nexus_crossings | (no subject)

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Now getting lost is one thing.

The base this blue humanoid gentleman hails from currently is dense and very easy to get turned around in. Every third street curves over another or the building you wanted was on the underside of some other arch and it can just be a mess trying to get around Yorktown. Norn would be just fine if he was simply a little bit lost. That's a sad way of life for the Andorian.

But to get so lost that he can no longer see the other arching streets of the base? So lost he feels like he's stepped into a Vulcan shop for how high the temperatures have risen? How there's actual humidity leaving the air heavy? It almost feels like he's no longer on the base.

Oh. Oh no.

Luckily there's a very helpful if not garishly dressed human on a screen in the Plaza. It doesn't help the man in a simple red and black uniform to get back home, but knowing there is a system in place quells the panic for the time being. He takes a seat on an unoccupied couch and props his chin in one equally blue hand while watching the denizens of the Nexus wander around. His antennae perk up ever so slightly once he's made up his mind. The next person he sees he'll ask.

"Have you ever broken a rule by...by accident? How did you handle it or the aftermath?" Norn is pretty sure this counts as some kind of leaving his post. Even though he's speaking directly at someone his voice is a quiet hush. Like he might fear being overheard or maybe his internal volume button doesn't go past five.

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He forgot how Jim tends to react to the mere thought of his superiors learning anything. However bemusing his textual panic is, it does get through to the Imperial and he's quick to respond with an attempt at reassurance.

Don't worry so much. I'll take care of him. He seems harmless enough. All you need to do is cover for him so nobody goes looking.

"...Hmm? Oh." He looks back up at Norn, realizing that his new friend looks just as nervous about this as Jim sounds. And here he thought Starfleet officers would handle planes-hopping much better than his narrow-minded kinfolk. "Try to relax. I'm sure this is all rather a shock, but it's perfectly safe." A beat. "For now. Anyway, the good news is that the captain's just asked me to see that you're properly briefed. But first, we do need to check whether the portal you entered through is still open."

Look, Felix. There's huge consequences when you start playing around with time. They have entire Investigation departments dedicated to making sure people don't screw things up too badly. It's really best to be careful especially when there's random doors connecting a Starfleet base to the Nexus.

"You told th-the captain?" Well, that's one worry dealt with and out of his hands. That's not worrisome in the slightest, having some human he barely knows inform the captain he's skipping work to play in transdimensional pockets. Then again, this Felix Caelus is a new crew member. They are supposed to look out for one another.

"I don't recall going through any special kind of door..."

"I told you I'd make sure you weren't in trouble." See? He may be shockingly casual about interdimensional anomalies, but he's a good crew-mate. Just the sort of fellow you want to be friends with, Norn.

"Hmm. That might bode well. Stable portals tend to attach to physical openings around here. I can only speculate why. They're uncommon, though, so I expect your route in has already closed. I can get us back, by the way- no need to worry about that. Which way did you come?"

Tamrielic conjurers may share virtually none of Starfleet's caution when it comes to these things, but even Felix doesn't want to contemplate the mess that would result from a publicly open portal to the station. There's also a faint twinge of worry that this might be partially his own fault. But who knows? The Nexus does what it wants.

He gives Norn a thoughtful look. "You seem wise enough to realize the significance of what you've just stumbled across. And how dangerous knowledge is, in this situation. I'm sure you understand that what you learn here must stay within the bounds of this place." He's nowhere near as good at pulling off the direct look and serious intonation as Stratos, but he's had good examples to follow.

The look of relief that crosses Norn's face is slow but incredibly potent. His entire posture slouches slightly as he heaves a sigh that cuts into a soft chuckle.

"Th..thank you so much, Mr. Caelus." At least if the captain knows he's trying to get back there hopefully won't be too much trouble to come from all of this. Aside from the sheer nightmare logging all of this into the reports is going to be. Norn isn't looking forward to that at all.

"Temporal anomalies and spacetime manipulation events became mandatory training post the Narada incident." It's weird Felix doesn't seem to have any of that, but Norn's antennae perk slightly and he hurries to clarify. "A-at least they did for Starfleet. I forget you're a civilian. I..I understand this is a classified event."

"'Felix' is fine. And it's my pleasure. Crew-mates ought to watch one another's backs, right?" Besides, Norn will be much better company if Felix can persuade him to relax at least halfway.

