The Empath's Web

Posted on Mon Mar 11th, 2019 @ 8:25pm by Fleet Admiral Donatella Figueroa & Lieutenant Commander Seleya

Mission: S01E04 The Outpost Has Eyes
Location: Captain's Office

Essex refilled his coffee and picked up some reports that he had to read. The Apollo would be read to go soon. He had hoped that Seleya would reach the Musashi before they left. He still hadn't gotten a call from the Captain. He wondered if she was a holo communicator that seemed to work best over long distances. He would wait until she called he had much to discuss and a warning or two to give.

Essex sipped his coffee and began reading. He wondered how the trip was and if Seleya had insisted on brining that ridiculous pet of hers.


Captain Figueroa had taken her 'sweet time' to actually respond to the Admiral's request. It was a summons for communication, but Fig did not feel she was ordered to do so. She had important matters to tend to and talking to an Admiral was something she squeezed towards the end of her daily agenda. His request for long distance communication via holo communicator could not be met. Fortunately, the USS Musashi was still within Federation space and a series of communication relays would make their connection possible albeit not stable and not long lasting. She and her starship would soon be out of reach.

She sat behind her computer console. "Admiral Essex, I apologize for the delay" she said with forced faux sincerity. "As you can tell, you're gonna have to settle for my lovely voice without a holographic image of my feminine figure" added the Captain. "I command an Ares class starship, Admiral. We don't really have the luxury of the holographic telegrams or whatever the hell the Federation calls them. They hardly work on newer starships let alone trying to engineer one of those on an Ares class. I've seen them slapped onto a Walker class before. No thank you."

Essex's rich baritone voice filtered through on a laugh. "Noted Captain. Might I add you are as feisty as they say." He sat back. "The fact that you are calling me indicates that Commander Seleya has arrived. Have you studied her file yet? I'll let you ask any questions you have first."

"I haven't had the time to get acquainted with her yet nor read through her personnel file. We're at warp heading to Boradis III, responding to the distress call and the Federation probe that showed our colonist vanished without a trace" she said explaining their current mission and why she hasn't studied the woman's personnel file. "If you sent her my way, I can only imagine she's defective in some way. I have had a few brief conversations with her and her word choices and choice of tea struck me as down right weird. What the hell is wrong with her?"

He sighed, "Nothing is wrong with her. I sent her your way for four reasons. Reason one being that she is a hell of a good doctor. Reason two is I've read your record and I believe you to be the best captain for her. She is intelligent, fast, strong, organized yet she lacks confidence in herself as a person and as a woman. She's obsessed with finding out her past to the point where she doesn't live for the now. You seem like a strong empowered woman who has loads of confidence and I felt that she could learn from you. The third reason is...she is only half Vulcan. The other half...nobody has been able to figure out. People fear what they don't know. She has certain abilities that make people nervous."

Donatella was not entirely taken aback by the half-Vulcan part. She could almost feel in in the way the other woman moved, spoke, and carried herself. However, she was not human. At least not from what the Admiral was saying. A Half Vulcan mixed with Human would have been easy enough to identify. There was Lieutenant Spock of the USS Enterprise under the command of Captain Christopher Pike had been serving in Starfleet for years. He was half human. "I'm flattered you thought of me to handle and whip the Vulcan into shape and help her, Admiral, but when you say people fear what they don't understand and abilities do you mean to tell me she's an ESPer of sort?"

He sighed, "Yes and no. She is telepathic as all Vulcans are. But this is something more. She is an empathy. She can...sense what others feel. She knows right when anesthetics kick in. You'll note that she keeps her hands behind her back when she walks. It's not a Vulcan trait. She avoids touching people when she can. In medical she wears gloves usually that helps but she has in rare cases picked up on a persons emotions to the point where it has sickened her. Usually that only happens with strong emotions. So empathic abilities are not exactly common. Her dedication to her Vulcan side helps. Her birth was very unusual I am told so we do not know what she is. She was abandoned at a Vulcan monastery." He sipped his coffee. "I assure you she will be an asset to your crew."

