Field Trip (Eydis and Hrafn Falleg, but open to all)

[Kirok]

[Just outside the Tholian Ship]

Eydis had invited Zex and 'fellow crew-mates' to tour the Tholian ship.  This was high on the Deltan's list of things to experience.  The first person, though, that she though of 'crew-mate' wise was Hrafn and her children.  She was sure that the kids would love the experience and learn a lot too.

So, she first cleared the idea with Eydis.  It was Eydi's ship after all.  Then she sent out invitation to the others.

[Hrafn Falleg]

[Just outside the Tholian Ship]

Eydis had invited Zex and 'fellow crew-mates' to tour the Tholian ship.  This was high on the Deltan's list of things to experience.  The first person, though, that she though of 'crew-mate' wise was Hrafn and her children.  She was sure that the kids would love the experience and learn a lot too.

So, she first cleared the idea with Eydis.  It was Eydi's ship after all.  Then she sent out invitation to the others.

[Outside the Tholian Ship]

"AUNTIE ZEX!!!" the kids yelled and ran towards Zex with smiles all over their faces.

"Hi Zex, needless to say I think they're more than pleased with the invitation, and thank you, I'm intrigued myself from a purely Scientific point of view.  Is the Ambassador here already or are we waiting on hir?  I'm not sure how the kids are going to take hir, well I know exactly the reaction that Nerys will have but you've experienced that.  You saw the excitement when she saw you were a Deltan, I admit when I told her that she was going to see a Tholian ship... well the 'happy dance' doesn't describe it.  She has decided that she's going to try to submit her project to the Anthropology department at Academy to see if she can get in early credits.  I haven't tried disillusioning her, besides I know a few tutors there, and Ruthie is there too of course, my eldest... and they would at least look at it, and give her the time of day... sorry.. I talk too much."

Hrafn dwindled to a standstill like a clockwork toy that had wound down.  "Nerys, Tidu, let poor Zex move!"

[Kirok]

[Outside the Tholian Ship]

"AUNTIE ZEX!!!" the kids yelled and ran towards Zex with smiles all over their faces.

"Hi Zex, needless to say I think they're more than pleased with the invitation, and thank you, I'm intrigued myself from a purely Scientific point of view.  Is the Ambassador here already or are we waiting on hir?  I'm not sure how the kids are going to take hir, well I know exactly the reaction that Nerys will have but you've experienced that.  You saw the excitement when she saw you were a Deltan, I admit when I told her that she was going to see a Tholian ship... well the 'happy dance' doesn't describe it.  She has decided that she's going to try to submit her project to the Anthropology department at Academy to see if she can get in early credits.  I haven't tried disillusioning her, besides I know a few tutors there, and Ruthie is there too of course, my eldest... and they would at least look at it, and give her the time of day... sorry.. I talk too much."

Hrafn dwindled to a standstill like a clockwork toy that had wound down.  "Nerys, Tidu, let poor Zex move!"

[Outside the Tholian Ship]

Zex turned when she heard her name.   "Nerys.  Tidu.  I'm happy to see you" she replied.  She bent to give them hugs.

She offered Hrafn a smile.  "I did a bit of a happy dance myself when Eydis asked me to come aboard the ship.  And I could not think of anyone better to ask than you and the children" she said.

"Eydis is not yet ready for us.  But that gives us time to climb into evo suits.  Anyone who wants to go aboard the ship has to put one on" she said, more for the kids benefit then Hrafn's.

The Deltan tilted her head.  "I think it is great idea.  I will be expected to submit a report too.  I would be happy to read over whatever Nerys writes up.  Maybe she will even catch an item or two I miss" she said.

[Eydis]

[Tholian Cruiser Acrux] The Acrux was one of the first of the new improved tholian cruisers. Designed to be more a independent and long range. The cruiser actually had three separate hills surrounding the command deck. Eydis would look up from hir console and run a hand over the screen. The airlock doorway would open allowing for zex and everyone else to enter. A pair of tholian guards stand on either side behind the airlock. Inside one would notice consoles on the walls and even what might consider the ceiling. One of the consoles above them was manned a tholian crew member. Who gives a little nod to those below him. Greetings Commander Eydis will be waiting in the control room. You will be escorted to that point. Tholian ships can be disorienting at first

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8G-UXA_FUVM/maxresdefault.jpg

[Eydis]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7ziLhKVeYow

Eydis would have normally of been present to receive guests especially friends. But shi decided to show zex hir trust in her the guards were really only to help the deltan and others find their way around. Because once inside of the first cavernous room of the right hull. It was clear the ships layout and access points would be nearly impossible for a none tholian to navigate. The two guards would slowly begin to walk up the wall waiting for the others to join them. The artificial gravity was localized to all the surfaces allowing even the humans to walk around on walls and ceilings. Soon they would walk past the tholian crew member in his nest console.

