I spent an hour or so trying to explain the speed force and how I wasn't sure how I was able to use it in this universe to the captain. Apparently there had been tachyon based anomalies that federation ships had encountered before with similar effects, but my best guess was that the dark matter in the asteroid interacting with the anomaly had altered the burst of tachyons that hit the flyer in that energy burst, which allowed me to use it similarly to a speedster, albeit briefly given it wasn't a constant like the speed force back on earth one. The similarity of tachyons altering time in a similar way to warp fields using subspace to alter space also probably helped.
Of course, I refused to have them experiment on me under controlled conditions. At least not unless they could do so safely. I already knew the risks of an artificial speed force, and it might tamper with the results to use it on someone who'd already utilized the real thing. Still, I did learn one thing the doctor found unusual. I wasn't aging, he'd compared my cells from when I was on the ship, to when I left on the mission, to after I got back and as it turned out one of the unusual traits of my DNA was that my telomeres weren't becoming shorter but being repaired as part of my regeneration. This in turn contributed to my metabolism, which is why I felt like I was starving after I got back, my body had spent a ton of energy repairing its self. I was effectively immortal provided I didn't take an explosive to the face or jump into vacuum without a suit, or worse, decide to dive into a singularity.
This all gave me something to think on. I had lamenting having been turned into a superhuman and wondering if my time might be limited. However, it seemed that I had all the time in the multiverse to get home, provided I didn't care about the people I wanted to get home too. Shaking my head, I got back to eating my fourth helping of whatever the heck the doctor had devised to supplement my metabolism, I don't know why, but it was actually quite tasty. The doctor had made me spend the last few days resting after the anomaly, regardless of my ability to regenerate and get right back to work. Something about not being willing to test the limits of my regeneration even if I was probably going to live as long or longer than he would being a hologram.
Heading to the holodeck for the time I'd managed to schedule last week, I loaded up the exercise program I'd written, this one a recreation of the arrow cave, equipment and all. It wasn't too difficult to schedule time, as the crew usually used holodeck two and interacted in the group simulations Tom was running there. I guess even in the twenty-fourth century, larping was popular. I'd started with the usual stretches and warm-ups before moving onto the heavier duty stuff. First the practice dummy, a series of rapid strikes impacting it as I went through the various movements for the mixed combat style I'd learned from both Oliver, and Sensei Yoru. Then I had the computer simulate a training partner and did some staff training, you never know when you might need to use one. Finally, some target practice with the bow, shooting tennis balls I'd thrown with quick draw arrows, one impacted a pillar after having impaled the ball, an entry into the simulation having opened moments before with Tuvok of all people having nearly been missed.
"Can I help you with something, Mr Tuvok?" I asked as I set the bow down and began wiping off the sweat from my hands and transitioning to the salmon ladder as my final exercise of the day.
"Curious, it seems it is true that you are familiar with many combat forms." I yanked myself up to the third rung and kept going as I tried to focus on getting to the top.
"I thought I mentioned that already? It was why I'd first asked if I could join the security detail's morning exercises." I was now halfway up, preparing for the next rung.
"Indeed, however, your allotted holodeck time is up, and you are five minutes late for your tasks in engineering." I reached the top and yanked hard, shifting my weight and holding onto the bar before spinning it in a staff technique and landing in a crouch on the mat below.
"Sorry about that, I was curious if the holodeck could replicate the training grounds I'd been using when I trained under my old master. Seems a pretty good recreation. And I don't have to worry about breaking the practice dummy if I hit it a little too hard, which is nice." I'd finished wiping off the sweat and picked up my gear, promising to make my way to engineering after a quick sonic shower. About ten minutes later, I'd managed to make it and apologized to B'Elanna for being late. As a half Klingon she understood the need for training to reduce stress, it was in her blood after all. But made me promise to keep a closer track of time in the future.
I enjoyed my time in engineering, I did a lot of practical work, monitoring systems, making adjustments here and there, and mostly acting as an assistant to whoever required an extra pair of hands, it was nice. The fact that something being stuck had a different meaning for me compared to most members of the crew probably helped, since most work could be done with basic tools. One perk was that I was allowed pockets in the uniform I'd been given to wear when working. I was considered an enlisted personnel and given the rank of crewman after the captain had decided it was better to have me do something useful around the ship. The special tritanium adjustable wrench I'd come up with saving a lot of trouble when dealing with things that required manual effort to remove. A hyper spanner sat next to it in the shirt pocket of the uniform jacket, and the multitool watchband coupled with my smartwatch relaying information from the tricorder in the deck I carried around with me.
It probably shouldn't have come as a surprise when other engineering crew started wearing uniforms with pockets, besides B'Elanna had been wearing a kind of engineering jacket already, so I expected it to have happened sooner really. Still, time went by fast working that shift, and I took a walk in the airponics bay afterward. What I didn't realize was that crewman Porter was working in airponics today. Apparently botany was one of her studies at starfleet academy and had I know her shift was today I would have gone to the mess instead since I was trying to be less intrusive given what happened with Tom a few days ago. She quickly looked up from the padd she was working on and walked over, not expecting me to walk in.
"Zalost, I wasn't expecting you to come by, you're usually in the mess hall or helping out around the ship."
"I'm off duty now, and one of my studies back home was botany. Plus, I'm curious how airponics and hydroponics systems have advanced from what I was used to, back when I was experimenting with them." I'd been studying the coloration and shape of the leaves on what looked like a leafy green which reminded me of spinach but had purple lines along the middle.
"Well if you'd like I could show you around. We really don't do much in here besides monitor plant growth and nutrient levels, so the environmental sciences crew works a rotation here."
"Only if I'm not in the way, Ms Porter." Good, she didn't seem to be bothered by what happened the other day. I was probably worried about nothing and calmly listened to her explanations on the setup and design of the airponic chambers they were growing food in.
