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Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

[ Lt. Cmdr. Rutherford | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Brutus
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The coarse surface of the board under her feet, the slight sway with every step, the moisture in the air, the relaxing sound of the small waves, the final step, a push, the air rushing past her skin replaced by the cold chill of the water’s surface-tension breaking … and then the soothing gargling of the bubbles rushing past her body in the caressing stream of fresh water. During every second of it Samantha was aware of why she loved swimming so much. It wasn’t only that she hated to sweat and despised almost every activity that resulted in such. But also that she felt like she could entirely power herself out in the pool yet only realize how exhausted she was when coming back to land, like a mermaid out of water, barely able to walk.

Pushing forward with strong strokes below the surface the blonde made her way ¾ across the pool before coming back up. Immediately turning into the crawl the officer basically had a mere two strokes left before performing a barrel role, pushing herself off the wall into the opposite direction, back towards the boards. This time only diving for a good 3 to 4 meters before resuming the crawl. And in that moment her mind focused solely on the movement, the sound, the steady breathing when she turned her head to one side above the water every two strokes. The distorted view of the light breaking in the liquid and the ever-cooling sensation on her skin. Nothing else had space in her mind then and there, which was after all the main reason why she loved swimming.

Samantha went at it for a good 60 minutes when she started to feel her moves growing sloppy and her breathing intervals seemingly too short. Which were the only signs of fatigue you could really feel in the water. Yet, if unchecked, could have fatal consequences … in the wild at least. Drowning on a starship was certainly not a high possibility or a honorable way to go. Powering through the last lap the diplomat reached the starting perimeter and clasped one hand to the edge, steadying herself in the water. Her chest heaved with all the air her body required. It was almost surreal to think that moments before all she needed was a breath every few seconds. Pulling her other hand up the woman in the black Starfleet issue one-piece crossed her arms on the rim, legs idly moving in the water, as her pulse slowly came down.

Looking around, the blond now noticed all the other patrons, officers and civilians alike, milling around the pool idly. Chatting, preparing, drying off. It was hard to believe they were in the situation they were in this moment. That’s what this was, this place, a distraction. Letting her eyes glide over the ever changing surface Sam noticed a man below, sitting on the floor of the deep end. He didn’t seem to move at all as she watched him intently. Glimmering skin between her groomed brows slowly creasing, Samantha detached herself from the edge of the pool, turning into a water-treading posture. It had been a good 5 minutes at this point and she was growing slightly concerned.

Rolling down into the chilling wet the diplomatic officer dove towards the man on the pool floor, sitting there like a stone. Stopping at about a meter’s distance she held her depth before him. He could probably feel the disturbance in the water, the thrusts of turbulence from her movements. As he suddenly opened his eyes it startled her, to say the least. A gush of bubbles escaping her lips before she could see he was okay. And his eyes were … magical. She wasn’t sure if it was the reflections of the water, but she just started to smile. He was fine. A mere nod was all she could convey in the line of apologies before pushing herself up towards the surface again. That had only been slightly embarrassing … stalker!

Breaking out of the water, blonde hair smoothed back against her perfectly shaped skull, Samantha opened her eyes, vision momentarily blurry with the droplets caught in her long lashes. Executing a few more broad strokes and she was back at the edge of the pool, holding on to the edge. She’d probably call that a day.

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #1 –
[ Lt (jg) Sarresh Morali | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02|  USS Theurgy ] Attn: @stardust 
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Time had no meaning, no place, in the world that Sarresh Morali now inhabited. There was only the flow of water around him - and through him. He sat with his eyes shut, his feet crossed, and his wrists resting on his knees; lotus position, the humans called it. He breathed in slowly, and then let it out just as slow. In through the nose, out through the mouth, his lungs filling with water, processing and filtering the oxygen out of it, and then sending the mix back out into the pool. Just as he had been promised two weeks back, the modifications made to his body did allow him to breathe underwater. The coldness of the water did not reach him - he was pleasantly comfortable. The sounds were a thing of majesty. 

How I have missed this. Today was not the first day he had taken to the ships public baths, to indulge in the long track pool it offered. Nor was it the first day he had had those thoughts, of what had been missing. There was plenty else to miss, but V-Nine, the Savi created medical android that had accompanied the Theurgy after the uprising aboard the Versant had been right. This had helped. A bridge tethering him to the person, the species he had been born as had been reforged. It did not give him back those that he had lost. But the surgeries had given him a measure of self back. He reached up and scratched at the beard that grew over his chin, something that would have been impossible when he was an Ash'reem. He'd found he quite liked it, oddly. Not everything was bad in the world. Even two weeks after the fact, Sarresh was struggling with that reality.

There was a disturbance in the water, roughly 10 minutes after he'd had that thought and slipped back into his somewhat meditative state. He heard the strokes of someone diving into the depths of the pool, making their way towards him. A scent on the water filled his nose - familiar and unfamiliar. Human, and something else, he judged, marvling that he could once again tell the difference. And something unique to the person. He did not know them - no large surprise there. Until two weeks ago Sarresh had been extremely reclusive. Now he was only mostly so. The person was coming closer, and treading water, kicking their feet and spinning their arms in an attempt to maintain their position in the depths. Someone that knew how to swim, in short.

Amused curiosity flared, where not long before Sarresh might have felt agitation and aggravation. His eyes snapped open, protected by a barely there secondary membrane, the multitude of colors shifting about as he looked up to - her. Female. Human - mostly, as he'd thought. Blonde, if he were any judge. And staring at him in utter shock. Not the first, not the last, the words weighing heavily on him. At least this time, it wasn't because of all the other stupid reasons. He chuckled under the water, a stream of bubbles flowing up from the corner of his mouth, as it quirked up into ....well, it couldn't be properly called a smile. A smirk. 

She nodded. He nodded. The politest conversation he'd had all day, he reflected. Sel would have found that funny. That he did find it funny himself was progress, of a sorts. Easily enough to recognize it. He had been doing this for two weeks now, every night. Most were used to him, swimming along the bottom, or sitting there. This person had not seen it before, and had felt a need to check on him. Starfleet at it's finest, he decided as she turned and swam up with a practiced grace that drew notice from the former amphibian. His head tilted to one side and he made no attempt to hide that he watched her ascend. Curious.

He took another deep, deep breath, and then unfurled his bare legs. With a twist and a gentle push, he stood upright, and then forced the water out of his lungs in a violent, push. His knees bent and he launched himself up as fast as he could. A few strokes pulled him up, and up, and he surfaced with a small splash, water streaming down his body. Sarresh shook his head from side to side, and coughed out another lung full of water before drawing in a ragged breath of air. It felt like cold glass as it filled his emptied lungs. A spray of mist left his nose as he snorted, and drew in another breath, treading water. He'd found things considerably less messy if he emptied out his lungs under the water before surfacing, than if he waited to do so until after he broke the surface. 

Blinking the water from his face, the invisible membranes around his eyes slid back out of the way, not unlike the Vulcan inner eyelid. His eyes were just as alien and magnificent as under the water, no mere trick of refracted light. From blue to green to something deeper, and back again. While not as large as they had been as an Ash'reem, V-Nine had managed to mimic the original tones and color shifting properties of his pupils. He had even agreed with her original assessment when describing the effect: beautiful. That a robot could make such a declaration, and mean it, had struck Sarresh as funny. The medical android was surely that. The most cheerful soul he had met, and that was...an oddity among oddities. He aught to know. 

Dismissing thoughts of the eccentric android, Sarresh looked around and found the woman that had dove deep to check on him.Another deep breath ensued, his lungs having turned over to processing oxygen from the air once more. With a few gentle kicks, Sarresh swam toward her, saddling up perhaps a meter off, and planting his arms on the side of the pool to push himself up, and out of the water, into a crouch, before slowly standing up right. He wore a tight, deep blue speedo of standard fleet issue, prefering to allow as much of the water contact with is skin as could be managed and still ascribe to the rules of propriety most species aboard the Theurgy proscribed to.

Standing upright, he rolled his shoulders and turned to look down at the other woman, and then, with another shrug, offered her a hand up. "You're new here, I take it?"

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #2 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Rutherford | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Brutus
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Holding on with crossed arms to the coarse surface, that was applied to the edge of the pool as well to avoid slipping, Samantha ran a hand over her face to brush away whatever droplets were left against her moist skin and to fully clear her vision. Watching feet leave wet marks against the floor as two people passed, she followed their tracks for a moment before hearing a small splash behind her. Detaching one arm from the pool wall she turned slightly to watch Aquaman bob around for a moment, spewing water vapor like a dolphin, before swimming towards the edge beside her.

Letting the full action unfold, water running down the man’s toned, sun-kissed skin, as he pulled himself effortlessly from the water, the blonde instinctively let go of her hold to the edge, drifting onto her back a bit. She had a far better view of the scenario from a small distance. Obviously a skilled swimmer, the man was in shape. Having been a part of the swim team - and having dated at least one fellow athlete - at the academy, Sam knew what a swimmer’s body looked like. Broad shoulders, wide back  … arms and chest more subtle in comparison. It was not a bad look and she didn’t mind to watch while dipping backwards ever so slightly across the surface.

Seeing a hand stretched out to her, every visible muscle on the man’s body flexing, the officer quietly changed her position and swam a small stroke forward, back to the edge. Stretching her right hand out she was met with a sturdy grip and pulled out of the wet cold in no time. Setting one foot onto the edge about halfway through the motion, to assist the man’s valiant efforts, the blonde stood close before him in a matter of seconds. Confined by the rim of the pool behind and the man’s slightly taller stature before her. It was a moderately intimidating place to be in, but in a good way.

Running both hands backward, flat against the curve of her skull, Samantha squeezed the remaining water into the length of her hair before wringing out the tail end over her shoulder. A small stream of water glistening, as it ran down her collarbone and subsequently the central depression on her chest and into the low neckline of the black swimsuit. Letting her arms casually drop back to her curvy sides the woman smiled ever so curiously at his question.

“It’s a big ship.” she replied calmly, every sense of exhaustion from before, washed away. “On what logic are we basing this assumption?” and with that she pressed a little remaining droplet out between her plump lips. A small challenge offered. He looked like the kind of man that only acted on deep convictions … yet that was only one of her famous superficial first impressions. His seemingly earnest demeanor also potentially being a scar of a long career in Starfleet. For she had not only seen this type of body before but also this look.

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #3 –
[ Lt (jg) Sarresh Morali | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02|  USS Theurgy ] Attn: @stardust 
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Swimmers tended to recognize one another, and this situation was no different. Those ever shifting eyes swept down and up the woman's figure, after he hauled her out of the water. Why he had offered, he couldn't actually say. Mostly because she had been kind enough to check on him, he supposed. It was an oddity and had drawn his interest, and that was rare in its own right these days. Again, he thought of himself as a giant recluse, and was not wrong by any stretch. So he'd acted on impulse and would have to deal with all the consequences to follow.

The quiet moment stretched out as she wrung the water from her hair, and Sarresh waited, ever so slightly on edge. His brow furrowed ever so slightly as he scrutinized her. As with everyone that he met these days, there was a chance that he would know things about them that he had no right knowing. And thus he had braced himself for the sudden onset of knowledge regained from suppressed memories. He had, after all, extensively studied the Theurgy as part of the mission to prevent it falling victim to what the crew called the Niga incident, and begin to undo some of the corruption to the time stream. He knew so very much about so many of them, but the knowledge was suppressed until it was needed - or until he had changed an outcome, as with the destruction of the Borg transwarp network, and the devastation of subspace in the vicinity of the Azure Nebula. 

