Almost.......Alone with my thoughts

Posted on Monday 5 September 2016 @ 13:45 by Commander Save'ena (Sav) Tillatix & Captain Melody Jones
Edited on on Tuesday 13 September 2016 @ 19:19

Mission: Old, New Ship
Location: Melody's quarters
Timeline: MD8 - 0330 hours
3170 words - 6.3 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Stepping back into her quarters, as the doors closed behind her, Melody let out a sigh as her shoulders fell. It had been a long day.

Not only Ikiri, but now she was worried about Cale as well. He had really sounded in pain earlier on the bridge. She hoped there had been no trouble on the away mission.

A rustling noise from the corner of the room now got her attention. She walked over to the habitat "Well hello there". She said bending down and picking up her small spiky friend. Sitting down on the couch, she started stoking the hedgehogs tiny ears. "At least I don't have to worry about you Little miss."

Melody pressed the comm panel, "Jones to Tillaitx, are you awake Saveena? I could use someone to talk to."

Sav was just starting to drift again, yet not quite, as her fears of going back into her nightmares kept her from just falling asleep. Then, the com panel chimed beside her bed and Melody's voice rang out. Without thinking, her mind filled with somebody needed her, she shifted upright on the bed and answered it. The viewscreen lit up and Saveena smiled to Melody, =/\= Hey Melody, Yeah, I am, and I am all ears. Did you want me to come there, or did you want to come here?=/\= Sav's face in the viewscreen showed wet patches on either side of her muzzle from crying, her hair was a mess, the pillow she was holding had a ripped pillowcase with stuffing showing, while behind her was a pile of shredded linen.

On the screen Mel could see Saveena had been crying and her room look somewhat chaotic "Are you all right?" She asked looking concerned. "I'll come to you, hang on a sec" and with that Melody stood, slipped Nibbles into her dressing gown pocket and was out the door once again.

Sav stared at the viewscreen for a few seconds after Melody had hung up to come her way. She never got a chance to answer the question. The com panel turned off with but a thought as she looked down at her pillow, then back at her linen. She suddenly felt panicked as she stood up to gather up the worse for wear bedding. "No no no no no no no no..." was all she could say to herself as she went to make the room right for her incoming guest. This was supposed to be for Melody, not Melody for her. Fortunately, she had a little time as Melody was on Deck 2 in Senior Officer Quarters while she was on deck 9 nearest to the pilots.

She stuffed the linen into the replicator, disposing of it. As it went through its cycle, she went into the bathroom and saw her muzzle and hair. Shaking her head, she quickly washed her muzzle and used the sonic wand to dry out the fur. Going to the replicator, she was waiting for the chime of new bedding when she heard the door chime.

In a few minutes she was outside Saveena's quarters and pressed the chime.

Sav went to the door and opened it for Melody. "Hey, Girrl, I could have come to your room, you know. You didn't need to rush down this way." Sav gestured for Melody But, as your here, come on in." Sav's muzzle showed cleaned, its fur more natural laying than the rest of the furr showing. She was dressed in a long T-shirt that covered her to her mid thighs. She was wearing 'granny panties' as well, but of course, couldn't be seen in this position. She led the way past the main living room and to the personal greeting area with its desk, table, bar, and small kitchenette off to the side. On further was her bedroom and bath. Sav still couldn't believe how lavish the quarters were, something must have went wrong somewhere, but the disbursing officer had said this was hers, so she would make the most of it till the error was found. She pulled out a chair for Melody, "Please, have a seat. I am making some Chamomile tea for myself, want something?"

"That sounds nice, thank you. I had some warm milk earlier but it hasn't done the trick. Are you sure you're ok?"

Sav's tail did a quick jerk even though Sav's demeanor seemed relaxed. "I am fine, Melody. Just.. some nightmares that revisit once in a while, and I am glad I don't have a roomie."

"I know all about nightmares, believe me" Melody agreed.

Sav brought over the tea pot with two cups and several differing bags of tea and put the one Melody had asked for in her cup. After pouring the water and placing the hot pot to the side, she sat down opposite Melody. She responded to Melody, "Yeah, the Mekhanii do that. I'm sorry you have them, I really am." She sighed, adding, "And, why I don't like having a roomie." She extended her rather curved, sharp, wicked looking climbing claws out from between her fingers and finger/thumb. They were three inches long. "That's why. Mephetians are a tree dwelling race, using the tree road to escape most predators on our planet. And, umm, just.." She didn't know how to go further, and figured Melody could figure out why glad for no roomie. She now cupped her ears full onto Melody, her whiskers full forward, as she put her muzzle into her hands. "Okay, Girrlfriend, you wanted someone to talk to, and, if you noticed.." her ears wiggled, "I'm all ears. Please, talk away."

"Where to start? I suppose at the beginning is as good as any place" Melody took a sip of her tea "This is lovely."

Sav nodded, "Yeah, the beginning is good." She blushed lightly, "And, thank you. I brought them with me. Please, go ahead."

