🌌🪐Space Oddity🌏💫 01: The Shuttle Pilot
Summary: A year after the Farpoint mission, the USS Enterprise-D stops at Starbase 13 for routine resupply and maintenance, and also to pick up a newly transferred crew member. Friction ensues on board.
Warnings: Space prejudice, mention of hostile workplace environments, mention of war, mentions of refugee statuses and defection.
a/n: Hello! I’m trying something new out, stretching my Trekkie muscles a little bit here. Hope you enjoy!! (Also, i’m embracing the campiness and Treknobabble generally found in this universe so parts may be cheesy, just bear with me) also this is 5k words i’m so sorry
Other parts, otras partes.
Captain’s Log, supplemental. We have docked the Enterprise at Starbase 13 for a routine maintenance overview and resupply, a welcome respite from duties and interstellar travel that many of the crew have taken full advantage of.
We are also picking up several new crew members, including a senior science officer specializing in Xenobiology and Xenobotany, a position that has been left unfilled since the retirement of Lieutenant Commander Olsey. I can only hope the transition is smooth, but I have my concerns. Her shuttle should be arriving on board soon, I’ve asked that the Lieutenant meet me in my ready room upon her arrival in the Shuttle Bay.
COPY OF STARFLEET TRANSFER ORDER 658901:
Ir-Fethraie, Te'elis.
Rank: Lieutenant.
Age: 28 Terran years.
Position: Senior Xenobiologist and Xenobotany officer.
Service record: Starfleet Agricultural Services Internship, 3 years. Ohniaka III Science Outpost, 4 years. USS Endeavor, 8 months.
Crew Profile:
Hair color: Black
Eye color: dark brown.
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 176 pounds
Estimated IQ: 136
Species: Human, Romulan.
Current residence: Earth, Territory of Spain.
Education:
•Bachelor of Science, Xenoanthropological Studies, focus in Evolutionary Biology. (Starfleet University for Biological Sciences.)
•Bachelor of Science, Xenobiological Sciences, focus in Botany and Ecological Sciences. (Starfleet University for Biological Sciences.)
•Masters of Science, Xenobiology and Evolutionary Organismal Studies, focus in Xenobotany and Physiology. (Starfleet Graduate Campus of Sciences)
•Certificate of Completion of an Academic Minor, Xenoanthropology. (Starfleet University for Biological Sciences
Honors and Commendations:
Starfleet Academy: High Honors.
Distinguished Service on a Terrestrial Outpost.
Distinguished Service in Interstellar Travel.
San Francisco Star.
Honorable Conduct on a Terrestrial Outpost.
Honorable Conduct in Interstellar Travel
Te'elis threw her hands above her head, feeling a shock of fear run down her spine as she spotted the Ensign with his phaser pointed directly at her.
"Don't move!" He shouted, hands shaking around the weapon. "Exit the craft, all of you!"
Te'elis clenched her hands to stop them from trembling and took a deep breath. "I'm alone. I have-"
"Don't move!" He repeated, finger inching too close to the trigger for her comfort. She flinched, eyes screwing shut.
"Please, just listen to me!"
"Security to shuttle bay four, we have possible a boarding party." The ensign tapped his badge, summoning security to the area. She fought back tears. It seemed the humiliation was only continuing aboard this ship.
Seconds later security arrived, led by a Klingon wearing a ceremonial sash. She doubted she would get any help from him, given their cultures were also sworn enemies of the Romulan Star Empire.
"Ensign, explain." The Klingon ordered the one pointing a phaser at her. His eyes hard.
"A shuttle was due to arrive this afternoon, this craft arrived before the scheduled period." He glanced at the Klingon. "She could be a Romulan spy, sir."
"I'm not a spy." Te'elis piped up, fighting to keep her voice steady. "I'm Lieutenant Te'elis Ir-Fethraie, a science officer transferring from the USS Endeavor. I have a copy of the transfer orders in my bag."
