Sal Taybrim

Congrats and welcome (and welcome back) to the fleet!

Awesome character development from both @Alora DeVeau and @Ashley Yael - great job both of you!! ((Starbase 118 - Counselor Yael’s Office)) Ashley’s office wasn’t uncomfortable. The way he had arranged the furniture was more of an intimate nature, like people sitting in armchairs and just fellowshipping with one another. Alora could certainly see the benefit in that - it was more relaxing. Less formal. Less intimidating. It was her third session with the man since she’d started seeing him, and the first since she’d managed to send him to Sickbay. So, after arriving and settling into her seat, she crossed one leg over the other, leaned forward, and looked at him squarely. DeVeau: I’m glad you’re not dead. Yael: Ah. ::glancing over at her as he ordered her chocolate milk:: Thank you? They had definitely had a bit of a downturn, but he was all healed up from his injury from their holodeck session. It just ached if he breathed extremely deeply, but nothing to speak of. DeVeau: Well, you know. It’s not every day I send a counselor to Sickbay. Alora was beginning to wonder if Sal would kick her off Ops for breaking his counselors. First, Karen, then Ruwon, now Ashley. Only with Ashley, it hadn’t been figuratively, it had been literal. Yael: It was really nothing. Bailey patched me *right* up. He had said that as if it hadn’t been a major surgery to withdraw the rib from his lung. They were there for Alora though, not for him. DeVeau: How are you feeling? Yael: Quite good. In fact, I recently went horse riding. Have never been before. DeVeau: Oh really? That sounds like fun! Did you enjoy it? It had been a really long time since Alora had gone, and she’d never done enough to really consider herself particularly skilled at it. However, she adored horses, along with every other animal ever created, so... Yael: It was alternatively fun and also terrifying. ::he smiled at her:: The animals are larger than you expect, and feel even larger when you’re atop them. DeVeau: Yes, about twice as tall. And they were about as high up as Alora was willing to go. Well, no, there had actually been /some/ trees she had climbed, but only to the lowest branches, and only because those branches weren’t more than eight feet or so off the ground - if that. That was about all she was going to do. Higher? Nope. No way. Not a chance. Yael: Admittedly, there’s some trouble walking after… ::a new rider on a horse would do that to the legs, but he refocused:: But, we’re not here to talk about me. ::he tried to redirect her:: I’d like to know how *you’re* doing. DeVeau: I’m doing well. No dramatics at work, I get time to myself, I’m sleeping well. Or at least she’d slept well the night before. That wasn’t always the case. The nightmares didn’t come every night, but they came often enough. Alora was just glad she could tell the truth and not pretend it was okay. DeVeau: So today is good. And even better once Ashley handed her that chocolate milk. Which one was it that time? Alora took a sip. Oh! Number one! Yes, that was definitely a good one a bit creamier than the others, and on her list of top ten. Yael: So today, I’d like for you to be a little more honest with me. As well as you can be. Alora canted her head to the side, an eyebrow arching upward. DeVeau: What makes you think I’m not? Yael: Perhaps it’s not the best way to phrase it… it isn’t a matter of not being honest. It’s a matter of holding back. Which you do a *lot* of. He paired his commentary with that calm smile. Alora took another sip of her milk and leveled her gaze at the violet-eyed man. DeVeau: What am I holding back? Yael: ::laughing lightly:: How would I know the answer to that? DeVeau: I don’t know. Can you give me an example? Yael: For example then. How are you sleeping? ::pausing, eyebrow rising:: It’s a simple question with a complicated answer. DeVeau: I’m sleeping well. Most recently she had been, anyway. It all depended on the day. DeVeau: There are some nights that are better than others, especially if I, say, get distracted and stay up too late, but we all have times like that. I’m sure you do, hm? Ashley gave her a pensive look, the pleasant mask dropping for a fraction of a moment before it was replaced again. She had apparently hit a nerve somehow, but he repressed it. It was long enough, however, for Alora to catch it, though she was far well versed in not letting her own emotions show - sometimes. Yael: That’s all well and good, but if you want to *address* it, you can talk to me about the not-so-better nights. There are multitudes of methods we could try to help stabilize your sleep quality. Even something simple could lead to a better quality of life. Which is why you’re here with me now. DeVeau: Why do you think my sleep schedule needs stabilizing? Yael: It’s not about just staying up late and missing curfews or alarms. ::reorienting, he wasn’t sure if he was getting his point across:: I’m just trying to say, I’m a *tool* for you to use. If you don’t take it seriously, it’s a waste of time for you. Alora paused, head tilting to the other side and another sip of milk was taken before she continued the conversation. DeVeau: What sort of tools? Yael: Well, like the orb. He refrained from saying “the glitter orb of doom.” Though he thought about it. Yael: You do amazing work with it, as if it’s only a *toy.