Ensign Tho’Bi - Peace in the Stars

[Tobi]

((Elysium - Deck 6 - USS Artemis-A))

Tho'Bi: ::hushed quiet:: I apologise ::beat:: My words and… my understanding of these things are clumsy ::apologetic smile:: I have always been better with machines.

Never a truer word had been spoken. The young Andorian would have happily crawled through endless Jefferies Tubes than be seated at this table.

Chavrainne: ::smiling:: Then speak through them, Ensign. Offer what you can. That is more than enough.

Tho'Bi: My intention was only to offer an Engineer's perspective ::slight head bow:: there are technological solutions that …could be …helpful.

The young Engineer's words landed like the footfalls of a nervous animal, attempting to cross a freshly frozen lake.

Tho'Bi: A Subspace Communication Array and …and Transponder could be installed upon ‘New Hope’. ::shaky breath:: This would allow Star …Starfleet Vessels to identify and communicate with the Yurum Vessel quickly …at great distances. 

Once again, as the conversation tipped in the direction of tech-talk, so did the Andorian’s speaking become more fluid and expressive.

Tho'Bi: With our fleet and our network of Starbases ::beat:: the Yurum would have safety and support as they ::struggles for wording:: take …their first …steps into this part of space.

The oratory of Admiral Jean-Luc Picard it was not. The young Andorian's speaking voice ground to an inelegant and awkward halt.

Chavrainne ::tilting her head:: An interesting offer, Ensign Tho’Bi. ::gazing at Luirétt and then to Munro:: And not mine to reply to.

Chavrainne: Luirétt, if I may… I encourage you to seek the counsel of the others. You are their leader now – but that burden is not meant to be borne in solitude. The wisest decisions echo even louder when others have added their voices to them.

As the Boraxian Advocate stopped talking, the Acting-Captain raised her hand.

Munro: :: serious :: Starfleet does not share its technology :: looks at Tho’Bi sternly :: that is not what we are here to discuss. I apologise, Ensign Tho'Bi is getting himself excited :: to Luirétt :: We have strict laws around the sharing of our technology. In this instance it wouldn't be required from what I've seen the communications systems within New Hope could easily be adapted with modern technology from the Boraxians if you chose to remain on that ship. I will let you discuss with your people what has been discussed. Again, I apologise for any confusion. 

Luirétt: Response

With that, the Yurum rose from the table and made their way to a group of Yurum huddled together at the opposite end of the Elysium. 

The young Ensign felt a dark look fall onto him from the Acting-Captain's direction; the Artemis scowl was back.

Chavrainne: ::quietly, almost as if to herself:: I have spent so long being something – an Advocate, a servant of ritual and order, a voice for the Matriarchy – that I never considered what I would be if that order changed.

The Boraxian Advocate's word struck a chord deep within the young Ensign: a growing sense of knowing, he'd been ignoring for too long.

Chavrainne: You are both creatures of movement. Of change. So tell me – if you woke one day and the world you had been built to serve no longer recognized you… what would you do?

Munro: :: shrugs :: I don't know. Maybe I'd finally become a botanist, like my mother always wanted. A very bad one at that but at least she'd be happy. Truthfully though I can't imagine a life without Starfleet. It's a part of my DNA now. 

Tho’Bi: ::hushed quiet:: I have spent much of my time on this ship …and the Academy before …feeling ::searches for words:: like I am ....ill-suited to the uniform. 

Any semblance of diplomacy had fallen away from the young Ensign, as he gave voice to that which had clambered for utterance for so long.

Tho'Bi: ::slow deliberate:: But perhaps it is not I who is ill-suited to the uniform …perhaps it is the uniform that is ill-suited to me.

The Boraxian said nothing for a moment; she simply sipped her tea.

Chavrainne: ::quietly:: And when you're faced with a choice you cannot unmake – when every direction leads away from everything you've known – how do you choose who to be?

Munro: In my life, what I've learnt is sometimes we take a path and we begin to become whatever it is that is expected of us. Slowly and surely, sometimes, that doesn't align with who we are, or who we can be inside. I can't answer that question for you. I think you have to be brave, Advocate Chavrainne. 

The Acting-Captain continued. 

Munro: You've proven that that is something you are capable of. What do you want to be? I think no matter what happens, your people will have a need for you. Whatever shape that takes. 

Chavrainne: Response

Tho'Bi: My people say ::beat:: Leshra shrel tharek thoren’nd’nar, ven mtaleth thoren’nd’shar. ::beat:: It means… The snow makes it easy to see the path you have taken, but difficult to see the path you will take.

The young Andorian bowed slightly as a short train of people clutching musical instruments walked into the Elysium. Before too long, the musicians had set up and began playing.

Munro: Some entertainment. I think that might be a Bajoran lyre :: spreads hands in resignation :: I admit I'm not very musical. I like myself some Frontier Rock, outside of that my musical tastes are limited. Do you enjoy much music on your ship, Advocate? 

A melody drifted across shifting layers of harmony; the young Andorian experiencing both through ear and antennae, a complexity difficult to explain in the human tongue.

Chavrainne: Response

Tho'Bi: ::smiles:: My mother would sing old Andorian Clan songs to me when I was a child. 

Munro: The power of music. It can bring people together. 

An odd memory, cast aside and locked away, intruded upon the young Andorian; his Mother refusing to sing any of the songs of her clan, her growing frustration in the face of his childish insistence, uncharacteristically flustered and upset.

Tho’Bi: ::absent mindly:: The music of my people brought the clan together, but not …not the clans. The music became …just another difference.

The young Andorian looked across at the Boraxian Advocate and smiled apologetically. 

Tho'Bi: ::quiet hushed:: Forgive me ::bows slightly:: My people have a difficult history. …we ….clung to our animosity …and our traditions of blood for blood.  

The young Ensign could almost feel the Artemis scowl being cast upon him.

Tho'Bi: ::apologetic smile:: But that was a long time ago. We have found peace in the stars.

Chavrainne: Response

Tho'Bi: I think… the Federation helped. …to be part of something bigger than ourselves …it ::struggles for words:: made our own differences seem small.

Munro/Chavrainne: Response

Tho'Bi: ::quiet hushed:: There are still those among my people who ...long for the old ways.

Munro/Chavrainne: Response

Tho'Bi: We are fortunate ::beat:: they are few in number.

Munro/Chavrainne: Response

Tags/TBC 

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Ensign Tho’Bi

Engineering

USS Artemis-A

A240203T11