Athena Mission 2.9: Perfect Paradise

[Susan Venator]

[Mess Hall]

As Arrun looked up to address Venator, she could see a small disc with pulsing lights on his neck -a neurocortical monitor. Since his strange persona switch episode during the insect incident, Arrun's brainwaves were still under remote observation to watch for anouther incident. Though the 'yellow voice' had been helpful during the incident, both Arrun and Dr. Brighton needed to know what exactly they were dealing with.

"Good morning, Lt. Venator," Arrun began as he forced his smile over to her. "Just checking over the ship's flight plan and navigational charts. I would say the Lithol Quasar was especially interesting, if it hadn't been charted by at least two other science vessels." He said as a bit of weak humor. Try as he might, there was still that hint of terror in the back of his mind of what the Prophets had shown him. Being pulled from his work, his mind had drifted into dwelling on it; so instead, he focused on Venator. "How are you this morning?"

Mess Hall

Suzie gave him a tense smile as she could feel the emotions rolling off the Bajoran.

"I'm well, thank you." She replied. "How goes your recovery" She asked, indicating the monitor.

[Sharhira Dravor]

[Ready Room]

James sat silently a moment, trying frantically to remember if he had missed a meeting or something worse. There was nothing he could think of...but that didn't mean he hadn't messed up. He shook his head quickly realizing that just sitting and thinking about it was getting him nowhere. "Door's open." He had never really thought about how strange that saying was until now. The door was literally not open, but the phrase in its context still was true. Then on top of that he began to wonder if other species would even understand the saying or if he needed to just rephrase the sentence all together.

Tapped the control again and the door swished open. She stepped through and quickly approached the desk, setting down a PADD in front of the Acting Captain. It was the usual transfer of personnel orders signed by Admiral Kirok followed by her rather short Starfleet service record. She stood at attention and cleared her throat,

"Cadet Dravor reporting for duty, as ordered, Captain"

[Arrun Dihsar]

Mess Hall

Suzie gave him a tense smile as she could feel the emotions rolling off the Bajoran.

"I'm well, thank you." She replied. "How goes your recovery" She asked, indicating the monitor.

[Mess Hall]

About well as one can expect from denying the Truth! Arrun blinked and took a brief but deep breath as he collected himself from what had amounted to a mental shout in his mind. "About as well as can be expected I suppose ma'am, I try not to think about it too much." He then sipped his tea and focused on its warmth, the natural sweetness of the jumja leaves, how his feet were planted on the floor, how his elbow felt pressure from leaning against the table; anything to keep control of his own mind.

[Medical Bay]

The neurocortical monitor had noted yet another mental diversion and spike of stress in Arrun Dihsar. For that brief moment, his mind diverged into two different but interwoven patterns. Like discordant sounds, the two waves wildly spiked before slowly harmonizing again and becoming one pattern, as if there had only even been one pattern. Since the monitor had been placed over a week ago, the incidents happened frequently across Arrun's work and off time; with increases of episodes when he was under high stress or perceived himself as under any sort of direct threat. Though Arrun remained functional, sometimes the diversions aligning with sudden bouts of insight or increased reflexes, each time Arrun's mental readings showed a humanoid suffering.

[Susan Venator]

[Mess Hall]

About well as one can expect from denying the Truth! Arrun blinked and took a brief but deep breath as he collected himself from what had amounted to a mental shout in his mind. "About as well as can be expected I suppose ma'am, I try not to think about it too much." He then sipped his tea and focused on its warmth, the natural sweetness of the jumja leaves, how his feet were planted on the floor, how his elbow felt pressure from leaning against the table; anything to keep control of his own mind.

[Medical Bay]

The neurocortical monitor had noted yet another mental diversion and spike of stress in Arrun Dihsar. For that brief moment, his mind diverged into two different but interwoven patterns. Like discordant sounds, the two waves wildly spiked before slowly harmonizing again and becoming one pattern, as if there had only even been one pattern. Since the monitor had been placed over a week ago, the incidents happened frequently across Arrun's work and off time; with increases of episodes when he was under high stress or perceived himself as under any sort of direct threat. Though Arrun remained functional, sometimes the diversions aligning with sudden bouts of insight or increased reflexes, each time Arrun's mental readings showed a humanoid suffering.

Mess Hall

Suzie nodded in understanding.

"Forgive for saying so, but you emotions seem to be very haphazard at the moment. Are you sure that you are alright?" She replied, the words out of her mouth before she could stop them. For all her being raised by humans, she had the Betazoid tendency to be blunt. She was usually successful but Arrun's emotions had thrown her off.

[Arrun Dihsar]

Mess Hall

Suzie nodded in understanding.

