The Silence Speaks
Posted on 27 Nov 2025 @ 11:17pm by Commander Suzanna Batenburg & Lieutenant Commander Riah Amberlyn XMD & Lieutenant Commander Adrian Sorvak
1,580 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
The Displaced
Location: USS Arawyn
=/\= Cargo Bay =/\=
The cargo bay had been transformed into a temporary living space for the survivors—functional, contained, but made as hospitable as Engineering and Medical could manage on short notice. One quadrant had been converted into a sleeping area, cots arranged in a neat grid, each curtained off for privacy. Another section resembled a communal lounge: low tables, cushioned chairs, and wide-open space meant to feel less like containment and more like respite. A third area served as a cafeteria, with replicators and longer tables arranged so groups could eat together.
The air was different here.
Heavier.
Denser.
Sorvak registered the elevated oxygen concentration the moment he stepped inside. The increased partial pressure pressed subtly against him. He steadied his breathing, bringing physiological response under deliberate control.
The gravity, however, was fractionally lower than standard.
His steps felt lighter—almost buoyant—so he adjusted automatically, shortening his stride to maintain balance and precision.
He nodded at the Security officers stationed at the door and paused just inside the entrance, scanning the assembled personnel.
A small contingent of his Science officers was already present, conferring quietly with a pair of Operations specialists setting up scanners around the perimeter.
The survivors themselves were eating their midday meal, softly murmuring to one another as their bioluminescent pulses shifted gently through several colors.
Suzanna strode into the cargobay, after going through an airlock that had been installed to keep the changed atmospheric conditions in the cargo bay. She noticed the science and operations personnel already there, and didn't like that, but Sorvak was efficient, as she would expect of a half Vulcan. She nodded in greeting to both Sorvak and Dr Amberlyn, who was also present.
Moving closer to the table where the aliens were sitting. She slow nodded once in greeting. "I am Commander Suzanna Batenburg. We are here to help as you have seen. Our universal translator, is working to translater your language so we can communicate properly." She realised they probably couldn't understand her, but just in case, she wanted to state it verbally. "My species is telepathic," she gestured with two fingers to side of her forehead, and then towards the aliens head. "Will you allow me to try?”
The alien’s skin flickered softly and she looked a little confused, or was it just curious. She slowly lifted her hand to touch her own temple. Smiled slightly. The color modulations in her skin were active, but not in the least frantic. There seemed to be a reasonable line of trust.
Suzanna nodded and softened her expression, she lowered her shielding slowly, just in case she would be overwhelmed, but all she sensed was curiosity, not active thoughts or telepathy at the moment. "A Vulcan mind meld. My species, are telephatic. May I touch your face?" She moved her spead out hand slowly to the aliens face. "it is a form of communication.”
The woman sat still for a moment, then raised her hand and reached for Suzanna’s face.
Suzanna nodded, and placed her right hand on the face of the alien and slowly lowered her shielding, "my mind to your mind, my thoughts to your thoughts." Gently she reached out with her mind, showing kindness, and willingness to help.
Sorvak’s team moved closer, positioning scanners in a semicircle around both women.
Almost every measurable parameter was recorded in this meeting of the two minds. Ambient temperature, micro-vocalizations, respiratory cadence, neural activity signatures.
And for the alien woman, the scanners tracked the subdermal bioluminescent pulses with high temporal resolution.
"Commander," Sorvak said softly, "please vocalize anything you perceive, however faint.”
Riah watch the alien woman carefully. She did not like the way the Science department had moved in with too many people and too much equipment. She had supported the idea of Cmdr Batenburg checking with the people to determine if there was a possibility of telepathic communication, but had expected that to be the commander coming in to meet one on one with one of the survivors, not a whole scientific production company.
Riah approached Sorvak and gently took him by the arm and spoke even more softly than he. “Please step back. I believe you are causing concern among the other survivors. Cmdr Batenburg will make a very thorough report, either as this is progressing or later.” Sorvak did step back a little with a bob of his head, which might have meant any number of things.
