<USS Avalon> "What's In a Name" Part 2

  
"What's In A Name" Part 2
Skyler and Tavi  
 
 

"That sounds like a good idea.  I know you like the library and looking 
things up. Speaking of which, are you  keeping up with your school work and 
such? I 
don't want you falling behind  because you are messing around? I know that 
there are a couple other kids  around. Have you met any of them yet?" She 
picked 
up her juice and finished it  off. 


Tavi  hesitated.  "I'm trying to keep up," she said slowly.  


Something's not  right. She usually is ahead of things. "Is there something 
that maybe I can  help you with? You usually have everything done and are ahead 
of schedule. Is  something going on I should know about?" 



"I don't know,"  said Tavi.  "I was keeping up and all of a sudden, the more 
I do, the more  there is and the harder it gets.  I don't know if I'm missing 
something or  if there's a problem with the tutor program, or if it's just 
supposed to be this  way, that the more you do the more it throws at you."  


"Slow down. I'm sure you  are doing everything just fine. The more you do the 
more you learn so the  computer gives you more to learn. I'm sure there must 
be a way to slow it down  if you want. We can talk to the librarian about it 
if you want. Are you sure  that is all that is bothering you? You know you can 
trust me Tavi. I get the  feeling that there is more than you are telling me." 
She didn't want to push her  but hoped she would feel safe enough to tell her 
if there was a problem.  


"I just didn't want  to complain if the program was supposed to do that..."  
Tavi trailed  off.  How could she make a choice between promises?  If she told 
 Skyler what was on her mind, she would be breaking one promise, but if she 
kept  a secret, she'd be breaking another.  Which one was more important?   


Sitting there Skyler  watched Tavi. She could see she was mulling something 
over in her head.  Something that was important to her. "If there is something 
you want to tell me,  but think you will be doing something wrong I won't be 
upset. But if telling me  will help then you have to decide if that is the best 
way to go."  


That seemed to  answer the question.  "I don't think there's anything you can 
do to help,  and I will tell you when I get ready," said Tavi.  "Because it's 
somebody  else's secret that they asked me to keep.  If it was my secret I'd 
tell you  because I promised no secrets.  But this one isn't mine."   


"That sounds fair  enough. As long as no one is getting hurt, including you. 
I will be here when  you are ready to tell me and I will do what I can. Now, 
if I am not mistaken the  away team should be back so if you want to go back 
aboard the Avalon-B with me,  you best go get cleaned up. I can't be seen 
walking around with a cadet who has  juice on her face or a milk mustache. That 
wouldn't look good at all now would  it?"  


"Or in a fuzzy robe with no  slippers," Tavi giggled.  "Clothes and real 
boots for this trip!"  She  jumped out of her chair and carried her things to 
the 
recycler before heading  toward her room to wash up and change.  "Are you just 
going to let your..."  she hesitated, before deciding on a word, "partner 
sleep, or is she going with  us?"  


"I doubt if Tery will be going with  us. I believe she will be needed in 
engineering. I think it will be you, me,  Moreya, K'etrall and a few marines. 
Unless you can think of anyone else who  should go? Hopefully not in a fuzzy 
robe 
and no slippers." Skyler was giggling  right along with Tavi and had to admit 
it felt good. 


"Maybe someone who  can move stuff without touching it," said Tavi, and then 
wondered if maybe she  shouldn't have said it.  She knew of at least two 
people on board who could  do that, but it didn't seem to be public knowledge.  
 


"Hmm. That would be a  good asset to have on a team. Do you know someone who 
can do that and would be  willing to go on an away mission?" How could she 
know anyone who has that  ability and why would they be on this ship?  


Biting her lip, Tavi  decided on the person who ought to go along.  "The 
librarian, Ms.  Francher," she said, figuring that was the one person on board 
who 
could best  manage both the mission and having her semi-secret made 
semi-public.   


"The librarian? Why do  you think she should go on the mission? Can she move 
stuff without touching it?  I know you like her and everything but do you 
really think it would be safe for  the librarian to go on an away mission?" Why 
in 
the world would she want Ms.  Francher to go on this mission?  



Tavi  nodded.  "She moves stuff without touching it.  And she will be safe,  
she can take care of herself."  She didn't know quite how to describe the  
other things she'd seen the young woman do when she thought no one was  
watching. 
  


"Is this woman the  person you are keeping a secret for? And how is it that 
the fact that we have a  person on board who can move things at will kept from 
the XO?" She wasn't mad  just concerned. Especially since the librarian was 
actually listed as a  civilian. Still it was nice to know who had what 
abilities 
on the ship.  