Classified. That's a useful word. One Felix definitely won't abuse in the future. And he should really read up on just what Starfleet's teaching people about plane-walking, if only to cover his back. Jim surely has some useful notes lying around somewhere.

"Precisely." This time there's a rueful quirk to his smile. "The captain picks his staff so carefully, I expected we could count on you. But it's best to ask. My own training was rather different. No doubt the captain will speak with you later. In the meantime, let me show you around. It's much safer than you might think, and it's not every day you stumble across an interplanar crossroads. Even in Starfleet."

"Just Felix. I....I can handle that." Keeping things simple is just fine for Norn especially if Felix more than alright with it too. So many customs and interactions can be needlessly complicated but Norn is glad this Felix seems to be simple to talk to. It helps take some of the edge off of being in this place, intimidating as it can be.

"You...seem to be quite close with the captain. I'm surprised." Mostly because aside from Dr. McCoy, Spock, and Mr. Scott Norn hasn't seen the captain hang out with too many folks in his off hours.

"Why? He's an easy man to get along with." Felix flashes Norn a grin, gesturing ahead before he leads the way. They may as well stroll while they talk - there's so much for his new friend to see before Jim arrives and starts acting responsible.

"But no, you're right. It's not long since I arrived in- on? - Yorktown, and with this new ship he's had very little time for socializing. Not that I've been much better. It's nice to finally meet a member of the crew besides Spock and the doctor." Mostly the doctor at that, and too often in the form of "HELP I got his blood to stay inside for five minutes now what??"

Oh good.

Felix knows his way around this place. That's--while suspicious--a huge relief to the Andorian who's been wandering around here lost and far far from home. He falls into step next to and a touch behind Felix.

"I...I enjoy serving under him but I confess I don't know the captain very well outside of the job. ....I tend to keep to myself." Socializing means interacting with people as a cohesive unit and that's a mite bit nerve wracking for a guy who can barely get ten words out at a time.

"I-it's good you already know so many of the senior officers, for your job I mean."

There's no sense in trying to play the lost innocent himself, Felix has already decided. It would be tedious, and unhelpful, and far too easy for Norn to catch him out on. In any case he expects the comms officer is going to learn most of the truth eventually - definitely far more than Jim would like. Might as well accept that now and win some of Norn's trust out of the bargain.

"I suppose so. I've never worked aboard a ship before." And he'd be lying if he said he wasn't a little apprehensive about how he's going to fit into that, when he's not by Jim's side. The social conventions are so different, his official role a convenient front and an unfamiliar one at that. So many lies to be maintained.

It's not even one of his biggest concerns these days, but it's there.

"I expect it's going to be a whole new way of life to me," he remarks. "But I always find it helps immensely to know a few friendly faces around. Have you been with the Enterprise long?"

Just the fact that Norn's here is more than Jim would like, but so far as emergency situations regarding the Nexus and Starfleet this couldn't have happened to a better officer. The Lieutenant chances another small smile that does its very best to be reassuring.

It's not a smile he's used to giving.

"..Y-you really do get used to it. And the pilots are all excellent at their jobs. I hardly notice we're moving most of the time." He has no way of knowing Felix has plenty of experience being on a ship but that's fine. "Only since th-the captain returned to duty post his...uhm. Injuries. After the attacks in London and San Francisco a few years ago." That wipes the smile off of his face in a hurry.

Both the attacks and knowing the captain had been dead for a while there.

Ah, kindness. The smile Felix gives him carries a hint of gratitude, though it's swiftly followed by a more somber turn in the conversation.

"I see. I didn't know Jim at the time but I've heard... most of the details, I think. It must have been a difficult time for the whole crew." Not that he's picking a better time to join, is he? "So that would be... three years? Why, you're a veteran by now."

Norn gives a nervous chuckle. He can't fake confidence very well but he knows well enough he wouldn't be on the bridge at any shift if he wasn't up to snuff. Nyota casts a large shadow but he's got a few specialties of his own and its enough for him. Being able to help when things get tough and study all the phenomena they run across is more than its own reward.

"You would have liked the old ship. I-I'm told our new vessel will be the most advanced in the fleet though. ....So that will be interesting." Hopefully that means the Captain will treat it carefully. He can hope right?

