But Outer Space [Jettis + Tanner]

[Jettis Jyur]

Time seemed to fly with extraordinary speed all of the sudden. Jettis had never really felt bothered by the passage of time. It was something he was aware of, sure, but rarely did he dwell on it. Now, it felt like all he did was run out of time.

Of course, the end result was definitely worth it, and he wouldn't change it for the world. He reclined on the moderately comfortable seats of their shuttle, the final leg of their journey to El-Auria prime. Or at least that was one of the many names the El-Aurian settlement had taken on in time. Bhaakru the planet had originally been called, if he remembered correctly. A name that had never truly stuck, and had been sidelined by many other names.
He quirked his brow, looking across the aisle at the brunette hopelessly struggling to read a scrawled note. "Esh-vashrum ick-how. Eshfashrum Ikao. Ivash- Ishvashrum." The mumbling under her breath was a steady drone, until she finally looked away from the notes. Shooting a hopeless look at Tanner, who sat across from her next to Jettis, she frowned. "Are you getting this any better than I am?"

"Relax, lieblings. Shii-hrubekau. You don't need to stress this much about learning." The incessant practice of El-Aurian words didn't bother him, but he could tell determination was giving way to pure frustration. Nudging her with his foot, he smirked. "Besides, I'm way more out of practice. Just say a simple greeting, you don't have to go formal."

Theresa's eyes lazily trailed back to the paper in her lap. "What's the easy greeting?"
"Kashsak aga. Don't worry, you'll hear it enough that by the time we leave, you'll know the full greeting forwards, backwards, and upside down." Theresa huffed out a sigh, but conceded. Folding the paper up to slip it back into her bag, she threw her head back against the seat. A quick check of the time told them there was only an hour left. Despite Theresa's best attempts to stay awake, it wasn't long before she drifted off.

When the shuttle finally neared the planet, Jettis stood up to count their bags and settle them by the door to depart. Sneaking a few glances out the view screen, his grin widened when he saw the planet, small and unimposing, strangely familiar in a way that couldn't be explained. His eyes scanned the bright lights across the world, the buzz of shuttles and ships in and out, before breaking from his reverie and returning to landing protocol.

He felt the buzz in his very soul as the shuttle landed, fingers moving across the controls with ease. When the ship finally settled, he took another few moments to sit. The lack of silence, the subtle pressure was invading his mind. Not necessarily a negative, but being accustomed to spending time with primarily humans, it felt... odd. It took a moment to realize that the buzz was in his hands, trembling slightly as they rested on the panel.
Pulling them away sharply, he closed his eyes. Inhaling, he allowed himself another moment, before standing and moving back to the back of the shuttle.

Nudging Theresa, he shot her a grin as she stirred. Groggily glaring at Jettis for a moment, she blinked twice before shooting up. "We're here!?" Any effort to act calm and collected went out the window in her sleepy haze. "Mmm-hmm. Come on, grab your stuff." He snickered as she shot out of her seat, first grabbing her duffle beside her. Jettis' eyes slid over to Tanner then, grin falling slightly. Almost imperceptibly.

"You ready?" It was a tad rhetorical. It had taken weeks of planning and days of travel to get here, her just saying no wasn't really a viable option. "Qinra and Zero left around the same time as us, so they should be touching down about now too." As hard as it was finding time just in his and Tanner's schedule for a leave of absence so soon after frontier day, it was even harder roping Zero into the schedule as well. Qinra, Keurmurno, and Cihu were a bit easier to coordinate though, and gladly agreed to join on the trip. As soon as that was determined, he'd left it up to his aunt to organize everyone else. At least, everyone on-planet was easy to track down. A couple of his family... not so much. His aunt Tamaenet, Dalrien, Halnim - all up in the air on if they would be present.

As much as he would rather reach out to grab Tanner's hand, Jettis eyeballed the - frankly, disgusting amount of luggage he had to transport. Weeks. He'd spent weeks trying to assure his girls that no, you don't need to bring a hair dryer. Yes. El-Auria has electricity. No. You do not need to bring six blankets. Or five. Or even one. His Aunt would have more than enough to go around and probably send some home. No, you do not need to bring backups of your back up outfits.

