Sivok resisted the urge to straighten out his uniform. It was made with a fabric he had created with a close kazhuksu. They had a shared interest in serving on mixed species vessels, and it was one of the measures they had taken to ease the transition from Vulcan to a new environment. Both had tried to research what it would be like, but rapports on the matter seemed unusual and did not give the information they wanted. They had for example read over a dozen psychological rapports written by a Captain Solok, whose perspective seemed unduly derogative and obsessed with one of his test subjects. It was almost completely useless, as even if it had been more neutral, it spend a great deal talking about “wrestling” which neither had any interest in. In any case, besides being very warm, the fabric would rarely if ever crease.

So as soothing as the action would be, it was unnecessary and beyond that a display of public nervousness. He would not be shamed in front of the Vulcan crew, who already looked down at him for being a hybrid. Instead he dissected his emotion. His nervousness was an evolutionary response to prepare for a new environment. Useful in some circumstances, especially considering Star Fleets mission.

But not now. He had wanted this, debated for this, eluded that he would run off and study psionic disciplines, if he did not get her permission to join Star Fleet. His foremother would be infuriated if he did, as any success would remind people that her daughter had married a hybrid. He was sure he had potential, being part Betazoid would probably give him advantages in the area. But it would take too much time from his scientific endeavours and he preferred those most of all. Not to mention the concept of empathic powers running rampant would be a violation of the right to privacy of both him and those around him. He did not understand how they could live like that. The mind meld was an intimate thing, but at least it was between two people. His head was already busy enough as it is without other people intruding

As he was finishing his trail of thought, he realised he had already transported upon the Challanger. He noted that an advantage of him being consumed by his own thoughts was, that it gave him perfect composure as it suppressed unwanted emotion. A disadvantage, is he was not entirely sure how long he had been on this transporter pad. Best that he rapport to his department head before anyone asks any questions.

Before long he appeared in front of his Department Heads office, a Trill by the name of Demil Lis. He wondered how a trill symbiont kept all the memories. Did it have a large and efficient capacity to store memories? Did it bare any resemblance to a mind meld, perhaps even storing the katra of its former hosts? It would be interesting to study resemblances, but studies on mind melds were insufficient and from what he knew Trill had not allowed outsiders to study the symbionts. They likely had a policy similar to the code of silence that he would have to respect. If we do not respect other species privacy, how can we expect them to respect ours?

As the door opened, he saw what he expected to be his new department head.

“Cadet Sovik reporting for duty, sir”

\Cadet Sovik, Science