<USS Avalon> "Seeking Advice from an Old Friend" Cmdr Skyler and Dr. Moreya

 
"Seeking Advice from and Old Friend"
Cmdr Skyler and Dr. Moreya
 
Skyler sat in her quarters after turning in her reports to the Captain. She  
was at a loss as to what to do next. She was still upset with Georgia and as 
for  Melanie that was an entirely diifferent subject. One she had no idea how 
to deal  with. She sat in the dark drinking some concoction from the 
replicator. At this  juncture she really didn't care what it was as long as it 
was 
numbing. The less  she tried to think about things the less her head would 
pound. 
After finishing  off her drink she made herself another one. She had to get off 
the Avalon but to  where and to who?
 
After a few minutes it finally came to her. Moreya! She would know what to  
do, she always did. It had been sometime since the two had seen each other so  
perhaps now was a good time. Skyler went to computer and attempted to locate  
Moreya. After a few minutes of searching she found her. She was at Starfleet  
Medical in San Francisco. Now was as good a time as any to catch up with a 
much  needed friend. She sent a message to Moreya informing her that she would 
be 
 arriving and hoped that she would be available.
 
The reply was quick, and though only in text, seemed to carry warmth in  it.  
"My dear friend," it read, "My time is your time and my home is your  home.  
Come at once and I will be waiting."
 
Skyler transported down to San Francisco and made her way to the address  
that she had for Moreya. It was a house in the older section of the city, close 
 
to the bay. Skyler had always wondered what kind of place her friend would 
find.  With her taste and sophistication she knew it would be remarkable.
 
Looking at the house she knew she had been right. The outside alone was  
beautiful. Full of intricate architecture, yet it gave the feeling of a home,  
not 
a mansion or some other standoffish type of structure. Skyler walked up onto  
the wrap around porch and rang the bell. For some reason she was nervous. 
Why,  she didn't know. It was most likely a combination of Georgia and Melaine 
and the  failed brain wipes. Hopefully Moreya would have some answers for her.
 
From the moment she opened the door and ushered her friend inside, Moreya  
could tell Skyler was mired deep in turmoil -- misery and confusion seemed to 
be 
 flowing out of every pore in her friend's body.  Back home on Delta IV,  
someone this troubled would be offered an indefinite retreat and intensive  
therapy.  But here and now, Moreya knew she was all Skyler could count  on.  
She 
just hoped whatever she could offer would be enough.
 
Sitting in the large kitchen of the old Victorian -- which had been updated  
with the latest in Federation technology -- Moreya handed her friend a large,  
steaming mug of jasmine tea and smiled.  "Tell me as much as you think you  
can," she said.  "I can see that whatever is bothering you, it is  big."
 
Sipping on her tea, Skyler didn't know where to start. There was so much  
going on that it was all starting  to run together. "I am not exactly sure  
where 
to begin. I suppose the least of the problems are having under gone two  
brain wipes, both of which have failed. Now if I report that I remember  
everything that has happened since the Avalon went into the future and met the  
Tempest 
and learned it's fate, command will no doubt make me undergo a third  brain 
wipe. Something I refuse to do, which could be the cause of my headaches.  
However  that is not the biggest problem that I am dealing with."
 
Pausing to take a sip of tea Skyler wasn't too sure how to continue. She  
knew her good friend would understand and with any luck would have some answers 
 
for her. She nervously tapped her feet and ran her fingers across the rim of 
her  cup.
 
The Deltan frowned as she listened to Skyler speaking of the mind wipes  that 
were coming apart.  "I've never liked the practice of mind wipes," she  said. 
 "The technology was developed for humans and it isn't all that  reliable 
even with them.  And when you start messing with the minds of  humanoids with 
more developed psi capabilities, like the Betazoids, it's just  asking for 
trouble.  With your permission, I'm going to place a note in  your medical 
records 
directing that you not be subjected to a mind wipe  again.  Command can always 
ignore it, of course," she added with a snort,  "but it will at least make 
them stop long enough to think twice."
 
"You have my blessing to add anything to my file that will keep me from be  
subjected to anymore brain wipes. They certainly won't listen to me, perhaps  
they will listen to someone of your caliber. I would be most apprecitive."
 
"But I can see there's more to your trouble than that."  Moreya  refilled her 
friend's mug of tea and pushed a plate of small white cakes within  reach.  
"Something is stirring you up down to the roots of your soul, if I  may be 
melodramatic about it.  Tell me."
 
