A Guiding Hand

Posted on Sun Jul 2nd, 2023 @ 5:37am by Captain Bethsabée Leroux & Petty Officer, 3rd Class Lottie Daglish & Ziu'Liherasefra

Mission: Sojurn
Location: NX05 Atlantis
Timeline: Day 336
2711 words - 5.4 OF Standard Post Measure

"I'm nervous."

If the chewing on her lip hadn't given her away then the shade of faint powder blue that Hera had gradually faded towards as they'd made their way through the ship was a decent indicator. At some point, Lottie's hand had found its way into hers and the Ziu'ni was grateful that the human had agreed to attend the meeting with Atlantis' commander-in-chief. All the reassurances in the world hadn't dislodged the feeling of inadequacy that tended to be a permanent resident in the pit of the alien's stomach, for all her intentional optimism didn't often hint at its existence. It was unlikely the human Captain had any preconceived opinions about Hera's people and that would normally have helped mitigate any perceived capacity for disappointment, but diplomacy and local knowledge and influence were about to become the woman's best negotiation tactics despite the fact she felt like a fraud for suggesting she was the best candidate for the task. It wasn't that Hera was reluctant to assist; she was just going to have to embrace certain things she normally tried to avoid if she was going to succeed at it.

And so she gripped the nurse's hand a little tighter and hoped that the slightly surprised greetings they'd received along the way were a good sign. Her confession was a quiet one, reserved for the privacy of an empty corridor as they approached their destination.

"I'd even go as far as to say I'm very nervous."

Lottie stopped in the corridor and turned to look at the woman carefully. "The Captain agreed to meet with you so at the very least she is interested," Lottie reminded her quietly. The woman looked completely out of place on the ship with her pastels compared to the grey and blues but Lottie was sure she had not looked any more beautiful to her.

"I know," Hera replied quietly. "And I'm eager to meet her because you speak so highly of her. I trust you," she added, giving the woman's hand a squeeze. "I don't expect her to be unkind to me, it's just that..." Hera exhaled. "I've spent a long time intentionally trying not to capitalise on my people's gifts. This is the first time I've experienced a situation where I can see the validity in them." The alien's brow knitted. "I suppose it's just making me think about things differently."

“Ah.” Lottie finally settled on understand what was making the woman nervous. “Nerves are okay to have especially with things like this but we have to move past as this is the right thing.” Lottie smiled calmly. “Big deep calming breath and we move on to doing this."

The pep talk earned the nurse a soft chuckle and a grateful peck to the cheek. "Time to be bold," Hera agreed and squared her shoulders as they approached the Captain's office. It wasn't until they stood waiting for permission to enter that the Ziu'ni drew in the suggested breath and she somewhat missed the point of the technique by holding onto it as the doors opened.

Beth was dressed relaxed in civilian clothing of a dress as she was going out after this meeting with the Captain of the other ship in an attempt diplomacy. This was a meeting but the woman was not a crew member but a species she had never met before. “Hello Ziu'Liherasefra.” Beth greeted opening the door more to allow them both in. “Petty officer.”

Tilting her head at the use of her entire designation, Hera hesitated before choosing a way to gently correct. "Hera is just fine, Lihera if you really need to get my attention." Having reigned in control of her complexion, there was only the subtle variation of blue that shifted the woman's eyes from sky to indigo as a slow, seeping saturation. "It is a great pleasure to meet you, Captain. Lottie has spoken very highly of you."

“Hera it is then. Come in and take a seat.” The room was not big at all with limited seating options but Beth indicated the arm chair whilst she sat at her desk. Lottie glanced to the chair at the other desk but opted to stand close to the door. She was just there as support and not in any other capacity so it was easier to leave it between the pair.

It didn't stop a glance backwards, a brief moment of reassurance sought. Once she was convinced that Lottie was hanging back rather than leaving outright, Hera allowed herself to step forward and sink into the seat offered. "Thank you for considering my offer, Captain. It was Lottie's idea," she added, torn between not wanting it to sound like she was hiding behind the human but also not wanting to steal credit. "But my understanding of your intentions once you leave Realia do lead me to believe I may be of some assistance. This is a populated region of space, you are likely to meet other space-faring races."

