The bulkheads thrummed with emotions. The sensory overload was almost too much to be able to concentrate, but Dael had a life time of experience dealing with this sort of thing. The only problem was that this time, his own thoughts and emotions were of a similar bent, amplifying that of those around him. It had been like this since he had left dry dock, and only increased as he and his fellow cadets had boarded the Challenger. There was a human expression, “anticipation in the air”. For a Betazoid, this was more than just an expression, he could feel the nervous energy and the stressful thoughts of those around him without even trying. His thoughts and experiences ran at a breakneck pace inside his own mind as he had boarded the ship. He had experienced this kind of overload at Academy orientation and usually around exams, but this one had a different thrill to it. This is it he thought, this is the big time.

After placing his belongings in his quarters, he took a look at himself in the cadet’s uniform. He knew had been through most of the Academy’s training by now, over four years of intense study in the fields of Engineering and beyond. But he couldn’t help but think how not too long ago he was that boy on the frontier of Federation space, without any direction or path he could find that seemed to suit him. Straightening his uniform, he breathed in deeply and walked into the hallway towards the nearest turbolift.

As soon as the doors swished open, the hum of the warp core helped to settle his nerves. He breathed a little easier as he looked around the deck. The thoughts and emotions here were much more focused than at the Academy’s mustering for ship departure. Most people around seemed to already have a task at hand, Dael heard several strong ones in the midst of recalling schematics while at control panels. Much easier to deal with than the nervous bundle of energy the hundred or so cluster of eager cadets had been as final assignments were handed out.

Dael took the opportunity to expand his mind out, comforted by the focused and familiar environment of an Engineering deck. He never probed other’s minds, not without consent, that was a terrible crime for any Betazoid. Instead he used his feelings of those around him, the strong surface thoughts bubbling up of the crewmen around him to try and identify which was the Chief Engineer. Odd he thought, no one seems to be giving off the typical surface patterns of being in charge. He walked a little further into the deck, using his visual senses as well as his open mind, looking for any clues or hints. Maybe in the office over there? But he registered no thought patterns in that direction. Then it dawned on him.

Of course, the briefing file said the Chief was a Vulcan. Vulcans were also telepaths of a sort, and while most would think that would mean easier reading for Dael, he knew better. Between the self discipline and meditation, a Vulcan’s mind had many barriers and mental blocks, leaving a cursory mental glance ineffectual unless the subject was well known. Dael confirmed the gap in his ever constant field of bubbling emotions, and thought, With the mental blocks, and that being what looks like a main office, I’m going to go with that. Seems the most… logical place to look.

Smirking a bit at his little joke, he approached the office to the side of the Main Engineering deck and tapped the door chime.

-Cadet Stadi, Engineer