[Kirok]

[Outside the Tholian Ship]

While Zex waited for a reply from Hrafn and the children, she tapped her com badge.  =/\-Zex to Eydis.  All of the member are here and will be gearing up.  Give us about 5 minutes and we will be on our way to meet you-/\= she said.

[Hrafn Falleg]

[Outside the Tholian Ship]

Hrafn swung the sack she'd brought with her forward.  "Mini suits... the man sized ones don't fit the kids... I'll do them first then put mine on.  I figured.  Was actually Nerys that suggested that we might have to... budding Xeno-Anthropologist we have there.  And I'm sure she'd be happy to have you look over her report...you and Ambassador Eydis, just to make sure that she doesn't get anything wrong or misconstrued!"

Nerys was most of the way into her suit and grinned at Zex "I've been doing a LOT of reading on Tholians, thank you for asking us, I'm just so excited!"

"Do you think they'll let us see the engine room?" Tidu asked.

Their mother laughed.  "And there's our budding Mr. Scott!  At least now that he's reached the mighty age of 5 he's now able to put more stuff back together that he pulls apart.  Prior to this he could take apart but wasn't so good at reassembling!"

Lamar held up his arms to allow his Mammy to sort out the sleeves.  "And what we going to do with you, short stuff?  Where you going to fit in?"

"...'nuncle Rayek!" he answered promptly.  "What he does!"

"Oh Operations?" Hrafn answered.

"No, silly Mammy... he duz ev-we-fing!"

Hrafn laughed shaking her head but kind of agreed, Ops did pretty much have a finger in every pie.

"We'll have to watch that one, eh, Zex... he's smart!"

[Kirok]

[Outside the Tholian Ship]

"That's smart.  Putting on your own mask first.  Let me know if I can help with any of them" she replied.

Then she turned her attention to the kids and spoke to them like she would speak to anyone else.  "I've been reading a lot about them too.  For as long as we have known about them there is hardly anything to read about them.  That's why your report will be really helpful in helping us learn more about them.  And possibly me too" she said.

"We can ask about the engine room.  So far Eydis of Tholia has been very open with me.  And, yes that is what you should use in referring to Eydis.  So you would then me Tidu of Bajour or Trill whichever you most identify with" the Deltan added.

"Operation officers are smart.  I'm sure we will get to see the Tholian bridge" she relied to Hrafn.  "Does Lamar of Bajor or Trilll have a specialty picked out yet?" she asked curiously.

[Hrafn Falleg]

"Technically, both... but we'll say Bajor since their Dad is Bajoran.  I was born on Trill, so guess that makes me Hrafn of Trill? The twins were actually born on the USS Britannia, Lamar was born on Bajor at his grandparents house!  If you could do Lamar's suit up, I'd be grateful!" Hrafn said to Zex.

While she loved being a mother, there were times that she wished that part of her genetic make up was octopus, when trying to get two 5 year olds and a 3 year old dressed!

"You really think I can help Auntie Zex?  Wow!"  Nerys said.  "I've got my PADD, do you think... did you say Eydis of Tholia?... do you think shi... is Eydis a she, shi... I'm not sure and I'm not sure how many questions I'm allowed to ask like um... well I shouldn't know about things like this but well... how do they make baby Tholians?! Are there male and female ones or are they energy beings or well you get what I'm saying I hope?!  Am I allowed to ask questions like that?"

"Cool on the Engine Room!" Tidu grinned.  "I promise not to touch anything I'm not allowed to and hey Nerry... you don't really understand engine-y stuff do you, so how about I help you out with that bit in your report?!"

"If you like Tids, I'd be glad for you to help, and I'll put your name on the report too.  Auntie Zex, do you think if I explain why, we'd be able to voice record things on my PADD if I set it to record, just so I don't forget anything?"

"They're nothing if not thorough!"  their mother laughed.  "And Lamar... well I don't think he's totally decided yet but from the sounds of it he wants to follow in his Uncle Rayek's footsteps and go into Ops!  That or the intelligence service from the sounds of it.  He's a very quiet soul... takes in everything and says nothing and then you get him come out with something that... well everyone else forgot about but he remembered and understood!  I have strange but very intelligent kids! And I love them all... there we are, all done!" she said slipping into her own suit and giving a thumbs up.

