Shayhiloosh's Story
Shayhiloosh Post #1
Mission: Reflections of Van Helsing and the Dragon, Day 4
Mission: Available Light, Day 16
Stardate: 2407.02.03
(Starbase Geneva – Botanical Gardens – Botanist Ensign Shayhiloosh – 2000)
Shayhiloosh sighed from hir leafy boughs. It was quiet now in the Botanical Gardens. S/he could relax and do a bit of exploring. In waking, s/he felt refreshed, and had fed all day in the fertile soil amidst the small grove of trees far off of the much traveled pathways. Shayhiloosh stretched hir sleep stiffened boughs and rustled appreciatively.
With the coming of the night cycle, the birds and other small animals settled down to rest. Shayhiloosh felt almost overfed between photosynthesis and rooting in the rich soil for such a long period of daylight hours. S/he was certainly bursting with energy and needed to put that into movement or budding and new growth. As s/he already was as tall as was possible, yet still able to function and fit easily into this mainly humanoid society, movement was preferable. Extending hir roots on top of the soil and hir eyestalks to look about, Shayhiloosh began to meander through the Geneva’s Botanical Gardens, under what s/he knew to be simulated starlight and a simulated full moon, but thankful to the Great Elders to be alive and exulting in hir present environment. It seemed an eternity since hir had last rooted in such an idyllic setting. Starbase Geneva had a well balanced ecosystem in their Gardens, complete with water reclamation, many smaller flowering deciduous trees, a few of the larger pines and conifers, and flowering plants and shrubs. Shayhiloosh found the small lake at the center of the Gardens after wandering for quite some time on the stone pathways. S/he sighed all the way from hir tiniest rootlets to the tips of hir highest leaves at such luxury so far from home in space. The tiny points of starlight and moonlight from overhead reflected in the water surface, sparkling and twinkling.
The small lake contained the largest collected amount of water on the station and was a significant reservoir. Shayhiloosh dipped a single rootlet into the water to check for purity and found it palatable though with a slight metallic overlay of flavor. S/he estimated .00000231 percent of metals in the water. ~It is contained in a metal station and is therefore to be expected.~ S/he thrust a few larger roots into the water to drink deeply. The garden soil, though fertile and damp, had not supplied enough moisture and Shayhiloosh was parched.
As s/he was about to withdraw from the water, Shayhiloosh heard a noise. One of the entrances was some way off and the staff kept their machinery well lubricated. S/he had heard no squeaking of the portal doors parting. At the approaching footsteps Shayhiloosh froze as s/he was, fearful of discovery. Though s/he had been warned, Shayhiloosh was undeterred in hir quest for interspecies understanding and the truth about the Federation’s civil war. So in cautious determination, s/he withdrew hir eyestalks into hir upper boughs, peeking out from hir leaves quietly, remaining motionless.
A small humanoid approached the lake, a human male walking with a smaller four legged creature. The two were connected by a flat looking finely woven vine. From pictures and holograms Shayhiloosh had seen back at the Academy, s/he guessed it was a variety of canine, one of those referred to as terriers. Though canines were semi-sentient, they could be lethal creatures if frightened or provoked.
Oddly, the canine seemed to be leading the human, sniffing industriously and constantly, following some type of scent. With a dawning horror, Shayhiloosh realized the canine was following where s/he had walked through the Gardens. In what Shayhiloosh perceived as a deliberate show of defiance, the canine trotted to a nearby bush, and lifting a back leg, proceeded to urinate on the plant. Disgusted by such behavior, Shayhiloosh hoped the animal would not attempt such an action toward hirself. The creature then proceeded to dig all four feet into the ground, marring the thick turf and flinging grass, leaves and soil everywhere.
Putting its snout to the ground again, the canine followed the meandering path Shayhiloosh had taken toward the lake. It approached hir roots and stopped staring straight at Shayhiloosh, bared sharp wicked looking teeth and began growling aggressively.
“What is it, Fling?” asked the small human, looking about for the source of the creature’s discomfort. “What’s the matter boy? There’s nothing here but a tree and the lake, just like always.” He looked around and then back toward the motionless dark tree. “I haven’t seen that tree here before. They must have planted it since I have been here. But they didn’t do a very good job.” The human poked at hir roots. The canine continued growling and snarling toward Shayhiloosh, bounding about the boy aggressively. “Hey there Fling, it’s alright. There isn’t anyone here but us,” said the boy. He stooped to pet the animal, stroking its white wiry coat in a failed attempt at reassurance. “Look I’ll show you.” Caught by surprise, Shayhiloosh could only watch in astonishment as the youngling shimmied up his body and levering up Shayhiloosh’s main branches, proceeded to put a hard booted foot into hir branch crotch.
“That hurts!” said Shayhiloosh emphatically. Hir main branches bent quickly to catch the human who had let go in fright. Shayhiloosh caught the boy before hitting the ground, knowing of humans’ frailty. The canine, barking wildly, reached a new crescendo.
Extending hir eyestalks, Shayhiloosh gently deposited hir small burden to the ground. The youngling was sitting and backed up quickly, eyes wide in a frightened pale face. “Come here Fling,” said the boy, hauling the growling dog close and enfolding it in shaking arms. The human stared up at the gently swaying eyestalks in amazement.