* But you were playing with it, and with me. It was a toy. What he wanted to do had been so juvenile and so easy - at least the first time . The second time had just sucked, and Alora wasn’t so keen to repeat it. He eyed her seriously now. Yael: If you just play games, I can’t help you take the steps you need to advance. DeVeau: The question is, Ashley, advance from what, to what? What are your goals here? I’m not quite sure why you think I need to advance. Yael: It isn't a matter of having a set goal. It’s like… evolution. There isn’t an end goal in mind, it’s about taking the next great steps in your evolution. He shook his head negatively, then finally sat across from her with his coffee. Yael: Perhaps I’m pushing too hard. I’m making you uncomfortable. He wanted to ask if the orb training had been a total mistake, but at least it had communicated some things to him. DeVeau: How have you evolved? Alora asked softly. Her eyes dropped down to the braces upon his hands, braces she had noticed from the day they had met, but she hadn’t said a word about them before. Even if he hadn’t said anything, she could tell he was uncomfortable about them. DeVeau: What sort of tools do you use? He looked down into his coffee for a long moment. Yael: That.... would be a long conversation. ::pausing:: But I know it doesn’t happen if people don’t push you. DeVeau: We have most of our hour left. So we’ve both got some time. Maybe it would help me see the benefits. Alora leaned back in her chair, shifting a bit, as if to settle into a more comfortable position. A smile played on her lips, but there was no mockery, not even of amusement. More of an invitation, a willingness to listen for once rather than have a battle of wits. His eyebrows furrowed in thought, and he wondered if he should. Was she deflecting? Or was it an honest admission for guidance? It was hard to tell. Yael: I… this… this is *your* time… ::as he was so prone to saying::.... DeVeau: It’s good to hear about the experience of others. Good advice often comes from it. What’s helped you in the past? A quick thought back to his own experiences, and he wasn’t sure they would be helpful to her. For all the work he did, all the effort he put out to help his crewmates, he wasn’t sure if *any* of it had worked on him. Cumulatively, probably? But to put a finger on something and say “this cured me of my PTSD and made me functional again,” was too much. And that would mean exposing things he’d not exposed to anyone on this crew… things he preferred to remain secret. If they *knew* how dysfunctional he’d been, how could they trust him to help them? Perhaps he could give her just enough, though? Without burying himself in the process. Yael: I went through this process myself. We all go through it, to some extent. There was no single thing that “cured” me, in the end. I realize it’s more complicated than just the application of a technique. DeVeau: How so? The Denobulan glanced down at his own hands. Paused again. It wasn’t something he liked talking about, though he’d had more practice of late… thanks to Anthony and Kherys. He was *almost* getting used to people not dismissing him as completely breakable. Almost. Yael: ::a bit more softly:: I do my own amount of deflecting. That’s how I can see it so easily in others. A finger traced the edge of one of the braces on his hands, and he looked up, but not at her. Yael: Having an expiration date gives you a different kind of perspective on these things. You feel as if you don’t have the *time* to play games. Except it wasn’t necessarily a game, even for those who had expiration dates. Alora knew she counted as one of those, but she also realised he was speaking from experience. She wasn’t a medical officer, but Alora wondered if she’d have access to his file. Considering her rank, probably certain things. Another sip of the chocolate brought it down to about halfway full, then she swallowed and asked, her voice still soft, gentle. DeVeau: Why is it so hard? Yael: It’s… a multifaceted problem. I don’t claim to have all the answers, but… I’ve been *down* the rabbit hole. I know what it’s like to never sleep, for even a moment. I’ve heard the screaming in my dreams. If *you* hear the screaming, I want to help you. She heard the screaming. It was her own screaming. Her own crying. But it was what she didn’t hear any longer that was the true nightmare. Alora’s face, however, remained thoughtfully stoic as she pondered over what he said. She let his words rummage around for a moment, then asked another question. DeVeau: What got you started on the process? Where did you see the most progress, and how did you know it was true progress? She had completely derailed him, and it was possible he couldn’t get it back. He was so far down his own rabbit hole that he wasn’t sure he could pull free of it. Staying clear of one's own components was a vital skill… so they could remain clear headed about someone else’s. Yael: I’m not sure I’m making my point very concisely. ::that had been more a musing to himself stated aloud:: I had the benefit of a relocation. A great deal of my… problems… they were specific to a location. Excising myself from that location was the best first step. ::pausing again:: I don’t get the sense it’s the same for you though? DeVeau: What do you mean by excising yourself? :: Alora queried.:: Do you mean leaving a location because it was harmful somehow? Yael: It is. The Embassy was… a hazardous place for me. And by excising, I mean… I left Starfleet. ::glancing at her:: Also not something I believe would be beneficial for you. Alora nodded slowly, her expression still thoughtful as she listened to the counselor. DeVeau:. But that was beneficial for you? Why was that? Yael For me, it was a type of reset. There were fewer triggers, and I could focus on what I needed to do for myself. ::his amethyst eyes set on her:: All of which is why I’m not sure my experience would help you. These things… they’re not universal. DeVeau: Maybe not universal, but hearing and walking through the experiences of others can be very beneficial. Maybe not that specific experience, but there might be others that could. What else has helped you? Yael: ::he was thoughtful for a moment:: Breaking the cyclical, toxic behaviors that I had allowed to take root. And… not lying to myself so much. DeVeau: What cyclical, toxic behaviours? He smiled at her, then