Curiosity

Posted on Fri Dec 10th, 2021 @ 8:41am by Lieutenant Sky Jansen-Carey

Mission: The Mentarin Effect
Location: Various
Timeline: Prior to “The start of something new”

With her scheduled appointments done for now, Sky was ready to head out for lunch. She usually ate in her quarters simply because it was somewhere she could sit and relax away from her office. She was just heading out of the waiting area when the door slid open to reveal Karatek on the other side. “Karatek!” She smiled warmly. “Two visits in one morning? What can I do for you?”

After his meeting with Lieutenant Jansen, Karatek had been thinking about their discussion. He could certainly help her and he had always prefered to carry out things as soon as possible. Postponing tasks always had the risk of them never being done as other tasks would take priorities. So he had decided to look at some of the reports he had made back then. Certainly there would something useful. And he was right. He transferred the information on a Padd and went back to the Lieutenants office. As he was able to inform of his presence, the door opened.

"I have some information I believe can be helpful." he said pointing at the padd. "Where you heading out?" he asked, wondering if it was a good time.

“I was only going home for lunch” Sky smiled. “Perhaps you’d like to join me?”

Karatek had planned to take his lunch later but he had not foreseen this invitation. It would be a nice opportunity to continue their discussion. "I accept."

“Wonderful” Sky smiled and motioned for Karatek to join her as she headed for her quarters. “So what information have you brought me?”

Karatek handed her the padd. "This is the report Spock made about the Romulans when he returned from Romulus when he discussed the project of reunification. The report has hundreds of pages. It is the most complete account I know about the Romulans"

“How did you...?” Sky looked at Karatek in surprise. “This is amazing! Thank you.”

As they stepped out of the turbolift and approached Sky’s Quarters she stepped inside. “Please come on in, what can I get you for lunch?”

Karatek was suddenly a bit unsettled. Without realizing it, he was lead to come to her quarters. Somehow, he thought they would go to her office. For Vulcans, having a lunch in someone's quarter would be considered intimate. For other species, he had no idea. His experience couldn't help him either. Lieutenant Triax invited him often in her quarters. But he later learned that she was interested in him. However, Ensign Narato used to invite people in his quarters to play poker. If she invited him so quickly, it was logical to assume she was wanted to continue their conversation privately. After all, speaking about her Romulan's origin was certainly something she wanted to keep private. "I'll take a Ronatian salad with a Pyrellian Tea, hot."

Sky nodded, “Please make yourself at home.” She walked over to the replicator and replicated two of the same for each of them. Returning she placed the salads down on the table and went back to fetch their teas. “I’m sorry, I didn’t stop to think that you may feel being here is being inappropriate? I usually eat here because I find it relaxing between the hours of my shift. I hope you don’t mind?”

Karatek took a seat at the table. "Thank you" he said when she posed the salad on the table. As Sky stopped in front of the replicator, he realized his small hesitation coming in had been noticed. "If I had, I would not have come in. I do admit for Vulcans, spending time in someone's quarter is rather intimate. But I understand it's different for you. So in those circumstances, I don't have any problem being here with you." he explained.

Sky smiled warmly. “Thank you, I promise I’ll remember next time. I’ll admit I’ve never tried a Vulcan salad before, I’ve had one or two Vulcan dishes but I’ve never had anyone to recommend dishes to me. I thought I’d give this a try.”

Karatek wished he could satisfy her curiosity for Vulcan cuisine. "It is not actually from Vulcan. It's from the Ronatian. I have never met anyone from that specie. But they make great salads." he said. "You want to try?" he said presenting his plate. "Next time I will make you discover Vulcan salads."

Sky smiled. “Ohh err... my mistake, no need to try yours I brought myself the same to try it.” She made herself comfortable and politely tucked into her salad. “Mmmm a different flavour but I like it.”

Karatek took a bit from his plate and continued. "If I may ask. You invited me to have a lunch in your quarters. The idea of private space seems very different between our cultures. I'm curious to know about the way Betazoid sees private space. From what I understand, there is not much you keep private. Am I mistaken?"

“Well in some ways Betazoids are pretty open” Sky smiled. “I like my privacy and to have a space I call my own, but I don’t mind sharing that private space with others from time to time. I trust you, and I like you... in a personal sense as friends. I appreciate you agreeing to come here.”

"I am honored." he said nodding. It's true they established the base of a friendship quickly, which was indicative they had a lot in common. "It was logical. We have found many ways and many subject in which we can help each other and we communicate well. It is indeed the foundation for a lasting friendship."

“Now I’m the one whose honoured” Sky smiled warmly. “It’s nice to meet someone who appreciates me for the whole person that I am. I usually keep my ears covered simply because I don’t look that Romulan when they’re covered. Around you I can be who I am.”

That surprised him. They were in Starfleet after all. He could understand uneasiness toward a culture very different from theirs. He was used to it and sometimes, he also was uneasy with others, when understanding emotions were important. But this uneasiness should never be allowed to become something more. "You should be able to be yourself anywhere. And we are in the Federation and in Starfleet. Every specie is equal and deserve self-respect. Discrimination towards a specie is against our value. How is it, that you can't be yourself. Are there people on board who doesn't uphold those values?"

“No, it’s just...” Sky paused. “I don’t feel comfortable revealing my Romulan half. The Romulans have always been an enemy of the Federation, I know it’s silly.” She shrugged her shoulders and politely tucked into her food.

