STF

Pre-Sim - First Encounters - USS Galileo In Orbit over Betazed

Posted July 2, 2020, 7:50 a.m. by Ensign Sharah Fayth (Doctor) (Jennifer Ward)

OOC: Warning this is LONG. Muahaha Enjoy!

IC:
‘I DON’T WANT TO GO!’ Sharah’s telepathic voice echoed across her family’s minds.
Her father knelt down in front of her and took her hands. Holding them gently but refusing to let her run away again. ‘Sharah, baby, you aren’t going alone. We all are going to go. It will be okay. The monks on Vulcan might be able to help.’

‘Why can’t they come here? I want to go home!’ Sharah begged her father.

Her mother spoke just to her husband, ‘We have to go now. We agreed that the change of locale would help her. Let’s just take her and go. We have to do something to help her.’

‘DON’T THINK ABOUT ME LIKE I CAN’T HEAR YOU!’ Sharah could hear everything around her (she had since birth). She hated that her parents talked about her behind her back, but she hated it more that she could hear everything they were thinking anyway. She knew deep down her parents really thought going to Vulcan was best for her, and she hoped they could help her, but she was scared and didn’t want to leave home to go so far away.

Andrew, her older brother, took her hand, ‘Hey Sharah, come on. It will be a great adventure. You know I want to go to Star Fleet. I can’t wait to meet new people. We can do it together. Remember, we said we would be on the same ship together. I’ll fight the bad guys, and you’ll be my doctor. You’ll get to yell at me for being reckless.’ Andrew wasn’t like Sharah, his talents had only turned on 3 years ago. He had always despised his baby sister. She was always telling on him and his friends and blurting out everything they were thinking. It wasn’t until his own talents ‘turned on,’ and rather strongly, at 12, that he finally understood, somewhat, the chaos that was his sister’s mind. After that he was her fiercest advocate and protector.

Sharah nodded, still scared, ‘Okay Andrew, we’ll go.’ Andrew nodded to his father and they all got on the transporter pad to be beamed aboard the USS Galileo for their trip to Vulcan.

Oliver looked out of the observation lounge’s large panoramic window and from it the now newly promoted Science Ensign could see Betazed, they had taken the detour away from their normal flight program as a result of a diplomatic request from the Vulcan science council and being the only ship within the sector they had been chosen. Oliver didn’t mind, it meant his first tour as a science officer would offer a relatively quiet start which meant he could get settled into his new life aboard the Galileo and was unaware of what was happening elsewhere on the ship.

When the Fayths beamed aboard the captain and a security Lt were waiting for them. Sharah huffed. She was young enough to feel like everything was about her, but old enough to know better than to be rude. Picking up on the captain’s thoughts she blurted out, “It’s okay if you don’t want to greet us. I want to be left alone anyway. Bye!” The security officer was there to escort them, so since he was already thinking about where he was taking them she took the information for herself and took off running down the corridor. Andrew was rather frustrated. He’d wanted to talk to the officer, but instead he got to run after his impulsive little sister with the Klingon Lt running after them.

Andrew was looking for her. She could feel him getting worried. Everyone was always worried, she wished she could just turn off the noise. She’d offended the captain and security Lt that had met them on board. She’d felt bad about it after because Andrew really wanted to ask the Lt about his job. Her parents were embarrassed and had promised the captain she would always have an escort. Andrew took that job, he always did. But she just wanted to be left alone. There was this beautiful melody playing in her head, and she wanted to find it. It was so peaceful, and she HAD to find it. She knew Andrew would stop her because it might be something they weren’t allowed to see. She ran in the opposite direction that Andrew was searching. Eventually she found the source of the melody. She turned quickly into the door and found the most beautiful garden. The plants were humming and were so happy it made Sharah laugh. She ran over to a flower bed and dug her hands deep into the soil.

Having distracted himself for too long Oliver caught the ship moving away from the planet signalling that they had picked up their guests and were on their way to Vulcan. Having watched ships go to warp many times during the war, the spectacle long since losing its magic he chose to return to the arboretum located on deck 5 which meant he would have a pleasurable walk between where he was now on deck 1 and there.

