[G-QTRS] JP by Lt DeVeau and Lt Cmdr Saveron: Sad Songs Say So Much - Part 2

[Amanda Nordstrom]

((Lt DeVeau’s Quarters, USS Garuda))



::The warmth in her hands cut through the chill that memories brought
and downgraded her sobbing to sniffles with an occasional gulp. The
mixture of herbs and candied warmth were soothing in their own right. As
Saveron settled on the couch, Alora allowed herself a moment more to
gather some composure before she joined him, though she didn’t take a
sip of the drink he’d offered just yet.::


DeVeau: I’m sorry.


::And how many times had she said that over the last few days as well?
Obviously, this was not exactly what Saveron had expected and certainly
not how Alora might have imagined their reunion to go.::

Saveron: You have nothing for which to apologise. ::He paused.:: It is
disagreeable to see you in distress.


::How else could he put it? The urge to reach out, to have conveyed
without words the nature of the problem, as a Vulcan might, was
instinctive, but Alora was no Vulcan, and such gestures were used only
between those who were close, or in great necessity. He would not
presume. Rather he waited patiently.::


DeVeau: It was…


::It was what? Both Raissa and Aron had asked, but words failed when she
tried to describe what it was like. The best she could come up with was…::

DeVeau: Horrendous.


::The word brought that thin-lipped look to Saveron’s face, the closest
he ever came to looking unhappy. Aron had hinted that something dreadful
had happened, and particularly to Alora.::


Saveron: Will you tell me what happened? ::He asked quietly.


DeVeau: I’ll try.


::It took several starts and stops, and after the second collapse into
sobs, Alora had to put the mug down on the table lest she spill it. Once
she wrestled and gained control again, she continued, but at least two
more episodes occurred before she was finally able to finish the story.
When it was over, she could no longer cry, partially because she’d
already shed so many tears, and partially because of how much detail
she’d gone into. For some reason, she was able to admit everything to
Saveron, to give him even the smaller details that she’d left out with
others. She felt safe with him.::


::The only movement had been a quiet sip of tea as Alora spoke, she had
the Vulcan’s undivided attention. He still wore that thin-lipped
expression, and as she finished his gaze turned introspective for a
moment, thinking carefully, before grey eyes met green.::


Saveron: I do not know what a culturally appropriate response would be.
::He admitted with the same candour.:: The describe such an experience
in my own people’s terms seems… insufficient.


::’Disagreeable’, whilst useful for Vulcan responses to experiences, did
not encompass the spectrum of reaction through which aliens endured;
certainly it did not cover Alora’s reaction.::


Saveron: I appreciate your candour, ::he added at last,:: your trust in
me. I would find it preferable if I could assist in some way. ::Yet he
was no Counsellor. The extreme nature of Vulcan mental discipline closed
that door to him.:: I appreciate that to experience such, to feel such
actions as your own and have no volition to prevent such is traumatic.


::For only a fool would ever think that Alora herself would undertake
such actions. He would find it preferable if Alora did not seem to
attract such trauma. He recalled all too well the aftermath of her and
Commander Rahman’s abduction by the Orionese brigand. He recalled too
his own experience of such.::


::Saveron had been the first person she trusted since leaving the
Academy to accept her first posting. Distance hadn’t changed that, and
if anything, his presence merely solidified that fact. As one hand
rubbed at her eyes, she stared down at the mug of chocolate which, by
that point, was probably just barely warm.::


DeVeau: I’m glad you’re back. ::She admitted before adding.:: I missed
you. I’m glad you’re here and we can talk again.


::For although he couldn’t express himself in a Terran manner, she
somehow felt so at ease with him. He just accepted her outburst, her
feelings - he just accepted her and had from the beginning.::


Saveron: I also find it preferable that we may speak face to face once
more. ::He replied evenly.::


::It was agreeable to hear more positive tones from Alora, though he
could not help but think of what she had been through, and how such
things could leave very deep scars. That he understood far too well.::


Saveron: I… understand, perhaps more than most, that which you
experienced. I myself have experienced something similar.


DeVeau: You did?

::Alora hadn’t realised that. Had Saveron mentioned it and she’d
forgotten? Normally she had a fairly good memory - maybe not as good as
Saveron’s, but still.::


DeVeau: Do you mind if I ask what happened?

Saveron: I would not have spoken of it if I objected. ::Indeed he had
anticipated the question.:: The USS Thunder- the ship attached to the
Duronis II Embassy - was nearly destroyed when a Pah Wraith resident in
an ancient Bajoran possessed a member of the crew and took control of
the ship. Another crewmember became possessed by a Prophet, and the two
endeavoured to undertake the Reckonning aboard that ship. Several
members of the Thunder’smarine contingent were killed by the Pah Wraith,
and a member of the senior staff was mentally subjugated in order to
attain the appropriate accesses.