All of it in vain, naturally. So now, he tactically grabbed several bags in each arm and hand, with a backpack slung over his shoulder. Generously, he left Tanner a couple of the heaviest bags to carry herself.
Stepping out of the shuttle, tipped his head to watch Tanner's initial reaction. The port was busy, but each person who passed gave a short nod of acknowledgement before continuing on with their business. This area was clearly a hub - one of the bigger ports there were, with all manner of spacecraft that would never be spotted in a Federation dock.

His focus was interrupted when he heard a call from behind him. Turning, he was unsurprised to see Zero waving at him. Zero was significantly less burdened than Jettis was. But as Keurmurno rounded the corner, Jettis could only laugh.

"You couldn't win, either?"

"Of course not," the man retorted wryly. Jettis eyed his plight, and suddenly felt a bit less self-pitying when Cihu came into view as well. Shaking his head, he grinned. "Glad you could manage to make the timing." He turned, motioning for Theresa and Tanner to follow. Weaving the way towards the waiting area,  the group filed in.

"EsdÁ¦ sokaakÁ¨ saazak! EsdÁ¨ akae dogsok akÁ¹sses Á¶ca."

A bright grin flashed across each Jyur's face, turning towards the source. A blonde woman weaved through the crowd with purpose, reaching them in record time and first throwing her hands onto Zero's shoulder. Grinning wildly, she dipped her head. "Utalar ibhrashum evashru, ishvashrum ec'kau"
"Ubalashar ibhrashrum. I am well," He returned the greeting in kind. Her hug to Jettis was especially tight, not letting the bags deter her. Pulling back, she shot him a puzzled look.
"Seges geas dalos dogetsetsa?" She queried, earning a sharp snort from Jettis.
"Gasa'ak. Someone doesn't know how to pack light," he shot a look Theresa and Tanner's way. As the woman laughed and moved on to greet Qinra, the other family caught up and managed to reach them. Another chorus of greetings were exchanged, each one different, and even Theresa meekly chimed in with her newly memorized greeting. Cihu did likewise.

Finally, after she had tired of fawning over the children, she turned her attentions to Tanner and Keurmurno. Clasping her hands together, she smiled.
"I'm so sorry to be so rude. I didn't mean to ignore you, it's just been so so long since I could actually hug these three. And meet these two." She shot another glance at Theresa and Cihu, before refocusing.
"Please, I am Nuira, Jettis and Qinra's aunt." She stepped back to motion at the three faces hovering behind her. "This is my sister, Fietra, her husband Nastut. And my brother, Malem."

"It's such a pleasure to meet you, it was Tanner, right?" The woman introduced as Fietra stepped around her sister to wrap Tanner up tightly, before doing the same to Keurmurno. "And Niye," she addressed him properly, earning a grin.

"Come on, ekashru. There's no point standing in here blocking traffic. Besides, I think Jettis and Niye's arms may fall off if you keep them here." Both men exchanged looks, before shooting an abashedly agreeing look to Malem. Fietra gleefully hooked her arm around Tanner's, while Nuira did the same to Theresa. "Right, right. We can talk much more once you all get settled," Nuira agreed wholeheartedly. "This is your first time here, yes?"

[Tanner Lachlyn]

-- One Week Prior --

Tanner huffed in frustration as she struggled to zip up her bulging suitcase, her face flushed with irritation. She glanced over at her cousin Savannah, who was watching her with amusement and exasperation.

"I don't understand why you're bringing so much stuff," Savannah remarked, her tone tinged with disbelief. "You're only going to be gone for a week, not moving to another planet."

Tanner shot her cousin a pointed look, her irritation mounting with each passing second. "Well, I just want to be prepared," she retorted defensively, her voice edging on the defensive side. "You never know what you might need when travelling to a new place."

