Ensign T’Fearne - B’Hala Trembled [Part 1]
Teayl Thorn
((OOC: I’ve got this half sorted and the rest is coming in a Part 2 tomorrow))
((Exterior Healers' Domicile, near Batanca Spire, B'Hala, Kendra Province, Bajor))
A tremor unexpectedly shook the courtyard sending clay tiles to slide from the roof and shatter around the Starfleet officers. A sculpture in the gardenbed nearby toppled and smashed, its jagged pieces scattering across the ground. The low rumble permeated the young city of B'Hala, while livestock in the streets kicked up clouds of dust in protest. When it settled, there was a hush in the air, and then the city resumed its existence, but with a heightened babble of conversation and the sweeping of broken items.
T’Fearne: That is a problem!
Nemes: Does anyone have an idea what causes these quakes?
Alieth: Miss Nemes, I truly suspect that finding out the answer to that question is what will allow us to get out of here.
Lorana: Ensign, remember your training.
Luxa moved closer to the young ensign and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
Lorana: We don't need scanners to understand what’s happening here. We use science :: to the others :: Bajoran scientists believed the leading theories to the disappearance of B'Hala was a naturally occurring disaster that must have led to the abandonment of the city.
As if to punctuate her words, a small tremor rumbled beneath their feet, causing the fallen clay to rattle against the ground.
Taking her cue from the advice given the Nemes, the security officer tucked her crudely carved akai away in the folds of her garment and shifted some of the larger pieces of shattered roof tile off the walkway and into the garden bed. Her training involved security assessment and implementation. She surveyed the situation and began factoring in the risks and dangers.
T’Fearne: I’m afraid I know very little about geology, but we should try to stay away from buildings during the tremors, and keep clear of falling debris.
Nemes: Won’t it arouse suspicion if we start asking too many questions about the prophecy and this place? The Bajorans think we are part of a prophecy.
Alieth: It is likely, so we must be cautious but diligent.
Lorana: The only questions we should be asking are directions. The Orbs weren't discovered this early in the timeline, but it has been long believed that they existed before they were recorded. If it is the wormhole aliens. We should try and contact them.
T’Fearne: If the wormhole aliens did place one or more of the Orbs on Bajor at this time then where are they most likely to be located?
T’Fearne followed Lorana’s gaze over to the prominent Bantaca spire and then to the other smaller temple spikes scattered across the sprawling city. She noticed there were a lot of shrines for the prophets. Any one or all of the locations could hold objects considered sacred to the Bajorans.
Amid their conversation, the other Betazed inhabitant, ensign Nemes made a slight noise in her throat and then a sneeze burst from her with surprising force. Hehh-aATSCHIEW!!
Nemes: I’m sorry.
She sneezed again and again, each fit more violently than the last. Shrugging helplessly, looking around as if the sneezes had come from somewhere else.
Alieth: ::Raising an eyebrow :: Are you all right, Miss Nemes?
Luxa gently placed a hand on Nemes' cheek, then checked her forehead.
Lorana: You're a little flushed. Do you feel okay?
As the tall former Vulcazoid waved some of the lingering dust in the air away, hoping that none of them was allergic to irritants in the air, an elderly Bajoran woman approached them, offering a cup filled with a greenish liquid.
Bajoran Woman: Here, drink this. :: handing her a cup with a greenish liquid in it:: It will help you.
Nemes hesitated for a moment, exchanging a glance with her companions before accepting the cup. The woman’s smile deepened in approval.
Lorana: Careful.
T’Fearne watched the elder intently but didn’t see anything in her body language or demeanour to think the woman had bad intentions. She felt a growing concern that if their status at this point in history and in these forms were elevated to priestesses by the locals, then others might see them as a threat to the power balance of the province. She regretted not knowing much about Bajorans and had learned more about them in the past two hours than she had from visiting DS9 for several days. They were very passionate and artistic people with a long oral tradition of storytelling. It was only dawning on her now that she was there at the dying of B’Hala witnessing the inspiration for those myths and legends.
Nemes took a sip, grimacing slightly as the bitterness of the tea hit her tongue.
Nemes: Uh, bitter. ::beat:: What is this?
Bajoran woman: It is a tea made of some herbs. And it will help with your sotesh.
Lorana: Sotesh?
T’Fearne: I… don’t understand. Why would she need this for 'sotesh'? :: instantly bitting tongue:: oO Whoops, it’s probably not good to show cultural ignorance here. Oo
Fortunately, it didn’t seem like the elder was offended or had noticed her question.
Bajoran woman: I know it from my own experience, and many pregnant women can also testify to it.
Her words fell on their ears like heavy stones dropping into a pond, the ripples of implication spreading far and wide. Having unconsciously done her damage, the elderly lady smiled mildly at the Starfleet officers and went on her way again. Nemes sat in shock, shaking her head in disbelief.
Alieth: ::with a tiny note of humour percolating in her voice and on her face:: congratulations ?
Lorana: How far along are you?
T’Fearne::: distractedly forgetting to read the room:: This could complicate things if we are stuck here for a long time.
Nemes: ::suddenly determined:: This is nonsense! ::looking at the others who looked at her, shaking her head:: I'm not pregnant.
Alieth: Whatever it is, it has no influence on our current task. Given the options we have, I think it best that we seek the entrance to the lower city, as we will be visiting the Temple, whether we want to or not, in a few hours, when our hosts will give us an audience.
Lorana: You don't look to be swollen, not noticably anyway :: points to the belly :: Which means you may be in the early stages :: gentle :: Maybe a visit to Sickbay when we get back? Find out for sure?
T’Fearne winced at the Science officer's comments. She didn’t have access to empathic auras through her paracortex any more, but she could easily imagine being offended by such blunt comments. Having only just met Nemes, she was curious to see how the ensign would take what she was coming to understand was part of Luxa's individual mannerisms.
Nemes: Response
With that, Alieth led the way through the bustling streets of young B’Hala as they headed to the Temple.
[[Tag/ TBC in part 2]]
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Ensign T'Fearne
Security Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
R240107T14