spoke a bit more profoundly. Yael: The best of liars believe their own lies first. I was an expert liar, and that allowed me to put myself in a position that was… quite inhospitable. But everything that happened to me was a consequence of my own doing. I kept my defenses up so expertly for so long that nobody even knew I needed help until it was almost too late. Another thoughtful sip was taken, another nod given as she once again mulled over what was said. DeVeau: But did you do beyond stopping behaviours. What helped you stop them? And what helped you move forward? The Denobulan sighed lightly as he thought on it. He was beating around the bush, and she wanted specifics. He took a breath and looked her in the eyes, prepared to make the confession she wanted. Yael: I checked into rehab, on Earth. And when I was clean, I was admitted to a psychiatric center. DeVeau: What kind of rehab? Yael: Alcoholic and addict. I… didn’t discriminate. If it was available, I used it. That was not a problem that Alora struggled with - and one she was grateful she’d never fallen into. Not that she hadn’t been tempted. Oh no, there had indeed been times. DeVeau: What helped you to break the cycle of addiction? You’ve talked about tools. What tools did you use? Yael: The people around me, Alora. I stopped hiding from them… there was nothing left to hide, rather, after the Embassy… they stayed on top of me, didn’t let me get away with my old lies. They didn’t let up, and eventually, somehow, I learned better ways. ::pausing:: I could *not* have done it alone. I’d have never been able to do it alone. DeVeau: And you think that’s what I’m doing? I’ve been going to counseling for a while. Yael: Concerning your counseling previously, it isn’t that there is anything glaringly, obviously harmful happening right this moment. But you were ordered to take on the counseling for a reason, and it appears that your previous counselors may have been… ineffective, despite their best efforts. I was concerned that the cumulative impact for you has been negligible. That it hasn’t been beneficial for you… in part, because of its classified nature, which makes it difficult to know how to help you. Or even *if* you actually need help. Which is why I’ve been rocking your boat… I don’t want you to find it’s gone on too long, and that it’s too late. DeVeau: What evidence do you see that I need help? Yael: ::smiling at her:: That, is a trick question. You were ordered into counseling, so clearly *someone* thought you did. I have to operate with that in mind. If I just assumed you were fine, and you weren’t… Alora nodded slowly. He was being careful - and she couldn’t blame him. DeVeau: That’s part of what makes you a good counselor. I was ordered into counseling, but I’ve also made a lot of progress. There are techniques I’ve learned that help me process and deal with things. Sort of. Not really. Sometimes. Alora had her good days. Then she had her bad days. Then she had those days when it seemed like something triggered her and it just set her off the edge. Those were the times where it seemed like she couldn’t bring herself back for a while, that she wallowed in the darkness that had exploded to her life. They also hadn’t taken away the dreams, though at least those did not’ descend upon her /every/ night. Just a lot of nights. DeVeau: But how do /you/ deal with things? When you have a day where you struggle, what do you do? Yael: When I feel myself slipping, I…. ::he laughed very lightly::... I keep myself so busy that I don’t have time to think about it. Which was ironic in how he was trying to challenge that instinct in her, to make her do “nothing.” Yael: I don’t have a perfect system. There are still flaws in my approach. But I like to think I’ve tipped the scales somewhat more in my favor. DeVeau: So you feel like you have made progress? Where do you feel like you need to improve, and how are you actively trying to improve? Yael: Alora… ::he shook his head::... I can’t give you *all* my secrets. Just tell me, honestly. Are we on the wrong track? Am I helping you, or am I just frustrating you? DeVeau: I’ll be honest. Alora sat up and finished her milk, then leaned forward to rest it on the table in front of her. DeVeau: Right now, I’m just feeling frustrated. There it was. She was being completely honest. For once, she didn’t sugar coat it either, and he had explicitly asked her . Yael: Okay. What can I do to make this easier for you? DeVeau: In here? Nothing. Alora tilted her head toward the doors behind her. DeVeau:. Out there?Just keep being my friend. Honestly, that's what I need more than anything. He nodded, accepting her statement as genuine. And being her friend wasn’t all that hard… so long as she wasn’t blowing up psionic glitter bombs. Yael: Why don’t we try a change of pace “in here,” then. Let’s skip a week, give you a break from the sessions. Do something you enjoy with the time instead. DeVeau: I always do something I enjoy. Alora replied dryly. Yael: We’ll pick up fresh the week after. DeVeau: All right. We can try that. But Alora didn’t think it was going to make any difference. DeVeau: In the meantime, when are you going to take me back to Verriar’s? Yael: When are you free? ::pausing:: I don’t think it’s your typical kind of place though, is it. DeVeau: It’s not my kind of place, but I like her. Maybe we should invite her to hang out sometime. Besides, they do have a tongo table. Yael: It’s the most fun when the Ferengi is running the table. Trying to beat *his* system is almost impossible. DeVeau: I guess I should learn how to play before we try playing with him. Yael: I’m sure the computer has a tutorial. DeVeau: Well, I was kinda hoping you’d teach me. Yael: Ah… ::smiling again::... I can do that. ****** Ensign Ashley Yael Counselor Starbase 118 Ops C238211TZ0 & Lt. Cmdr. Alora DeVeau Science Officer Starbase 118 Ops M239008AD0