The Klingon nodded at one of the ensigns who approached her and sheathed his weapon before reaching roughly into her bag, causing her to close her eyes and fight to not let her emotions show.
"Transfer orders for one Lieutenant Ir-Fethraie. Xenobiology and specialist in Xenobotany." The ensign confirmed. "She is who she says she is, Sir."
The Klingon nodded at the two security officers to his right, indicating them at the Ensign holding the weapon. "Stand down, Ensign Curtis, that's an order. Lower your weapon."
The ensign reluctantly handed the phaser to one of the officers, glaring sideways at Te'elis as they escorted him away from the shuttle.
"This phaser is set to kill, Lieutenant." The security officer apprised the Klingon, eyes hard. The man stood up a bit straighter and directed his gaze at the now disarmed ensign.
"Escort him to quarters and confine him there to await reprimand." The Lieutenant, their superior officer she presumed (perhaps even Chief of Security), ordered. He then turned to address Te'elis.
"Welcome aboard, Lieutenant Ir-Fethraie." He welcomed tersely, his words escaping through clenched teeth. "I presume there will be no more trouble on your way to your quarters."
She swallowed. "My orders were to report to the Captain. I was hoping to speak with him before I go to quarters."
"I will ask the Captain." He conceded. "As Chief of Security it is my obligation to report this incident to him and inform him of Ensign Curtis' behavior."
She closed her eyes briefly, fidgeting with the strap of her bag. "Lieutenant, I understand your caution. But I must ask that you treat me with the respect you would assign any member of this crew." She spoke flatly, not allowing her bubbling emotions to permeate her tone. "My orders are to report to Captain Picard, I ask that you allow me to comply with those orders."
He stared at her for a long moment before turning away. "I will report to the Captain on this incident, you will accompany me to the Bridge, Lieutenant."
She stiffened but followed him, only murmuring softly to him once they were out of earshot. "I understand this is difficult for you, Sir." She spoke softly. "Our people are enemies but we need not be. I am a Starfleet officer just as you are. Whether you approve or not, I am a crew member aboard this ship and it would be best if we learned to work together."
"Senior Xenobotanist and associate Xenobiologist." He cited her record from the transfer order. He didn't look at her as he continued. "My post is on the bridge. Unless I am called to assess a threat on board." He finally looked at Te'elis, disdain in his eyes. "I hope, for the sake of your career, we do not see each other often."
She almost flinched, but fought it. Straightening her spine and gazing at the wall of the Turbolift absently. Feeling her fragile hopes start to shrivel in her chest. So far... she felt no more accepted aboard this ship than the Endeavor. She could only pray it would get better.
The Turbolift doors opened with a quiet hiss, revealing the bridge of the USS Enterprise-D in all her glory. And the crew. Only a few heads turned at their arrival, but the silence felt deafening. She thought her skin may fall off from the feeling of nonexistent eyes on her. Normally she had gotten used to carrying herself a certain way despite her treatment. But stepping foot on the Enterprise seemed to have stolen her indestructible spine, and rendered her the anxious little girl alone on the schoolyard once again.
She was so lost in thought that it took her a moment to realize the door to the ready room had opened and the security chief was gesturing for her to enter. Feeling an emerald blush creep into her cheeks, she entered. Coming face to face with the man she had hoped would provide her solace on his ship. Captain Jean-Luc Picard.
The man looked at her as she entered, eyes impassively scanning her from head to toe. Not judging, not admiring... Simply observing. She let out a little bit of the air she had been strangling in her lungs at the sight. Someone to look at her like a crew member.
"Captain Picard." She dipped her head respectfully. "It's an honor, sir."
"Please, Lieutenant, the honor is mine." The man stood, surprising her as he tugged on his uniform top before offering a hand to shake. "Lieutenant Worf, update me in a moment, I'd like to speak to the Lieutenant here, please."
