CDR Aine Sherlock - Step Two

[Aine Sherlock]

(( Deck 8, Fore Ship, USS Chin'toka ))

Overall, Aine couldn't possibly understand what Leenaya was going through with the loss of her telepathy. And her meager experiences with such things, and now suddenly never having them again, couldn't possibly compare. But something in her hoped that her experience could make Leenaya see that though it was gone, it wasn't the end of things. There was still so much more. The last thing she wanted was the Doctor doubting herself over this.

Sherlock: That was a scary one. Then, on the Excalibur, I got to be a telepath for a day. I was body swapped into a friend of mine. It didn't go so well. I had no training in that, because I'm Terran, and it was ::beat:: overwhelming. All the voices I could hear, I thought I was losing my mind. I really don't know how you all learn to block it off or filter it out.

Edrei: Yeah, it very much feels like this at first. It gets better after a while.

Sherlock: I had multiple TBI's that I never got checked out. ::holding up a hand:: I know, but I eventually got caught. I ended up having a procedure done and it fixed the problem, but, ever since then I haven't been able to experience telepathy. I've been in situations where people were trying to communicate with me and there was just nothing.

Edrei: I just can't even begin to understand what it must feel like. To be completely cut off from people mentally...

Sherlock: It's not something I ever expected.

Edrei: Did you ever get used to it?

She paused and took in a deep breath. Being a non-telepath who'd gotten the chance to experience it so much in such a short time, she wasn't sure if it was something she missed, at least, that she thought. But now knowing it was gone, it did have an effect on her.

Sherlock: It's a weird thing, no. Even though I'm not, by nature a telepath, just the knowing that it's not there anymore ::beat:: it feels like something's missing. But for you, it's different, I know that. And I'm not meaning to say I fully understand. But it's something one comes to accept. Do you think it's something you can accept?

Edrei: I'm not sure I'd be able to, especially as a Betazoid. Even now, I don't even know how to tell my family, or if I'm going to tell them at all. ::beat:: Until I see them, at least.

That was an aspect of the situation Aine had never considered. But she understood. Would Leenaya's own people, her own family even, still accept her as one of them?

Sherlock: Do you expect they'd react negatively?

Edrei: response

Sherlock: We have counseling services that they can participate in, if that will help. And if they don't ::beat:: well...

Edrei: response

She held up her fist, balled up tight. Shrugging with her eyebrows while looking at her knuckles, an "evil" grin spread across her face.

Sherlock: There's always this.

Edrei: response

CDR Aine Sherlock

First Officer

U.S.S. Chin'toka

R239712AS0