The Siren Call of the Whales

Posted on Saturday 28 November 2020 @ 17:58 by Civilian Sansa Draxx-Jones

Mission: A Whale of a problem (We're going to need a bigger boat)
Location: Holodeck 3
Timeline: MD8 1100
2639 words - 5.3 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Mathias was in the mood to do some scuba diving and set about to do just that. He went to where the holodecks were situated, looking for one that wasn't occupied. He found one and checked the roster to see if it had been booked. It hadn't been and so he stepped inside. To his surprise, he found it was occupied by someone. He heard the musical notes of a whale song, and an occupant he couldn't quite make out whom it was. There though before him, was an observation point where whales were being observed. He liked this setup and hoped that the occupant wouldn't mind him being there.

"Pardon for the intrusion, would you mind if I took a part of this holoprogram. I was hoping to do some scuba diving and swim with the whales." moving forward to get a closer view of the other occupant.

His eyes widened when he realized who was there. It was... Fay/Sansa. He smiled. "Hello there."

Fay was stood with her back to the holodeck entrance with her head cocked to one side listening with her eyes closed for a moment. Sansa had helped her create this program. The platform on which they stood was surrounded on all sides by a vast ocean from which now and then the Enormous shape of a humpback whale could be seen breaking the surface. The was also a lower area, level to the water which could be used for swimming or diving. She turned around after a moment and opened her eyes. They were still Fays but tears were running down her cheeks. “Ahh hello Mathias.”

Mathias, seeing the tears, moved to Fay's side. "Is there something matter? Or.." he paused for a moment, as a thought crossed his mind. " Are you feeling the song from them." giving a nod to where the whales were at.

He remembered her comment while they were visiting engineering about her hearing the music inside.

"Alright?" She blinked. "Oh yes, I'm fine." She wiped the tears from her cheeks slowly. " A curious sensation this crying and most versatile. Sansa told me it can express both joy and sorrow." Fay explained, looking at the water on her hands before turning her attention back to Mathias. "These are... happy I assure you. Sansa and Mr Carson helped me program this. We found this recording in the archives." She indicated the whale song they could hear. "It was taken on Earth and it's from the whale you called Gracie. She's happy about the birth of her child."

"Ah yes, Gracie, I have read about her. And the song she sings is so beautiful." his voice low and gentle. "I've had the privilege and pleasure swimming with the gentle giants. Gentle that is, unless someone bothers their offspring. Much like any mother would be, being protective of their young." He looked out towards where the whales were surfacing, spouting out the water into the air. Then closes his eyes, listening to the selection.

Fay regarded him for a moment. She was coming to realise that all humanoids were different. Sansa was very open, loving and lived for the moment. Melody was very maternal towards her, probably because she was inside her daughter. Hayley was more complicated her initial anger had changed into understanding, again because of who she was in. She had also bridged with Tann, her mate so his feeling for her had clouded things but after she was happier now they had talked and. Mr Carson was... very wise and she got this calm, almost ancient vibe from him like he was a rock in the midst of a storm. Steadfast and strong.

This one, Mathias, had an... unusual aura around him. He was curious, intelligent. He reminded her of Tann. Suddenly in her head, she heard Sansa's voice "You know you're staring at him?"

She blinked, surprised, "What? I'm not, am I? He's.. interesting... He reminds me of Tann."

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" Sansa thought back. "Well just remember he's not Tann and I'm spoken for, so no funny business, ok?"

Fay took a step forward toward him, placing one foot directly in front of the other. "Tell me about yourself please Mathias."

"What would you like to know? Would you like to know what I do for enjoyment? Where I come from and what my family is like?"

Mathias set his scuba gear down, not moving from his spot as she neared him. "I have some questions for you as well, Fay. What your people are like, what you look like without Sansa's body. Are you an ethereal being? And I do like your name, Fay. On Earth, it is what they call those that are Faeries. That word is spelt F-A-E." a gentle and interested expression in his eyes.

His questions caught her off guard for a moment. A small smile played over her lips in what was almost a coy expression then she said. "Come."

She headed down to the lower level of the observation deck and sat on the edge, her bare feet dangling into the sea. "The water's not too cold." She reassured him as she patted the space next to her.