"Oh, yes. Jim tells me the new labs are going to be quite spectacular." His tone is a little amused - and he never does hide the hint of affection when he speaks about Jim. The ship's improvements are one of those topics that go over Felix's head and they both know it. For the Imperial, any lab with computers and invisible 'sensors' (that are not spells at all because of science reasons) and everything is made of glass... that's all a bit too alien to grasp readily. Yet Jim talks about it all with such enthusiasm and clarity that Felix finds himself getting excited, too.

"I expect the improvements will make your job a great deal easier, too. At least I hope so. After all, in a sticky situation communications are our first line of defense."

"Oh...? When did you meet th-the captain?"

Jim.

So Mr. Caelus is on a first name basis with the captain. That's an interesting factoid now lodged into the lieutenant's head. A close friend by the tones his speech is taking on. Being able to listen and pay attention are the two skills he's spent his life honing but in all honesty Felix isn't trying to hide it any.

"Lt. Uhura is the Alpha bridge comms officer. She's going to be taking myself and Lt. Caldessi through the changes and upgrades to the system once we're allowed on the ship properly to begin getting it ready for a shakedown run. ...I'm looking forward to it." As much as they've all needed the time to recover and mourn their lost comrades spending this long grounded isn't doing any of them any favors. Just delaying how long before they get to see their families again after the five year mission since it's on hold now.

Not that Norn has any family he'd want to return to really. He just felt much more useful on the ship than he does here in endless meetings he never speaks up in.

"Well, it can't have been very long after that. He was already back on duty by then, I remember." Felix rubs his chin as if trying to figure it out. Getting too specific with the timeline would probably give too much away too soon, since Jim couldn't have had many opportunities to meet strangers while on his mission. By way of distraction he points out a couple of the stand-alone doorways that dot the plaza.

"Do you see those? Stable portals. It's usually inadvisable to go through one unless you're sure of where it leads- and how you'll get back. They could lead absolutely anywhere you might imagine. Some of them are less obvious; as a general rule, just be sure to look before you enter."

He considers, then. "I've met the lieutenant once, but we didn't really talk. I'm told she's not someone to suffer fools." By his brother, when Stratos can be coaxed to talk about that encounter without blushing. "What does a shakedown run usually entail? Nothing overly exciting, I assume?"

Norn was in fact trying to figure out where that would make Felix from--he was at least in San Francisco while the Enterprise was being refitted after Captain Kirk's injuries. But his line of thought is utterly overturned at the named stable portals Felix is gesturing to now.

It's alarming how unguarded they are. How everyone more or less ignores them as though they're precisely where they're meant to be. And perhaps they are, but as to what kinds of worlds they lead to? And for all of this and all these worlds to be so close to Yorktown? It makes a guy kind of nervous. Especially if that's one of his default settings to begin with.

"...That's an apt description of Lt. Uhura." A sage nod accompanies his words. She's the kind of fearless other species looks sideways at humanity for. But unlike the Captain's fearlessness to the point of recklessness, hers is tempered enough to have some semblance of a healthy understanding of danger. She's someone Norn looks up to quite a bit. "She also tends to say what she means, so you'll never wonder how she feels about you."

His accent's certainly off, although maybe it's from an Earth language Norn hasn't heard before? Some of his phrasing might seem a little odd too: for all the time he's spent around Jim, Felix really hasn't picked up his slang and is only slowly bothering to learn Federation terminology.

The only reason he isn't quizzing Norn about his own history is because it would be far too easy an opening to turn the question back around.

Felix laughs at that. "That's a pleasant change sometimes, isn't it? Maybe a little dangerous for some of us, but I can't imagine anyone thinking ill of you. Starfleet's people always seem so... generous-minded anyway."

There are plenty of Earth languages he's unfamiliar with. Unlike Uhura he doesn't have a seemingly endless number of languages he can hold onto at a given time and with the universal translators it's easy enough to stick with English and set his focuses on other species most used languages rather than getting drug through the weeds of every planet's multitude of dialects and languages.

Plus, if Felix if from a colony originally there's no telling what he was taught so far as language goes growing up. It could have been a mishmash of several different species and regions all coming together to form it's own pidgin language--no he'll settle for listening carefully and taking contextual clues on any phrases the translator won't really know what to do with.

