Posted by Major General Charles Tenkiller (Vice-Commander, Colonial Customs and Defense Agency) in Making Visions Substantial

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Sharah Fayth (Chief Star Fleet Medical Officer) in Making Visions Substantial

Posted by Civilian Yavia Crockett (Nurse - Sacred Heart Hospital) in Making Visions Substantial
Posted by… suppressed (28) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
“You said you needed that. We provided.” Sharah laughed and moved off the bed and reached into the wardrobe and then handed them each a bottle of water. They weren’t cold, but they would do. “Wait…just wait here. You gave me an idea.” She hurried out of the room, sans clothes and they could hear her going up the stairs and in the kitchen.

Sharah

Charles grinned. “I hate ta see her leave… but I loooove to watch her go.”

Yavia laughed, “Yes we did and it was thoroughly satisfying.” She watched her go, curls and well other parts bouncing. “She’s gorgeous. But what is with the two of you runningbout of this room with no clothes?” Yavia laughed and opened her water and rank a good portion of it. “She’s really excited. What do you think she’s done?”

Yavia

TK grinned and kissed her. “I told ya when you moved in, the house is fully clothing-optional. Just ‘cause you haven’t fully embraced that concept is on you, love.” and he chuckled. “As to what that one’s cooked up? No idea.”

Tenkiller

The loves of Sharah’s life had about 15 minutes of uninterrupted time alone before Sharah called them. “Come in here.” Here being her room.

She was sitting on a blanket that she had spread on the floor. She was sitting turned toward the painting Charles had put in the room, but was watching the door. There was a tray on the blanket with sandwiches, cut veggies and fruit, drinks and other snack/picnic like items. When they entered she pushed a button to close the door behind them. She held her hands out to them, “Come here.”

Facing the painting, Charles would recognize quickly, every plant in the room was from Earth and matched those he had placed into the painting or would grow in the same areas. The lights were off, but the room had the same dappled sunlight as the painting. Sharah had added mirrors to the solar tubes to catch the light and bring it in all day. Potted trees, vines uo the four poster bed, planters were mounted in the walls, flowers trailing down, shrubs, wild flowers. The wall by the door held the painting he had given her from the art gallery and placed in wall planters around it was a variety of succulents, moss, and air plants. The entire room was now a living extension of his painting.

Sharah

Yavia grabbed Sharah’s hand and squeezed it as she sat. She stared about the room. She didn’t recognize any of the plants and wouldn’t know what world they came from, except for one or two, but it was stunning. It was…Sharah. The way she had coaxed them to grow, even mounting a trellis on the ceiling provided a leafy canopy. It invoked for her stronge feelings of that very first day in the park. Finding Sharah and bringing her home where she belonged, with them. She remembered leaving Sharah in the room and telling TK she looked like a frest fairy. Sharah really was.

She looked up at Charles where he was standing, feeling his response to one of the plants. She got up and walked over to him so she could see at what he was looking.

Yavia

Charles stood, unblinking and mouth open, as his artist’s eyes followed the edges of the painting out and around the room. He turned slowly, taking it all in, until his eyes fell on pot with a small shrub with dark, almost black leaves with small white flowers on it. He stopped and stared at it for a moment and then said, very softly, “This isn’t in the picture. Why did you choose it?” A wave of nostalgia, homesickness, and memory of a deep and abiding love for family long gone spilled out him… but it wasn’t negative. It was as if the plant evoked feelings that he enjoyed experiencing… even if some of it was loss.

Tenkiller

Sharah stood and walked over to him, looking at it. “I was looking for plants that grew in similar areas as the others.” Here she paused, “I’m not sure you’ll believe me.” She stared at it for a long moment, “I…uh…the woman…I sketched her, from the circle…your grandma. She…um…told me I needed it. That it was important for you.”

Sharah

Charles smiled and said “I believe you, Sharah. This is White Snakeroot… my Granny’s favorite.” and he looked at her and smiled. “She had a big bunch if it growing out back behind the wood shed.” He reached out and held a small bunch of it in his hand, and he grinned. “Always reminds me of home.”

Tenkiller

“Then I’m glad I got it.” Sharah slipped her arms around him and stretched up just a little and kissed his cheek. She reached out and cupped his hand where he held some of it. “Let’s put her upstairs with Hope then. That way she doesn’t miss anything.”

Sharah

Yavia smiled, “I like that. A piece of your first home here in our home. Another circle.” She kissed him too and then sat on the blanket and started putting food on plates and setting them out.

Yavia

Charles took a seat and helped plate food and pour drinks. When the women were settled he said “I love you both so much.” and kissed one and then the other. “And I have some news for you. Sharah, I know you were already going, but V… you are going to the Vren welcoming gala, too.” He looked at her and then at Sharah and grinned. “Had to send in how we are gonna be introduced. Ours is ‘Doctor Sharah Fayth, Chief Medical Officer for Star Fleet, Nurse Yavia Crockett of Sacred Heart Hospital… and their partner Major General Charles Tenkiller of the Colonial Customs and Defense Agency.’ I figure that should sufficiently explode the nurses minds when they see it announced on the vids.” and he laughed.

