Posted by Civilian Urg’tohn, Son of the House of Duroc (Klingon Warrior) in New Growth Isnt Limited To The Plant Kingdom

Posted by Lieutenant Sharah Fayth (Chief Star Fleet Medical Officer) in New Growth Isnt Limited To The Plant Kingdom

Posted by Civilian Jal’na Sherko of House Noggra (Head of Physical Therapy - Sacred Heart Hospital) in New Growth Isnt Limited To The Plant Kingdom
Posted by… suppressed (17) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Jal’na was curious. The young Seja Khesse and Neela Vens were doing exceptionally well. Their PT was mild until they were released from the ICU which should be any day now. Then they, like all the others, would come to hate Jal’na. She grinned broadly at the prospect.

But she was curious about the man, Lord Duroc, that watched over them. He had not been back in the days since, but he had made quite the impression. On her and the other staff. Except for Shrine. She shrugged and went on about her business as if he didn’t exist. That woman was a force, and the woman found humor in the strangest things.

Jal’na had decided that she wanted to know more. She had even written home to inquire. Simply saying she had encountered members of House Duroc and she was curious to know if there was any conflict she should be aware of. She was told there was no conflict and to comport herself with honor. Not much to go on. So she decided to go find out. Apparently the House of Duroc embassy had impressive gardens open to the public. It had been many years since she had seen any sign of her homeworld.

She knew just the person to take with her, too - Doctor Fayth. She loved plants.

Sharah was always eager to see new plant life, but the invitation from Jal’na was surprising, until it wasn’t. The woman wanted to see Lord Duroc. Sharah just raised a brow. “I’m not sure I should Jal’na.” There was issues with fleet personnel and the House of Duroc. Jal’na insisted, and she would be her guest. Sharah was absolutely certain Jal’na didn’t have the authority to ensure such a thing. But Sharah couldn’t resist the chance to at least get a peek at the gardens.

“Tell me Dr Fayth, what you think of Yavia’s choices? Is she worthy of such a warrior?”

Jal’na

It was a strange afternoon that she was not with Yavia or Charles. How quickly they had become so integral to her life. Sharah grinned, “Are you still determined to claim him for yourself?” Sharah shrugged, “Who am I to say if she is or not? The Major General is an honorable man and they compliment each other well. If he is happy and has made his choice, it is not for us to pass judgement.”

Jal’na made a non-comittle sound in her throat. No perhaps not, though she was never serious. She had great respect and love for Yavia. They had all become family, like their own House, in the apartment building. And Tenkiller was a proud Warrior, and one, from her point of view, had earned the right to wear that pride.

Shatah chuckled softly. Poor Jal’na…what was that earth saying? Bitten by the love bug? Or some such nonsense.

Sharah was in jeans and a soft cotton shirt, and light weight shoes. She hated to be in uniform when she was off duty, and today was no different. When they got to the gate she approached the guard. Deciding it was better to be up front rather than cause another incident, she introduced herself. “My name is Sharah Fayth. I am the Star Fleet chief medical officer. I heard that House Duroc has a magnificent garden and wondered if it was open for me to visit?” Sharah could have lied, she was out of uniform and her combadge was in her pocket. She hoped at the very least it would earn her a clipped dismissal from the proximity of the embassy.

Sharah

The guard, a Tellerite male, spoke in Klingon to his communicator. He then said “Welcome, Lieutenant. The grounds are open to the public, a gift from House Duroc to the people of Oed V. You are most welcome.” He eyed Jal’na and said “Name and House.”

Sharah inclined her head politely, “My thanks.”

Jal’na spoke with pride, but lacking the arrogance of falseness. “Jal’na Sherko of House Noggra.”

After she replied, he inclined his head. “Welcome Jal’na Sherko of House Noggra.” He then stepped back and gestured them through the gates.

House Duroc

She saluted the man respectfully and followed Sharah through the gate and along the path that guided visitors around the gardens.

“No perhaps it is not for us to judge but she is Deltan.”

“Yes she is, but you should know that is not Yavia. No more than all Ferengi’s are mo ey hungry, or Cairn co fuse their words. She has made no influence over him. In fact I would say she goes out of her way not to.”

“I know this, but does he? I know him to be a truly honorable man, but we both know Dr Fayth that the mind is capable of convincing itself of its own reality. An injured man can be convinced he will never walk again, even though his limbs are healthy, and they will go to rot because the brain is convinced they don’t work. Yavia would be devastated if his just infatuation over her species. I have never seen her look at a male or female like that. I have known her since she arrived.” She glanced around watching the people coming and going.

