Posted by Cadet Sharah Fayth (Doctor) in Side Sim- A quiet dinner moved to the Arboretum

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Joseph Rainns (Incoming Chief of Security) in Side Sim- A quiet dinner moved to the Arboretum

Posted by Cadet Sharah Fayth (Doctor) in Side Sim- A quiet dinner moved to the Arboretum
Posted by… suppressed (4) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
“No where really, but some times the illusion of isolation helps.” Sharah stood up, careful to keep a hand on the wall just incase she got dizzy. “How do you feel about getting your hands dirty? My doctors and I discovered a long time ago that physical work can help me refocus and block out the static. Did you know we have an arboretum? I’ve been meaning to go see it, but haven’t had time. Plants actually have their own thoughts and feelings. Very different from huminoid species. It’s very calming actually. Would you mind?”

Cadet Fayth, Doctor

Joseph shook his head, “Not at all, but I’m afraid you’ll have to lead the way, I’ve never been down there before and I don’t quite know the way I’m afraid.”

LT. J.G. Joseph Rainns- COS

“Well hopefully we don’t get lost, the ship is only so big. I’ve never been their either. It’s on deck 5 and we are on 6.” Sharah led the way towards a turbolift. She felt like Joseph towered over her. At 5‘2” most people did, but he was very tall. Probably almost 6’. In an effort to continue their conversation, “So, if the Arboretum is crowded what should our contingency plan be?” She smiled up at Joseph conspiratorially. “I guess we could take a shuttle to the nearest casino.” Once on deck 5 she moved down the corridor without knowing where it was, and eventually they found it. “Oh no.” The arboretum was in horrible condition. Obviously no one had been down here for awhile. She heard plants as humming and it was very sad. She grabbed some tools from one of the storage lockers and knelt down in the first flower bed. Tears began to flow down her face from the sorrow being emitted from the plants. One of the flowers was bent double at the stem from lack of water, the leaves wilted and the petals a very sad muted brownish yellow. She was very single minded as she worked turning the soil, removing seedlings into a separate container to remove the over growth, watering the roots and turning on UV lights. She works silently for the most part except to murmur little reassurances to the plants occasionally. She was aware of Joseph and would occasionally ask for water, or fertilizer from him.

Cadet Fayth, Doctor

As they rode in the turbolift Joseph laughed at her joke, “Yes, I suppose we could do that. As for a plan, I doubt anybody will be down there at this time in the evening. Eventually making his way into the Arboretum Joseph observed the state of disrepair of the Arboretum, “I guess we don’t have many Botanists on board.” He quipped, turning to where Fayth had been standing, only to notice her getting equipment from the storage locker and tending to the plants, visibly distraught. As she asked him to collect materials he brought them up to her as she worked, “What’s bothering you?” he asked with a mix of confusion and concern, sure the Arboretum was not in great condition, but he wasn’t going to cry about some plants.

LT. J.G. Joseph Rainns- COS
Sharah sat back against a rock. She had allowed herself to become too interested. “I am so sorry Joseph. I know it probably seems so insignificant to you. They are hurting, in pain. I feel it.” She pointed right over her stomach and then her back. “I told you. I feel and hear Everything,” she emphasized her point. “I’m sure this wasn’t your idea of how dinner would go.” She had to work at it but she was able to pull away enough to focus fully on Joseph.

Joseph had to admit, sitting in the arboretum was not where he had planned to be, but he hadn’t minded coming down. “How can plants express pain?” He asked curiously, sitting down next to Sharah, “they don’t have any way to process sensations do they?” The young man began to understand why Sharah felt so overwhelmed all the time. If he couldn’t get an ounce of quiet time, he would be on edge all the time as well.

