SIM:Sundassa/JP-LtCmdr Ra-Uleyra-Virtual Efros Delta

(( Sundassa's room, USS Apollo ))

:: Sundassa had to get the replicator to conjure up some warm clothes. She looked at the computer catalog, and remembered what the group opted to wear when she tagged along on a skiing trip, hoping that the warm clothing then would be enough. She was from a tropical climate herself, and while the normal temperatures of the ship were comfortable for most, she actually enjoyed being in her long sleeves the majority of the time. She opted for a dark purple turtle neck, to keep her neck warm, layered over another long sleeve shirt. She put on some warm purple tights, and layered over a pair of pale yellow pants, and her warm plush ski jacket was also pale yellow in color, but she hung that over her arm, not wanting to be too warm before entering the holodeck program. She had not braided her hair today, letting it cascade down her back, giving more resistance to any cold, especially on her neck and ears. She also had in her hands a pair of yellow earmuffs just in case, black gloves and scarf. ::

(( Ra-Uleyra's Quarters - USS Apollo))

:: After carefully reconstructing the coastline of Suf-Fau Province on Efros Delta, Ra changed into more traditional casual attire from his homeworld. He was dressed warmly for the holographic trip. It was customary to do since even at the equator, Efros Delta was remarkably cold. In many ways the climate defined his people. The bitterness of the cold often lead to Efrosians as having a far off disinterestered personality. His people were thinkers, strategic thinkers and often made outstanding diplomats. They were also warriors, although they seldom had to use their warrior craft. Ra recalled how once at the Academy he was mistaken for a Klingon-Human hybrid. Two races that he respected, but were quite different from his own. ::

:: As he adorned what looked like a parka he hoped that Ensign Faranster yielded his warning to be prepared for the cold. Although the holodeck could be modified to reduce the impact of the cold, he felt that it would take away from the experience. He was also concerned that she was still bitter about how the mission ended.::

(( Corridors, Deck 5, Approaching Holodeck 2, USS Apollo ))

:: She hoped she had plenty of warm clothing on and with her when she joined Commander Ra outside the holodeck he reserved for this program. When she arrived, he was a bit stiff, she wasn't sure exactly why. ::

Faranster: Commander, I hope I dressed warm enough... :: She looked at her attire, and then at him, waiting for a response. ::

Ra: I believe that your clothing will suffice. The coastlines of Suf-Fau Province are not exactly the beach, but as water cools at a slower rate than the air, it would not be nearly as cold if we took to the mountains.

Faranster: My planet is tropical, I only once had the experience of extreme cold, and that was in the Academy... So, I tried to remember what we wore then...

Ra: I do appreciate you coming here with me, although this is supposed to be in recognition for your efforts.

:: She heard what he said, and smiled at him, nodding. She would reign in any emotions she had, and straightened up. ::

Faranster: Yes sir. I understand.

::The two approached the main doors to the holodeck. Ra punched in a few codes into the computer. He called up the program that he gave a label as Efros Delta "Beach" despite the fact that Efros Delta had no such thing since the world did not even have sand. The doors swung open revealing a very chilled air. In the distance was the fierce ocean of the ice world. Waves crashed up against the rocks with such a force that it shot mist into the air. The smell of salt water was intoxicating.::

:: Sun followed Ra into the holodeck and gasped as a gust of icy wind hit her face. She looked around at the beautiful blue white icing that seemed to frost everything, the ocean still moving despite the harsh coldness. She felt the artic mist hit her face, and goosebumps crawled up her skin. What was familiar, was the salty smell of the shore. ::

Ra: These are cliffs of Suf-Fau. This is my home, where I grew up and where I represented my people.

:: She put on her gloves and ear muffs, as the breeze off the water, did add more chill to it. She then looked around even more closely. The scene was beautiful, and she imagined it a bit warmer, knowing that this was how it was. ::

Faranster: It's beautiful. :: She replayed what he said in her head. :: What do you mean by 'represented'?

Ra: You may not know this about me, but I was a two term representative in my government before joining Starfleet.

Faranster: Only two terms? Wouldn't that be a career track? What prompted the change in career, if you don't mind me asking, Commander?

Ra: I failed to be re-elected for my third term. I became complacent and one-dimensional. I joined Starfleet to re-invent myself so that I could someday return and serve with a more experienced mindset.

