Lieutenant Commander Talia Ohnari ~ I didn't touch anything!!!

[Roxanna Dorion]

(((OOC my deepest apologies for missing Max's sim. Thank you to the amazing stitchers, trying to speed up past my sanfu so I don't make it worse lol. Back to the bugs!!!))) 

((Video Control Center, Main Thorax, Jorogumo))

Talia was a right mess. She missed conversations due to the lack of empathic readings, her concern about Rasha's ruse, and the constant worry that by the time they found Ensign Matthews, he would be nothing more than a congealed puddle. In fact, she was so disoriented that at one point, she found herself talking over Amelia out of habit. 

Great display of leadership. For a moment, she was terrified her absentmindedness would set the rescue plans alight ending in a fiery heap. At the moment, she mostly felt uncharacteristically nauseous. 

Once again proving she had zero career options in subterfuge. She just prayed Amelia would forgive her. 

Semara: :: A somewhat-amused smile :: I think Torado's wonderin' how you so easily defeated the Alliance, but doesn't know if it's some state secret y'all have.  :: Beat :: We're all curious, but mean nothin' but respect to you and all Velithari.  Just ain't sure how to show it yet.  :: A slight tilt of her head to the team. :: It might be easier to let 'em ask each other questions so we can talk.

Perhaps their mutual adversarial interactions with the Lattice Alliance could bridge the dialogue further—specifically regarding where they were keeping Matthews, and whether he had managed to keep his snark to a minimum. If these beings didn't look down upon males enough already....the thought gave her a shudder. 

Rana / Shuttlebay: Response

Alya: Yes of course Captain.

Once again, she had lapsed into her own worries, and had missed what was most likely an important bit of information. 

Torado: ::hands clapped:: Great! Lead on.

Thankfully, Lieutenant Torado was far more dialed in. Considering the woman was a marine....still. Why was her head having such a hard time not floating away? It was just unnerving. 

Vidya: ::To Ohnari:: I would be most pleased to speak with you, but it seems you have been selected to accompany Alya and your ‘Marine’. Perhaps another time then? I am sure your Chief of Sciences can ask any questions you may have in your place.

The Haliian began nodding before the words really sank in. 

Ohnari: Oh...yes of course. ::bowing her head politely:: And of course, I trust Rasha to cover all bases. 

oO Especially that one particular base that better stay covered....Oo

Vidya: ::to Ohnari:: Yes of course ::to Rasha:: It would be my honor to give you a tour of our technologicals. But first I must consult my Captain as you have your officers. But a moment.

Rasha: Response.

Whatever conversation was going to be private, besides the group was splitting, and in doing so was following Alene and the being called Alya. Maybe with less beings, her empathic senses could stop freaking out so terribly. 

((Timeskip, Corridor, Velithari Ship Jorogumo))

For Talia, walking through the corridors of the frankly, alien ship, had her exploration senses flaring wide. Her grey eyes were wide, taking in everything. Everywhere she looked, every sense was on high alert: the ship's walls seemed to be pulsating mildly, and the air was thick, warm, and heavy. It reminded her of where she had gone to medical school. 

Now, the disorientation was more understandable, she couldn't make out any sort of plaque showing a layout, or any indication of where the various branching corridors would lead. Every turn seemed identical to the ones before. She took a few swipes with her tricorder to collect data. But other than a mix of organic and non organic components, she had absolutely no idea how Alya was able to walk with such purpose. 

Torado: Everything looks the same as everything else, how do you know where to go?

Alya: ::soft click:: Same to your eyes, perhaps. Not ours. The ship marks her own paths. Each turning has its breath. ::she tipped her head:: A youngling learns the corridors before she leans to walk them. We do not lose ourselves in our own home.

Talia could detect the reverence with which Alya spoke of their ship.

Ohnari: Wow, that is fascinating. ::glancing towards Alene, and then back:: How fortunate you are our escort. I cannot imagine attempting to navigate it alone. 

Her thoughts went back to the part where Alya said, "The ship marks her own paths." Once they located Ensign Matthews...they would probably have to lean on diplomacy in hopes they could be escorted back to their shuttle. If they had to figure it out on their own? Well...that seemed unlikely. 

Torado: Huh. On our ship, we use visible signage. Not everybody navigates by smell in our society.

Alya: Then your halls must be full with paint. We do not paint the walls. The walls speak for themselves.

If she hadn't been unnerved before, she certainly was now. Like the ultra-realistic portraits from the ancient museums that seemed to follow you with their eyes. 

Ohnari: I hadn't really thought of it that way...Although our walls are much less...organic. 

Maybe that was had her empathic senses all stopped up. She had the oddest urge to offer her hand in greeting to the ship's wall. She resisted, but barely. They appeared to reach a semi-illuminated chamber, if she had to guess, it was possibly a dormatory of some sort. 

Torado: So… this is where you sleep?

oO Oh Thank Gods. Oo

If Alene had asked if this was a kitchen or waste disposal she was going to declare herself temporarily medically unfit for how she was deeply mis-reading the situation. 

Alya: ::stopping at the center of the arch:: We rest here, yes. Sleep is not the word. We do not lose ourselves this way. We fold inward. The walls hold us. When we are needed, the walls wake us.

Once again fascinated, she glanced around the room, noting the temperature and the slight sense of pulsating energy.  

Ohnari: So...more of a recharging stasis? ::glancing around, she noticed some various bulbous protrusions, her voice lowered respectfully:: I hope our presence won't be too disruptive...  

A jolt of awareness washed over her. A warning. 

Alya: ::lower voice:: Do not touch the cells. The fibre will read you and the ship may not understand.

Talia hadn't realized she had wandered further away, and that her hand had come extremely close to accidentally brushing against the nearest cell. The realization made her snatch her hand close to her body. 

Ohnari: ::still quite, she looked up out of habit:: My sincerest apologies...please forgive my carelessness. 

For a moment, she wasn't certain who she was addressing—Alya? or the ship itself. For her, that confirmed her hypothesis on why her empathic abilities were all topsy-turvy. The ship. It was just as cloudy as the Velithari, but it was encompassing—quite literally. Fighting against her nature, she worked to reinforce her mental shielding. At least if she was going to be muffled, it would be her decision. 

After a few breaths, she felt a lot less scrambled. Unnerving though, like a blindfold or something taking away one of her core senses. Is this how Nolen felt when he wore the inhibitor? No wonder Amelia had been so horrified. 

Ohnari: ::clearing her throat awkwardly:: Perhaps it would be better if we exited the resting area? Perhaps we could...

Torado: Response 

Alya: You may ask. I will answer what I am permitted.

Well? For the sake of honesty, beyond the well-intentioned concealment of Ras into Rasha, they were there for more than a cultural exchange. 

Ohnari: Would it be possible for you to provide a tour of your medical facilities? 

Alya/Torado: Response 

As the chief medical officer, it wouldn't be unheard of for her to express concern about Ensign Matthews. The Velithari would have had to discern that he was a member of their crew, regardless of their feelings toward males. 

Ohnari: ::carefully:: Aside from professional interest, I believe you may have stumbled upon a member of our crew...::wincing:: a male officer. 

Alya/Torado: Response 

While the differences between their societies were vast, the Haliian wasn't sure if Alya would even consider him to not be expendable. Not from malice, she hoped, just an assumption based off the little information about their matriarchal hierarchy. 

Ohnari: If you will allow another question, could you expand on the role of Velithari males within your society...?

Alya/Torado: Response 

TAG/TBC

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Lieutenant Commander Talia Ohnari, MD
Chief Medical Officer
USS Khitomer
C239205ME0