Jal’na

Sharah chuckled. She had to stop herself from calling him Charles. “Tenkiller is hardly an injured man who can’t face his trauma. And he cares for her quite deeply. Perhaps she has never looked at someone like that because he is the only one to make her feel comfortable enough to do so?”

She paused at the first truly alien flower bed and knelt down to get a closer look..she was exceptionally careful to not disturb the soil or plants, but to simply examine them visually.

Sharah

“You are wise to keep your fingers away.” said a voice like a raging thunder-clap off in the distant. “That one is carnivorous… and *aggressive.”

Jal’na’s head almost snapped from the effort to not snap her head around to look at him. One did not forget that voice. Especially when it was mere inches away daring her to do something stupid.

Lord Duroc reached past the doctors and put a gauntleted hand about six inches away from the flower. Suddenly, it shot towards the hand and the petals clamped down on the armored hand. Urg looked back and smiled. “Most Klingon flora is not what one would send a bouquet of to a potential lover.”

Urg, Lord Duroc

Sharah stayed where she was for long moments, studying the response and the behavior, as well as the physical details. She resisted the urge to listen and discover if it enjoyed this game or was frustrated. She stood returning his smile. “I had heard that. It wouldn’t be the first time a plant has tried to eat me, though.” Sharah had quite a bit of experience with extremely aggressive carnivorous plants. She was always cautious.

Sharah

“Lord Duroc,” Jal’na gave him a polite salute and then turned to look at Sharah, “These are juvenile Brown Toothworts. The older they get the more range they have. One must be cautious to not get too close.”

Jal’na

Urg looked at Jal’na and smiled. “Attractive and intelligent. Your House is fortunate to have such a Klingon in its ranks.” He then looked at Fayth. “Chief Medical Officer Sharah Fayth, Star Fleet Lieutenant. I am Urg’tohn, Lord of House Duroc and Chosen Son of Kvaar’ton the Builder, who sits at the right hand of Khaless the Unforgettable. You honor my house with your visit. Perhaps you would care for a tour of the gardens?” and he looked at Jal’na. “It would be an additional honor were you to join us, Jal’na of House Noggra.”

Urg, Lord Duroc

Jal’na bowed her head slightly in acknowledgement of the compliment, mostly stoic, but Jal’na was thrilled by it. She knew Sharah was a telepath and Betazoids could read Klingons. She also knew they didn’t purposely go delving into people’s thoughts. She didn’t know about the uniqueness of Sharah’s talents or that Dr Fayth was quite aware of her intrest in the man.

‘He likes’ her!’ was the first thought than ran through Sharah’s head. One did not need to be telepathic to figure that out. And if she’d had a drink or food in her mouth she would have spit it out laughing so hard. Luckily for Sharah, she had years* of being what she was and was able to keep her thoughts off her expression.

The second and third thoughts ran close together. One he knew exactly who she was (which she had told the guard so no surprise there) and the next to remember the titles he had given her. Though she had only heard of Khaless before and never Kvaar’ton or a builder. However she felt and understood the weight and significance behind his words. She noted to learn more about this. If it held a significance in how the people of his house would want their treatment approached then it was important that she knew that.

The last two thoughts were that she had no idea the correct response to his greeting and offer, and that Jal’na would be extremely disappointed if she said no. The best she could do was go for genuineness and hope she didn’t offend the man and cause another incident. “Lord Duroc, it is a pleasure to meet you. A tour would be most welcome. I have wanted to visit your garden almost from my arrival. Botany is a passion of mine.”

Sharah

Jal’na was very pleased Dr Fayth agreed. She smiled in answer, “Thank you Lord Duroc, I will join you.”

Jal’na

Urg grinned… yeah, still not a good look… and he shook off the flower’s digestive sap and said “Good! Nontime like the present!” And he began walking into the park.

He beganmpointingbout and discussing various plants that made up the gardens. The vast majority of the park was made up of native Klingon flora, and they saw Gardners working full-time keeping the plants from spreading outside of the embassy grounds. “Like most things on Q’onoS, even the plants try to conquer.” and he laughed loudly. “So we tend the gardens always. We also have lined the embassy border with an isolated system that will destroy all the plants within ten meters of the border should things get troublesome. Not something we want, but we have neighbors to consider.”

Sharah asked many questions. From life cycle, to chemical and mineral compositions of the soil, to how and what they fed the carnivorous ones, and how were they assisting the adjustment in the photosynthesis process due to the differences in the suns, to medicinal and culinary uses. Her own knowledge of general botany was extensive.

Lord Duroc had a surprising grasp of the subject, but with several of the very specific questions he would look at a nearby gardener, snap his fingers, and they would come over and talk to Fayth. Oddly, perhaps to Jal’na, all of them wore the working armor of the Klingon nobel house… but not all were Klingon. In fact, even the guards were not all Klingon. There were at least twenty species represented just in the embassy park grounds that wore the honored uniform of House Duroc.

