Welcoming Xasik's Child (open to all)

[Xasik]

[Katra Station | Simulation Lab]

Nervous.

He was nervous.

But "˜nervous' didn't seem to cover it. His heart was beating in his throat and his chest felt like it would explode. He had contacted the Tholian embassy to request assistance with his egg and they had responded with the assurance that they would send someone to assist and assess his situation. Lieutenant Sirol had even offered to act as translator for him. She was already involved and aware of his situation and he felt comfortable with her assistance. He had been relieved at first for things with his egg to finally be moving forward, but now that the time was drawing nearer, he was as nervous and anxious as an insect running the gauntlet of the Reman mines at meal time. He hadn't felt this way since he had been selected to undergo combat training as a child. He hadn't even felt this anxious while escaping from his former masters with his fellow slaves.

This was a whole new level. He was pacing the room like a caged animal in between picking up random objects and putting them down again. His lab coat, dark and iridescent in the style of Reman uniforms, was swishing behind him as he walked. If he had had the lights up brighter, the material may have even thrown off prismatic reflections across the lab. He could hear the fabric rustling and rubbing as he moved but he hardly cared at the moment. His footsteps were light and fast and he reached one side of the lab quickly before turning back.

Was this what being a parent was like? The constant worry for the safety of a youngling under your care and protection always nagging at your mind? Your thoughts always on the welfare of the child? He himself had not really known his own parents and conditions in the mine were harsh and did not really allow for parental bonds to form. He knew he was getting himself into a situation that would change his life forever, but he was also excited and couldn't wait to begin the journey. He had spent several nights laying awake and reading "˜Parenting for Dummies' books to try and prepare himself as best he could. But no matter what, he felt that he would never be prepared enough. He supposed that all parents felt this way.

He had arrived at the lab at least an hour earlier than the arranged meeting time. He didn't want to give off the wrong impression by being late, but even he admitted that being here so early was ridiculous. He shrugged it off and slowed his pacing to pick up his cup to take a sip. The green tea inside was a perfect temperature, hot, but not scoldingly so. It was soothing to his soul and after a few sips he calmed himself down. It would do no good to appear as frazzled as he felt. The last thing he needed was to be deemed unfit to raise his child.
He looked to the canister containing the emerald green, crystalline egg and smiled again. Everything he was feeling and experiencing was worth it. He would do it all again if he had to. He already loved the child inside the egg unconditionally, and that realization had shaken him to his core. He had never pictured himself as a parent, never thought himself capable of raising another life form, and yet here he was preparing to do just that. It was mind blowing and although he would never voice it out loud, he could have used a nice warm hug at that moment.

"œWell, Little Pebble. Today may be the day when your thawing and hatching process can finally begin. I can't wait to meet you, and to teach you about everything you could ever want to learn. It won't be easy, I know, but it will be worth it and even though you can't hear me, I want you to know that I love you and I will always protect you." His face heated up slightly as he realized that he had said that out loud. Anyone walking by would have been able to hear him. He was not used to expressing his softer side to anyone, but he would be as gentle and warm with Emerald as he could be. A rocky exterior would do no good in this situation.

It was out of nervous habit that he checked the time again and realized he had been musing for far too long. His company would arrive soon and he didn't want to be caught daydreaming. That may certainly give off the wrong impression. He placed his cup of tea down onto a bench and reached for his padd to pull up all the necessary paperwork he may be required to show. He almost doubted it, but then again, he felt he could never be too prepared. Looking at the stasis canister again, he smiled and picked it up to cradle it like a baby. It was as much to protect the baby as it was to bring himself some comfort while he waited.
He looked at the time again and sighed. It was very nearly time. They would probably arrive any moment now. He hardened his expression and squared his shoulders. He would not allow himself to come across as weak and unworthy.

[Eli Ferris]

Eli had been surprised by the random invitation. However, he had made it a small point to expand his social circle, and civilians were far outside of his comfort zone. So, as many had suggested to him despite his incredibly strong reticence to the idea, Eli ventured to the holodeck.

He entered, uncertain what he would be expecting. Unlike him, he was not in uniform, but a casual blue collared shirt, and simple pants. His casual attire was probably the more simplistic of many but that was his way.

[Sirol]

// I hope I managed to do a good grasp at your idea here and play Xasik's new contact according to your plans.
If not, as always, ping me for feedback ^.^ //

< Katra Station / Turbolift >

     
Sirol      &      Peylix

It had been a while since Sirol had the chance to brief and escort a foreign contact. As a cultural specialist, interacting with foreigners was a main aspect of her job.
A main aspect that she however had had little to no chance to fulfil during the last weeks and months.
It was a breath of fresh vocational air to resume her original function again, and furthermore it was a more than welcome chance to also freshen up her Tholian language skills.
Of the mass quantities of collective memories and knowledge she had been linked to during her time within the Trialus anomaly a few months ago, the language bits had been the only parts her mind had been able to keep more or less intact.
Of course she was not able to flawlessly vocalise the squeak- and chirp based Tholian audible base language [her body after all lacked the required assets], she however had little to no problems understanding it.
Which came more than handy, since this one here was more than obviously everything but eager to fulfil their assigned task...

The Tholian she had been tasked with picking up and escorting to her lab was just standing next to Sirol. They had not been one to enjoy their time aboard Katra in general. They had been - seemingly at random - transferred here almost a year ago to perform as a healer for their stationed peers.
As was to be expected, the healer had obliged, yet had not spent much time outside of the confines of the Embassy area so far.
It had been ten months, three weeks and twenty one days, and they were awfully homesick...
Not so much because of the location, but because of their family, which still resided within the Alpha Quadrant.

Because of this it came as no surprise that the inquiry they had been tasked to assist with struck more than just one metaphorical nerve with them.
They had been the closest thing to a currently available midwife specialised in handling Tholian hatchlings"¦
Not only would they have to bear someone else's happiness about being with their children while their own were thousands of lightyears away, the "˜Parent' - in lack of better terminology - was an outsider"¦

Sirol seemed to be able to pick up on the Tholian's distress - the nervous shuffling that seemed to be a universal giveaway across all known species"¦
Folding her arms behind her back she looked at the other.
The Tholian was of average size for their caste; a healer roughly as tall as an adult vulcanoid. Their EV suit had no personal modifications. None except a little name tag attached to the side, saying "˜Hello, my name is [Peylix]'.
Phonetically it was among those statistically rare-ish cases of names that did not end on -rene, -lene, -skene or -keel. Not really an oddity - many Tholian clusters also had different naming patterns, yet certainly the statistical minority"¦
Examining the other she eventually did a nod towards the name tag.
"œThat is Federation standard scripture. I suppose this is not your first assignment with outsiders, correct?"

Peylix slowly turned around and looked at the scientist next to them.
Just as it was for the case of the lost child dubbed "˜Emerald' by their foster parent, Peylix had also done their respective homework on the subject's surroundings; including Xasik Freeman's superiors.