"Forgive for saying so, but you emotions seem to be very haphazard at the moment. Are you sure that you are alright?" She replied, the words out of her mouth before she could stop them. For all her being raised by humans, she had the Betazoid tendency to be blunt. She was usually successful but Arrun's emotions had thrown her off.

[Mess Hall]

Arrun blinked his eyes at her, "I beg your pardon?"

She knows, she knows, how? Right! Remember the personnel files, when we first boarded?  A Betazoid....

"Oh!" Arrun's eyes widened with realization, "Um." He then remembered no-one else was hearing the yellow voice. Plus, he found directly addressing it seemed to increase the intensity. Never mind the fact he had completly forgotten Lt. Venator was a Betazoid and had recalled that information in a way he really wish he hadn't. "Well ma'am, with Doctor Brighton's help and my previous training in mental tranquility as a former priest, I am able to manage. I admit it is a struggle each day, but I manage." 

[Ashlynn Ren Morgaine]

[Mess Hall]

"Why yes, I am Commander Naira."

Naira greeted the woman with a smile. She had heard from her daughters about the incident in the Cargo Bay and how they had agreed to help out the medical team in the middle of an emergency. She had been proud of them, even though they had disobeyed her orders. Motherhood had been an interesting experience for her. Her girls brought out a wave of different emotions in her and it felt as if each and every day she was learning something new, both about them and herself.

She casually glanced at the assortment of food that the Mess Hall manager was bringing out. However, the combination of sweet and spiciness of fruit concoction was not something she thought she could stomach. She tended to prefer blander foods in general.

"You wouldn't happen to have received the recipes I sent you for my special nutritional shakes? I can't really stomach most of rich flavors and spices of Human foods. If not, I'd be willing to try any Klingon or Ferengi foods you might have."

It was going to take some getting used to the fact that she no longer had the many varied options of different eateries that the starbase had had. Though most of her food came in the form of liquefied combinations of moss, lichen, algae, fungi and small insects or crustaceans.

[Mess Hall]

Ash nodded at the woman's question. She had, indeed, received the recipes - although, with spending so much time recovering from the spider incident, she had been a little behind lately. "I've got the recipes, and I even requested the ingredients... But I haven't tried making any of them yet. If you wanted, I can get you one right now - but it will be a first attempt - I mean, that shouldn't be a problem - the recipes don't look that difficult - I just usually try things out first before I serve them - but it's up to you." Ash tried not to fiddle with her hands as she spoke. She wasn't nervous... Well, not really nervous. She just didn't like disappointing people.

"In the past, I've had crew members come and take a turn in the kitchen, showing me how things are done. I get a lot of my recipes that way. The other half are from cookbooks - my friend Catrin sends me them all the time. Mostly dessert books if I'm being honest... But, umm, anyway. If you wanted to step into the kitchen after I finish laying this fruit salsa out, you could maybe walk me through how you like the shakes made?" Ash offered the Commander a smile as she laid out another set of bowls at the end of the bar, then picked up her tray to move throughout the sitting area.

[Susan Venator]

[Mess Hall]

Arrun blinked his eyes at her, "I beg your pardon?"

She knows, she knows, how? Right! Remember the personnel files, when we first boarded?  A Betazoid....

"Oh!" Arrun's eyes widened with realization, "Um." He then remembered no-one else was hearing the yellow voice. Plus, he found directly addressing it seemed to increase the intensity. Never mind the fact he had completly forgotten Lt. Venator was a Betazoid and had recalled that information in a way he really wish he hadn't. "Well ma'am, with Doctor Brighton's help and my previous training in mental tranquility as a former priest, I am able to manage. I admit it is a struggle each day, but I manage."

Mess Hall

Suzie had the grace to blush.

"Sorry about that. Helen, that's my foster Mum, was always telling me to think before I speak. So I apologise if I have offended you. It's just I've never met someone who's emotions are in as much turmoil as you. But if you say you have it under control, then I will not mention it again." She paused as she took another bite of her breakfast. "Are you about to head to the Bridge?" She asked.

[Caleb Brighton]

[Medical Bay - Caleb's Office]

Katheryn smiled hearing her beloveds voice and as the door slid back that smile remained as she then walked in still holding Buddy in his pet carrier and if Caleb looked closely enough you could just see the pendant he had given her at their engagement party tucked just underneath her uniform top. She noted the glass of whiskey and that he must be using the gift that he and Catrin had gotten him to celebrate his double promotion and wished Catrin was still aboard the Athena but understood when it came to reassignments and both of them missed her although were glad that Leo had returned.

" Hey my love as promised I'm here to see you before my shift starts along with a certain Kitten who has been laid over my abdomen since I woke up again " she replied as she set the carrier down on his desk before walking round then as she got closer leaned down to kiss him.

