your arms and unharmed, they quickly ran at you. Their growls changed to excited barks as they licked every patch of skin they could find on you. Surprisingly, their tongues were course, much like a cat’s. Their eyes were an almost hypnotic shade of dark blue, not that you had much time to look into them with the pups jumping into your face. You laughed as one managed to get a tongue inside your nose. Jim laughed with you, finally putting his gun away and letting his guard down.

As soon as he knelt, the Vulptexes were all over him too, sniffing his hair, licking his cheeks, covering his uniform in muddy paw prints. You laughed again. “I finally discover a new species and they’re puppies.” You cupped one of the Vulptex’s faces and blew a raspberry against its nose. The creatures all snapped to attention, looking around bewildered. You laughed again and a few of the more skittish ones ran back into the bushes.

“There you are,” a voice said from the bushes. Several excited barks followed.

“Ensign Ramero,” Jim called. “Is that you?”

The ensign emerged cuddling one of the smallest pups in her arms. “Yeah, sorry. I didn’t mean to abandon the other ensign. I just saw one of these guys tangled in some thorns and I couldn’t leave ‘im there. Vasiliev was scared, sayin’ they were poisonous or some shit, pardon my French, and, well, like I said I couldn’t just leave the lil guy.” Ramero ruffled the fur on the Vulptex’s head and it nuzzled closer to her.

“See,” Jim muttered. “I’m not the only one who thought they were dangerous.”

“Yeah, about as dangerous as a tribble.”

“Tribbles are a banned from transportation on Starfleet vessels because of their danger and you know that.”

“Oh, come on. They’re just like cats, only a little more invasive.”

“A little? Don’t you remember that time you snuck a Tribble that happened to be pregnant on board? Scotty was finding Tribbles in every duct on the Enterprise!”

“That was one time.”

“One time with the Tribbles. Then there was also that Regulan bloodworm-”

“Which proved to have incredible medicinal use.”

“Oh yeah and the Ceti eel that almost ate Chekov’s brain? Did that have medicinal use too?”

“No,” you sighed. “But it was super cool. And these are just like dogs! I could probably train one to fetch you your slippers or your PADD. Except it’d probably miss it’s pack. Unless we can bring them all.”

“No.” Jim said without hesitation. You pouted, but only for a few seconds before a Vulptex jumped into your face again to lick you. You smiled and rubbed behind its ears, making it wiggle its back leg.

“But they’re so cute,” you whined.

Jim hunkered down, lying back against the forest floor. The Vulptexes took their chance and swarmed him, jumping and sniffing and licking all over him. One of the pups had curled up between the two of you and was already dozing off. Jim sighed deeply. “Yeah, they are.”

Tags: @outside-the-government @martinawalker @thevalesofanduin @goingknowherewastaken @thefanficfaerie @mysteriously-lost-forever @feelmyroarrrr @yukki-art @atari-writes @pabegay1​ @bolontiku  @brooke-taylor0323 @anotherotter @the-witching-hours12-3​ 

[daxofalltrades]

Career Change! What other career paths or life decisions could you see your character following?

Jadzia hasn’t been able to use her Zoology degree very often, I think for a complete change of pace she’d want to explore that more. Or Exoarcheology, I head canon that she’s met Picard a few times and it’s all they talk about. (She’s had her own run in with Vash as well and Dax was willingly, equally seduced.) It’s hard to answer that question outside of being a Science officer because she wants to hold onto all four Science degrees for dear life. She’s worked her ass off and graduated the Academy with the highest honors.  She is so proud of her accomplishments and genuinely loves what she does. Bartender Dax??? (hehehe)Women’s Self defense and bootcamp instructor (You bet your ass that includes trans women.)She probably secretly writes holonovels that have never been published and no one has read the drafts. She has them so heavily encrypted sometimes she can’t even access them. Though, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was secretly the author of Vulcan Love Slave Number Nine. xDI feel like I’m missing a huge glaring obvious choice here. But I’m extremely tired. I really love this question, thank you so much for sending it!!