"Oh" he said realizing he had anticipated a completely different reason. "It's not silly. It is quite logical actually. We see ourselves the way we think others perceive us. It is logical you apprehend how people will react to your half-Romulan and build your own identity on that questionning. I have difficulty myself shaking that same apprehension of how others perceive me because rejecting emotions can be seen negatively by many, with good reasons. At the least, it is in most people's mind when they interact with us. The Romulans are a fascinating specie. They have thrived scientifically. They have a very stable political system and society which is very cohesive. Even the rivalry and opposition are done in a structured fashion, as exhibited by the importance of their Senate. There are lot of reasons to be proud of your Romulan heritage."

Sky smiled. “I guess if you put that way you’re right. I have no idea who my father is, or if he’s even alive. I know nothing at all about him, I used to ask my mum when I was younger, but it made her so unhappy that I stopped asking.”

Karatek paused. Advising a councillor on personal and psychological matters seemed hypocritical. She certainly knew better than him about that. But being into a situation, sometimes you can't see clearly. And perhaps his opinion, even if mistaken, could help her. So he dove in. "It must be hard not knowing your father. You don't know who your father is a person...and who the Romulans are. So the way your picture each must be blurred and confuse one for the other. You are missing part of your identity...and without the knowledge, you can only fill the void with your imagination." he paused. Perhaps that was why she became a councillor. Perhaps she struggled so much about her identity, she wanted to help others with theirs.

Sky nodded. “You’re right, growing up I sometimes longed to have answers. I guess that’s why I became a Counsellor to help others with their problems. Plus growing up I spent a lot of time in and out of institutions and hospitals due to my abilities starting early in life. Being the patient you get to see things from the opposite point of view!” She smiled. “If I can help others, then being a Counsellor has it rewards.”

Someone's path in life had always logic to it. "It makes sense." he said while taking his last bite. His plate was empty and his tea had one or two sip left. He was intrigued by her mentioning her abilities. "Your abilities...what was the problem exactly?" he asked.

“Ohh erm... Betazoids normally develop their abilities at puberty, mine developed early. Most Betazoids born that way or who develop early never live a normal life. The stress of feeling others emotions and hearing thoughts can be totally overwhelming! Especially when you can’t turn it off. I suffered a lot from stress, still do from time to time but I’m better at handling it now.”

Vulcan had some telepathy, but it was nothing compared to Betazoid. In that department, Karatek's experience clearly lacked to be able to understand what she was going through. "I don't have much experience with emotions, but I imagine being empathic, meaning you feel the emotions of others, it must be difficult to shake off. Vulcan's emotions are so strong, but they are ours. When you are not even the source of the emotions you sense, the lack of control must be hard to manage. My reaction would be to shut it down. To purge the emotions. I don't think it is the decision you have taken. How were you able to develop some kind of controls?" asked Karatek, partly puzzled by her capacity to deal with this.

“It’s just... taken time and a lot of learning.” Sky smiled. “Even now I can feel everyone on this ship, it’s like having a constant hum of voices in the back of your mind, along with emotions that aren’t your own. I can block a certain amount but at times of high emotional stress it can, and does affect my behaviour.”

Karatek rose an eyebrow. "From my point of view, it seems an euphemism. I still don't get how you manage. It's a fascination you don't become crazy."

“That’s always a possibility.” Sky smiled. “It depends on the circumstances and stresses that empaths or telepaths are put through. I haven’t encountered a situation I couldn’t come back from... yet!”

Karatek remained puzzled “That danger…the possibility that it could go wrong. That is what made us decide to embrace Logic. The risk does not alarm you?”

“There’s not much I can do about the risk, so it’s not something I tend to stop and think about” Sky offered a smile. “Perhaps I could offer you an insight one day, you could meld with me and share my connection.”

Karatek was caught off guard. "Mind meld is a very intimate act. It is a door to your memories and feelings. I have never mind melded with someone who has access to emotions. With you being empathic, it would probably have lasting conséquences on me. That is too high a risk for knowledge."

Sky nodded. “Of course, I’m sorry I shouldn’t have suggested that. The last thing I want is to hurt you.”

Karatek had his never ending pokerface. “You have done no wrong. You are not A Vulcan so it is understandable your knowledge of mindmeld his limited and probably influenced by the rumors about them since Vulcans don’t like to talk about them. What You have to know is that in a mindmeld, it’s like I move my consciousness into your mind. I could then access everything your own consciousness can access…and even more since I don’t have any system to monitor. But it also means I would feel any émotion you would be having at that moment. The feeling would stay with me after the meld. The way for us to purge our emotions is to completely ignore them and master our thoughts and consciousness. So You can imagine the impact such meld would have on that struggle for perfect control.”

Sky nodded. “Of course, the emotions would overwhelm you.” Sky paused to sip her drink.

“Most likely yes.” He said. As he had finished his salad and tea, Karatek stood up and Walked to the replicator to recycle them. ”You may not be able to show me via a mind-meld, but perhaps I can still learn how you manage your emotions some other way. ”

“An interesting idea” Sky nodded. “What do you have in mind?”

"If you are okay with it, you can show me your routine, or what you use to do when you are trying to cope with intense emotions." he suggested.

Sky nodded. “Okay that I can do” she smiled as they sat and talked.

{OFF}