The Klingon, whose name she had just learned was Worf, nodded despite his expression of distaste at the prospect. Once the door closed the Captain gestured for her to sit, reclining back into his chair and crossing his legs comfortably. "Despite my limited details, I am aware there was an altercation in the shuttle bay on your arrival." She nearly flinched at the mention but hid it well. "I would like to extend my apologies on behalf of my ship and my crew. The matter will be dealt with."
"No need to explain, Captain." She cleared her throat. "I am aware that my presence has a certain effect on most people... I was hoping to avoid further complication and disruption among the crew."
The Captain gave her a hint of a smile. "Lieutenant, with all due respect; I will assure the safety and security of all crew members. In every aspect. My concern is with this." He turned the monitor so she could see it. It was a screen large window of her Starfleet records. "Distinguished, distinguished, distinguished..." He glanced at her. "By now I would have expected a scientist of your caliber to be heading a mission or even commanding your own Science Vessel. Yet you are still a Lieutenant working in Xenobiology labs processing samples."
Te'elis straightened slightly in her seat, feeling a bit under the microscope. "You've done your research, Captain." She swallowed. "I assume there is a question being posed here."
"Why, with a record like yours, aptitude scores like these, and more field work in four years than most xenobiologists get in a decade... Why are you still a Lieutenant meekly requesting transfers to another Starship when you could be captaining your own?"
She thought for one, long moment. "Permission to speak freely, sir?" When he nodded she continued. "I am not easily trusted. It took me twice as long to earn my stripes in active duty... When your work needs to be checked and re-checked for accuracy or for signs of tampering- when your own peers do not see you as their own... That person does not get easy promotions." She answered simply. "And if I sought them, I was informed bymore than one source that I would be denied." She sighed. "Simply put, Captain. No one would listen to me when I was a cadet... Why would they listen to me ass a captain?" She almost laughed at the last word but held herself together. "I love my work, and I will be happy no matter where it takes me. But I had hoped to succeed enough to at least feel at home. I did not find that on the Endeavor."
"You think you will find it here?" The Captain asked gently, leaning forward slightly. "Aboard the Enterprise?"
"When I boarded your ship I was greeted by a Klingon Security Chief." She mused, fidgeting with her fingers. "On a ship like that... Anything is possible. I am not sure if I can find that home on this ship, Sir." She looked at him then, meeting his crystal gaze with her own. "But I would like the opportunity to try."
Picard almost smiled. Looking at her strangely. "Interesting. You quite remind me of one of my officers, Lieutenant. I once said the same thing on his behalf to a Starfleet Admiral when his application to Starfleet Academy was questioned.” He stood, and she rushed to join him, clutching her bag. "I think you will fit in on this ship better than you think Lieutenant." He advised, shaking her hand once more. "You've been assigned quarters, here is your information." He handed her a padd indicating where her quarters were, as well as Ten Forward and other important areas. "I'll have someone give you a proper tour later, for now there is a uniform in your quarters. Why don't you become acquainted with the lab?"
She smiled genuinely then, nodding eagerly. "Thank you, Captain." She pressed her lips together to attempt to calm her excitement as she took her leave and entered the turbo lift, aiming for her quarters to change into her new uniform.
She felt the normal fear and anxiety, but now alongside it there was a spark of hope. A sign that things could get better. If she could just hold on to that tiny spark of hope long enough, maybe it would grow into something better.
She could only hope.
After donning the appropriate uniform and equipping her pips, Lieutenant Ir-Fethraie exited her quarters with a deep breath, adjusting her hair slightly to move it away from her face before striding down the hall towards the turbolift.
The doors opened quietly and she stepped on, folding her hands behind her back neatly. "Xenobiology, please." She spoke clearly, shifting uncomfortably on her feet as the turbolift whirred across the ship. It stopped on deck 6 briefly, and she nearly held her breath when another officer entered. A Bolian ensign. He seemed shocked by her appearance, but nonetheless entered the turbolift. He cleared his throat as he leaned against the wall, pointedly looking at the control panel.
