A Chance at Redemption

Posted on Tue Aug 29, 2017 @ 1:41pm by Ensign Zahara & Commodore Michael Aravan

Mission: Strange Matter
Location: Zahara's Quarters
Timeline: MD 28 || 1745 Hours

Michael left the bridge with a nod to Maddy as he entered the turbolift and requested deck nine where the guest and VIP suites were. While he was in route, he realized that he didn't really have a way to contact Zahara and debated using the intership com system to page her. He shook his head and took a chance that she'd be at her quarters and if she wasn't, then he'd try that.

When the turbolift came to a stop, the Commodore exited it and went down the same corridor he had taken earlier and stopped at the Thasian's room. He straightened his uniform, then pressed the chime and hoped she would be there. So far, there had been no reports of violence against the woman, but that didn't mean the peace would last for long. It was only a matter of time before people realized who the new person on the ship was and then the trouble would start.

On the other side of the door, Zahara stood in the middle of the sparsely decorated living room and tried to think of ways she could liven the place up a bit. It was doing what she needed it to, and that was to distract her from what happened on the promenade deck. But now... someone was here, and she could only assume it was Zander trying to make an attempt to redeem himself.

The truth was... she wasn't ready for that. Her feelings, and she was sure some would question if she even had any, were still tender because of what happened. Still... the Thasian woman would get over it when she was ready to, but that time wasn't now.

With a deep breath that wasn't even necessary, the white haired woman moved to the door to open it manually. "Zander... I am not yet ready to talk about it," she said before looking up at the person standing on the other side of the door. It wasn't Zander. This was embarrassing. "I... am sorry, Commodore. Please... come in." She moved aside and gestured for him to come in. "What can I do for you?"

"Zander?" Michael asked before the image of a short, stocky Engineer with a reputation came to mind. "Did Devereaux start trouble with you?" he asked as he stepped into her room.

"Not really, no, but he does wish to claim me," she answered before turning toward him. "If he knew why I really was, he would not wish to do so. He would not want to give me... what is the saying... the time of day? Neither would Terry." She shook her head. "What can I do for you?"

"Claim you?" he started to ask, then decided to put it off for the moment. "We have a situation, Zahara and aside from our Medical EMH program, you're the most suited to assist with it. We brought a probe back to the ship and it began to flood the area with electromagnetic radiation and a virus. Because of your non-corporeal nature and abilities, would you be willing to volunteer to help Medical and Science with it?"

Zahara nodded her head. "I will gladly offer any assistance that you might require," she said. "What do you need of me exactly?"

"Considering the fact that you came from the probe we picked up, could you check to see if the one we got from the Romulan ship contains any unexpected surprises and assist the personnel working on it?" Michael asked her. "You'll be answering to them and this is entirely voluntary. Does radiation affect you?"

"No. There is not much that will affect me as I do not technically have a physical form," the Thasian replied. "I do not think my answering to Medical and Science is a good idea, though. If they find out who, and what, I am... it could compromise things."

"Do you know anything about viruses, alien probes and electromagnetic radiation?" he asked. "Because we have highly trained specialists on the ship who know everything about those things, but they're subject to getting sick just by being near them. You'd have more trouble trying to do it yourself and it would cause me no end of trouble as well when the department heads demanded to know why I was giving you the authorization to work without them."

"I only know what I learned while I was inside my prison," she replied. "But I am a quick learner if I am granted access to the information. It would require me entering the system, and I will understand if that is something you do not wish for me to do. I am capable of learning... how do you say... the old fashioned way."

"That's the best way," Michael said. "And it would give you the opportunity to meet more of your new crewmates. That does not mean you need to volunteer your role in our last mission, but it will give you greater insight to those that were affected by it."

"When do you need me?" she asked.

"Tomorrow morning," he said. "Get with Lieutenant Gilah and Tetanal in the Medical labs. I'll enter your authorization into the computer as an assistant and download a database to your terminal that will help."

"So, I meet with them in the morning? Will you be there to make the introductions?" the Thasian woman asked looking quite hopeful. It would be better if he did just that, then maybe they would be a bit more willing to accept her. As it stood, there were only a few people on the ship who seemed to like her, and maybe thousands of others who would want to kill her if they knew the truth.

"It depends on what's going on at the time, Zahara," Michael said. "I have an entire ship full of people to keep track of and most of my time is taken up in reports and figuring out what to do with them."

"I understand, but if most of your time is taken up by reports and figuring out what to do with them, would it not stand to reason that those reports would still be there if you took twenty minutes to help me?" she asked as her brows furrowed slightly. "And does Commander Weisz not help with the management of personnel? You wish my help, and I wish for you as the Commanding Officer of this ship to make formal introductions so I am not thrown to... what is the saying?... the sheep. It is not so much to ask, is it?"