“That is our intention.” Beth said slowly as she touched the console in front of her in a thoughtful gesture. She glanced to Lottie with an eyebrow raised she had not considered the woman as upfront as it seemed she was. “But what makes you want to come along on our journey when it will take you far from your life?”

It was a good question. Hera had been asked a great number of those in her life and she'd never really found a way to verbalise what her instincts told her to be true. Thankfully, she had given the matter some thought and, having discussed it with Lottie prior, had forged a compromise that felt as if it would sit a little better with the logically-inclined. "My own journey is undetermined at this point, Captain. The only aspect of it that I am certain of is that it is meant to lead me on a path away from my place of birth. It is...not easy for me to return as it is. There will be a number of cycles before your ships moves so far beyond the boundaries of the United Stars' influence that I would find it impossible to make my way back should this prove ill-advised." Her unassuming tone remained gentle. "But I would like to try. And I would like to help."

Beth had many questions about the woman leaving her home world whilst they were desperately trying to get back to their own planet and sector of space. “And how exactly do you think you could help?” Beth wondered smiling calmly. The woman was speaking the truth from the way she looked so relaxed and the candor was appreciated after Smith’s influence on her not trusting anyone.

"Local knowledge." A faint smile indicated that, whilst it was true, it was not a true reflection of her potential worth. Hera hesitated, aware that the next words she was going to speak would prove the hardest. A legacy that she was now taking ownership over, in a way that she would never have guessed likely. "I have prepared some information about my people for you to peruse, Captain." Leaning forward, Lihera set the data device on the desk. "This is directly taken from the Realian's archives and not subjected to my own bias. I am young by my people's standards and I would not deceive you by claiming an excessive amount of diplomatic experience. But I was raised by those directly responsible for many of the peacekeeping successes outlined in that document." She pulled herself up straighter. "I believe I can assist in negotiating passage through sectors within this region that might otherwise regard you with suspicion. To navigate around them would add years to your journey."

Beth took the data device and sat back to look through it. It was a detailed explanation of what was known of Ziu'ni physiology. Beth glanced up at the mention of the colour-changing and smiled. She at least had not imagined that the young woman's hair had shifted subtly since she had been in the room. The long lifespan was interesting as there were only several crew members onboard that would reach anywhere nearly familiar territory. “What does it mean by psionic placation?” Beth asked thinking back to the effect Smith had had on the crew. It was very limited information but enough that in intrigued Beth as the woman in front of her was considered important in peacekeeping efforts.

"It isn't telepathy," Hera reassured. "Unlike my metachrosis, I don't have any kind of psionic control. It is a naturally-released byproduct that emits on a frequency that is, generally, quite calming. Some do still mistrust it," she confessed. "But I assure you it does nothing to affect self-advocacy. At best, I can hope that it allows others to find my company pleasant."

Well not telepathy was a relief to say the least. She was not xenophobic but she did not want anyone in her head at the moment as she was trying to figure out her own stuff. No one on the crew needed to know how much she was not out together sometimes. “I can see it works but I am sure it’s not the only thing about you.” Beth said glancing to Lottie who was staring at Hera as if Beth was not in the room. It took a small silence for the Petty officer to realise and come back to herself.

The alien followed the Captain's gaze and lingered just a little too long, having captured Lottie's eyes with her own, to pass it off as idle consideration. "Some of my reasons are personal," she admitted softly, offering the nurse a soft smile before she turned back to Beth. "But I understand your position, Captain, and would not expect you to make a decision based on that alone. You also don't need to decide right now. If you would like to seek a second opinion from the Realians, perhaps..."

Beth would be stupid to miss the connection but it seemed that the alien woman had thought it through long and hard. “Oh I will and I have several other people on my command team to discuss it with as well. But I do have at least one more question. What do you see your role as onboard, navigator? Diplomat?” Whilst she had explained that she had the local knowledge Beth needed to pin the role down fully to be able to explain it to Gerhard, Sloan, zh'Kenarh and Diaz.

