Shades of Blue

Posted on Mon Jul 25th, 2011 @ 12:47pm by Anaia Viel (Halliwell) & Lieutenant Cedric Shepherd & Captain Elsie Halliwell

2,892 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Taylforth
Location: Transporter Room, USS Ranger
Timeline: Mission Day - 3

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"Energize."

It was a task the young crewman had performed numerous times, enough to have been allowed shifts in the Transporter Room and even enough to have permitted a certain amount of specialisation for all he had arrived aboard the Intrepid-class ship fresh out of basic training and with very little idea of which direction he wanted his life to take. The complexity of the task was lost in the simplicity of its execution, a veritable magic show that erupted in a sparkling cascade of slowly coalescing particles seemingly at the mere touch of a finger. If one wasn't careful to maintain perspective, it might have been easy to forget that people's lives literally hung in the air and although the technology was now considered a Federation staple, the concept of dematerialisation never failed to make an impression when being introduced to an unfamiliar party for the first time. He'd read the documentation, the reports and case studies that were forming part of his theoretical study but he'd never had the experience of actually transporting someone for their first time before. If he'd been asked to predict his own reaction, the young crewman might have suggested nervousness coupled with a glimmer of pride but the dryness of his throat as his fingertips hovered over the controls made "nervous" seem like an understatement of gargantuan proportions.

He was terrified.

Of making a mistake? Not exactly. In part there was pressure to make this as smooth as possible but there were no extenuating circumstances that would have made the transport a high-risk venture and he had pretty much mastered this many months ago. It wasn't as if he'd be placed on duty with a reputation for losing bits of people in mid-air. Of course, if any unforeseen issues were likely to arise, it would be now when his head was a muddled mess and the fretful licking of his bottom lip created a rather accurate impression of a twitchy reptile but logic suggested there was absolutely nothing that made this transport any different to all the others he'd performed in his time aboard the Ranger. Illogically, what made this particular instance different, and was mostly responsible for the hurricane of butterflies wrecking havoc on his stomach, was....well, it was more a colour than anything else. Blue.

Piercing, unyielding, unforgiving blue, the exact shade of frozen water, which might have been pretty had he not been terrified of the ocean and not all that fond of the cold either. Penetrative blue, fierce and ferocious blue, clearly unhappy blue...staring right at him. Bright sapphires set amidst an unreadable expression that gave his imagination far too much permission to explore what would happen to him should he do absolutely anything to add to the tension currently suffocating the room. He'd made the mistake of looking directly into that blue and felt a bead of sweat trickle down the back of his neck now that his gaze was very firmly fixed upon the controls he was operating. Fear of open water aside, he'd always kind of liked the colour in the past. It reminded him of his grandmother's garden, the sky in summer and Bolians. He liked Bolians. Some of his best friends...well, acquaintances....were Bolians. As the confinement beam activated and the twinkling molecules slowly solidified into the slender form all were expecting with a myriad of mixed feelings, Crewman Andrew Reffold slowly released the breath he'd been holding for so long that it was probably the cause of his momentary light-headedness. Blue. Forget-Me-Not Blue. Unforgettable blue. Immediately regrettable blue. He glanced up to make sure his precious cargo had arrived with all her limbs and smothered his startled squeak with an awkward clearing of his throat.

Softer blue. Peering-around-the-room blue. Inquisitive yet unobtrusive blue. It was the same shade and yet so very different.

Brittle silence hovered.

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She hadn't known exactly what to expect, even though the kind people responsible for her transport had tried to supply her with information and had made an attempt to anticipate the questions she wasn't asking. The journey had been tiring, exhausting even, one unfamiliar sensation after another until surreality had set in and it almost became impossible to tell if she was awake or still asleep, dreaming of an absurd little tale in which she might be entitled to a life entirely different to the one she'd been born into. In the end, she had done what she always did, allowing herself to be lead through confusing corridors, deposited from one set of safe hands to another until reaching a final point of destination that would allow her to stop and take stock of her surroundings. Inquisitive as she had been, she had decided after the first change in transport to simply forego all attempts at scrutinising the unfamiliar simply because she hadn't known where to start. Now that she was finally able to slow to a stop, insatiable curiosity bubbled from beneath the calm surface of her natural composure and gave her leave to lift her eyes to the ceiling, exploring each curve as if to catalogue it for later comparison.