Savannah rolled her eyes in response, her patience wearing thin. "But do you need three pairs of shoes? And five different outfits for each day?" she countered, gesturing to the overflowing contents of Tanner's suitcase. "It's like you're packing for a fashion show, not a vacation."

Tanner bristled at the criticism, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "I like to have options, okay?" she snapped, her tone defensive. "I have no clue what I'm going to need."

Savannah shook her head in exasperation, her disbelief evident in her expression. "You're being ridiculous," she declared bluntly, her patience wearing thin. "You're going to regret lugging all this stuff around when we're trying to navigate through crowded airports and shuttle terminals."

Tanner crossed her arms stubbornly, refusing to back down. "Well, I'd rather be over-prepared than under-prepared," she shot back defiantly, her resolve unwavering. "I'll manage just fine, thank you very much."

The two cousins locked eyes in a silent standoff, the tension thick in the air. Despite their differences, a flicker of understanding passed between them.

"œYou're nervous, I get it but Tan"¦you gotta rethink a few of these," Savannah said quietly.

Tanner sighed and nodded, "Alright, let's unpack and reassess."

-- Current Day--

Tanner had given Theresa a sympathetic glance as she struggled with the language. She'd tried her hand and failed at figuring out the basics which led to the acceptance that she would be the obvious foreigner for this visit.  Not that it mattered as she sat quietly and watched Jettis with his daughter.

The logistics for the trip had been a nightmare, but being away from them had been an even bigger one. In the almost six months she'd spent on Earth with them, they'd formed a familiar routine amidst fleet repairs, and those memories kept her warm as the immersion back into fleet life had been a cold bleak welcome.

Now they were arriving and it was Tanner's turn to take on Jettis family. He had, after all, managed to make hers fall madly in love with him over a mere few visits. Theresa too. Jettis voice pulled her from the myriad of thoughts swarming in her mind.

Was she ready?

She nodded and then helped him drag her bags out. Tanner wished she'd listened to Savannah a little bit more but there was no going back; the luggage spoke for itself about her travelling habits and perhaps anxiety level as well.  With a resigned shake she grabbed the two largest suitcases, kicked the wheels out and rolled after Jettis.

Her embarrassment shifted when she saw Zero and the rest of the family. Thankfully, Jettis's girls weren't the only ones who'd packed a small caravan. Tanner couldn't resist a laugh and moved to hug Qinra tightly,"So glad you made it safely, and that your luggage isn't as functional as -some- others!" She waved to the others before tackling Zero in a hug.

Together, the group made their way to where they'd be meeting the first of the El Aurian family. Unlike Jettis's experience with Tanner's Aunt and Uncle's house, this greeting was warm and joyful. Smiles were everywhere. Tanner watched with fascination.

"It's good to meet you Nuira, I - " Fietra's envelopment caught Tanner by surprise, but she quickly recovered with only a beat missed and returned the gesture, "œNice to meet you too Fietra...." As she moved on to hug Niye, Tanner gave Jettis an encouraging smile even though she knew he could tell how nervous she was. The realization that everyone else could also sense it suddenly made her stomach turn.

"Come on, ekashru. There's no point standing in here blocking traffic. Besides, I think Jettis and Niye's arms may fall off if you keep them here." Both men exchanged looks, before shooting an abashedly agreeing look to Malem. Fietra gleefully hooked her arm around Tanner's while Nuira did the same to Theresa. "Right, right. We can talk much more once you all get settled," Nuira agreed wholeheartedly. "This is your first time here, yes?"

"Yes," Tanner replied, her voice slightly strained with nervous energy. "I, uh, I may have gone a little overboard with the packing," she admitted sheepishly, a self-deprecating chuckle escaping her lips.

[Jettis Jyur]

Feitra's eyes crinkled at the edges, a wide grin crawling across her face. Her eyes shifted briefly toward Jettis, appraisingly. After a moment, she shook her head. "No, he looks like he's done fine to me." She waved her hand absently, laughing when Jettis shot a glare towards her. "Although I'm sure you'll find anything you need already here. Or easy enough to get."
As the group managed to weave their way out of the building, Nastut lead the way towards what looked close enough to a cargo van of sorts. Clearly they had anticipated a lot of luggage, or a lot of people and adjusted transportation accordingly.