[wildcat2030]

“It’s life, Jim, but not as we know it.” How many times did we hear Mr Spock say this back in the day when classic Star Trek ruled the airwaves?* What always interested me back then was how did he know that it was life if it was so barely recognisable by Earthly (or Vulcan) standards? Turns out a group of scientists from the zoology department at the University of Oxford may have the answer. Don’t look for faces, eyes, limbs or any of the large-scale things that are so familiar to life on Earth. Don’t look at the chemistry either. Instead, look for the hallmarks of natural selection. Natural selection lies at the very heart of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. It is the process by which favourable adaptations are retained and accumulate in populations. As time goes by, lifeforms adapt to be more and more suited to their individual environments. This leads to the appearance that they have been designed to fit into their surroundings. However, there is no magic involved, the favourable adaptations allow these entities to live longer and have more offspring, so naturally the fittest rise to dominate the population. Natural selection extends down to the level of individual cells where environmental hardship can force cells to work together for their common survival, thus building complex cells, multicellular life, animals and then social structures.

[empressdrega27]

Mechanical Cuddle-Bug

This is the long awaited one-shot requested by @startreklife. I had started writing it earlier, but my computer crashed and I lost all of my progress. Anyways, the prompt for this is, A cute scenario with Data cuddling the reader! Kinda long so it’s under the cut.

 *Yawn* Wow, was that really the time? You must have really been in the zone, though that tended to happen when it came to your work. You were a science officer aboard the U.S.S Enterprise, specifically, you were the ship’s xeno-zoologist. It was your job to document and study the fauna of the various planets that the Enterprise visited. You loved your job and you took it very seriously, after all, if the away team found a strange animal, you were the one who would know how much of a threat it would pose. Currently, you had been taking advantage of an unexpected opportunity. Recently, a freighter headed to the Esperudine system was found to be smuggling goods to various buyers, one of the “goods” happened to be a Cardassian riding hound. Apparently an adventurous Ferengi businessman had taken a liking to them, and wanted one of his own.

 Everyone on the ship knew of the Cardassians, but very few had ever heard of any Cardassian animal species. Though, knowing the hound was native to Cardassia was enough of a reason for many that the beast was too dangerous to stay aboard the Enterprise. You strongly disagreed. Your boyfriend Lt. Commander Data, also disagreed. You and Data could tell that the hound was only a juvenile, it wasn’t fully grown. You could also tell that the creature was starving, it was unlikely that it would be dangerous, once it was fed. Still, your opinion went unnoticed. So Data suggested you go directly to the captain.

 Captain Picard trusted you. He trusted you as much as he trusted any of his senior officers, because without you, a lot of his crew would be dead. You knew so much about animals and their behavior, and you were an invaluable member of the crew. You were also very important to Data, and the captain enjoyed seeing Data experiencing more of humanity through you. You figured that Captain Picard would be on the bridge, so that’s where you went. As soon as the turbo lift doors opened you marched onto the bridge. You were a bit nervous, so you looked for Data at the helm. He turned and looked at you as you walked toward the captain. He could tell that you were nervous, so he decided to try a human method of reassurance; he winked at you. Well, it wasn’t quite a wink, it was more of a stiff half-blink, but you appreciated the thought nonetheless. You approached the captain, but he spoke before you could.

“Lieutenant L/n, I thought I’d be seeing you today. You wish to protest the decision to put the Cardassian riding hound to sleep, I presume?”

“Yes sir. I have several reasons why killing the hound would be a mistake”, you affirmed. 

“Well, let’s hear them”.

As you explained the various reasons to Captain Picard, Data watched you as you spoke with such clarity and with such authority and intelligence, that he couldn’t help but feel very proud of you. Only Counselor Troi noticed the fond smile on Data’s face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 As it turned out, Captain Picard had never planned to put the hound to sleep. He too agreed that studying an animal native to Cardassia would be an opportunity that was too important to pass up. So, you started to work. You were having a great time studying the massive beast; it looked like a reptile, but it behaved much like a large puppy! It was rather cute. At least, you thought it was cute, Data didn’t. He couldn’t understand how you didn’t  see the danger that the creature posed to you. You were in the makeshift pen that had been set up to house the hound, taking measurements while he (with Data’s help you determined that hound was a male) ate. You were startled out of your zone by Data’s com badge, it was the captain ordering Data to report to his post.

“I am needed on the bridge Y/n”, Data informed you.

You stood up and stretched, “Yeah, I heard. It’s a shame, but you’re needed elsewhere.”

You went to grab a new tool and noticed that Data hadn’t left.

“You know the captain hates it when anyone’s late, you’d better get a move on.”