This one [Sirol] was already known to the Assembly.
2366: First contact. Offspring of Senator Ternan Sirol of Romulus. Showed skill and interest in providing aid at solving technical malfunction of Ambassador Zhukene's suit translation software. Malfunction solved. Offered language files on Tholian audible base language in return.
2371: Mentioned during a briefing between Ambassador Zhukene and Senator Ternan Sirol
2399: Off-duty interaction with Ambassador Eydis and hir Starfleet associates.
2399: Mentioned by Commander Eydis and nominated as suitable researcher interacting with the local science caste for one of hir research projects on the Uropygi species. Subject stated her willingness to assist the Commander.
2399: Incomplete report by Commander Eydis regarding subject's need for"¦ Emotional support"¦
Yes, the scientist was well enough documented for the Assembly and in extension Peylix to come to the conclusion that she would not pose a danger to the child, nor misjudge their needs.
As for the actual foster parent though"¦ Peylix had yet to assess him"¦ And based on the history, their assessment was most likely no compliment...

<"It is not. I had to partake in assignments after both: The wanderer attack and the terrorist attack on this station; sharing my capabilities and services with"¦ Locals...">
While Peylix' voice was obviously synthesised, based on their original language, it was still obvious that they spoke with a certain level of disdain.

Sirol simply nodded.
"œBeing utilised out of one's supposed field of work can be"¦ A dysphoric experience..."
She knew that part all too well"¦
"œ...Does your regular work include hatching children?"

Peylix' gaze still rested on the spindly scientist, their glowing eyes barely visible behind the opaque visor of their helmet.
<"œMy scientific field of expertise to say so"¦ Is that of a molecular geneticist.
To answer your core question though: Yes. It is an expected partial aspect of my general function. Except that I usually am not ordered to perform with...">

Sirol tilted her head.
"œ...Outsiders?"

The Tholian nodded in acknowledgement. And so did Sirol.

______________________________________________________

< Katra Station / Simulation Lab >

As the doors to the Simulation Lab hissed open, the friendly and welcoming darkness instantly surrounded Sirol and took away a portion of her headache.

Peylix for their part simply followed her, then walked past the scientist, across the room and with little to no regard for the present foster parent [Xasik Freeman] and the random outsider civilian [Eli Ferris].
They almost even bumped into both of them, naturally expecting them to walk out of Peylix' way while they navigated to the quarantine area which stored the stasis container with the hatchling.

Having a versatile quarantine area like this would come in handy. And so would the already open tabs on the central holo-console, showing documents and files regarding the status of the little one.

<"This Laboratory is sub par by Assembly standards"¦
But certainly above what is to be expected from Starfleet...">
Peylix casually spoke, although the sharp, dismissive aura in their words - maybe even a little bit intentionally from their side - tainted the room"¦

"I had to work with the assets provided by Starfleet and Captain Solluk."
Sirol calmly responded towards Peylix' statement, then walked over towards Freeman and Lieutenant Ferris, and gave both of them a polite, hailing nod.
"œI was informed that the assessment of the child and their situation will begin immediately..." Sirol spoke towards Xasik, then turned around towards Lieutenant Ferris.
"œAn unexpected surprise to welcome you in my Simulation Lab.
Are you here to assist Healer Peylix?"

[Eli Ferris]

"œI was informed that the assessment of the child and their situation will begin immediately..." Sirol spoke towards Xasik, then turned around towards Lieutenant Ferris.
"œAn unexpected surprise to welcome you in my Simulation Lab.
Are you here to assist Healer Peylix?"

Eli regarded Sirol with polie acknowledgement. He was less familiar but her work spoke for itself. "Jolan tru" he started by way of greeting. "I am here primarily for moral support, if that is possible. I also have several emergency subroutines established that can provide access to aid quickly."

He turned to the Tholian. "Greetings to you as well, Healer."

[Xasik]

[Katra Station | Simulation Lab]

Eli had been surprised by the random invitation. However, he had made it a small point to expand his social circle, and civilians were far outside of his comfort zone. So, as many had suggested to him despite his incredibly strong reticence to the idea, Eli ventured to the holodeck.

He entered, uncertain what he would be expecting. Unlike him, he was not in uniform, but a casual blue collared shirt, and simple pants. His casual attire was probably the more simplistic of many but that was his way.

Looking up at the doorway as someone entered, Xasik was surprised to see that it was not Lieutenant Sirol and the promised assistance from the Tholain Embassy, but rather someone he didn't know. A man dressed in casual attire. His confusion softened his stance a little as he regarded the newcomer with a cautious eye.
"œHello," he offered as he gave a polite nod to the other. "œI'm Xasik. Welcome to the Simulation Lab. Are you here to assist with the hatching of my child?"

     
Sirol      &      Peylix

______________________________________________________

< Katra Station / Simulation Lab >

As the doors to the Simulation Lab hissed open, the friendly and welcoming darkness instantly surrounded Sirol and took away a portion of her headache.

Peylix for their part simply followed her, then walked past the scientist, across the room and with little to no regard for the present foster parent [Xasik Freeman] and the random outsider civilian [Eli Ferris].
They almost even bumped into both of them, naturally expecting them to walk out of Peylix' way while they navigated to the quarantine area which stored the stasis container with the hatchling.

Having a versatile quarantine area like this would come in handy. And so would the already open tabs on the central holo-console, showing documents and files regarding the status of the little one.

<"This Laboratory is sub par by Assembly standards"¦
But certainly above what is to be expected from Starfleet...">
Peylix casually spoke, although the sharp, dismissive aura in their words - maybe even a little bit intentionally from their side - tainted the room"¦

"I had to work with the assets provided by Starfleet and Captain Solluk."
Sirol calmly responded towards Peylix' statement, then walked over towards Freeman and Lieutenant Ferris, and gave both of them a polite, hailing nod.
"œI was informed that the assessment of the child and their situation will begin immediately..." Sirol spoke towards Xasik, then turned around towards Lieutenant Ferris.
"œAn unexpected surprise to welcome you in my Simulation Lab.
Are you here to assist Healer Peylix?"

Looking up once again as the door opened to the lab, Xasik almost smiled as Sirol walked in but that feeling faltered and he maintained his default static Reman expression as the Tholian following her entered the lab. He wasn't unhappy to see the assistance from the Embassy but he wanted to maintain a serious aura so as to not give off the wrong impression. He offered them both a polite bow. He did allow a small frown to make itself known as the Tholian paid him no mind and walked right past him, almost bumping into him without so much as acknowledging him or the stranger standing near him. He was hardly surprised though, his experiences with Tholians so far had been much the same. He tried not to let it get to him, for the sake of the egg. He would need assistance and a Tholain hatching a Tholian egg was probably the best kind of help he could hope for..

He frowned again at the Tholian's comments about the lab being "˜sub par' but said nothing. The last thing he needed now was a diplomatic incident that would potentially ruin his life and further hinder the process of hatching his child.
Their voice was sharp and dismissive and it was obvious to Xasik that they did not wish to be here. He eased up slightly as Sirol spoke, giving her a small smile and politely bowing his head in greeting. "œLieutenant," he spoke almost softly in relief that she was there.
He nodded as she spoke. "œYes. The sooner the better I think. I am prepared." He listened as she addressed the other stranger in the room. Healer Peylix was the name of the Tholian? He made a mental note to remember that.

Eli regarded Sirol with polie acknowledgement. He was less familiar but her work spoke for itself. "Jolan tru" he started by way of greeting. "I am here primarily for moral support, if that is possible. I also have several emergency subroutines established that can provide access to aid quickly."

He turned to the Tholian. "Greetings to you as well, Healer."

If he had had eyebrows, he would have raised one as he listened to the conversation between Sirol and the stranger. He was here for moral support? That was appreciated even if they had never met, and he had several emergency subroutines established that could provide quick access to aid? Even better. That thought alone was comforting to the internally fretting Reman father.

