A Prelude Part 2

Posted on Monday April 12th, 2021 @ 11:14pm by

Mission: Jeepers Creepers 2: Creepers In Flight
Location: Arboretum
Timeline: 239503.10

::ON::

"I am surprised, I would have thought that a Vulcan would prefer to run in the desert, you are full of surprises Lieutenant." Jo replied.

'Your assumption is logial, Ensign. However, though I am Vulcan, I much prefer the weather of Earth's Pacific Northwest to the desert heat of my home planet. There is something ... invigorating about the rain,' Sakaan stumbled slightly over the emotionality of the word she chose, but found it fitting. 'It's where my permanent home is, when not on assignment.' She nodded her head, 'shall we?'

"I've never been to Vulcan before but I don't imagine it rains very much, at least not like it does in Seattle. Very well lets run..." Jo said.

'Rain is indeed very rare,' stated Sakaan as she got up from the table. 'There is some precipitation of course, otherwise life would never have found a way on Vulcan. But most of that is restricted to our polar regions and mountains. I believe most of our terrain is comparable to your Sahara Desert, Badlands or, at best, Texan Hill Country. I much prefer Seattle's climate.' She began walking to the turbolift, not waiting for the Ensign.

As both reached the turbolift, Sakaan's innate curiosity about non-Vulcans won her over, 'are you from Earth yourself, Ensign Grant?'

"Actually I was born on a small farm on the planet Axanar. I am human though. Rain is abundant on Axanar though and it is sightly higher gravity 1.3 G's.

So I am used to a slightly higher gravity. But its a very class M planet." Jo replied.

'Ah. Axanar is a planet I've yet to visit,' admitted Sakaan. 'But I imagine life on a farm is very different to Starfleet?' she asked as they entered the turbolift.

"Yes its very hard work too. As soon as I could I applied for the academy. I was accepted and learned everything I could about computers operations and a operations procedures. Believe me for its a better life for me."

'It does sound like you much prefer your work here,' Sakaan asked as the turbolift deposited them on the correct deck. 'Do you miss your family? Humans have am emotional connection to their family home, I assume most of your family have stuck close by?'

"Sometimes I do but to be perfectly candid, my family opposed my entrance into Starfleet. They thought it was too dangerous." Jo said.

'Your family does have a point,' Sakaan offered, in spite of herself. 'with Starfleet, risk is our business. It is only natural that your parents feel protective of you.' She slowed as they approached the doors to the arboretum. 'Strained relations with your birthgivers can sometimes prove ... emotionally turbulent. I hope that joining Starfleet hasn't caused too much pain in that relationship.'

"Perhaps and I can still go back but I prefer that the choice be mine." Jo replied.

'Personal autonomy is important,' Sakaan replied in agreement as she palmed the door to the arboretum. 'I only wished more of our elders understood that,' she finished, with the flash of a grimace across her features. 'But this is hardly a pleasant topic for either of us, I suspect,' she said, stepping through the door, 'I would much rather talk of things that are pleasant.'

"I do find it pleasant getting to know you Thank you for taking the time to get to know me. Your interest is most appreciated." Jo replied.

They continued to walk through the arboretum. Their were several thousand species that Jo had never seen before.

"Do you have a favorite section or species Sakaan?" Jo asked.

'Pacific or Atlantic rainforests,' answered Sakaan quickly, glancing in Grant's direction. 'They are the opposite of Vulcan's climate in every way - cool, and rainy as you may expect.' She paused a moment before continuing, 'my permanent home is on the Olympic Peninsula on Earth. I find it to be a ... tranquil place, particularly during the rainy season.'

"Someday I hope to visit Earth and walk through those forrests myself."

'You've never been?' asked Sakaan curiously. 'The majority of Vulcans, wherever they're born, make the journey 'home' to Vulcan. Did you earn your rank away from Earth?'

"I went to the Academy in San Francisco, but I never got to see the the rain forests." Jo clarified.