"Comms test... everyone hear me?!"

"Red 1 receiving..." Tidu said cheekily.

"Stupid!"  Nerys said but you could hear the laugh in her voice.  "Junior Cadet Tekin Nerys ready for Tholian Ship report detail receiving you five by five."

Hrafn shook her head in mock dismay at her twins, and got a thumbs up from Lamar... he was being silent and introverted again but smiling so he was fine.  And she made a mental note that if the report was looked upon favourably, then she would ask Solluk if he could maybe let her commission a faux pip in say a bronze material and let them wear it on special occasions with the rank of 'Junior Cadet'.  The twins really took the idea of a career in Starfleet as important and definitely not going to be anything else but Starfleet officers later in life.

[Kirok]

[Outside the Tholian Ship]

"Yes, you would be Hrafn of Trill and Lamar would be of Bajor" Zex said.  "I'm not totally certain of those born in space, but going with father's birthplace seems logical" she said.  She been down and helped Lamar.

She sang the one foot in.  Two feet in.  One hand in.. song as completed the task.  "All done she said after securing the helmet."

When the questions about baby's came up, Zex turned to Hrafn.  "Asking about babies can be a bit on the personal side.  I don't think Eydis will mind, but it is your mother's call if she is comfortable with you asking such questions or not.  What do you say, mom?" she asked.

"As for which person pronoun is ok, I think that shi, s-h-i, and hir, h-i-r, will work.  Eydis is gender neutral from what I have been able to gather.  So no her or him, please" Zex said.

"We should ask Eydis before you start recording.  I think it will be ok, but lets be on the safe side" she said.  When the comms test was complete she lead the group into the ship.

"Hello.  I am Zex of Delta IV.  We have an appointment to meet with Eydis of Tholia" she said to the person she saw.

[Hrafn Falleg]

Hrafn smiled as she heard Zex singing the song for Lamar who was grinning broadly at his new 'Auntie'.

When asked the question about if Nerys could ask about babies she nodded.  "I'm fine with it if Eydis is, I'm of the opinion that if they are mature enough to ask such a detailed question, not just 'Mammy where do babies come from?!' when playing with a baby doll toy, then they're mature enough to handle the answer, besides, whenever they've seen Tess they've asked a million and one questions about the baby and not just the sort that 5 year olds would normally ask.  Tess has been tactful about the um... intimacy part since she, Rayek and I are all friends and it might produce some awkwardness but managed to get the idea across in a non-personal way that satisfied the scientific questioning.  Nerys is a knowledge sponge for anything with a Scientific bent... thus fobbing her off with 'out of Mammy's tummy' is not going to wash, especially with her having heard me screaming my head off when I had Lamar!"  the CSO giggled.

"No she's fine asking, if you think Eydis would be ok with the questions."

Meanwhile Nerys had been standing patiently waiting her turn to answer about the personal pronouns.

"There are some people... I mean humans that don't like to be one gender or another, I've never really understood that because I thought everyone was a boy or a girl but then I've looked at some people and even with humans you can't always tell, and it doesn't matter in the long run unless, like, you want to make babies, but I don't really care so long as they're nice to me I'll be nice to them... you're in the Diplomatic division... do you think everyone should be like that? I mean you have to be careful with new to you species and be... what's that word Mammy not careful... caugh..." Nerys struggled to find the word she wanted.

"Cautious?" her mother ventured.

"That one... I mean look what happened when you had the Numati first come here Mammy, you went all evil and you hurt Grandad John!  BAD MAMMY!" Nerys teased.

"Way to make your mother feel bad, kid!" Hrafn chuckled.

As Zex introduced them, she smiled inside the suit at the guard, dipping her head at them and almost hissed to the kids.  "Best behaviour now, let Auntie Zex set some ground rules with Ambassador Eydis first regarding recording and how far you can go with questions first but imagine that you are ambassadors.  Nerys, you mentioned 'Junior Cadets' and you've given me an idea.  Just think that you are ambassadors for the Federation, which in a way you are, make your Daddy proud cuz I will be telling him about this tonight!"

"Can't we tell Daddy?!" Tidu said with a frown reverberating in his voice.

"Yes, but it would be rather biased if you were telling him of your behaviour now, wouldn't it?!" Hrafn reasoned.

"I guess..."