"If this is your first time visiting, we'll try our best not to overwhelm you," Nuira chuckled, glancing over from her conversation with Theresa. "But if Jettis hasn't already warned you, there are going to be many people at the house. I hope you don't mind." Smiling at her, the woman turned back to Theresa. "Now, tell me more about Ida..."

Once they had reached the car, it didn't take long for Jettis to shove all of their luggage in. Keurmurno did the same, and after some fidgeting, it all neatly packed into the back with room to spare, miraculously. "Alright! Everyone pile in," Nastut called out, tossing a device towards Jettis. "The five of us can take one vehicle, the six of you can take the other." Clapping Zero on the shoulder, he grinned. "I am going to have to grill you about the new haircut, you know that?"

"Naturally..." Zero grumbled, shaking his head. Opening the back door, he hopped in. After a bit of looking at the vehicle, Cihu and Theresa begrudgingly jumped in the back, with Qinra and Niye taking the center. Jettis hopped into the pilot's side, and pulled off behind Nastut.

The drive was a short one, or at least it seemed to be as Qinra chattered the whole way. Mainly giving Keurmurno, and Tanner a short refresher on the family. Though she could barely name them all, and god forbid she went into any depth. They'd be in the car all day if she did.

Not that any of them had to wait long to put faces to the names. As Jettis pulled up to what could only be ascribed as a mansion, Tanner could begin to understand the scale of a "family home" here. And why both Jettis and Qinra had insisted their houses were modest. As soon as Jettis got out of the car, Nastut immediately waved them off.

"Don't you worry about your luggage. You traveled for days, please, go inside and relax." He insisted. Qinra shuffled out, stretching with a yawn. She hadn't realized how sore she was from sitting until she was forced to sit down again, so the offer to relax was tempting. "Nonsense, there's so many bags. I'll help out."

Nastut scoffed, shaking his head. "Will the bags grow legs and run away? Please, they'll still be here." Turning, he placed a hand on Fietra's back. "Karru, can you give the grand tour and introductions for those who haven't been here before?"
Nuira chuckled, cocking her head at that. "The grand tour? Maybe lunch first." Nastut laughed, glancing over at her.
"That is a fair point. It will probably take a couple of hours to even round up the children." Glancing up toward the sky, he gauged the sun's position. "I can get started on lunch, by the time everyone is unpacked and somewhat settled, we can do all of the introductions over food."

"That sounds wonderful, thank you." Jettis agreed, glancing towards the house. He hesitated for a moment, seeming to weigh something before continuing on; "Is Tamaenet here?"

"Not yet," Nuira answered immediately, tossing him a conflicted smile. "But I'm sure she'll pop up, she wouldn't miss it." Jettis didn't turn back to look at her, simply nodding. Instead, he turned to Tanner, reaching out his hand. "Alright, the sooner we can fight our way through the masses, the faster we can track everyone down for introductions," He laughed. Zero flanked the two of him, throwing an arm across Jettis' shoulder as they walked up to the main doors.

Whatever concern Nastut had about finding the children was unfounded, as the moment the door flew open it seemed like they had all congregated in front of the door. Or, if not all, at least most.
The first boy wheeled around in surprise, being the closest to the door and the one almost flattened by it as it opened. Reaching up, he brushed back his characteristic blonde locks, something to get used to quickly in this house. Blinking, it took him a moment before breaking into a grin.
"Hey! It's Cous' Jettis!"
"Jettis?" A girl peeked out from behind him, cocking her head. Unlike the boy, she stood out with black hair and green-toned skin. When her eyes landed on the brothers, she grinned. "Hey!"

Jettis was unfortunately forced to let go of Tanner's hand when he was swarmed. The girl wrapped him in a hug, grinning. "Heeyyy, am I seein' double?"