Not only had the crew prevented further interference from the parasitic infestation, keeping them from sinking their tendrils into the Borg Collective and using them as a destructive vector, they had also prevented the borg invasion that was to happen. Trillions of lives had been saved. Tangible change had been made, technically beyond the scope of Sarresh's mission parameters. And yet it was one that he was proud of all the same, even if his own actions in the matter were relatively small (having helped secure the omega device needed to shut down the transwarp hub). Even if he lived with the trauma of what might have been, feeling those deaths that did not happen. 

But there was no sudden info dump, no twitch in the back of his brain with fresh awareness of the woman before him. That ould mean all sorts of things, none of which Sarresh bothered to pursue as intellectual challenges. He simply accepted that if there was something for him to be aware of when it came to the swimmer with the case of curious concern, he was not to know it now. So be it. How then, to answer her? 

Despite himself, his lips curled into a self deprecating little smile that did not quite reach his multicolored eyes. Those were the most expressive feature he had, and the least visibly human. He met her gaze full on, though she was a tad shorter than he, as he pondered her words. "Simple. You swam down to check on me. No one whom had been aboard for terribly long would have bothered. Newer crew don't know to keep their distance."

This was especially true of those that had just arrived a few days prior, ferried over by the Klingons, though it could also be said of many of the survivors of the Bellerophon and Endeavour. Personnel formerly from those ships had much less issue or preconceptions when it came to Sarresh than did those of longer service, whom remembered the Devoted and the pain and suffering the cult had caused. 

He still thought ignoring the zealots had been the right call, not acknowledging them and giving them fuel for their fanatical fires. Those few that remained he had dealt with directly, on the request of one of the few officers aboard he had some respect for, and did not hold a grudge against. No grudges to be held here, and no worries about slavish misperceptions either, he decided. Sarresh still had not moved, standing there with the pool to one side and the new comer to the other, with his arms crossed loosely over his chest. Ominous as he had been, the former Ash'reem decided to at least try that whole polite thing. After all, maybe she had heard of him, and just didn't realize this was who he was. Or maybe not.

"Sarresh Moralli," he offered his hand again. That was how humans did this, right? A hand shake? He even managed to resist the urge to tack on 'Frankenstein's monster' to the end of it.

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #4 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Rutherford | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Brutus 
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Noticing a moment of silence ensuing, Samantha took the time to study the man’s intriguing eyes. Not knowing the details of the man’s genealogical background she assumed they were some kind of biological implant. No matter the origin, however, they were mesmerizing to look at. She felt like she could see the ever-changing azure coves of Risa just as well as the refractions of an Andorian fire crystal. But she could also see that, at the same time, she was being studied herself. Or maybe it was just his moment of recollection, trying to appropriate her question with an answer.

It wasn’t a moment of silence she worried about, even though the environmental systems slowly drew small goosebumps onto her flawless skin. By no means was it at the forefront of the blonde’s mind as much more than a pleasurable chill down her spinal curve. Noticing his lips curl into a little smile … smug, could’ve been a word … the officer replied with an amused one herself. It was an occupational hazard, wanting to look behind the façade of a person, to find out about their insecurities and motivations. Hence why the woman’s replies, at first, usually extracted more information than they provided.

Samantha nodded at his accurate deductions. She could easily see the man in an analytical career. Be it as a green or a yellow shirt. A pleased chuckle left her plump lips as white teeth broke free from moist, rosy confines. “Hmm.” she hummed, top row of perfect teeth pinning her bottom lip down gently before she spoke. “So I found the Theurgy’s very own Boo Radley, is that what you are saying?” she smiled, a glimmer of delight dipping her icy blue irises into a kind hue, bottom lids rising in joy ever so lightly. There was something endearing about people who did not want contact. Potentially due to a career in dealing with people who craved contact, the officer was usually drawn far more to the former.

As his name was proposed, the diplomat could not exactly put it to anything she had heard or read yet (outside of How to Kill a Mockingbird). Which was potentially a good thing. A personnel review was one thing, a psychological assessment another … and then there was meeting someone in person. Which both of the former could only moderately prepare you for. “Samantha Rutherford” she replied, reaching her own hand out to shake his. Their palms met gently, yet with a solid squeeze a gargle escaped the union of wet skin. Trying to overplay the humorous awkwardness she concluded. “Nice to meet you.”

Hands joined for longer than diplomatic protocol stipulated the officer loosened her grip ultimately to signal her intent for the token gesture to come to a close. Pulling her hand back the blonde passed by closely to Sarresh with a smile, potentially implying that she was leaving, at first. However, she merely moved to pick up a towel from the side-table behind him. Letting it unfold from her hand she used her second to bring the scented cloth to her mouth. Blue eyes remaining trained on the man over the fluffy cotton. As she proceeded to dry off her arms one free hand caught hold of another towel, reaching it out to the brunette.

“So, Sarresh, are you expecting me to know to keep my distance from now on?”

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #5 –
[ Lt (jg) Sarresh Morali | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02|  USS Theurgy ] Attn: @stardust 
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There was something in her look, and the small answering smile, that came off as calculating to Sarresh. Not exactly in a bad way, as it didn't immediately raise his hackles. An oddity in its own right. Most things raised his hackles. His hackles aught to more accurately be considered to exist in a state of constantly being raised. The gaze he was under was not unlike his own, minus the nature of his own impressively restored ocular coloration. Her eyes in short, did not swim from one color to another. But they held his stern in their grasp. You have been measured, and you have been judged. he thought to himself, unknowingly quoting something quite ancient. How then have you been found?

However he had been found, her first response was utterly befuddling. "Boo who?" The question slipped out, despite himself. A human cultural reference which had gone straight over his head. Sometimes he got the references and idioms, without understanding how or why he knew them. Some bleed over from the repressed memories. He had worked alongside humans for quite a large part of his life, after all. This one however, caused him to draw a blank. Was it commonly known among the species, or perhaps simply a colloquialism of her home planet, if that were not Earth?

Humans are so difficult.

At least she did not seem to mean anything poorly by it, unless he read her smile wrong. A possibility that was entirely likely, given his generally poor track record since returning to the century of his birth. In any event she took his hand and shook it all the same, firmly, which he returned. She ran about the norm for humans, her hands a bit cold from the water, while Sarresh's would feel just slightly warmer. Extra insulation beneath the surface of the skin wasn't exactly visible, but it did its job well enough. The name did not ring any bells for him, literal or otherwise, and he gave a little snort of laughter at her follow up.

"Likewise," he said in absolute honestly. This was after all the most pleasant encounter he'd had all week. Samantha, as he'd just learned, eased up on her grip and so did he, pulling his hand back and clasping it in the other, tucking both behind his back and letting an eyebrow ride up in a fashion he'd seen some of the ships Vulcans do. He tilted his head as well, a gesture common to his own species - former species, an almost frog like look of curiosity on his face. Curious indeed, he thought as she breezed past him, rather closely, as if done with the whole matter, only to turn and watch him over the hem of her towel. That gesture reminded him of...someone. He couldn't place who, which was frustrating, if not uncommon. Not someone he'd met since returning to the 24th century then, he concluded, and did his best to accept the vague sense of deja vu that had once again arisen to plague him.

More surprise followed. He took the towel from her with a nod, and ran it over his face, mimicking her, in that once he'd run it over his head and pulled it down, he watched her over the edge of it, as he worked the fabric into the short beard he now wore. Those could retain quite a bit of water, he'd learned. Soon though he could not hide behind the synthetic cotton, and its whisking properties, as he moved it down over his bare shoulders and chest. "Depends on your general opinion of time traveling saviors from the future, I suppose. Or pariahs. False god and unwilling former cult figure head? Depending on who you ask."

Why are you even bothering? Was that question for himself, or for her? He didn't rightly know. Both, likely as not. Deciding he couldn't just leave it quite at that, he gave an additional shrug. "Most people do stay away. Bad track record. If you do is entirely up to you however. In my experience, even for Starfleet personnel, things that are strange can be frightening. And you don't get all that much stranger than me." Sarresh was self-aware enough to know that much, at least. He supposed, however that the real question was, did he wish her to keep her distance. Given his record it would likely be safer for her. Or his liver. Take your pick. The thought made his lips quirk up into another amused little grin, that he didn't quite hide as he stood there, watching and awaiting her judgement, not even pretending to be drying off.

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #6 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Rutherford | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Brutus
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The fact that Samantha mostly quoted earth culture was surely due to the fact she was mainly raised by humans – even though growing up in many places (with earth being one of them). Sure she knew her way around Vulcans and many other races too but at the end of the day human literary quotes simply applied best to human trials and tribulations. Also there was an almost uniform agreement on what a species’ wants and needs were, on a more basic scale. And literature, in essence, usually tiptoed around these very basic wants and needs. Elaborating on them in meaningful ways so they wouldn’t have to admit every reasoning, every decision was just a quintessence of the need for survival and procreation … or propagation. Even a simple virus adhered to this basic formula.

Sarresh’s reply, none the less, made the diplomat chuckle once more. She had to admit, she didn’t usually find people amusing for simply their own candid demeanor. Comedians could be funny, yes, but it was an act. Someone tripping was funny, yes, but that was borderline sociopathic. The unintentional rhyme, however, was an innocent kind of glorious fun. “Boo Radley!” the blonde clarified kindly, infusing the words with subtle laughter. “How to kill a mocking bird – Harper Lee.” She continued, soon realizing she could’ve just as well continued saying ‘pigeonhole’, ‘sandcastle’, ‘tumbleweed’ … and would’ve made just as much sense to the handsome man.

“He is a character in a book.” was probably more explanatory. “I wouldn’t necessarily say the main character. He’s reclusive and a bit scare. All the kids on the street are afraid of him. But in the end … after the main plot concludes … he comes forth to be the savior of some of these kids.  Making way to the realisation that he’s been misunderstood the whole time.” Samantha hoped she recollected it right. It had been a darn long while since she’d read the book in middle school. Yet ironically, Boo had stayed with her as the star of the book despite the author surely not having intended it that way.

And as Sarresh replied to her introduction the officer got the idea that he himself was surprised he wasn’t having the most dreadful of times. His very demeanor and self-proclaimed loner status pointed at a man who preferred the simplicity of minimal human interaction. Which was about he opposite of her, really. Not that she sought out human contact whenever possible. But she found it interesting, entertaining … an ever-challenging diplomatic interaction. In that sense that everyone was a little bit of diplomat if they thought about it. Withholding or reforming the truth to manipulate a relationship or situation into a desired direction. For her, that was keeping this conversation going, as long as she could.

“Well, that’s a bit much to put on a tomb stone.” Samantha qualified with a mischievous grin. She had yet to discover if those were his own preconceptions or actually those of others. As the man continued to speak, her interim judgment fell onto the former. It almost made her feel sorry for him. A notion people seldom accepted as positive. “A bold claim.” She acknowledged, watching him a little bit more seriously as she had wanted to. “I once met a Tholian massage therapist with a fancy for figure skating … trust me, the galaxy’s default setting is ‘strange’.” Only now realising she had stopped dead in her efforts of drying herself off she was certainly way too focused on his elaborations and glistening skin.