Inside, she could feel Sansa was watching with a sense of amused curiosity.

Mathias sat down next to Fay, his bare feet dangling into the water. He turned slightly to converse more easily.

"I'm curious about you, it's only fair to answer some questions about myself. Actually, we are not ethereal beings, we have a physical body. Actually is quite similar to one of our friends out there..." She gestured to the water where a Humpback broke the surface briefly. "... except a lot bigger. Our world is one vast ocean. we dwell deep down neat the ocean floor where it's very dark but also very warm. The Etheria is where our higher consciousness can interact with one another. The actions of our minds can affect our physical bodies and our surroundings, like our combined mental strength can be used to heal our grow as we need. My higher consciousness needs Sansa to exist. I can only stay in her because she is willing to have me with her. When I left the Etheria, my physical body will be cared for by the strength of the others. That is one of the reasons I cannot stay away indefinitely." She paused a let out a small laugh. "You like my name, you're too kind."

She suddenly felt Sansa whisper in her mind..."Are you flirting with him?"

She looked and felt genuinely confused for a moment. "Flirting, what is this?"

All she got back was.. "Oh boy!"

she thought back before she spoke to Mathias. "I hope that answered your questions, now will you answer mine? Also, what is a Faerie... and what is flirting."

Suddenly, her cheeks burned bright red. "I'm sorry, I think Sansa did not want me to say that out loud." she added, feeling Sansa's embarrassment.

Mathias listened to her explanation and was momentarily caught off guard by her last question.

He chuckled, "Flirting is showing signs of interest in someone else, and getting to know more about the person. There are various forms of flirting and it can mean different things in various parts of the universe. On Earth, it depends on where a person is from, the style of flirting varies. "

He contemplated the next part of her question. "I can show you a rendition of a faerie. I had made an image of my sister Avelina but did a bit of fantasy artwork with it. Let me show you it."

Holding out his hand with his palm upwards then said, "Computer, access Mathias file, Avelina Pixie. aka Cerys."

A small woman about six inches in height, dressed in a light purple gown which resembled flower petals, appeared on his hand. She had long wavy dark auburn hair, green eyes, and diaphanous wings upon her back. The wings had an iridescent quality to them.

He looked at Fay and stated, "This is one rendition of what fae look like. "

Fay looked amazed at the tiny woman in Mathias's hand. "A tiny person!" she exclaimed, sounding excited. "Will I be able to see these when we visit Earth?"

"I am not certain, some people on Earth say they have seen them, but only on certain nights."

Fay brushed a strand of hair from her face. "You still haven't told me about yourself. I told you about my home, what about yours?"
Mathias sent the image away with a gentle puff of air. He then spoke.

"Where I was born, it's a lovely place in Aberfoyle, Scotland. Not too far from one of the oceans there, the Atlantic Ocean. Then there are the two seas that are nearby too. It's about 62 miles/ 99.76 Kilometers from the North Sea on the east side and on the west side is the Irish sea. However, I'm sure you don't want to have a complete geography lesson. We lived in a town, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. My grandparents live there still, my immediate family lives on Starbase 308. As for more information about me personally." he paused once more to put into words. " I love to create beautiful items. I draw, I play music. I love to garden, to be around plants. I love to travel and feel the calling of the stars so I am here on this ship answering their song. I also love to swim, and scuba dive."

She listened to him, scrutinizing his face as he spoke. Sansa whispered in her mind. "You're staring."
Fay smiled and thought back "He's... interesting that's all."

"That sounds... beautiful," she said eventually when he had finished. "You like to swim?" she asked with a subtle cheeky smile. She stood up. Instantly in her mind, Sansa could sense what she was going to do. "Wait wait! Are you sure about this?"
"I'm sure, please let me."

"I knew you wanted to go swimming but I didn't expect with...." Fay heard her sigh "It's a good job we put on a swimming costume underneath. Lose the outer layer before you jump, ok?"

Fay was initially surprised but then slipped out of her outer layer, revealing one of Sansa's black two-piece bikinis. She dove into the water. Fays and Sansa knowledge of moving in the water combined somehow and Fay moved gracefully and rose to the surface and looked back to Mathias. "Join us?"


