Seeing

Posted on Thu Oct 15th, 2020 @ 3:05pm by Ensign Aenardha Sh'vastarth & Mauricio Arnaldo

Mission: Shore Leave
Location: Carnwennan Station

ON:

Mauricio was enjoying being back on Federation ground - artificial as it were. There was a familiarity about Carnwennan Station that he hadn't realised he had been missing. He had given up his previous life to assist Paradise Outpost, and hadn't stepped foot onto a Starfleet vessel since. Now he was back in the heart of one of the region's biggest Starfleet facilities, and he was surprisingly feeling good about it. He hoped his mission with Queen Katya to establish trade relations between Paradise and the Federation, would be successful - if only so he could still visit his family and friends once again without the threat of arrest and court martial hanging over his head.

Taking a break from his protection duties while Katya slept, under the watchful eye of his lieutenants, Mauricio went for a walk around Carnwennan's promenade. He hoped to find a quiet bar to get a drink, and catch up on what had been going on since he had been gone.

"Excuse me," said a soft voice. Somehow the knowledge entered his mind that the soft voice was speaking to him. That voice belonged to a young woman standing at a large window allowing a view of the space outside and of the Inconnu Expanse in the distance though it filled the view in its entirety. She appeared Andorian enough, given the antenna. The little slits at the end of her antenna were not Andorian however. Neither was her complexion; a near albino bluish white skin and white hair. Contrasting her complexion was her black dress. It had an open back and a low cut v-neck in the front. She wore black fingerless forearm gloves. The young woman looked as though she had stepped out of a black & white holonovel. Oddly enough though, she was staring at the wall next to the window; nothing interesting at all to look at. "Can you look out this window a moment please," she continued.

Mauricio was startled, turning on his heel to see who had spoken to him. He looked the stranger up and down and tried to keep a bemused smile off his lips. "The window?" He asked, perplexed.

"If it is not too much trouble," she said. "I would like to borrow your vision just for a moment." She turned to him, looking him in the eye, but the white in white complexion of those eyes indicated blindness. She had heard of a cyclonic ion storm happening a short distance inside the expanse which was supposed to be visible beneath the thin outer layer of gas clouds. And, "I want to see what this looks like."

"Borrow my vision?" Mauricio replied, as he realised he was starting to sound like a parrot. Without objecting, he turned to look out of the window as instructed. He saw the frame, the slight blue haze over the opening. "Just... like this?"

Aenardha smiled a little and looked to the floor, focusing more on what she saw through his eyes. "Yes. Thank you. I was told there would be an ion storm just inside the expanse." Her antennae jitterred and then stood upright. "Right there," and she took in the view through human eyes. There was a lowly visible spiraling mass of gas clouds beneath the outer layer of gases. Explosions of electricity sparked here and there adding to the spray of light. She felt it was already obvious but wanted to explain it anyway. "My people see telepathically." She could see just about every inch of the promenade. Only, no one was looking at at the expanse. "I am not reading your thoughts if that is a concern," she said with a reassuring smile.

Arnaldo took another step forward towards the window, trying to focus on the storm more intently. He became aware that he was consciously trying not to blink as much, worried this may interrupt the view. He found himself concerned about doing this task correctly for the stranger. "Oh, don't worry, there aren't many thoughts to read." He joked, trying to hold his head steady.

"Except for your concern over maintaining a steady view." She almost giggled. "I'm sorry. You were so focused on that." She turned toward him. "Please, just be natural. And, no need to look any further. I've all I need. "I'm Aenardha," and she offered her hand. Her palm was down and her fingers lightly curled.

Mauricio blinked rapidly as he turned back around. He met Aenardha's gently offered hand with his own clumsy, over-enthused grip. "Oh yes, names. Mine is Mauricio Arnaldo. Former Starfleet Marine, now an envoy of Paradise Outpost."

'Oh yes,' she thought, then spoke, "I am a Starfleet ensign of Intelligence. Assigned to the Pandora once it returns from," and she motioned out the window indicating the expanse. "Would you know anything about when I should expect the Pandora's return?"