Data seemed...conflicted about something. You hopped out of the enclosure and made your way over to him. You wrapped your arms around him and asked,

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

“I am concerned for your safety. If I leave, the beast may attack you. I do not know what to do.” 

Aww, he was worried about you! Well, as worried as an android could be anyway. 

“Data, I appreciate your concern, but I’ll be fine! This”, You gestured to the hound, “is nothing. When I was an ensign, I went to Vulcan to study sehlats. We went into the mountains and we were attacked by a pack of le-matyas. One of my classmates died, and the others abandoned me. I managed to get into a cave and waited for the le-matyas to get bored. That was my first real look into xeno-zoology. I knew right then that I had to learn everything I could about every animal I encountered. Do you know why I knew that Data?”

Data replied, “No. I do not. Why?”

You smiled and answered, “Because nobody else knows. I was the youngest student, and only I knew that le-matyas are poisonous. I knew that le-matyas are impatient. I knew what was in those mountains, and I knew the risk. I still know the risks in my job, just like you know the risks of yours. I’ll be fine, trust me”.

You gave him a quick kiss and said, “Now go, before they send someone to find you!”

“I will see you later. Be careful Y/n. I love you.”

You stood shocked for a moment, that was the first time Data said he loved you outside of your quarters.

A huge grin adorned your face, “I love you too, and I promise I will.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 It was late. Time to stop working. You’d made incredible progress and you were really proud of yourself. And for the most part, you kept your promise to Data. Unfortunately, you did get a few scrapes and bruises. It was inevitable though. After being hungry for so long, the hound was so happy to be fed that he spent a solid 10 minutes nuzzling into your side and licking you. It was really sweet, but he was still a 5 foot tall 1000 pound reptile.

 When you got to your quarters, you were surprised to find that Data was already there waiting for you. He was fluffing your pillows. 

“Ah, You are here. I was waiting for you. I know that you have had a very long day, so I thought you would enjoy my company”, Data said when he saw you.

“You thought right. I could definitely use some company, especially company as good looking as you.” You wiggled your eyebrows.

“Is this the human custom of ‘flirting’?”

“Yep, you can tell by the eyebrow wiggle”, you said as you collapsed on your bed. You groaned, your joints felt like they were on fire. You closed your eyes and rested for a moment. As you laid there, you felt the bed dip with the weight of another person. You opened your eyes to see Data sitting on the bed.

“Do you need anything? A drink, a food item perhaps?”, Data inquired.

“Nah, I’m not hungry or thirsty. Thanks for asking though”, you replied.

Data sat still for a moment, he was thinking about something. Finally, he looked at you and asked,

“Would you like to cuddle?”

Your eyes shot open and you stared incredulously at him. Data had never asked to cuddle before, but it did sound really nice.

“I’d love to cuddle with you Data”, you replied.

You scooched over to give Data enough room to lay down. When there was enough space, he stretched out beside you. 

“What should I do now Y/n?”

“Just lay the way you are right now, I’ll come to you”.

You slid over a bit and wrapped your arms around him,

“Okay, now you put your arms around me”, you explained.

Hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around you. You shifted slightly so you could rest your head on his chest. When you got comfortable, you sighed contentedly.

“This is nice Data. We should do this more often.”

“I agree. I am enjoying the experience”.

You chuckled and replied, “Me too.”

Together you both laid, content and happy. You felt like you had finally found the one person who you belonged with. You smiled to yourself. You shifted a bit and yawned. Data heard and said,

“If you are tired, you may go to sleep. I do not mind.”

You yawned again and said, “You mean you’d be okay with staying here with me, all night?”

“Of course darling”.

You smiled, that was his favorite pet name for you.

“Okay. Good night Data”, You gave him a kiss before snuggling closer to him. You were asleep in minutes. Data watched the steady rise and fall of your breathing, and smiled. He never thought that anyone would love him as much as you did. He never thought anyone would love him at all, but here you were. He knew that he had no emotions, but as he looked at your face, and how serene and beautiful you were, he felt something. A sensation in his chest. Was it... love? Data couldn’t say, but what he did know was this; even if he had no emotions, he knew he loved you somehow. Maybe someday he’d be able to feel love the way you did, but until then, he’d watch over you and keep you safe. As Data initiated his dream program, one final thought crossed his mind, cuddling was great, especially with you.

