The Song of the sea

Posted on Monday 24 August 2020 @ 17:44 by Commander Save'ena (Sav) Tillatix & Lieutenant Commander Hayley Godding & Civilian Sansa Draxx-Jones

Mission: A Whale of a problem (We're going to need a bigger boat)
Location: Sav's quarters
Timeline: MD3 1900
2265 words - 4.5 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

With Hayley in tow, Sansa proceeded to Sav's quarters, wanting to see if Sav could understand the whale song.

For her part, Hayley felt like she was being dragged along via the high octane enthusiasm of her younger girlfriend. She honestly up until this point had not truly appreciated how fascinated Sansa was in whales. It was a rather compelling yet irksome quirk of the teenage hot-head that amused her. To go charging off to visit Commander Tillatix on such a random impulse was quite in-keeping with her character. "Don't you think we should call first?" She asked, trying to keep pace with Sansa.

Sansa pressed the door chime and waited.

Sav had just changed into a green striped skort, matching green t-shirt with a Eurythmics band logo with the words, 'Sweet Dreams are made of this..'. She was in striped leggins and 3" clogs. A green flower bow was along her right ear. She was looking at herself in the mirror when the chime went off. She headed to the doorway and opened it, a Churr upon her muzzle as she answered, "Hello?"

"Hey Sav." Sansa greeted her with a smile as they entered the room." "We're doing some research into humpback whales and Hayley mentioned that you could understand their song, is that right?"

Sav was taken aback as Sansa abruptly surged forward into her space while dragging another young lady with her, Sav's ears and whiskers twitching a bit. As she personally hadn't met Lt. Godding or knew her first name, the name said by Sansa rang no bells. Sav turned to hit the button to close the door as she said, "Uhh, welcome, come on in." She looked at the two, then followed up with, "First things first... would either of you like some refreshment? It would be remiss of me to not entertain you as a proper host." Her large tail shook twice quickly, showing acceptance of the two into her abode, even as her ears went full forward to focus upon the two.

"Thanks Sav. We've just come from the ship's library. Mr Carson has some really interesting tea. I could go for another cup of some tea. What about you Hayley?" she turned and asked the blond. Then added back to sav, blushing slightly "If it's not too much trouble."

"Sure." She replied, wondering if consuming this much tea in a day was actually bad for her.

Sav churred as she replied, "No trouble at all, and, it will be good." She went over to her tea set and brought it to the table. It was an ornately carved set made of a crystalline material that seemed to shift in the light of the room. She sat it down and opened it, showing off brewing materials, a brewing pot, and four crystalline cups. She motioned to it and said, "Fresh brewed, not replicated. I have many herbs, teas, and a couple of coffees, just ask."

"Oohh. Very nice," Sansa inspected one of the cups closely before she put it back on the table. "Mr Carson kindly helped me find some books on whales. He seems really nice." She digressed for a moment before returning to the topic at hand."Anyway, I'm finding it all fascinating. They're so mysterious and I'd like to know more about them. Hayley and I went for a swim with some yesterday. I wrote a new holodeck program."

As neither Sansa or Hayley had told Sav what they were wanting, Sav decided to take a shortcut. She reached over to a nearby PADD and touched it. It lit up as information flew across the screen. Sav brought her hand back and began making the Teas that Sansa's and Hayley's personal profiles stored in the computer said they enjoyed the most, besides who Hayley was . As Sav brewed them, their aromas began to surge into the space about the three ladies.

Sav now replied to Sansa, "Yes, Mr. Carson is very nice. On the Whales, I heard of them, but then Melody introduced me to their whale song... which was a rather interesting experience, to say the least. Sooo, you wrote a holodeck program to go swimming with them?"

"Yes, when she found out that you might be able to understand the whale song, I don't think I've seen her that excited in quite some time." Hayley said, enjoying the tea. It felt weird to have barged in on a senior officer's private time and she was awkward being here knowing that it was an inconvenience. It was evident from Sav's apparell that she had been planning a casual day today and Hayley felt like an interloper. Hardly the best first impression on a senior officer. She wondered if Sav was even aware of the relationship between Hayley and Sansa, or even why Hayley was there. Come to think of it, why was Hayley there?! Oh right, she'd been dragged along because Sansa was that kind of impulsive girl.

Sav churred gently, the pleasant sound seeming like a warm blanket of a purr wrapping around them. She replied with a chuckle, "Well, I 'm glad Sansa has found someone to hang about with. Second, as Melody was the one to introduce me, then draw me out of the song, how did you know I could possibly understand the song?"

"Oh..." Sansa's said, sounding disappointed as face fell slightly. "So what exactly did happen?" She asked.

Sav handed over the teas to the two ladies and then began to drink a Spiced Mint Tea for herself. "As far as 'understanding' it, it's not like you think. Where to start... My race is normally Psionic with Telepathy and Telekinesis. I was born 'stunted', my telekinesis is very limited, and my telepathy can only work when a telepath contacts me. But, that is because that 'birth defect' actually was me being a cyberapath with spatial awareness, which you, Hayley, probably already know about as your Chief of Security. It makes me kind of a possible threat. However, that ability is why I am such a good pilot. I actually sense what the Merlin 'sees' with her sensors, then construct a 3d representation in my mind, and follow what is happening in real-time faster than a pilot reacting to what is on the screen or with the 3d space display. So, when I heard the whale song, it affected me in that I began building a spatial representation of the song in a 3d orchestration, and as I followed along, I could feel the emotions and callings within the song. I see, sense, and feel it, but I am not sure how that helps with what you two are trying to do."