Walking through the halls Oliver greeted the crew with smiles and nods, even stopping at times to introduce himself to anyone who was willing to entertain him, most were excited about his time as a starfighter wing pilot during the dominion war. As usual he gave them the shorter reduced version to ease their appetite. At one point he had passed a security Lieutenant, a Klingon who didn’t appear to be having a good day, mumbling something about telepaths and little girls Oliver deduced that he was a member of the greeting committee. If it wasn’t for his flaring nostrils and his hunched posture he would have asked him about it but decided to leave it be.

Finally after some walking and talking Oliver was met with the arboretum’s doors, his home from home, his sanctuary and workplace, at least part of his workplace though to him it was a hobby. Olly loved plants which is why he became a botanist in the first place, and one day planned on teaching either at the Academy if they’d have him or return to Estonia to teach at the University of Tartu, both were equally prestigious. Upon entering however he couldn’t help but notice little spots of dirt misplaced and some even on the floor between the flower bed and he was curious as to how that had happened, though the other scientist had access and tended to the plants none would be so careless as to disrupt their soils.

Sharah popped out from behind a tall flower bed. Her dark curls bounced everywhere as she walked, flinging dirt like fairy dust around her. “Are you the one who made them sing? I think it must be you, because the thought of the plants makes you SO happy.” She giggled and twirled around running to another flower bed and plopping herself down right in the middle of the plants, closing her eyes, and beginning to hum. The man was wondering what she was doing. “You have eyes don’t you? I’m sitting with the plants and singing with them. Do you want to join us?”

Looking around Oliver couldn’t help but feel a little confused and lost, the girl in front of him sat joyfully in the dirt, her hands covered but still she looked happy as she hummed. Thoughts of his hand going to his comms badge faded and he walked over and sat cross legged on the floor, though not on the dirt but on the walkway between the flower beds, he was to big and didn’t have the size she had which allowed her to sit between flowers without hurting them, not that he suspected she had any intention of doing so. “I’m Oliver” He said, then added, “And what’s your name?”

Sharah started to open her mouth before he asked the question, but she closed it and waited. “I’m Sharah. Mother says I have to let people speak their thoughts before I answer them. She’s says it’s rude to not wait.” She reaches over and gently touches the leaf of the plant next to her with one finger. “I won’t hurt them, promise.” She hums along with them a little more. “Thanks for not calling security. My brother will find me eventually. He always does. I’ll be in a lot of trouble, but I don’t care.” She shrugs her little shoulders, seeming far too sad for a child as little as her. “But it’s worth it. Your flowers are SO HAPPY. I’ve never felt anything be this happy.”

You’re a telepath, and your mother is right. You should wait for others to finish speaking. Just as well I don’t mind. He winked having thought rather than spoke knowing she’d easily pick up on his words but then out loud said “You understand the plants, that’s a very… unique ability to have and to say they’re happy, I’m glad they are. I try to take good care of them.” He had decided to not ask questions about her brother, he figured that if she wanted to she would but for now he was more interested in how her telepathy surpassed just normal humanoid brainwaves but also to plants as well, he had never heard anything like it and he couldn’t help the scientist in him. ‘Why do you seem so sad Sharah, and don’t forget to speak, young one, I can’t hear your thoughts sadly.’ he was no telepath but her body language was easily readable.

Sharah giggled, “Of course I’m a telepath. You aren’t though, but you are very good at thinking your thoughts.” She turned to another plant and sniffed the flower. “I’ve never heard them before. At least I didn’t know I did. I’m sad because I’m always in trouble and my head always hurts.” She pauses for a moment, “I hear everything,” her tiny hand taps her head. “But they don’t have thoughts, just feelings. They feel happy and safe.” She tips her head to the side listening, “I could make you hear my thoughts. I’m not very good at it though and I get it wrong sometimes so I don’t like to do it.”

“I’ve spent many hours alone with my thoughts, that and I’ve been around other telepaths to know when to and not to think so loudly.” He mused, watching the young girl sniffing the flowers until she declared her problem. He couldn’t recall the exact name of it but had heard of telepaths who were over sensitive, he couldn’t help but feel immensely sad for her. As she spoke about the plants it filled him with a sense of pride until finally she caught him by surprise offering to project her thoughts to him. “Oh, I wouldn’t want you to do anything you don’t like to do, it wouldn’t be fair.” Oliver found his hands drawing patterns as he gently caressed the dirt in front of him. “But I’m also very curious” He smiled at her, it was her choice. Something he felt she may not get the chance to do very often, make her own decisions.