"Pandora?" Mauricio repeated, his tone going up a few octaves. "What do you know of her current mission?"

"Nothing really," she replied. "Was only told she was in the Inconnu Expanse is all. Are you familiar with the Pandora any at all?"

Mauricio looked around the area, seeing a few Starfleet officers mingling with civilians or just going about their business. No one seemed to be paying them any attention at all, but his fears were suddenly on high alert. He wasn't sure what he was allowed to say, or how much information about the Pandora was widely known - but he felt a sense of responsibility to let Aenardha know what had been happening with the Pandora. It had been his ship once, his home, and he wanted to help it in any way that he could. He tried to keep a smile on his face but he was clearly nervous.

The former Marine wasn't familiar with telepaths or her people for that matter, so he was just going on a hunch. He looked at her intently and thought as loud as he could, 'Can you hear me?'

Aenardha's white in white eyes connected with his. Her antennae stood erect and the cups likewise turned toward him. This man was no telepath but she could sense something akin to a distant voice in a crowd attempting to acquire her attention. This, however, was a thought. And, along with it, came a mental tag that screamed secret information. Normally Aenardha would avoid this without prior permission, but this thought emanated from him; permission was already granted.

'I can,' she smiled as she sent that thought into his mind and only his mind. 'Careful that there are no other telepaths around. I am sending my thoughts directly to you, but others could attempt to tune their minds to you. I sense none present however.'

Mauricio paused and said, "I didn't think of that" out loud, before correcting himself and thinking, 'I didn't think of that. I want to be careful, I'm not sure how much I can tell you. Can we meet later?'

"Of course," she said out loud as both a response to the question he thought and a response to his spoken words, just in case prying ears and curious minds were about. "I am open to any avenue of getting better acquainted with my station and the people I will be serving with. Just look me up whenever. I cannot be hard to find. Until the Pandora comes, I will be the only Aenar aboard this station. Believe me, not many of us venture away from the homeworld."

"Okay," Mauricio said with a slight smile. He was a little relieved that he'd caught himself before making a mistake. He was keen to help the Pandora but he had to be careful with how he did so. "I will look for you. I'm staying with Queen Katya of Paradise. Hopefully I'll be free later."

"Oh," she said with a bit of worry in her voice. "Are you royalty? A royal consort?" SHe started to lower herself in something of a bow.

Embarrassed, Mauricio held up his hands, "Oh no, no. Please don't do that. Katya is not royalty, not really anyway. More of a de-facto leader, in the Expanse. I left the Pandora to help her rebuild her station after it was occupied by the Breen and thus became her head of security." He grimaced. "Please don't bow."

Aenardha straightened. "Many apologies. I've not much experience with other cultures and practices." She gave an embarrassed smiled. "I've only been on Earth aside from my homeworld." She thought on the prospect a short moment. "Security, huh? I thought about that route. But...um..." she pointed to her eyes. "They want someone who can see naturally. Still, it is always beneficial for Security to have a telepath around I do believe."

"Ha, of course," Mauricio smiled, feeling a little more relaxed, "You said you were Intel, right? You'll be working with Lieutenant Smith then. We sure could use someone with your abilities in the Expanse." He said 'we' like he was still on the Pandora crew, a habit he had not yet broken.

Aenardha gave a nod. "It looks as though her mission in the Expanse is done however." She used his vision to look out at it again. She wondered how the Expanse appeared from the inside but had already surrendered herself to the fact that she may never get to know. "There are many more sights to be had, I am sure." She turned back toward Mauricio.

Mauricio smiled, "My friend, that is incredibly true. And I think you will get to see it for yourself." He was cumulating a plan but he wasn't sure if she'd be up for it. He'd have to give her all the facts first. "I must go, Katya will be needing me soon. I will come find you tonight, yes?"

"Yes," she nodded. "I look forward to it. Not like I have much else to do."

"Adiós." Mauricio bowed his head slightly and disappeared back into the throngs of people.