While not fully understanding what Sav was seeing, hope was starting to rise once again. "Sav... According to what I've read we still have very little knowledge of the whale song and this could be a major breakthrough in research. That fact that you can get a feeling of what emotions are in the song is more than has been learned in the last 100 years." She paused and took a breath. "Could you show us? I mean, if it's not too much trouble..."

Hayley was fully aware of what Sav had relayed, indeed it had been something of a shock when she'd been briefed on the Chief Conn Officer's 'abilities' as well as critical susceptiveness. It went against everything she believed in as a security officer to keep one eye on one of the ship's senior officers ready to stun her the moment she went 'whacky', but orders were orders. "Sansa, don't you think that's a bit much?"

Sav raised eyebrow as she focused on Sansa, then sighed. She wasn't sure how them watching her become a blubbering idiot swaying around would help them, but, she as game if they were. So, she replied, "Ummm, okay, if you two want to see me space out and start moving to whale song while being flooded with different emotions, sure??? Lead the way, MacDuff."

Sansa had compiled a selection of whale song recordings in the main computer. "Computer play track Sansa 01"

The haunting and yet beautiful whale song began to sound. Sansa came over to Sav. "What's it feel like?" She asked, her face a mixture of wonder and intrigue.

Sav was not prepared for the whale song to suddenly be played in her abode. She was expecting to go to the holodeck under a controlled environment. Sav's lower jaw dropped open in surprise, then she managed to get out, "Wait, what? Here... now, but.. " That was all she could do as the song rapidly penetrated into her natural spatial abilities. Her eyes no longer saw Sansa or Hayley as the song once more began to build its emotions within her mind and body.

Sav surged to her feet, her body shifting along the low notes even as her whiskers, ears, and tail moved to the high notes. Tears began to fall from her eyes as this particular song was for a lost child of the pod, a singing of great longing and desire to have the calf returned to the family. Her body began shaking from feeling the loss, sobbing now following along with the now easily flowing tears. Sav grabbed onto Sansa, holding her tightly, pawing over her to make sure she was still there and living, even as overwhelming grief flowed through her body. The whale song flowed with her, in her, through her, and she sobbed for the life lost. Once more, she was lost within the song, not seeing anything outside of the song. She now moved in a melancholy, slow dance of grief.

"Computer! End playback!" Hayley commanded loudly as she moved over to remove Sansa from Sav's bear-like grip.

Even though the song was now gone, Sav still had to shake off its effects. However, as it was no longer playing, she quit dancing and dropped her hold around Sansa.

"Commander... can you hear me? It's okay..." Hayley gently soothed Sav leading her back towards the sofa and letting her gently collapse on top of it. Once she was sure that she wasn't going to launch into another emotional trance, Hayley turned on Sansa.

"Sansa, that was very irresponsible." Hayley said, as she moved to grab a tricorder from Sav's desk and start to scan the Mephetian officer. "You had no idea what would happen and you didn't give her any warning, even though she said it would have a strong emotional impact on her. Either you or she could've been hurt. This should've been carried out under supervised conditions." She chided as she ran the sensor probe over Sav who was still curled up on the sofa.

She sighed as she confirmed the readings, not being a doctor herself but with enough basic medic training to understand medical tricorder readings. "Your seratonin levels are elevated, but otherwise you're not showing signs of any untoward effects. All the same, I'm no doctor, perhaps we should get you to sickbay..."

Sansa was still quite shocked by how intense Sav's reaction to the song was, and also from being physically held. She turned bright red as she realised what she had done. "Oh my.... Sav! I'm so sorry. I... didn't mean..... I didn't know it would affect you so much....." The young girl's eyes well with tears also.

The sobbing from Sav was going away as she returned to sensing her surroundings. She blinked away her tears and quietly said, "She lost a kitling... the mother was telling others she lost her child as well as sounding out her grief and anguish.. she lost her child.." Sav looked up at Hayley, then over to Sansa and said, "Please, give me warning, and context.. before doing that again? I've read a lot of songs are for mating rituals... what if this had been one of those?" Sav shuddered at the thoughts of experiencing that in an uncontrolled environment.

Sansa nodded frantically, starting to cry fully now. "Sav I'm so sorry. Don't worry, I won't do that again... Are you sure you're ok?" She managed to get out.

Sav sat up on the couch, took in a breath, then slowly let it out. She nodded, "Yeah, I'm okay. The impact from the song is going away. I just feel drained, tis all."

Sansa looked from Sav to Hayley a mix of guilt and shame. Tears ran down her own face as well and she was close to hyperventilating. She slowly got her breathing under control. Finally, in a quiet voice said, "I think we should take Sav to sickbay." She didn't dare look Hayley in the eyes. She could feel her gaze on her.

Sav churred gently, trying to alleviate the mood in the room. She said, "I'm okay, it's okay, Sansa, really. However, if it makes you feel better, let's go to sickbay. I'm sure they would love to add to another page to the tome that is my file."

"Alright, lets get you to sickbay." Hayley said, helping Sav up off the couch and when her legs wobbled, putting herself in a position to help carry the Mephetian helmswoman to sickbay. "Sansa, you come too. I suspect the doctor's going to want to know what happened, plus if I know your mother, she's going to want answers too." She sighed then gave Sansa a soft smile. "I will say this for you hun, dates with you are never boring."


END