Bloods

Posted on Wed Nov 17th, 2021 @ 7:46pm by Ensign Verelan & Lieutenant Commander Mel Torma

Mission: A New Legacy
Location: Science Department
1330 words - 2.7 OF Standard Post Measure

ON


Verelan walked into the science laboratory and sighed. This place was going to be one of her stops but not right away. She had been pricked with so many needles and scanned with so many devices that in the end she just stopped attending appointments.

She looked around and realised that no one saw her enter. Was that a good thing? Verelan chuckled to herself as she was so tempted to touch buttons and pick up things, but with her 'I'm new' sticker plastered across her forehead she shouldn't push it.

"I'll be over in a moment, sorry." came the pleasant voice from around the corner. Distinctly female, friendly and cheerful from the sounds of it. Eventually padding around to the main room was a female creature, a little over five and a half feet in height. Furred, with an animalistic appearance somewhere between a feline and not-a-feline. Long legs bent into a digitigrade stance, with a fluffy tail behind her, the woman approached the ensign with a smile, but was careful not to show teeth. Some species didn't evolve from predatory stock, so teeth tended to worry them.

The oddest thing about her wasn't her animal appearance, or her soft white fur, or her odd stance and gait. It was her identical twin that followed shortly behind her. Identical in every way, from how they fell in step behind, to how they collected things that were handed to them, to even where they looked. It was like someone's reflection had stepped out and joined this world.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. My name's Mel Torma, I'm the Science division head and it's nice to meet you. Is there anyway that I can help..." and the speaking just stopped. Over. Done. The conversation ended mid-stride.

It was picked up by her twin without even breaking stride, "... you today? You're not a familiar face, so you might be new. Ooooo, I love meeting new people."

Verelan laughed out loud at the two creatures in front of her, their speech was fluid and absolutely perfect. "Forgive me, Lieutenant Commander, I wasn't laughing at you. I just think that you're absolutely divine. I've never met a being like you."

She stood to full height, by way of acknowledgement, "I have come to have my blood taken and other specifics to be put on file."

The pair smiled, each. "Oh don't worry, I don't take offense. You've just never met a Dalacari before." her silent form motioned to herself, while the speaker continued. "We're a binary species, every Dalacari is a..." and it happened again. Like a mental handoff of the conversation.

"... pair, at least how you perceive it. It's, weird to explain. It's like trying to explain your hands to a creature that only has feet." she offered. "But we can discuss that more..."

"... later. Let me get what I need and I'll be right there." and the pair worked surprisingly well, getting a few pieces of equipment from drawers, as well as something from the replicator itself. Odd. The forms never strayed away from each other more than needed, but they always wound up in the same proximity. Comfort, perhaps? Or a mental strain on the two bodies...

"You know, we were surprised when we first encountered intelligent life in the universe and discovered that it was Single Instance. Doubly surprised when we..."

"... encountered our second intelligence and found that THEY were ALSO Single Instance. Fascinating how life works." she mused as she gathered her things together. "So which department..."

"... are you part of? Oh, and I don't think I caught your name. Ensign, yes, but that's a rank not a name. Dalacari are social creatures, so please, while it's just you and..."

"... me, name is fine."

Verelan smiled widely nearly forgetting her place. "I am so sorry, Lieutenant Commander. I should have introduced myself. I am Ensign Verelan. I am an Intelligence officer."

One of Mel's forms did a handwave motion, as if dismissing the offense. The other simply spoke, "Oh don't you worry. I like to think of myself as pretty relaxed. Though if you ask folks who know, a relaxed Dalacari is usually asleep." the pair giggled, an interesting motion that seemed to almost oscillate between the two forms.

"But, in any case, it's a pleasure to meet you. An ensign, starting on a brand new adventure. Let me be one of many to say welcome aboard and Dia willing, you'll..."

"... have a bright future with a damn good start here." she offered, bringing the tray of her equipment over to the ensign. "Now, I'm legally obligated to inform you this won't hurt a bit." she said, a teasing tone to her voice.

"Nahhh, I'm just teasing, you won't feel a thing." and she prepped for her first sample. "Just lean your head to the side a little. Any unusual signs or flags I should be keeping an..."

"... eye out for?" it was weird to see her work. One was prepped for the sample, with all the focus of a doctor while her twin was by the tray of instruments, with all the attention of an attending nurse.

Verelan thought about her disease and how the Lieutenant Commander would find out eventually but, "I have 'Pa'nar Syndrome'. She turned her head to accept whatever was being administered and sat, feeling almost, deflated.

Why? As far as she was aware it was something that was still taboo on Vulcan, her mother never spoke about it within her hearing.

Whatever stigma the disease carried with her and her heritage, it didn't seem to reflect in her treatment. "I'll have to familiarize myself with that, sorry but I'm a native of what your part of space calls the Delta quadrant. So I'm a little out of touch in regards to..."

"... syndromes and ailments, but I'll make sure to read up on it. Familiarize myself with it." a pause, "I don't imagine it's something that can make the species jump but..."

"... I'll handle these samples delicately." she assured. A few more samples, with her other body now moving to start a tricorder scan. "Two arms, two legs, one head. Just as I suspected." a little humor to disarm the moment.

"And, that should be it. I have everything I need." she announced, putting everything back in the tray and taking the last item from it and handing it to the Intel officer: A Lollipop.

"It's an Earth custom."

Verelan gasped happily at the small present. Things like this were given to Human children and therefore Verelan had NEVER received it. "I think that you and I are going to be fast friends, Lieutenant Commander." Verelan took the lollipop and put it in her mouth. It was watermelon flavoured, her favourite and stood. "So, is there anything else you need from me?"

"Oh I'm so happy to hear that. I love making new friends." Mel was all smiles and a slow wag of that bushy tail. At her question, though, the pair struck that 'in thought' pose for a moment, "You know, not that immediately springs to mind *but* if I do..."

"... need anything, I'll be certain to let you know. It'll take a few minutes for the system to finish the battery of tests and indexing so, I think for now we're good." a pause, as the focus of the conversation seemed to shift back to the initial form, "If you need me for anything, just come on down. My doors are always open."

A pause, "I mean, unless they're not. Then it's a containment issue, and probably not the best time to visit." she giggled, a sound that spread from one body to the next. "It was excellent to get to meet you."

Verelan chuckled and headed towards the doors, “I hope to chat with you again, Lieutenant Commander and thanks again for the candy.” She smiled as the doors closed and she walked back to her quarters.


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