"Stellar Cartography." He said flatly, folding his arms across his chest tensely.
Te'elis cleared her throat before steeling her spine. "Hello." The Bolian looked at her suspiciously, not expecting her interaction. "I'm, uh- Lieutenant Ir-Fethraie, I just transferred aboard." She smiled nervously. "Pleased to meet you."
The Bolian looked her up and down. Eyeing her pointed ears and her subtle forehead ridges. "Ensign Gip." He answered tersely.
Te'elis swallowed. "Well, Ensign Gip." She attempted to force some cheer into your voice. "I look forward to working with you!"
The door opened to the deck holding Stellar Cartography and Ensign Gip left the turbolift with a nearly inaudible scoff. Te'elis sighed alongside the sound of the doors closing. massaging the space beneath her slanted eyebrows gently. She hadn't even made it to Xenobiology... and already she was starting to feel discouraged. She shook the thought off without a thought, forcing it from her mind on a deep breath and straightening her posture.
It was going to be a long first shift.
Eight hours later, Te'elis retreated to the holodeck, feeling an ache in her shoulders and a pit in her stomach.
She stroked a finger down the velvety soft petal of her flower. The translucent petal rippled beneath her touch, almost like it was shivering, emitting a low hum until she pulled her finger away. The long, swollen petals spread away from the center as a singular circle, diverting off into separate petals the further it extended from the flower. Starting in a bulbous round shape and ending in a blunted point, folding in the center as though it had been pinched.
The semi-see-through petals cast a pearlescent aura in the air directly around them, almost as if they were glowing. Soft pinks and dark magentas mixed with dreamlike lavenders and nebulas of tiny orange islands occasionally peeking through. The stem was a deep navy blue, contrasting the brighter center of the flower where the petals began. The leaves were long, dark and waxy; standing upright to hug the stem under the bloom. The leaves seemed to glint in the light like they were covered in glass. The dark midnight blue mixing with random tinges of a green so dark it was nearly black.
The holodeck had gotten it almost perfectly. Drawn directly from the images of the flower in its native habitat- Her fathers' garden.
The space sprawled around her. A mix of neat, tidy, rectangular beds and stone pathways, some leading to rounded and fuller beds containing certain produce or herbs, their beautiful hues stretching around the massive greenhouse. The smell was different, though. It smelled of replicated soil and perfectly homogenous dirt, not any natural variation. But it was close. So, so close. Close enough that tears fought their way behind her eyelids as she blinked them away.
She was wiping the remnants from her cheeks when the door to the holodeck appeared beside her. From her position on her knees by the door, she craned her neck to observe her intruder.
Her new company was tall. With skin that glinted with an unnatural, off white hue. Like he was swarmed by a constant golden sun hitting quartz and marble. His eyes were fixed on her, yellow and inquisitive, almost like a honeybee in flight.
She swallowed just once, suddenly feeling a sense of being caught with one's pants down. A quick glance at his collar and gold uniform told her he was a Lieutenant Commander, likely Operations, she inferred from the way he carried himself.
"Hello." She greeted, looking back down at the flower to avoid those unnerving eyes. It felt like he could see right though her... It made her feel exposed. Like her secrets were laid bare the longer she met his gaze.
"Hello-" He spoke back, tone smooth; easy. Almost hypnotic in its regularity. "Lieutenant Ir-Fethraie, I was informed of your arrival and thought it best to introduce myself." She wasn't sure what to say, glancing at him from the side as he watched her. "I am Data."
She smiled awkwardly, rubbing her hands down the thighs of her uniform to mop the sudden dampness in her palms.
"Lieutenant Commander Data..." She recalled. Flashes of Enterprise personnel files flashed in her mind. The name Data had struck her. The android second officer- creation of Doctor Noonien Soong.
Watching her weep by a flower bed.
"I've heard of you, Commander, your record is impeccable." She cleared her throat. "I look forward to serving with you."