"Understanding human social customs isn't...always easy. I like that she doesn't leave me guessing."

"Are we so bad as that?" He sounds amused. "Well, I suppose we can be complicated. It's always such a rush trying to get to grips with the customs of whichever group you fall in with. But I don't expect I'd have the least idea how to conduct myself on... Andoria?" He's sure that's the name. Probably. It sounds right, like Jim's said it to him before.

"You probably wouldn't like it. Most humans don't. ...My people are not known to be very friendly as a rule."

He seems to have gotten it right. Norn gives a shrug of one shoulder and looks uncharacteristically annoyed by the mention of his peoples' home planet. There's not a lot of lost love between he and his brothers and sisters. How do humans describe such a thing? Probably 'it's complicated'.

"I'm from a colony myself though. I...have blood on Andoria obviously. But I haven't been back in a long time."

Well, that's an interesting shift in expression he catches. It seems this lieutenant's not entirely on the same page as much of his race. Felix has seen that sort of diffidence before - Altmer legionnaires, irritated Nords, 'city' Orcs... everyone has their disagreements with kin. Even he does, in his own small way.

"How many places are welcoming of outsiders?" he asks breezily with a shrug of his own. If that's an odd perspective for a Federation citizen, it really doesn't occur to him. "It's rather the same for me, of course. Even if I had time to go traveling back to the old colony I'd have practically no-one to visit. Most of my family are on travels of their own." He laughs then, waves a hand at the bizarre architecture and even stranger crowds around them. "Besides, it's hard to think about going home when there's so much exploration to be done."

"Outsiders? Well Andoria is still a part of the Federation. They're not hostile."

For crying out loud, they're one of the founding Federation species. In a way it's his peoples' own fault for being so isolationist in their social integration into the federation even if they are deeply vested in the political, economic, and security concerns of the alliance. Still, he's often surprised how wary humans can be of him. Sigh.

"I'm sorry....none of this is looking familiar to me. I don't see anything that looks like a doorway I could have used."

"Of course, but you know what people can be like. Especially faced with anything the least bit unfamiliar to them." Felix does not have room to talk, but if you ask him he's extremely open-minded. For an Imperial, perhaps he is.

Anyway, Norn himself seems friendly enough and Felix only really cares about the Andorian right beside him.

"Oh, well." Felix stops and takes a slower look around. He shouldn't say it, but he's not sensing anything that says 'Jim's plane' to him besides, well, Norn. Not that that's helpful information here. The Nexus is such a tangle of shifting interplanar energies that even to a conjurer's senses (and he fancies his are pretty sharp) it's nigh-impossible to pick out anything specific unless you're right atop the source. "The Nexus does like to be difficult. I suppose we'll just have to go on with the other part for a while."

The smile he turns on Norn says he's not actually sorry about that. "So, do you like gardens? Or are you more of a city boy?"

Edited 2018-08-27 20:30 (UTC)

How people can be like? Yes, Norn is quite well aware of what his people can be like. Humanity also. Considering he opted to work on a ship that's mostly manned by humans Norn's certainly clear where he's thrown his chips in with. Humans are blissfully uninterested in the minutia of someone else's personal business and are more interested in their own. An unfettered relief to the Andorian, truly.

No one asks questions. It's so very nice. It's slightly alarming to Norn that they might be stuck here, but Felix doesn't seem troubled at all by it.

"I uh...if those are the uhm only two options. I prefer a garden. Quieter."

"We have as many options as you can imagine. I just wanted to know which way I should steer us first." He's going to show you everything he thinks you might need to know about, Norn - great library, police station, reliable currency exchanges, the lot. He just takes them in such a direction that the further they go, the more peaceful the streets get. They're heading for the parks bordering the wilds.

Felix can explain things as they go, cheerfully unconcerned about anything except not tipping his new friend off to the fact that they're not from the same universe. And if Norn wonders about his relaxed attitude...

"I know our way back, as I said. But it's best that you know how to fend for yourself here. Ah, there." He points out a gaggle of floating ammonites bobbing around some fruit bushes. "Funny little things, aren't they? I've yet to come up with a name that fits them."

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I thought I tagged this last night HRMMM dream tags

no no those are only enabled on Viatorus's account ;)

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