I think Pulaski could have been a great character with more seasons of character development

I absolutely loved this exchange!

“I don’t like gambling very much. I don’t like being at the mercy of those little white squares that roll around and decide whether you win or lose. I like to have the say-so myself.” Lawrence Tierney in Born to Kill (1947).

I really enjoyed this description!

@Saveron and @Lazarus Davis have done a great job in portraying the communication between a Federation team and a very alien creature. I'm really enjoying watching this unfold! ((Tat’si Valley, Path of the Wild Walker, Endaasi)) Lystra had done her utmost to express initial goodwill and give the amphibious being a sense of their language. The very fact that it had picked up the water canteen and drunk the water showed that it had understood at least some of what she was trying to tell it. And proved that it was sentient. Behind them, Sarah Mason was working on her comm badge, trying to adjust the Universal Translator to be more receptive to the being’s language, whilst Jalana and Ravenna discussed it’s biology, which was like nothing they’d ever seen. Mentally tired no doubt, Lystra sat down on the baked ground nearby. Saveron took that as his cue to come forward and crouch, just out of the being’s reach, in a non-threatening manner. Saveron: We mean no harm, and will help if we can. Picking up a stick, the Vulcan began to draw shapes in the burned ground. First a small circle, heavily scribed but hollow, then a larger circle around it in a light trace; on that circle, a heavy dot. Next to that, he drew a similar shape, but instead of one inner circle there were four, two hollow and two filled by scratches. On the outer, lightly scribed circle, he placed two dots. Carter: ::unable to see what was being drawn:: Whatcha doodling there, Commander? Saveron: The two most common elements in the universe; hydrogen and helium. It was the conventional, greatly simplified representation of the atoms, as used in the Federation, showing the nature of the electron orbits. Looking up at the being, Saveron waited to see if there was any kind of response. Could they find some common ground, some recognition of each other, and some way to help it’s injuries? The creature looked at it, but gave no obvious sign of recognition. Perhaps it they gave it some time to consider the scratchings; who knew what kind of representations they used? Mason: ::excited:: You’re a genius.. Ishar: [Mmm? What have you scribbled in the muck? It’s pretty, in a way, but I doubt you are sharing art with me. :: Ishar looked back to briefly lock gaze with the grey-eyed mammal again :: No, not art. But if it were art, what would it represent? A star system? Maybe, but a system with four stars in it is next to it and that doesn’t make any sense. I’ve never even heard of that before, and these two are shown on the same orbit. What else orbits?] Carter: Is there a universal sign for hurt or injured? Rajel: Not that I know of. Even the caduceus is not universal or I'd try to draw that. Atoms are much more simple as a base. That was when the creature shifted and moved, looking at Saveron's drawing from another angle. The Vulcan shifted out of the way slightly, watching intently. And something happened. The being looked at Saveron and pointed at the drawing, making a sound. Vulcans used a range of language sounds that other species couldn’t, but he didn’t think he could reproduce that one. Ishar: [Wait, are those atoms? :: It locked eyes with the grey-eyed mammal again and pointed :: Hydrogen? Helium?] Rajel: Look. I think they may recognize it. Lystra: So do I. Wait..::She thought for a moment:: What was that you said about species not hearing certain sounds? ::She looked at Jalana:: Maybe….. Saveron: It may have just given us the word for hydrogen. Assuming it understood what he was trying to represent. Carter: Alright, so roughly how long until the universal translate is up and running? Mason: I’ve done all I can. It’s up to the creature and the programming to do the rest. I’ve input every trick I know. Rajel: Yeah without anything to go by for the translator who knows if it ever works. Just one word of recognition would be enough already to try more. The Boslic pointed to the hydrogen atom Saveron drew and started saying the word ‘hydrogen’ in her normal tone then almost singing the word in different octaves. As tenor and as baritone as she could manage before her voice strained. Then tried the same with the helium atom drawing. Lystra: ♪Helium♪ ♪Hydrogen♪ Saveron:: We need more words from it, for the Universal Translator to work on. Words with known meanings. So far they had one. Carter: And how much more daylight do we have left? And that was a very good question. They were wet, exposed, with minimal supplies - though perhaps not so minimal had they not had a Starfleeter’s tendency towards over preparedness. Rajel: We started at 10... Right now it's.. ::She raised her arm and pushed up a sleeve to check her watch:: 4:26. The sun went down around 9 pm the days before. So about 4 and a half hours. Lystra stopped trying to say the words in various tones and tember and looked to Saveron. Lystra: What…::She sounded parched and had to pull another bottle from her pack and took a long drink:: What do you think? Did it work? Saveron: If it is a question of hearing range then it may. ::The Vulcan said honestly.:: However if it is a questionn of ability, we will need means other than verbal to communicate. After all, the Endaasi couldn’t speak, though they could hear. If this ‘Wild Walker’ was native, who was to say it might also have different abilities and limitations? Though it hadn’t yet shown the Endaasi tendency for getting grabby when it wanted to say something. Carter: So we need to also start thinking shelter too for all of us. And I can’t speak for everyone, but my stuff is all waterlogged and wouldn’t do much to protect me from the elements. Maybe we could all pool our resources and take a mini inventory? Mason: Makes sense. I brought a pack, but I haven’t fully checked the damage yet. Rajel: I got some rations and water but nothing to sleep in. As they talked, the creature reached out and began to groove the soil with a claw. Jalana came to stand by the Vulcan’s side to watch. It drew a heavy, straight, horizontal line and placed a circle on it, like a bead. Above and parallel to that, it drew another unadorned line. Above that, and centered horizontally, he placed one dot with no line. The others regarded the patterns with interest. . ----- --O-- Next to that, it drew another heavy horizontal line with two beads. Above that, another horizontal line with two perpendicular dashes through it. Above that, two