"I am aware of your record, as well, Lieutenant. It is also quite impeccable." He tilted his head at her, inclining it slightly as if to seem non-threatening. "And given the informal context, I would permit you to simply address me as Data."
"That's true, I suppose." She reasoned. "Outside of duty hours. I did not want to seem... disrespectful." She finally looked him in the eyes again. "But I'll ask you to call me Te'elis, in return." She shifted her gaze back to the flower, feeling unsure of why he had come to speak to her.
"That is an interesting specimen." Data pointed out, looking at the flower before dropping to one knee beside her, close enough that she instinctively bristled before forcing herself to relax. "I have never seen this species before." She furrowed her brows at his tone. He almost sounded surprised.
"Is that unusual, Co-" She caught herself. "Data?"
"Very much so." He nodded, meeting her eyes earnestly. "I am an android. My databases contain knowledge of every species of recorded flora known to the Federation and Starfleet's scientific community. But I have no knowledge of this particular plant."
She nodded, pressing her lips together thoughtfully. "It makes sense, then, that you have no knowledge of this species." She felt a glimmer of happiness unfurl in her stomach, a bit of pride seeping into her demeanor. "It's mine." She turned to Data with a nervous smile. "Mine and my father's, I mean. We developed it together. It's a hybrid."
"Fascinating." Data breathed, eyes flicking over every aspect of the flower. "May I inquire more about it?"
Te'elis took a moment to process, eyes flicking away and back again, like she was waiting for him to say 'gotcha'. "You want to know about the hybrid?" She asked, brows knitting together.
"Yes, I would like to hear about it's development and creation." He affirmed, his expression matching her confusion. "This surprises you?"
"No! Well, maybe a little." She shrugged minutely. "Usually people who end up in conversation with me about plants don't tend to have such... interest. Mostly, they ask to be polite, I think." She admitted too easily. Catching herself as the sentence ended. There was something about him- his presence -that seemed to draw words out of her like a magnet. She felt if they sat together long enough, she may eventually spill the very secrets of her soul without blinking an eye.
He was simply... Easy.
"You assumed I was only showing shallow interest to maintain decorum." Data surmised, once again finding her eyes. "An understandable conclusion; but I assure you, my lack of human emotion means I have no use for subterfuge. I am curious about your studies and the creation of this hybrid specimen." He returned his gaze to the flower. "I appreciate every opportunity to increase my knowledge. What does the genetic makeup consist of?"
She nodded once, startled somewhat. "It's actually a triplet of species. We started with two Earth-Native Species of flower. The first was Osteospermum Fruticosum. That's what determined the thinning of the petals, and the way they fold together about an inch away from the tips." She drew her finger along the line of the flower, not quite touching it, but tracing the shape. "The other was Convallaria Majalis, which helped extend the leaves and bolster them- to make them stand taller; have more structural integrity." She pointed at the long, dark leaves.
"The first species, more commonly known as African Daisy on Earth, was difficult to graft onto the Convallaria- or Lily of the Valley -it required us to alter a few genes between the two, creating a common ground so to speak."
"I understand your meaning, Te'elis." That was the first time he'd actually used her first name, it took a moment to sink into her skin, lingering as he continued. "Due to the drastic differences in the families and genetic structure, the chance of cultivating offspring from the two would be very slim and most likely produce defects. Some of which would make the specimen inviable."
"Exactly." She smiled without realizing it. "My father introduced genetic changes slowly, generation by generation. This helped bring the two species closer genetically, thus raising the chance of a viable hybrid with every generation."
"But to do so manually... without the assistance of advanced computer systems would take years?" Data questioned, studying her expression. "Would that not be inefficient?"
"Oh, very much so." She laughed softly. "My father journaled the entire process until I was old enough to understand... and until I showed interest. It was tedious- he was tedious. He spent three years simply specifying which genes to alter, and in what order. He planned a ten-year-long unification process, gently guiding the species to meet."