"No, that's somebody  else's secret."  Tavi came back and leaned on the back 
of her chair from  behind it.  "I don't think Ms. Francher's stuff is a secret 
really.  I  mean, Lt. Ashayu knows, and Dr. Ngaio, and prolly a couple other 
people.   She just doesn't make a big deal of it to people.  And she's 
studying so  hard to be an officer.  She said they made her a Yeoman instead of 
sending  her to Academy because she already went to college for two years but 
she 
really  wants to be an officer."   


"How long have you known  all this information? You seem to know more people 
around this ship that I do.  Not that it's a bad thing. It isn't. She really 
want's to be an officer huh?  Well, I suppose if she agrees to follow orders 
along with you, then and only  then can she go. I don't want either of you 
hurt. 
And...when we get back you  think we can all sit down and have a talk?"  


"You learn a lot  hanging around in the vent shafts," Tavi grinned.  "Who-all 
will sit down  and have a talk?"   


Skyler laughed. "I bet  you do learn a lot hanging around vent shafts. Were 
you upside down and hanging  or what? I thought perhaps you me and the 
librarian could have a talk. If she is  helping you with your work I would like 
to get 
to know her better. Is that okay  with you?"  


"Oh, sure."   Tavi nodded.  "She's kinda shy but really nice when she gets to 
know  people.  She does this funny thing with her hair when she gets upset or 
 embarrassed, too.  It picks up," the girl demonstrated with her hands, "and  
kind of moves around to hide her face.  Except she keeps trying to control  
it and make it lie down again.  And she has music, too."   


"Her hair picks up and  moves around her face? Are you joking with me? You do 
that quite well, maybe you  should become an actress or something. Tavi the 
magnificent! She will amaze and  astound you with her magic!" Skyler reached 
over and started to tickle Tavi.  "What kind of music does she have? Did you 
spy 
on me while you were hanging  around the vents?"  


"Only when you were  in places I could get to easy, like the aft lounge," she 
answered the last  question first. "It's different kind of music.  Nice 
different.  It  follows her around.  Sometimes she can make it stop for a 
little, 
but it  comes back."  


/Something's not right.  Tavi knows better than to make things up./ "You mean 
she carries the music with  her like on a PADD or something. Music doesn't 
just follow a person around. At  least not any person I know." /I 
wonder......no 
it couldn't be.....not on the  Avalon. Or could it?/  


"I never met anybody  like her before, either," Tavi said soberly, having 
evaded the tickles as too  silly for such a serious discussion.  "But she's 
really nice.  And  very good at finding things in the library computers."   


Turning her chair so she  was looking at Tavi, Skyler hesitated before 
speaking. "Tavi, come have a seat.  I have a question to ask you and I want you 
to 
answer it honestly." She waited  until the girl was seated before she spoke 
again. "Have you ever seen her appear  and disappear? Or change her shape or 
anything like that? This is very  important."  


Tavi sat.   "Nope, she can't do those things.  She can only make things move, 
and  herself, up off the floor.  I asked the other day what kinds of other  
things she can do, because I thought the hair thing was so neat.  Only move  
things, and learn languages real easy.  And talk without words, but only  with 
other people who can talk without words, not read minds or anything.   And the 
reason for the music is because the air molecules move.  Sound is  vibration, 
you know."   


"Yes, I know sound is  vibration, I've just never heard of it following 
someone around. Or of someone  lifting themselves off the ground or do the 
other 
things you mention. She sounds  like an interesting person. Is she the only one 
like her aboard the ship or are  there more I should know about?" /I really 
need to meet this woman and get to  know her better/  


"Well, Dr. Ngaio is El-Aurian  and he can do some of the same stuff, but I'm 
not supposed to know that," Tavi  admitted, blushing.  "El-Aurians are kinda 
different, though," she  added.  


"I know of one El-Aurian  who has served in Starfleet. She was on the 
Enterprise NCC-1701 D. Her name was  Guinan and she was the bartender. From 
what I 
understand she was a lot older  than she looked and knew when things were going 
to happen or shouldn't happen. I  would've liked to meet her. Everybody is 
different. If we were all the same it  would make life kinda boring don't you 
think? It sounds like you friends can do  a lot more than I can. You're not 
going 
to want to go and live with them because  they can do more than I can  are 
you?"  


Tavi snorted.   "That's kinda silly," she said.  "Why would I want to live 
with somebody  else just because they can do stuff like that?"   


Shrugging her shoulders  Skyler didn't answer right away. "I don't know. 
Maybe because they are more  interesting. Not as boring as I am. I know I am 
being 
stupid but you have to  admit they sound interesting. I don't have music 
following me around and I can't  lift myself up off the floor or talk to others 
too well without words."  

"I think you are being much too silly," said Tavi.  "Aren't we a  family?"  
Without waiting for an answer, she trotted off to her room to get  dressed.

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