"œHealer," he finally addressed Peylix with another polite head bow as he approached them. "œI would like to thank you for your time here and your assistance. Have you already been briefed on the situation or do you require me to fill you in?" Xasik was unsure of just how much this healer knew about the situation but he would be as transparent as possible. Things needed to run smoothly for the sake of the egg.

[Sirol]

< Katra Station / Simulation Lab >

     
Sirol      &      Peylix

Eli regarded Sirol with polie acknowledgement. He was less familiar but her work spoke for itself. "Jolan tru" he started by way of greeting. "I am here primarily for moral support, if that is possible. I also have several emergency subroutines established that can provide access to aid quickly."

He turned to the Tholian. "Greetings to you as well, Healer."

Sirol could sense Xasik's tension. A tension that seemingly tinted the entire room, even though Peylix seemed to be utterly unaffected by it. (Which came as no surprise to Sirol though. Slowly coming to terms with her own sensory palette - even though not publicly mentioning it - also meant doing her homework on ESP-impact and -usage, as well as cross references to other species. And from all Sirol was aware of, Tholian brain waves were physically incompatible with those of vulcanoids (or humanoids) and required artificial augmentations to properly link up.) They were unaffected by the tension altogether. Maybe for the better.

Xasik on the other hand though was going through multiple layers, vivid flavours of stress, his aura barely defined and merely a shapeless white fizzling state of chaos, only ever to be soothed by his conversation with Lieutenant Ferris and the appearance of Sirol.
She gave both of her crewmates a polite, hailing nod, then raised her eyebrow with a mixture of surprise and a low level smirk towards Lieutenant Ferris in particular.
She had not heard her language in over three months (back then Ferris had been the one to speak it as well, although it by now almost felt like a distant memory), and did not expect it to have so much of an"¦ Impact"¦ After all there was this barely noticeable, yet still existing little smirk"¦
A hint of known in the unknown"¦
"œJolan Tru, Lieutenant." She calmly spoke with a slow, acknowledging nod. "œIt is welcome to have you with us, and moral support is always appreciated. As you can imagine, this situation bears"¦ All sorts of difficulties, ranging from medical concerns over social ones right into potential political implications.
Do you have children of your own? Or experience with Tholians?"
She slowly walked over towards one of the terminals, overlooking the vital signs of the baby and linking the content of the terminal to her wrist mounted, holographic PDA, then walking over towards the quarantine room.

Peylix in the meantime noticed that they had been addressed by one of the bystanders, hence slowly looked up and focused on the third alien present in the room.
They had no information about this person's identity, and they did not like it.
They had prepared for the presence of the science staff, even the presence of their families and associates, yet who was this one?
No uniform. Despite Scientist Sirol referring to him as Lieutenant.
Barely visible vulcanoid facial features just like the other two.
...Was this a cultural matter?
Romulans and Remans devoid of their homeworlds with their natural gene pool detrimentally thinned"¦ Adopting outside children?
Shaping and assimilating them into their culture to replace what was lost?
The healer internally shuddered at the mental image of a poor Tholian child having to grow up aboard the flotilla or on a provisional colony with little to no sufficient accommodation, cut off from their culture, the lattice, and essentially forced to grow up as an exile"¦

Giving the egg in the stasis container another look, a metaphorical wave of sympathy washed over Peylix.
This was not a joyful assignment... They had been called to practise damage control"¦ Minimising cruelty in the interest of bilateral political cohesion"¦ And they despised it"¦

Looking at the unknown alien [Eli], Peylix eventually approached the others a bit. <"Aid and moral support..."> They just repeated, critically investigating the alien. <"Are you affiliated with the scientists?">

"œHealer," he finally addressed Peylix with another polite head bow as he approached them. "œI would like to thank you for your time here and your assistance. Have you already been briefed on the situation or do you require me to fill you in?" Xasik was unsure of just how much this healer knew about the situation but he would be as transparent as possible. Things needed to run smoothly for the sake of the egg.

As the foster parent in question addressed them directly, Peylix eventually approached the two even closer, until they were face to face with the bewildering aliens and the one named Xasik in particular.
<"I did not 'take the time' I was assigned to this"¦ Project... To ensure the child's safety and well-being."> they replied in a tone that made it obvious that their presence here was certainly not by choice"¦
<"I have been briefed about the situation. Your superior, Scientist Sirol provided additional insights. The only questions I have as of now are as to how long this child is already in stasis, whether the device has been tinkered with ever since, and"¦ Where the family of this child is...">
They paused for a moment, once again thoughtfully looking over their shoulder towards the stasis canister in the quarantine room which by now was monitored by Scientist Sirol.
Focusing Xasik and his associate again, Peylix then continued.

<"...I am aware of your previous attempts to contact official Assembly channels about the matter..."> No one had taken him seriously"¦ The universal consensus on his inquiry had been that he must have misread scans regarding whatever he may have found there"¦ There were no infant (or expecting) Tholians who had been reported missing throughout the entire year in which Xasik's inquiry took place, indicating that he most likely"¦ Had an egg of a different - to him foreign - creature which merely misinterpreted"¦
<"...as well as the Federation's acknowledgement of your situation and permit of official adoption due to"¦ Lack of response.
An unfortunate chain of events...">
Once again they paused, then activated a roughly spherical holographic interface projected by their suit, monitoring the conditions and life signs from the egg inside the stasis canister in the same manner Sirol had done before.
<"...I am not here to lecture you on your blatant carelessness bordering child abuse.
I have merely been requested and sent here to assure"¦ Damage control. Beginning by making sure that the phasing out of the stasis will be as little traumatic as possible. We have looked into the technology of the stasis device. It is antiquated but crudely effective.
I will begin with assessing the rate of how severely the child's metabolism is affected to establish an optimal curve.
By"¦ Federation protocol, with you as the officially recognised foster parent"¦ I will need your consent to begin any sort of medical procedures on the hatchling. Do you understand?">

[Eli Ferris]

< Katra Station / Simulation Lab >

     
Sirol      &      Peylix

Sirol could sense Xasik's tension. A tension that seemingly tinted the entire room, even though Peylix seemed to be utterly unaffected by it. (Which came as no surprise to Sirol though. Slowly coming to terms with her own sensory palette - even though not publicly mentioning it - also meant doing her homework on ESP-impact and -usage, as well as cross references to other species. And from all Sirol was aware of, Tholian brain waves were physically incompatible with those of vulcanoids (or humanoids) and required artificial augmentations to properly link up.) They were unaffected by the tension altogether. Maybe for the better.

Xasik on the other hand though was going through multiple layers, vivid flavours of stress, his aura barely defined and merely a shapeless white fizzling state of chaos, only ever to be soothed by his conversation with Lieutenant Ferris and the appearance of Sirol.
She gave both of her crewmates a polite, hailing nod, then raised her eyebrow with a mixture of surprise and a low level smirk towards Lieutenant Ferris in particular.
She had not heard her language in over three months (back then Ferris had been the one to speak it as well, although it by now almost felt like a distant memory), and did not expect it to have so much of an"¦ Impact"¦ After all there was this barely noticeable, yet still existing little smirk"¦
A hint of known in the unknown"¦
"œJolan Tru, Lieutenant." She calmly spoke with a slow, acknowledging nod. "œIt is welcome to have you with us, and moral support is always appreciated. As you can imagine, this situation bears"¦ All sorts of difficulties, ranging from medical concerns over social ones right into potential political implications.
Do you have children of your own? Or experience with Tholians?"