dots. Then it drew back, looking at Saveron expectantly. .. --|--|-- --O--O-- Rajel: What are they drawing? Lystra: I think it’s the same thing Saveron drew, but in whatever symbology this species uses maybe? There’s similar patterns in the drawings. If Ilix was here he could back me up on that. He’s the analyst. Saveron: I believe that Lystra is correct. ::He confirmed, regarding the drawings.:: Rajel: The way they pointed at your atoms... could those be their symbols for hydrogen and helium? Like protons, electrons, nucleus, shell... Lystra: Could be. Or they could merely be writing their name. Saveron: No, these are corresponding atomic representations. ::He said with that irritating Vulcan surety.:: They are more abstract than ours, but the meaning is the same. Dots for electrons, lines for neutrons, circles for protons; the relative locations likely indicate the charge state. Rajel: I wonder what the different elements of the drawing represent. It's quite different from our model. ::She crouched down and then pointed at the bottom line with the 'bead':: Could this be the circling electron? That would make it hydrogen. Saveron: That is likely the proton. If the representation is logical then the dots will be the electrons, as they have significantly less mass than a proton. Rajel: If it is, this there is helium, because it has two 'beads' on the line. But what is the rest? Saveron: The strokes are the neutrons. None for hydrogen, two for helium. These are, of course, only the most common isotopes. Other isotopes contain different numbers of neutrons. Mason: ::mumbling to herself:: Too bad my UT fixes aren’t working yet.. ::Louder for the others:: Do you think the creature has been staying nearby? Maybe there are some clues to its needs if we could find the shelter? Rajel: It would make sense if it stayed here, or close by. She only caught part of the conversation behind her and glanced back at Sarah. Lystra: I know you said you did what you could, can we adjust the frequency on our comm badges to transmit our voices at frequencies beyond our range of hearing? The UT should still pick up their response even if we can’t hear it, right? Saveron: Assuming that it uses verbal communication, and those sounds aren’t simply something it has learned to do to get a response from other organisms. If it lives predominantly underwater, it may not have a sense of hearing at all, much as animals in caves often lose their vision. The speed of sound in water was so much faster than that in air, that when under water any sound heard by an organism with two ears gave the impression of originating within that organism’s own skull. Carter/Mason: Response Rajel: ::looking to Sarah and Ravenna:: If you want to look for it, make sure to stay together and stay within earshot in case you need help. Lystra: I have a phaser in my pack if you need it. ::She pointed to her back:: We can use it to start a fire to dry off and keep warm. Or it might scare our new hiking partner. Saveron: It would be preferable not to do so, however we must consider the possibility of having to spend the night in the mountains. I do not know whether it will be perceived with the local interference, but you may wish to activate the emergency beacon. As they were pooling resources, Saveron unslung his satchel and handed it over to Jalana and Sarah. It didn’t contain much; his water canteen, a few ration bars, and the emergency beacon. Carter/Mason/Ishar: Response Jalana turned back to Saveron, Lystra, the creature and the drawing. Rajel: Would it be worth to try another atom to see if we find another pattern? Like Lithium or Carbon? To see what happens with two orbits? Lystra: What about those and..wait..what’s the atomic representation for dilithium? If they understand what hydrogen and helium are, maybe they know more advanced science as well? It might help us narrow down their knowledge base at least. It was said that great minds think alike. Jalana and Lystra were both thinking along the same lines as Saveron himself. Saveron: Affirmative. Lithium is the next in the atomic progression. He picked up the stick again, and began to scratch in the dirt, next to the being’s own drawing. Three tiny dots, a line with four slashes, a line with three circles. The most common isotope of Lithium. … --|--|--|--|-- --O--O--O-- The he looked expectantly back at the amphibious being. Carter/Mason/Ishar: Response Lystra: We could also try drawing harmonic waves? ::She looked at Saveron, then to Jalana:: Waves have patterns and those patterns are universal I believe. We may be able to get a basic language...like sign language, but with song? Tones? I think I remember reading some terran fiction where they tried using something similar. The Vulcan still wasn’t convinced that the creature could even hear. It had made noises yes, but perhaps it had learned over the years that such elicited a response from others. Saveron: Our new companion is badly injured. Whatever we do, it needs assistance. Could they even give it that here? And where was the water it so obviously needed? Carter/Mason/Ishar/Rajel: Response Lystra: Music is also mathematical in nature. Right? Would that help us communicate if it had such an understanding? Saveron: If it can hear, and if it’s culture has music. ::He said patiently.:: I recommend that we pursue the direction which has already received a response. Much as he would be fascinated to trade musical theory with it. If they could establish communication with this species, then perhaps that would be a conversation for the future. Carter/Mason/Ishar/Rajel: Response Lystra pulled another bottle from her pack, opened it and offered it to the creature. This time holding it in her hand so it could take it from her. An attempt at building trust. Showing she trusted it not to try and swipe at her or rip her arm off and offering the water she’d seen it drink so quickly. Saveron: Be wary of using all of our water. ::He said quietly.:: They were, after all, in a survival situation, and most of them would last only a few days without water. Whilst she did that, Saveron took up his stick again. Carter/Mason/Ishar/Rajel: Response Lystra: Here. I hope it helps you feel better. ::She looked at the creature:: Whilst Lystra was tending to the creature, Saveron drew a small circle next to the symbol for Lithium. Then in a new space below the line of atoms, he used that circle as a module to map out an array, pairs of squares arranged in a very specific lattice, with a regular relationship between the pairs. The structure of the crystalline form of dilithium. He looked up again at the creature. It’s turn. Saveron/Carter/Mason/Ishar/Rajel: Response TAG Commander Saveron Counsellor USS Constitution-B R238802S10