LT. J.G Joseph Rainns- CSO
The question helped Sharah to focus more. He had a good question. “I’m not sure. All feelings emotional or physical are processed by chemicals in the brain. Thoughts or at least memories are stored the same way in the brain. It has been known for centuries that plants communicate with each other through chemicals. They emit chemicals into the soil that is picked up by the roots of others. They will share nutrients and change even change the soil to maneuver water. I hear them as humming. Usually it is very calming, but when we came in it was very sad. They couldn’t help each other and so together they were morning. Or that is how it seemed to me. Maybe telepathy is simply the ability to pick up those chemical signals and interpret them?” Sharah was calmer now.
Cadet Fayth, Doctor

Joseph took a deep breath, “ That’s one hell of an interpretation my friend.” He said. Rainns honestly had very little knowledge of plant physiology, and he accepted Fayths explanation at surface value, since he had no knowledge to think she was incorrect. “If you can every living thing on the ship,” he asked, “ how do you get rest at night? “

LT. J.G Joseph Rainns- COS

Sharah attempted humor, “Like everyone else. With my eyes closed.” She glanced at Joseph, “Not buying it huh? It’s hard. Betazoid REM sleep is on a different wave length from most other humanoids so that helps some. Usually though, when it’s really bad I can use an Alpha wave inducer, but it’s not safe for prolonged use.” Sharah shrugged. “I’m used to it, I guess. I should warn you I can be irritable when I’m tired.”
Cadet Fayth, Doctor

Joseph smiled at Sharah’s little joke, he felt more comfortable around her as the night progressed. ” Everybody gets cranky when they are tired Sharah, that’s not just a you problem, we all get irritable when we are tired, at least I do.” He sat for a moment and pondered for a moment. “Besides exobiology, what are your other hobbies?”

LT. J.G. Joseph Rainns- COS

Her face lit up, “Books. I LOVE books. Real over PaDD but I’ll take either. They’re like friends that have no expectations of me or I of myself. I’ll read anything. I spent a lot of time as a kid in the hospital, so I had a lot of time. I also love folk medicine. I think that is what my cadet project will be on.” She reached over and squeezed his hand with excitement. “What about you? What hobbies do you have? Old Earth books? Or just 1984? What about your project?”

Sharah’s excitement was contagious, and Joseph felt a wave of enthusiasm come over him as she spoke. “I myself was quite the bookworm when I was a kid,” Rainns said, feeling a rush of excitement as Fayth gripped his hand. “Still am when I can find time to read, but I’m an old soul at heart. I love old board games, spending time with a small group of friends and writing for leisurely purposes.” When thinking about his project that young man stopped and pondered, “I actually have no idea yet.”

LT. J.G. Joseph Rainns- COS

Sharah let his contentment wash over her and it was extremely peaceful. Joseph was very honest in a way most humans weren’t. They wanted privacy. A concept that was very different on Betazed. “I really like being here with you. Thanks for not abandoning me.” She waved over at the flower beds the gesture incompasing her total emersion in the plants. “Can I share something with you?” Joseph had said he didn’t mind her telepathy and had even enjoyed it.
Cadet Fayth, Doctor

Joseph looked down at her and smiled, “Of course you can, I’m all ears.” He honestly had no idea what Sharah was about to say, but he felt a sense of warmth radiating from her that made him feel welcomed and comfortable.

LT. J.G. Joseph Rainns- COS

‘Well I asked, can’t back out now,’ Sharah berated herself. She wasn’t quite sure how to do this carefully. She had either no control, or all the control she could muster. Her thoughts reached out to his, ‘Not ears, your mind. ’ She was trying to show him a glimpse of what it was like. ‘You asked what thoughts are clearest and loudest.’ Most of the noise wasn’t focused, but static that she could pick out whenever she wanted, but then those that were formed, spoken within the persons mind were clear, and then were levels of clarity. Those directed at her were noticed above all others, but any direct though was clear. She could sense and hear what he felt and thought. She wanted him to be able to see the same from her. The sense of calm that the clarity of his mind offered to her crazy one. ‘I really like being here.’
The link was over in a moment, but it took her much longer to dim the noise to something like a huge bee hive buzzing in her head. She rubbed her temples again. “Did that work at all?”