“Are you injured?’ inquired Shayhiloosh. At the boy’s negative headshake, Shayhiloosh spoke again in his breezy whispery voice. “I will not hurt you, but your foot hurt me in my crotch.” Shayhiloosh paused and until this moment hir had not realized how lonely the Gardens now seemed. “I would like your company. I am only staying for a short time. I am sorry I frightened you.”
S/he looked at the boy with concern and drooped in sorrow. There were no elders of which to ask endless questions, or sprouts to teach, and no visitors with which to converse. For one daylight shift and this night cycle Shayhiloosh had stayed quiet, hidden from prying eyes in a more remote area of the Gardens, waiting until the Security Chief would let hir know that hir transport had arrived. But now hir presence was known and there could be trouble. “If any other than the Security Chief or the commanding officer know of my existence, my life may be at risk. Please do not betray me,” pleaded Shayhiloosh.
The human’s face blanched, and then like a ray of sunlight from behind a cloud, a charming look came across the boy’s face. “I won’t tell anyone. You want to talk to me? Nobody ever wants to talk to me. They always tell me to go away and to be quiet. You are the first one who ever wanted me to talk!” said the boy in amazement. Then his face changed, wrinkling in worry. “You’re not here to invade us, are you?”
“No, young sprout, I have no such plan of conquest.” Shayhiloosh laughed breezily through hir quaking leaves. “I am a newly graduated Ensign from Starfleet Academy. My name is Shayhiloosh and I am traveling to my assignment in the science department on the USS Boudicca. I will leave soon.” Hir branches, leaves and trunk drooped again. “I have had to remain hidden. But I am alone.”
The boy nodded and hugging the dog spoke reassuringly. “It’s alright boy. This is a friend.” The youngling reached into a pocket and pulled out a brightly colored ball. The dog, distracted, became excited and wagging its short tail leaped out of the boy’s arms. It jumped around the boy in wild abandon, barking maniacally. The human threw the ball and the canine went racing after it, voicing its excitement.
“My dog loves to play. If you throw the ball for Fling, you’ll have a friend for life,” laughed the human sprout with bared teeth.
”How old are you and what are you called?” asked Shayhiloosh. The sprout proudly stood and said, “My name is Piotr Iosovich. I live on Deck 8 with my mother and father. I am in my second year of grade school and I’m seven. My father is in the science department.” Piotr paused, considering. “You’ll have to leave the Gardens if you want to board a ship.” Just then Fling came bounding back holding the ball in a drooling happy mouth and dropped it at Piotr’s feet, jumping and wriggling in energetic motion. Piotr picked up the ball to the Fling’s rapturous delight. “Here sir.” Handing the ball to Shayhiloosh, the boy grinned again. “Throw it, sir. Fling will love it.” Shayhiloosh doubted that, judging by the number of teeth in Fling’s mouth s/he had seen recently, but obligingly threw the ball. In a few moments Fling brought the ball back and happily dropped it at hir roots. When Shayhiloosh bent down to pick up the ball, the dog reacted, intimidated, and backed away barking noisily.
Shayhiloosh threw the ball again in an effort to quiet the noisy creature. Off it leaped to find the ball. It seemed very excitable for a companion. “I think Fling likes you now,” said Piotr. “I hope so,” answered Shayhiloosh, thinking of the high number of sharp teeth in its mouth. “Is school enjoyable?” asked Shayhiloosh. “I hate school,” said Piotr kicking the ground disconsolately. “They make me write and spell when I want to know how stuff works. I like to take stuff apart, only Mama doesn’t like that. Papa just laughs and says I will be a good engineer some day. Why should I do spelling? It’s so hard!”
Reaching down, Shayhiloosh gently picked up Piotr and after sitting the boy on a main branch angled at ninety degrees, hir began to walk along the lake shore. Piotr was surprised but looked thrilled by the scenery change. One eyestalk looked at Piotr closely. “Communication between you and others should be very clear, Piotr Iosovich. For example, if you wish to accomplish putting together a warp engine assembly on a ship of any kind, you must know what the names of the pieces are and how they go together. You will need to help coordinate with others to do this type of work. Either you must learn to communicate easily and fluently, or give up what you enjoy doing best to do something else you may not like as well. One must do something with one’s lifetime, as life is precious.”
Fling caught up with them, holding the ball in a sloppy wet mouth, and walked happily alongside.
“I suppose,” said Piotr reluctantly. “I guess I better start working on learning how to spell warp engine parts.”
“That is the idea,” agreed Shayhiloosh leaves quaking with laughter. “I commend you on your choice.”
Just then a voice came over the commbadge Shayhiloosh was wearing. =^=Security Chief to Ensign Shayhiloosh.=^=. Shayhiloosh halted. “Yes Chief? Is my transport here?” =^=Yes Ensign, it has arrived. We will be down with the big box to load you up and sneak you off the station.=^=
“I understand sir. Thank you, sir.” Shayhiloosh began to walk back quickly toward hir little grove to obtain hir few hidden possessions. “I will be leaving very soon, Piotr. You must go. You were not to know of my existence here. Do not forget your companion and the ball.” Shayhiloosh put the boy back down on the ground on his feet.
The boy, moving the few steps toward the tall ensign, stumbled trying not to step on any roots. He hugged Shayhiloosh around the trunk to hir startled but delighted surprise. “Goodbye. Thank you for talking to me.” Gently Shayhiloosh bent down a bough to place an appendage against the boy’s back. “You have brought a bright light to this lonely heart today, Piotr Iosovich. We Arborians live a long time and I will not forget you.”
(Reply none)
(Posted by Sheila)
