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Day 01 [2000 hrs.] Colorful Confluence

Day 01 [2000 hrs.] Colorful Confluence

[ F’Rell of the Twelfth House | Corridor | Deck 06 ] Attn: Triage
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The day’s events had exhausted F’rell quite thoroughly. After the assembly she had seen fit to ensure that her alterations Thea had been removed, and had done her utmost to respectfully request that she interface with Thea’s systems once more to check. Now, she lurked within a jefferies tube, the warmth of the system and the narrowness of the space around her making for a comfortable environment. After listening to the myriad harmonies of the ship around her, she slowly opened her silver eyes, and a slight shiver ran down her long form as she lifted herself up again. She arched slightly, taking in the sensation of her back touching the ceiling of the crawlspace as she stretched a bit. She sighed and snaked her way towards where she could feel an exit lay, and deftly opened the panel with a glowing tendril. As the colder air of the corridor rushed in, she glided into it as Thea’s harmonies muffled and faded from her perception.

The notion occurred to her that she might be able to outfit a pool of water in her new quarters, perhaps get Suq to help install it for her. She would, at the very least, be able to begin a new collection after her former hoard aboard the Resolve had been destroyed. She sighed wistfully at the thought as she rounded a corner, the thought of anyone running into her far from her mind wandering mind. She switched off her translator, humming a tune from her antennae, her song emanating in the air as a graceful melody akin to the sound of a small collection of stringed instruments.

Re: Chapter 08: Colorful Confluence | Day 01 [2000 hrs.]

Reply #1 –
[ Heather McMillan | Corridor | Deck 06 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Hastata-Nerada
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Monster...monster...monster... the words kept repeating itself in McMillan's head as she wandered the ship invisible. It was probably for the best since she never fully dressed herself back and was clad only in her bra, pants and she'd shed her boots at some point so she could walk comfortably on tip toe. But every now and then she lost her concentration and would appear like a translucent halucination. She kept playing the events that led up to Sonya Acreth falling into the portal, blinded by McMillan's light. Over and over again, she played the scene out, trying to see how many ways she had messed up and violated the sacred Way of the Light. The oath and understanding that never were they to inflict any form of harm upon another.

She had been so lost in thought that she almost missed the strange melody. The heartsong that wasn't artificial, and when she finally did notice, she completely dropped her invisibility and looked up, trying idly to identify the source. It was indeed natural, by her guess, and not artificially induced via radio or mechanics. But no being she knew could produce such sounds, and her curiosity got the better of her as she picked up the pace a little, and sought out the source of the song. It was a “FLYING SNAKE!” followed by a panicked scream, and a panicked flash of multi-coloured lights, though not blinding, even panicked, she subconsciously strove not to flare too brightly like before, and unlike then, she now felt fully in control and unwilling to shine from the depths of her soul.

It was perplexing, but she definitely did not want to risk harm to this being, but why did she not feel the same for Acreth? Nevermind, she had other problems now, “I'm so sorry! You startled me!”

It occurred to her that if the flying snake wasn't sentient, she could be in trouble. Did anyone mention they had a flying alien on board?

Re: Chapter 08: Colorful Confluence | Day 01 [2000 hrs.]

Reply #2 –
[ F’Rell of the Twelfth House | Battle Sickbay | Deck 16 ] Attn:
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F’rell rounded the corner and became dimly aware that another heavy alien was on its way towards her. No matter, she thought, it was simply another member of the crew, surely by now word of her presence had begun to spread and she was honestly too exhausted to try and socialize-

“FLYING SNAKE!”

The cry was sudden and loud, followed by a sound which F’rell knew all too well as panic. But this would not occur to her for several seconds, as she had already jerked, eyes wide, as she rapidly flew up towards the deck above. It was not until she had tied herself into a knot did she calm enough to process what had happened. With bright flashes of alarm splaying out across her luminescent skin, her head poked out of the knot to peer down at the specimen before her, curious as to what had happened. This was new… a much lighter being, glowing, was she trying to send a message? To F’rell the lights appeared to be gibberish, but it gave her some slight hope that perhaps there was someone on the ship who might be able to better understand her. The being was saying something, something which she could not quite understand. With a fumbling tendril, she reached down and switched her translator back on, speaking again in what the translator approximated to a timid voice.

