Lt Commander Ava Munro - To Listen and To Be Heard
Ava Munro
((Elysium - Deck 6 - USS Artemis-A))
Chavrainne now stood alone, having sent her entourage of aides away. A curious note. In fact, this woman seemed at odds with the assured, somewhat arrogant and careful diplomat she had first met. Ava had seen it for herself, had she not?
An act of violence. Chavrainne had endured and then been forced to inflict violence on others. Her own people, an act that goes against everything she was taught to believe in.
In her duty to Starfleet Ava was no stranger to that. No amount of training can prepare you for the first time you have to fire on an enemy ship, or use a phaser or kill. The hard crunch of flesh on flesh, the snap of bone and the splatter of blood. Worse, the savage rush of adrenaline that betrays all the trappings of culture and society. Somewhere, deep within your genetics there is an insinctive desire for violence.
She recognised that on Chavrainne in the moments after they were attacked by Andoren and his followers.
And wasn’t that his intention? To manipulate the crystals to make the population more erratic, then removal of the only group of people that can reverse the effects to bring destruction, but more than that. He brought violence to them, because he knew that deep down inside people desired it. They welcomed it into their lives because it gave them something to cling onto: a basic, primitive solution to the problems around them.
Never mind the outcome.
Chavrainne: ::softly, with measured warmth:: Captain Munro. It is truly my honor to share space with you once more. Seen and known.
Munro: :: nods :: Seen and known, Advocate :: turns to Tho'Bi :: This is Ensign Tho'Bi, he'll be assisting me.
As Tho’Bi stepped forward, the advocate gave a more relaxed greeting. Ava began to consider that this may be some kind of play. She knew that Chavrainne was a woman of great intellect and political prowess but this seemed deeper than that. It was as if there were two women in front of her, not one. Dual sides of the same person who were locked in a deep fight for their own salvation.
Chavrainne: It is my honor to make your acquaintance, Ensign Tho’Bi of the Artemis. Seen and known.
Tho'Bi: ::quietly:: Sss ::stutter:: Seen and known, Advocate.
After a moment’s hesitation Tho’Bi continued. His words stumbled out as if barging their way through a filter - she had a feeling, this mental filter was rarely used when the ensign got an interest in technology. A typical engineer.
The Advocate appeared to take in the room for the first time, her eyes wandered towards the Yurum, grown in number since her arrival and joined by the gendered Boraxians - male and female, with some children, safely ensconced in the four arms of their parents. Eyes wide with wonder.
No one forgot their first experience of a Starfleet starship.
Tho'Bi: ::a little uneven:: I was impressed and intrigued by your technology. …I found the use of h-heat from the Warp Core and the cold of space …to generate an artificial breeze in the Seedery inspired.
Chavrainne: ::distractedly, with a small start:: Mmm? Oh–thank you, Ensign Tho’Bi. I am… gratified that you found it inspiring.
Munro: Tho’Bi is one of the Artemis’ engineers. At Starfleet, we often wear many different hats :: indicates towards Tho’Bi :: Engineers attend diplomatic gatherings and on occasion Captains have been known to crawl through a jefferies tube or two. What else did you notice on the colony ship, Tho’Bi?
Tho'Bi: ::enthusiasm growing:: And to use a Warp Core to filter impurities in Deuterium… so they might be used in the Seedery is… ::stumbles for a word:: inspired …again.
Ava had hoped, possibly showing her naivete, that Tho’Bi might contribute some opinions on the Yurum and their self sufficiency - or lack thereof. Yet, they had made it this far. Much farther than Chavrainne or the Great Mother had ever thought they could.
That meant something.
Chavrainne: ::the faintest smile:: You honor us, Ensign. I assure you, our engineers will be delighted to learn that their endless arguments over coolant flow have achieved something more than healthy seedlings.
Tho'Bi: I would welcome the opportunity to see how your Helm and Navigation technologies function. I find the technology of worlds outside of the Federation …fascinating.
Chavrainne: I, too, find the study of other civilizations… endlessly illuminating. Should there still be a Boraxian society at the end of all this — and should I still find myself within its councils — I will see that you have every access you desire.
oO still be a Boraxian society? Oo
The words rung in her head. They were words of hurt, and dejection. She had heard them before, of course. Hadn’t her own mother say the words “there will be no Naura left, just the remnants of who we used to be?”. The words had stung, the thought of her childhood home being reduced to a memory was difficult. It hadn’t happened though. They had adapted, and change had been difficult for many of them. Yet, change had come and revitalised Naura - a new independent science academy ushered in a new generation of Naurans.
Ava hoped that they could do the same for the Boraxians. It may not be the same society that upheld Chavrainne all these years, but Ava doubted that a society that has endured in space as long as the Boraxians have would fall entirely.
Munro: Response
A yeoman appeared at her elbow with the deft practice of someone who was skilled in ushering the most unpredictable of people from A to B. Yeomans were the unsung heroes of the fleet.
Yeoman: Advocate Chavrainne, would you please accompany me? We have a place of honor for you at the center table.
After they had followed the Yeoman, they all took to their designated seats. Ava scanned the room for Luirétt, who remained absent. She pushed a flicker of concern down. She would know if there were any further difficulties. With a nod of appreciation the Yeoman departed.
Ava had requested that the table be laid with food, paralleling her own experience on the Boraxian cityship. She hoped that the Advocate would appreciate the gesture. Unfortunately they had no time to gather Boraxian recipes so the food was a wide selection of Federation delicacies.
