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Post Sim - Jessica's Quarters

Posted Aug. 14, 2020, 4:47 p.m. by Lieutenant Junior Grade Jessica Lemann (Doctor) (Sarah M)

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Va’rek (Engineer) in Post Sim - Jessica’s Quarters

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Jessica Lemann (Doctor) in Post Sim - Jessica’s Quarters

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Va’rek (Engineer) in Post Sim - Jessica’s Quarters
Posted by… suppressed (4) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

He watched her for a moment before following, one eyebrow rising ever so slightly at the sight of the infamous Llama plush. It was the first time he’d really seen her since a lot of things had happened to both of them, and it was hard not to notice every detail, especially when all sorts of new context was available to him now… “I used to tell myself that a lot.” Va’rek found the words coming out as he thought them, sinking onto the sofa and leaning back. As he did this, he put his hands behind his head, in a reclined position that was unusual for his stiff disposition. He turned his head to look at her. “I think I see now that sometimes, it is not doing a thing wrong that hurts someone, but rather failing to act that causes hurt… I wanted to make sure that I had not failed to act in any way, that hurt you.” His hazel colored eyes were darker than her green ones, and they seemed steadier somehow than they had been. “Even during… During the hardest moments… I found that you were in my thoughts, and to think of you being hurt or injured… That caused me fear.” Va’rek closed his eyes for a long second. “I am not expressing very well, am I?”

-Va’rek

Jess turned her head toward Va’rek and then rested her cheek on her bent knees for a few moments as she considered his words. As he reached the end of his statement, a soft smile quirked up the corner of her lips and she remarked, “you’re doing fine for a Vulcan.” A slight giggle escaped to punctuate the jest she intended to impart in the statement. Dropping her arms from their position clutching her knees, she mimicked Va’rek’s posture, extending her body outward and leaning her head back against the top of the sofa. “I never expected anything like that when I joined Starfleet,” she observed.

Dr. Lemann

Va’rek’s eyebrows rose in sympathy. “I do not think any of us expected that when we joined Starfleet.” His voice was even and quiet. “I know I did not…” He glanced back over at her. “Are you ok?”

-Va’rek

Jessica’s lips had just folded up in to a rueful grin when she processed Va’rek’s question. It was a loaded one and one that she wasn’t even sure how to begin to answer at this particular moment. She shifted on the couch, dropping her socked feet into the lap of her companion as she leaned back against the arm of the couch to study him. The action could have been an attempt to distract the Vulcan from his line of inquiry and her coming response, or it could have simply been a more comfortable position for her to assume. “Sure, I guess,” she finally responded, her voice uncharacteristically dry and even. “How about you?”

Dr. Lemann

The Vulcan studied her in return, just looking… He wondered for a moment if she actually was ok. He wanted her to be ok. One of them should be, after all this mess… Finally he answered her: “I am definitely not alright.” He said honestly, there was some kind of peace gained from ackowledging the truth. “I am better than I was… and I have learned things that make it easier. I am not alright, but I will be.” The corner of his mouth turned up and he held her feet gently.

-Va’rek

Jess wiggled her toes as he spoke, trying to offer some semblance of physical comfort with the gentle, almost massaging contact. As he confessed to his own struggles, she could feel a hint of the tension melting out of her, the relief of having an empathetic companion sinking into her. Sharing felt so much better than struggling alone as she worked through the events and the after effects of the strange mission. Relaxing back against the arm of the couch, she looked at him for a moment and then tilted her head to the side in interest. “Tell me about it?”

Dr. Lemann

He smiled, and his eyes took on a slightly haunted look. “I am not sure I can accurately relay my experiences with words,” the Vulcan began, squeezing her foot slightly for emphasis. “I had touched another mind before, but touching and being wholly absorbed are different things entirely. For a few moments, I was… no longer myself. Everything was stripped away and the Captain, and many others… We were briefly one mind. I saw through many eyes and felt the emotions of the others, and everything I saw and felt was part of them as well. It was chaotic and painful and beautiful and terrible.” He wondered if she really had known when he’d sought after her during this event… Had she felt his touch? “I could even feel and touch others who were not joined…”

-Va’rek

Jessica’s face clearly displayed her curiosity at Va’rek’s experience. She nodded along as he explained the situation, although she truly had no concept of what he had experienced, beyond her brief encounter with T’Pon. “I had a telepathic experience myself,” she commented, ruefully. “It was… intense.” She normally had all kinds of words to explain a situation, but she found herself lacking them in this moment, the experience almost forgotten by the continuing panic and disaster that had occurred after the situation. A look of remembrance came over her face and she sat straight up to look at the Vulcan. “I know none of that kind of thing is your favorite part of your culture....” she began, and then trailed off, not quite sure how to approach what she was getting at.

Dr. Lemann

“To be honest, I am unsure any parts of my culture are to be favored.” It was clearly sarcasm, and he grinned slightly to make it clearer that he didn’t mind discussing it further if she wanted to say something.

-Va’rek

Jessica smacked his shoulder somewhat gently, but it still made a resounding thwap as her palm made contact. “How do you feel now?” she enquired, wondering if she should mention the feeling of being connected to him telepathically and how opportune the timing had been. In a way, she wanted to retreat into the mode of being the one asking the questions; it felt a lot safer than tackling the emotions that were swirling around inside of her.

Dr. Lemann


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