::Of course, not every species had the ability to mentally subjugate
another.::


::Even though he spoke of it as if he were merely recounting the details
of a report, Alora knew he was one of those crewmembers.::

DeVeau: And you were taken by the….?


Saveron: I was possessed by the Pah Wraith. ::He said simply, knowing he
did not need to describe the swath of destruction he had cut through the
ship, and her crew.::


::It had happened to him, almost the exact same thing. Different ship,
different beings, but the results had been the same - their bodies and
minds had been used to hurt and even kill others. Tears stung Alora’s
eyes once more and colour drained from her face. Quickly, she looked
away to take hold of herself and struggled to find something to say. She
wound up asking a silly question, but at least it would get them off the
topic.::


DeVeau: What made you decide to come back?


::He accepted the change of topic. It had been his intention to
demonstrate a measure of survivability, not to bring forth again the
pain that showed on Alora’s face.::

Saveron: It was not my decision to make, nor was my departure. I was
transferred back by Starfleet. ::Just as he had been transferred out.
Like all of them he moved at the whims of their superiors.::


::Alora nodded slowly. Regardless, she was glad for the Vulcan’s return
and hoped that Starfleet would leave him there permanently, even if it
was a selfish desire. ::


Saveron: It is agreeable to be aboard the Garudaagain. I shall be
working with your department.


::That made Alora pause. Her department? Had something happened?::

DeVeau: Not as a doctor? I thought you preferred that posting...


Saveron: Affirmative; I am here as a Xenobiology Specialist, to assist
in the investigation of recently encountered species. The Garudahas
sufficient medical personal, though I will of course be available to the
medical department should additional staff be required.


::But that wasn’t why he’d been transferred back.::


::Well that made sense, considering his specialty. Still, Alora thought
he made a fine doctor, but if that’s what it took to get him on the
Garuda, she wouldn’t argue. Her eyes drifted down to the item that he’d
brought with him, finally noticing it in the aftermath of her breakdown.::


DeVeau: You brought your harp.


Saveron: I considered that you might find it agreeable to continue our
lessons.


DeVeau: Would you be willing to play for me?

::One of the many things she had missed was their time spent learning
together, especially with music.::


Saveron: Affirmative.


::Sometimes music had a soothing quality that words did not. It was a
twin case, and Saveron snapped one side open with practiced ease,
extracting an old harp, it’s intricate designs polished with use, made
of rare woods from the T’ralorian Preserve, which his people had licence
to harvest sustainably. With deft movements he tuned it before setting
long fingers to the strings and drawing forth a gentle, soothing melody,
pleasant tones and easy on the ears.::


::Alora’s eyes closed and she sighed softly before curling up on the
half of the couch she’d claimed for her own. Although it looked as if
he’d brought the other, for the moment she was content to simply let him
play and allow herself to get lost in the music. The tones of the Vulcan
harp curled about her, reminding her of the not so distant past and the
pleasant moments spent together. Notes that seemed filled with far too
much emotion to truly be Vulcan danced lightly about her, calling her to
forget her troubles for the moment. Each note wrapped it’s delicate
tendrils about her, the music drew her into its embrace and rocked her
gently upon its rolling waves. How long he’d played, she wasn’t sure,
but when the peace finally ended and the wisps of the melody release her
and faded, she shifted to settle her gaze back upon the Vulcan.::


DeVeau: I’ve missed this too.


Saveron: Would you find it agreeable to resume our lessons?

DeVeau: I would love to. I’ve been practising in the holodeck...but it’s
not the same.


::Holograms could be programmed to act like real people, but they were
still just computer generated images. They didn’t possess actual life,
usually, and thus lacked a depth that she missed with real people. Even
her holographic sensei couldn’t compared to the real one back in Japan -
though she agreed it was better than nothing at all.::


Saveron: I would be honoured to continue teaching.


::Dark brows raised slightly as he offered the old and well-cared for
instrument to Alora.::


::Pushing herself upright, Alora accepted the instrument, her smile
returning, though pale in comparison to its usual brilliance, and
addressed it directly..::


DeVeau: I’ve missed you too.


::Removing the second harp from the case - this one a modern electronic
instrument, all gleaming metal and indicator lights - Saveron regarded
Alora for a moment. Sometimes Terrans had an odd way of expressing things.::



***************


Lt. Cmdr Saveron

Xenobiology Specialist

USS Garuda


&


Lt. Alora DeVeau

Chief of Science

USS Garuda