“Simulation unsuccessful. Parameters do not result in matching particle decay” the calm voice of the computer responded, and it was very much at odds with the anxiety it caused in James. 

Cursing, he resisted the urge to hurl his PADD and stepped away from the console instead. After moving away from anything throw worthy, he let himself vent nervous energy by pacing. Massaging the tension in his neck, he glanced at the time display and knew he’d lost track of time. Which explained why his neck felt like it was stiff, cramped and belonging to someone ten years older. 

“Computer, save results and close simulation,” he said, knowing there was little point in continuing. He had been chasing his mental tail for the past couple of hours, there was no use coming back to it when he couldn’t think straight. Sighing, he unclenched his hands, and stared at the visual display ahead, the view of clustered ships a reminder that many minds were working on the problem. 

He had seen other notifications, reports and snippets of scientific journal entries coming from all over the quadrant, as an untold number of ships dealt with the sudden appearance of Underspace apertures. It was fascinating, a whole new field of study in a way, and as many others would, James ached to make a name for himself and establish his own bonafides.

“Crawl, walk, then run. You can’t grasp at straws,” he muttered to himself as he closed his station, knowing other officers would be returning soon. He had enough time for a meal, hopefully he would see another science division member; he really didn’t want to report hours of simulating had been a failure. He had been looking at various ways to nurture a more permanent opening to the Underspace corridors, tunnels, whatever they truly were, in the hopes of helping the ships that had become stranded a chance at returning. He knew Velesa would have ideas, insight and even just another point of view which would be helpful; but in a ship that felt at times brimming with brilliant minds, James knew he struggled when it felt more like a team win than his own. 

The lab turned dark as he left, the ships computer saving power no doubt due to the demands of aiding all the other vessels. Cracking his neck, James tried to breath out his frustration, maybe a meal and time away would help him see which thread to pull at next.