I see what you did there, Meeks >.> :D

I love the imagery here! <3

totally enjoyed this whole conversation!

Agreed, this was a riveting read, Ensign! ❤️

The first rule of warrior club is... :D

This is the sort of character exposition that really helps us connect with a PC. Wonderful work!

Probably.

we're only *slightly* smarter >.>

The vulcan answer to all bad things: Meditation. Actually, that's a good answer.

It's just a little bit of peril...

I like Meeks' attitude! <3

Gul Dukat!! How could we leave him off the list?!

OOC - in my 2am haze I grabbed the wrong sim >.< Let's try this again ❤️ This was raw and beautifully written ~*~ ((Ejectable Quarantine Labs - Starbase 118)) (Day of -> 2 Days after the Narendra’s return) The pods that’d been transported had been added to a storage frame repurposed from the cargo areas, leaving them looking less like isolation pods and more like massive construction pieces. Taelon was vaguely reminded of the massive pipes he’d seen being transported by the cargo runners he’d gotten to Earth with. Either way, it gave the rescue operation something of an industrial air, especially when the massive cargo loaders picked them up and slid them into the ejectable labs. The first stage was - well, barbaric, but necessary. He’d sealed himself into a section of the ejectables so he could monitor progress without having to open the suite to outside comms, and the usually shy and reticent El-Aurian watched with a strange coldness as the drones were dragged from their isolation pods onto a flat table, the spider-like remote surgery robots going to work with abandon. Limps were removed entirely; replaced eyes and skull pieces were deconstructed and taken away, leaving open voids in the skull. It happened quickly; the robots worked incredibly quickly, and within half an hour what had been a tactical drone was a limbless human, their skull open through the eye socket. Their pale skin was unhealthy and drained of life after years in the Borg’s grasp. But the attaching of life-saving backup systems and stitches could only come when the nanites were gone, and Taelon stared intently at his monitors as his countermeasures went to work as soon as a section was removed. An internal battle for control was never going to be healthy for the host, and small bruises appeared on the human’s skin as the nanite’s fighting ruptured small blood vessels. It was awful, what the Borg did - removing and assimilating whatever they didn’t need. Taelon had been raised to see cybernetics as something quite normal, desirable even - but they were supposed to help and enhance a willing subject, not be applied as a method of control. The Borg’s cybernetics were a way to force a living being to serve them. It made him sick to see it. Thankfully the sealed-off nature of the quarantine labs neutralised the Borg’s greatest advantage. With no hivemind to connect to and take information from, they could only adapt slightly. It was a rare advantage against the Borg, one that made any of this possible. The process took about an hour on the first subject. The limbless, unconscious body was hurriedly moved to a second bay within the lab, this one with an entrance to the Starbase itself, and attached to life-sustaining backup systems and monitors. The next step was Doctor Foster’s - to remove and replace the infested and dying organs and seal up any openings. The third step - full replacement of their now-missing limbs and non-required pieces - would come days later. Taelon had plans for that, too, but for now his priority was the drones. They could live in status once removed from their Borg parts, but they wouldn’t live forever in the pods. He sealed the connected section and sent it away towards the medical bays, taking a moment to rub his eyes. He’d brought only a large thermos of coffee and a scone into the lab with him, and that’d have to do. Once the process had started, he’d no intention of stopping til all the drones they’d managed to grab were in a safer state. Eventually, as exhaustion set in, he set his ARIA to play music. It kept him awake, and as he worked, it was easier to coordinate movement and steps to the beat. And so the process went on, drone after drone. Some were faster, some took longer; the tactical drones in particular were the most difficult, as the Borg had done the most damage to them. The Andromeda’s crew were faster; most got to keep their limbs, eyes, and organs. A small mercy, considering what the rescued full drones looked like. In the end, Galven was one of the final pods, the Commander’s unconscious body slid onto the table. He was simple, thankfully - he only had a flood of nanites in his system. But they’d injected into his heart and brain, and so Taelon tiredly watched the lifesigns as the nanites battled things out, the man’s heart surging and bleeding, his brain misfiring and sending his limbs twitching. It was difficult to watch, but necessary. Eventually, Taelon’s crafted nanites won out, again. With Galven sent along the process line to medical, Taelon slid down the wall of his observation chamber, slumping to the floor. It’d been close to 40 hours; his thermos was empty, the food long gone. His body was protesting with every muscle. Still, as things were closed off, he reached to the control panel and flipped the switch. It sent the signal to eject the lab, leaving the observation chamber in the airlock as the lab was jettisoned into space. A final precaution to ensure no loose nanites made it onto the station. Only when the observation pod had been cleaned completely did he stand up, shakily, and step out of it into the airlock. The blank, opened-ended area was a contrast to the lab that had sat there just a few moments ago. He hurried to the doors, tapping his commbadge. Taelon: =/\= Doc-doctor - ::He couldn’t help but pause to yawn.:: =/\= That’s the last of the, of the drones. I’m - I’m on my way to Medical now. =/\= Foster: ? Taelon: =/\= P-provided they’re all stable and in, um, in stasis, we can start the next step. =/\= Foster: ? Taelon: =/\= Rebuilding. Should start from the inside out, organs, then limbs… =/\= Foster: ? Tag/Tbc Ensign Taelon Starbase 118 OPs O239303T10

Just wanted to add my praise @Sheila Bailey, this was a fantastic sim!