It was a room, a small room, full of equipment that was not so much unlike what she was used to and yet it was wrong. The sounds were wrong, the smells were wrong and the lighting was far brighter than she preferred. A faint flickering of her brow was the only visible sign of discomfort but the gentle drift of her eyes downwards was evidence enough of her need to refocus. Gently, her gaze drifted over the assembled faces, her pale, delicate features serenely impassive but for the very slightest hint of trepidation about the eyes and lips. Instinctively drawn to the closest man first, she regarded him solemnly before flicking her eyes to his right and the instantaneous fluttering of long lashes betrayed her surprise despite practised attempts to hide it. She had been told of the situation and knew enough to realise that this woman was thought to be her genetic donor but for all the preparation, all the explanations and reassurances, she had not expected someone so...familiar. Older, sterner, and yet...the same.

A mirror image.

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As the slender form hardened into a solid and recognisable frame, Elsie inhaled to still her beating heart from within her chest. Her rib cage seemed to barely contain the muscle as it rapped against the bone. If she had, with her mind’s eye, looked beneath her small breasts, she would have seen a fluttering and anxious hedgerow bird, excited and frightened, attempting to escape its ivory pen. Her breath caught in the back of her throat but she stifled the cough and trained her gaze onto the girl that was materialising on the pad. Her girl?, she searched with her sceptical and analytical eyes.

Instantly she knew the answer. The doubts and concerns that she had waded through over the past few days melted away like chalk dust in the rain within precious seconds. There was no denying it. Her scientific mind could not and would not allow her to see anything else but. What was detailed in the reports she had received were now substantiated. By her.

Elsie silently stared at her genetic legacy with a blank and almost cold expression. If asked, she wouldn’t be able to confirm whether the moment of clarity, when her daughter was confirmed to herself, raised or sunk her heart. The adrenaline coursing through her veins seemed to have distilled an air of numbness that enveloped the woman.

She stammered, uneasily stepped forward and attempted to smile. Lowering her head, she inhaled deeply. “Welcome to the Ranger, Anaia. I’m Cap… I’m Elsie Halliwell.â€

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What had she expected? A difficult question to answer for all her imaginings had consumed her thoughts ever since she'd started this journey out into the vast unknown. Melancholy wistfulness aside, Anaia had never expected to meet her genetic parents and had even gone as far as to convince herself they were probably no longer alive. Certainly, of the sixteen children born to the Nursery at the same time as her, at least several had been a parting legacy of parents desperate to leave something behind in a universe they were soon to depart. Others knew as little as she did but those were mostly from races that would have found it difficult to maintain contact either through distance or lifestyle. Though she had never spoken a word to anyone, Anaia had always thought it a little strange that her origins should be such a mystery when her people were spread across the Quadrant from one side of it to the next. Quite the opposite of so many of her friends, there wasn't anything unique about her so why so much secrecy?

Now that she had an answer, the timid girl still didn't know what to make of the situation. It had been a shock, to say the least, to learn that her mother had not even known of her existence and in the days that followed, uncertainty over her future had drawn colour from her normally rosy cheeks and left a fretful glimmer in her eyes that flourished still, captured clearly in the stark light overhead. Through internal motivation that was simply part of her nature, she felt overwhelmed by guilt, assuming blame for a matter she could scarcely be held accountable for and now that she was face-to-face with the woman she owed her life to, the slender brunette was customarily lost for words. Long eyelashes fluttered nervously as she fell into a familiar stance, hands clasped in front of her in demure submission as was taught to her since birth as the proper way to appear before strangers. After all, in the past, strangers had been guests. The concept of being one herself was simply...wrong.

"Thank you, it's a pleasure to meet you."

The wavering harmonics of her tone conveyed more than the overly formal greeting suggested but her volume was loud enough to reveal the first difference between the pair. One of the only other Terran humans in the facility, her caregiver could trace his ancestors back through generations of British bloodlines and had managed to pass at least the cultured accent on to his young charge. The myriad of other languages she'd grown up exposed to had made a less significant mark but her tone was just unfamiliar enough to remind those present that her life had been considerably different to her Elsie's. If nothing else, she was certainly a good deal less sure of herself.

If Anaia's voice wasn't entirely decided on a path, however, her eyes were even more tormented. Flitting from one side of her mother's face to the other, they eventually settled furtively on the older woman's far harsher gaze, like a butterfly perched precariously on the gilded edge of a flower. Skittish but drawing on a reservoir of strength she didn't recognise in herself, the young girl swallowed once and added quietly, "Thank you for inviting me."

Elsie melted. A flutter of maternal emotion surging through her and welling up from her belly forced beaded tears of overwhelming happiness to the corners of her sparkling eyes. Her face softened subconsciously as she held her own daughter in her gaze and a warm, caring smile hung delicately at the edges of her small mouth. No amount of mental preparation or meditation could have prepared the woman for the tsunami of emotion that now swept her from her grounded stance. She stood, shaking with a patchwork of feelings shrouded over her, as her breathing faltered only once.