“I… I am sorry. I did not mean to surprise you like that. I did not watch where I was going.” She trilled softly. Slowly, she began to drift downward, inch by inch.

Re: Chapter 04: Colorful Confluence | Day 01 [2000 hrs.]

Reply #3 –
[ Heather McMillan | Corridor | Deck 06 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Hastata-Nerada
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Oh it spoke, not a predator that would crush her and eat her. Thank God...well she didn't know anything about the flying being before her, but she did apologize. Actually, McMillan wasn't even sure if it was a female, but she took the apology for it to mean that it was friendly at the least. And moreover, it would be downright rude of her to go invisible and run away, now that they'd started talking. Plus, her scientific curiosity got the better of her, despite what was on her mind, which she managed to push aside to allow a sense of wonder to overtake.

Her glow began to return, and a myriad hue of lights began to form, which, with only a bra on, meant she was giving off a substantial amount of moving lights that mottled her skin from its original pigmentation, like a rainbow fountain. Subconsciously, she started matching the motions and patterns of light that the other alien was demonstrating, and she realized that perhaps the song was its natural form of communication or just a characteristic. It could be anything really, and she wanted to know more.

“It's...it's okay,” said McMillan, “I wasn't watching either...and I'm um...sorry for yelling...I just...I've never seen or heard of someone like you before...”

She blushed, her entire aura of light shifting briefly to a bright pink glow as she slapped a palm to her mouth, then she lowered it slowly as she spoke, “Forgive my manners, I'm Heather, Heather McMillan, of the Theurgy. Were you with the uh...uhm...Starbase? Or one of the ships? I know we took in some people from there...”

She watched with a small smile and a bright eyed curiosity. All the while, her own light kept following or matching the patterns set by the floater. It was an endless source of fascination and a welcome distraction to her.

Re: Chapter 04: Colorful Confluence | Day 01 [2000 hrs.]

Reply #4 –
[ F’Rell of the Twelfth House | Battle Sickbay | Deck 16 ] Attn:
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F’rell had swiftly gone from cautious to curious, as the lifeform before her began to display flashes of colors that F’rell recognized as T’fanrell expressions. She looked at herself, noticing the same patterns, as if the humanoid before her was imitating her. Did this being understand? F’rell pondered these thoughts as she slowly lowered herself to just above the floor and began unfurling herself from the tangle she had been seconds before. The being before her clarified her identity. Heather McMillan, who was a strangely unclothed one. F’rell had thought that nudity was generally considered taboo aboard vessels operated by the Federation Starfleet, perhaps there was some sort of other circumstance that she was not aware of.

F’rell trilled softly still as she identified herself. “I am F’rell, of the Twelfth House of V’nai. I… am from far, far away from here, I was taken by the ship you called the Resolve…” She hesitated and hung her head, the oscillation of colors slowed and grew more subdued. “Sorry. What about you, Heather McMillan? Are you a member of Thea’s crew?” F’rell hoped that Heather would sense that she wished to not speak of her home or the T’fanrell in too much detail. The Federation in general knew very little of the T’fanrell and now she wished to preserve this state as best as she could.

Re: Chapter 04: Colorful Confluence | Day 01 [2000 hrs.]

Reply #5 –
[ Heather McMillan | Corridor | Deck 06 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Hastata-Nerada
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Clutching her shirt and jacket against her chest as a minimum modicum of modesty, with her pants covering her legs at least, McMillan listened to F'Rell introduce herself. The Radiant was also very interested in the behavior exhibited. The mass of complex looking knots easily came undone and the serpentine being was soon floating before her in full size. She had so many questions she suddenly wanted to ask the...she had no idea still what F'rell's race was. Flying snake was probably not the most polite thing to call them in all honesty. But she supposed she could always ask her, and hopefully not offend due to some cultural taboo she was not aware of.

“Pleased to meet you, F'Rell, of the Twelfth House of V'nai,” said McMillan semi-formally, “Ah, the Resolve, so you came with them. Yes, I'm with the Theurg-uh...Thea...yes, Thea's crew.”