“So, with ‘bad track record’ I reckon you mean bad things happening to people around you?” the blonde inquired. “Could just be your career.”

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #7 –
[ Lt (jg) Sarresh Morali | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02|  USS Theurgy ] Attn: @stardust 

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Understanding soon replaced confusion for Sarresh, at least in the aspect of who, or what Boo Radley was. Someone not even real, he gathers as he listened with polite interest into the words of Miss Rutherford. Mrs? He realized he didn't know, and after a breif moment of reflection decided it didn't much matter at this point. No ranks in the pool after all. No uniforms, no pips. No muss no fuss. He liked that about the pool. He didn't have to pretend and maintain the fiction that he was a life long career officer of Starfleet.  

The more he listened to this specific Starfleet Officer (an assumption, he realized), the more interested he grew. For one, the character she was describing struck him as entirely too much like himself for comfort. Sarresh could not say how he felt about this. Conflicted, and part of it must have flashed across his face. "I'm afraid I've never read the work. I think however, I'll have to rectify that."

He would reflect later on that moment, that choice, and the changes it brought. The past month had been one of change, some of it quite unpleasant. Some of it however...was not quite as bad as all that.

Sure that the ships computer carried a copy of the file, if not a physical copy of the book in the small libaray the Theurgy was out fitted with. Though if memory served, the library was more geared towards research. Still, it could not hurt to take a trip down there. Aside from the various ship lounges, the pool here, and his lab, Sarresh had not much ventured about the massive starship. I may just have to change that.

Again, the shimmering eyes flicked out and over Samantha, noting that she too had given up certain pretenses. The smirk that followed felt as alien to Sarresh as anything else in his life aboard the Theurgy, and a stab of guilt followed in its wake. Given everything, what right did he have to be smiling? Trained enough to recognize that as survivors guilt, the former Ash'reem  fixed his gaze firmly above the blondes shoulders. He started to speak, and then stopped. It was almost comical, really, his reaction to her words. Snorting out a small laugh (which, when had he last done that, one had to wonder) he clapped a hand over his jaw and dragged it down, shaking with amusement. "Well, I have to admit that a Tholian Massage therapist that liked figure skating just might take the cake. That's how you humans say it right? Take the cake?" You humans, not, we humans. 

With a soft sigh, Sarresh wrapped the towel around his waist, and tucked his thumbs into the hem of it, resting his hands on his hips in lue of crossing them over his chest. Though still wet, he wasn't nearly as drenched as before, and that would do for now. The matter at hand was less drying off and more how to address the observations from the woman currently foolish enough to talk to him. She had a point, or a sorts. "They haven't really briefed you at all have they? About me in any case. Well, I have to admit this is rather novel folr me. I'm not used to having my reputation not preceded me for once."

That could have come off as highly arrogant. Instead it came off as restrained gratitude and genuine surprise. Druming his fingers against his hips for a moment, he shrugged his shoulders. "In all honesty, its not just people around me. Plenty of nasty has happened to me too. Not that you could tell by looking, I'll give credit where credit is good. What Nicander started, the Savi finished, and that android polished off nicely."  His tone had darkened at the mention of Lucan Nicander and the Savi - there was no chance that those newly assigned to the ship would not know at least a bit about both of those subjects. At this part it was a portion of the standard boarding briefing. The android however, might not be something that Rutherford would be aware of. He didn't sound too peeved about her though, judging by the shift in tone right at the end. "Which also doesn't make any sense to you does it? 

"Forgive me. Conversation is not my strong suit. My career is quite...complicated.  Most of it is classified, come to think of it. Which does make passing dialogue of any sort of substance difficult." He looked out over her shoulder, at those still swimming. His gaze swept across to where the baths were, the steam coming from them, and the Sauna currently hidden from his view. "And in truth, its a long story. How much time do you have to hear it?" he was taking a risk here, and he knew it, and he took it anyways. Were she game, they wouldn't even have to leave the current compartment. The jacuzzis and the sauna each made decent enough space for a semi private conversation.

Or she could turn him down flat. That wouldn't be much of a surprise for him. He hoped she was game though, even if that hope in and of itself surprised him.

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #8 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Rutherford | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Brutus
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Not being someone that made a habit out of educating people, Samantha did still feel a warming sense of pride at the prospect of Sarresh potentially sitting down and – at the very least attempt to – reading ‘How to Kill a Mockingbird’. But she felt prouder so for him, than herself, because she thought it would potentially make him feel a little bit less glum about being a self-proclaimed loner. Making the man laugh, she found, was also a good way to do that. The blonde wasn’t a comedian, but she had her moments and they were usually so off-the-cuff that they actually worked.

“Yeah, and you can eat it too.” the officer laughed, ultimately calming down at the feeling of it being a little too obscure once again. “Another human expression.” she just dismissed, not making it a big deal. Placing the towel down she could feel her body soak up the remaining water particles, glistening on her skin. For someone who was dealing with people, which she didn’t usually know on a deeper level, for a living, the blonde was pretty adept to judge chemistry. Hell, she was trained to establish, fuel and use it! And she could certainly feel that there was a connection between them. Sarresh didn’t have to talk to her and by his own proclamation he usually wouldn’t have. That was endearing … and it made her care about him. Not in a deeply emotional way (yet) but in a ‘normal human being’ way.

“No, I have to admit the ‘time traveling savior from the future’ has not come up in the captain’s briefing, specifically.” Samantha replied, pulling her lips apart to show two perfect rows of white teeth in mock concern while sucking in a chilled breath with an audible hissing sound. She wasn’t trying to make fun of him or discredit his ‘titles’, just make light of the situation. As he continued to explain his ‘bad track record’ she did however recall something about a man working as a Temporal Affairs Officer, who had undergone severe surgical procedures after an accident, in a file. To be fair though, she only put the ‘time traveling’ and the ‘temporal’ together as well as the surgical procedures and his ability to hold his breath seemingly forever (and of course the gender match) but it wasn’t really a lead to make any assumptions on. In a nutshell it also was why she wasn’t an intelligence officer.

“I think it just might …” Samantha smiled kindly, a knowing nod giving rise to the possibility that she was giving her intelligence talents another chance. Tipping her head to the side slightly the blonde’s blue eyes trailed down the man’s neck and collar bone to find a part of his body that wasn’t self-deprecating, in a way. She didn’t quite get all the way there. “You’re doing fine!” she chuckled incredulously, looking back with a delighted, yet also almost pleading, look to her pate. She understood that he didn’t have to take her word for it, though she wished he would. Whatever it was that had happened to him – and so she had learned from personal experience – it was not worth it to hold yourself back. If you did, if that defined you for the rest of your life, then you could’ve just died back then too. Of course, it was a mantra she could’ve adopted herself a little better too.

“Well, my shift starts at 0900 hours so …” Samantha bit her bottom lip letting her eyes roll in their sockets all the way to the ceiling as she did the quick math. “I have about 11 hours?”

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #9 –
[ Lt (jg) Sarresh Morali | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02|  USS Theurgy ] Attn: @stardust 
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Given the last conversation that Jien Ives and Sarresh Morali had engaged in, on the Savi Precept-class vessel, Versant, it was hardly a surprise that Ives would not list Morali as a savior. Neither being viewed the time traveler thus. And the Captain had a good cause to dislike Sarresh on a personal level; despite the sacrifices made, on both parts, Sarresh and Jien mixed about as well as oil and water. Part of it stemmed from Sarresh's prickly nature and the loss he had suffered. Alive as he was, Sarresh did not hold much gratitude for the fact, even though in part it was because of Ives he still drew breath. Captain Ives had made a decision about who to save; a command decision. The right decision, and Sarresh had yet to truly forgive them for it. Then there had been the way that Sarresh had questioned the stunning of Hi'Jak in the heat of the moment. He could have done it better. He still felt he was right.

They had not spoken face to face sense. That it seemed, had been for the best. They got along much better when they did not have need to actually talk to one another.

However, it now fell to Sarresh to inform this person across from him about his history. That she had been briefed by the captain spoke to her having a high rank (another assumption). Not every new comer got a face to face. He got a bit of a far off look as he contemplated just what could and could not be said, then shrugged his shoulders and dismissed the worry. He'd talk, that would be hard enough. There was no way he could actually violate the Temporal Prime Directive save in a situation to better serve the mission so he didn't have to really worry.

The look he gave Samantha when she reassured him that he was doing a good job of talking was one of not quite belief, as if he thought she was being perhaps more kind than he merited. Having been beaten over the head with kindness recently, courtesy of a very, very insistent and admittedly well-meaning Savi made Android, Sarresh thought he just might be able to tell when it was being directed at him again. Thus he took her words in the fashion they were intended, even if they did not quite relive him of his concerns. Thus resolved, he watched her make a production of deciding if she had the time for him.

Her tongue in cheek response did more to set him at ease than if she had simply said something like 'yes' and left it at that. Ironic humor he could work with; sincerity was difficult. He dipped his head and flashed her a relatively unused toothy smile, before pulling his lips back over his teeth and making a soft popping noise, and more blatantly turning toward the other section of the public bathing area - the baths that gave the place it's name.  "Eleven hours just might cover it," he allowed.

Gesturing toward the large, open double doors, he set off in that direction, working his way around the pool from where he had surfaced next to the blonde. "Before my near death and...we'll call it rehabilitation, not resurrection - I was an amphibian. I use the word in the literal sense, not the metaphorical. The science behind it all still gives me a headache, and by profession I am a scientist." The wry smile was there again, as he strode along, his hands clasped tightly behind him now, resting against the curve of his towel clad rump. A pensive expression followed as he continued.

"The point being, that I am still more comfortable in the water when I can get away with it. As long as it is not too much of a hardship, I think one of the large tubs would work for a conversation as well as anywhere else. Most folks that come here don't listen in on other conversations in other baths, from what I have gathered. The jets under the water do make it somewhat difficult." He stopped just shy of actually entering the place, waiting to see if she was all right with his suggestion. This put them conveniently next to a replicator as well, and, after a moments reflection, he stepped past to replicate himself a glass of iced tea. Belatedly he remembered that humans had these things called 'manners' and he did look like one of them so he aught to exercise them.

"Er, anything you'd like?" Yes, he was out of practice, and this was not coming easy to him, no matter how much he might try to pretend he was calm.

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #10 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Rutherford | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Brutus
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Despite making the knowledge of human interactions an occupational hazard, Samantha was still always surprised that an encounter could feel like being back in the school yard, all giddy and flustered, in all the best ways. Sure, she was well versed in hiding it due to her work and maybe just a bit more adept in reading it on others, but that didn’t mean she could not feel it too, from time to time. It wasn’t like they were drawing circles into the ground with their toes, bashfully blushing and avoiding direct eye-contact. No, even such a notion had evolved with maturity. But there was still an underlying sentiment in the air that felt awfully nostalgic.

Running her hands through the long, wet tresses once more, the blonde enveloped the extents of it within her thumbs and index fingers to mold a pony tail into her hair, before shaking the now transferred water droplets from her hands. Listening to the first leg of Sarreh’s elaborations she focused, her pate a beautiful shade of curiosity and appreciation. Nodding slowly the officer merely validated the point of knowing some amphibian species, which made her want to imagine what he’d looked like before the ‘rehabilitation’. His eyes were certainly an indicator that made a lot more sense by now, as was the water breathing.

