When Betazeds collide

Posted on Tue Jan 26th, 2021 @ 9:36pm by Lieutenant Baeryn Whavi-Tonelly

Mission: Season 4: Episode 3: Guided by Starlight
Location: Deck 11 Outside Holodeck
1774 words - 3.5 OF Standard Post Measure

'What did I think accepting an assignment like this.' Baeryn thought as she walked the halls of deck 11. She had now gotten lost for the third time in the last hour, easily distracted as she was she kept getting turned around. All she wanted was a plant for her room, the arboretum wasn't impossible to locate, her staying focused long enough to get there seemed to be the problem.

Her cheeks felt like they may fall off from smiling at so many other occupants of the U.S.S. Elysium. Everyone was so...perky and happy to be there. It caused her to feel a bit out of place, but perhaps it was due to her being new. She tried to shrug off the feeling.

She failed to see the female exiting the holodeck wearing an odd leather jacket of sorts until after she had collided with her, and hard, sending Baeryn back a few steps and struggling to gain her footing.

Jessica reacted quickly and grabbed the woman's hand before she hit the ground. A fighter pilot's instinct and critical thinking. Also, one thing about the Commander, she always had the crew's back. Even if they needed to balance themselves. "Where's the fire, Lieutenant." Jess quipped. She was wearing a British RAF leather pilot's jacket and she helped her balance. "You alright?"

Baeryn gripped the commanders forearm to keep from falling. She caught herself holding on longer then necessary and quickly pulled her arm back straightening her posture. An embarrassed chuckle escaped her , "I'm sorry, my mind is..." Her voice trailed off suddenly. A strong sense of calm blanketed her, dulling the nerves that just a moment ago were buzzing. It only took Baeryn a split second to figure out the calm she felt was an emotion she unintentionally read from the commander and just a second more for her to push away the feeling. "I apologize, I wasn't watching my path. Forgive me?"

"Ah it's alright, Lieutenant." Jess mentioned. "It's the times we trip and run into things that teaches us the most in life. And it takes much more than that to piss me off. Lt. Commander Jessica Vaii, at your service."

Extending her right hand she introduced herself as well," Lieutenant Baeryn Whavi. That's an unusual jacket you've got on. Pilot I presume?"

"Pilot, Astronaut, Flight Instructor, Some people call me a hero here on the Ely. I'm just a Starfleet Officer like anyone else here." Jess mentioned. "And as for the Jacket, it's a replica of the jackets that pilots wore in the British Royal Air Force. I just got done intercepting some jerries over the channel." She noted. "You're new here, aren't you?" Jess noted.

Baeryn let out a laugh at the passion Jessica emitted, finding herself more interested in whatever program Jessica had been running in the holodeck. Holodeck activities weren't really her thing, she couldn't get past the "playing pretend" aspect of them. Or perhaps she just lacked the imagination required to find joy in them. "Ah yes, I've got 'NEW' written all over me haven't I?"


"Well, I think I should give you the grand tour of the Elysium." Jess mentioned. "We're a very large but close knit crew here on the Elysium, and we've been through hell together." Jess noted. "Yeah, sure we're a large ship, but there isn't a better post you could ever hope for in the fleet. We're kinda an extended family here."

"That's not the first time I've heard the crew described in that manner. I will say it does make it difficult to find ones place among you."She joked lightly," As for a tour, if its not an intrusion I would very much apprentice a tour, but I would feel awful to take up your free time."

"Not at all, Lieutenant. Besides, there's a few things you're going to need to know about some of the crew." Jess gestured her to follow. "About a month ago, we had a run-in with ourselves in someplace called the Mirror Universe. Can't begin to describe the nightmare they unleashed upon us." Jess mentioned. "Suffice to say, they attempted to enslave us."

Baeryn fell in step next to the commander and listened closely, eager to learn all she could. "I read a few reports regarding that unfortunate event. The crew must have a strong bond indeed to make it out of such catastrophe like that and continue on."

Jess spoke. "And I'm not a normal Betazoid. I'm one.... who fled my house with my father. See, mother was not kind. In fact, the only thing she cared about was power." Jess mentioned. "So, I'm more human than Beta"

Baeryns eye brows peaked with new found curiosity, the calming sensation she had felt during their impact made more sense to her now. "Ah...Vaii is part of the betazoid language is it not? Something about a bird? We share somewhat similar backgrounds you and I." She paused for a moment, unsure how much of herself she was willing to reveal so soon,but she continued anyway. "I was raised by my human father, my mother is only half Betazoid but you would never guess such when meeting her. Her only priority was the reputation she held as a Beta."