Sharah shook her head. “No, if I do that my brother will know and then he’ll find me. And I really shouldn’t. I’m sick, everyone says so. And I don’t want to hurt you. You make the flowers happy.” She suddenly got up and ran across the arboretum to another flower bed and plopped into that one as well. She flopped back, managing to miss all the flowers, and getting dirt everywhere. “Oh, quiet Olly! That mean security guard is coming. Please don’t tell him I’m here!” She got up and ran behind a large stone to hide.

He didn’t have time to react to his casual nickname being shouted out loud by someone so young when the door to the arboretum opened and the same gruff Klingon he had seen earlier scanning the room his eyes finally falling on him, his lips snarling.

“What are you doing on the floor Ensign, and why is there dirt everywhere?” His voice hoarse and throaty as he spoke, Oliver had served with Klingons during the war, they were all the same.

“I’m doing my Job lieutenant, planting new flowers and taking out the ones ready to be synthesised into cures for the Klingon Measles” He said teasingly, though an Ensign, Oliver had more years than mostly everyone on the ship and for that they still respected him.

“We’re trying to find a young Betazoid girl, she’s dangerous and sick have you seen her?” He asked, his eyes drifting around again snarling.

He stood dusting himself down and shaking his head, “I haven’t seen any dangerous or sick Betazoid girls, have you tried the Sickbay perhaps sir?” Oliver had moved closer to the Klingon shielding most of what was behind him.

“My tolerance for you only goes so far… Ensign” and with that he was gone allowing Oliver to breathe a sigh of relief as he puffed out his cheeks, he never liked Klingons. ‘Sharah, he’s gone, for now.’

Sharah didn’t come out though. Oliver found her behind the rock, curled in a little ball crying. “He hates me. Everyone hates me. It’s not my fault I’m sick.” She hiccups for a few minutes. She wipes her face, streaking dirt across it. “Can plants really be used to make medicines? Is there a plant that would make me better?” The hope in her face is heartbreaking. She jumps up suddenly and opens a supply closet. She gets a broom. “I’m sorry I made a mess of your garden. I’ll clean it up.”

Oliver’s mind raced to keep up to pace with the young girl. Finally putting a hand on hers to stop her from sweeping, the brush too big for her and dwarfed her anyway. He knelt down, she must have been really reading his mind to know where to look and oddly he didn’t mind. “I don’t hate you and I certainly don’t think you’re ill. Untrained, unexperienced and a little misunderstood perhaps but sick is a very terrible word to label you with. Don’t worry about this, I’ll clean this. I don’t know of a flower that will help you contain your telepathy, I do have something that might make you feel better though if you’d let me show you.” Olly wasn’t thinking about what he wanted to show her but more where it was, he had been taught some methods of blocking telepaths and misdirection was one way. He couldn’t help but find the dirt smeared across her face seemingly reminding him of himself as a young child too.

Sharah thought he was funny trying to stop her from knowing what he was thinking, but she just nodded and followed him. It would be rude to ruin the surprise for him.

While they were walking a boy, 15 years old came in. With the same nose and all black eyes as Sharah. He started to call out for her, but stopped, watching. His sister was never calm, but she did seem … happy. At least a little bit. When she’d started crying she’d reached out for him and he’d found her easily then. He sat down by the door to wait. The officer didn’t seem to mind that she was there. He wasn’t reading Oliver’s mind, but he knew Sharah would have left if she felt unwanted.

Sharah looked up at Oliver, “What is it?” Very excited to find something that he thought would make her feel better.

“It’s called a Cherry Blossom Bonsai tree, they’re from earth’s Japanese region” He said, setting down the very small tree in front of them, right now it was still very young and very small she would have been able to fit it in the palm of her hands. “I think you should have it, they are very delicate but you seem to have the green thumb.” The young science officer looked between the two children smiling, it was beginning to be quite the party.