Indeed several of the other aliens had gathered together into a small group of four and were apparently speaking so softly, Riah doubted the science equipment was picking up the sound at all. Riah walked over to nurse Clara Barton and whispered that she might go over and try to reassure the four aliens that all was well. Clara had made quiet and effective inroads of communication with the aliens. Her quiet and peaceful manner was a universal language of comfort. Then the Doctor returned her attention to the Commander and the alien woman, who she noted as blinking fairly rapidly, her attention fixed on Batenburg’s face. She looked to her medical technician who was keeping tabs on the woman’s vital signs for evidence of physical or mental distress. He caught her eye and nodded that all was well.
Sorvak did not really see any concern among the other survivors, but once the doctor pushed him back, he realized that she was correct: by focusing entirely on the mind-meld, he had risked missing the larger pattern. The interaction was not only between Batenburg and the single alien— he might be missing important data that could be essential in setting up a translation matrix.
Motioning his team back, he murmured instructions: “Wide-field scan. Entire group. Full-spectrum capture.”
As the updated sensor feeds poured in, Sorvak’s attention sharpened. The readings were unmistakable.
The bioluminescent pulses of the surrounding survivors were synchronizing—shifting gradually toward a common rhythm. Their signals were aligning with the woman in the meld… or perhaps she was aligning with them.
He stepped away from the cluster and approached the Operations technicians.
“Begin linking the universal translator nodes,” he instructed. “Prioritize harmonic inputs and cross-reference with synchronized pulse modulation. We are observing a group-level communicative response. The translator must be calibrated to capture both individual output and collective resonance.”
Suzanna sensed concern coming from the aliens, and did her best to send reassuring thoughts to her, and in pictures, tried to relay that this was done to help improve our universal translator, so that they could communicate normally. Suddenly she noticed more voices in the mind meld, soft, murmuring in the background, but it did appear that the aliens had a form of telepathic communication. She couldn't make out the murmuring though. Once again she tried to explain what the crew was doing, to take measurements to assist the universal translator. The alien seemed to relax a little and give an Ok. Next Suzanna sent images of Starfleet crew repairing their ship, and once again asked for permission. There was more murmuring, before there, too, came an OK. With those basics taken care off, she took her leave, in the mind meld, and thanked the alien, while slowly withdrawing from the meld. Once completed, she placed her right hand across her body towards her left shoulder, and bowed slightly, "Thank you."
Sorvak watched the exchange. He did not want to get a report later of what had gone on during the mind-meld. It was essential to understand what cognitive processes were linked to the subdermal pulses, and that could not be reconstructed second-hand.
But he would take whatever he could get in the moment—and this, he realized, was already substantial.
The science team conferred briefly and one of the linguists connected a PADD to the UT array.
Sorvak loaded the last pulse signature the scanners had recorded - this would have been when Commander Batenburg requested permission to assist their damaged vessel.
He played it back.
“Help ship,” he said aloud as the UT projected the pulse overlay.
Then he queued the synchronized group-pulse pattern the survivors had displayed moments earlier and played that as well—watching their faces closely.
“Help ship,” he repeated.
A quiet ripple passed through the aliens. Their murmured harmonics shifted; several leaned together; the color modulation beneath their skin brightened. Communication was happening—layered, multifaceted.
Sorvak adjusted his stance, pointed gently toward the group, and said:
“Help you.”
The survivors’ pulses aligned sharply, harmonizing into the same steady signature Batenburg had elicited during the meld. The UT had already catalogued this pattern as recognition and acceptance, based on the Commander’s observed response after the meld.
Sorvak turned to Batenburg. “Commander, the pulse signature matches the acceptance pattern. They are affirming. We should add more words-”
Riah was mesmerized. She could feel the energy in the room change. It was palpable. Perhaps a hint of what the aliens were able to feel themselves. A warm buzzy feeling, but soft, just a perceptible vibration in her shoulders and the back of her neck and scull. Something amazing was happening, and she was witness to it unfolding.
The alien woman who had mind-melded with the XO stepped forward.
Her bioluminescent patterns brightened as she shaped the words.
"We.. home," she said.
~~~
Lt Cmdr Adrian Sorvak
Chief Science Officer
apb Mira
LtCmdr Riah Amberlyn, XMD
Chief Medical Officer
Cmdr Suzanna Batenburg
Executive Officer
Everything fits, otherwise we‘ll make it fit!
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