It was odd, but not unknown to Jal’na. Lord Noggra had been known to take those that were not Klingon into his house. Just not to these numbers. But it was Noggra’s influence that had taught Jal’na to judge each warrior, each person by their own merits and not by, at times outdated, Klingon standards. She was curious about it, but she didn’t judge. Though she knew many of the houses on Q’onoS would treat them disrespectfully. “Your House is quite diverse, Lord Duroc.” It was said with respectful approval not that he needed hers, and pleasantly impressed.

“The Builder teaches us that no house is sound if only made from one kind of stone.” Urg said. “And no army can last with only one history.” He looked at her and inclined his head. The level of attraction he felt increased noticably.

Jal’na nodded firmly. “Much like the body. You can train a muscle to be strong by practicing the same exercises each day, but if you don’t vary the challenge the muscle will not know how to flex and sway instead of contract and hold firm. The body needs strength, but also flexibility and endurance. It also needs a keen mind to lead it.”

Sharah very suddenly felt like such an intruder and a third wheel. Oh she was going to give Jal’na all kinds of hell over this later. Or maybe she would just tell Shrine…the thought almost made her laugh aloud.

Jal’na answered some questions, but they were more general knowledge facts than the detail that Doctor Fayth was delving for. Jal’na was content to leave the answers to the experts and was pleased to have learned a great deal herself. She had assumed that Dr Fayth’s interest was just one of those ‘soft,’ ‘feely,’ hobbies that Betazoids were known for - like flower arranging or sitting in front of paintings for hours and thinking about your emotions. Doctor Fayth was serious about this and was well educated about it.

They walked further in and there some of the plants were isolated by tall, transparent walls. Children would walk up and the plants would shap and hit the walls, startling them and they stare wide-eyed and then laugh.

The children’s antics made Jal’na smirk. She remembered engaging in similar antics as a child and being scolded for it.

Not once did the small Betazoid doctor flinch or startle at the aggresive plant. The antics of the children made her grin. Reminding her of similar scenes on board the Ark Angel. She approached one of the walls and watched it for some time as if she understood it. Then she began to move back and forth and around the enclosure as if studying its reflexes. It lunged and snapped at her and she simply stared at it before moving on. It made her naustalgic for a moment for the large arboretum.

They came to a large pond, well over fifty meter long and half again as wide. A foot bridge spanned the long axis, sloping gracefully over the water is a shallow arc. Lor Duroc led them onto the bridge and out to the center. The water was clear but had a red hue to it. “The coloring mimics the sun on Q’onoS. Keeps the fish happy.” Swimming in the water were dozens of large, dark shapes. Every so often, one would slowly breach the surface. They were bright gold and blue. “V’lk. Q’onoS-ian sharks. Beautiful and oddly enough… one if the few thing on Q’onoS that is vegetarian!” and he laughed loudly again.

Urg, Lord Duroc

Sharah watched the fish. It was gorgeous, “Really?” That seemed so opposite of the norm for a shark. Sharah loved it, the diversity and how things compared and differed between planets. Then she asked several questions about the types of plant life in the pond. Her interest was truky genuine, both scientifically and personally. She really was a bit of a nerd when it came to flora.

Sharah

“No plants in the pond.” Urg said. “You cannot give V’lk constant food or they will keep growing. Some have been caught on Q’onos that were over sixty meters long. As long as they can eat, they can grow. If they go hungry, their bodies shrink to conserve energy. We feed these the waste from the gardens. Only so much on a regular basis. Keeps them at this size.”

“The ancestral land of House Noggra has many lakes. V’lk are vegetarian, but like most things aggressive when their space is invaded. We used to challenge each other to swim across the ponds as children. Usually after they had been agitated, to make it a true challenge.” Jal’na laughed loudly. They had also gotten into quite a bit if trouble when a V’lk had been injured. Lord Noggra had been disappointed meaning he was utterly terrifying.

Jal’na

Urg looked at Jal’na and smiled. “Your House lands are a testament to its custodians. You have done well in maintaining the natural order there… unlike some.” and he spat on the ground.

Urg, Lord Duroc

“Lord Noggra, like his father, understands what is important to preserve. Every year there is another generation of children that must learn that lesson, and we learn it quite well.” A hard lesson for some, but vital to protect their home from over use and development. Jal’na glanced across the pond and gardens. “It is pleasing to see so much of our world preserved.”

Jal’na

“Many do not travel to our world. It is not a place for tourists or sightseers. I hoped to show that even though Q’onoS is dangerous-” and he fixed his eyes Jal’na, “- it holds an unmatched beauty within it.”