Tenkiller

The two women looked at each other and laughed. Yavia looked at him, “You know for all your talk of it’s no one’s business you sure do make it public. I think you like making sure people know.” She kissed him.

Sharah shook her head, “I told you, Yavia not to volunteer to work that night. Now I have to redo the schedule.” Then she grinned like she knew something. “That’s okay I bet Ilena would be more than happy to take your place.”

Yavia shrugged, “Well, you need the best working just incase. And we all know I am the best.”

Sharah leaned across and kissed her. “You are. And we know it. But I’m glad you are going. You will be the envy of everyone with two uniformed officers on your arms.” Sharah giggled.

Yavia faked a swoon. “Whatever will I do?”

Yavia

“Enjoy it and trade barbs with Jal’na all night?”

Sharah

Charles fell silent a moment and then said “Seriously, you two. I…” and he shook his head. “I wanted all three of us there in case something goes wrong. One, I know the two of you are two of the top twenty medical specialists on the planet… And two, if something really bad happens… we are together.”

Tenkiller

Yavia squeezed his hand reassurance sparking between them. “We know. We’re just being a bit silly.” Sharah took his other hand and then Yavia’s. She smiled, a bit goofy, but wholly content with the connection. “I am glad we will all be there, but I think it will go well. I’m excited, to meet them, to put to rest fact and rumor.”

Yavia looked at her and shook her head. Yavia hadn’t been around forbthe Vren attacks either, but she was concerned and more than a little worried. “Sharah you are amazing. How are you so optimistic?”

“I have to be because everyone else is not. At best they are ‘cautiously optimistic’ and it is more caution than not. If I let myself be scared or angry or suspicious, that’s all I will feel from everyone else, and then what happens if I can’t contain it?”

Sharah released their hands and took a bite. Her expression turning inward and sad. “Besides, I think I know something of what they are facing. People are afraid of them because of the Vren who came before, but they are not the same. Just like people are afraid of me because of those that came before. I can’t judge them without meeting them first.”

Yavia

Charles looked at Sharah. “Are you going to wear the headband to the gala?” His question was multifaceted. There were a lot of reasons not to… but there were some really strong reasons she probably should.

Tenkiller

She picked up her juice and washed her food down while she thought. “I don’t know. It is very tempting. I haven’t worn it for more than a couple of hours and I still don’t haven’t been able to adjust it. I don’t know how it will effect me that long. You both don’t need to be distracted being worried about me.” She looked up at him and then Yavia. “I keep thinking about your reaction, Yavia. How you could sense the buzzing and interference. What if someone else at the Gala senses it, and not knowing it’s me, reacts…badly?”

Sharah

Charles shrugged and said “Although the other side of that… the Vren are an unknown. Our briefing didn’t say anything their abilities with telepathy or empathy. A bigger chance is, if someone does pick up on the static, they think it’s the Vren. And you have a little time between now and then if you wanna try it. I trust you and V to make sure you are ok. And if ya want, I’ll go check out this Dr. Kane right now if it helps.”

Tenkiller

“We can work on it some until then if you want, Sharah. Tensions are going to be really high, both at the Gala and in the rest of the colony. If you think you would rather go without all the noise, we’ll help you work on it until then.” Yavia looked at Charles, “Checking on Dr. Kane is probably good either way. The band is collecting intimate data about Sharah’s neurological functions and sending it to him. Necessary to help monitor her and the device, but still.”

Yavia

Sharah hesitated, “It sounds ideal, but like Charles said, what if they think it is the Vren? Some might assume it is just natural, some species have that effect. What if they think it is deliberate hostility?” Sharah leaned against the foot board of the bed. “It will be like walking in deaf. A loss of one of my senses I haven’t learned to compensate for.”

Sharah remembered that horrid debriefing after Viking. They wanted to know why she hadn’t known what was going on, why she hadn’t stopped it. Was she working with them? They had expected because of her sensitivity that she was the answer for everything. She wasn’t. Maybe given circumstances and conditions she could be, but she didn’t want to be. She also had no idea what the personal cost to herself or those around her might be. “I can’t always navigate what is what in the noise, but without the band I can at least feel if the mood is changing. No one has asked, but I don’t want to be some psychic warning device.” Maybe that was why Hyrushi had given it to her now? So she wouldn’t have to be.

“When you are done checking, come back. There is something else I want to show you.”

Sharah

Charles nodded and hopped up and hurried out of rhe room.

He was gone… longer than expected. And when he entered the room, his face had the look his mind reserved for when he stepped in a much larger pile of crap than he anticipated. He sat down and looked at the two women and shook his head. “Welp… I got your good news… and I got your bad news. Which ya want first?” he asked with a self-deprecating chuckle.