:: She thought back to the little time she has known the Commander, and the choices he had to make regarding the crew left on the planet. He was a doer, she could tell from what he said, and his directness with everything so far. ::

Faranster: I think you will do a good job sir. :: She didn't know how to bring it up, and wasn't aware if he thought she was upset with him based off that choice, so she just said, :: You've made the right decisions as far as I've known you. :: She smiled at him reassuringly. ::

::The two walked along the coasts, taking in the sights. You could see water based craft gliding across the surface. There were a few Efrosians sitting on the cliffs with fishing poles in the water. It was a very relaxed atmosphere.::

::Ra stopped suddenly and stared off at one particular promontory. There was what appeared to be a thousand year old lighthouse surrounded by a small settlement. It was in the distance, probably a kilometer away, but it felt so close, almost like one could reach out and touch it. Ra bowed his head and turned back to Sun with tears welled up in his eyes. It was the first time he had shown any type of emotion like this towards anyone on the Apollo crew.::

:: Sun stopped with Ra, and followed his stare towards a picturesque lighthouse, clearly a landmark. She could imagine the ships watching out at night for the light, to ensure not crashing on the sharp rocks that lined the shore. She looked back at the Commander, who always seemed so in control of his emotions to see that his eyes were lined with tears. ::

Ra: All of this...it was destroyed nearly four months ago when the coast flooded. The landslides...the devastation... I went back to visit...to help...but seeing it now...as it was...

:: She gasped and looked around again, as if seeing the landscape turn from the physical one before them, to a ghost of a scene fading into the background. Her imagination saw the lighthouse in shambles on the ground, and the people gone, houses laying in rubble. She wasn't sure her imagination was doing justice to the scenery change he described. ::

Faranster: Sir, that's horrible. :: Her voice broke, saturated with sorrow for his loss. :: Is it possible to rebuilt? Possibly move it a bit further above sea level?

:: Ra wiped away the wetness from his eyes. He took a deep breath before regaining greater control of his emotions. He tried to remember that this was a holographic image, but this was part of why he was that emotional. This was all a dream. It was an imagination of how things once were before the disastrous natural disaster swept away much of the coastline and the settlements.::

Ra: Sadly all of this was destroyed. There were landslides that were triggered by coastal flooding. I had put in motions to get the resources to shore up the coasts, but there were deemed a low priority.  ::Pointing.:: That lighthouse was special. It is believed that an ancestor of mine built it nearly 800 years ago when these shipping lanes were opened up by ice cutters.

Faranster: I understand, it does look like it was a landmark, aged and beautiful. Could we get closer?

Ra: We could...but I would rather not.

:: He felt the wave of emotion come over him once more. He never expected to feel this way after coming back to see these sights again. Some of his people had taken these structures for granted. They certainly could build new ones, but they would never be the same. With replicators and historical images the scene could nearly be restored to as it was, but it would never be the same. Replicators can never restore the hands that built the structures from voices long since gone.::

:: She watched his face closely, being here must be hard for him, but he chose this location to show her. She saw his people's agony over this disaster written all over his face as he looked around at the scene, knowing it would never be quite the same even if rebuilt. She wanted to tell him not to cry, part of her worried about the tears getting frozen on his face as they rolled down his cheeks. Instead, she reached out and gently wiped them with her gloved finger, hoping he didn't flinch back. ::

Faranster: Sorry. :: She withdrew her hand quickly, and looked back towards the lighthouse. ::

Ra: It is I who should apologize. I brought you here as a thank you for saving my life and my vision. Instead I find myself overcome with emotion...emotion that I was unable to experience when I saw the devastation first hand. But I feel like I need to thank you again. I never mourned the loss...

:: She felt uncomfortable accepting his apology and gratitude for being there. She was glad she was there for him, it was nice to know that she provided a safe atmosphere for him to mourn the tragedy his planet suffered. ::

Faranster: It's not necessary to apologize, Ra. I am glad to be here.

::They continued to walk along the edge of the seaside cliffs. Ra continued to reminisce about his many walks along the trails. He had spent a great deal of time thinking and reflecting on his life's actions. Rarely he had accompaniment, but today he was glad to have brought someone along.::

Ra: Ensign, do you think T'Mar and I erred in our judgment to pursue the craft piloted by the men who shot Commander Frost?

:: There it was, the question, an opening to express everything that went through her mind from the moment they were separated until they got out of sickbay. She had already made the assessment that they were right to get out of there, she just hadn't voiced it before now. She was a doctor, and they weren't. Had it been her on the craft and someone called for help, she would have done everything to convince the person to turn the craft around, the whole 'do no harm' promise. But all they could do is provide transport, and they needed to be elsewhere at the time. They didn't know the other team had also abandoned them for just as good a reason. She thought about how to word her answer, maybe his current emotional state would allow him to understand how she felt. ::

Faranster: Ra, at first, I was quite offended that we were left behind. I was scared that Commander Lanius nor Lieutenant Able wouldn't see another day. I was angry at being abandoned by the people I was there to take care of. I had no way to take care of them, the counter-agent wasn't doing it's job, and while I was reporting that I needed a pickup, both Lieutenant T'Mar and the big blue Commander were informing me that you left the planet, and that the other would pick me up. If it had been just me I might have just sat down and been more patient. But, I made a promise to get everyone back in as close to the condition we left in, as possible... and I don't like breaking my promises.