Eli always appreciated Sirol's direct nature. Her and Zex provided him some much needed social experience. He was well aware that he had become more reclusive, made only worse in recent months.

"I do not have children but my sister had some, and I had helped as career allowed. As for Tholians, I have had limited experience, specifically with the ambassador. Zex had provided me some suggestions at times." He gave a confident smile. "If nothing else, I have experience in navigating difficult situations."

Peylix in the meantime noticed that they had been addressed by one of the bystanders, hence slowly looked up and focused on the third alien present in the room.
They had no information about this person's identity, and they did not like it.
They had prepared for the presence of the science staff, even the presence of their families and associates, yet who was this one?
No uniform. Despite Scientist Sirol referring to him as Lieutenant.
Barely visible vulcanoid facial features just like the other two.
...Was this a cultural matter?
Romulans and Remans devoid of their homeworlds with their natural gene pool detrimentally thinned"¦ Adopting outside children?
Shaping and assimilating them into their culture to replace what was lost?
The healer internally shuddered at the mental image of a poor Tholian child having to grow up aboard the flotilla or on a provisional colony with little to no sufficient accommodation, cut off from their culture, the lattice, and essentially forced to grow up as an exile"¦

Giving the egg in the stasis container another look, a metaphorical wave of sympathy washed over Peylix.
This was not a joyful assignment... They had been called to practise damage control"¦ Minimising cruelty in the interest of bilateral political cohesion"¦ And they despised it"¦

Looking at the unknown alien [Eli], Peylix eventually approached the others a bit. <"Aid and moral support..."> They just repeated, critically investigating the alien. <"Are you affiliated with the scientists?">

"Healer, I am Lieutenant Eli Ferris, Flight Control Department Head. I have had positive interactions with Sirol. I also have training in managing crises situations. and emergency access."

Eli was  certain of the Tholians response. So he stayed close to Sirol. 

[Xasik]

[Katra Station | Simulation Lab]

His response was involuntary. Upon hearing the words "˜Jolan Tru' Xasik had tensed up and balled his hands into fists before taking a deep breath and trying to calm himself down. Now was not the time for this. He had actively avoided using his native tongue for as long as he had been free and had been able to learn other languages. Hearing it spoken so casually triggered something inside him like a jab to the mind. He realized that in his emotional state he was probably projecting his emotions unintentionally. He had to regain his control. He had been taught from a young age by the elders living in the mines to control his innate telepathic abilities. Many Remans were born with telepathic abilities and were taught to control them as a courtesy to those around them. The mines were bad enough without multiple people projecting their messy emotions all over the place. Plus they didn't need anything else for the Romulans to use against them. Living with the federation has softened his self control considerably and he would have to fix that. With a little more effort than he would have liked to admit Xasik put a lid on his emotions and implied the self control he had been taught so that his aura was once again neutral.

< Katra Station / Simulation Lab >

     
Sirol      &      Peylix

Peylix in the meantime noticed that they had been addressed by one of the bystanders, hence slowly looked up and focused on the third alien present in the room.
They had no information about this person's identity, and they did not like it.
They had prepared for the presence of the science staff, even the presence of their families and associates, yet who was this one?
No uniform. Despite Scientist Sirol referring to him as Lieutenant.
Barely visible vulcanoid facial features just like the other two.
...Was this a cultural matter?
Romulans and Remans devoid of their homeworlds with their natural gene pool detrimentally thinned"¦ Adopting outside children?
Shaping and assimilating them into their culture to replace what was lost?
The healer internally shuddered at the mental image of a poor Tholian child having to grow up aboard the flotilla or on a provisional colony with little to no sufficient accommodation, cut off from their culture, the lattice, and essentially forced to grow up as an exile"¦

Giving the egg in the stasis container another look, a metaphorical wave of sympathy washed over Peylix.
This was not a joyful assignment... They had been called to practise damage control"¦ Minimising cruelty in the interest of bilateral political cohesion"¦ And they despised it"¦

Looking at the unknown alien [Eli], Peylix eventually approached the others a bit. <"Aid and moral support..."> They just repeated, critically investigating the alien. <"Are you affiliated with the scientists?">

As the foster parent in question addressed them directly, Peylix eventually approached the two even closer, until they were face to face with the bewildering aliens and the one named Xasik in particular.
<"I did not 'take the time' I was assigned to this"¦ Project... To ensure the child's safety and well-being."> they replied in a tone that made it obvious that their presence here was certainly not by choice"¦
<"I have been briefed about the situation. Your superior, Scientist Sirol provided additional insights. The only questions I have as of now are as to how long this child is already in stasis, whether the device has been tinkered with ever since, and"¦ Where the family of this child is...">
They paused for a moment, once again thoughtfully looking over their shoulder towards the stasis canister in the quarantine room which by now was monitored by Scientist Sirol.
Focusing Xasik and his associate again, Peylix then continued.

Xasik was taken aback by the rather rude response he got from Peylix after offering a common courtesy greeting to them. From what he had learned while with the Federation, it was common to thank someone for their time, although he shouldn't have been surprised he supposed. He had done his research on Tholians and the Assembly and he was aware that they were not always the friendliest of beings. Peylix was leaving no doubts that they were not happy about being here at all.
He was somewhat relieved that the healer had been briefed on the situation already. That would save them a little time and they could get right to helping Emerald.
"œHonestly, I am unsure as to how long the child has been in stasis. While in my care only a few months while we travelled here, but before that I honestly do not know. The traders could have had the egg for years." Xasik tried to keep the emotion out of his voice as he responded to Peylix. He was torn between getting defensive and remaining as neutral as possible. There was also the underlying anger bubbling away just beneath the skin when he thought about his poor egg in stasis being sold by a filthy criminal to another filthy criminal.
"œSince obtaining the egg I have not tinkered with the canister at all apart from ensuring it was still powered and functioning. I didn't dare in case something went wrong. As for the family of the little one, I do not know. I tried reaching out to the Assembly. When that yielded no results I also considered the Tholian factions that were exiled from the Assembly, but I was unable to contact them either. I couldn't just leave the little one without protection so I became their family."

<"...I am aware of your previous attempts to contact official Assembly channels about the matter..."> No one had taken him seriously"¦ The universal consensus on his inquiry had been that he must have misread scans regarding whatever he may have found there"¦ There were no infant (or expecting) Tholians who had been reported missing throughout the entire year in which Xasik's inquiry took place, indicating that he most likely"¦ Had an egg of a different - to him foreign - creature which merely misinterpreted"¦
<"...as well as the Federation's acknowledgement of your situation and permit of official adoption due to"¦ Lack of response.
An unfortunate chain of events...">

Once again they paused, then activated a roughly spherical holographic interface projected by their suit, monitoring the conditions and life signs from the egg inside the stasis canister in the same manner Sirol had done before.
<"...I am not here to lecture you on your blatant carelessness bordering child abuse.
I have merely been requested and sent here to assure"¦ Damage control. Beginning by making sure that the phasing out of the stasis will be as little traumatic as possible. We have looked into the technology of the stasis device. It is antiquated but crudely effective.
I will begin with assessing the rate of how severely the child's metabolism is affected to establish an optimal curve.
By"¦ Federation protocol, with you as the officially recognised foster parent"¦ I will need your consent to begin any sort of medical procedures on the hatchling. Do you understand?">

At the mere mention of carelessness and child abuse, something in Xasik's mind snapped. Once again he clenched his fists but he did nothing to try and calm himself this time.
"œCarelessness?! Child abuse?!" He took a breath and restrained himself, but did nothing to hide or conceal his temper flaring up. "œI saved this child from a life of who knows what! Anyone could have purchased them, tortured them, used them for experiments! I have repeatedly risked my life to keep this child safe. I have accepted this child into my care when no one else would. I have come to love this child in the short time I have had the egg!" He took another shuddering breath and closed his eyes for a moment. He couldn't lose control. It would only make things worse.
He listened to Peylix explain that the technology of the stasis canister had been looked into and that they would begin assessing the child's health, metabolism and any possible damage to determine the way forward.