Tenkiller

Sharah felt a stone drop in her stomach. She didn’t like that look or the feeling that went with it. She had never experienced that feeling from him and coupled with his words…

“Bad news.”

Sharah

“Bad news is about five minutes after I pulled his file I got a very brusque notification from Star Fleet Command telling me I had no authority to look into Dr. Kane and why the hell was I trying to pull his records thankyouverymuch. So I told ‘em he was working with the Chief Medical Officer of the colony and was requesting medical information of one of our residents and I needed to verify he was who he said. THAT led to a bit of discussion about boundaries and the letter Hyruahi and Dasca sent to the Federation and ended with me getting a good ol’ fashioned ass chewing by some Admiral who I’m pretty sure was with SFI and me laughing at him because I don’t work for him.”

Tenkiller

Sharah blew out a breath. She was going to get a letter about this or a call or something. A menace, she was a menace, and she wasn’t even doing anything. And now they were talking about boundries as if requestung i formation was crossing one. All they had to say was no. Some days Sharah didn’t understand people. Intelligence…that was the last people she wanted looking at her. “I’m sorry.” She shook her head, “What’s the good news?”

Sharah

He grinned. “Good news is he’s apparently one hell of a med-tech designer. Has multiple patents and his s#!t is used all over the place. You know that one group? What’s it called… SMT! Medicine Without Borders Foundation? Yeah, he gave a bunch of patents over to them a year or so back. So his stuff is really good and gets used all over. Reputation is solid, if a bit colored by the fact most people think he’s an asshole, apparently. So from a tech and medical standpoint, I don’t have any reservations about it.”

Tenkiller
Sharah squeezed his hand, gratitude and relief clear on her face.

“Well he can’t be too much of an asshole if he gave to SMT.” Yavia commented, “and we’ve seen his fetal life support machine.” She slipped an arm around Sharah’s shoulders. Yavia didn’t care much how Star Fleet reacted. At least niw they knew the person behind it was okay. Star Fleet could go pout in a corner. “So we know at least the tech is good or the mind behind it. And you have the band, we’ll figure the rest out.”

Sharah laughed, “Oh yes he has earned the reputation. The givernor warned me before we contacted him. Suggest a couple of stiff drinjs first. I’ve talked to Dr Kane. The governor wasn’t wrong.”

She placed her plate back on the tray. “We can deal with the band later. When you’re both done I have something else to show you.”

Sharah and Yavia

Charles scared down the rest of his sandwich and set his plate on Sharah’s. “Ready when you are.” he said with a mouthful of sandwich and a huge grin.

Tenkiller

Yavia chuckled and gathered everything up onto the tray. She grinned at Sharah, she was full of anticipation. “Alright, show us. What other surprises do you have?”

Yavia

Sharah grinned, stood, pulling them up with her. She pulled them onto the bed with her. “Shush Yavia. Behave.” She laid back with them in either side of her and clicked a button on a controller, “Watch…” The solar panels slowly closed, dropping the room into total darkness. Then, like a after image after bright light, pricks of colored light began to dot the room, then more, until the room looked like there were fairies fighting about, and then glowing twilight. The plants were illuminated in bioluminescent light - blues, golds, purples, pinks, and greens.

Sharah

Charles was speechless. As the lights slowly came into being, it was as if they were being transported to another world. “Sharah…” he whispered, “… ots beautiful. It looks like… magic.”

Tenkiller

Yavia had settled down on one side of Sharah. She watched, her eyes darting around in the dark until the first hints of color. She blinked thinking it was an after effect, but then the colors and light grew. Lighting the room up, but was soft. She was quietly in awe. The room looked totally different from the forest Sharah had created in the ‘day light’. Yavia smiled softly and turned toward her. She was holding Sharah’s hand with one of hers and she reached over to set her other on TK’s arm. “It is magic, just like you,” and she kissed Sharah’s cheek.

Yavia

The bed was much smaller than their bed, so they were pressed in close, settled warmly together. Sharah squeezed their hands, shifting a little so she was closer to both if them. She didn’t say anything for awhile, just resting in their presence, in the quiet and calm they provided. “It’s only magic because you both are here.”

Sharah

Charles held them both close taking in the sight and smells of the room, lost for long moments in the ambiance. When he finally did speak, it was short, simple, soft… and wholly sincere.

“I love you both with all my heart.”

Tenkiller

The quiet, the scents, the colors, the warmth, the contentment was a veritable Symphony of the senses for Yavia. It was wholly unique, the experience that Sharah had created in this room. She could feel the gentle joy the moment gave all of them, but also the serenity and security having them there gave Sharah. Yavia was surprised at the relief Sharah felt as well. She kissed Sharah very gently on the corner of her mouth. “Thank you for your trust, Sweetheart. For sharing this with us.”

Yavia looked past Sharah to TK and felt a wave of belonging and rightness. “I am the luckiest woman in this room. You both are my everythings.”

Yavia