Fig nodded and though she did not entirely understand, she did understand enough to keep the Admiral engaged in conversation. "Do we have a record of what her apreception quotient and Duke-Heidelburg quotient are?" asked Fig genuinely intrigued by the young woman in question. "Sorry, Admiral. I did not mean to geek out on you like that, but I have been keeping my eye on this remarkable up and coming Parapsychology student, can't remember if she's an undergrad still or if she's onto her masters yet. An Elizabeth Dehner, I've been monitoring her for potential recruitment into Starfleet. She's quite invested in research involving ESPers."

He smiled as he listened to her. "I don't know any of that but I have heard of Elizabeth Dehner. She would make a wonderful addition to Starfleet. Anyway Seleya is remarkable and all her life she's been treated as a second class citizen by Vulcans for the fact that she's only half Vulcan and on the count of her red hair. Vulcans consider it unlucky. Go figure all their logic and red hair sets them of." He closed his eyes briefly. "Just keep an eye on her. She's a remarkable young woman. Again why I chose you to be her mentor." The last reason he'd sent her there was a bit harder to discuss. He half hoped that the captain forgot he'd said four reasons.

"Admiral, It's been a long day" she said simply enough. "I appreciate you sending me a Chief Medical Officer, believe me I do. It may have been several weeks of waiting, but I do appreciate it. Now, please be aware that even after a long day that I can still do basic math. You said four reasons and I've heard three with a heavy heaping of buttering me up. So, what is the fourth that has your panties in a bunch?"

He laughed, "Well you and Seleya will get along fine. She pretty much has no filter either." There was a long pause. "Alright can I count on your confidence in this. This is confidential and it stays between you and me."

"Admiral, I may not be part of the gentlemen's club, but I have been crucial in the Four Years War and sent the Federation vital intel on our current transgressions with the Klingons. I am a veteran and served under Garth of Izar. The USS Musashi may not be the flagship of the Federation. Hell, she doesn't even bare the name Enterprise, but I have security clearance higher than men twice my age. So, please feel free to share before we're out of range."

"I have been Seleya's commanding officer for a long time now. I have watched her grow as a person and as an officer. I have developed feelings for her. I doubt she reciprocates and frankly that is what makes seeing her painful." He sighed. "The fourth reason is purely selfish."

"ADMIRAL" said Captain Figueroa rather swiftly and sharply. She held up a hand in protest though it mattered not if he could see it or not. "You were her Commanding Officer. She was your subordinate, no matter how far removed. Please do not utter another word about your selfish fourth reason, Admiral because with all due respect, Sir....it's sounding awfully close to fraternization and let's just not go there."

"Relax Captain. There was no fraternization. I fell for a girl who has no feelings for me...or at least I never spoke to her of my feelings I assure you. I am well aware of Starfleet regulations although there are non about a captain dating a senior staff member per say. Above all else I think she's learned all she can here and she would benefit from a change. I have no doubt you are the right Captain for her." He sighed.

There was a crispness to how Fig continued to speak. "Admiral, you know as well as I do. You don't need a law or a regulation about not touching an open flame. It's an unspoken and universally accepted way of life. Nevertheless, I'd suggest you keep your feelings to yourself."

"Captain Figueroa I assure you I have and I will. I trust you will be happy with your new medical officer. I have a ship to take out of doc. Should you require information feel free to contact me." The woman was impossible. He'd heard that about her. Perhaps Seleya and she might butt heads or they could be good friends. He hoped that they'd be friends. "Essex out."

Captain Figueroa was pleased when Essex ended the conversation and transmission. "Men" she groaned as she stood up from her seat and let out a huff and puff of frustration. She proceeded over towards the bar of her quarters, something that didn't come standard edition on an Ares class or many starship designs for that matter, but a modification Figueroa demanded. It had been months she had a drink.

She fixed herself a Cognac, pouring the amber liquid from a peculiar shaped bottle into an even more peculiar shape class called a snifter. She grabbed the glass and lifted to her lips. It's going to be one of those nights she thought to herself as she let the liquor burn on her tongue and slide down her throat with a hard swallow.