"My mother was a true, Machivellian bitch." Jessica mentioned. "I was to be her heir, her legacy, and when I was anything but perfect, when I got a ceremony wrong, when I was late for anything. She'd take out her pent-up frusterations on me. With a belt." Jessica mentioned. "For years, my father put up with this. He didn't want to dishonor the house with a divorce, but then mother did something that broke the camel's back. Treason." Jessica mentioned. "Daddy learned that she gave classified information to the Dominion in exchange for destroying her political enemies."

Baeryn cringed thinking about the pain Jessica had endured in her childhood. She was grateful of the protection she received from her father growing up. A giant swell of sadness filled a pit in her stomach thinking about the father she missed. She pushed her thoughts to the back of her mind and nodded waiting for Jessica to continue.

"Daddy wasn't going to stand for this. The honor of the house was one thing, Treason was another. He'd endure the stigma of a divorce from an arranged marriage over enduring the dishonor of treason. Plus he hated Lucianna Kessanna. He was forced to watch as that woman beat me, and he even took many of the beatings himself. So we escaped during the battle of betazed and went to Earth. We both cast off the Kessanna name, taking the name Vaii 'Glorius Bird.' We'd build a new house based on honor and principle. Soon after wards, Lucianna also betrayed the Dominion and gave information to the Federation. She has raison de'tat down to a finely tune art, and knows how to gain power."

Her eyes widened in shock, "What became of her after so much betrayal? Surely she had no where else to go after, with so much disgrace."

"Disgrace? Actually the opposite. She played her hand well, and made sure anyone who knew the truth about her betrayals was dead during the war. Except Father and me, and we had no proof of her treason, she made us look like we dishonored one of the great houses. She came out of it looking like a hero, earning the sympathy of the resistance which easily won her next elections." Jessica mentioned. "As for myself. I was never going to be hurt by her again. I became a Starfleet Officer to become strong. She watches me, and I learned how to fly a fighter, fight like even a marine, and lead men and women in battle." Jessica mentioned. "She fears me... What I will do to her if she harms my new house and the people I love and care for, and her living each day as a coward... is enough for me, Baeryn. The respect I earn here in Starfleet, speaks for my true character." Jess finished.

"Quite impressive, the tribulation you've overcome Jessica, "she cackled softly " I have to say my own story is not near as dark, though my mother is and forever will be the villain in my life. I do wish I had a grander reason for joining Starfleet, that it made me stronger or worthy- don't get me wrong, it has given me great purpose but at times I feel I'm just using it as a distraction."

Baeryn stopped herself from continuing, she felt calm with Jess and had already told her more about herself then she normally let anyone in on. Even if she was being vague. Her life hadn't been nearly half as grueling as Jess's. A swell of self pity grew in her gut, followed by embarrassment for even comparing the two.

"Hey, it's alright, Lieutenant. We have so much in common, and we've already been though hell in life. That just makes us stronger." Jess noted. "Damn, your life is a little different than mine, but be both loved our fathers more than life itself. Or in my case, I still love and remember him fondly." Jess mentioned. "Lord Richard Vaii truly was a remarkable man."

"I'll forever hold my father in my heart, to this day hes still the greatest man ive ever met. Albeit I may be biased, " a laugh erupted from deep in her lungs at a memory of her old man making some non-sense joke. "Pops name was Oliver but went by Ollie til the day he died. He fought for me from the moment I was born, going against my mothers wishes and giving me his last name." Her expression was somber but she managed a smile. "Leave it to me to quite literally collide with another betazed daddy's girl."

Jessica chuckled. "I thought I was the only one of my kind. We're going to be such good friends." She smiled. "One thing. Never compromise your principles, our daddies gave up everything for us. We're going to make sure our two new families will have a long lineage with honor and respect that will make all the great houses envious." Jessica mentioned.

"Indeed Jess, we will." Baeryn smiled brightly, surprised she found someone she had so much in common with on this massive ship. She was suddenly very interested in her heritage, maybe when she was ready she would ask Jessica about what it meant to be a betazoid. One day. For now she was glad to have made a friend.