The young woman was still awkward in regards to identifying the ship in such familiar, personal terms. Though she'd seen the hologram that was Thea's representation of herself in human form on occasion, the tiny Radiant usually shied away from her. She didn't miss how F'Rell's light pattern shifted and changed, and when she "spoke" in her native language, it was like a wordless song sung from the heart. Only the translator enabled the two to communicate clearly with one another. It was like a dual system of languages. Unless one had a different meaning or use. But the Radiant hadn't stopped imitating the patterns thus far, albeit the colour of her light shifted to its own from time to time.

“Uhm...may I ask you something? Out of personal curiosity,” said McMillan, “it's just that I've never seen anyone like you in my life, and I would like to know, if you don't mind, of course.”

She wanted to ask a lot of things, really, but she managed to rein in her normal enthusiasm with some effort.

Re: Chapter 04: Colorful Confluence | Day 01 [2000 hrs.]

Reply #6 –
[ F’Rell of the Twelfth House | Corridor | Deck 06 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Triage
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F’rell was nervous at the prospect of revealing more of herself and where she came from, but not entirely surprised by the prospect. Her first month on the Resolve was littered with so many similar questions. She was not entirely surprised. She shifted slightly as fresh bands fluttered across her form.

"I am T'fanrell." She hesitated, "My people come from...far from here. That is why you've not seen my kind before.” Her bands of color sped up and her eyes dimmed in panic. "There will be- I would prefer not to answer any more questions on the matter, I cannot return to them.” She longed for the myriad oceans of V’nai, of landscapes of density and eddies of mist. But she knew she could never see them again. She had spent too much time with aliens. She could imagine the forms of her mates, P’lell and M’nef, with sad, disappointed colors dancing across them. The laws on V'nai prohibited her from rejoining them. No longer would she be able to watch glowing shoals of rays swim beside the cove trees. No more would she be able to take her children exploring the dense rivers beneath the seas. Not wishing to dwell on the subject any more than she had to, she swiftly changed the matter at hand.

“And you… I have not seen many humans express themselves the way you do, are you human at all? Or are you something else?” She asked, “Do not mistake my question as rude, I am mostly curious.”

Re: Chapter 04: Colorful Confluence | Day 01 [2000 hrs.]

Reply #7 –
[ Heather McMillan | Corridor | Deck 06 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Hastata-Nerada
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McMillan's eyes quickly noted the bands of light that formed and without realizing it, she instinctively reflected that same pattern and motion with her own photokinesis and shaped akin to her body as closely resembling the alien's. She realized immediately that she was causing some measure of distress to F'Rell, and she slowly began raising a free hand to sort of stop her, after she had heard her speak.

“I-it's okay!” McMillan stammered, “I'm so sorry, y-you don't have to say anymore. I'm sorry.”

Well she knew now that F'Rell was a T'fanrell, but she wasn't sure it was worth learning if it made the alien so uncomfortable, and now McMillan was kicking herself mentally. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Can't do anything right! First I become the first Radiant to probably commit murder and destruction, and now I'm disturbing this nice flying snake. T'fanrell! She is a T'fanrell, not a flying snake...well she is a flying snake but that is beside the point... taking a breath, she tried to compose herself when F'Rell asked a question in return, and was even kind enough to assure her. So McMillan quickly shook her head and gestured with her hand, while now deliberately following the motions of light patterns exhibited, and then slowing them down and returning to its normal randomized patterns of glowing and shining.

“Fair is fair,” said McMillan, “I asked something, and you are more than welcome to ask me anything. Mm I doubt you would find any humans at all who can do this. On this ship at least. I'm not human. I am...well, I only know my people as the Radiant. Maybe there's another word for it in our native language, but yeah, in the Human tongue, we're called the Radiant. Kind of obvious when you think about it.” She laughed nervously.

Clearing her throat, she looked at F'Rell, “Does your light patterns indicate emotions? Expressions? Or is it words?” She glanced down at herself and then looked back to the T'fanrell, “Normally we use our light to...connect with each other...sort of. And you have a very interesting and effective defensive tactic. I'm sorry, I hope I am not making you uncomfortable. I'm a biologist and xenobiologist. Physiology and behaviour are very interesting to me.” She gave F'Rell a big smile, hoping the alien didn't misinterpret that for something else.