Sharah’s little hand reached out and touched the little tree softly. “It’s so beautiful.” She picked up the pot and sat down with it in her lap. She started humming again, this time the tune was different. She pet the little tree staring intently at it.

The young man walked over. “Thank you, Sir. I’m Andrew, Sharah’s brother.” He looked around and could see evidence of Sharah’s erratic behavior in the dirt strewn around the room and all over her clothes.

“Andrew…” Sharah voice was very quiet. “He said I could keep it, please? It likes me. Please can I keep it?” Andrew knelt down next to his sister, putting one arm around her shoulders. “We’ll have to ask mom and dad, but I don’t know if we can take it to Vulcan. I don’t know if it would survive the environment. Maybe,” Andrew looked up at the Ensign, “Ensign”

“Oliver. His name is Oliver,” Sharah said, hugging the little pot.

Andrew looked sad watching his sister hug the little pot so desperately. “Maybe Ensign Oliver would keep it for you? We’re supposed to return home on the Galileo, so you would get to come back for it.” Andrew looks at Oliver, hoping the Ensign will agree.

Looking to the young boy and to Sharah he couldn’t help but feel conflicted, ultimately it would be down to her parents so he shrugged, “Its water bowl underneath needs to remain filled as it hydrates itself from the humidity, keep it out of direct sunlight and away from any draughts.” He smiled a little apologetically, “Vulcan shouldn’t affect the tree in a negative way as long as it’s looked after. I believe between the two of you it’s in good hands, but you are right we should find your parents.”

Andrew’s face got a far away look for a few moments. Then he reached down and squeezed Sharah’s hand. “I promise Andrew, it won’t be like the kitten, I promise.” They obviously had been using telepathy to talk to their parents.

“I know Sharah.” He stands and looks at Oliver. “Thank you, our father said yes. Though my mother has reservations. Thank you for being so kind to my sister.” Andrew starts to steer Sharah out of the Arboretum. Sharah turns back and runs over to Oliver. “Can I come back tomorrow so you can show me how to take care of it?”

He chuckled at the young girl, how anyone thought ill of her he couldn’t understand it, “The arboretum is open to everyone, but make sure you ask your parents permission. I know it will be hard on this ship with so many thoughts Sharah so try your best and stay out of trouble for me and remember sometimes it’s better to listen first.” Olly’s hand went down to the young girl’s face as he wiped some dirt off her cheek. “Now run along, and hopefully i’ll see you tomorrow.”

Sharah suddenly hugged Oliver very hard, almost bruising them both with the pot. “Thank you for my tree, Oliver.” Sharah walked out with her brother. He whispered something to her and they crouched down and snuck off down the corridor and around a corner. A minute later that same security officer walked by, obviously still looking for Sharah.

The next morning, Andrew found Sharah between the bulkhead and her bed, holding tightly to the little pot. ‘Hey, Sharah, come on. It’s okay.’ Andrew crawled in with her. ‘Mom won’t take your tree away. Dad and I won’t let her.’

Her parents had been arguing all morning. Her mother was concerned about the way Sharah was so attached to the little tree. Just like she had been with the kitten. ‘It’s a plant, dear, she can’t connect with it like she did the cat.’ Her father argued over and over again. Sharah was not going to tell them she could hear the little tree humming. They would take it away then.

Andrew tapped her on the shoulder, ‘You know if you would go out there and talk to them, like the big kid you are, they wouldn’t argue so much. I know it’s hard for you Sharah, but you have to speak up, and do it calmly. Then mom will know you’re okay.’

Sharah shook her head, ‘Mom only thinks I’m sick.’ Andrew hugged her. ‘Well, okay that’s not true. I know mom loves me, but…’

‘Luanna, I’m scared too,’ she heard her father say, ‘but the doctors said she was doing very well. She’s stronger than other children like her. She is going to do whatever her dreams lead her to do. She’s too stubborn not to. You have to let her try.’

Her mother sighed. She wanted her husband to wake up and see reality, Sharah would always need someone to guard her; her father wanted her mother to wake up and see that Sharah was not living the nightmare his wife was so afraid of.

Andrew tugged her hand, ‘Come on. I’ll go with you.’ Sharah nodded. She put the little pot on the table next to her bed and walked with Andrew into the main area. She sat down on the couch. Her father sat down next to her and hugged her. ‘Awww, I’m sorry, baby, we just love you a lot.’ Sharah nodded.