Their eyes were matched. The same sparkling pools of ocean blue locking on to the other’s. Elsie paused, looked towards Shepherd for the support she needed and then said softly: “Of course, Anaia. You’re very welcome here.†Motioning over to introduce the Security Chief, she nodded. “This is Lieutenant Cedric Shepherd. He is my Chief Security Officer here on the Ranger and will be your guide during your stay with us.†She waited for a second before correcting the sentiment. “With me. If you need anything when I am unavailable, Mr. Shepherd will be able to assist you.â€

Shepherd dipped his head respectfully. "I'm pleased to meet you, Anaia."

The resonating voice of the Ranger's security chief gave ample reason for Anaia to break eye contact with her mother, releasing her from what she normally would have considered a socially unacceptable lapse in manners. She'd been staring, mesmerised by the tangible reality of her life's expanded breadth, but if anything it was the tall, charismatic man who had drawn her eye first and she returned her gentle gaze to his face now, keen perceptiveness sizing him up without the judgmental intent that normally followed. What interested her first and foremost was his resemblance to her closest friend's caregiver but as she traced the angles of his face with her eyes, Anaia realised what had really drawn her to him in that first instant upon arrival was his strength. It was presence of spirit, an unspoken reassurance, that she had similarly attributed to Aldan and recognition of it again in this man made the room suddenly a far less daunting place to be.

The thought elicited a faint smile before a shy blush brought a healthy glow back to her pale face. "Thank you, I promise I won't get in the way." The childish slip only deepened her colour and even she, so habitually used to avoiding anger, felt a flare of frustration at herself. If one thought had preoccupied her over the last few days it was a fervent desire not to disappoint anyone. Least of all her mother. Far too aware of her own ignorance, Anaia wondered if that was even possible.

"Oh, you don't need to worry about that," Shepherd smiled. "Ranger's a science ship--we explore for a living. If you weren't allowed to explore too then there wouldn't be much point. We'll go over some things regarding safety, but you don't need to worry about getting in the way."

There was silence. Anaia's blush did not fade, and while she continued to look at Shepherd, her eyes showed a growing vacancy as she moved mentally from speaking to the man in her view to struggling to think of what was expected next. For his part, Shepherd held her gaze, though his own posture went a shade uncertain, his head cocking slightly in thought.

The silence and timidity of the girl was striking. So much so that it urged Elsie to step forward and engage her. “There’s nothing to worry about while you’re here. You’re a guest on this ship and we’ll do anything to make you feel at home for as long as you wish to stay.â€

Elsie’s sudden maternal tack, rather curiously, didn’t phase or jar her. In fact, the wave of momentary protective emotion flowed easily from her small mouth as it unconsciously framed itself into a warm and genuine smile. She stepped forward again, now stationing herself between both her and Shepherd. Reaching down towards her, the fragility and gravity of the situation: a thirteen year old adolescent, traversing the galaxy to meet someone purporting to be her own flesh and blood, flooded over the woman. She gently touched her face and smiled, slowly reaching further down to take her small hand. “Would you like me to show you where you’ll be staying?â€

The plaintive expression on Anaia's face was not so much dissatisfaction at her welcome but an indication of the sudden rush of homesickness that enveloped her. The situation to date had been confusing and she had worked up a measure of excitement only because of the fuss her friends had made over their jealousy, good-natured though it had been. The reality of her arrival and the complete unfamiliarity of her surroundings, however, left the lithe girl feeling as if she was perched on a precipice with no idea which direction would lead to her demise. The only reassurance she could find lay in the warm blue eyes gazing down on her, tainted with their own uncertainty but also accustomed to conveying absolute control. It was a gaze she could trust in, a gaze she would trust in because if there was one habit Anaia found difficult to break it was seeking strength in others to combat her inherent lack. This woman, her mother, would figure out what to do.

For the first time since her arrival, the fragile shoulders relaxed. Between her mother's authority and the Lieutenant's effortless control, the room didn't seem quite so daunting any more. A glimmer of a smile, far more genuine than her earlier attempt in that it actually reached her eyes, graced the delicate features and the tiny brunette simply nodded. At last, someone was able to tell her what she should be doing.

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Welcome Aboard brought to you by:

Captain Elsie "Mamabear" Halliwell
Commanding Officer

Anaia "Babybear" Viel (Halliwell)
Captain's daughter

and

Lt. Cedric "Goldilocks" Shepherd
Chief Security Officer

 

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