Well, yes

A really lovely conversation that shows both characters beautifully ❤️ ((Starbase 118 Ops - Karen Stendhal’s Office)) Alora stood outside the doors that led to the office of one of the base’s counselors. She had requested an appointment and been assigned Karen Stendhal. She inhaled three times, small steps. Small steps. Then she let go. As much as Alora appreciated counseling, and knew it was useful and helpful, it was still hard to go. She encouraged others, but she also understood their hesitation. With Raymond, she had a great rapport. They were friends. Talking to him was easy. However, he suggested she get established with a counselor on her station. Raymond was available when he could be, and he would continue to do so, but he said it was good to establish with someone who could be present in person. So...Alora was going to take his advice. At least this was someone with whom she was passingly familiar. Karen Stendhal had been one of the women she’d met at the tea shoppe, so at least she wasn’t a complete stranger. Finally, Alora stepped forward and the doors parted. Stepping into the office, Alora smiled at the woman she hadn’t seen much of since their little tea party. Karen was just finishing to get the things done in her new office. She chose a new area after she took over Malko, the previous counselor of the Station, cos she thought that a fresh start would be better and also cos the crew was used to him and probably everybody was still missing him or waiting for his return. The office now was looking more like her one aboard of USS Columbia, or at least in her mind it was. A large sofa next to a smaller one with a tea table, few chairs, a big holographic painting representing the pink lake of Mitzawal with the forest cherry of happiness in flower. Piles of pad was on her new desk, loads of files still waiting for her. She still didn’t had time to finish, also because the previous mission. DeVeau: Hi Karen. Stendhal: Hi Alora. It's nice to see you again. Said Karen with a gentle handshake with both of her hands. A deep look in her eyes for an empathic preview of the reasons of her visit, but without any ‘intrusions’ of her thoughts... DeVeau: Yeah. I uh...thought I’d come in, get established with a counselor. You know, that sort of thing. Stendhal: Yeah, you know that I’m quite new here? I’m certainly still establishing here as a counselor! Do you like a cuppa tea and a chat? She smiled blinking her eyes as she noticed that she feelt a bit uneasy to go to for counseling, so she tried to drop it to a simply chat with a friend. DeVeau: Tea would be great. And appropriate considering how they met. Besides, tea always made a situation better. DeVeau:. I prefer herbal, though, if that's okay. Stendhal: Well, no worries! Do you know that probably you are the first one coming here? What an honor! She jokes, showing up a posh box with a large choice of herbal tea bags. Alora chuckled softly as she sat down on the smaller sofa in lieu of one of the chairs. DeVeau: Being new doesn't make you any less capable. You were the one listed with an open appointment at the time I requested, so it worked out well. Stendhal: Well, I’m glad that I was free, so hopefully I’ll be able to help you. Karen slowly walked to the large sofa sitting down on the side closer as possible to Alora. She had a thought back about her first experience on board of the Columbia, with Luna and her pink hairs. She smiled as the dark hairs of Alora was certainly an improvement. The kettle was ready on the small table so she poured the tea in two cups. An Herbal tea and a decaf tea with a shot of milk for herself. Alora accepted the warm cup of tea and sipped at it. It was a light and fruity concoction, right up her alley. She detected hints of some citrus fruit, possibly Bajoran in origin along with some sort of spice that was similar to cinnamon, but with a little cooler pallette. DeVeau: Thank you. Stendhal: You’re very welcome! Don’t forget to pick up a cookie with your tea! You have to accept a cookie in order to interact with me. On the small table there was also a selection of various kinds of biscuits..There was also a cuddling relaxing music in the background. Alora examined them a moment before picking up a chocolate chip cookie. Chocolate always improved things. DeVeau:. We'll, I'm not sure where to start. I'll admit to feeling awkward. Karen joined her hands together but touching the end of her fingers only. Stendhal: From the beginning? Or whatever place you feel more comfortable with? We can even just talk about your experiences and how you feel now that you’re back aboard the Station? Anything… Anything. It was such an open ended invitation, it really didn’t help, though Alora knew the counselor was trying to prevent limiting her. DeVeau: Ah, back aboard the station. It’s good to be back home. It always is, especially after a mission. Especially after a mission that involved the Borg! Even if it was a rogue collective, they still gave her the heebie jeebies. DeVeau: I know you were on that mission too. I have to admit, I’m glad it’s over. Stendhal: Yes I was on the mission too and I’m very glad it is over too. Karen had a sip of tea. DeVeau: The Borg frighten me - and that’s putting it mildly. I would say getting assimilated is one of my worst nightmares. One of them, but not the top one. She had others that overshadowed even that. Unfortunately, they weren’t of what could be, but what had already come to pass. Stendhal: Sorry Alora, are you here to talk about our fear of the Borg? Karen had another sip of her tea looking for her reactions in a kind way, always smiling. At the first look Alora DeVeau was a strong one, with a very stable personality, and a beautiful woman. Karen looked directly in her eyes, there was something deeper, something not in her record. Alora hesitated. Not really, no, though that was certainly something they could talk about and work on processing, but there were other reasons why she had come. The problem was, trying to open up. Getting started was the worst part. Once she got started, sometimes it was easier. Sometimes. Karen moved even closer, risking to fall on the floor because she was sitting now in a tiny tiny space on the edge of the sofa. She took one of her PADD abandoned on the tea table and she tapped something, then she put it on her lap. Stendhal: mm… She just said, like an almost silent affirmation. DeVeau: I suppose that might be good to discuss. It was true, but it also wasn’t the main reason why she was coming. The main reason was difficult. Extremely difficult. Alora wasn’t sure she could talk about that - even if the woman was nice and approachable. Raymond had been there when everything had happened. He’d come to visit her in Sickbay. This was a bit of a different scenario - even if Alora knew it was necessary. DeVeau: It was...interesting, facing that fear, I guess. Okay, not interesting. Terrifying. Karen's left eyebrow moved up a bit, Alora was holding something very deeply. Under the surface and behind those green eyes. Anyway, she wouldn't force her too much. oO She will open up when it will be the right time! Oo She thought. Stendhal: Yes terrifying, I don't like the Borg, well who likes them? Have you met them in person? DeVeau: I haven’t, but I suppose there’s going to be a first time. The Borg don’t seem to be going away. Stendhal: I agree, I'm afraid that they won't give up easily…For sure I won't suggest anymore to use nanities as a shortcut to solve a problem! I did that when we were researching about the deadly fog. Bad idea!!! DeVeau: Oh? Now Alora was curious. She nibbled on her cookie, then took a sip of the tea before asking. DeVeau: Why do you say that? Stendhal: Cos there was really a risk to lose control of the nanites, little or big now we know what’s happened to the USS Nimitz. DeVeau: But if there's an effective way to fight an enemy, particularly using technology that they use, shouldn’t that be done? Stendhal: We find a safer way using different technologies, with little robots to get rid of the poisonous gas. Much better than playing God with nanites…There’s also some theories about the species 001, at the beginning they were like us… Then to reach the perfection they started to include the ‘synthetic’ and the nano tech. We know how it finished... DeVeau: Why do you think it was playing God? Stendhal: Uh ? Err isn't It some kind of unnatural manipulation of things? Like… what's happened, you know, the eugenics like Khan and brothers? DeVeau: What about those who currently have nanites? Those who need them to survive? What about those who don’t currently have nanites, but whose lives were saved because of them? What if there were a way to safely control them and be sure they wouldn’t pose a threat? Karen paused for a moment, for Alora that topic was something of? Personal? Stendhal: Well everybody thinks to be able to control them, but then we finish in a Nimitz situation… Everything screwed up, with a bunch of drones with pseudolatin nicknames killing and assimilating everything and everybody... DeVeau: Right, but the nanites we’re dealing with are not of our creation, they aren’t of our technology. What’s to say, though, that we can’t learn from that? What’s to say we can’t find way to improve and make that technology Stendhal: Maybe one day we'll do, but for now isn't it like with the eugenics? If used well it may improve our life, but is illegal, because the improved humans become dangerous at one point. Anyway… Do you have any experience with nanites? Karen tapped something else on her pad.. DeVeau: Some, though this is the first time I’ve dealt with the Borg themselves. Though Alora did have to admit, her experience with them was minimal and had only been in the context of missions. She was a Botanist and a Zoologist, so that was where her specialties lay, though that hadn’t stopped captains from assigning her to deal with scientific concepts outside of those specialties. She’d learned from the beginning that all officers had to be flexible and adaptable. DeVeau: Do you? Stendhal: Nope not really, not before last mission. Anyway I didn't mean the Borg, but the nanites in general and the one builded in labs for medical research …It seems that for you is really an important matter… DeVeau: Really? I was about to say it sounds like an important matter to you. Alora’s lips curled up in a small smile. DeVeau: You certainly seem to have strong feelings about them. Have you had previous experiences, not necessarily with the nanites themselves, but with bad consequences related to the Borg or other nanites? Stendhal: No, not really... DeVeau: I’m curious, then, why you seem to have such a strong stance against them. Stendhal: This must be a misunderstanding of some kind here. Karen nervously had another sip of tea, who was counseling who now? DeVeau: Yes, you mentioned eugenics, and that is illegal, but is manipulating the genetic cold of a preborn person the same as using nanites? If so, how? Why is there no difference between them? Stendhal: I don’t know, honestly is just an opinion in front of a cup of tea. Well, it seems like you had raised up your ‘shields’ instead of opening and relaxing, my dear … Now what do you like to do? DeVeau: Actually, no, I'm quite relaxed. I found the conversation interesting. It seemed to matter to you as well. Alora sipped at her own tea, her smile hidden only briefly. DeVeau:. It's a topic that requires discussion and contemplation, and certainly not one with easy answers. However, by talking about it, it helps us wrestle with the hard questions while, at the same time, allows us to learn more about others as well as ourselves. ::She paused for a moment to allow herself to finish her cup before continuing.:: Is there anything you would like to discuss? Stendhal: Well, you are not an easy client, did you know that? DeVeau: I am? Stendhal: Alora, the fact that you come here means that probably you have something to talk about you... Statistically and in my experience is about family issues about the choice of starfleet or similar, but it can also be about love, work or some issues related to workmates. I don't think you are in this categories.You seem strong and in good health conditions too. She smiled at Alora. So did that mean Karen didn’t think she needed counseling? Raymond might have something to say about that, but Alora wasn’t going to argue. She liked Karen, but she just wasn’t feeling the comfort she needed to feel to open up to the woman. DeVeau: ::With a giggle and a grin.:: Does that mean I get a clean bill of health? Stendhal: Ehm not really, my dear. You won a weekly appointment with me. It will take what it takes, one hour, one month or one forever! Do you prefer Tuesday or Thursday? She smiled. DeVeau: Tuesday, after my shift is over. Which could change, depending on what was needed and when, but Alora was pretty sure the counselors knew that. DeVeau: Will that work for you? Stendhal: Yes of course. That will be perfect! DeVeau: Great, I’ll see you then. Stendhal: See you and thanks for the nice conversation. Can't wait for our next one. She smiled again. Alora rose and nodded, returning the smile. As she left, however, she was unsatisfied. Karen was extremely nice. So sweet. But...Alora just didn’t feel like she had clicked. Of course, that could also simply be because she hadn’t given her enough time. She supposed only time would tell. ******* Liutenant JG Karen Trisha Stendhal Counselor Starbase 118 Ops ID: C239604KS0 & Lt. Cmdr. Alora DeVeau Science Officer Starbase 118 Ops M239008AD0

Tune in next time on how the assimilation turns...

How (not) to win friends and influence people...