Jettis clicked his tongue in disappointment, patting her head. "Shame on you. I'm the cooler one." Zero scoffed in response, reaching out to give her a hug. "Mills, right?"

"Yup," she confirmed, nodding. Stepping back so they could all fit into the entryway, she turned around to look at the others. "Sorry we're in the way, I'm sure you're all right knackered."
"We'd run into you one way or the other," Jettis shook his head. "Mills, this is Theresa, my daughter, and Tanner, my girlfriend."
"And this is Cihu, and Niye." Qinra placed a hand on her son's shoulder as the boy looked like he wanted to shrink into oblivion. Keurmurno didn't look much better, as the teens, tweens, and whatever was comparable for El-Aurians crowded around.

"Alright, you fools. Introduce yourself and get out of the hallway, there's more to the house than this," Malem scoffed, moving around them to get to the living room.
"Right! I'm Jafca Noukkam, I'm Miednad's son." The first boy quickly piped up, flushing slightly. He stuck a hand out to Cihu, who took it with some trepidation.
"I'm Kis."
"Magtus," One boy introduced, before waving towards what looked like his exact replica. "This is my sister Cedras, and that's Niondot-" He paused, looking around for a moment before his brow furrowed. Squinting, he glanced around at the other's. "Where'd Liade go?"

Cedras and Kis shrugged. "I think she went to find Nama," another boy spoke up, jerking his thumb in some general direction.
"Ah, Nalkan!" Nuira slipped past the group, patting his shoulder on the way by. "Speaking of Nama, do you kids mind letting everyone know that we're starting on food? We'll also have a couple more late arrivals, so best to get everyone roughly in the same spot," She laughed.
"Aww, fine." Mills pouted, before jabbing a thumb at Niondot. "Last one to find Kee and Toadis has to set the table!" She proclaimed triumphantly. That immediately set off a wave of panic, as they scattered quickly into various directions.

"Sorry about that," Fietra apologized, shooting a glare at their backs as they ran. "So much for not being overwhelmed. Let me show you to your rooms, so if you decide you need a break you can have some uninterrupted peace."

[Tanner Lachlyn]

Tanner's mouth fell open at the sight of the mansion before her. It was not just a house""it was a vast mansion, even larger than her aunt's place. She glanced at Jettis in sheer awe and confusion. Had he forgotten its grandeur, joking about getting lost inside? With a tense exhale, she accepted Jettis's hand, mustering confidence despite the knot in her stomach. Her fingers slid into his, finding solace in his touch as they prepared to enter.

As they stepped towards the front door, Tanner couldn't help but chuckle when Zero joined them, slinging an arm over his brother. She gave him a nod of approval before entering the mansion and being greeted enthusiastically by a mass of names Tanner would never remember without help. She did remember to smile and wave when introduced, which she mentally patted herself for.

The worry over remembering names didn't matter, though, what did was the welcoming vibe the house gave off. It was warm, and the voices that spoke were brimming with excitement. When Fietra apologized, Tanner dismissed it with a gentle wave, "œFar from overwhelming. It's wonderful." She smiled at Jettis, "œHe received a far less warm welcome when he met my family."

She again took Jettis's hand as they headed to their room, "œLead on, but I promise, nobody will be hiding away during this visit."

[Jettis Jyur]

Fietra raised a brow at Tanner's implication. "Is that so? I can't imagine why."

Her easy tone left Jettis guessing as to whether it was sarcasm or genuine. Brows furrowing, he realized it was likely a mix of both, and resisted the urge to pout over it. His aunt seemed to sense this and gave him a soothing, if a bit patronizing pat on the shoulder.

"You'll have to tell me more," she added, turning and motioning for them to follow her. Continuing down the hallway past the stairs that led downstairs, they came to another set that lead upstairs instead.  Scaling them, they came to a second floor bathed in light and mostly open-plan.  Bypassing the first couple of doors, she came to a sort of rec-room. The large windows faced the sun all day, giving it a nice warm atmosphere. Save for a couple of children's toys here and there, which she promptly gathered up, it was a modernly decorated and very sleek space.