Cadet Fayth, Doctor

Joseph’s eyes widened as he realized what was happening, her thoughts entered his mind again, and he began to feel her thoughts and emotions. He could feel her comfort in interacting with his comparatively calmer head. Her voice was soothing and he could not stop a wave of relief rush over him. For the few moments the link was present he simply sat and stared at Sharah, at the same time she was in his mind, he was in her’s the chaos of it all almost overwhelmed at first, but he concentrated and pushed back against those feelings, asserting composure and peace in Sharah’s mind the best he could. ‘I don’t mind this at all’ he thought back to Sharah. And then a moment later it was over, and Joseph felt a throbbing pain in his head, he put his hand up on his forehead and took several deep breaths. “Something tells me that humans aren’t naturally designed to do that sort of thing,” he said between breaths with his eyes now closed, coping with the migraine like pain that had replaced the blissfulness that had been just a few moments before.

LT. J.G. Joseph Rainns- COS

His words caught her attention, “Oh no. Come on we have to go to sick bay. I need to check you out. ” She got up tugging his hand, “Come on.” She was more than slightly panicked. Humans can usually interact gently with telepaths, but she had forgotten she wasn’t a normal telepath at all. “I really could have hurt you. Come on.” What had happened, he’d said before it was a small headache and she assumed it passed. Why didn’t she ask first?! Her mind was not one to share. “Oh god I really could have hurt you.” She had to breath and get him where she could run some scans just to make sure.
Cadet Fayth, Doctor

Joseph shook his head, “I’m fine trust me, I’ve felt pain much worse than this before, I’ve just never gone skydiving in somebody’s brain before, but I’m quite alright.” He opened his eyes and looked up at Fayth, “I’m ok, I promise, no reason to freak out, just a headache that is fading away now.” In all honesty the pain had mostly subsided and Joseph was feeling fine.

LT. J.G. Joseph Rainns- COS

Sharah shook her head still tugging, trying to get him up, but he wouldn’t budge. She hadn’t felt fear like this for a long time. She was so selfish. “I’ll know if your lying.” she warned him, but knew he wouldn’t care. If the headache was already gone he would be okay. Her training told her that. She picked up his wrist and started counting his pulse rate. If it was normal, then his body wasn’t in a state of shock or trauma. After a moment she looked up at him. “I could have fried your brain. Do you realize that? That is enough reason to ‘freak out.’ It’s too great a gift to be lost to carelessness. Do you understand?!” Well there went that irritability she warned him about. But she was angry at herself, not at him.
Cadet Fayth, Doctor

Joseph saw the fear in her eyes and recognized the sincerity of the Fayth’s emotions. He stood up and placed his hand on her shoulder and looked down into her eyes. “I wouldn’t lie to you Sharah. I’m not that kind of man. If I thought I was in serious danger, believe me, I would outrun you to sickbay. I was just a little unprepared for what happened, but I enjoyed it and I hope that is something we can do again soon.” His lips turned upward into a smirk, “Besides, it’s going to take a lot more than an unexpected mind meld to break down this powerhouse.” He pointed to his head.

LT. J.G. Joseph Rainns- COS

“Mind melds are much more intense,” Sharah replied, not really thinking about what she said. At the moment all she could really feel was her disappointment. She had effectively ruined their dinner, their date, the evening. She wasn’t sure what to do at that point. “Games? You said you played board games? I tried once, but I cheated too much and it wasn’t much fun for anyone. Tell me about it?” She said hoping to salvage something from their evening. Though he was sure he wanted to do this again, she couldn’t. Not unless she knew for sure he wouldn’t get hurt. Was there a way to know? She would have to do some research.

Cadet Fayth, Doctor

Even though he was not in the slightest bit telepathic, Rainns didn’t have to read minds to know that Sharah was upset. “It’s ok,” he said, trying to communicate to her just how fine the situation actually was, “Don’t be upset at yourself, there’s no reason for that.” He listened to her questions and figured she was just trying to reset the status quo. “There’s not much to say about them, I like the types that force use the players to battle each other in a game of wits and strategy.” He considered hugging the rattled cadet but wasn’t sure if she wanted her personal space invaded in that manner.

LT. J.G. Joseph Rainns- COS