‘Momma, I promise it isn’t like that kitten. Oliver…Ensign Oliver said it’s a baby tree and so I have to be very careful to make sure it doesn’t get hurt. I promise I’ll take care of it, you won’t have to. He even said I could come back and he would show me how to take care of it. I learn really fast. I’ll be able to do it, you won’t have too. Please? If….’ Sharah thought of a way to convince her mother, ‘if I don’t know everything I need to know when we get to Vulcan I”ll give it back.’ She wanted to be angry with her mother, but her mother’s fear and sadness allowed Sharah to let go of her own anger and empathize with her. She didn’t always understand why her parents felt the way they did, but she felt it none-the-less.

Her mother sat down next to her, ‘You can’t go, baby. After you ran off around the ship yesterday it made the captain and that security Lt very upset. You have to have an escort.’ Luanna knew Sharah had run off because she was so scared. Sharah never wanted to leave their little village, but she had to, all the time. Her daughter’s life would never be easy. ‘Okay, we’ll figure it out. One of us will take you, okay?’ Sharah hugged her mother hard, her relief, sadness, fear, happiness over the little tree swamped the whole family. ‘Your tired, Sharah. Take a nap and then one of us will take you, okay?’

A few hours later Sharah returned to the arboretum with the little tree, Andrew in tow.

Oliver was walking about the now clean arboretum, spraying leaves with a small water bottle when the two siblings entered. “You made it, I was worried that you wouldn’t be allowed to come. I see you brought company” He nodded politely into Andrews direction. “The tree made it through the night as well, brilliant news.” The young girl looked better than the day before and he was glad to see her looking happier.

Andrew nodded to Oliver and then found an unobtrusive corner to sit and study. Sharah nodded at Oliver’s comment. “Of course it did, I promised to take care of it.” And she took off towards the back where the little tree had come from. Suddenly she slowed down making sure not to mess the dirt up this time. She placed the little pot back on the table. She walked back over to where Oliver was working and tugged on his hand. “Will you teach me about your plants?”

“Well of course, I’m hoping you might be able to teach me a lesson or two aswell” He motioned for her to follow him over to the table where she had set the tree down where he had also potted several different plants that were his favorites.

From right to left he pointed and explained, “This is a Tiger Lily or ‘Lilium lancifolium’ and is native to Earths Asian continent its mostly an ornamental plant. This is something from your home called Oskoid. I’m sure you’ve eaten it at some point. I’m told it’s a delicacy, this is a Shin-Ka-ti or more commonly called ‘Flower of Mercy’ it helped cure the Vulcan red plague and then this lively plant is a beauregard. I wouldn’t touch this one, it’s carnivorous. I chose these because they all share very different environments and each serve a different purpose. I’d like to think their songs would be different and I wanted to see if my theory was true.”

Sharah stared fascinated by each of the plants, repeating their names softly to herself. She listened very quietly to each of them, humming with them. Each was very different. The last one she moved away from. “That one is angry and it likes to be angry.” She went back to the Tiger Lily and cupped the flower in her hands. “This one sounds like my tree a little bit.” She laughed and turned around, a couple officers had walked in. “They want you to give them a plant to take back to their quarters.” She ran off to go find some more Tiger Lilies that weren’t in pots and see what they felt like.

Olly greeted the two officers, one was a Trill male the other a Human female both of who worked in operations. “So you’re here for a flower? Anything particular?” He asked both smiling at them and waiting for their response as they recovered from their brief encounter with his new prodigy.

“Well, we was thinking something bright and not so angry” Spoke the female first now smiling herself and looking to the beauregard which Sharah had described so colourfully, it vibrated is if to show of its anger proudly

“I think I have just the thing, follow me” He thought mentally to Sharah, ’Would you like to help me extract a plant from its soil, I need a medium pot with some fresh soil, fertilizer, trowel and a fork please Sharah’ he figured she would need to learn if she ever decided to make her tree a little bigger as she grew older.
“This plant is called ‘Strelitzia reginae’ or more commonly known as ‘‘birds of paradise’ as you can see it looks like a humming bird taking flight or a crane” he displayed the flowers which were standing tall and proud. “Native to Earth’s South Africa region and an absolutely beautiful piece for any quarters.” The plant itself had one large purple like leaf which cupped a flurry of bright orange, red, purple and yellow flowers which formed the bird in flight design. It was held up by a large thick stem and had equally impressive green leaves.

