<USS Avalon> Briefing the Admiral and Captain (2/2) [JP: Ketchum/Skyler/Ranger/Erridim]

Part II: The Briefing
by
Admiral Keith Ketchum, CO, /USS Avalon/
Captain Skyler, XO, /USS Avalon/
Sergeant Walker Ranger, Acting Security Chief, /USS Avalon/
Ensign Talea Erridim, Operations Chief, /USS Avalon/

Corridor outside Sickbay
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After speaking with the Captain, Talea went back to Sickbay one final time to retrieve her things, and by accident, went to Deck 9, to find the quarters door locked and that it would not respond to her. Ruefully, she muttered to herself, "All right, that does seem to confirm the change." She then stated aloud, "Computer, where are Talea Erridim's quarters?"
The abruptness of the computer's response startled her. "Talea Erridim's BOQ is on Deck 3. Follow the guide." It was almost as if the computer's terse statement ended with an unspoken "idiot!" or "stupid!", and Talea almost growled in response.
She then hurried without running toward the other place, worried greatly about the gear and belongings that had been inside her former quarters on deck 9. Had they all been transferred? For example, without the bag of acorns, she would not be able to redeem herself and her disgrace would be permanent.
Her normal walking pace of just over six miles an hour was considerably faster than that of most Humans, and the guide-arrow had trouble at first keeping up with her as a direct result. Once it caught up, she sped up even more, beginning to race-walk, her speed increasing to over fifteen miles an hour as a result, for she knew that time was against her yet again.
On arrival, she freed one hand and tapped the panel. The door opened, to show her the armor rack with her armor on it somewhat askew, but otherwise correctly placed on it. She hurriedly made the necessary brochures, then cleaned up and got dressed in a black-silk cheongsam with silver accenting that simply accentuated her appearance. Since the dress and skirt were two layers of silk each, she had been tempted for a brief moment to wear only the cheongsam, but her practical nature had taken over and she dressed appropriately underneath it, albeit in a contrasting color, also in silk. Slipping the matching black flat-soled shoes on, she neatened her still-damp gold-highlighted red hair into a hairstyle consistent with the clothing and proceeded to the place the briefing was to take place with the brochures in a briefcase. She had noticed two things in the apartment, and both indicated that Walker, however hurriedly he had worked, had been supervising; the bag of acorns was where it should be, as was Blackstone's stasis chamber. She wondered if anyone else knew what it was, and how much trouble she would get into for providing it with external power.
Walker met her in the turbolift, commenting, "Hey, pretty lady." His tone was gently teasing, and she looked down, but it was more to hide the embarrassed grin than to hide a blush, although that was also the case.
She looked over at him and smiled more fully. "Thank you. I just felt the need to be more comfortable during this briefing than during duty, since, after all, this is more of a history review to you and I." She looked at his clothing and nodded. "I see you agree with me, for you are, strangely enough, in contrasting colors to my own." She didn't dare tell him, but he looked the handsome rogue to her.
They arrived a little before the Admiral and Captain did, and Talea flinched away the one time they touched, but more from surprise than anything; the contact had been quite electrifying, although in a good way, not bad. She tried to figure it out, but was quite unable to do so, not being experienced enough to realize what it truly meant.
Walker, for his part, was equally surprised, but suspected that, yet again, another sign his grandfather's ForeTelling was a true one had just occurred.
As they got the materials ready and the holoprojector primed, they discussed their days, discovering that both had detected the other's disquiet, which was yet another sign, to Walker's private discomfiture, of his grandfather's vision continuing to march toward fulfillment, since only if they had something akin to a Betrothal Link would they be even able to sense the other.
What was going on? Neither knew for certain, and that was, in itself, disquieting, especially since they had not gone through the Betrothal Confirmation, and it was very unusual for a couple to form such a link spontaneously. He knew, however, if they had, their congruency was probably quite high. The two finally sat to either side of the projector, but in a way that both could see the screen and the chairs the Admiral and Captain would occupy soon.
Keith had checked his chronometer and headed to the conference room. With all on his mind lately, it was a wonder that he found time to make for such a meeting, but he was determined to follow through on it.
As he walked in, he noticed that everything was already set up. Mentally, he noted that they were prompt and ready to go, something he liked greatly. Before they had a chance to go to attention, he stated, "As you were." He walked over to the replicator, got a tea and took his seat, watching them carefully, probably making them uncomfortable.