“Maybe I was an amphibian in another life too.” Samantha mused, concluding with a light chuckle. She could certainly relate. Ultimately she followed the man’s motion towards the annex. “A hot tub sounds perfect, actually. I could warm up a bit … seeing as you have done so well for yourself in that regard.” she meant, metaphorically speaking. Running the tips of her index fingers through the posterior line of her bathing suit the woman pulled the fabric flat across the voluptuous valley area off-handedly, just stopping to hear Sarreh’s offer.

“Make that a long island iced-tea for me.” she smiled, waiting for him to process the order. “Not that I usually care, but people may not be as straightforward about their overhearing as you may want them to be.” The diplomat considered that friendly advice and accompanied it with a grin. If he wasn’t that adept to human behavior, at the very least, she’d have to inform him that curiosity was certainly an important vice of her people. Following him through the glass doors into the emptied out hot tub area she concluded. “Not that we’ll have to worry about that.”

Climbing into one of the tubs, Samantha let out a comfortable moan, biting her bottom lip with closed eyes, the hot water instantly relaxing her muscles. Settling back into the far end side, the blonde stretched her long legs out across the tub floor and her hand to accept the drink gladly. “Thank you. Nothing more exhilarating than a cold drink in hot water.” The two opposing forces were always an enjoyable thrill ride. Taking the first sip she waited for Sarresh to come in, the limited space in the bottom of the tub meaning their legs would have to share close proximity if he too chose to stretch out.

“So, you’re the temporal affairs officer, right?” she finally allowed her suspicions to manifest into more than just guesswork, given he admitted to being in science. Thus adding another piece to the puzzle. “Not a herpetologist or an ichthyologist … how did that come about?”

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #11 –
[ Lt (jg) Sarresh Morali | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02|  USS Theurgy ] Attn: @stardust 
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It was inevitable that Sarresh's ever shifting eyes would be drawn by the way the blonde adjusted her bathing suit. She was not an Ash'reem, did not have the sea foam coloration in her skin, and her hair was a lighter shade than ever appeared in his species. In his former species. Nevertheless the gesture, innocent and designed solely for comfort though it may have been, made Sarresh quite aware of her in an ever so subtly different fashion than he had before. Again, there was that twinge of guilt. Again, it wasn't as painful as he had imagined it would, or should be. As he was unwilling to seek out professional counseling, he would simply have to set that aside, rather than poke at it and get to the cause of the discrepancy between expected guilt and actualized guilt, and what to do about either. 

In any event, his gaze did flick downward for a moment, and then back up, and hoped that if she had noticed, she had not taken any offense. That would be rather unlucky of him, ticking off the first person in some time to show a passing interest in him that wasn't duty related, or misplaced divinity worship. She had expressed an interest in continuing in the hot tub however, and that was good enough for Sarresh, as he rolled his drink back and forth between his hands, and listened to her response. It didn't all make sense, but he felt an eyebrow quirk up at her drink. What made an Ice Tea from 'Long Island' - where ever that was - so special was beyond him, but he placed the order all the same, and watched as the drink materialized in the replicator. 

He caught a whiff of it as he took it from the alcove, and felt his eyebrows both shoot up wide. While not exactly well versed in the world of heavy drinking, or light drinking, he'd spent enough nights being right stupid in the Below Decks Lounge in the ships third vector to recognize at least some of what he was smelling, and nod his head appreciatively. "I'll have to try this at some point. And keep that in mind as well." She wasn't wrong he supposed, in regards to eavesdropping. 

"Well. I'd say you have the right of it. Even given the hour, I'll admit I expected there to be more people here." Ceding the lead to the woman, Sarresh let his gaze roam over the collection of pleasantly warm and bubbling tubs. Samantha chose one, which was as good as any of the others in his opinion, and he followed after, watching her settle into it with a small smile. There at least he could relate to the stranger he was in the process of meeting properly. Settling into a tub properly required pleased moans and groans, as far as he was concerned. He passed the drink off to her with a quiet, "You're welcome," and then proceeded to doff his towel that had been around his hips, letting it fall to the floor and taking a moment to adjust the small speedo style garment he wore. He sniffed at the signs scattered about, reminding everyone present that they must wear proper bathing attire. 

Humans, he thought, blaming the primary species of the ships contingent for that rule, though he was well aware that they were not the only species with nudity taboos. With less difficulty than he would have had shortly after he'd been rebuilt as a human, Sarresh climbed into the hot water and turned to face Samantha as he eased himself down into the tub. It wasn't terribly large, but it was big enough for the two officers to comfortably hold a conversation without the need to shout loudly to be heard. Unavoidably however, his legs did brush up against hers, but if she gave a sign it bothered her, he didn't notice. And his former species had been an especially tactile sort, among their own kind if not those from off world. He was human now however, and there were no more Ash'reem. That did not detract from his occasional desire for contact, which was often at odds with his reclusive nature and habits of late. 

In short, if she wasn't bothered, he wasn't bothered at all.

A flicker of surprise washed over his face as Samantha questioned his position on the ship. It seemed she had been able to discern something about him after all. He leaned back against his side of the tub, resting his elbows on the edges and cradling the glass of tea in both hands. Taking a sip from it allowed him to contemplate the best response to her rather broad question. Setting his drink on the edge of the tub in a convenient divot designed for just that, he let his hands fall into the warm water and his gaze settle fully on Samantha.

"That is correct. I was a physicist on my home planet around the time we discovered faster than light travel and gained the attention of the Federation. I was one of an assortment of my former species sent to Memory Alpha as part of a cultural knowledge exchange. The team was mostly biologists and doctors, but there were a few of us from the other sciences. At least, as far as I can remember. A lot of what and who I used to be is scrambled. 

"Regardless, I had an aptitude for quantum mechanics and temporal theory even before we'd encountered your people. It was nurtured during my stay at Memory Alpha. This was...the early 2360s. I don't remember what exactly happened next - it's all been repressed. I do know that at some point after 2366, and before 2381, I ended up as a long serving member of the USS Relativity. Which was a time ship from the 29th century. Which is where I have spent most of my life, until a few months ago.  The parasitic species that we are currently fighting here in the 24th century began to exploit the timeline and future knowledge, making changes to how history was supposed to go. As a 'native' of the 24th century, and considering there was at the time a contingent of Ash'reem aboard the Theurgy, I apparently volunteered to be sent back after we arrived in time to offset the changes caused by the events at Niga." During it all, his tone had become almost dispassionate, as if he were talking about someone else's life. Right up until the words 'apparently volunteered.'

Sighing, he ran a hand over his face, leaving the whole thing rather wet in the wake, but he didn't mind. He lay his palm against his chest, idly tapping his fingers. "I'm here to monitor the time line for further violations and corruptions and prevent them as best I can, or at the very least, keep them from harming the Theurgy and her mission. And for better or worse - no, for better and worse, I've done a surprisingly good job of it." His throat was parched after the long explination to the short question, and he had to swallow more of the tea to sooth it. "I don't think I've actually had to put all that into words for anyone before. It does sound like one of those...large tales? No, Tall tales, that's it."

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #12 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Rutherford | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Brutus
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Settling into the warm water and comfortable seat, the sensors of the hot-tub instantly started the relaxation program and bubbles started to tickle Samantha’s skin on their way to the surface. A comfortable chill of the slightly cooler air against the hot water once again creating a pleasurable sensation that was not matched by much. Not in HER solitary life anyways. It was funny though, in that regard the pretty blonde too was a loner since the Battle of Cardassia that had claimed her late husband. At least in the romantic department. Occupationally she was still the same social butterfly that seemed to find superficial connections with just about anyone. It was the more intimate ones that eluded her for the most part … until now, potentially.

Snaking her had around the tall glass, like a boa around its prey, the officer settled the cold drink against her temple, biting her bottom lip at the chill. Blue eyes trained on the handsome brunette, she listened to his elaborations, only shifting ever so lightly in her space. Noticing her smooth legs touch his, her gaze briefly dropped to the disturbed and violent surface of bubbles and light refractions, but she didn’t make any attempt to move, before locking eyes with his again. The early 2360s, she contemplated, the diplomat had been in middle school then. However, Sarresh looked no day older than her. Which may have been due to his general surgical overhaul, or a connection to temporal affairs she had yet to hear about.

Intrigue growing on her features Samantha hung on his every word. Ah: The USS Relativity … a name that had appeared in files, throwing a wrench into spacetime proceedings more than once. Ultimately, probably, contributing to the necessity of such a position even, that Sarresh was filling. She found it difficult enough to keep track of everything in their linear existence let alone taking into account time-travel. But since the war she had certainly entertained the thought more. Particularly in going back and changing the way things worked out. But that was, evidently, always a dangerous thing to attempt. As such, she was glad never to have been immediately faced with that option.

For a moment, as he finished, the officer didn’t even know what to reply to that. Letting out a slow breath, as if she’d been holding that one in through his entire narration, she moved her lips from side to side. Ultimately deciding to save some more time by taking a sip of her drink. It wasn’t that she doubted a single word he was saying … “You were not exaggerating.” she ultimately smiled kindly. “That is a lot.” And through it all she felt like she understood him better now. There were some similarities to Cassandra from Greek mythology, who was given the power to see the future, but was ultimately alienated by the fact that no one believed her, and haunted by the fact that she couldn’t change anything.

“Definitely a ‘tall tale’.” the blonde agreed with a self-ironic chuckle. “I assume you cannot actively intervene in the timeline yourself.” she raised a brow, figuring since his work sounded more defensive than offensive. “So, you really don’t remember anything of the Theurgy’s ultimate fate?” she asked, even though the answer was quite obvious.

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #13 –
[ Lt (jg) Sarresh Morali | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02|  USS Theurgy ] Attn: @stardust 
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A hand found its way up out of the water, to press against Sarresh's neck, rubbing at the Adams apple there. As this was his own hand, Sarresh was hardly surprised by it. Talking so much, in such depth, was out of place for the former Ash'reem and he felt almost as if he had to make sure he had not worn a hole in his neck from his voice box bobbing up and down a parched throat. He caught himself in the act a moment later and curled his fingers back into his palm, watching Samantha as she digested all that he had dumped upon her.

Naturally he took it as a good sign that the human (mostly, unless his nose was off) had not bolted out from the tub. Nor had she laughed derisively in his face. She had not even removed her leg from where it lay against his, after he had sunk in and stretched out. They'd both shifted about under the jets of the hot tub, of course, each getting comfortable. Comfortable seemed to entail some contact it appeared. As she finally seemed to find her words, she favored him with a gentle smile, which, though he was loath to admit it, surprised and pleased him. Usually smiles sent his way were pitying, or sardonic. That he might have said something deserving of the latter at the time did not enter his thoughts. That this smile was neither mean or patronizing was... pleasant. 

Yes, that was the word. Pleasant. Her words were what they called a gross understatement, and he chuckled softly, saluting her with the glass he held in his hand. "I believe the proper measurement of use in this case is something called a 'metric fuck ton.'" His tone was a dry as the deserts on Aldea he had trekked through to treat with the Savi some weeks back. "Heard that one from an ops petty officer. Rather liked it. Seems to fit."