Melody set the cup down and took a deep breath. "You asked about what happened with the Borg and I never got chance to answer. Also it seems to tie in with everything that's been happening. My father was a first officer in Starfleet, my mother was a civilian. She wrote holonovels. We never got to properly meet as they were both assimilated when I was 18 months old and I was placed in a Borg maturation chamber. Due to that, my memories were enhanced so I do remember time with them, what they looked like, the sound of their voices. I also remember everyday of the 3 months I was in that chamber. The process was interrupted by an away team from the USS Thunderchild who rescued me. When they pulled me out of there, I had aged 12 years.......which could make me the youngest lieutenant in Starfleet" She paused and took another sip of tea........

Sav's whiskers quivered lightly as she felt for Melody. To have watched your mother and father assimilated, and then force matured, without having the chance to live as a kid, will have done a number on the psyche. A couple of tears fell as she called out, "Oh Melody, Melody, that is just, so.. I don't know how to describe it. It feels just so wrong." She sighed and continued, "You see, I'm from a Mephetian core family, that is, Mother/Father and kids. I don't know what it is like, what happened to you, but I can feel for you, and be there for you." She sighed, "I would really love to give you a hug, if your customs allow it."

Melody continued trying to keep her voice light, even though she had tears just beneath the surface also. "Well earlier tonight, I saw my mother while I was asleep. It was the most realistic dream I've ever had, too real and my mother looked older. If I was just remembering her, why would she look older. I.......I...... Can't explain it....."

She sank back into her chair, physically and mentally exhausted. "She said....... I looked beautiful......" Melody added, coking back a sob.

While Melody didn't answer her about the hug, Sav decided to do it anyway. She came around the table to sit beside Melody, then took her into a frontal hug, cradling her up under her muzzle. As she did, her tail moved around to come up behind Melody, then to press into her backside, to cradle, give support, and to just be there for Melody. Sav began using her fingers to brush down Melody's hair. "She's right, you know. You are very beautiful, Melody. That is what first struck me when I saw you, your so pretty." Sav began rocking with her, "On the message, accept it. Stranger things have happened, and as she had been assimilated by the Mekhanii, maybe she managed to fight free and reach out to contact you, to let you know how proud she is of you, and how a delightful and beautiful young lady you turned out to be."

Melody felt safe here with her friend and talking about what had happened with someone who understood, she felt a lot better. All the counselors and previous doctors had seemed more interested in talking about the Borg than her, and soon she had become fed up with the same questions. Telling them what they wanted to hear seemed to make them happy, but it did little for her.

"I have been thinking a lot about my parents recently, what with my promotion and I always hoped they would be proud of me."

Sav churred gently, "Children are the future. Any mom and dad would be so proud of you, Melody. You escaped a life where you would have never truly known yourself, or to have a future, and you have now became who you are. And, so, I just know your mom and dad are the proudest in the universe right now. Cherish it, hang onto that 'dream', which I don't think it was, and have kitlings in the future for your parents, to continue who they, and who you, are. The greatest gift, kitlings, and raising them right... the greatest gift..."

Sav's voice slowly trailed away as she hugged and rocked with Melody. Tears were once more falling from her muzzle as that was a gift she could never know, not until she healed, and then, it was a maybe. 'That Bastard stole everything from me, everything,' was her thought that she worked on dispelling that thought, and getting rid of her tears, before Melody noticed anything amiss. This time was for Melody. She spoke out, gently, in a whisper, "I am here, gain strength, and if you want to continue talking, please. If you want to just stay here and sleep, please. I am here for you."

"Can I ask you something? When you were sat at the helm today, did you tell me everything when I asked how you managed to operate the controls so fast, I felt like you held back and you hesitated when you answered."

Sav's entire body flinched at the 'held back'. Her breathing became a little harder, but she did not let go of Melody, even though the question came out of left field for what they were talking about. Sav managed to still the trembling that had started within her. Here Melody was, sharing with her, and she couldn't at least return the favor? She had to start trusting again, with someone, and as Melody had been rescued from the Mekhanii, she knew about secrets.

Sav cleared her throat, "Remember when I said all Mephetian's have psionics? Mine... mine grew stunted, telepathy by contact only to initiate, limited range, telekinetics out to meters instead of hundreds of meters, a couple of kilograms instead of hundreds. But... that is because they focused inward in an unusual way." She drew back from Melody to raise Melody's chin so they could be looking at each other. "I keep this to myself. An exotic with special abilities attracts so much unwanted attention. Hell, even a good looking girl attracts the bad of the galaxy..." Sav's body flinched, her tail shuddering gently, as she worked to not fall into the well of nightmares at the edge of her consciousness. She focused on Melody, Melody who had the bad also find her. Bolstered by the need to be there for Melody, she swallowed and said, "Cyberapathy. I was tested by an L'Tandrey emissary and found to have Cyberapathy."

Having been woken with another presence, a small black furry nose poked out of the top of Melody's dressing gown pocket.