"œForgive my outburst healer. Please begin the process however you deem necessary. The safety of the child is my top priority. As their guardian I do hereby give my consent for you to proceed with any medical procedures you deem necessary."
Xasik had forgotten that he and Peylix were not alone in the lab. He gave an apologetic glace to Eli and Sirol for his outburst.

[Sirol]

< Katra Station / Simulation Lab >

     
Sirol      &      Peylix

"I do not have children but my sister had some, and I had helped as career allowed. As for Tholians, I have had limited experience, specifically with the ambassador. Zex had provided me some suggestions at times." He gave a confident smile. "If nothing else, I have experience in navigating difficult situations."

Sirol gave Lieutenant Ferris a calm, acknowledging nod.
He already had more (practical) experience with children than she had.
No matter how very much she would have liked to adopt children of her own, causality seemed to work against her in either way imaginable.
Granted, during her time within the Trialus anomaly the experiences and memories of first hand parenthood had been among the things she had gathered, but just like everything else her mind had acquired that day, slowly but surely all these treasured memories and lives lived had started to vanish due to her lack of a proper medium of memory transfer and storage"¦
A bittersweet thought in an otherwise happy situation.
She was assisting someone else to realise their dream of parenthood, and that was a more than worthy cause to the scientist.
She - of all people - understood the great importance of this, and she was gladly willing to contribute.
Looking at Ferris she decided to diplomatically not elaborate on the subject of children any further, but instead addressed the topic more related to her own fields of work.
"œBoth - Experience with Tholians and at navigating difficult situations can become very handy considering we are working with a minimal staff here."

"Healer, I am Lieutenant Eli Ferris, Flight Control Department Head. I have had positive interactions with Sirol. I also have training in managing crises situations. and emergency access."

Eli was  certain of the Tholians response. So he stayed close to Sirol.

When Peylix noticed that they once more had been addressed by the third one, they paused and watched the alien's introduction.
Eventually acknowledging it with a quick hand gesture, they took one step towards Lieutenant Eli Ferris.
Positive interactions with Scientist Sirol?
Peylix once more looked at the slender, physically unremarkable little vulcanoid whom Lieutenant Ferris seemed to"¦ Stick to"¦ For means of mental comfort.
This particular Scientist seemed to be of some value to various parts of Katra just as she had been to the Assembly...
Worth potential later investigation.
What confused them more urgently through was Ferris' statement on"¦ Crisis management?!
<"What sort of crisis situations do you expect to occur upon reinitialisation of a hatchling's natural development process, Lieutenant?
What sorts of"¦ Emergencies occur during conventional hatching of Federation children?!">
Granted the Federation had a reputation to be careless, erratic, impulse-driven, and dangerous to outsiders and insiders alike"¦ But"¦ Peylix could hardly imagine that even they would willingly endanger their young ones"¦

"œHonestly, I am unsure as to how long the child has been in stasis. While in my care only a few months while we travelled here, but before that I honestly do not know. The traders could have had the egg for years." Xasik tried to keep the emotion out of his voice as he responded to Peylix. He was torn between getting defensive and remaining as neutral as possible. There was also the underlying anger bubbling away just beneath the skin when he thought about his poor egg in stasis being sold by a filthy criminal to another filthy criminal.

Sirol just stood there, pausing her holographic readings and looking forth and back between all three.
She could tell that Xasik was"¦ On edge when it came to the interaction with Healer Peylix.
Lieutenant Ferris seemed to be more comfortable with the situation, although strongly gravitating towards her in this social situation.
Peylix for their part"¦ Seemed as unhappy as to be expected... Judging by their previous conversation in the turbolift, she would not have been surprised if Peylix decided to leave all of a sudden... Yet for now they stayed, almost even as if challenged by Xasik's mere presence"¦
For a moment Peylix seemed to stare at Sirol in an almost even assessing, investigating manner. Openly returning the blank stare, the scientist returned the gesture of curiosity before she eventually got back to her readings.

"œSince obtaining the egg I have not tinkered with the canister at all apart from ensuring it was still powered and functioning. I didn't dare in case something went wrong. As for the family of the little one, I do not know. I tried reaching out to the Assembly. When that yielded no results I also considered the Tholian factions that were exiled from the Assembly, but I was unable to contact them either. I couldn't just leave the little one without protection so I became their family."

Peylix internally shivered at the foster parent's sentiment that he even tried to consider exiles.
Exiles!
They were uncertain whether that was one of those typical "˜playful' exaggerations outsiders were so fond of, whether it was an attempt to get back at the Assembly for denying his request for communication, or whether it in fact had been an act of sheer and utter desperation"¦
In either case the mention seemed to upset them and they noticeably took a step back, assuming a more defensive posture again.
People like him were the reason Peylix did not want to leave their colony in the first place; the reason why they only ever left the Embassy area if directly ordered to"¦

Still standing between Peylix and Ferris, Sirol could almost taste the static: the  tension between her colleague and the healer charge up...
Although she could not sense Peylix' emotions, she could understood them well enough to deduce their reaction to Xasik's words.
Their mutual conversation strategy was"¦ Mildly horrendous"¦
Taking a deep breath she decided to attempt and deescalate the situation by sending a copy of her open document to both, raising one hand to speak to Xasik and Peylix, but it was already too late...

"œCarelessness?! Child abuse?!" He took a breath and restrained himself, but did nothing to hide or conceal his temper flaring up. "œI saved this child from a life of who knows what! Anyone could have purchased them, tortured them, used them for experiments! I have repeatedly risked my life to keep this child safe. I have accepted this child into my care when no one else would. I have come to love this child in the short time I have had the egg!"

The foster parent's emotional outburst caught them entirely off guard.
Peylix felt lectured, challenged, even humiliated"¦
All nonsensical states of mind and emotion considering they had nothing to lose or fear here.
This alien had little to no potential to harm them.
It needed Peylix. Not the other way around.
What did this cave dwelling, creepy baby snatching alien; this outsider even think it was to lecture them?!...
It just boldly stood there, shouting at them, fiercely defending their decisions, motivations and"¦ Their child"¦

For a moment Peylix was unsure of whether to just leave this sub par lab and the creepy foster alien to itself or acknowledge their surprising streak of legitimacy"¦
This foster parent may have been a terrifying savage, yet it"¦ He"¦ Displayed true parental love and an urge to protect the child"¦
This was"¦ Unexpected"¦
Mildly unsettling"¦
But Peylix as a parent themself could"¦ In a way"¦ Respect his reaction"¦
For a moment, they almost even felt as if talking to a real person when looking at the tall pale alien...