Tossing the stray toys into a box hidden in the corner, she motioned to the rooms - two on their left side, facing the sitting room, and one at the end of the house, broken up with a bathroom between them. "Zero, you can have this room, I'm sure there's some extra clothing packed away." She motioned to the singular room along the wall. "Qinra, you can have the right room, and Jettis, you, the left." She nodded affirmatively, clapping her hands.

"Cihu, Theresa, come with me. You're downstairs, with most of your cousins. It's more soundproofed so you won't keep us all up." She grinned, eyes twinkling as she tossed a glance back at the adults. "Now, I can't promise you'll be able to find me again, but I'm sure we'll run into one another sooner or later." She grinned, before turning to Keurmurno. "And you! I'm sure Rome will have a lot to say to you." She glanced over at Tanner. "And I'm sure Solina will want to talk to you as well. They should be in the sitting room, last I saw them."
"Which one?" Zero snickered, earning an eye-roll.
"Who am I to know? Find out." She laughed, before heading back towards the stairs. "If all else fails, try the kitchen! There's always someone hanging about in there."

With that, she left them to their devices, taking the two teenagers in tow with her to go.. somewhere. Zero immediately moved to collapse on the sofa, stretching out. "Damn, I've missed this."
"Home?" Quinra questioned, cocking her head. She swiped his feet onto the floor so she could sit down, eliciting a grumble from Zero.
"No, relaxing." He snapped back.

Jettis rolled his eyes, squeezing Tanner's hand. Smirking, he tugged her toward the closed door. "Come on, you gotta see this." The door slid open as he walked towards it, revealing almost the entirety of the wall being lined with windows. The curtains were rolled up at the top, giving a perfect view of not only the front of the house, but far beyond across the terrain. Taking a deep breath, he wrapped his arm around Tanner's waist. "How're you feeling?"

[Tanner Lachlyn]

The break from the tour was welcoming, and when he dragged her through the door, she hadn't been expecting the wall of windows and the view they held," Whoa"¦what's the purpose of this room?" She shook her head, remembering his question, "œHow am I feeling?" Tanner sighed and looked out the window. The view was beautiful, and she scanned it before responding, "œI feel ..as if I'm in a house full of people who can read how nervous I am."

Tanner knew there was more to it, and she added, "œI'm also feeling pretty content watching you and your siblings meld right in. You all took me in so easily; after everything you have been through, I think this trip was definitely needed."

There was another pause before she dropped a few curious questions on him, lifting her brow as she spoke, "œWhich one is Solina? Is there anything I should be aware of? How many sitting rooms are there? My aunt only has two!"

The number of names she'd been working on keeping track of was slowly settling in, and Jettis had been reviewing the family history on their trip over as a refresher. Still, much of it would only stick once she put a face to the name. "œAnd should I be worried about them knowing every panicky thought that pops into my head? I am slightly neurotic, and you still love me, but what about them?" Tanner forces herself to stop talking and looks at him, "œAdvice?"

[Jettis Jyur]

Jettis shot Tanner a confused look, taking her in for a moment before realization dawned. "Oh! Right." Stepping back towards the door, he pointed out a small touchpad. With a simple flick, an item unfurled from the wall opposite the windows. After a few moments it became identifiable as a bed.

"Space saving," he explained simply. "You can also block out the windows for privacy, and lock and unlock the door." All actions that weren't immediately obvious from the small control panel. He made no effort to explain the other two immediately though, rather opting to return to Tanner.

"Don't worry, you're in good company." More seemed to dance on his tongue, but as he glanced out the window he abandoned the thoughts. "Solina is Miednad's wife. Which... means nothing to you yet, but I'm sure it will soon. Mills is Solina's daughter. Solina will likely be the only other human here, which is why I'm sure she's so eager to meet you." He chuckled. "I'm sure she's ecstatic to not have another Jyur popping up."