Soon after the Admiral ordered, Talea and Walker also ordered from the replicator. Talea, in a bit of a mood to display her abilities and with a twinkle in her eye of pure devilment, telekinetically delivered her drink and Walker's (hers a capped insulated cup that had a straw, his a tall stein of IBC root beer) to their places at the table, feeling relieved when the drinks arrived and she didn't feel any more tired than she would have if she had walked over to get them. This was normal, despite the unusual nature of the delivery method. Now they only had to await Captain Skyler's arrival.
Skyler looked at the chronometer and realized that she was due in the conference room for the briefing from Talea and Walker. Leaving the bridge in capable hands, she made her way to the conference room. Upon entering, she noticed that everyone was present, including the Admiral.
"My apologies for being late. I had some final duties on the bridge. I hope I haven't held you up." Walking over to the replicator, she ordered her drink with lots of ice. She needed something cold to cool her parched throat. Talking to Braelin had not quite eased her mind, but it had helped. Still, she worried about Talea. Taking her drink, she moved to her spot at the conference table and sat down.
Walker stated, "It is no worry, Captain. We both understand duty quite well." He then asked, "Where do you wish to begin? The brochures at your places, Sirs, contain much information, some of which will not be covered at this brief, unless you have questions. I must admit that Ensign Erridim here has done an exemplary job of preparing the materials." At this lavish praise, Talea blushed nearly as dark as her dress, still not used to being praised at all, much less that much.
Recovering with an effort, Talea said softly, "Our earliest surviving histories were written some 9,600 of our years prior to the Cataclysm, which was the event that forced us from our original homeworld. As you will see, I covered various points from 100BC to the present, which is 5520 AL, give or take a year or two. Between those two periods is a period we simply refer to as D.E., or During Exodus. It lasted nearly two thousand of our years, and (as you will see) approximately 6,300 Terran years. Events during that period are somewhat fragmented, but we do know that several disasters overtook the Exodus Fleet, reducing its size each time. It seems clear now, from this end of the timeline, that original estimates of losses from those disasters were sorely underestimated."
Walker nodded. "True. Current estimates, based on the Landing Census data, show that over half the ships didn't make it to Regelis. As we went through at least one wormhole and one other phenomenon during the Exodus, it is unclear what happened to the others." He didn't want to admit the speculation that was running rampant on Regelis, that Earth itself had been colonized by a small number of the Lost Fleet, because it was utterly unproven. Archaeological data on Earth suggested it strongly, although none of the Terran archaeologists recognized it. There were also those unexplained and undecipherable ansible signals that were occasionally picked up that suggested another culture paralleling Regelis' had evolved, but the consensus seemed to be that, given the losses the Exodus Fleet had suffered, that maybe, somewhere else, a major part of the Fleet had safely landed. Again, no solid evidence was known to exist to support this theory. The mere fact that the ansible technology was so rarefied ensured that it was unlikely to be developed by many cultures. It, like so many other of Regelis' technologies, was neither completely scientific or magical in origin, but an amalgam of both.
Talea chuckled at his reluctance, then stated, "At the time of the Landing, our government was a pure monarchy, although not a feudal system. Even then, we were striding toward the system of government we currently have." 

Keith nodded as they continued.
Walker nodded. "True, it wasn't a so-called classical monarchy even then, but it wasn't until about 2203 AL or so that we truly began gaining the middle-class and merchant class."
Talea noted, "Currently, our political system is rather unusual. Every ten years, we switch from what is basically a constitutional monarchy to a form of constitutional republic. The one key thing that provides continuity is the fact that the Eldaren, Privy and High Councils advise both the monarchy and the administration elected every twenty years."
Walker muttered, then noted, "With the shakeup of the system due to the legal overthrow of usurpers to the throne, however, it is not entirely certain whether the current monarchs will step aside later this year as the master plan would normally require. One problem being the fact that due to some of the reforms they pushed through as the co-Chief Arbiters of Change in 5512," Talea interjected, "Which was, generally speaking 2374-76, Terran reckoning," to which Walker nodded and continued, "the current High King and High Queen are both quite unpopular in some circles, while the Queen-Regnant is wildly popular with the general populace for having saved the Queen multiple times in a single day. Not that the Queen-Regnant wasn't simply doing her duty as Chief of Royal Security at the time, mind you."
Talea smiled slightly. "Medically, we are far different, and yet, very similar at one and the same time. This is evident in the fact that we Regellians process most proteins, carbohydrates and nutrients in ways identical to Terrans, and our differences are noted by the fact that many drugs that help Terrans can harm or even kill Regellians. Of course, the converse is also true."
