[AST] LtCmdr Sky Blake, "Her modern man."

[Deliera Jay]

((Astrometrics))

Blake:::shaking her head:: It's been a busy few months. But now that we're leaving what I call 'familiar territory', it's just going to get more hectic. We had a bad political rap when we arrived and started Operation Safe Harbor, let alone now, after what happened at Antor.

Delano: Even among the Reya-Laialara, Starfleet’s reputation is… well, somewhat tarnished compared to the way it’s viewed through the rest of the Federation.

::He simply shrugged.::

Delano: It’s hard to blame them. Starfleet’s presence out here has been minimal for decades. A lot of people feel like they’ve been abandoned. And as hard as Veritas has been working to make things better, one ship seems like a token effort.

::There was a pause as she glanced back at him.::

Blake: Lieutenant, I have a question that I've been pondering since the crew's change over.

::Again, a classic Vulcan eyebrow slowly spiked.::

Delano: I’ll answer if I can.

Blake: Why didn't Veritas know you were in the area? I know you ceased to report in, but . . . any resource in the area, we could have used. I'm not sure I understand why Federation Security kept you hidden from us.

::There was a few moments where the man's lips pursed a little, contemplating his response.::

Delano: Honestly, I don’t know. Though I have my suspicions.

::She frowned a little.::

Blake: If you don't mind my prying . . . ?

Delano:  It might have been a matter of jurisdiction. Federation Security operates independently of Starfleet, maybe they didn’t want Veritas involved. Or maybe it was just a security thing - keeping the people who knew about my assignment to a minimum. ::beat:: Captain Carrero might have known.

Blake: Possibly.

::If Carrero had known, the likelihood was that she'd at least inform Zhou - the crew had to separate on numerous occasions to get the job done. It wasn't necessarily a tactic Rahman employed today, nor would Sky recommend employing it after Carrero's death, but the assurence was everyone (or, at least, the command pair) was in the know of all that was happening in the area.

::Zhou had been clueless about Delano being in the Shoals, to the point where Tai had even attempted to press her for information about Delano to either set his mind at ease or to fuel the growing irritation at a flawed system.

::It had been easy for Sky to compare Delano to herself, if only in certain areas. And though she had absolutely no right to pry or question Rahman's confidence in Delano, or Delano's relationship with the ship's XO, that Mei'konda seemed comfortable and confident around the Vulcan had been enough to set Sky's mind at ease. She'd spent much of her time on Ornara operating under the idea that one's relationships with others primarily defined their personalities and capabilities - this assumption hadn't failed her yet.::

Delano: My only other guess is that maybe there was some kind of political element. In my initial briefing, I got the impression that the assignment was being made at the request of someone from the Vulcan delegation to the Federation Council, though it was never expressly stated.

((Flashback))

Blake: You never explained to me how you percieve emotion.

::Liquid brown eyes glanced at her as he set Ayden down, lingering briefly on the baby before turning to her fully. It was a strange question of hers, of which, up to this point, had remained unanswered despite their relationship. She allowed herself to be gently led out, returning to the lounge with the man.::

Sabor: I'm not sure I understand the query.

Blake: Vulcans are logical, yes?

::He coughed, covering what would likely have been a smirk at the child-like question.::

Sabor: All humanoids are capable of logic, that is correct.

Blake: Including the V'tosh ka'tur?

::There was a split second where Sabor hesitated, his eyes considerably sharper as they gazed upon her and his hand stilling in it's place around a glass, before he recomposed himself. There was recognition in the name, that Sky could feel, and though usually allowed her a certain amount of access to his psyche, for that brief moment, she'd been cut off from him entirely.

::Was this Sabor's display of fear?::

Sabor: You've been reading.

Blake: I'm sorry if it's-

Sabor: It's fine. But I can't claim to know the inner workings of their . . . "understandings". I personally don't see logic as a choice one can make. For example, logic dictates one shouldn't put their hand under boiling water. Does that mean a Vulcan of the V'tosh ka'tur would burn themselves under such water to defy logic?

Blake: Isn't that more 'self-preservation' then 'logic'?

Sabor: One might argue that self-preservation could be considered rudimentary logic that requires little to no understanding to implement.

::She could tell now that this particular debate would only go round in circles until one of them gave up. Probably her.::

Blake: So why do Vulcans insist that emotions are *not* logical if all humanoids feel, and are capable of logic.

Sabor: Emotions cannot be *explained* by logic. That doesn't mean that emotions are not logical.

::The corners of Sky's lips perked up.::

Blake: Is this a personal belief, or one shared by all Vulcans.

Sabor:::after a heavy breath:: I support the notion that all Vulcans may have their own philosophy not shared by others - which, unfortunately, is not a sentiment one will find among regular temple-goers. But there was a time where mind-melds were considered taboo and were suppressed by a single group. This . . . may be the case today regarding logic.

Blake: So Vulcans are susceptible to minority suppression.

::He eyed her with a minor frown, handing her a glass of water.::

Sabor: Drink.

::Ah, so *this* is where the conversation would end - at the notion that his people's society wasn't perfect. Sky smiled, accepting the glass and watching him fondly as he walked away to check on Faith.::

Blake: I feel like I'm being suppressed! ::She called after him with a sarcastic tone.::

Sabor: If I ever attempt to suppress you, my wife, you'll know.

((End flashback))

Blake:::muttering:: Minority suppression.

::Her first interaction with a Vulcan since waking up had been with her bondmate, whom held his own beliefs and felt comfortable expressing them whilst not in the perview of other Vulcans. The second he did so, he would have been held under scrutiny of his peers.

::That a Vulcan delegation may have asked for Federation Security to spy on other Vulcans put the part of Sky that still held Sabor's mentality close on edge.::

Delano: Response?

::She glanced back up at him, leaning against the console, crossing her arms.::

Blake: Sorry - it was a  . . . debate I once tried to have. ::She paused.:: Is it wrong of me to ask what they were hoping you'd find?

Delano: Response?

Blake:::nodding:: Well, historically, 'majority' Vulcans meddling in a separated factions affairs isn't usually taken very well. Forgive the conspiracy theory.

Delano: Response?

Blake: Just means I'll add it to the list of things we have to worry about later, anyway. For now, pirates are the priority. If political unrest happens, then hopefully the diplomatic corps are prepared for that kind of challenge.

Delano: Response?


Tbc . . .

LtCmdr Sky Blake
Ranger
USS Veritas

C238803SB0