Mind's Voice

Posted on 23 Mar 2016 @ 1:26am by Lieutenant JG Kezmar Tsakti Ph.D & Ensign Lia Circe
Edited on on 28 Mar 2016 @ 4:13am

1,213 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 10 - Symposium
Location: USS Galileo - Mess Hall
Timeline: MD 92

[ON]

"One cup of Fanalian tea and a plate of Balsamic Hanger Steak with Greens and Parmesan," Lia ordered at the food replicator. The machine complied with a bright chirp. The requested meal appeared in a flurry of blue, sparkling light moments later with both tray and utensils. The scent of freshly cooked meat assaulted Lia's nostrils and made her stomach rumble loudly. She snatched up the tray and waded into the throng of crewman and officers alike scrambling for tables. Not seeing any tables free she looked around and saw a Selay officer at the corner. She walked over and politely asked, "May I join you?"

Kezmar was sitting down at a small table for two, his own tray filled up with the replicated carcasses of two Selayan swamp squirrels. He would've preferred them live, but no... That wasn't how replicators worked and Kezmar would have to bring aboard any animals he'd plan to eat later. In the midst of his disgruntled lament, however, he was interrupted by some female... Human? Betazoid? Maybe something else? Eh, they all looked the same to him. Kezmar would've preferred to eat his squirrels in peace, but looking around there weren't very many free seats for her to take.

Sighing, Kezmar looked up to meet her gaze, replying "I ssuppossse ssso."

Lia looked at him for a moment before taking the seat. "Thank you." She smiled at him, looking him over again. "I'm Lia Circe."

Kezmar's expression remained neutral, his reptilian yellow eyes looking over Lia with much scrutiny. "And I am Lieutenant Kezmar Tssakti."

Lia didn't extend her hand or anything, she merely proceeded to cut her steak up. She keeps glancing between Kezmar and her plate. "Your thoughts are very strong." she comments.

"What isssss that sssuppossed to mean, Misss Csirce?" Kezmar raised an eyebrow in mild annoyance, picking up one of the squirrels and offhandedly tossing into his mouth, swallowing it whole in one large gulp.

"I can hear your thoughts." She smiled, not flinching as he ate the squirrel in one bite. "One of the reasons I chose to sit with you. Your thoughts are more profound then the others in the room. Not to mention relaxing. I don't speak Selay so I don't comprehend what exactly you're thinking, but overall, your Mind's voice is very soothing." She complimented him as she began to eat her own meal. "I apologize if that's a bit intrusive."

Kezmar nodded, picking up the other squirrel in his left hand. To any non-Selay, his thoughts would appear to be some sort of manic hissing occasionally punctuated by a few hard consonants. And he was unsurprised his thoughts seemed profound to her. Of course they did, he had a brilliant mind! His intellect was unmatched by any of the yellow and red collared brutes that sat around him in the mess hall, and even the other science staff probably couldn't hold a candle to him, in his own conceited opinion.

His lips upturning in a haughty smirk, he responded "It'sss no problem, I can underssstand where you're coming from. I find my own thoughts quite sssoothing asss well." Kezmar might've reacted more frustratedly to another trying to read his thoughts, but he had a weakness for flattery, others stroking his rather large ego.

Lia chuckled at that, "You seem quite confident with yourself. That is good, it means you take pride in what you do. Nothing wrong with that. Because for detractors though, they'll never understand."

Kezmar shrugged, swallowing the other squirrel whole and reaching for his glass of water. "Sssome people are jussst not capable of underssstanding, unfortunately. My intellect is vassstly under appreciated in my own mind." After taking a small sip from his glass, he continued "What exactly do you do around here, Missss Cssirce?"

"I'm the Assistant Chief Intelligence Officer." Lia shared as she continued to eat. "I arrived about a day or so ago."

Kezmar nodded in understanding, watching as Lia ate. "Ah, I am an Asssssisstant Chief as well, jusst of Resssearch. I arrived when the sship arrived at Jupiter."

"Anything interesting you have been working on?' She asked, curious about his line of work.

"No, no. Resssearch operationss are on hold until ssshore leave endss." Kezmar frowned, the fact made him quite unhappy but what was he to do? Most of the staff were on vacation.

Lia looked at him, "You don't enjoy shore leave?"

"Well, I acknowledge its necessssity, but for me it ssserves little purpossse."

"Do you mind if I ask why?"

"On Sssselay, my family isss not clossse, I have no reason to vissit them. I have no... Erm, clossse accquaintancessss to do anything with, and I'm not a huge fan of traveling. Ssso I just ssssit and wait until it'sss over and return to work. I enjoy work more than leave, to be honessst."

Lia nodded, her smile fading a bit. "Sounds pretty lonely, but if you prefer that, then it doesn't sound that bad. I have to confess I'm enjoying my time with you. Both your thoughts and your accent are very relaxing."

Kezmar nodded in response, his expression neutral. "Well, I'm quite flattered. Where do you get your telepathy from, might I assssk?"

"Born with it. I'm part Halanan and Betazoid."

Finished with his meal, Kezmar clasped his hands together, expression surprised. "Halanan? Tell me more, I haven't heard of them."

"Halanans are a humanoid race from New Halana. Halanans are telepathic by nature, to be more specific we have psychoprojective telepathy. Because I'm only half, Halanan, my abilities are more aligned with those of Betazoids." Lia explained.

Kezmar nodded, his expression one of understanding even though that went right over his head. For all of his knowledge of physics and mathematics, the world of the mind wasn't hardly of his interest, and even what sort of powers Betazoids held he couldn't remember. "Exsssscelent, how curiousss. That would cssertainly come in handy, conssidering your line of work."

"More ways than one. There are drawbacks though, but I manage." Lia smiled.

Kezmar gazed over at Lia with a quizzical look. "Oh? Like what?"

Lia smiled sheepishly "Spent most of my childhood under constant observation of medical professionals, and I can't really sleep. If I allow myself to fall into REM sleep, there is a high risk I'd end up in a coma or catatonic state."

"Oh." That sounded highly unpleasant, Kezmar enjoyed sleeping and it seemed quite awful to be unable to sleep deeply. "How do you get your rest then?"

Lia shrugged. "I manage, I have a device that helps regulate my sleep."

"Yikesssss." Kezmar sighed. His meal had been long finished, and it was about time for him to return to work. "It'sss been a pleasssure, Misssss Circe."

"The pleasure was all mine Kezmar. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to have lunch with you." Lia smiled, politely nodding her head.

Standing up from the table to his full height, Kezmar nodded once in return. "You are quite welcome." Without another word, he strode towards the exit to the mess hall, returning to his office.

[OFF:]

Lieutenant (JG) Kezmar Tsakti, Ph.D
Assistant Chief Research Officer
USS Galileo

Ensign Lia Circe
Assistant Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Galileo

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