"It's hard to know with my aunt. Every time the family grows she either expands or repurposes one of the rooms. It is difficult hosting thirty people for a simple family reunion, though they don't happen as often as you might expect." He turned, gently placing a hand on either side of her face and gently kissed her nose. "My advice is to relax. None of them are out to get you, and when reading emotions is a constant in the back of your mind, it becomes much less interesting to snoop. The most you have to worry about are the nosy younger kids. Not that they could read your mind if they wanted to." Gently tucking her hair behind her ears, he grinned. "Most of them love you already, trust me."

[Tanner Lachlyn]

"Solina is human," Tanner said quietly with a soft nod, "I forgot that. Although I should have known remembered." They'd been working on the family tree, running through names and drilling data for so long that it didn't really register that Solina was like her. It shouldn't have, as the rest of the family was obviously lovely but the thought of another human made her feel comfortable. Hopefully, she could steal away with her and not overwhelm her with questions. Tanner had so many questions.

She smiled at the playful kiss, and gentle touch of his hand, "I.." There was a pause as she thought of her words before continuing, "I trust you. I'm working on relaxing. It's just new. Although, logically I know that back home, I barely notice. Give me a few days, and I'm sure I'll be my regular adorably blundering self in time." Leaning up to give him a reassuring kiss, she backed off and looked around, "My aunt would be so green if she could see the tech in this room. Which means we must never tell her or their house will be remodelled for the next year."

Tanner laughed at the thought and then asked, "Does it feel quieter for you? The noise of humans is overwhelming but..is this a different kind of sensation? You're surrounded by those like you."

[Jettis Jyur]

Jettis chuckled, running his thumb across her cheek before letting his hands drop. "Don't feel bad about forgetting. It's a lot of information all at once, I doubt you'll have everyone on a name-basis until you've visited a few times." He doubted she would fully take the reassurance to heart, but spoke it nonetheless.

"If your aunt wants to try to replicate the technology, she's more than welcome," he hummed, a note of doubtfulness in his voice. He didn't elaborate any further though, turning to glance at the control pad again. "I must say I wouldn't mind Terra picking up some of this though, it's a lot more convenient." He was surprised Starfleet didn't already employ similar technology. It would certainly make designing officer's quarters a lot simpler, and give them more space to boot.

Her next question caught him off guard slightly, stilling as he considered it. He'd hardly noticed. Hardly noticed the way he didn't cringe when walking into a large crowd, didn't move as far away from them as possible. Didn't notice the way his eyes had relaxed, shoulders dropping. The way he didn't feel on edge. Responsible for others.
"Yeah," he finally answered, voice clipped. "It's quieter, in a way." Quiet didn't quite capture the feeling, though. Serene, was closer. "There's more going on, but it isn't a cacophony. More like a fan on, in the background." There, but not troublesome.

He exhaled slowly, allowing himself to relish the feeling quietly. Rocking back on his heels, he cocked his head slightly as his eyes flicked back to Tanner. "What about you? Humans aren't empathic, but... does it feel any different?" Humans weren't empathic, sure, but in his experience tended to have a certain talent for picking up on... vibes. A sudden unease when things weren't quite right. A subtle twinge that told them things they weren't supposed to know. The discomfort they felt in an overly quiet room.
Whether it was the beginnings of an empathic tendency, he wasn't sure, but it was an interesting thing to see in motion.

[Tanner Lachlyn]

"It does." Tanner grinned at him and then softly shrugged, "I can't explain it, but it feels different. Even when in that huge crowd when we landed."

Everything about coming to El Auria had been a blur. That being said, being on the planet wasn't. Most of the stress was in Tanner's mind, a thing she knew. A hand ran through her hair, and she let out a contented sigh: "I like it, and I know I'm going to love meeting every single one of your family, even if I don't remember their names."

Glancing around, she laughed, "My aunt will be all over this tech. I'm not giving up my bed, though. I love that thing, and there is no way it'd fit in a wall." Her fingers laced with his, "And I can tell you're feeling different. Your wrinkles are less."