Lieutenant Naledi - Home is a Luxury

[Naledi]

((Corridor to Sickbay, Deck 10, USS Thor))

 

Naledi was late. Their onboarding physical with Dr Saa was scheduled to have begun fifteen minutes ago, but no matter how the insectoid tried, it couldn’t get its mandibles to cross the threshold into the sterile, clean, safe environment that was sickbay.

Memories of the Oberth Disaster flooded their mind the moment the air hit their mandibles, causing them to cringe back into the corridor.

Several members of the medical staff looked towards Naledi with soft look of concern, but Naledi sooner or later needed to face the fact that they were never going to be able to enter the sickbay. There were too many bad memories of the USS Compass Rose, the USS Ronin that polluted their mind.

 

Saa: Lieutenant Naledi? 

Naledi looked up to see a woman that had the makings of their guardian angel. The betazoid Dr Saa.

Naledi: Crick Crack Snap Pop Hiss… Dr Saa… Commander… This one apologises for the tardiness.

Saa: I am just happy you arrived, you have no idea how many runners we have. 

Naledi clicked their mandibles nervously, moving further from sickbays door.

Saa: If you’re ready we can head inside. ::gesturing towards the door::.Unless… you are feeling uneasy?

Naledi: ::Nervous Chittering::… No…. No… :Garbled Static::

Saa: If you like we could do the exam in my Counseling suite instead? 

Naledis antenna settled briefly, as their compound eyes looked at the crew members passing them by, staring.

Naledi: Crick Snap Pop Hiss… Yes, the counselling suites may be more appropriate.

 

((Sevantha Saa’s Counseling Suite, Deck 10, USS Thor))

 

A bold blue hue assaulted Naledi’s compound eyes as the pair stepped into Commander Saa’s suite. Although with the waterfall and small zen puddle at the bottom, it didn’t look like the stale counselling office on the Compass Rose.

No expense had been spared (not that the Federation used money) to furnish the space in other areas too. The floor was littered with furry rugs, chairs in varying senses of the word's definition, contrasted with the simple desk that sat in the corner, clashing stacks of PADDS conflicting with the calm aroma of the room.

Saa: Welcome to my office. ::Smiles:: I find it a little more comfortable than sickbay these days, but I didn’t work as a doctor on my last posting. 

 

Naledi noticed Commander Saa pick up a small remote from a coffee table-styled unit surrounded by blue chairs.

 

Saa: ::Lifting the remote, she offered it to Naledi:: If you find the blue water theme not to your taste, the projector has several programmed environments to help create a suitable environment for any guest. I’d like you to be as comfortable as possible. 

 

Naledi carefully took the remote from her hand. Trying not to touch the betazoid's skin. Most people flinched when they touched Naledi for the first time. Not intentionally, it was just instinct. They knew their exoskeleton felt a little unlike most species, Catian Fur, Human Skin, even the external organs of other Xindi. They understood…

 

Flicking through the programmes, they settled on one that reminded them of home. Clicking on the programme initialisation button, a minor irritance came from the holo-emitters. Clearly, they were processing this request… Slowly.

 

Saa: How long were you in the hallway before I came out? 

 

Naledi looked to them from past the remote.

Naledi: Crick Snap Pop Crack… Fifteen Minutes

Saa: Response

The room started to morph around them, as the holographic waterfall, was replaced with stretching mountains, desert sand and… glorious heat…

 

The temperature rose to approximately thirty-five degrees Celsius, likely uncomfortable for Commander Saa, even if it was ideal for Naledi.

Naledi: Crick Pop Hiss Twinge Snap… My Apologies Commander, is this too warm for you?

Saa: Response

 

Naledi hastily handed the remote back to them.

 

Naledi: Snap Pop Hiss… Please, I want you to be comfortable too.

 

oO Mustn’t let them know what I think Oo

 

Naledi knew with Betazoids, they often knew them better than they knew themselves. The truth was, internally. They’d only started to care for other’s after meeting a Betazoid. Insectoid culture was… abrasive in the lightest of words. Although they were Federation citizens back on M1, their species was, and still wasn’t, a member of the Federation, with Xindi still being somewhat rare.

The people of the colony found the insectoids to be creepy, scary, monsters. They didn’t even give them the chance to prove them otherwise.

Naledi only cared about others' comfort now… Because they knew deep down, that’s the only reason they’d ever be accepted. What they were was something to be disgusted at. Joining Starfleet was a refreshing change to be sure, people at least tried to be kind and evolved. But occasionally, like on Nova Terra, people would always be scared of them.  

 

Saa: Response

 

 

TAG / TBC

 

Lieutenant Naledi

Intelligence Officer

USS Thor (NCC-85852)

R240107AS3