His with seemed to mix well enough with hers. It was a different kind of tete-a-tete than what he had indulged in with Ryuan Sel, the late security officer that had taken quiet an interest in him since the events involving the Harbinger. The Borg had seen to her, but they had not assimilated his humor, he was pleased to see. Different, but, he realized, not unwelcome. That raised his opinion of the woman that shared the hot tub with him somewhat more than it had been already. Not that he'd had a bad opinion of her, far from it. She had shown him no reason not to like her, and like her quite a bit. Which was...scary.

Still, her observations were quite on point, if said with some traces of irony. Setting his glass aside again, Sarresh brought two fingers up and tapped his temple - a gesture he had grown quite fond of over the past few months here aboard the Theurgy. "Memory Engramatic Encoding," he enunciated each word with a sort of derisive glee. "My friends aboard the Relativity were devilishly clever and blessed with a hefty amount of foresight - if you'll pardon the obvious pun."

Leaning forward, Sarresh crossed one arm over the other and lay them over one of his knees - all below the surface of the water. Thus hunched toward Samantha, he held her gaze with those oh so alien eyes and pushed forward. Now that he was talking about it - really talking about himself, he seemed eager to press on and educate her from how he saw things, and not the rampant rumors that ran wild through the ship. Perspective was everything.

"I know how history was supposed to go. It's buried, locked away in parts of my brain that I cannot access - and currently Federation medical technology cannot unlock. It lies there, waiting for the exact moment the information is needed. Sometimes it will be a simple thing - I'll just suddenly know something about someone I am talking to and not realize until after I've said it that it was new information. Rather frustrating that, but honestly it's much easier than the larger information dumps.

"Those usually come in the form of a seizure, that hits like a runaway Worker Bee colliding with a support pylon. Crashes right into the back of my brain. First time that happened was when the Calamity appeared. Not sure if you've read that report." He shrugged. "I got just enough information to get us to safety. To change the course of events. The last time it happened was in the Azure nebula, when the Borg transwarp conduit opened up and the first cube began to emerge." Despite the warmth, he shivered, as if cold, and pulled back. His eyes grew very distant for a moment, and then he said, in a very soft voice,

"Do you know the most fascinating thing about that day? We changed the course of history on such a grand scale that I can't even begin to understand how someone from up-time hasn't come back to chew me out. Not only did we prevent the Parasite infestation from taking hold in the Borg Collective, and irreparably damage any chance of a future in which any life is left...not only did we stop them from changing the time line. We actually changed it ourselves." He thought, perhaps, that the same programming in his head that denied him certain information would now prevent him from revealing what would have happened. In the moment, he had been able to tell Ives and those aboard the Versant what Wenn Cinn's sacrifice had done. But no, the words tumbled forth. 

"We prevented one of the single most devastating events in history of the galaxy; the Borg Invasion of 2381. 63 Billion dead. 40% of the fleet wiped out. Worlds across the Federation, Klingon and Romulan Empires, even what's left of the Cardassian Union and smaller powers like the Tzenkethi, all devastated. And we...stopped it. It won't happen. The Borg won't be back. Won't be that kind of threat. Not for a very long time, and I do believe, we'll be ready for them. So you see, I can interfere. I just have no control over when I do or don't." He seemed oddly cheerful about it, as if it was relief to tell someone that hadn't been there what they had accomplished. But only for a moment, before his smile grew rueful.

"I think I owe you an apology after that. I'm pretty sure you didn't expect to have such a heavy topic basically dumped on your shoulders." This was not how one socialized, he was sure. For one usually so quiet he seemed to be dominating the conversation, and the subject matter wasn't exactly light.

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #14 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Rutherford | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Brutus
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Samantha wasn’t one to run away from a conversation, just because it got heavy or sad, or all of the above. The best stories were heavy or sad! They told more about a person, and how they came to be, who they were now, than any funny anecdote ever could. With every word, spawning from the comforting baritone, one piece after the other, about Sarresh, fell into place, and she got a better understanding of who he was. She wasn’t a counselor, but a big part of diplomacy was listening too, just as it was a basic understanding of the psyche. And she was a great listener. Interjecting sporadically when necessary, to direct the flow of information. But it wasn’t all business, was it.

One did not share a hot tub for negotiations, one did not rub one’s legs against a foreign ambassador during talks. It was certainly not the kind of diplomatic schooling the officer had received. Which was why she usually disdained the use of ‘colorful’ language. But it made so much sense he used this 'crass' vernacular, that it only delighted her. Almost tempted to repeat it, just for reassurance that she had not taken offense, if he’d wondered, the woman ultimately decided against it. Using her better judgment. She had surely picked up on that kind of language being used here and there on the ship. Certainly it would not gain foothold in her own department.

It made Samantha wonder, however, if this was really the first time ever, that Sarresh had this conversation with someone. If so, it would both feel rewarding and sad. Pushing her bottom lip up a bit, raising her well-groomed brows, the blonde subconsciously showed, she wasn’t really aware of the term ‘Memory Engramatic Encoding’. Probably because it hadn’t even been invented yet. “I’ll let it slide this time.” she subsequently chuckled at his pardon. Seeing a more open side of his personality glow through the haze of self-loathing, was a heart-warming sight to behold. Even though she had only met this man just a minute ago and wasn’t holding any kind of sentimental feelings for him, that wouldn’t have had any time to develop yet. Her human side sometimes was just as powerful as Vulcan meditation – potentially more. It could not always be subdued and shone in the most favourable light possible at times. She could actually be empathetic like that.

As Sarresh leaned forward, another very human - or better: mammalian - sentiment kicked in: Fight or flight! The diplomat’s body had stiffened, if only for a second, yet not out of fear, but of surprise. And surely her heartbeat had quickened in that moment just the same. She wasn’t sure what atrocities she had expected … or what romantic shenanigans alike. Feeling downright stupid she let out a relaxed chuckle shortly after. Which easily got lost in the continuation of his life’s story. There was certainly another 'metric fuck ton’, she had to admit to herself. But she was living for every minute of it. A lot of it had been in the files that Anderson had provided, but it had so much more gravity coming from someone who’d been along for the whole ride. In the report, everyone had just been names, crew files to peruse, a list of casualties. These weren’t real people, until now. At least some of them. And it caught Samantha with a tightening feeling in the back of her throat.

Swallowing that lump down with a long swig of long island iced tea the blonde brushed her lips together for a moment, eyes trained to the chaotic surface of the tub, gathering her thoughts … and emotions. Looking back up she smiled again, albeit a bit more wearily. “Sounds like you’re the guy I’d want around when stuff goes down.” Noticed? She hadn’t said ‘shit’. A more or less ironic chuckled followed. But if the track record was any indication, occasional hints from the future were an advantage they had over everyone else.

“No.” she replied, with a certain sense of reassurance to the serious tone, reaching her free hand forward to place it on his crossed forearms for a moment. “You don’t have to apologize. I am glad I was here to listen.” Okay, that was a little bit too sappy for her own taste, at the very least in this context. It sounded less ‘Jane Austen’ in her head. But the warmth, radiating against her palm, was a feeling that could not be entirely explained by biological means alone. It was a chemistry beyond the realm of science. Patting his skin for reassurance the blonde retreated to her side once more, giving the man his much-loved space back. Taking a moment to think about it … it was sort of poetic that he had all the answers but could not access them. Bestowed with all the knowledge of the future but no power of when and where to change it.

“Have you … ever tried a mind-meld to access the information?” Samantha asked cautiously. “It’s not exactly a science and thus not so easy to prepare a general defence against.”

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #15 –
[ Lt (jg) Sarresh Morali | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02|  USS Theurgy ] Attn: @stardust 
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Much to Sarresh's relief, the blonde waved off his apology readily enough, with such swiftness that he judged her sincere. Just as she had not minded the (continued) incidental contact of leg against leg under the warm water, Samantha had seemed perfectly willing to listen to his rather astonishing tale. How much of what he was telling her was new to her, he couldn't tell. He had to assume she had some background briefing on what had befallen the ship since its flight from Jupiter Station (a moment that predated Sarresh's own return to the 24th century, and was therefore just files and data points for him as it might be for her). But he knew for sure, judging by her reactions, that she had not know the extent of what they had managed to prevent, and what they had changed.

Sure enough, he really did feel a sense of pride about being able to tell someone; to have someone who wasn't there believe him, and understand, even in some small part. Had he allowed himself to follow that line of thought further, he might have discovered a connection that he shared with most of the rest of the crew of the Theurgy, and perhaps even those few remaining souls that had mistakenly tried to turn him into some deific being. But he did not follow the line of thought. He got lost up more in the moment shared with Samantha, than the potential broader implications. 

And in truth, her touch was pretty distracting. More so than her words about him, about how she figured he'd be the kind of person you would want by your side when adversity struck. Funny that the touch did more to grab his attention than the assessment. Or maybe not so funny. Despite being rebuilt as human, he was still a tactile creature. He noticed that kind of thing, and he let his eyes glance down, reflecting the bubbling of the water in the way the colors shifted about the orbs. The irony - he liked space, he liked room, he liked to keep his distance. But he liked physical contact. At his heart, Sarresh was a contradiction. 

"Thank you," he said. For the touch? For the words? Why not both? Both is good, he thought to himself, settling back as well. There was the beginnings of something here, starting in this tub that he could not put a finger on. Gratitude, surely, to the stranger he had just met, that was part of it. But there was something else, familiar and yet, Sarresh could not define it, and more the pity. He stretched for a moment, legs pushing forward, arms arching up and back. That lead to  more contact, though he did pull his legs back toward him after ward, not willing to leave his feet practically in her lap. He thought humans found that sort of thing rude but he wasn't sure, and didn't want to make an issue of it. He had just grabbed his own glass of tea and brought it back to his lips when her thoughtful question froze him in place like a paused hologram. 

A mind meld? Something tugged at the back of his mind at that. Why had we not... he couldn't quite finish the thought. Frustration had made him question the programming dumped into his brain on more than one occasion. He understood, intellectually why his memories were locked away; because they couldn't trust him. Ives and Ducane, the captain of the Relativity. But how did they know for sure what he needed to know. He had no luck on his own, so why had he not considered bringing a Vulcan into the matter?

He looked over at Samantha with a focused, hawk like gaze, only blinking once or twice. The drink remained cradled in his hand, forgotten the bottom hovering just over the bubbling surface of the water. Condensation slid down the sides of the glass, dripping into the much warmer bath below. Something about the idea of a mind meld sat wrong with Sarresh and he could not understand why. What he did not remember was that he had, in fact, had his mind invaded once before by a very talented Vulcan, using the mind meld to help integrate his subconscious with the new body that had been practically grafted onto him. She had done other things too, during that, twisted his mind, though not without good intentions, to ease the loss he had experienced, dull the suffering. All at the bidding of Lucan Nicander. The last twist had been to ensure that he did not even remember it had happened.

And now he was watching Samantha, probing at this train of thought she had ushered into his mind. Slowly, he ran his tongue over his lips and blinked, coming back into  focus. "I...have not asked someone to meld with me, to probe the programming that has been put in place to protect the timeline. I am not sure that the Captain would allow that, if it were brought to their attention as an option, though by rights it is my mind, so it aught to be my decision. No one had purposed the idea before. Why not?" The question was as much to whatever gods there may or may no be as to the woman across from him.

"My brain is...hmmm." Sarresh frowned at this, finally looking away from the woman across from him as he searched for the right words to use.  "It is like a maze full of locked doors. Or perhaps more so, a piece of cheese...the kind with the holes in it? I'm not sure it would be safe for someone to go rummaging about inside there, but that can't be the reason no one has suggested it before." He looked at her again, and this time it was with curiosity. An eyebrow shot up on his forehead in a perfect mimicry of a Vulcan. Ironic, considering. 

