Space Oddity

Fear Of The Well-Known😨

Kehau, Michael and Saru find themselves by the beach close to Saru's home Saru takes ahold of Kehau's hand as they look around "I always hated that thing!"  Kehau mutters somewhat darkly when she notices a floating structure not too far from where they were "that pylon it isn't Kelpien, is it?"  Michael asks when she notices what Kehau was staring at "no the Ba'ul have erected one in each village to observe us it has earned them a fitting name among my people: the Watchful Eye"  Saru replies as the three of them start walking towards the area it now stands "this pylon is connected to an incredibly vast network must have taken the Ba'ul generations to integrate their technology and ideology into Kelpien society"  Michael says as she scans it with her Tricorder "our two species have become so intertwined that, outside their technology, it is difficult to discern what is purely us and what is distinctly them"  Saru replies "where is everyone?"  Michael asks "the day's work is done it will soon be nightfall Kelpien's rarely venture out in the dark"  Saru replies then he stops walking and sighs then says "I led this life once"  Michael says "if I didn't know your people were oppressed, I'd think Kaminar was a paradise"  Saru replies "well, in many ways, it is we live in harmony with each other, in a world without hunger or poverty the only violence we know is the culling, which Kelpien's have been misled to accept as a mercy by the Ba'ul and our priests sustain that belief"  Michael asks "didn't you say your father was a priest?"  Saru replies as he gently squeezes Kehau's hand "yes, he was a collaborator, albeit an unwitting one, enforcing the grip the Ba'ul had on my people"  Michael opens her mouth unsure what to say as Kehau lets go of Saru's hand and hugs his waist Michael takes Saru's other hand in her own and starts to try and say some sort of words of comfort "Saru...."  she once again can't find any "proper" words to say and after taking a breath Saru says "for 18 years, I dreamt of returning to my village it has not changed at all but I see it.... quite differently now"  the three of them continue on there way deeper into the village.... "these are the same flowers from your quarters"  Michael says when they leave the beach and head into an area that was more like a garden "Fredalia, yes they do not grow quite so well on a starship"  Saru replies as he looks down at the red flowers "that's only because YOU are the only one who takes care of them!"  Kehau teases with a smile Michael shakes her head with a smile of her own as Saru turns and notices a familiar backside and stares at her in surprise "hello Siranna"  Kehau says softly the woman Saru recognized turns and stares at her in shock as she drops her basket full of flowers adding to the affect and says with a surprised tone in the Kelpien language as she walks over to them and grips both of their arms while placing her forehead upon Saru's as she speaks "Kehau!?!.... Saru! you're both alive! oh, but how?.... well you do look slightly different Kehau but Saru.... we thought you were dead taken by the Watchful Eye for questions you should not have asked.... where have you been all this time?"  Saru replies "Siranna, 18 years ago.... I felt lost without my wife at my side for so long and without her.... I thought I could find my future in the stars, and I did uh...."  he turns to face Michael who Siranna had just noticed for the first time making her gasp in surprise Michael slowly walks over to where the other three stand as Saru continues "I was welcomed by an interstellar service called Starfleet, committed to peace and the exploration of our galaxy an organization far more powerful than the Ba'ul I found a new life"  Michael takes off her hood as Saru once again looks over at her "what are you?"  Siranna asks curiously "I'm human my name is Michael I come from a planet called Earth, and I work with your brother on the starship Discovery"  Michael replies as she walks over to the three of them "how is it that we can understand one another?"  Siranna asks "this device it's able to translate over a thousand languages"  Michael replies showing her the Tricorder that now lays in her hand "you mean to say there are a thousand life-forms out there?"  Siranna asks as she looks up at the sky with a curious wonder and awe expression on her face "oh, not just a thousand.... hundreds of thousands"  Saru replies as Siranna continues to look up at the sky then she looks at Michael who smiles at her and she takes a few cautious steps towards her and takes Michael's hand in her own then places her other hand on top of it as she notices the difference in the two of them.... her hand and Michael's hand.... "so different and yet...."  Siranna says then she looks at Kehau and Saru then back at Michael who looks at her friends then back at her friend's sister Siranna closes her eyes and shakes her head as she says "the galaxy? space travel?"  she drops Michael's hand then looks at the three of them then asks Michael "do humans from Earth drink tea?"  Michael softly chuckles with a smile then nods and Siranna waves her hand in the direction of her home and the four of them walk towards it....