"I have some technical skills if that would help to justify my berth. I also have my own personal transport that I would be happy to make available if studying it would be of any use to your engineering crew." It was, for all it was only meant as a private vessel, a beneficiary of some of the region's advanced technology. "Beyond that, diplomacy is an apt description but I would not like to consider myself a burden in between negotiations. I am aware that you don't have room for idle passengers."

“Technical knowledge is sorely needed.” Beth surmised finally and having access to some technology to help might be beneficial if they had more time to study it. “We do not have the space or supplies but we also do need local knowledge when we finally resume our journey.” Beth still have to talk to the other seniors but she was willing to at least give it a try with having the woman onboard. There was logic to having that knowledge as they could not help ambling through on luck.

"If you have room to house my transport, it can double as my living space. I will try to keep my impact to a minimum, Captain." And, Hera thought, you have several cycles to dump me at the nearest outpost if you aren't convinced of my worth.. She didn't say it out loud because, so far, Lottie hadn't needed to interject and Hera didn't want to leave the human feeing like she had to put her reputation on the line for this.

“We have space enough for you to have quarters outside of your ship. We are not that quite out of space.” Even with everyone stretching out now there were still several spaces without occupants. “Leave a scan of your ship with my yeoman when you can so I con confirm the space for the ship and discuss with my officers and we will go from there.” Lottie stood a little more straighter as she realised the meeting was coming to an end already or was it more than enough time. Lottie thought there was so much more to say but it seemed that Leroux was very much open to it. She just hoped the others were and that they could see how helpful it would be.

Inclining her head in thanks, Hera rose gracefully. "Whatever you decide, Captain, I am glad we had an opportunity to speak." A ripple of colour saw the Ziu'ni's hair revert to a familiar shade of pale lilac. "It is clear you are an inspiration to your crew, what you are endeavoring to achieve is quite astounding. If I can assist in any way for the duration of your stay here, please ask."

Beth smiled at the change of hair colour. “I wish my hair could do that. Boring red.” Beth said kindly as she rose and held out her hand to the woman. It had been an interesting meeting and her words about her being an inspiration nearly brought her to emotions. “You are wrong there, Hera, my crew are the inspiration that allows the astounding to happen.”

Although Lottie had given her some instruction on the formalities to accept, it still took Hera a moment's hesitation to realise what the offered hand meant. Slipping hers into Beth's, the alien smiled at the woman's humility. "For that to be true, they would require a leader who encourages their gifts rather than stifling them. You may believe you are not doing much, Captain." For someone who claimed not to be a telepath, the woman's intuition at least seemed substantial. "The resilience and fortitude of your crew speaks otherwise."

"How did that go?," Hera asked several minutes later as, dismissed but given permission to visit and explore under Lottie's watch, she left the Captain's office floating with the elation of relief.

Lottie had waited until they were in the lift to throw her arms around the woman and grin. “Really well. I think you might have broke the Captain at the end though.” She admitted.

Hera looked startled. "That wasn't my intention."

Lottie laughed and moved her hand in a do not worry motion. “So the tour of the ship where would you like to start?” The woman wondered quietly as she stopped the lift giving them a moments privacy without someone else joining them.

Glancing around the walls of the lift, the alien woman took a moment and then visibly deflated. It was a sign of relaxation but it also betrayed a sense of fatigue. A lot had been riding on that discussion, if for no other reason that it demonstrated her capacity to negotiate a conversation with the temperance she claimed would be an asset. "Is it too ungrateful to hope for just somewhere quiet?" Hera's features softened as she regarded the human. "I don't feel like I've been able to talk to you properly at all today."

“My quarters is it then. “ Lottie said with a small smirk. “Can see just why I appreciated your hotel room.” She added warning that it was no where near as impressive as that space at all.

"Anywhere with you in it is instantly better," Hera gushed and, looping her arm through the other woman's, leaned sideways to rest her head on Lottie's shoulder. "Thank you," she added quietly. "For suggesting this. For...being here."

Lottie said nothing and just restarted the list. She had wanted to proclaim always but always was a long time and the wowan had not seen how small the ship was yet. She might run screaming yet once she saw the quarters.