Jal’na smiled, in a way only a Klingon could enjoy. “The garden here is quite vibrant, it reminds me greatly of our world, even in so small a space.” The garden was huge but compared to a whole planet it was small.

It was then that something terrifying and yet not at all unpleasant happened to Sharah…

Everything went silent in her mind. Everything. She could hear and feel nothing save for one… thing. What or who it was was impossible to tell; but somehow it was inside Lord Duroc’s mind. But it wasn’t him. It was something terrible and powerful… and magnitudes more powerful than even Sharah’s abilities. But it was also amused… and had a deep and abiding love for Lord Duroc; like they were family somehow. Not by blood, but by something far more powerful… by choice.

Sharah went still as the ringing silence throbbed for a moment and settled. She was somewhat familiar with the sensation now, but usually when it settled she had passed out. She was fully awake and still looking out at the pond.

The voice laughed and it seemed to fill the world around her. “He is smitten!!! FINALLY! Too long he has been alone to shoulder the burdens. It is time.” Then there was a pause, as if the voice suddenly realized it was not alone. All of reality seemed to freeze in place, and a vision superimposed itself over Lord Duroc. A Klingon, but even larger than Urg himself… much larger. But even for a Klingon, he was more handsome than almost anyone Sharah had ever seen. The vision turned and looked down while Lord Duroc remained frozen. Eyes of fire and molten rock looked down… and the figure grinned. “Well, now… you are something else, aren’t you?” Its voice was familiar, though she couldn’t place it. “Most mortals would have soiled themselves by now. You are strong, little one. Far stronger than you know.” and it knelt in front of her and took her chin in a black gauntleted hand and lifted her face to its unyielding visage and it smiled a smile that simultaneously terrified and made her feel absolutely safe.

Sharah knew in the grand scheme of things that her condition, her talents, were insignificant to other entities in the universe. She had sensed them from time to time, but had never wanted to attract their attention. If she scared herself with the possibilities, she didn’t want to meet those other beings. Sharah had known people with split personalities, creative castles with pieces of their personalities to help cope with trauma (her friend Ashlyn had been such a person), those that participated in a kind of group consciousness. She had even met a member of the Q once. This…person, entity, presence? Was so much more and wholly different from all that. She stared into that terrifying gaze, scared but aware she was not in any danger from it.

“You will do good things, I think. My son will count you as a friend. You will know few better. Go in glory, little one. And may you die with honor.”

And everything snapped back in place as if it never happened. There was no headache, no readjustment to the noise. She simply was as she was less than a heartbeat before.

His son? Lord Duroc? What was with the dead paying her visits?!?!?!?! That was not a talent she had ever had nor did she want to talk to the dead! She was losing her mind....she knew it. She had finally snapped.

‘Yavia! Something is wrong.‘

“And that is why I keep the grounds open to all. So tbay can see the beauty that can be in places you expect it least.” Urg said, his eyes still fixed on Jal’na.

Urg, Lord Duroc, Chosen of Kvaar’ton the Builder

Jal’na was all too aware of his gaze, and it was all too obvious, or so she felt, how hers returned to him again and again. “I always thought that the determined survival of nature on Q’onoS was part of the beauty. To survive at all costs.” Q’onoS had certainly had its share of natural and not so natural disasters.

Jal’na

Sharah thought she might be sick except her head didn’t hurt any more or any worse, nor was she dizzy. She had the sick feeling if she looked at her chronometer no time had passed at all. She was still looking at Lord Duroc and tried her best to not look at him like anything had happened. Was she tired? What…who was that???

Sharah

Urg smiled and said “Your words are insightful. I wish to hear more of them, Jal’na Sherko. You will dine with me tonight.” It wasn’t an order, simply spoken as an irrefutable fact. “Eight. tangqa’ Tavern by the main square. I will have us a table.” He then looked at Sharah. He cocked his head to the side and reached up and grasped her chin like he just had.... NO!, like that thing just had. And the voice! It was Urg’s voice… but different. Urg smiled and then grunted softly. “You have the mark of the Builder. He approves of you.” and he nodded as if deciding something. He turned back to Jal’na. “You keep good companions. Treat her with respect. She is strong and loyal.” He then grinned and said “See you tonight.” and he walked away.

Urg, Son of Kvaar’ton,

If Jal’na didn’t want to dine with him so badly she wouldn’t have much of a choice. It would be extremely disrespectful to refuse without cause. “I will be there.”

Jal’na watched him leave, quite perplexed. Of course she would treat Sharah with respect, but then she was quite pleased he liked Dr. Fayth. They made their way back through the grounds. “Thank you for accompaning me, Sharah. I hope you enjoyed it.”

Jal’na