She felt warmth spill into her chest. Remembering her father's notes between the margins, his small hearts and soft musings about the similarities between creating the joining of two such different species. How different and difficult it would be to then graft that onto a species with no genetic similarity whatsoever. He always said it reminded him of his marriage to her mother. A slow, easing merging of hearts and cultures. He had wooed Thue for nearly 9 years before she agreed to marry him.
The flower and their marriage were equal in the care and gentleness they required. The process had only served to further cement both of her parents' emotional commitment to the other. A representation of the life they would eventually create together... Her.
"Your reaction confuses me." Data interrupted her thoughts. "You speak of the arduous process your father took to reach an eventuality that could have been aided by a different approach... Yet you seem to be experiencing great joy and satisfaction on the topic."
"I apologize, Data." Te'elis recentered her thoughts. "I was lost in my thoughts. This subject brings me great joy, and great comfort." Data tilted his head confusedly but waited for her to continue. "My father often equated the process of creating this species to the process of courting my mother. An easing rather than a sudden, forceful joining perpetrated by artificial selection." She met Data's eyes once more. "He said he would have read the entire genetic structure of each species line by line if it meant it would be his hands that brought the offspring."
"I see." Data inferred. "Your father found value in the meticulous process as it paralleled his patience and determination, as well as his gentleness and tranquility. All required personality traits to pursue a courtship with a race so different from his own."
"My mother, yes." She laughed softly. "A Romulan woman is not easily impressed nor is she simple to understand. My parents are both steady. My father is tranquil like the ocean, still, contemplative and compassionate." She wiped a stray tear in the corner of her eye. "My mother is steadfast like a mountain. Unbroken, unbowed... unbending. She lives in conviction and surety in her capabilities and herself."
"They have similar basic structure." She concluded. "A perfect, yet tedious prospect for the creation of something entirely new."
"I presume you refer to yourself." He spoke softly. "As well as the specimen." Data studied her face. The warm flush of emotion on her golden cheeks, the widening of her pupil throughout the conversation. The slight rise in temperature and the measuredness of her breathing. He often admired the way an organic body reacted physically to emotion. One could almost compare it to the symphonies he had studied and practiced with musical instruments. A melody of life, love and joy. It was art. He found no other adequate word in his programming to describe it. It met every definition in every culture of artistry. All of this he considered in the tenth of a second it took for him to continue speaking.
"Your father seems to possess a significant capability for love." He noted. "Affection. By literary and historical definition, one could refer to him as a 'romantic'."
"You could say that again." She chuckled, feeling a surprising level of calm and... even joy at the android's presence.
"By literary and historical-" Data began, but she stopped him with a hand on his bicep, finding it soft despite her expectation of solid metal.
"I'm sorry, Data. It was a turn of phrase. I didn't mean to confuse you." She dipped her head. "I find your presence strangely comforting, if I may say so." Her gaze softened as she studied his expression, or lack thereof. "Most conversations I've had on Starfleet vessels... or in Starfleet to begin with- tended to be short."
"I assume you mean because of your mixed heritage." Data concluded, softening his features to imitate reassurance. He found often if he matched his expression to the intended effect desired by his conclusions- however straightforward and factual they may be -made those capable of emotion more at ease, and helped communicate his intentions clearly. "I assure you, Te'elis- I am an android. I am incapable of bias or prejudice in regard to race, species, appearance, sexuality, romantic delineation, sex or gender, reli-"
"Thank you, Data." She squeezed his arm gently, reassuring him she was satisfied with his response. "I understand your meaning. I'm grateful to you. It is refreshing to be... simply another person in a conversation rather than an enemy."
"I have also enjoyed this conversation, Te'elis." Data agreed. "But you have yet to explain the Romulan component of this species. As well as its name."
"Yes, my apologies. I got sidetracked by my emotions." She conceded, looking down, suddenly embarrassed.