[ Medical Bay - Caleb's Office ]

Caleb gave a quick kiss to his beloved."Has he now? Well I think a little time with me will help settle things," Caleb said as he opened the cage. Caleb had not only a special bed made for him so that Buddy could sleep on his desk, but he also had designed the room so that Buddy had some reign to climb on things and move about the room.

As Buddy walked out, he looked around curiously he seemed scared at first, but perked up when he saw Caleb. Caleb petted Buddy and he purred a bit. "It's good you brought him. he needs his nails clipped already and a good brushing," He said. "I think he is going to like climbing around the room don't you?" He asked.

[T'Lara]

Tapped the control again and the door swished open. She stepped through and quickly approached the desk, setting down a PADD in front of the Acting Captain. It was the usual transfer of personnel orders signed by Admiral Kirok followed by her rather short Starfleet service record. She stood at attention and cleared her throat,

"Cadet Dravor reporting for duty, as ordered, Captain"

[Personal Quarters]

T'Lara stood up after completing a series of meditation exercises. She was back in Starfleet again after spending many months at a research facility on Vulcan. She had "dual allegiances" so to speak, one to Starfleet and the other to the Vulcan Science Academy. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't pick one over the other. So when her brother told her of a research opportunity that required her expertise in biochemistry the decision to take a leave of absence from Starfleet was not a hard one to make. Besides, visiting her brother was a necessary obligation in order to meet his new wife whom he'd married whilst T'Lara was serving on the Athena. It had been a fortuitous visit, and the research project was engaging. But now she was going to be back in the company of humans and other non-Vulcans and this required regular meditation, perhaps even twice a day in order to maintain emotional composure.

She was already in her uniform and knew her shift was about to begin. She took a moment to look in the mirror. She hadn't done so in months, not since before she left Starfleet. She only ever used one to ensure her uniform was in perfect shape, and there was no need on Vulcan. A calm, stoic face stared back at her. Short hair cut at perfect angles and dark eyes that were searching for something beyond a lack of understanding. The last time she had been here she had been a different person, much more human. She'd just begun to find a balance then, but now she had to start over. In the past she'd found help in human friends, and she knew they would help her again. Taking a PADD with her transfer orders on it, she left for the Bridge. 

[Ready Room]

Nodding to the others on the Bridge and taking note of the petty officer sitting at the science console, she passed to the Ready Room and pressed the door chime.   

[Arrun Dihsar]

Mess Hall

Suzie had the grace to blush.

"Sorry about that. Helen, that's my foster Mum, was always telling me to think before I speak. So I apologise if I have offended you. It's just I've never met someone who's emotions are in as much turmoil as you. But if you say you have it under control, then I will not mention it again." She paused as she took another bite of her breakfast. "Are you about to head to the Bridge?" She asked.

[Mess Hall]

Control is an illusion when you refuse to face the Truth.

Arrun sipped at his tea, the voice was more active for some reason. But, he was not going to let it change him. He then looked to Venator, "Last I checked, Lt. Scott was on duty for the first shift. I'm on standby shuttle flight duty and," he held up his PADD. "Helm study and course verification. Should be in for the midnight shift though. How about you, ma'am?"

[James Carter]

Tapped the control again and the door swished open. She stepped through and quickly approached the desk, setting down a PADD in front of the Acting Captain. It was the usual transfer of personnel orders signed by Admiral Kirok followed by her rather short Starfleet service record. She stood at attention and cleared her throat,

"Cadet Dravor reporting for duty, as ordered, Captain"

[Ready Room]

Carter's eyebrows raised for a second as the transfer order was sat in front of him. He glanced at it and the up to the woman standing at attention on the other side of the desk. "At ease. Some captains expect you to stand at attention any time they're addressing you, but I'm not one of them. Welcome aboard, feel free to have a seat Ms. Dravor." The Captain said motioning to one of the two chairs opposite him. The voice was inviting and warm, something that was reflected completely with his body language and calm smile. "Science 'ey? You should do well on the Athena, we can always use more science officers." Carter added, this time studying the transfer orders more carefully.

[Personal Quarters]

T'Lara stood up after completing a series of meditation exercises. She was back in Starfleet again after spending many months at a research facility on Vulcan. She had "dual allegiances" so to speak, one to Starfleet and the other to the Vulcan Science Academy. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't pick one over the other. So when her brother told her of a research opportunity that required her expertise in biochemistry the decision to take a leave of absence from Starfleet was not a hard one to make. Besides, visiting her brother was a necessary obligation in order to meet his new wife whom he'd married whilst T'Lara was serving on the Athena. It had been a fortuitous visit, and the research project was engaging. But now she was going to be back in the company of humans and other non-Vulcans and this required regular meditation, perhaps even twice a day in order to maintain emotional composure.