“It’s perfect!” Said the man this his arm wrapped around what was obviously his wife’s waist who looked equally as impressed.

Sharah ran across the back of the arboretum excited to get all the things Olly had asked for. She found them all but had some trouble carrying them all at once. She was rather cute stumbling along peeking above the stack in her arms. She put them down carefully, or as carefully as a child with too much stuff could do, and sat down next to Oliver. She did everything he told her to do.

When the man put his arm around his wife, Sharah became very upset. Her eyes got really wide and her movements became agitated. Suddenly she got up and ran away. This time, Oliver found her behind the work table, rocking back and forth. Her little hands covering her ears trying to shut out the noise that never stopped. Her brother had appeared from wherever he had been. The strain on his face obvious as he tried to help Sharah.

Having quickly seen the couple off with their new decorative plant Olly quickly went to find the young girl, seeing her like that was upsetting and wondered how he could help, he quickly compacted some dirt and placed a small orchid into it that was ready to be potted and be given as a gift. He walked over to the young Betazoid taking her hand from her ear gently whispering to her “Just listen to my voice and feel the sound of the plants. Shut everything else out.” He buried her index finger into the dirt hoping it would calm her; he had quickly deduced the emotions flowing between the couple were likely screaming at her or so he thought.

Andrew saw what Oliver was trying to do. “Just hold the plant, Sharah. Focus on that, like Dr.Terrak told you. Just think about how the dirt feels in your hand.” Sharah tried to hold the plant, but her hand shook, dropping the dirt everywhere and when she tried to hold onto it tighter she almost crushed the root. She shook her head violently, “I can’t….I can’t shut if off. I don’t know how.” Andrew wasn’t sure what to do. “Sharah doesn’t always understand all the emotions and thoughts she hears.” He hated to leave Oliver alone with Sharah like this, but he needed to get his parents. And he needed to calm down before she felt his anger and frustration.

Sharah tried to give the little orchid back to Oliver, “I’m…I’m hurting it.”Sharah tried to scoop the dirt she had dropped up, but her hands kept shaking. She tried really hard to focus on the orchid. It was pink and very long. “It…it looks like a little chair for a very tiny person.” She looked up at Oliver, “I’m sorry…can you help me make the plant better?”

“It does, doesn’t it.” Olly chuckled finally relieved that she was able to speak again before answering her question, “Of Course come on, it will need to be put back in with the rest of the Lilys” He scooped up the plant and held it gentitly. It would survive, after a few days of nurturing and be ready for potting again soon. “Bring the trowel, and we’ll find a spot next to its family. This particular Lily is from Andoria and is used to the inhospitable cold so your touch was nothing it couldn’t handle.”

Sharah nodded, but stayed in place for a few more minutes. She picked up the trowel and slowly walked over to Oliver. She sat down and carefully started to dig a little hole in the dirt where Oliver showed her. She moved the dirt very slowly a little at a time. At some point she started digging with her hands, reaching deep into the dirt, rather than use the tools.

Andrew and her father had returned with a nurse. Her father stopped them and simply watched. He decided to let the nurse return to sickbay and sent Andrew off to be a kid. He found a place to sit outside and wait. He knew Sharah was quite capable of recentering herself, but the extreme had concerned him and Andrew. Whatever it was about the garden seemed to help her, and he wasn’t going to question it for the time being.

Sharah finished digging the hole. “Now what do I do?” she asked Olly.

Oliver had watched her dig, and then become even more ferocious as she had done away with the tools making him smile “We place the plant, and the remainder of the soil in the hole and gently pack the soil back in. We’ll give it little water and some fertilizer to help it on its way and then in a few days it’ll be as good as ever.” Olly had seen her father enter along with a nurse and Sharah’s brother but was pleasantly surprised when they dispersed seeing she had managed to calm herself. Despite not having control, or losing control she was able to regain it rather well, and he was left unharmed.

