Lieutenant Amelia Semara - Betazoid Care Package

[Max]

(( Amelia's Quarters, Room 145, Deck 14 - USS Khitomer )) 

Sometimes, people did surprising things.  Despite whatever gifts Amelia had with reading and understanding people, there were still plenty of times someone did something she didn't expect.  The universe (and the Khitomer crew for that matter) seemed to have a way of reminding her just how it could be, in the right circumstance.  Or the wrong one.

Amelia resolved herself to simply set aside her feelings about Matthews, as much as she wished he had understood.  He was, apparently, immoveable for the moment on his feelings despite her attempts.  One might suppose it was another lesson in what happened when too much frustration entered the emotional equation and sanded down a sore spot.  For both of them, she hazarded a guess.  For now, it seemed Amelia had no power to sway him, but she could take time to pay proper heed to that feeling so it wouldn't threaten to tilt the balance again, no matter what he or anyone else said.

That meant at least reaching out to Valeris.  So, she wrote a letter.  Someone had the idea to rearrange her shifts again, and another request for follow-up came back addressed to her that needed attention, so the letter ended up serving dual purposes.  She spent some time downloading every bit of information she could find on the SDA's original construction, along with detailed schematics from the SCE.  The only thing she wished she could find was contact information for the Vulcan T'Dara.  Curious that even an intelligence officer didn't seem to be able to find that information...

After writing her letter, Amelia had prepared the other part of her package first.  Neglecting a food-gift to Valeris the first time around was deeply regrettable, so Amelia was determined to correct that error of courtesy this time around in high style.  She prepared a basket of all the things that made her think of Betazed: Oskoid salad with fresh uttaberries, home-made Raixen coated with a creamy sauce and mixed with roasted vegetables, and fresh-baked Kimden rolls.  It was a fair bit of effort to spend on someone she wasn't sure was passionate about food or not, but it was something of a delight to make cuisine she knew intimately, and to have her quarters filled with something that almost smelled like home.

All together, it actually made for quite a care package, and putting a literal bow on it brought some sense of being herself back to Amelia.  As she left it behind in the nook of Commander Valeris' door on her way to get a pre-shift lunch, all she could hope for was that it would be received in the spirit it was delivered.

---

Dear Lieutenant Commander Valeris,

I apologize for not catching up with you on the SDA as I'd hoped.  It seems other responsibilities require more time and attention elsewhere at the moment than I'd expected.  However, I hope to use this delay in our conversation to our advantage, as it will give you a chance to consider the data attached.  This encrypted PADD contains all schematics for the SDA's installation, all the research related to its development, a maintenance log of the SDA since installation, and the names of a few SCE non-commissioned officers still working on DS33 who helped test it.  After installation, we discovered an important coolant check valve had been installed backwards by the technicians.   I'm not an engineer, so it's hard for me to judge if this and other errors I've noted in the files are normal or not.  Therefore, I prevail on your expertise with new ships and construction with a simple question: does any of the design, construction, installation, or inspection process of the SDA feel "off" to you?  I appreciate the irony of asking this question of a Betazoid such as yourself, but my hope is that a technical or numerical pattern will present itself amidst all this data that either corroborates or puts to rest any doubt.

On a personal note, I apologize if I have made you uncomfortable.  Since you left the mess hall before I had the opportunity to make it abundantly clear, I'll repeat to you: I don't read anyone without permission.  Perhaps I misjudged in attempting to follow Ensign Matthews' joking lead about this topic to illustrate the point. I'll be mindful of your feelings on the topic in the future.

Know also that I am happy to respect your wish to avoid telepathy, whatever my personal feelings, and I see no impediment to a professional relationship or even becoming better acquainted if it pleases you.  I've several friends on this ship, none of whom I talk with telepathically.  I hope you'll understand any disappointment or surprise I may have expressed is not your fault nor is it directed at you, and that I simply had high hopes we'd have that in common.  Please accept the basket of food I've sent with this note as a token both of my respect and regards, and the great many other things we share as Betazoids besides the obvious.  I hoped it might remind you a little of home.  I certainly enjoyed revisiting some old recipes.

I appreciate your time and aid, and wish you all the best.

Yours cordially,

Lieutenant Amelia Magnolia Semara

NT / END

---------- ●● ----------

Lieutenant Amelia Magnolia Semara

Intelligence Officer

USS Khitomer - NCC-62400

A239710MA0