Walker nodded. "Let's bring up a few slides." He brought up the first, which was, at top, a Human male and female, and at bottom, a Regellian male and female. "As you can see, in general, our physiology is identical save for one major difference: the secondary heart we have." He highlighted the proper place on the male Regellian figure. "The secondary heart is half the size of the primary, and due to the way our circulation has developed, the secondary heart primarily regulates bloodflow to the brain during high-gee and negative-gee maneuvers, giving us an increased resistance to the problems all pilots eventually face, those of gravitational loss of consciousness (or loss of consciousness caused by high gee maneuvers) and acute loss of consciousness, which is brought on by the opposite extreme, that of negative-gee maneuvers."
Talea colored slightly, then did her part. Highlighting bone structure, she expanded identical bones in both the Human and Regellian figures. "See here? The bones look the same, but they're not. Regellian bone densities are between two and four times Earth equivalents, on average, and we've basically conquered the problem of osteoporosis, much to the relief of millions." Frowning slightly, she noted, "Reproductively, the species are compatible, as we discovered when the Trekalans, who had once been from Earth, began intermarrying with us. To the frustration of those who would demand that our races stay completely separate, though, such unions are unusually fertile."
Walker raised an eyebrow at Talea, then nodded. "True. Pure Regellian couples, that is, where the partners are both Regellian, have a birth to death ratio of 0.9995:1. Pure Trekalan couples, a ratio of approximately 1.026:1. Where couples are combined, however, the birth-to-death ratio skyrockets to a rather astonishing 1.5:1." He admitted ruefully, "This has caused a great deal of fear and outright hatred in some areas of so-called half-breeds."
Skyler commented, "Fear and hatred are not uncommon when two different races begin to intermingle. However if a species is to survive, I have found that they cannot rely entirely on same species reproduction. Have any of your medical people looked into why the birth to death ratio increases so drastically when you reproduce with someone not of your species?"
Walker shook his head. "Despite nearly a century of research by both Trekalan and Regellian medical scientists of several different disciplines, we have no clear understanding of this phenomenon. Many call it baffling, and try to pass it off as unimportant, but I expect that it will become critical to know what's happening."
Talea noted, "While Earth females have a nine Terran month pregnancy, on average, ours lasts roughly 11.4 Terran months. Number of children per birth is typically the same in both Human and Regellian under natural conditions, although first-pregnancy tragedy is quite common amongst Regellian women. These tragedies can range from a stillbirth of various forms to the death of the mother, although the latter is rare indeed in this day and age. Mixed-heritage couples tend to bear twins and above with alarming frequency, at least to those who distrust the mere idea of such couples."
Walker nodded. "True enough. The fact that the Queen-Regnant is herself of mixed heritage has softened much of the opposition, as she is very much capable, and arguably the finest pilot that our people has ever seen. She, unfortunately, is even more fertile than normal, apparently, for her first successful pregnancy was quadruplets, but a case where they were two sets of twins, rather than true quadruplets."
Walker then noted, "Our speed of walking and running in Earth-normal conditions is far higher than Earth normal as well, as some have complained to me directly about. And I believe that Talea here walked to her present quarters at a speed exceeding that of many casual Terran runners." Talea frowned, then nodded, a little mystified still at the reasoning behind the new quarters, although she did have to admit that they were handy to the Bridge. It would, however, make it more difficult for her to join Walker's squad for physical training unless she teleported to their starting location.
Talea said quietly, "We are dangerous hand-to-hand fighters, having reflexes in Earth-normal gravity that are as much as twice as fast as the fastest human. Ditto for strength; my suit of armor weighs roughly ninety-two percent of my actual body weight, and I am still able to run multiple miles while wearing it." She smiled slightly. "At full-out run of around eighteen miles an hour that encumbered, as it happens, but I've never actually done that here. I'd be rather foolish to attempt it, as stopping with that much weight would be quite difficult."
Walker nodded. "That, or working out in up to four times Earth-normal gravity, is the only way we can realistically stay fit, and bone density is critical to maintain. Our bone density, however, can make us weigh far more than we appear to." He looked over at Talea, raising an eyebrow. "Considering our running speed, which can reach nearly forty miles an hour if unencumbered, there are very few species that can escape a Regellian who is working Security. Or a Regellian soldier chasing an enemy, for that matter."