"There is no need for apology." Data furrowed his brows, confused once more. "As I am devoid of emotion, I find the experiences of others to be opportunities to learn. To witness emotion through the eyes of an objective spectator. My creator compared it to witnessing a type of archaic human theatrical performance that incorporated vocal and orchestral accompaniment- known colloquially as 'Opera'."
"I never thought about it that way." She turned the idea over in her mind, considering its merit. "I suppose you are correct. Emotion can be witnessed as a performance. Actors often invoke emotion as a way of creating art, of communicating beauty." She met his eyes once more. "It makes sense that... as an android, to you the witnessing of experiencing emotion would hold similar qualities to an artistic experience."
"Fascinating." He expressed a smile, indicating to her visually that he was perhaps... impressed, or seen. "In the words of a human slang term, you read my mind."
"I didn't realize that was possible." Te'elis laughed. The sound ringing in the air similar to bells. She focused back onto the flower. "The Romulan species is called-" She spoke the name of the specimen in its original tongue, Romulan. Words slipping from her mouth easily and with certainty, the pronunciation comfortable... like the words came to her as an old friend. "But its colloquial name translates loosely to 'Nebula Flower'. Because of its semi-translucent and jelly-like appearance."
"And your father managed to merge the species with the hybrid of the earth-native species?" Data questioned, the circuits in his eyes taking in the color and the structure of the plant in a way beyond the human eye could. He could see the flashes of electrical currents running through it, the soft undulation of the jelly-reminiscent petals.
"No... I did." She answered shyly, a full blush coming to her cheeks now. "We were at an impasse, unsure of where to start the unification process. I spent a year formulating a way to remove genetic code from existing cells and replacing it with another in a way that wouldn't result in degradation of the cloned code. It took me months."
"You also did this manually, like your father?" Data inferred, looking at her like she'd told him some impressive secret. "In only a year, that amount of work is unlikely to succeed within the allotted time. Your success is incredibly impressive." He refocused attention on the flower, offering her a hand as she stood, rising with her. "Does this hybrid species have a name?" Data asked.
Te'elis smiled warmly at the flower as she stood, fingers lingering unconsciously around Data's for a moment longer than strictly necessary, or proper. "Sumdara-Te'elis." She answered.
Data's eyes twitched for half a second. "Sumdara. A word from an ancient Earth language called 'Hindi'; meaning 'beautiful'." He tilted his head down slightly to look at her. "Te'elis means 'song' in Romulan."
"Beautiful-Song." She agreed. "My name comes from my mother's culture, he prefixed it with a word from the language of his people. My father would be considered a part of the Hindu culture. Two completely different languages... But when translated."
"They convey a cohesive and meaningful message." Data finished, nodding in agreement. "Thank you for explaining the specimen to me. It was an enjoyable experience."
"Thank you, Data." She dipped her head. "For the company. I enjoyed your presence. You are the first person besides the Captain to make me feel entirely.... welcome on the Enterprise."
Data's eyebrows flared briefly in surprise, processing the information. "In that case... It was my pleasure, Lieutenant."
Te'elis nodded gratefully, "My quarters are calling me. If there is nothing else, Commander?" She straightened her posture, almost mimicking attention at his presence.
"Nothing further, Lieutenant." He confirmed, she dipped her head politely before ending the program and leaving the simulation, leaving Data alone on the holodeck. After a moment he turned towards the console. "Computer," He waited for the answering chirp before continuing. "Recall last run program."
The garden reappeared. Data spotted a bench a few feet away and moved towards it, taking a seat. His eyes scanned over the expansive gardens. The harmonious mix of logical order and organic and personal flair. He noted every species and every specimen planted in the garden. The hybrid tree growing a cross between a Romulan fruit and an Earth-native apple.
There was soft birdsong from multiple species indicating that the program was set to be somewhere around the region of Spain, approximately 17:48 hours. He recalled certain texts referring to a 'paradise' or 'garden of eden' in different cultures.
He imagined Te'elis probably pictured it to look something like this.