"Why do you ask? Do you...know someone who might be willing to try taking a look in there? Risking what they might find?"

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #16 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Rutherford | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Brutus
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In reality, there was only so much physical contact that could go unnoticed under the guise of coincidence or sheer happenstance. The deep confines of a hot tub certainly aiding the sentiment. Until one was to wonder, whether there was an actual intent behind such actions. Especially someone who was educated in assuming that everyone did everything for a reason, even if it wasn’t an obvious one. So, safe to say, overanalyzing intimate social interactions, even in a private setting, was probably an occupational hazard too. But that scrutinizing notion aside, Samantha was utterly content with letting it pass, despite noting the potential implications to the ‘negotiation’ they were having. Justifying it with the logic of giving an opponent enough leeway so they would bask themselves in a feeling of comfort, as opposed to being on edge all the time. Which, ironically in this situation, matched up with the personal implications between them, all too well.

Then, she realized, she must’ve said something that struck a nerve and it didn’t take much diplomatic talent to do so. Most of her latest comments had been offhanded and not aimed at some higher level of resolution. Exploring avenues that didn’t seem entirely traversable. At least to her. Watching Sarresh speak up again, with intrigue, the diplomat was just about to intervene and remind him of his right as an individual as he did so himself. A proud smile creeping on her plump lips, she nodded gently with approval. It was another thing she was learning about him, that he was his own man. Yes, there was duty, and it was a big, if not overbearing, part of their lives. But they weren’t the Borg and a glimmer of individuality made them all the more unpredictable. So quenching that couldn’t have been in the best interest of any captain. Not even for the greater good. Which, she had found out, wasn’t necessarily their CO’s primary goal to begin with.

Pushing her bottom lip upwards, Samantha shook her head lightly. She didn’t know any reason why he shouldn’t pursue this option, if it was one, if only for the obvious ramification of ending up with an insight that potentially did more good than bad. A warm smile returning on beautiful features, like a mirage across the steaming water, the officer let the man describe what he assumed the inside of his head looked like. He made it sound so intriguing. “Have you never wondered what it would be like, peeking into someone else’s head?” she pondered, posing an almost existentialist question. Ironically, even with her ¼ Vulcan physiology, she herself had never even thought about trying it. As a recipient or as an initiator. Regarding the latter she honestly didn’t even know if she could … curious. The prospect of unearthing whatever it was that the future held – and as an added bonus what was holding Sarresh back – made it sound so much more intriguing.

“No, not really.” the blonde had to admit almost bashfully, since she’d been the one to bring it up. Now it felt like she’d deliberately steered them into a dead-end. Getting his hopes up only to squash them moments later. “Sorry.” She added. Barely audible across the bubbling and roaring of the water. Regaining her composure, the woman felt like she had to snap out of it. This was hardly professional, nor helpful. “I mean, I know a couple of Vulcans who technically could perform the meld. My Assistant CDO for example – with the added bonus of potentially being assimilated at the same time.” she chuckled, leaving the revelation open to dawn on Sarresh naturally. “I think the more important question is, who would you be comfortable with probing around in there.” Leaning forward slightly Samantha reached her arm out to gently flick her index-finger against the top of his forehead. If he didn’t back away that was. She wouldn’t have held it against him. “I guess that’s why I have never tried it myself. It’s very … personal.”

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #17 –
[ Lt (jg) Sarresh Morali | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02|  USS Theurgy ] Attn: @stardust 
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Something he had said had made her face light up, and Sarresh wasn't sure just what it was. He was equally unsure as to why this felt good. He barely knew Samantha. This wasn't someone he had an established professional or personal relationship with. Life had taught him not to have relationships after all. Recent life in any case; as was the subject of the discussion at hand, he was unsure if that had been the case prior to his 'selfless' return to the 24th century. Still, he had done something right in her book, even if he was still confused as to what. He could, he supposed, live with that. No sooner had he reached that conclusion, than his fellow bather threw a new challenge at him.

The look Sarresh shot Samantha was mix of curiosity and incredulity. She spoke with a muted sense of wonder. He reached up and rubbed the bottom of his chin with the back of one of his wet fingers, rolling her question around in his mind. There was genuine fascination in her voice, to the point that he could actually tell it was there. An accomplishment given his ill attitude with...well, people. Sarresh knew that humans smiled when they were happy, or wanted to be friendly, or wanted to put someone at ease. Usually. So he took that at face value and shook his head ever so slightly. But then he stopped, and his frown deepened as her words led him to a somewhat unwanted realization. "You know what? I was going to say, 'I have never wondered what it would be like' except... I don't know. I may very well have, and just can't remember. It's all very circular isn't it? I certainly am wondering now though."

He gave her a wry smile after that, to show he wasn't trying to be an ass - that was a hazard with his usual behavior. There was little else he could do at this point to ease any potential sting that his words might have engendered, though from what he'd seen so far, the mysterious new crew member named Samantha seemed overly perceptive for a human. And he was fairly sure she was human. Mostly. And he'd had just enough experience with the species to recognize a certain bashfulness in her apology and answer. He let out a bit of a sigh all the same. It had been a stretch to assume she might have someone in mind. Having not realized the true nature of what was making her smell slightly less than human, he could of course have no real idea as to why she had even really considered the prospect to begin with. Not the real reason. Nor the potential there.

"It's fine," he said from his now forward leaning position even as she started to speak up again, his words cutting off sharply as he listened to what else she had to say. His eyebrows shot up high on his forehead at the mention of her Assistant, wondering just what a CDO was, and why having the Vulcan man perform a mind meld on him would carry the risk of a Borg Assimilation. He raised a finger and opened his mouth as if to respond, and then thought better of it, lowering said finger, and the hand it was attached, and closing his mouth with a soft shake of a head. She had an assistant. He didn't know what the 'D' stood for, but he knew enough to understand that the C likely meant Chief, and the O stood for Officer, and he realized that, as one human he'd over heard had put it, he might just be 'punching above his weight class.'

With that slowly dawning on Sarresh, by rights he should have pulled his head away, but he hadn't the foggiest notion of what she was about to do, and just how deep the waters he was now in went.

He did jerk back - after the fact - and rubbed his forehead with the palm of his hand. It didn't hurt, but Sarresh let out a puff of indignant air all the same. It pushed away his concerns about her position on the ship, if nothing else. Her question though, and what she said after, had his lips thinned and his face one of pure concentration. "You...have a habit of making me think about myself, Perhaps more than is comfortable." He held up that finger again to forestall any sort of apology. "Considering that I usually just wallow, I'd say that's an improvement.

"I don't know any Vulcan's personally, so it's rather hard to say whom I would feel comfortable with rummaging around in the mess between my ears. There was a Vulcan Doctor, Maya, that was involved in my... recovery. I know of her, but I don't know her." And the former Ash'reem had no idea what she'd done to him on Dr. Nicander's orders. "But I believe I've read that she has left the ship. The new head counselor is a Vulcan, but I don't know her at all. Even setting aside the requirement of being Vulcan, for the sake of discussion I am not the most comfortable person to be around, and I don't get close to others easily. Or perhaps I haven't allowed myself to do so before now, given some obvious exceptions." He gestured with a little flick of the wrist towards Samantha. Obviously, things were surprisingly comfortable at the moment. Perhaps it was the company; perhaps it was the hot water.

"Have to make friends with a Vulcan first. Clearly that's the logical course of action." Belatedly Sarresh realized he'd made a pun, and groaned aloud. "Sorry. Should have realized that one as I said it, not after. Still." He paused here, blowing out another puff of air and letting his head drift to the side as he blinked those multicolored eyes. "As you noted, it is a very personal undertaking, the mind meld. Have you had many occasions to decline the offer?" He did not realize her words could also be interpreted to mean, she had not chosen to perform one on someone else.

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #18 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Rutherford | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Brutus
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Coaxing a subconscious desire or truth out of someone, or incepting one, was always a rewarding feast to witness. It was the pinnacle of diplomatic finesse and was usually rewarded with an honor or too. In this very instance, the personal gratification was a more endearing one. Something that merely existed in the charged air between two people, rather than on an official dedication. Sure, sometimes the diplomat felt bad for using her professional skills in a private setting, even if, by now, it was an almost natural notion. It had become harder and harder to separate both worlds, to the point where one had become the reaper of the other. Almost. The real Samantha, beneath the veneer of professionalism, wasn’t dead yet and her subtle stirrings sparkled on the surface of her consciousness like the droplets on her skin. It was a welcome sensation to feel her emerge, if only for a bit.

“Just because you don’t remember your feelings doesn’t mean you can’t re-investigate them. You're still the same person.” the blonde replied somewhat casually, though an easily distinguishable glimmer of sympathy was conveyed as well. And it didn’t take long for Sarresh to realise that she was intent on tickling out more from the man than was probably comfortable. In all honesty, the officer was probably best described as a cross between a counselor and an intelligence officer. And both sides of that medallion were minted to find out more about the curious male specimen before her. But not to her own advantage. Or maybe so, in regards of understanding him better. Sometimes it could be hard to make friends when you were bound by your inner daemons. That much the woman could readily relate to. But with her outgoing personality that wasn’t something that kept other people at distance. The only instance where she was hiding away from everyone at the bottom of a pool was a metaphorical sentiment. The pool potentially being this very outgoing personality after all.

“Glad to hear it.” Samantha smiled warmly at his final judgment of it being a good thing. Her making him think about himself, that was. It was always good to self-reflect, given that 90% of the time, it was their own selves that kept them back. And he thought he didn’t get close to people easily … “It’s funny you would say that, since your legs have been rubbing up against mine for the better part of 15 minutes now.” the diplomat replied dryly, as if to chastise him, only to bite the inside of her cheek in an effort to keep the smile from growing too quickly. Ultimately, however, she had to burst in a small laugh. It only proofed her earlier point: That Sarresh was far more open and warmer than he thought he would be, once he’d stopped thinking about it altogether. She acknowledged his motion towards her with a gratifying and thankful nod. Glad to be of service.

“The logical course of action will always get you an instant IN with any Vulcan.” The blonde chuckled kindly. The people from that part of her heritage were actually quite approachable, if you thought of it. There was no personal animosity or superficial reasoning holding a Vulcan back. Not in an ideal scenario, at least. She had also encountered one or the other Vulcan who merely embraced a self-serving sense of logic, rather than a true one. Especially in the political field. She also had to agree with a meld being an extremely personal and private undertaking, even if she had already stated her association with that notion. “In my culture a meld is not exactly something that is offered readily, like a drink or … a hot tub.” she grinned mischievously, not done teasing yet. Watching Sarresh huff and puff was too much fun. “In Vulcan culture, I mean.” she subsequently corrected quickly, though not with the haste of a potentially fatal mistake. “But I am sure you’ll find the courage and comfort with someone to perhaps investigate that avenue, just as you’ll find the person, you’ll feel that way with.” It was the least encouraging thing she could say, yet somehow, she felt as if she should’ve given it more effort.

