Ensign Morton: Wild experiences and alien cuisines
James
((The Mirror Gardens, Cryethrae))
Vala was telling Lhandon about the scariest moment of her life but didn’t want the conversation to be downbeat. She smiled, and continued on warmly, able to talk about it with it being an old wound that she had almost completely recovered from. She had a naturally sunny disposition and enjoyed chatting. Typically she preferred one-to-one or small group settings. She could enjoy large gatherings too, in certain circumstances though they tended to be more draining. In any case, there wasn’t too much more to tell, and it was easy to speak of. All was well (more or less) that ended well.
Morton: I found out later that I’d been trapped in there for just over 8 hours. When they got me out I was uninjured and only mildly dehydrated but it really shook me. I still get nervous about tight spaces now. Do you have any fears, N? ::Adding hastily:: Oh! Don’t worry if you don’t feel like sharing. ::Giving him a sly smile:: I can always get it out of you later.
Nilsen: It's only fair. Erm… I've got a few. There's the big one… and then the really big one. I'll let you guess which one this is.
Vala gave him room to think and reply and noticed as he reached into his left trouser pocket to retrieve something. He showed her a small grey device, no bigger than a pebble.
Nilsen: This is my synaptic stabilizer pen. Two years ago, during the mission to Alpha Brenkevli II, I got to experience life on a higher plane of existence. Bonkers, I know. We met some incredibly ancient Bajorans, like 50,000 years old, and turns out, my body was perfect for them to use to communicate with us. All they needed to do was take my consciousness out of my body and let me be with them for a little while in their plane, before they sent me into the mind of my CO at the time who was in her mindscape.
If Vala hadn’t just been on such a trippy mission to an alternative universe, where the slave trade of people from multiple dimensions ran rampant, her mind would have been even more blown. The Haliian scientist was aware that many people spent their lives trying to get their consciousness onto higher planes of being. In some of their religions texts talked about different planes of consciousness but she didn’t know much of the science behind any of this. She also knew of the concept of out of body experiences but had been pretty skeptical about them and now Lhandon was describing something effectively like this, which sounded simultaneously incredible and awe-inspiring and terrifying.
Morton: Wow! It must have been incredible to make contact with them, but also scary.
Nilsen: Yeah, it was something. Anyway, mission was a success, their story finally got told, I realized that I like the diplomatic stuff and I started working towards it. Sounds great? ::Beat:: Then on DS9, I collapsed right in the middle of the promenade. I couldn't talk, I couldn't walk, I was just locked in my own brain. I forgot how to speak, I had to relearn Standard. But the scariest part? I lost six weeks of gym gains. Tragic, I know.
Vala’s mouth hung slightly open for just a moment before she realised and closed it. She had so many questions as any good scientist would but she kept them to herself. Lhandon was no specimen and this was not a pet project to explore. If the situation had sounded frightening before, it had taken an even darker turn there. In a way, being trapped in the mind was as bad as being trapped in the cave. She could certainly see parallels, but unlike her, Lhandon had not gotten off so lightly. She could see how he used humour and met his energy.
Morton: Oh snap, that’s dreadful. ::She gave him a goofy grin and the pointed at the pen:: Where does that come into things?
Nilsen: So, I've got this. Slam it into my neck, and It will stop a seizure dead in its tracks. It's configured to my DNA, and I'll be able to continue and, at least if we're away, I’d have enough time to get to sickbay. ::Beat:: So I guess my fear… this thing doesn't work.
Vala cringed to see the needle. Why was it like that and not a hypospray? She did not like the idea of jabbing him in the neck with such a device and sincerely hoped it would never be necessary.
Morton: Completely understandable! I hope you never have to put it to the test.
She sniffed the air as a fragrant scent caught her nose. Looking around for the source, she spotted a cafe just past the gardens and pointed towards it.
Morton: However, we could put their cuisine to the test.
They got to the cafe and examined the menu - it was mostly plant based.There were various salads but Vala knew Vegetarian and Vegan cuisine had more to offer than that. The menu wasn’t extensive and to her that was a good sign. Places that offered an extensive list of dishes were often providing replicated dishes - or ran the risk of not doing any of the dishes well. She could get all the replicated food she could eat on the ship. Something fresh and cooked with care was often a luxury for Starfleet personnel since fresh food wasn’t always easy to come by on a ship. It was table service so they went in and were seated in an alcove towards the back of the cafe. It had large floor to ceiling mirrors along one wall that made the small seating area seem much more expansive than it was.
Morton: I think I will try the curiously named “crystal-root terrine”. What would you like?
The menu had accompanying images, which was a good way to help get around language barriers she thought. Besides, she'd heard it said that people shop with their eyes, so maybe it was just a marketing tactic that had good side-effects. The image showed layered slices of pale amber and lavender-hued tubers set in a light gel of fermented blossom nectar. The description indicated this gave it a subtle tang. The dish came accompanied by warm moongrain crackers, delicately dusted with powdered frost-herbs grown under biolamps. A small bowl of radiant moss consommé completed the plate, its clear, mineral-rich broth prized for its restorative properties after long hours in the thermal chambers. The entire meal was plant-based, nutrient-balanced, and artfully designed to soothe both digestion and mind.
Nilsen: Response
Morton: What about a drink?
Nilsen: Response
Morton: I think I’ll just have some chilled water.
The waitress soon came and took their orders. While they waited, Vala wondered what else she might find out about her new friend.
Morton: I’m not going to lie, I have no idea if I will like anything my dish has to offer. It’s one of the most exotic dishes I’ve ever tried but I’m excited to give it a try. What’s been the most hideous food you’ve ever tried, one you hated every mouthful of?
Nilsen: Response
Ensign Vala Morton
USS Octavia E Butler NCC-82850
O240205VM3