Sharah picked up the flower and put it in the hole. She started to cover it with soil and almost buried it having made the hole too deep. Following Oliver’s instructions she took a great amount of time to carefully fix the problem. She glanced at her father several times. “The dirt feels good on my hands.” She laughed just a little. Suddenly she looked up and at a plant on the other side of the bed. “Olly? What’s wrong with that one?” She pointed, “It feels sad.” There were tiny strings around it warning people away.

Olly turned to view what the young girl was talking about, “Oh thats my Terracotta Helianthus Annuus, I didn’t know it was sad though!” He moved towards the other flower examining it to see if it had any infections or pests eating at it but couldn visually see anything wrong. “I don’t know, it’s by itself because it needs space to grow and a lot of soil. Maybe you can find out”? He asked curiously looking to the young form of Sharah.

Sharah sat down, her head tilted to the side listening. She tried humming with it but the song kept changing. “It’s….lonely? No, cold. It doesn’t like being cold.” Sharah looked up at Oliver, “I don’t understand. It doesn’t feel cold to me in here. There aren’t any thoughts on the plants, just feelings. I…I don’t think they…” she paused again listening trying to figure out the song, “they don’t feel feelings like we do.” There was something Sharah could do but if Andrew or her parents found out she would be in a lot of trouble. With her father sitting outside she would have to be very careful. She didn’t tell Olly what she was doing either. Sharah placed her hand into the soil to look like she was working on the plant and closed her eyes. She let herself fall into the plant’s consciousness, or whatever it was, she allowed herself to be the plant, much as she had done with the kitten when she was 5. It was all feelings and at first it was very hard to understand, but after several minutes she realized her Betazoid mind was over complicating it. The plant was simple. Her little body began to shiver as if she was cold. She very determinedly made herself stop. She opened her eyes and looked around. She pointed to some moss. “It’s cold, the roots are cold. It…little plants like that keep it warm at home.” Olly hadn’t told her that the plant needed room to grow but was usually found in areas with small rooted ground covering plants. Sharah got up and moved to where some of the bright lights were to warm up. She waved and grinned at her father. He hadn’t noticed what she had done. Though her gift was unpredictable and hard to control, Sharah had amazing gifts that went with it.

Having watched the whole ordeal Olly was intrigued and had almost debated trying to pull her out of whatever mind trick she was pulling off, she wasn’t ill, she was talented and brilliant. Walking over to her he smiled, “That was something, I’m not sure I should even ask you to tell me what you did. I assume it’s frowned upon?” he looked to her and then to her dad and smiled. “You really are amazing, you know that Sharah.”

Sharah smiled and seemed to be uncomfortable with the compliment. “Other people do it, but I’m not supposed to. It scares my mom, because of my kitten.” Sharah suddenly looks very sad. She hears the questions in Oliver’s mind that he isn’t sure he should ask. Sharah sits up straight suddenly looking older than her 10 years, whatever she was about to say had obviously matured her in some way. “When I was 4, I got a kitten. See the doctors told my parents that people like me sometimes find the minds of non-humanoids and animals calming. So my parents decided to try, they wanted to know if it would help me,” from her tone of voice it was obvious this was a story she had heard and retold many times and was used to telling it repetitively. “I was very attached to my cat. She was…” now she sounds more like herself-young, “simple. She was happy or playful or sleepy. Her mind simply didn’t care about how she fit in with others, she just was. I took her everywhere.” Her voice drops to a whisper and she closes her eyes. “I took her with me outside, I stayed in her mind a lot. I don’t really know why except it made me feel happy. She…she got away from me and” she starts crying, “some animal got her….The doctors told me my mind was locked with hers when she died.” Sharah hugs her knees and hides her face. “I was in the hospital a long time.”

Having listened to the story about the cat he wondered if her mind hadn’t been lost with the cat if she would have mastered her abilities by now, it was very possible. That said Olly couldn’t help but want to just scoop up the girl in a comforting embrace, though thought against it. “Where you’re going, I am sure they will be able to help you control your mind. They’re the best” He explained, “Don’t be worried or scared.”

Sharah Fayth
Civilian Child

Ens. Oliver Loughty
Science Officer


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