[janeykath318]

Broken Shackles 3

"So, you're a scientist, Spock?" Jim asked as he followed the young Vulcan through the round, rock-ringed garden, which was laid out in neat, precise rows. He'd never seen most of the plant life grown here, but then again, he'd never been to Vulcan before. They had to be really hardy plants in order to survive on such a hot, dry, planet and many of them were very similar to the cactus plants in Terran deserts. 

  "Indeed," Spock confirmed, "I am currently researching the possible medicinal uses for these unique species. They have certain properties that could aid in healing wounds or reducing fevers." 

 "You're into botany?" He asked, looking at a scraggly, bluish green shrub.

"I indulge in geology and zoology as well," she replied. "Science has many different and fascinating branches. I could live three lifetimes and never tire of it."   Jim admired her passion for learning and wished he could have had more, himself.

"I never got to finish high school,” he admitted. “I was two grades ahead and would have graduated that summer, but Frank's creditors started breathing down his back and he decided that I was expendable. I woke up chained in some dirty ship with a bunch of other kidnapped people and next thing I now, I'm up for auction with a collar on my neck and chains." He sighed. "I'm glad your people don't condone the practice. The Federation is way too soft with these slavers." "My father has often expressed frustration at the Orion Syndicate operating almost unhindered,” Spock replied. “Many of our people have been taken captive and were never seen again, yet to start an active campaign against The Syndicate would bring war that the Federation is not prepared for." "Figures." Jim snorted and stuck his hands in his pockets, the Vulcan sun already causing sweat to trickle down his neck as he walked past the rather strange looking plants.

"Jim," Spock said suddenly, looking at him with concern, "If you have any injuries that have gone untreated, do not hesitate to inform us. The Vulcan healers have much experience treating wounds on many species."    Jim nodded slowly. "Thanks for telling me, Spock, but I don't have anything pressing."

Not fresh, he added silently. His back was a mess of old scars from the many beatings, but he definitely wasn't going to tell her that. He didn't want the pity and nothing could be done about them anyway. "I see." She acknowledged, keeping that fantastic poker face that gave away nothing of her feelings. "Well, then, I believe we should return to the house as the temperature is rising quickly."

He shuffled along behind her in the reddish sand, feeling the rising heat even through the thick soled slippers. He drew a sigh of relief when they re-entered the house. "Wow. That's some serious heat out there. Phew! I might not keep the hair after all."

He grabbed his shaggy hair and held it away from his neck to get some cool air there. It appeared his natural disguise would be rather impractical on this planet.

"Perhaps I can procure a hair tie for you," Spock suggested kindly, "If you are unsure about having it cut yet, it would allow you to remain comfortable." "That's very thoughtful of you, Spock," Jim answered, unused to such kindness, especially from someone who barely knew him. "I think I'll take you up on that."

"I will return in 1.4 minutes," she promised and disappeared through a doorway, green robes fluttering with her footsteps. He couldn't help but admire her, despite his general reluctance to feel much attraction anymore. He had become so used to loathing himself as a "pet" of Lady Andromeda that he'd hadn't really felt much interest in a while. Spock was far too good for someone like him, but he'd like to be friends with her. Maybe she'd let him help her on some experiments sometime. There was so much he could have been learning.... In a jiffy, Spock returned with the elastic and Jim swiftly had his light brown mane pulled back in a pony tail. He gave a sigh of relief. "Much better."

Spock was eying him curiously now. "Have you ever seen a long-haired man before?" He questioned her. "I probably look really weird to you." "No, I confess I have not," she admitted, "But I don't not think you look "weird". In the days before Surak's reforms, most Vulcan men wore their hair long." "Interesting," said Jim. "I hope you'll teach me more about Vulcan history and culture. It sounds quite rich."

"It is." Spock confirmed, dark eyes glowing again. "Much of it is rarely told and unfortunately, is dying out with the Elders, but I think Father would not mind increasing your knowledge of our people. But in the meantime, James, you should rest. My mother has many books in Standard if you wish to occupy your mind." "That'd be great!" Jim exclaimed almost eagerly, forgetting himself in his excitement to read again. He didn't protest when she steered him to a luxurious couch/cushion thing. This was way better than herding livestock and hoeing crops for long hours a day. A twinge of guilt hit him when he thought about his fellow slaves who hadn't been so lucky to be given away to a Vulcan.

[morelikefundon]

30 March 2016

Quick trip to the Science Museum (and one of the Grant Museum of Zoology)!