Chavrainne’s gaze rose, steady and unblinking, to meet Ava’s. Ava could see a very unfamiliar mischievousness to the Advocate. It was in the slight twitch at the corner of her mouth. A mischievious smile? Chavrainne reached into the inner lining of her robe and withdrew a slender hexagonal scanning device and Ava knew immediately what she was doing and let out a small laugh, and offered the advocate a wide, carefree smile and a friendly nod of the head.
Munro: :: good humoured :: You have to be cautious.
The memory of the bitter, overpowering fruit came to mind and she wondered how the Advocate might take to the food on the table. She did ask the yeomans to arrange foods that would be kind to the palette of a Boraxian - but who really could account for preference?
The device chirped softly as she swept it once, unhurried, across the display of food. The device offered its verdict in neutral tones. Chavrainne spared it a cursory glance – whatever it had to say was purely perfunctory – and slipped it back into the folds of her robe as though it had never existed.
Munro: :: joke :: I bring a tricorder to every dinner party.
When she woke up this morning, she would never have thought she would be cracking jokes to the Voice of the Great Mother of the Boraxian people.
Tho’Bi: Response
When Chavrainne leaned forwards slightly, and appeared to take a more jovial, conspiratorial tone with them, Ava found that the woman was actually very good company.
It felt like the events of the cityship were a faraway dream. The flames, Andoren and all that was at stake were somehow the illusion and all that was important was right here and now. It made Ava uncomfortable. How could she enjoy herself when her crew were going through hell to restore order to a situation, in part, caused by this woman?
It was a jarring realisation, and the smile fell from her face.
Chavrainne: ::softly, as if sharing a secret:: Captain… Ensign Tho’Bi… Tell me – which of these offerings is your least favorite, and why?
Munro: Taste is subjective, Advocate. My preferences are my own. As are yours.
The words felt harsh to her, detached from mere seconds before. Ava caught the eye of a nearby Yeoman, her look unmistaken. Where is Luirétt?
Tho’Bi: Response
The Yeoman simply nodded across the room, and there was the diminutive Yurum. The room seemed to bask in their presence. They may not want to be a leader, but it seemed that the position had chosen them, as it so often did. Eventually another Yeoman attracts their attention and guides them to the table.
Munro: Welcome, Luirétt, it is very nice to see you again :: pause as she remembers :: Seen and known :: nods ::
Ava then turned to Tho’Bi.
Munro: This is Ensign Tho’Bi, he spent some time on the colony ship with VahlJean.
Tho’Bi: Response
Luirétt: You are seen and known, my friends. Thank you for allowing my fellow Yurum the chance to participate today. ::gentle smile:: It is an experience they shall never forget. ::looks to Chavrainne:: Advocate Chavrainne, it has been too long since last we had the chance to meet.
Ava noticed several things in this meeting.
Luirétt did not offer the greeting that she had witnessed them doing with others - the extending of the arms. This was a significant change in both of them. She knew that the Yurum could influence the mood of other Boraxians, and she’d witnessed the effects they had on Lt. Storm earlier - prompting her to issue a shipwide alert to all empaths, telepaths and sensitives on the crew.
She chose to see this as a good sign. It showed, at least to her, good faith.
Prompted by the Yeoman’s gesture, Luirétt took a seat at the empty chair left for them, watching the spread of alien foods with an interested look.
Munro: Will VahlJean be joining us?
Ava looked to the empty chair at the table.
Tho’Bi/Chavrainne: Response
Luirétt: Unfortunately, Vahljeahn chose to stay on New Hope to continue damage control. There’s still many issues that require correction ahead of the conclusion of these talks.
Munro: That’s unfortunate. I have heard so much about them, I had wanted to put a face to the name, as we humans say. My species has another rather colourful expression that I hope you won’t mind I use here :: beat :: Let’s get this show on the road.
Tho’Bi/Chavrainne: Response
Luirétt: You are quite right. But I must apologize, my late appearance disrupted the conversation. Please, continue.
Ava indicated the foods on the table.
Munro: No apology required, Luirétt. This spread is known on Earth, and even as far reaching as my homeworld on the frontiers of space, ‘family style’ :: she looks to both Boraxians :: It’s meant to convey a coming together of loved ones at the end of a hard day.
Ava sighed before a soft smile creased her cheeks, her light eyes focused on Chavrainne’s.
Munro: And it’s safe to say we’ve had a hard day.
Luirétt/Tho’Bi/Chavrainne: Response
Munro: I think the idea was that you would share ideas, thoughts, and experiences. The roots of our lives :: beat :: In my home, my mother shunned technology. She was a botanist and had rarely left our homeworld. She likes to be in nature. It’s all she’s ever known. My father was an engineer, brought up around machines in luxurious cities where no one wanted for anything. They couldn’t be more different if you tried - and they tried. Yet, they came together each night, and they listened to each other. They didn’t compromise who they were to do that. They cared for each other enough to listen, to be heard, and to be vulnerable enough to bring a part of themselves to the table.
Luirétt/Tho’Bi/Chavrainne: Response
Munro: I’ve spent time with Advocate Chavrainne and with Luirétt. Ensign Tho’Bi is only just meeting both of you for the first time. Some might even say that you couldn’t be more different if you tried. I disagree with that. I think :: shakes her head :: I know you both care deeply about your people and the future of your society that hinges on this moment. Are you going to be brave and lay something on the table? To listen and to be heard?
Luirétt/Tho’Bi/Chavrainne: Response
Tags/TBC