Skyler raised her hand. "I don't mean to interrupt, but how is it that you are able to have such speed, strength and reflexes? Does this make you feel superior to those of us "normal" people in Starfleet? I know it has been brought to my attention that you or your race seem to have a superior attitude. I have not seen this myself. However, it does concern me."
Talea said quietly, "Simply an accident, of sorts. We live in and have adapted to a higher-gravity environment, as explained in the brochures."
Walker blinked, surprised and a little dismayed at the complaint. "Do we feel superior to others due to these so-called advantages? Not really. To be frank, being in what is to us only about half our normal gravity can actually be physically hazardous, as our reactions can be too fast and our strength greater than we need."
Talea nodded. "If you think back to when Earth's moon was first being colonized, a similar problem occurred, although it was far worse, due to that being only 1/6th Earth normal. Even the best-trained were getting injured, sometimes severely, because their strength and speed were vastly higher on the Moon than they were on Earth." She said, "We have to constantly be on our guard, to not exert more strength than needed, or we could do great damage to ourselves, the crew and even the ship, but the same applies to the Vulcans and others who originate from high-gravity planets. To put it politely, 'To the one who is given much power, much responsibility also accrues.' Although that is not a direct quote of the Terran saying, I believe it applies." She smiled slightly. Talea then grimaced. "That's not even counting our ability to teleport. Teleportation is such an unfair advantage that most of our sports forbid it, lest the sport become boring to the spectator. Or impossible for outsiders to participate in." She then shivered. "Dueling is also permitted at times on Regelis, and teleportation is forbidden there as well, at least in the honorable matches."
Walker frowned slightly. "There are sports in which teleportation is used, however. Unfortunately, this makes it quite impossible for most Federation teams to take part in them, so they are rare indeed."
Talea mentioned, "Psionic abilities include telepathy, telekinesis, teleportation (which is related to telekinesis, since someone who cannot use telekinesis also cannot teleport), telempathy (or the ability to both sense and influence emotions). Other abilities are also possible, but less common, although the ability to sense life-forms in a way similar to tricorders is essential to teleporting safely."
Walker chuckled, as he suspected the two opposite them were a little shell-shocked from the barrage of data. "Any questions thus far, Sirs?"
Skyler looked at Keith and then turned her attention to Talea and Walker. "You have certainly provided us with a wealth of information. I am quite impressed. I would hope that you would not use your abilities to influence emotions or actions in others. Also, I think that having the two of you teleporting everywhere is going to . . . shock some people, to say the least. Have you informed the medical staff of your special abilities and needs? They should probably be made aware just in case something were to happen to either of you."
Talea almost giggled. "Considering the fact that my medical records are now part of this vessel's medical database, along with a generalized baseline for our species, I believe that may be a qualified yes, Captain." She frowned, looking briefly worried. "As for influencing others' emotions, doing so without cause would be highly unethical, so we are trained to avoid doing so. You must admit that the proper use of telempathy (to calm a rattled Bridge crew, for example) could well save the ship. In such cases, we needed you to know our abilities so you could alert one or both of us to assist in keeping the ship alive in battle."
Walker shook his head. "Not that all of us have the ability. I do, and so does Talea here, but many Regellian men do not. Fortunate indeed is a Federation command staff who have the option to use this to help keep the crew's minds on business during a battle or crisis, rather than panicking and endangering all. As she mentioned, however, we will not use that ability unless we have clear permission to do so; it does use energy, and a fair amount of it."
Talea nodded. "Which is one reason to avoid casual use of it. Another is the fact that overuse can put one in a coma for up to six weeks, because of a condition known as psi-burn. Basically, overuse can cause burns that take time to heal." She was privately astonished that she was staying so calm in the presence of the most powerful man aboard the vessel, and, if her information was correct, in the Federation itself! It was difficult to keep her astonishment from showing, in fact, or the relief that followed quick on its heels.
Looking at Talea, Skyler nodded. /~You are doing very well. I am proud of you.~/ "I can relate to the coma issue, but we won't dwell on that. At the moment, I have no more questions. I think the two of you have been quite forthcoming, and I, for one, appreciate that. It will take time to absorb all this information that you have provided, but it will be worth it. Thank you for putting it together. It shows great initiative, which is always a welcome sight in a new officer. Unless the Admiral has anything else to add, I think we can adjourn this meeting." Skyler looked at Keith, waiting for him to do something . . . anything at all.

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