"œForgive my outburst healer. Please begin the process however you deem necessary. The safety of the child is my top priority. As their guardian I do hereby give my consent for you to proceed with any medical procedures you deem necessary."
Xasik had forgotten that he and Peylix were not alone in the lab. He gave an apologetic glace to Eli and Sirol for his outburst.

Peylix did not react to the foster parent's apology.
Their display of emotions had been surprisingly insightful and they did not despise him for it. If anything, this moment of honesty was the only positive remark about Xasik Freeman so far.
They had nine reasons to despise and distrust Xasik Freeman, yet his honest anger had been none of it"¦
<"Acknowledged"> The healer simply spoke, then moved back towards the quarantine area to eventually have a proper look at and scan of the hatchling by themself.
<"The child's safety is my top priority as well.
I was not dispatched to agree with you or charm you. I am here for the little one.">
With that they eventually headed towards the hatch leading into the quarantine room and did a quick gesture with their hand towards Sirol.
<"Scientist. I will need assistance.">
Once more their glance fell onto Xasik.
Certainly, his motivations might have been noble but what about his qualifications? He was a geologist after all, while Scientist Sirol at least had previous experience with Tholians and showed her readiness to assist them. Hence they added <"Someone trustworthy."> towards her.

Once Sirol had gotten into her own custom EV suit and both of them had entered the quarantine room, Sirol began to hunker down in front of the Stasis container erecting the monitoring equipment while Peylix once more looked through the forcefield - this time focussing Lieutenant Ferris while casually stepping out of their EV suit..
<"Lieutenant - Monitor and archive our process.
I want a second observer on the hatchling's readings as well as the functionality of the stasis unit.
In case you should notice any indications of your mentioned"¦ Crisis Situations, I trust you will react accordingly...">

[Eli Ferris]

< Katra Station / Simulation Lab >

     
Sirol      &      Peylix

Sirol gave Lieutenant Ferris a calm, acknowledging nod.
He already had more (practical) experience with children than she had.
No matter how very much she would have liked to adopt children of her own, causality seemed to work against her in either way imaginable.
Granted, during her time within the Trialus anomaly the experiences and memories of first hand parenthood had been among the things she had gathered, but just like everything else her mind had acquired that day, slowly but surely all these treasured memories and lives lived had started to vanish due to her lack of a proper medium of memory transfer and storage"¦
A bittersweet thought in an otherwise happy situation.
She was assisting someone else to realise their dream of parenthood, and that was a more than worthy cause to the scientist.
She - of all people - understood the great importance of this, and she was gladly willing to contribute.
Looking at Ferris she decided to diplomatically not elaborate on the subject of children any further, but instead addressed the topic more related to her own fields of work.
"œBoth - Experience with Tholians and at navigating difficult situations can become very handy considering we are working with a minimal staff here."

"I'll do my best," Eli said, with a knowing look. He was a man who anticipated everything going wrong. Perhaps not the most positive of traits but it had served him well enough in the past.

When Peylix noticed that they once more had been addressed by the third one, they paused and watched the alien's introduction.
Eventually acknowledging it with a quick hand gesture, they took one step towards Lieutenant Eli Ferris.
Positive interactions with Scientist Sirol?
Peylix once more looked at the slender, physically unremarkable little vulcanoid whom Lieutenant Ferris seemed to"¦ Stick to"¦ For means of mental comfort.
This particular Scientist seemed to be of some value to various parts of Katra just as she had been to the Assembly...
Worth potential later investigation.
What confused them more urgently through was Ferris' statement on"¦ Crisis management?!
<"What sort of crisis situations do you expect to occur upon reinitialisation of a hatchling's natural development process, Lieutenant?
What sorts of"¦ Emergencies occur during conventional hatching of Federation children?!">
Granted the Federation had a reputation to be careless, erratic, impulse-driven, and dangerous to outsiders and insiders alike"¦ But"¦ Peylix could hardly imagine that even they would willingly endanger their young ones"¦[/quote]
Eli took the comment in stride, largely in consideration of Xasik's own anxiety, and an effort to demonstrate that his being there was helpful. He found the Tholian's attitude abrasive, but it was hardly to be commented upon; Katra was unique.

"Healer, while my experience with the birthing process is limited what I know is that I am able to access emergency systems, provide immediate support if the need arises. Federation worlds vary, and in my experience, preparation is the key to success, not just expecting everything to go perfectly smoothly." He finished a polite smile. "No doubt your experiences will inform you appropriately in supporting Xasik and Sirol in this process."

Once Sirol had gotten into her own custom EV suit and both of them had entered the quarantine room, Sirol began to hunker down in front of the Stasis container erecting the monitoring equipment while Peylix once more looked through the forcefield - this time focussing Lieutenant Ferris while casually stepping out of their EV suit..
<"Lieutenant - Monitor and archive our process.
I want a second observer on the hatchling's readings as well as the functionality of the stasis unit.
In case you should notice any indications of your mentioned"¦ Crisis Situations, I trust you will react accordingly...">

"Of course, I will." Eli stated. He gave Sirol a nod, and stood to the equipment, keeping a close eye on the readings, which seemed very stable.

[Chigorra]

"I'll do my best," Eli said, with a knowing look. He was a man who anticipated everything going wrong. Perhaps not the most positive of traits but it had served him well enough in the past.

When Peylix noticed that they once more had been addressed by the third one, they paused and watched the alien's introduction.
Eventually acknowledging it with a quick hand gesture, they took one step towards Lieutenant Eli Ferris.
Positive interactions with Scientist Sirol?
Peylix once more looked at the slender, physically unremarkable little vulcanoid whom Lieutenant Ferris seemed to"¦ Stick to"¦ For means of mental comfort.
This particular Scientist seemed to be of some value to various parts of Katra just as she had been to the Assembly...
Worth potential later investigation.
What confused them more urgently through was Ferris' statement on"¦ Crisis management?!
<"What sort of crisis situations do you expect to occur upon reinitialisation of a hatchling's natural development process, Lieutenant?
What sorts of"¦ Emergencies occur during conventional hatching of Federation children?!">
Granted the Federation had a reputation to be careless, erratic, impulse-driven, and dangerous to outsiders and insiders alike"¦ But"¦ Peylix could hardly imagine that even they would willingly endanger their young ones"¦
Eli took the comment in stride, largely in consideration of Xasik's own anxiety, and an effort to demonstrate that his being there was helpful. He found the Tholian's attitude abrasive, but it was hardly to be commented upon; Katra was unique.

"Healer, while my experience with the birthing process is limited what I know is that I am able to access emergency systems, provide immediate support if the need arises. Federation worlds vary, and in my experience, preparation is the key to success, not just expecting everything to go perfectly smoothly." He finished a polite smile. "No doubt your experiences will inform you appropriately in supporting Xasik and Sirol in this process."
"Of course, I will." Eli stated. He gave Sirol a nod, and stood to the equipment, keeping a close eye on the readings, which seemed very stable.

Ambassador Chigorra
[Katra Station | Simulation Lab]

Chigorra marched down the hallways of Katra Station with great purpose, the stomping of her booted feet resounding on the deck plating as she quite nearly charged forward. The Klingon Ambassador was moving willfully, and the humanoids scuttled out of her path like so many fish parting before a shark. Chigorra would brook no delays, for she had recently heard of a birth that was taking place on the Station. A birth! On a starbase! Here, out in the Gamma Quadrant, a new life was being brought into the world. She knew not who the parents were, or their race, or even if she would be welcomed, but something in her heart demanded that she at least offer gifts to the child. She was here on this station representing her people and their culture, and a birth was something for all to celebrate!