'Ah,' replied Sakaan in comprehension. They rounded a corner and entering the tropical zone. 'The Academy is truly intense. I was lucky that some Academy friends dragged me away to visit some of the sites on Earth. It was ... affecting.'

"I mostly studied at the academy I had friends but we had different interests I suppose. I was eager to prove that I could remake myself. Plus I ran a lot. I always sort of felt like an alien on Earth.' Jo replied.

'I can agree with that statement,' replied Sakaan as they walked around a bend between some young redwood trees. 'Earth is a far more populated world than Vulcan has been for a long time. I admit my first few weeks there were ... overwhelming. Humans are quite free in expressing their emotions. A bracing, refreshing change, true, but quite difficult to take in at the beginning.'

"I know what you mean and everyone has an opinion no matter how illogical it is. Then the air smells different and there's only one small moon and its colder there in general and only one sun. Also the days are so much shorter and so is the night. Took about three weeks to adjust to it.." Jo replied.

Sakaan looked at the Ensign with genuine appreciation. Her Vulcan upbringing told her it was illogical to feel such emotions, but she was glad there was someone aboard who understood how alien Earth could feel to outsiders. 'I think sometimes People forget how diverse Earth's colonies are. Non-humans don't always appreciate that Earth can be alien to humans as well.'

"Truly. So are you a student of the IDIC?"

She glanced over at Grant, 'Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combination?' Her lips almost twitched in a smile, despite the neutral expression she kept. 'I think we're all students of IDIC - Vulcans may have it as the basis of our philosophy, but Starfleet, after a fashion, is IDIC as it functions in the real word. I may have been a member of Starfleet for forty years or so, but I continue to learn everyday that each of us brings a strength or aspect of expertise to a situation that is unique to that one person.'

She clapped a hand on Grant's shoulder, 'short answer: yes.' Sakaan looked at her, 'do you have an interest in IDIC?'

"Yes I do, I look at the concept or at least visualize it as a form of art, perhaps a painting with lots of different colors mixed to create something beautiful, intrinsically holistic and functional." Jo replied. Each color adds to the whole as a community and keeps growing. Perhaps the analogy is flawed because one eventually finishes a painting, The IDIC continues to build and grow like a community or civilization. A painting is more of a snapshot in time. As we continue to add new species and civilization to the Federation and our understanding and cooperation grows we move towards the unimaginable infinite possibilities." Jo continued.

'That is an appropriate, if human, outlook on IDIC,' Sakaan teased gently. 'I feel that my fellow Vulcans think that they can experience IDIC whilst being detached from the rest of the Federation, merely conversing and spending time amongst our own people. I believe that to be an illogical reaction on their part. An ingrained aversion to emotional species.' Sakaan paused in front of a young sequoia tree, 'if they stay on Vulcan, shunning humans or Tellarites or whomever, then how could they experience the beauty of such a tree?'

"Indeed. perhaps they prefer to indulge in the infinite possibilities of their internal selves. For me I prefer the infinite possibilities of the universe and all it has to offer. We live in wonderous times Lieutenant. It is best to appreciate that. Shall we run?"

'Wondrous times indeed,' Sakaan concurred, 'the walk has sufficiently warmed me up, I can run effectively.'

The pair ran a good five miles at a very fair pace too. It was fun got her mind off her troubles and increased her focus quite a bit.

"That was enjoyable for me. Thank you Lieutenant." Jo said.

'You're entirely welcome, Ensign. Perhaps we can do this again,' said Sakaan as they drew level with the entrance to the arboretum once more. 'It was most ... invigorating. The conversation and the PT session.' She threw the Vulcan salute quickly, 'peace and long life, Ensign Grant.' Her mouth twitched in an almost-smile. It was illogical but she was glad she had made a friend out here in the black.

:OFF:

Lieutenant Sakaan
Chief Intelligence Officer
Deep Space Three
[PNPC Lt. Commander Ithahr th'Shrannok]

Ensign JoAnne Grant
Operations Officer
Deep Space Three