She was already in her uniform and knew her shift was about to begin. She took a moment to look in the mirror. She hadn't done so in months, not since before she left Starfleet. She only ever used one to ensure her uniform was in perfect shape, and there was no need on Vulcan. A calm, stoic face stared back at her. Short hair cut at perfect angles and dark eyes that were searching for something beyond a lack of understanding. The last time she had been here she had been a different person, much more human. She'd just begun to find a balance then, but now she had to start over. In the past she'd found help in human friends, and she knew they would help her again. Taking a PADD with her transfer orders on it, she left for the Bridge. 

[Ready Room]

Nodding to the others on the Bridge and taking note of the petty officer sitting at the science console, she passed to the Ready Room and pressed the door chime.   

Before James could finish looking at the PADD his door chime rang again. His eyes darted to the now closed door and his head tilted slightly to the left. "Enter." His eyes remained fixed on the door, waiting to see who was waiting this time.

[Susan Venator]

[Mess Hall]

Control is an illusion when you refuse to face the Truth.

Arrun sipped at his tea, the voice was more active for some reason. But, he was not going to let it change him. He then looked to Venator, "Last I checked, Lt. Scott was on duty for the first shift. I'm on standby shuttle flight duty and," he held up his PADD. "Helm study and course verification. Should be in for the midnight shift though. How about you, ma'am?"

Mess Hall

Suzie finished the last of her food and downed the last of her juice before replying.

"The new Ops Cadet is on shift but I need to be on hand to make sure he's alright." She replied. "In fact, I'd better go. I'll probably see you around." She got up and picked up her tray before turning back to Arrun. "If you need a hand controlling your thoughts or emotions, I could go through some meditation techniques with you if you want. No pressure, buy they work wonders for me." She finished, giving him a smile.

Turning away and hoping she had not overstepped her boundries, she headed to the replicator and recycled her dishes. Then she headed out of the mess hall and up to the Bridge.

Bridge

Suzie stepped out of the turbolift and headed to the Ops station where Cadet Bytes was working.

"How are things going?" She asked.

[Kyle Bytes]

Mess Hall

Suzie finished the last of her food and downed the last of her juice before replying.

"The new Ops Cadet is on shift but I need to be on hand to make sure he's alright." She replied. "In fact, I'd better go. I'll probably see you around." She got up and picked up her tray before turning back to Arrun. "If you need a hand controlling your thoughts or emotions, I could go through some meditation techniques with you if you want. No pressure, buy they work wonders for me." She finished, giving him a smile.

Turning away and hoping she had not overstepped her boundries, she headed to the replicator and recycled her dishes. Then she headed out of the mess hall and up to the Bridge.

Bridge

Suzie stepped out of the turbolift and headed to the Ops station where Cadet Bytes was working.

"How are things going?" She asked.

[Susan Venator]

Bridge

Suzie almost winced at barrage of nervous emotions that were coming off the Cadet. She immediately realised why and managed to give him a smile.

"Relax Cadet. I'm not here to test or evaluate you in any way. I've been assigned as your supervisor for the duration of your Cadet cruise and I wanted to introduce myself." She paused. "Is there anything you would like to ask?" She finished, doing her best to settle his nerves.

[Katheryn Brighton]

[ Medical Bay - Caleb's Office ]

Caleb gave a quick kiss to his beloved."Has he now? Well I think a little time with me will help settle things," Caleb said as he opened the cage. Caleb had not only a special bed made for him so that Buddy could sleep on his desk, but he also had designed the room so that Buddy had some reign to climb on things and move about the room.

As Buddy walked out, he looked around curiously he seemed scared at first, but perked up when he saw Caleb. Caleb petted Buddy and he purred a bit. "It's good you brought him. he needs his nails clipped already and a good brushing," He said. "I think he is going to like climbing around the room don't you?" He asked.

[Medical Bay - Caleb's Office]

Katheryn returned his quick kiss before walking back round his desk and taking the seat opposite as he opened the cage to let Buddy out. " I agree my love I think he's been missing you and wanting to be protective over me for some reason " she replied watching the young Russian blue as he walked out and looked curiously around the new environment loving how Caleb had adapted it for him so in quiet times he could be here with him after they had agreed not to leave him alone for long periods after the last few missions.

She also loved his little personality as he realised it was Caleb and purred as he stroked him and agreed with her husband to be. " After what we decided I thought it was the perfect time to bring him down and he'll look adorable as ever once his nails are clipped and his fur is brushed" she said " As for him liking climbing around here I think he will too ".

Katheryn smiled as the kitten began to explore properly then looked at her beloved " With Buddy happy how about we have some breakfast well lunch for you and make the most of this time before I start my shift ?".