As she moved with such purpose, she mused about her own interest and excitement. Klingons did not bring their families aboard their starships, as some Federation vessels were wont to do, and most Klingon Starbases were military-oriented and similarly without families. The woman had expected some family life aboard this Federation starbase in the Gamma Quadrant, but not a birth! Among her people, a new life meant fresh hands to build the House stronger, a new warrior to serve the Empire, a chance to bring Honor to the Klingon people. Not all races and cultures viewed children in this same way, she knew, but most allowed for gift-giving on such a day"¦ Chigorra hoped these expecting parents were of just such a culture. Still, the location of the birth confused her. She was meant to find the event in the... Simulation Lab?

After a startlingly loud questioning of a passerby to help her find the right location, Chigorra finally stood before the Simulation Lab. A laboratory? She looked left and right, but saw no one nearby from whom she could demand an answer. For some reason, the locals were avoiding her. Is this truly the birthing site? She wondered as she entered slowly, her self-awareness enough to tell her that this was not the place for a loud and proud Klingon entry.

Inside, her extensive training as an Ambassador, and in her previous exploits, helped her hide the feelings of immediate confusion she felt. Within this room there was, in no particular order of danger or oddity, a Breen standing in front of a shelf of artifacts, an apparently genuine and in-the-flesh Reman, a Human-Vulcan or Human-Romulan hybrid in civilian attire, and some kind of quarantine space occupied by a a Tholian in an EV suit, a Romulan in an EV suit, and between them"¦ Chigorra simply wasn't sure.

With her initial shock handled, and with the knowledge that all of these being surely belonged on this station, the Ambassador slowly approached. She was on-duty, as it were, and wore her typically brutalist clothing; armored and padded Klingon uniform, bold and terrible boots, a belt buckle that would crack a boxer's knuckle if punched, and a ritual daqtagh blade at her hip bearing the symbol of her House. Over her broad shoulders was slung a sack made of a dark leather, and patched in several places. It appeared to be a handmade thing, with twine thongs holding its end closed.

The woman approached what appeared to be a sort of monitoring station, quietly stepping near to the hybrid male in the civilian clothing, and to the Reman. She resisted her innate desire to announce herself, and instead quietly nodded in greeting to both, feeling that it was prudent to wait until she was recognized, or asked to leave, in case delicate work was occurring. Though"¦ she saw no birthing"¦ heard no cries of pain, saw little to no medical equipment, yet in that isolation chamber there was"¦

Her eyes widened briefly, breaking her control over her own self-expressions. The Tholian, the suits"¦ Was this"¦ A Tholian birth"¦?

[Sirol]

< Katra Station / Simulation Lab >

     
Sirol      &      Peylix

Sirol could be seen giving a friendly nod towards Lieutenant Ferris.
With all that was going in this lab right now; within the murky colour salad of emotions around her, she was glad to have Eli around to act as the mature; the stable part of everything.
Just like Peylix had phrased it, Sirol too trusted Eli would be able to monitor the situation: The balance and emotional well-being of the expecting parent.
Surely he could take care of her Specialist Freeman...

"Healer, while my experience with the birthing process is limited what I know is that I am able to access emergency systems, provide immediate support if the need arises. Federation worlds vary, and in my experience, preparation is the key to success, not just expecting everything to go perfectly smoothly." He finished a polite smile. "No doubt your experiences will inform you appropriately in supporting Xasik and Sirol in this process."
"Of course, I will." Eli stated. He gave Sirol a nod, and stood to the equipment, keeping a close eye on the readings, which seemed very stable.

Peylix - by now fully out of their EV suit - followed Lieutenant Ferris' elaborations and eventually acknowledged them with a quick hand gesture.
<"I agree with you here. Preparation is paramount.
Xasik Freeman proves to have a good sense for picking capable company.">

Once more they let their gaze wander through the room and assessed the situation.
Eli and Sirol were immediately at work just like any regular [Tholian] acquaintance of Peylix would have been, Xasik Freeman though gave them a stare Peylix was not (yet) able to decipher.
Despite having seen and interacted with their fair share of aliens by now, Peylix still had the lingering difficulties in reading their emotions correctly.
After all, most of their species' telepathy was physiologically incompatible with theirs, and the small fracture of things that could be extrapolated from mimic and gesture were"¦. Hard for Peylix to even notice"¦

Sirol in the meantime - just like Xasik before - had set the canister's view-field to transparent, so she and Peylix could get a closer look at the child.
A tiny little someone, curled up into their semi transparent egg, with vaguely distinguishable limbs"¦
It was a heartwarming sight, and Sirol could not help but gently place one hand onto the transparent part of the canister as if she was laying her hand around the baby's back.
"œ...It is continually astounding how tiny they are..." She thoughtfully mumbled, towards which Peylix looked over the shoulder, into the canister as well.
They could very well understand her emotional reaction.
The little one was unspeakably cute and Peylix felt tempted to mimic Sirol's gesture.
The hatchling reminded them of their own first child. It had been of a similar colour scheme at this stage.
Gathering their thoughts eventually though, Peylix simply answered:
<"Their developmental speed will drastically increase once the stasis will be fully phased out. Compared to vulcanoid life spans, a Tholian maturation process takes up only a fracture of the time.">

With an invisible smile on her face Sirol nodded in acknowledgement of Peylix' explanation.
She was aware of how short a Tholian childhood was, but did not want to cut them off mid-sentence.
Instead she returned to her readings.
Soon she had concluded her first layer of scanning the biological and physiological properties of the child, and everything regarding the status and rate of the their metabolism, pressed a few buttons on her holographic PDA and submitted a handy summary of what she had to Peylix and Xasik while she decided to not spam Eli yet, so he could stay fully focused at monitoring things independently.
Her second attempt of sending the summary in actuality served more than just the purpose of information spreading; it served an essentially social function:
Trying to bring her colleague and her healer onto the same side of a conversation here; Have them cooperate - at least for a few minutes - in the interest of their mutual goal"¦
"Congratulations, Specialist Freeman..." She musingly began while still looking at the stasis canister in front of her. "...Your child is surprisingly sturdy considering the circumstances. It is at peak health. Would you like to know their caste?"

Suddenly though, as the doors hissed open once more, the slender scientist in the green EV suit looked up, only to spot the face of a"¦ Klingon?
Sirol paused for a second and exchanged asking looks with Peylix who appeared similarly confused, but remained silent.

The woman approached what appeared to be a sort of monitoring station, quietly stepping near to the hybrid male in the civilian clothing, and to the Reman. She resisted her innate desire to announce herself, and instead quietly nodded in greeting to both, feeling that it was prudent to wait until she was recognized, or asked to leave, in case delicate work was occurring. Though"¦ she saw no birthing"¦ heard no cries of pain, saw little to no medical equipment, yet in that isolation chamber there was"¦

Her eyes widened briefly, breaking her control over her own self-expressions. The Tholian, the suits"¦ Was this"¦ A Tholian birth"¦?

It did not take Sirol long to realise who she was looking at.
After all, even here in the Gamma Quadrant, rumour spread faster than the speed of light, and the rumour of the new Klingon ambassador and her staff arriving on the station a few days ago had been hot gossip among the station's Romulan residents - especially those working for the local embassy"¦
Sirol was not sure whether the ambassador had come here on purpose, or just so happened to stumble into this lab during an exploration spree.
The scientist knew that some rare gentle attempts of individual Klingons and Remans establishing contact has been made in the past - With varying grades of success, so she might as well have come upon request by Xasik.
In either case though, it was a welcome sight.