"Commander Weisz helps with about fifty percent of it," he said. "But the other fifty percent is squarely on my shoulders. The priviledge of being at the top of the chain and being a Commodore means that I have to keep track of more than just the Triumphant. I get reports from other ship commanders as well in the task force and send my analysis of those reports up to my direct superior."

"However, I can take a few minutes to make an introduction, but I can't promise twenty minutes," Michael finished.

"I can accept a few minutes. It would make me feel more comfortable," Zahara said softly.

"Now then, what happened with Devereaux and Walsh?" he asked her as he went to her terminal and entered several search terms before downloading the material he had promised her.

"I am not entirely sure, to be honest. There was mentions of Moron Officer, Chrome Dome, and some other things," she answered. "I still fear that I am socially awkward since I do not quite understand much of what people say. On another note, I spoke to Miss Wells, and she hired me."

Michael blinked, then shook his head. "I'm afraid that you seemed to have ran into the wrong people at the wrong time. If not the wrong people, then the wrong circumstances. That's great news that you got the job, Zahara! Did she give you a hard time in the interview?"

"Not at all. It was quite east, but I will not be starting for another three weeks. In the meantime, I will just cope with things as they are," she said.

"Perhaps it would help you to read up on human interaction as well in regards to males and females," he suggested and added more material to her terminal. "I've put in a few recommended reads, and a couple romance novels that are supposed to empitomize what a relationship is like to balance out the dry."

"Couldn't I shadow you and your Missus for a few days?"

"I'm not really comfortable wtih that," Michael responded and thought about how she looked when she made the dress she was wearing go away and what he had done afterwards. "Read the books first, then we'll take it from there."

"Yes, Commodore," she said, accepting the reading material he'd provided her with. Zahara was going to be quite busy for the rest of her evening, and for the days to follow. She was curious to know what these romance novels he mentioned were all about. "Perhaps I might be able to find someone who will be comfortable allowing me to shadow them. They would not even have to know I was there unless they wished it."

"You could observe couples on the Promenade," he suggested. "But there would be no real way of knowing who was a couple unless they were giving off obvious signs of affections. Like holding hands, kissing, and other physical signs. Those are covered in the books to give you an idea."

"I will stick with the books. I am sure I will be able to get enough of a visual from these books," the white haired woman said. "In the meantime, my door is always open to you no matter the time of day."

"Thank you, Zahara," Michael said with a smile. "Is there anything else you want to know?"

Zahara looked at the romance novels he selected and began to thumb through the pages before she looked back up to the man in uniform. "What is this hand holding... kissing... and other physical affections you mentioned? And how are words from this going to help me understand?"

"That's why I suggested the other books before the romance novels," he said as he inwardly hoped she wouldn't ask for a example. Then an idea came to him. "Computer, display visuals on scenes involving kissing, holding hands, and non-intimate forms of physical attraction from various movies," he said.

Her terminal came up and began to display examples of his request ranging from young couples holding hands for the first time, a first kiss, an old man dancing with his wife in the rain and other scenes.

The Thasian woman watched the scenes on the screen in front of her and couldn't help but be a bit intrigued by them. "You requested non-intimate forms of physical attraction. Are there intimate forms?" she asked not realizing she was making him uncomfortable.

Michael inwardly kicked himself. "There is," he said. "Except they're generally not involved unless it's for procreation of the species," he told her, hoping it would put a hold on that line of inquiry. "It involves a deeper kind of love between two people who wish to have children. That's covered in the books as well."

"I cannot have children that I know of, so perhaps intimate forms of love will not be necessary for me," she said, deleting those particular resources from her terminal. The others, Zahara kept so that she could be prepared for the following morning. "Thank you, Commodore. I have much to learn if I am to be of any help." With that, she turned... her skirt flaring out around her before it began to flow as she moved... then moved over to the couch.

"Call me Michael," he said. "Commodore is way too formal. There are others that use intimate forms of love without a desire to have children, Zahara, but usually because they want to wait until they're both ready. For some, it's a religious or cultural reason. For others, it's recreational. There's a lot of reasons, but I didn't feel comfortable discussing them."

"It is okay. We will not discuss those things further," she said, looking at him from her place on the couch. There were still many things she didn't know, and others she didn't need to worry about at all. "I will see you in the morning when we meet the others. Have a good evening."

"And you as well, Zahara," Michael said. "I hope that you get a better understanding of what it means. It's not simple for anyone. Not even starship commanders. Goodnight." With that, he gave her a sad smile and headed out.

Zahara turned her attention back to the terminal holding the information she needed to know for what he'd asked her to do. The chance to redeem herself was far more important than anything else was, and that included learning about the physical aspects of humanoid existence. With those other resources gone, it allowed her to focus on what was important, and that was helping the crew.