Went to the Da Vinci exhibit, the inventions were pretty cool and they had working models of most of his engineering. 

[semusepsu]

sometimes i wish sci-fi took inspiration from the random bits of zoology that I know. for example, star trek has characters, like spock, who have parents from two different species. something about hybrid species is that they can have traits which are present in the parents’ genotypes but are not expressed. 

for example, the uterine environment of a lionesses affects fetal lion cubs so that genetic information that tends toward bigger offspring are not expressed to their full extent, meaning that lions have genes which would make them bigger than lions actually get. so when lion sperm is used to fertilize a female tiger, the resulting liger is a huge animal, bigger than a lion or a tiger.

so there could have been a star trek universe where spock was seven feet tall and had comically exaggerated vulcan features.

[feminon]

Can i get a promoe 🐈 I'm into gay sci-fi and zoology, I'm a pagan mess and I've set out to kiss every vulcan and name more species of bug than you knew even existed

[fardell24b]

10th November 2017 Writings

10th

Excerpt from: Trouble in the Outback

Alice Springs, 9 February 2034

It was a sweltering day. But then, it was always sweltering in Alice Springs in Summer.

Words:21

Excerpt from: Daria: 2nd February

“Huh? I think he would.”

Words: 5

Excerpt from: Kelsington Draft v2

He watched the Agent go into the corridor to the Calculator Labs. “I'll go now,” he decided.

“If she comes here, I'll tell her that I didn't see you,” Gunderson said.

Elias nodded as he exited the office.

The KI agent came to the first of the Calculator labs. She found that entry was by swipe ports. She knocked on the door. One of the students in the room opened the door. “Yes, you want to come in?” she asked.

“Yes. I'm looking for an Elias Stanton. Is he here?” the agent asked.

“Not that I know of,” the student answered, in a slightly wary tone.

“I see,” the Agent said as she entered the room. She looked around the rows of calculators. Elias wasn't there. 'He may be in the other room,' she thought.

While the KI agent was thus occupied, Elias exited the area of the Chemistry labs to the south, towards the Mathematics and Calculation Science buildings and the Psychology and Zoology  areas further south. He arrived back at Mara Green College before the agent left the Network Services Building.

However, neither Elias nor the KI agent reckoned on the student she asked in the first Calculator Lab being friends with Elias.

This wouldn't have consequences for another day or two, after more events had occurred.

Even so, the KI agent continued to scour the campus for the rest of the afternoon, before heading back to the Inn she had put her self up at in New Oxford.

Austin College

The Austin College SRC met at 6:00. “I'm sure you all have heard by now about the offer by Kelsington International?” the president, William Bates, said.

Words: 283

Excerpt from: Troubles of Oranaville v2

Tuesday 19 December 2017

Erina arrived at the cafe. She was nervous. She was going to be away for Christmas.

Words: 20

Excerpt from: Star Trek: Voyager: What a Choice Leads To: A Different Gift

As the cubes emerged from transwarp they fired in Voyager's direction. Most of the cubes missed, but many of the torpodoes and energy beams hit Voyager.

“Sheilds at 192%!” Ayala reported.

Immediately, Tuvok fired, although the concern about what Kes was most worried about was on his mind (illogical as that might seem).

Then Kes responded to what he had said just before the armada had dropped out of transwarp. “You remember a few months ago, when I had gained information from the future?”

Tuvok remembered, and Kes' memories were leaking into the mindspace. “The Krenim?” he asked as he directed more weapons fire towards the armada.

Voyager began to continually fire towards the Armada (with Kes' near ascending mindpower augmenting Tuvok's already fast Vulcan response time...).

The Queen made her self known again. “Krenim. Species 2108. Known to have advanced warp capability, and significant temporal capabilities.”

“And they're on Voyager's path to the Federation,” Kes said.

USS Voyager, shield weakness detected. Focus weapons fire. The cubes then triangulated their fire.

Voyager shook, harder than before, and the lights flickered in Engineering. “Janeway to bridge, report.”

Kes knew what was happening. “You'll not destroy Voyager or assimilate her crew!” She concentrated again.

Despite the Borg firing upon the weakness in the shields (which Kes was trying to fix) Voyager continued to fire at the armada. One cube exploded as five torpedoes hit it.

“The Borg have sent an armada to engage us,” Chakotay responded.

“What are you attempting?” Tuvok asked.

Kes didn't answer.

Words: 257

Total: 496