Bidding the Ambassador a hailing nod, Sirol looked the new arrival in the eyes for a few seconds.
"œWelcome aboard, Ambassador." She spoke throughout the room, once more looked at the readings and exchanged a few numbers with Peylix.
A second later, her focus returned towards Chigorra again.
"œMake yourself at home in my laboratory, we have a great event ahead of us here..."

Peylix' eyes seemed to flicker in a second of processing what they had just learned.
While they had been informed about the new Klingon diplomatic staff, they themself had not met any of them yet either.
The spindly, wine red coloured healer tilted their head and examined the Ambassador for a few seconds.
Compared to the other ones present, the Klingon (like most of her species) was above average when it came to size and bulk. This seemed to be exaggerated by the multi layered armour and clothing she was wearing.
With her big"¦ (For a moment Peylix struggled with finding the right term for the elongated microstructures that most humanoids grew from their heads"¦) Horns? No"¦ Hair!"¦ She looked almost twice as wide as - say - Scientist Sirol.
Peylix tilted their head in confusion.
Against all odds, her sight was"¦ Impressive... (For an alien.)

After a few more seconds, Peylix eventually returned their gaze to their instruments again, them and Scientist Sirol quietly muttering while they processed the readings, estimated a safe and smooth re-initialisation curve and then checked and compared one another's results...

[Kyan Mackenzie]

:: Simulation Lab | Katra Station ::

Kyan had never been to a Tholian birth before. Come to that, he'd never been to a birth of any sentient creature outside of his own, and he didn't remember that one of course. He knew that it was going hatch from an egg and not be expelled from a womb in some messy affair that would include looking at "lady parts", which was just gross. He wouldn't have come for that. In addition to which, he'd also never seen a Tholian that wasn't wearing an exo-suit. Not many people had.

He adjusted the bow on the gift one last time before triggering the doors to the lab. With the limited intelligence that the Federation was able to obtain on Tholian culture, it had been nearly impossible to know what type of gift a baby Tholian might like. In the end he'd settled on something that seemed universal. He bought a Goldfish from Dahrk's "flea" Market on the Promenade. The Ferengi had informed him that the bowl shaped aquarium has a crystaline outer casing and could be stored in extremely high temperatures, which meant that the Tholian baby could keep it in it's room if it wanted to.

Having gotten off duty not long before, Kyan hadn't been back to his quarters yet, so he was still in uniform, Although he had given thought to changing into his dress uniform for the occasion. That was met with a quick "hell no" when he recalled that the last time he wore it the thing tried to strangle him. So here he was. He finally stepped into the sensor range of the door and it swooshed open before him.

When Kyan stepped into the lab, the first thing he noticed was that it was full of people. A Romulan, a Reman, a half-Human, a Tholian, and lastly, Ambassador Chigorra. He hadn't yet met the Klingon woman. He decided to greet her first. Being an ambassador and all... Decorum and stuff.

Kyan cleared his throat and launched into his best approximation of Klingon, which lost something in his higher pitched voice, but he applied as much base ad he was able. "qaleghneS. Sogh Kyan Mackenzie 'oH pongwIj'e' JiH nuH yaS (I am honored to meet you. My name is Lieutenant Kyan Mackenzie. I am Weapons Officer.)

[Chigorra]

:: Simulation Lab | Katra Station ::

Kyan had never been to a Tholian birth before. Come to that, he'd never been to a birth of any sentient creature outside of his own, and he didn't remember that one of course. He knew that it was going hatch from an egg and not be expelled from a womb in some messy affair that would include looking at "lady parts", which was just gross. He wouldn't have come for that. In addition to which, he'd also never seen a Tholian that wasn't wearing an exo-suit. Not many people had.

He adjusted the bow on the gift one last time before triggering the doors to the lab. With the limited intelligence that the Federation was able to obtain on Tholian culture, it had been nearly impossible to know what type of gift a baby Tholian might like. In the end he'd settled on something that seemed universal. He bought a Goldfish from Dahrk's "flea" Market on the Promenade. The Ferengi had informed him that the bowl shaped aquarium has a crystaline outer casing and could be stored in extremely high temperatures, which meant that the Tholian baby could keep it in it's room if it wanted to.

Having gotten off duty not long before, Kyan hadn't been back to his quarters yet, so he was still in uniform, Although he had given thought to changing into his dress uniform for the occasion. That was met with a quick "hell no" when he recalled that the last time he wore it the thing tried to strangle him. So here he was. He finally stepped into the sensor range of the door and it swooshed open before him.

When Kyan stepped into the lab, the first thing he noticed was that it was full of people. A Romulan, a Reman, a half-Human, a Tholian, and lastly, Ambassador Chigorra. He hadn't yet met the Klingon woman. He decided to greet her first. Being an ambassador and all... Decorum and stuff.

Kyan cleared his throat and launched into his best approximation of Klingon, which lost something in his higher pitched voice, but he applied as much base ad he was able. "qaleghneS. Sogh Kyan Mackenzie 'oH pongwIj'e' JiH nuH yaS (I am honored to meet you. My name is Lieutenant Kyan Mackenzie. I am Weapons Officer.)

Ambassador Chigorra
[Katra Station | Simulation Lab]

Transfixed on the scene before her, Chigorra was late in noticing another guest until they were quite near. She was aware of the light footsteps, figuring a Ferengi or Dopterian was tip-toeing their way in, so she turned to as not to leave her back exposed to one of those odd creatures. Her eyes instead laid upon what appeared to be a juvenile human, bright-faced and, for some reason, uniformed. The little male then issued forth a fine string of her native tongue! Klingons tended to be quite impressed when others learned their language and spoke it even halfway decently. As a people, they were proud of their speech and their written word, and any who even attempted to learn either was showing respect for their ways. She was so positively affected, she briefly forgot to be surprised that this youth was wearing a Starfleet uniform.

Chigorra defaulted to the standard tongue, rather than respond in kind in her own language. "A fine gree-..." She halted, then lowered her voice to a more reasonable tone, given the nature of the event that was taking place. "...A fine greeting." she complimented, her voice quieter. She had to resist the urge to bend over or dip her knees so as to bring her face closer to the humanoid so far below. "I am Chigorra, daughter of Loesh, of House G'Khran. I am an Ambassador of the Klingon Empire." She frowned a little as she looked to the quarantined area, then back down to the youth. "This birth is not what I expected it to be." she admitted.

[Eli Ferris]

Eli turned to Chigorra and gave a nod of greeting. "Ambassador, you honor us with your presence." He said. He didn't know what the actual protocol was, but he found her presence kind of intriguing, especially based upon Peylix's bedside manner, to put it gingerly.

The Security Chief's greeting was impressive. Eli had seen Mckenzie as a bit over reactionary, if not down right exuberant in his expression of, well, most things. But, this was a moment of a genuine respect, and he appreciated it. And took notes.

"I agree, Ambassador," Eli stated, glancing at the monitor. "I had not anticipated monitoring the egg here. I had thought it would look quite different. Healer Peylix has proven to a wealth of information. Though, I was not aware a caste was determine at a birth." He glanced at Kyan and Chigorra. "Either of you?"