::He looked her straight in the eyes as she responded to the question. He dug in deeply as he tried to understand everything from her point of view. He was completely caught off guard by Commander Lanius' response as well as her's from the surface. His mind briefly flashed back to the Kobayashi Maru scenario. He took the test twice, the first time attempting to rescue the survivors while the second avoiding entrance into the Neutral Zone. He marked the second as his final answer with the justification that entry into the neutral zone to save the crew of the freighter was not worth a war with the Federation's adversaries over the lives of the crew. It was cold, but logical.::

Ra: While on the surface I felt that it was imperative to be an asset to the away team. If I were a liability, I could not justify continuing further. The only decision that would make sense would be for me to allow myself to be left behind. That appeared to be a decision that the rest of the away team would be uncomfortable with...perhaps with the exception of Lieutenant T'Mar. At the same time when the tables were turned T'Mar and my top priority were to continue with the mission. I...see...

:: Sun kept his stare down, she watched him struggle with what she was telling him. She couldn't imagine leaving any of the crew behind, regardless of their mission, she signed on to be a doctor. She would follow orders, but if they meant leaving behind people that could be saved, she'd have to question them. But, sometimes choices made didn't end up as disastrous as initially thought. ::

Faranster: Yes, I would have been uncomfortable leaving you behind. And there was no need to, Ra. I was able to take care of you. :: She smiled at the man again. :: I am glad I had a chance to see everything that was going on before having this conversation with you. After seeing Williams's and Frost's wounds, I realized there was a lot more going on, and that none of us had the whole picture.

Ra: ::Nodding:: As Starfleet Officers we continuously are forced to make decisions with incomplete information. In most of those situations there is no time to carefully weigh all of the alternatives.

Faranster: You certainly weren't aware that neither of you were coming back, or that the Captain had a hard time getting the right positioning to beam us up. I am not sure if that would have changed your decision, a part of me hopes it would have. I would hate to be forgotten.

Ra: I can also only hope that our decision to pursue the escaping shuttle yields further clues to their whereabouts and their intentions. Perhaps the outcome of that decision may mitigate some of the pain and disappointment that you felt.

Faranster: But, my point is, I understand why you did it, and under the circumstances I believe you were right. And, if you hadn't left us there, we might still be in sickbay experiencing those horrible conditions the drug causes, as bad off as that thing in the tank or worst. It was because you left us there, that we ended up with that Professor fellow, who had a vial of the antigen.

Ra: There are those in this universe that believe in concepts such as fate and destiny. My beliefs are…complex on the matter.

:: Needing to change the subject, while she understood and accepted the decisions made. She knew the result was the best circumstance that was provided, but she still didn't like being left behind. ::

Faranster: :: She gently touched his arm. :: I am glad you brought me here, and that I know more about you, Ra. Thank you for deciding to share this with me. Maybe sometime I can return the favor.

Ra: I would appreciate that. I would very much appreciate seeing your home planet. I think that you can learn a lot about a person based on where they are from. Thanks for coming.

Faranster: Just so long as you remember that I said it was tropical. :: She enjoyed walking with him, looking at his frosty planet's beautiful shore. She knew he offered to bring her to the planet, but if the ghost of a memory was this hard on him, she wasn't sure she wanted to force him to relive the pain of actually looking at the destruction. But, she wasn't going to say no if he decided to follow through on his offer. Especially since he seemed comfortable letting her see this side of him. ::

::The two continued to walk along the coastline, taking in the sights. Ra felt more comfortable about the decisions that he and T’Mar made but at the same time it gave him an opportunity to understand the way that the situation played out from the point of view of his fellow officers. It was a lesson that he would never forget. Secondarily, returning to the holographic version of his homeworld some closure following his return to Efros Delta.::

Ra: One more thing Ensign. I would appreciate it if you would not discuss what happened here with the others.

:: She looked again at the Commander, paying attention to the expression of seriousness on his face. She realized this wasn't a side of him that he wanted others to know about. She gave a smile of understanding, she knew it was his to share with who he wanted. For now, he shared it with her too, loaning her the moment and understanding of who he was. ::

Faranster: I understand, sir. I won't let your secret out.

:: She walked in silence next to him watching him look at different things from his home world, following his gaze wherever it went, and when they were done, she followed him to the exit of the holodeck. She removed her coat, as the corridors of the Apollo were much warmer, and they said their goodbyes, heading off in different directions. Sun reflected on the experience, and was glad they made the time, the visit was well worth it for her. ::

Lieutenant Commander Ra-Uleyra

Mission Specialist

USS Apollo

&

Ensign Sundassa Faranster

Medical Officer

USS Apollo