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #19 –
[ Lt (jg) Sarresh Morali | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02|  USS Theurgy ] Attn: @stardust 
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Now there was a philosophical question for the ages, or so Sarresh felt. Given that his memory had been repressed and rearranged; given that his body had been rebuilt almost from nothing;given that he had no idea what his personality had been before the start of this mission - was he the same person? A ship of ...something. He knew there was a word for it, it was on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't remember it. If every piece was replaced was the boat the same? Aloud, he said, "I think I need something stronger than this before I debate philosophy with you. We'll save that for another time." If Samantha was curious about what he meant, well, they could sort that out later as well, but he figured she would be perceptive enough to come to understand what he was talking about on her own. She had been so far, after all.

Perceptive, and slightly wicked in her rebuttal. She had him right there, and Sarresh couldn't argue. His face paled ever so slightly, and he dropped his eyes down to the bubbling water - and beyond that, where he could just make out the tangled limbs, his and hers, rubbing against one another in the center of the tub. "Ooops," he blurted out, looking highly sheepish, and rubbing the back of his neck. It was a very human gesture, one that would not, or should not come naturally to him, yet natural it was. That sheepish sensation only intensified when she started to laugh, but a bit of relief settled in as well. Since she wasn't actually upset with him - that laugh didn't sound mean, if he were any judge - he supposed he wasn't in trouble.

"You may have a point. I can be somewhat contradictory." He shrugged in apology, but only pulled back a little. The end result being that his heel was pressed lightly to her calf, along one side. "I'll note that you haven't pulled away yourself, so I take it you don't actually mind." Sarresh rather hoped that he sounded surer of that fact than he happened to feel. Insight was a tricky thing, and when it came to the time stream and temporal sciences, he had it in spades. When it came to people however, he was less confident of his abilities, out of practice as he thought himself to be.

Wrinkling his nose a bit, Sarresh eased himself further back into his corner of the tub. The glass of tea he had been sipping from was about half empty at this point, but if he minded that, he didn't show it. Heat from the water seeped into his body, leaving him slightly languid as he pondered her response in the wake of his own insight about logic, Vulcan's, mind melds, and poor puns. She scored a few more points in their verbal back and forth, and he had a notion to reply, but then her words tripped him up. He'd been drawing little circles in the bubbling surface of the hot tub, but his finger paused, mid swirl, before shooting up and pointing at her, still just above the surface of the water. He wasn't always the quickest on the uptake, but, he thought he had the right notion, and wrinkled his nose again, before drawing a deliberate, slow breath through it, and letting it out just as deliberately slow.

"I won't speak for human culture - it seems to be almost painfully diverse compared to some other species I've met in my travels, and as you now know, I didn't start my life as one. But the culture I grew up in, sharing a hot tub - well, sharing safe waters, as we viewed it, was natural and common courtesy. Sort of like welcoming someone into your home. If an Ash'reem was going to have a conversation that would take more than a few moments, they did it in safe waters. The water also helped with the transference of pheromones, that we could detect, that would tell us quite a good deal about the person we were talking with. Subtle, non verbal queues. There is an implant in here," he tapped the side of his nose, "That does a passable job of mimicking that, if not as well as I would like, but its there. It can tell me a decent amount about someone, their mood, to a small extent, their species, mostly. The more people I encounter, the more I learn, that sort of thing."

Sarresh was dancing around the point, and enjoying himself in the process. He'd figured something out and was pleased about it. Their back and forth exchanges, since she'd swam down to check on him, had been some of the most engaging he'd had aboard the Theurgy. If it were a sparring match, she'd probably scored far more points than he had up until now, but he was getting one or two of his own in. Not that he saw this as adversarial - far from it in fact. Smiling, and pointedly watching her, he said instead, "Given enough time, I think you are right. I just might find a Vulcan - or part Vulcan in any case. Should one take the time to let me get to know her - them." Just as she had corrected herself in a way that didn't quite sound like an accidental slip, so did Sarresh, feeling immensely clever.

He didn't even have a strong drink to blame the slightly forward nature of his bold implications there. It could certainly be taken that if he and she got to know each other - if this was the start of a potential friendship, or who knew what else, and not a one time encounter, perhaps he might trust her. Assuming he was correct, and that slightly 'off' smell was from a potential Vulcan ancestor. All in all however, he was smiling and more at ease with her company that he likely had any right to be on either count.

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #20 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Rutherford | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Brutus
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The prospect of ‘another time’ was a honeylike sentiment that coated Samantha’s soul in a warm, golden hue. She would enjoy that, seeing how far the mollusk would’ve come out of his shell by then. Maybe there was even potential for a group setting, on the next level of his social ‘awakening’. It probably felt as rewarding as teaching a kid how to walk – though she had no real experience to compare it to. Then again, she also felt bad for not giving the man enough credit then. He was a grown adult, wise for years beyond of what he looked. It was not a confidence or maturity issue, clearly. It only dawned on her then that this could’ve potentially even been an invitation for another meeting. A date, was what they called it? But out of sheer self-preservation she would not go out on that limb openly.

Noting Sarresh bashfully retract slightly, yet not entirely serious, the blonde had to chuckle. It was an endearing kind of sheepishness that broke through his serious façade. His eyes seemed to take on a warmer hue with every minute they spoke, but that could’ve also just been her view of him that changed, as time went on. “I … MAY … have a point?” the diplomat repeated in subdued mock outrage. “Yes, and in accordance with Starfleet interpersonal regulations you have my permission to leave your legs there.” she added mischievously, giving him her personal permission as well, just with the delighted look on her face about their overall interaction. She hadn’t had such a good time in a long time. A moment of blissful isolation that made her forget everything that was going on that wasn’t good.

Sure, she could achieve a similar comforting clarity with the Vulcan meditation she was taught. But it was a quiet comfort, a solitary one, that could be haunting in its own way, for someone who wasn’t entirely Vulcan. No, this was different altogether. Taking another large gulp of her chilled iced tea the officer watched Sarresh intently as he continued on with his narration of his species’ culture. It was a topic Samantha was inherently interested in. Understanding someone’s culture was a key ingredient in understanding them, and their motivations, better. In a weird, reversed way, she almost felt as if she had learned a good bit about his culture through his actions already, before he even put the sentiments into words. He was comfortable in water, more alone so than together, which bestowed a certain sense of importance on the translucent liquid that went beyond the life-giving. So, it was only natural that sharing a confined space in it with someone was regarded as … intimate.

“What does it tell you about me?” the diplomat inquired straight-forward. “You can go under if you want to take another whiff.” she concluded with a smile, wiggling her index finger up and down above the bubbling surface. It was such a mind-boggling thing to contemplate, really, even while keeping an open mind about different species. But that only made it that more interesting. At this point, she felt like she could put a finger on it every time Sarresh was not saying everything and felt a subtle urge to squeeze it out of him. Then he went and mimicked her slip of the tongue with an observant statement of his own. And in that moment the blonde realized that she actually didn’t need him to spell everything out for her. No, it was far more exciting to listen for the meaning in between. Like a faint non-verbal signal manifesting in her mind through their casual touch – was that her ¼th Vulcan side?! Or, maybe there was a mutual level of education going on here: One urged to communicate openly, and the other, maybe, to consider saying less and meaning more. Which wasn’t easy for someone who dealt in the business she did, arguably.

Samantha felt thankful for the revelation, so she didn’t even know how to outright say that. So she nodded, quietly, at his last statement, willing for him to understand. And she felt like he did … she didn’t often feel this sure about something. It was exhilarating! “That was …” she exhaled with an almost relieved capacity to the gentle sigh it reciprocated. “… fascinating.” Irking a brow at the oddly Vulcan vernacular, shaking her head free of the presence that seemed to be cohabitating within for a moment. It was a feeling she could only slowly replicate from memories that had been pushed aside, suppressed, for a long time. She’d felt like this with Brody, when they got close, and she imagined guessing his thoughts with almost certainty. Judged as a romanticized sentiment at the time, she wasn’t even sure if it was any more than that right now.

And just like that she felt the notion of curiosity spring into her mind at her long silence. But it didn’t feel like her own. “Sorry.” she chuckled, subconsciously (or not very much so) moving her legs a little bit to the side, so the warm water and cold bubbles could brush through between them for a moment.

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #21 –
[ Lt (jg) Sarresh Morali | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02|  USS Theurgy ] Attn: @stardust 
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Perhaps it was just Sarresh's mind playing tricks on him, but he would almost swear in the moment that he could feel Samantha brighten when he suggested debating philosophy another time with her. He couldn't quite tell which part of it made him think she was pleased - was she a die hard philosophical student who liked a good, rousing debate on the nature of all things? Or was it simply that he thought (felt, hoped) that she might enjoy the chance to spend a bit more time with him, regardless of what they spent the time doing? That was probably wishful thinking on his part, but she was smiling, and letting him off the hook for maintaining contact. Explicit permission was nice to have, after all, and he felt a sense of relief and enjoyment replace any lingering worry or doubt. 

For a small moment in time, all was right in his world. He supposed he owed her quite a lot for that momentary, unexpected peace. A peace that he felt his tub-side companion just might be experiencing herself. If that struck him as odd, he didn't show it. After all, why shouldn't she be as relaxed and contented as he was? It had been so very long since he had been able to relax. So why shouldn't they both?

A look of amused incredulity surfaced when she suggested he stick his nose back into the water and get a whiff. For one amusing moment, he thought about diving right back down and sticking his head under the water and doing exactly what she suggested. Breathing in deep, and then pop back up like a Selkie surfacing for air. He didn't need to though, so he just shook his head and smiled in that mischievous way that he hadn't done since...well, he wasn't entirely sure he'd ever quite smiled in that fashion. Not with anyone he'd grown close to since returning to the present.

Setting that aside, Sarresh did not duck under the water, and he didn't tell her what he thought his nose told him; he'd figured her out, or at least, he was willing to bet he had, and he proceeded to let her see what he thought, beating arond the bush, while in the back of his mind a small little voice was going, over and over, 'Vullllcan. Tha'ts what it is. You're part Vulcan,' in an excited, almost child-like teasing fashion. He was, insufferably pleased with himself, and why shouldn't he be? He hadn't had this much fun in...forever. So he purposefully slipped at the end, said she, and then corrected, because he was sure now, sure in a way that he felt deep in his gut, that Samantha was part Vulcan. 

It was, dare he think it, the only logical answer.

"What was fascinating?" Had his logic - that word at work again - been that surprising that she found it fascinating? Sarresh leaned forward, his hands under the water again, resting atop his legs. It left him hunched over, closer to her her now. Her eyebrows shot up on her forehead in a very Vulcan like gesture. Unbeknownst to Sarresh, with no concious effort on his part, his eyebrows mirroed hers. Perfectly. What was going on? Curiousity was getting the better of him, and he almost reached out to touch her, stopping just shy as he said, "Samantha?" She had gone so very quiet. 

Perhaps it was because he spoke her name - as alien sounding to him as any other human name - but it seemed to snap her out of wherever she'd gone. He could not know that it was not the words, but the emotion, the feeling of his own curious concern that had done so. She aplogized and shifted and something...changed. Sarresh felt a sudden loss, not of warmth, but something else, and he frowned. Wiggling his toes, he realized she had pulled her legs back a bit. They were still there, resting between his, but there was no contact now. That took was...curious. Again his eyebrow rose - this time on purpose. And he did reach out, gently brushing his hand over her arm. "Are you all right?" he asked, with a mix of bemusement and concern. One moment she was smiling, engaged and damn near estatic, the next she was pulling back, though still chuckling.

