AM Chat: My Mind to Yours

[Crash Calestorm 0]

Joint Log – T’Aral and Calestorm

 

T'Aral noted the waking of the Captain, and her approach. Surveying Calestorm's movements, she noted a satisfactory improvement indicating a successful procedure. She also noted that the Captain appeared upset, which was anticipated and in its own way also satisfactory.

 

T'Aral knew what was coming. It might be avoidable for the moment, but putting off such things was illogical. There were matters to be resolved, and it was in the best interest of the group to resolve them immediately.

 

Rising from her seated post, she nodded to the Captain respectfully. Her tone remained, as ever, completely neutral as she chose to begin the conversation simply. "Good morning sir."

 

Spending a good deal of her formative years in the Southern territory of what had formerly been the United States of America, Earth, the Captain had been raised in a culture where Old South manners and politeness were automatically taught and passed on from generation to generation.

 

She reacted to T’Aral’s greeting, respectfully returning the nod. “G’mornin’, Lieutenant.”

 

T'Aral waited patiently and quietly. The Captain was tense; soon she would say what was truly on her mind. At that point, the real conversation could begin.

 

“Ahm only gonna ask you once. Did you initiate a meld with me?”

 

T'Aral allowed a second to pass before replying. "Not precisely, Captain. A proper meld involves mental contact with the purpose of sharing thoughts. I initially sought a mere neuropressure technique which would have corrected your condition. Upon encountering ... complications, a more extensive method had to be used with predictable side-effects. There obviously was a resultant transfer of mental content, but I assure you that it was singular in direction. While you may have received some of my thoughts, I assure you I encountered none of yours."

 

“Dammit T’Aral--” The words came as a harsh whisper.

 

Crash stopped herself in mid sentence, clamped her mouth shut, shut her eyes, and took a deep breath in through her nose. What she really wanted to do was holler; loud vocal rants when the AT was supposed to be in hiding was not the best tactical option at this point, however. Do not yell at the Vulcan…do not yell at your Doctor…do not embarrass her…

 

To be fair, Calestorm was encouraged by the fact that T’Aral had taken action on her own terms. She’d seen officers (some, not many) over the years so bogged down by proper protocols, what was the acceptable method, or what they considered acceptable. They’d more often then not been so narrow minded, unable to act decisively once they found themselves in a field situation, and the results were usually unforgiving.

 

She didn’t mind when her own officers showed a little initiative and an ability to think for themselves.

 

She had also understood that at one time within Vulcan society, those with the ability to meld were labeled as outcasts and scapegoats. As time passed, that strict censure had lessened, and those with the talent were no longer limited.

 

To share the Meld with another was not an everyday occurrence, and the Captain would respect that mental contact as she had with Lieutenant Belo. For T’Aral to let her guard down, to lower whatever personal defenses and share this sort of contact with the Captain…well, that was big stuff.

 

There was the little matter of mucking about your commanding officers head without clearance or consent however. Can we say possible brain freeze?

 

When Calestorm spoke again, her tone and visage had softened slightly. “Lieutenant T’Aral, thank you for what you did, I appreciate your effort and obviously the results. I also know that a Meld is an intimate contact, and I respect that as well as you’re privacy.”

 

The Captain continued speaking, tone and facial expression remaining relatively neutral, but her eyes sparked. “But if you evah pull something like his again without mah consent, ah’ll bust you down so hard you’ll revert back in time and be able to have a one on one talk with Surak.”

 

T'Aral simply nodded. There was no reason to expand on the matter further, though it was far from ended. Calestorm may have been satisfied with giving her a warning, but the Order of Syrran would be far less forgiving on the matter. This did not concern T'Aral: they would be understanding and logical, but her ethical transgression would not simply be overlooked or settled with a warning.

 

Assuming she survived the mission, she would have a different set of circumstances to face. Oddly enough, she found the thought of being disciplined for her decision to be comforting. What she did was wrong - it was logical that there would be consequences.

 

"You can also expect some punitive assignment duties when we return home--“ Crash glanced towards the cave entry way, her gaze going distant at something only she could see, “--once we come out of this mess…”

 

To Be Continued In Sim...