"I'll be with you in a moment." Mathias deciding to peel himself out of his wet suit. Beneath the wetsuit, he wore Neoprene swim shorts which came to his knees, and hugged the body, but not to where it showed everything. Also, he wore a form fitting shirt. It was made of a material which stretched when he moved, giving freedom of movement.

Laying the wetsuit next to the scuba tanks, Mathias then walked over to the edge of the platform and dove in, cutting into the water like a sharp knife. He arced his way to the surface, rising up next to Fay/Sansa smiling.

"You two swim magnificently." he said, treading water.

Likewise treading water she smiled back at him. "Thank you. You swim quite well yourself." Her eyes suddenly went wide as they focused on something just behind Mathias. "Curious.." She muttered for just behind Mathias, a large Humpback had slowly surfaced and was regarding the pair with a quizzical eye.


Mathias caught the direction of Fay/Sansa's gaze and slowly turned around. He smiled, seeing the large mammal there. He reached out slowly and touched the humpback whale.

"Why hello you beauty, and if you are male it doesn't matter, you would be beautiful no matter what." chuckling with delight. "You are a solace to one's soul."

Despite it being a simulated whale, it was still incredibly realistic and Fay admired how fearless Mathias was towards the giant creature. Fay swam up beside him and put her hand on the creature. “You’re very brave and very kind. She told him. “Sansa helped me program this simulation. For a computer generated image, it’s very good. Normally I would be able to understand what they were feeling. I’m hoping to see some for real when we arrive on Earth.”

About half a mile away, one of the whales jumped magnificently out of the water and landed again with a huge splash. After swimming for a while longer, she made her way back to the platform and pulled herself out of the water. She sat there on the edge, waiting for Mathias to join her.

He swam back over to where Fay/Sansa sat, pulling himself up onto the platform. "It is marvelous swimming with them, and you will probably get the chance to do so. I think that it will be imperative for you to do so, due to your people needing more information."

He requested two towels for them to dry off, both appearing. Mathias handed Fay one of the towels for her to use. He used the other towel to dry his hair, making his hair stick up all over the place, looking rather comical once he removed the towel.

Fay couldn't help but giggle at his appearance. "You're hair is all fuzzy."

Inside her head, she heard Sansa comment. "Smooth... Real smooth. I hope you know what you're doing..."

"So do I..."

Fay reached forward and tried to smooth his hair, she looked into his eyes and for a moment, she saw Tann looking back at her. Suddenly without thinking, she leaned forward and kissed him.


Mathias chuckled when Fay/Sansa laughed at the way his hair was looking. He had turned to put the towel down, then his attention was caught by the touch of her hand upon his hair, smoothing out the unruly locks. It reminded him of something no wait someone, he couldn't recall who. His attention locked on her eyes just feeling somewhat mesmerized due to their beauty. Then she kissed him! Mathias literally froze, when her lips touched his, his mind going completely blank! He just sat there, not moving at all.

As if suddenly realising what she was doing, she pulled back, blushing again but this time it was mostly Fay doing the blushing. "I'm sorry... For a moment I allowed myself to see Tann in you. You remind me of him." She allowed herself a small smile. "You know, that was my first kiss... it felt... wonderful..."

She looked rather embarrassed again and quickly added "Thank you for the swim Mathius, we should be returning to our quarters. Until next time Mathius." She stood, and headed for the exit.

Mathias was dumbfounded, wait, Fay's first kiss, the brain not connecting fast enough to his vocal cords. He barely was able to look at her and blink.

Sansa piped up inside her head "What one kiss and leave him hanging?"

Fay thought back "As you said, we're both spoken for" yet still she paused at the exit and stole one more look at Mathias, an unfamiliar warmth spreading through her body.

"You like him don't you?" Sansa nudged.

After a long pause, Fay answered simply. "Yes..."

Mathias rose to his feet to call after her, lost his balance and fell into the water. His head poked up from the surface spluttering, his hand grabbing the edge of the platform. He lay his forehead against the edge and groaned. He was in so much trouble, thinking of Hayley, he's going to have to talk to her. This was one sticky situation he was in.

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