Sav was interrupted by feeling motion against her belly. At first, she thought she was having more tears happening from her nightmare as she drew back lightly whispering, "Oh, no.." But then, in looking down to feel over her lower right side, she saw the nose of some sort of creature sniffing out from Melody's robe's pocket. She exclaimed out, "Ooo, is this Nibbles, your hedgehog?" She churred lightly, happy to see it was Nibbles and not her this time. "Hey there, little guy." Sav looked up at Melody, "You can bring him out. I never saw one before. We keep male swamp rats as pets on Apollonia, the females are just too plain mean."

Melody scooped the small mammal and placed her in Saveena's hand "It's a she actually, and she loves to meet new people. She's an African Pygmy hedgehog. Don't worry, she dosn't bite." As Melody spoke, Nibbles was having a good sniff of Saveena proceeded to get comfy.

Sav gladly watched as the little hedgehog settled into her hand. She churred out, "She is Sooo CUTe!" Sav gently petted her for a second. then settled into how cyberapathy works

Sav snorted out in light humor, "Yeah, Cyberapathy, but nothing like the holonovels or vids. I don't hack, run along weird landscapes, fight enemies. I just... touch my companion, flowing into the sensors and seeing the ship as me, flying among the stars. I get a knowledge of limits, strengths, and can fly as though using my own body because we're together. It's so much fun. If something is amiss, I can feel it and find it. Hence why my Damage Control Training marks are off the chart. I actually had to fudge some readings to let a guy who really deserved to be at the top of the class be there."

Melody looked at he friend and smiled. "I thought there was something. Even with 4 hands I couldn't have operated the helm that fast. Don't be ashamed of it. It's part of you, and what you do with it is incredible. It's one of your many gifts."

Sav's eyes shown with brightness as she said, "Thanks, and, thanks." Sav was thrilled to have someone look at her ability as a gift instead of a curse or how they could use that talent. It meant a lot to her. Then, reality settled in and she cast her eyes down, then looked back up to Melody. "I have placed a burden on you, knowing what I can do that I tell no other. In that burden, I know that if it would save the ship and crew, you would tell the Captain and XO, as expected. All I ask is, as long as it is not needed for saving a life, can we keep this between you and me?" She sighed, absentmindedly clenching over her lower abdomen, "Exotics with special abilities are sought after, and not in a good way."

"Hey, it's ok" Melody took Saveena' free hand and gave a supportive squeeze "I won't tell anyone, when the time is right.......You will. When did this start?"

Sav churred out in gentle memories, back in her early years. "Well, it has always been there, just, it really came to the fore when my dad sat me into the maintenance pod seat. Imagine his surprise when his daughter touched the panel and the pod cleared its moorings and took off. Of course, as I was six, I flew like I wanted like in my dreams. When he learned to talk to me through the pod com and not my ears, well, we settled down. In high school I went through testing by a passing L'Tandrey ship. That is when it became official." Sav sighed in pleasure at the memories, then remembered why Melody was here. She blushed, and said, "Please, you're here to relax, be you, and talk. Again, I am all ears for you, even if it is just to listen to some music and fall asleep together on the couch."

"I'm here to be with my friend too. You like classical music? I always find piano music relaxing."

Inside, Sav felt a thrill at hearing 'my friend too'. Since the 'incident', and with everything always suppressed within her, Sav had become the supporting 'it', there for others, never being a friend, with one exception of Katalina at the Academy. And, now, here, was another saying 'friend'. Sav smiled and nodded, "Yes, I like ancient classical, and piano/flute duets. L'Tandrey love playing their double flutes." She checked on nibbles in her hand and stood up, then helped Melody stand up. Leading her over to the couch, she looked towards the desk and her crystalline wrist computer came floating over. Sav sat down first, her tail out between her legs. Next, she had Melody lay up against her, then covered her with her tail. She placed nibbles into her tail fur by Melody's stomach. "Here we go."

Sav reached out and touched her wrist computer and music began playing into the space. It was from ancient Terra, Ave maria by Bach & Gounod, an eight minute song. Sav also programmed it to next play a 3 hour very relaxing piano and flute song from the album WINDDANCER by Dean Evenson and Tom Barabas. "And there we go. Goodnight, Melody.. and Nibbles." Sav knew that with sensing Melody there with her, and being cognizant of Melody's needs, her nightmares would be held at bay, if just for this once, and she could get a nice three hour nap in for a change.

The music combined with the softness of Saveena's fur had Meloldy asleep in minutes. As she drifted off she muttered "Goodnight.........Sweetie" as her eyes fluttered closed.

Sav heard the 'sweetie', and wondered if that was for her, for nibbles, or reminiscent of Melody's dream? Whichever, Sav didn't care. Right now, she had a sleeping Melody and Nibbles with her and relaxed back, letting the sandman take her into swirling dreams of not the island and its secrets hidden underneath the mansion.


Tears stream down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try
to fix you


OFF:

Lieutenant Melody Jones
Chief Flight Control officer / Second Officer
USS Merlin

Lt. j.g. Saveena Tillatix
CAG / Uroboros Squadran Leader
Bridge Command Specialist
USS Merlin