Re: Chapter 04: Colorful Confluence | Day 01 [2000 hrs.]

Reply #8 –
[ F’Rell of the Twelfth House | Corridor | Deck06 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Triage
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F’rell tilted her head curiously. The being before her seemed to possess a voracious curiosity, and she wasn’t quite sure how she felt about it just yet. But even though F’rell and Heather were about as alien to each other as one can get, she felt that she had a sort of kinship to this other being, like deep down they had some similar parts of their personalities. Still, she was puzzled, as Radiant didn’t tell her much. Her translator turned it into a sound roughly similar to a violin being gently tuned, which to her was the word for brilliant light shining through the upper mists of V’nai’s oceans. It perplexed her as to why a sapient species would not come up with their own name, but it was fitting, she supposed.

Thinking a bit, F’rell tried to come up with an adequate response. “Oh, my colors. Well, I suppose they are kind of like… Kind of like how, as you say, you Shimmers connect with each other. Or…” She paused, thinking as various bands slowly drifted across her skin, while nervous dashes of cerulean darted around her. “I have seen expressions on the front of humanoid heads. They seem to be used to communicate feelings? It is like that I suppose.” She hesitated a bit before she added, “And you do not need to apologize, I understand how you must feel as a biologist. I myself am curious about a lot of things, I like to collect things I find and learn about them.”

Re: Chapter 04: Colorful Confluence | Day 01 [2000 hrs.]

Reply #9 –
[ Heather McMillan | Corridor | Deck 06 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Hastata-Nerada
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Shimmers? McMillan wondered at that, but merely smiled wistfully and accepted the term. It was relatively similar to Radiant, and it wasn't like that was their true race name anyhow. She nodded at the T'fanrell's explanation about her bands of light. “Ah, so it's how you express emotions, like we do with our faces. Fascinating.”

She paid attention now to the bands of light, and wondered if she could ever learn how to mimic the light patterns and discern the T'fanrell's various expressions. It would take a deal of time to figure that out though, and more time than she had. The distraction was significantly wonderful, and it took her mind off the situation that only happened not too long ago, but it was just that, a distraction. She had to seek out Carrigan Trent. She needed his help, and...him.

“Perhaps one day we can show each other our collections, F'Rell,” said McMillan, “I was actually on my way...to see someone, and I should probably get going.”

She gestured with her hand, “And it looked like you were on your way somewhere too. It was very nice meeting you, though, and I hope we'll meet again soon.” Her light dimmed and faded away to nothing as she began to feel the weight of guilt returning once more, pressing on her conscience, and her smile dropped altogether. “Goodbye.”

She began to move around F'Rell, bending light around her to make herself invisible once again. As it turned out, she would still wander the ship for a good few more hours before finally going to Carrigan Trent's quarters.

Re: Day 01 [2000 hrs.] Colorful Confluence

Reply #10 –
[ F’Rell of the Twelfth House | Corridor | Deck 06 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Triage
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As Heather moved away, F’rell kept pace slightly, keeping track of Heather’s position by listening to her footfalls. “I have had a wonderful conversation with you Heather McMillan, I would love to share my collection with you when it re-grows to enough of a size.” She stopped and watched the path that Heather took as she continued on her way. “Goodbye Heather McMillan.” she trilled, before she turned and left down the hallway in the opposite direction. She thought she might visit Suq or Tancredi, and after she checked the time with Thea, set off down the corridor.

While she drifted, she continued to think about the Shimmer that she saw. Something about her bugged F’rell, something she was having trouble placing. It took her some time before she remembered. One of the few aliens ever allowed to interact directly with the T’fanrell. The Illuminated, they had called themselves. They resembled glimmering beings of light, who sag in beautiful voices. They had never been seen very clearly, but the specialist xenographers of V’nai had identified a carbon-based fragile humanoid being. It was almost as if Heather was a much… dimmer version of these beings. Were the Shimmers the Illuminated? F’rell resolved to ask Heather about it on a later date.

~FIN~
 
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