Do women...do humans, ever make sense?

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #22 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Rutherford | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Brutus
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For a moment it was like a bubble was growing from the foaming surface of the water, stretching in size until it engulfed them both. Settling them into a world of their own, a joined consciousness that only existed between the two of them. A curious sentiment, though feeling so natural to the touch, that Samantha couldn’t quite say what life was like without; at least in that moment. She could feel a sense of contentment, emanating from her mind, that wasn’t hers; yet it felt warm and gentle all the same. Then, a voice ringing in between the ambient noise, and hadn’t she seen Sarresh’s lips knitted together in a gentle smile, she would’ve judged it to have been him talking, with absolute certainty. But, he wasn’t really ‘talking’, was he. And it wasn’t just words, it was a feeling too, one that made her almost burst into an uncontrolled smile and a chuckle, that felt like a ray of light bursting from her chest. It wasn’t a sensation the predominantly human part of her was built to process. Luckily, it was a good one.

‚Yes!‘ she thought enthusiastically, as if Sarresh had just won the grand price. And it was then that the blonde got caught in this ethereal world that didn’t know two bodies but just one long conversation of emotions and thoughts and memories. Superficial, yes, delving only into the light and surfacy sentiments on the forefronts of their minds at the moment. But it was exhilarating, both novel yet natural at the same time. Even if she would’ve tried, she couldn’t have put it into words … though she had experienced it before and had just all forgotten about it. Eyes popping back up at the man, as color seemed to return to them in vivid hues of blue, the officer herd her given name ring in her ears. “Yes?” she replied instinctively, still not quite there yet, like someone who woke from a long slumber and an amazing dream. Only this time the very same word sounded far more concise and less euphoric. Almost like a pale shadow of its previous inception. Such was reality.

And as Samantha’s consciousness asserted itself again she broke the connection and instantly knew why. The Vulcan part of her brain took a backseat once again and the human rationale and emotionality tried to justify and quantify what had just happened. Embarrassment, confusion and hell, fear, taking over. This had been weird, if had been invasive, it had been … intimate. It had been dangerous. Yet her exterior played it off in a professional fashion, with a smile and a chuckle. And there couldn’t have been any way for Sarresh to know it was just a façade, if only by the remnants of their surprising connection, or his very own innate empathy he didn’t know he had. Alright, there were probably a lot of ways for him to know. He reached out and his hand brushed gently along her arm. She could feel the static electricity fizzling. And within a second the whole of their environment was muffled again, bubbles bursting as if in slow motion.

This time however the sentiment was much more sudden, probably since whatever had been hidden for so long had thawed from the ice of memory and was now far more prevalent in the diplomats subconscious, once more. She could feel an overwhelming sense of concern and it made her heart sink. Letting out a breath of expired air, as if her diaphragm had just ceased to hold it in, the woman let her arm quickly sink beneath the turbulent waters. A comforting sense of warmth and prickling, covering the previously exhilarated skin, with goosebumps of a different kind. “I’m fine.” She reassured, the smile coming back onto her features like a sunrise. “Just getting a bit chilly. And I think I might already look like a prune when I leave this tub.” She didn’t want Sarresh to feel bad, or that he thought he’d done something to offend her. Not after the progress that they’d made. Seeing all of this crumble to pieces because of her weirdness would’ve been … heart wrenching.

“I really enjoyed myself tonight.” At least that much was absolutely true and it showed in the way the glimmer from her plump lips carried over into the pale grey specs of her eyes as she remained in her seat. The glass now almost empty. “Thank you.”

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #23 –
[ Lt (jg) Sarresh Morali | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02|  USS Theurgy ] Attn: @stardust 
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That ever present sense of delight and comfort seemed to fade. For a while Sarresh had felt a deep, abiding sense of joy, and satisfaction at his discovery of Samantha's heritage. That he had been able to suss out what his nose - or more accurately the implant embedded to mimic his otherwise lost sense of pheromonal perception - had been able to inform him of. Data without context now had context, and Sarresh had not realized that some of the excitement and pride that he felt was in fact external to himself. Originating from Samantha Rutherford, not Sarresh Morali. Even as the contact was eventually broke and some of that sense of satisfaction seemed to vanish in an instant, Sarresh did not - perhaps even could not - realize the true cause.

He could very easily rationalize that the loss came from his sudden concern with regards to the human woman who had been sharing the tub with him. Up until that point she had been smiling, engaged and perfectly contented to maintain a physical contact. While he was no longer physically Ash'reem, and he had done much to adapt to being human, there were phantom echo's of what he had been that were not fully erased during the immensely invasive treatment he received in the ships sickbay. The Phoenix Project had done much to eradicate who he had been in the extraordinary efforts taken to save his life. But some trace habits remained, like that lingering desire for contact when he could have it. He had been quietly, and perhaps not so secretly grateful for her presence and willingness to permit what might otherwise have been awkward and unwanted contact. Having that contact abruptly break off, and watching her seem to get lost in the moment for a long time, not responding to anything he had said would cause concern in just about anyone. 

Even a man as 'distant' as Sarresh perceived himself to be, no matter how far from the truth he was proving that statement in his present predicament.

Her distant 'yes' did little to encourage, but when he reached back to her and held on for a moment, he got a sense of her again. More so an understanding that she realized his concern went far beyond just surface worry. To an extent that, until that moment, Sarresh himself did not realize how worried he was. It wasn't just worry for her, though that was there, but worry for himself. Had he done something wrong? Had he overstepped. Until he was holding onto her, for that brief contact before the touch ended, Sarresh had failed to realize his own, deep, selfish worry. How much he desperately needed to make a connection and not fucking it up.  He could see, stretched out before him the evening falling apart, and his own retreat in the relative safety of his quarters, and his job, pulling the rug out from under the possibility of further social contact with Samantha, or anyone, if he managed to have suddenly, somehow put her on edge.

This was not, in fact, a happy realization.

Sarresh leaned back into his corner of the tub, almost starting to brood, as Samantha seemed to come back to herself. Her first attempt to put him at ease had done anything but; this time at least, she seemed to be genuine. Her arm slid under the water and he thought she looked to relax again. His own gaze was hooded, wary, not quite unlike an animal preparing to flee at the first notice of trouble, and a part of him struggling with this new, unwelcome insight, hated himself for it. The time traveler listened to her words, and watched her carefully. They were no longer sharing any contact, and strangely enough, it seemed to him that he did not have as good a sense of her in that moment. Sarresh frowned, then chalked it up to all the subtle ways that Ash'reem interacted, through nonverbal queues, sent, and subconscious understanding of micro movements that he no longer had access to. 

"What is...a prune?" The question tumbled out into the quiet of the moment in the wake of her evaluation of how she would look. It was incongruous, and not entirely what Sarresh had been intending to lead with. It also served as a sort of tension break in the moment, the anxiety that had been building up crumbling in the wake of such a non sequitur. The former alien's shoulders shook with a bit of suppressed laughter, and he hung his head and bobbed it side to side, letting out a sigh, before leaning back into the tub. When he opened his eyes again to look at her - really look at her - he had sunk so low that only his head remained above the water. Everything else was under the bubbling hot confines of the tub. 

Taking a slow breath, his nose dipping under the water for a moment, he let the liquid flow down into his lungs - running over the implant in his nasal passage, and then out between his lips, just under the surface of the water. He tasted, smelled all the subtle, chemical clues that humans could not otherwise detect, and then nodded, water dripping off his face. "This evening has...not gone at all like I imagined. But I am glad that you swam down to check on me. That you've...invested such a large chunk of time in a complete stranger. 

"And that you have clearly enjoyed yourself in the process." Deciding he could not just leave it there, he added, "Your presence has been a welcome surprise. I...hope it won't be the last time such a surprise occurs." He tried a smile on to see if it fit the situation, and decided it did.

Re: Day 35 [2135 hrs.] Sinking

Reply #24 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Rutherford | Public Bathing Area | Deck 06 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Brutus
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The quintessential rollercoaster, that emotions could be, was an ever-challenging enigma to the blonde diplomat. Sure, her grandfather’s teaching allowed her to repress them, but that was a far cry from actually dealing with them. There was a tiny little box, deep inside of her, where all the deep dark feelings went. At the intent of being adequately processed one day, they were kept under a tight lock. And as rollercoasters went, so could feelings carry you up and down. Shake you left and right. Reciprocate a deep, fuzzy hole in the pit of your stomach, and push you into your chair with the whole gravity of your experiences. It could be an exhilarating ride as well as a mortifying one. The only constant being, that once everything was done, you’d be back in the same place you started out from.

It was a trip Samantha had taken time and again. And she’d seen many getting caught up in their own little carnival rides. But it wasn’t every day that someone tagged along in the same cart as hers. Riding in the same row, always feeling the very same she was feeling in this very moment. It took a certain bond for that, and that bond had been pulled like a rubber band between Sarresh and her for a moment now. As it snapped, the man got propelled a few rows back, emotional reactions delayed. But a faint link remained none the less. If she went down, yelped or grieved, so did he, mere moments later. She could feel his disappointment follow hers. Even without the … connection. Vulcan’s may have been the telepathic ones, but they lacked a very human sensory system: Empathy.

Yet, while the diplomat felt like she was used to it by now; used to being jerked around by her emotions; used to seeing others diving into great despair; she had all forgotten about people who were far more sensitive about what trajectory the other’s emotional rollercoaster was on. Up or down. Sarresh was, surprisingly – maybe even for himself – such a person, it seemed. And ironically so, noticing him display this kind of unexpected empathy, the diplomat already felt hopeful. His concern was her validation, in a sick little twist. “A prune …” the blonde chuckled. “… is a dried fruit.” Pulling one hand from the water she inspected her fingertips first, before holding them out to show Sarresh the wrinkled skin from moisture absorption. “Imagine that all over.” The woman concluded with an imaginary rubbing motion past her shoulders and arms.

Finally pushing her hands flat against the seat she’d occupied this evening, Samantha raised herself out of the water and onto the edge of the hot tub. Listening to Sarresh speak, she dipped her head down slightly, so her pate was at full exposure to his view. A kind smile grew on her plump lips, blue eyes warmly narrowed as she took his words in. She was honestly about to get lost in that moment; the notion presented to her. She couldn’t have said it any better. Then he commenced with some devilish humor. And because the sentiment of him feeling comfortable enough to do so outweighed potential miffiness by a metric ton, the blonde merely splashed him with a gentle flick of her hand and a mischievous grin. Peeling her legs out of the hot water and into the chilling air, she stepped down to the tiled floor. 

Tilting her head to the side a bit the diplomat felt like she wanted to take the man home with her, give him a nice basket in the corner of her bedroom and a bowl of kibble. Hell, that thought made her laugh, and he’d not have any idea why. Well, he might. Taking one step to his side, in the direction of the door, Samantha placed a hand gently on Sarresh’s trapezius muscle. The connection much more controlled. Maybe he understood her internal mockery now. But more importantly, maybe he could understand she had enjoyed herself too. “I’ll see how I can make next time a surprise too.” she promised, letting her hand slide past his wet skin, to his shoulder, until it lost all contact. “Goodnight, Sarresh Morali.” She smiled, keeping eyes locked for a moment longer as she walked to the door leading to the pool. Then she passed and left. What an interesting evening it had turned out to be.

Fascinating.
 
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