JP: Cmdr. DeVeau & Lt. Cmdr. Fairhug - A Friendly Call pt. 2
Amanda Nordstrom
((Alora’s Apartment, Denali Station < - > Fairhug’s Quarters, Starbase 118 Ops))
Fairhug: =/\= A…dreamwalk? Then this has happened to you before? =/\= DeVeau: =/\=Not often, but on occasion, yes.=/\=
She averaged about one a year she supposed, unless the number was higher and she didn’t know it because people automatically assumed it was just a random dream rather than a strange connection between them.
Gogi leaned closer still to the screen. Now he was really curious.
Fairhug: =/\= Well, I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve got to ask; how is this possible? =/\=
DeVeau: =/\=It actually started seven years ago when I was assigned to the Invicta. I was on a mission to a planet called Adova where telepaths were, at one time in their history, reviled and a substance created to target them and wipe them out. I’m not a telepath, but it affected me and I was put into a coma.=/\=
Fairhug: =/\= Wow. That sounds like a thoroughly unpleasant experience all around. =/\=
And it also reaffirmed the Bardeezan’s dislike for telepathy. He’d had a very brief telepathic encounter with Counselor Stendhal recently and while he knew the Counselor didn’t mean him any harm, he didn’t like the way some species were able to get inside your mind like that. It made him uncomfortable.
That said, he certainly wouldn’t want all telepaths wiped out, as had happened on Adova.
Alora hadn’t thought about that situation for some time. Back then, Washington had been her commanding officer and dreamwalks had occurred quite often while she was unconscious. Even her commanding officer had been a recipient.
DeVeau: =/\=Evidently I visited quite a few of the crew in their dreams.=/\=
Fairhug: =/\= I see. =/\=
He considered this for a moment, before looking back to the image of Alora on his screen.
Fairhug: =/\= So, these dreamwalks, they’re manifested by what? Your subconscious or something like that? =/\=
That was a good question. Alora hadn’t ever really gotten a good answer for why they occurred and she shook her head.
DeVeau: =/\= That’s the only thing I can think of. After a year, they began to dwindle in frequency, and now it’s just every so often. At least, as far as I know.=/\=
Fairhug: =/\= Then that brings me to my next question…are you okay? =/\=
Alora blinked at the question, and it was one that hadn’t been asked of her in some time. Certainly, the question was posed often after all that had occurred on Ops. Each time, those who had inquired received the same answer: I’m fine.
Was she fine then? No. She hadn’t been, but she also wasn’t the sort of person to simply let it out. Those whom she held close to her heart bore the brunt of her sorrow, but that was mainly Raymond and Kestra. Gogi….he was a friend, yes. But…but what? He was a friend. And yet she struggled as she had so often, even with Ashley until he poked and prodded and finally gotten through. Would she finally give in to Gogi too?
DeVeau: =/\= Why do you ask?=/\=
Fairhug: =/\= It’s just that, in the dream, you seemed…I don’t know…troubled? =/\=
Now that it came to it, he was struggling to remember the particulars of the dream, but he certainly remembered the feeling that something was wrong…or, at least, not quite right.
Her emerald eyes winked out of sight as she lowered her gaze to something directly in front of her, perhaps her desk, or the hands so delicately folded upon it. When they lifted again, she made an admission.
DeVeau: =/\= I’m getting there. =/\=
Then his memory of the dream was right. Maybe she had reached out to him for a reason…or her subconscious had, anyway.
Fairhug: =/\= Is there…anything in particular? =/\=
He knew something big had happened to her recently. As FO of Ops, he was privy to mission reports, although he hadn’t gone into too much detail regarding the attack on the Romulan Praetor that had occurred not that long ago. For some reason, it seemed wrong to do so. Almost like reading someone’s diary.
Deja vu settled in, reminding her of a recent conversation she’d had with another she called friend. How funny that it all came back around. Leaning into her seat, she heaved a sigh.
DeVeau: =/\=A lot happened on Ops right before our transfers. And…before I came to Ops.=/\=
Fairhug: =/\= You know, if you want to talk about any of it…I’m a good listener. =/\=
He had to imagine there had been a point to that dreamwalk. Why would she reach out to *him* in particular.
The corners of her lips quirked a little, but did not manifest into a full on smile.
DeVeau: =/\=It’s a rather…heavy subject for a commcall.=/\=
Gogi leaned back in his seat again and finished the rest of his tea.
