[OOM] Talk with Ensign Rager

[ol_yellow_eyes]

It has been a normal, uneventful night shift. Today will not be completely normal for Data, however—Captain Picard has all but ordered that his second officer take the majority of the day off, pointing out that Data hardly ever takes any time to relax. Data resisted the impulse to remind the captain that he has no need of rest, as that observation has never changed the captain's mind in the past in regards to this issue.

Data is relieved of his night watch as usual by Commander Riker. While he is making his report, he notices Ensign Rager take her usual seat at the helm, and is reminded of something. It is rare that he and Ensign Rager are off-duty at the same time, but today that will be the case. Perhaps he should take advantage of it, since there was something he wanted to ask her.

Before he leaves the bridge, Data approaches her seat at the helm.

"Ensign. May I speak with you after you have completed your shift?"

Comments

[ol-yellow-eyes.livejournal.com]

Data takes a moment to confirm, "So you have been to the Bar, then?" He adds, "When Captain Kirk mentioned you, I was not certain that we were from the same universe. It occurred to me that we might possibly be from similar, parallel universes."

[visible_sariel]

Starfleet gets a person thinking in certain ways, doesn't it?

Sariel looks slightly sheepish as she replies, but he hasn't reprimanded her yet, he hasn't called her out on anything, and that seems as though it counts for something. "When Captain Kirk mentioned you to me, I thought much the same thing, sir." Beat. Two. "To confirm--yes, sir. I have."

She doesn't explain in greater detail just yet, but whether that's a touch of the same uncertainty or simply her waiting to be asked isn't clear. Probably both.

[ol-yellow-eyes.livejournal.com]

So she already knew of his presence in Milliways. Intriguing. Data finds it understandable, though, that she did not approach him with the issue.

"I am curious," he says, folding his hands on the table. "Why did you choose not to report the existence of Milliways to any of your fellow officers?"

It is not a reprimand, merely a question-- after all, Data also refrained from making an official report. He is simply curious to hear if Sariel's reasoning for doing so was similar to his own.

Then again, it is perhaps difficult to tell from Data's tone of voice whether he is reprimanding her or not. He so rarely sounds stern, even when he is offering criticism.

[visible_sariel]

This is very true. It's little wonder Sariel's still treading the line between formality and lack thereof. Still distinctly uncertain, as well.

"If I had reported its existence, it would likely have sparked an in-depth investigation at best, sir." Pause. "At worst--" she sounds a little more the junior in junior officer than usual for a second, a little more the shy, thoughtful kid born with a need to fly. "I'm not certain I would have been believed."

[ol-yellow-eyes.livejournal.com]

If Data notices her uncertainty, he does not give any indication of it.

What he says next might alleviate some of that uncertainty, however. "Those were my conclusions as well," he tells her. "It occurred to me that allowing Milliways to be overrun with Starfleet officers wishing to study such a fascinating temporal-spatial anamoly might be a violation of the Prime Directive. And because the appearance of Milliways is somewhat unpredictable, I also considered the possibility of not being believed, and having difficulty showing evidence to support my claim."

After a short pause, he suggests, "Perhaps we should continue to keep this information between ourselves."

[visible_sariel]

Oh, whew! Not that Sariel's saying that aloud, but the worst of the tension slowly ebbing from her face and posture might be a close approximation of the same. "Exactly, sir." This time it's her turn to pause.

"If you believe that to be best, sir." Beat. "Unless someone else aboard ship discovers a door."

Who's to say someone won't? Two on a ship of a thousand people have already...

[ol-yellow-eyes.livejournal.com]

"Actually, the captain visited Milliways briefly," Data mentions. "But I have not seen him there since, and he has not mentioned anything about it."

It is possible that the Picard who visited Milliways is from a slightly different universe, so Data does not plan on saying anything about it to him.

[visible_sariel]

Why not three indeed! Sariel looks distinctly startled. "Captain Picard visited Milliways, sir?"

Pause. Little bit longer. "Could he have been a version of Captain Picard from a closely-related reality?" Or their own, who's now keeping his visit quiet exactly as Commander Data and herself have... but she isn't voicing that possibility aloud. It's not her place, somehow.

[ol-yellow-eyes.livejournal.com]

"I have considered that possibility," Data replies. "That is why I have not asked him about it."

[visible_sariel]

"Understood, sir." She means that, above and including formality.