Skyler took another sip of tea before trying to explain what was going on.  
She herself wasn't sure what was going on or how to explain it. "I can only 
tell  you what I have been told because I don't remember any of it. Apparently 
I 
have  a younger sister named Melanie who has managed somehow to find me and 
has gotten  herself stationed aboard the Avalon. It also appears that Georgia 
has known  about this since I was a youngster and Melanie was a baby. From what 
I have  gathered is that when my parents were killed by the Romulan's Melanie 
was with  them and managed to survive the attack. Georgia on the other hand 
had taken me  back home a few weeks earlier due to school starting. What I 
don't 
understand is  why I don't remember any of this or why Georgia would keep 
such a thing from me.  I don't know who I can trust anymore Moreya. I just feel 
so alone and  lost."
 
She listened carefully as Skyler explained, prompting her to continue with  a 
word here or there, and keeping her friend's mug full.  When Skyler had  
finally finished, Moreya sighed gently and reached across the table to pat her  
hand.  Concentrating, she tried to put all the warmth and lovingkindness  she 
could into the brief touch.  More than anything else, Skyler needed  that kind 
of sustenance.
 
"I'm so sorry," she said.  "No wonder you are so troubled.  Your  world -- so 
much of what you knew, and based your life upon -- is turning out to  be 
quite different than you thought it was.  And there's been no  explanation for 
it 
yet."
 
"What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to react to a supposed sister  
that I don't even remember? As for Georgia how do I go about trusting her 
again.  She is or was the only family I had and now I feel so....betrayed." As 
she 
was  talking tears started to fall down Skyler's face.
 
"I wish there was some way I could just make it all right again for you,"  
she said, "but I think that's even beyond the power of the First Soul to  do.  
I 
wish I could make it easier for you, but I'm not sure I can even do  that.  
The humans have a saying: 'The only way out is through,' and I think  that's 
very true for you.
"Since you seem to value my advice, I can at least offer you that.  As  hard 
as it might be, I think you need to try and let go any resentment you might  
feel toward both Georgia and Melanie.  I'm sure neither of them has tried  to 
hurt you -- I know Georgia well enough to know she'd bite off her right arm  
and left leg before she chose to hurt you.  And more importantly, I would  
guess 
that neither of them, on their own, has the whole story here.  You'll  have 
to find a way to talk to both of them and learn this entire story.   I'd be 
willing to guess also that they would like to know your story as much as  you 
want to know theirs."
 
With tears still falling down her face Skyler looked at her friend. "But  how 
do I do that? How do I get past the hurt and resentment? How do I get past  
being lied to all these years, not just from Georgia, but from my parents as  
well? How......Moreya how?"
 
"Perhaps I can offer you one more thing.  I find meditation exercises  are a 
very good way to ease my mind.  I'd like to try and teach you a few,  if you 
would be willing.  They are simple enough."
 
"Any help you can give would be a much needed blessing. At this point I am  
willing to try anything." Skyler listened as her friend instructed her on  
different methods of meditations in hopes of helping her to ease her mind and  
maybe.....just maybe remember.
 
After she finished the brief lesson, Moreya said, "I want to give you  
something, that might help you focus during your meditations -- or any time you 
 are 
troubled.  Hopefully it will remind you of me, and our  friendship."  She 
lifted the wide band of knotted fabric from around her  hairless head, and 
carefully fitted it onto Skyler's head.  "Take it as a  token of our bond," she 
said.  "I will always be your friend,  Skyler."
 
Skyler felt the the fabric on her head and reached up to touch it. It was  
beautiful fabric full of vibrant colors. "I don't know what to say. I'm honored 
 
and touched that you would do this. I will cherish it forever. I hope you 
know  that I don't need anything to remind me of our friendship or our bond. If 
 
that were the case I wouldn't have come to you. You are like family to me and  
that is something I would never forget."
 
Skyler reached out and hugged her dearest friend, not wanting to let  go. She 
finally felt safe and at peace. "I know you are busy so I will let you  get 
back to your work and I want to thank you for everything. For listening, for  
your advice, the lessons and especially for this wonderfull cloth. You are a  
true and wonderful friend Moreya and I miss you everyday. I miss our talks and  
just spending time together, which makes these visits even more special."
 
Skyler walked to the door and paused turning to look at her friend one last  
time. She wanted to remember her as she was, a true and honest  friend.

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