Fairhug: =/\= You know, we’re on shore leave at the moment. I’m sure I could use some of my leave to pay a visit to Denali…if you’d like, that is. =/\=
Once again, Alora found herself almost revisiting a conversation, for this was the second time she’d connected with someone, and both time she had reached out. The dream hadn’t been her, really, just something that happened from time to time with those she knew, but she had called him.
DeVeau: =/\= I don’t want to be an inconvenience.=/\=
Fairhug: =/\= It’s no bother. I don’t have anything planned. =/\=
DeVeau: =/\= Truth be told, I already had plans to go somewhere during shore leave here.=/\=
Although she had Ryzek touched base a minimum of weekly, there were times she needed to go to Betazed in person. Truth be told, the planet had been settled in her thoughts as home when she had been with Kalin, and now as Matriarch, her fate was tied to it.
Fairhug: =/\= Well, it doesn’t have to be Denali. I could meet you somewhere else. =/\=
In all honesty, he should probably pay a visit to Bardeez, but even with his recent vision, he wasn’t sure if he was ready for that just yet. This could be the perfect excuse to avoid it.
DeVeau: =/\= I’m heading to Betazed.=/\=
Gogi’s eyebrows raised reflexively at the mention of that particular planet’s name. It was somewhere he had always wanted to visit, but had never had the chance to do so.
Fairhug: =/\= Betazed? I’ve heard wonderful things about it. =/\=
She paused for a moment, just a breath or two, not even enough time for the silence to really fully settle before she responded.
DeVeau: =/\=I have a home there. My husband was Betazoid.=/\=
There was that word: “was”. Gogi didn’t want to pry, or upset Alora. If she wanted to offer up any more information, she would. By the sounds of it, it might be a conversation better had on Betazed.
Fairhug: =/\= Well then, perhaps I could pay you a visit. If you don’t mind my intrusion, that is? I’d love to see if the things I’ve heard about the planet are true. =/\=
He finished the sentence with a warm smile. He wanted Alora to know that there was no pressure for her to say yes, but at the same time, that she wouldn’t be inconveniencing him if she did.
His smile only solidified the idea, and now she could not deny that she wanted him to come. That would be him, and Hiro and Madison.
DeVeau: =/\= I've invited a couple of friends. I would love to count you among them.=/\=
Fairhug: =/\= Excellent! When are you going? =/\=
DeVeau: =/\= soon, actually…is it too sudden?=/\=
Fairhug: ::chuckling:: =/\= Don’t worry, it won’t take me long to pack. I travel light. =/\=
He *lived* light, in fact.
That was good. With the knowledge that he was coming, it only increase the desire for him to join the others. She would invite even more fast. It had been a long time since she has seen some people, like Hiro, and it would be nice to spend time with them. And perhaps they needed a vacation too.
DeVeau: =/\=I'll send you the details.=/\=
Her trip has gone from solo to accompanied, mostly, in a very short span of time. And yet, Alora couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement, a kind of excitement she hadn't felt in quite some time. She was now really looking forward to this trip.
Fairhug: =/\= I look forward to receiving them. =/\=
Just then, an alert popped up on his screen, reminding him about a meeting he had scheduled p.
Fairhug: =/\= Oh, I’ve got a meeting, better get ready. It was nice to chat - and nice to know that I’m not going crazy! =/\=
He’d had three telepathic and/or similar experiences lately and as far as he was concerned, that was three too many.
Yeah, she could understand why he might think that. Such dreams weren’t usual, and Alora could never be exactly sure what was a connection and what was just a random dream. She’d had some pretty weird ones.
DeVeau: =/\= I can’t guarantee you aren’t going crazy, but in this instance, it was not due to insanity.=/\=
Alora paused and offered a small smile. It had been good to reconnect with him, and it would be nice to see him in person again.
DeVeau: =/\=Goodbye for now.=/\=
Fairhug: =/\= See you on Betazed! =/\=
DeVeau: =/\= I’m looking forward to it.=/\=
Leaning forward, Gogi ended the call and just sat there for a moment. It would be good to see Alora in person, since they hadn’t had the chance to catch up before he left Denali. The trip to Betazed was going to be a nice bonus.
********************
Lieutenant Commander Gogigobo Fairhug
First Officer
Starbase 118 Ops
E239411GF0
&
Commander Alora DeVeau
Mission Specialist &
Second Officer
Denali Station
M239008AD0