A tugging at her suit leg saw a small teddy like creature that was the cuteness known as Lamar in his suit holding out a hand.  He was still only 3 and all the newness was a little alarming for him, especially now that he was face to face, well maybe kneecap for comparative sizings, with a Tholian.  She took his hand and gave him a bright smile that had his worried little face less panicked.

[Kirok]

[Outside the Tholian Ship]

The Deltan nodded her head.  The where to babies came from was a delicate topic.  That is why she referred the question back to Hrafn.

"I think that Eydis will be comfortable with general questions" she said confidently.  "The gender question is very personal to some people.  That's why is good to be cautious like your mom said when meeting anyone new, no matter the species.  So yes, as a diplomate it is very important to ask people how they identify so as not to upset them from the start" she added.

Zex listened to Hrafn called her children Junior Cadets.  It brought a smile to her.   But to some degree the words rang true.

"As soon as we see Eydis, I will introduce you.  Then we will agree on the terms of our conversation.  Then we will tour the ship" she said.  She offered her hands to be held as they entered the ship.

"Oh.  One last thing.  The Tholian prefer slow and calm movement.  So even if you get excited about something, please try to keep you arms still or move slowly" she added.

[Eydis]

Tholian web spanner Acrux] The doors would open revealing the large cavernous room to the group. A pair of tholians security would approach the group.
Welcome aboard the Acrux Zex the deltan friend of commander acrux. If your group would please follow us. Tholian ships are do not have layouts like federation ships . This would prove true as the pair of tholians would lead them up a wall and then into a doorway in what had been the ceiling.

The first tholian vessel to do so and shi would not be commanding the ship. Well shi would be but well shi was going to give that honor to the little ones to command a tholian cruiser. Eydis would finish making all the necessary preparations for the trip and look down or up to hir as the group enters the bridge. Shi would wave a hand over the console and it would sink into the floor and shi would walk down the ceiling and wall.

Welcome abroad the Acrux. A standard science/cruiser of the assembly zex the deltan friend of Eydis and Hrafn. Today the assembly will be heading out to meet a organism. And as such I have decided I need someone to complete this task. I'm but a warrior I need some young minds who are explorers at heart to lead the Acrux to these Gormagander's as they are called Eydis would Come down of the wall next to the group. Looking at the young ones and bowing hir head waiting for hir friend zex to announce them.

[Hrafn Falleg]

[Tholian Web Spanner Acrux - Bridge]

The children were too overawed to do much but nod at Zex and followed wherever the 'space spiders' as Lamar whispered into his comms to his Mammy, eyes wide and his little hand gripping hers tighter as they went up walls and arrived in the Bridge.

Hrafn smiled at Eydis, she wasn't sure if smiling translated at all for the Tholians, and she hoped it didn't translate as 'I'm going to kill you in the next 10 seconds'.

Hearing Eydis mention 'young minds', Nerys and Tidu looked at each other, grinned, low - fived each other by their sides and tried to contain bouncing with excitement since Auntie Zex had said that the Tholians didn't like fast over-excited movements.  As Nerys remembered their mother once describing them as 'over charged ping pong balls in a fish bowl' it was taking all Nerys's self-control and a constant mental running dialogue with Tidu of 'CALM, CALM, CALM... shi's gonna let us fly the ship, SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, CALM, CALM... Oh by the Prophets... FLY.  THE.  SHIP.... '

Tidu's mental response was 'Sis... can you not squee in my head, that hurts!' but he too was having to try restricting the dance from foot to foot in excitement.

Nerys finally could contain herself no more and spoke to Zex, tugging gently at Zex's suit to get attention.

"Auntie Zex... we have young minds..." she said with a grin that would have sold billions of tubes of toothpaste in previous centuries on Earth!

[Kirok]

[Tholian Web Spanner Acrux - Bridge]

"You certainly do" she said to Nerys.  "Remember, follow my lead" she said.  She winked at Nerys.

The Deltan dipped her head slightly.  He hands at her side except to interact with on of the children.  "Eydis of Tholia.  A space mission sound like a lot of fun and I would like to present your crew.  Or as we like to call them junior cadets" she said.

"This is Hrafn of Trill.  Mother of our junior cadets.  I believe you met her in the briefing room a few days ago" she said with a slight turn toward Ms. Falleg.

"And this is Nerys, Tidu, and Lamar of Bajor.  Children please dip your head as if to bow to Eydis of Tholia.  Then say what department you would prefer to work in" she prompted.