Choices Make Us
Jan. 11th, 2018 11:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
madimpossibledreamer~Dreamer~
PS in the end kirk's exactly the sort of dork i am and thus would totally quote someone random to title his personal log at least
Main Points:
Star Trek (the 2009!movie verse) Cambion AU
Summary: Captain's and Personal's logs, as is only right as a recap of an adventure...
Word Count: 1472
Rating: Teen(??)
Briefly mentions the events of the previous parts, but in passing and mostly just covers the explanations of why Jim reacted so oddly. Stardates as used are by the new rules because I can't figure out the old one and it fits a Kelvinverse-adjacent AU.
Captain’s Log: Stardate 2258.326. What follows is the report on the exploration of the planet Ytheon II and the Dawoathki culture, as well as their request to join the Federation. Most of the daily activities occur below the surface, partly because all of the water is found underground. The atmosphere is extremely similar to other Class M planets but has a higher percentage of nitrogen and the noble gases, although some component interferes with our transporters, necessitating a shuttle. They live and sleep in the remains of their past civilization, but all of their science facilities are underground. They are a violently atheistic people, in general, though I will speak of this further.
Their only cultural interest in trade is science, but they do have interesting science to trade to the Federation—specifically, their weather control system would be useful, particularly when establishing colonies on worlds with harsh weather. Their food source, a type of mushroom safe to consume by most Federation species (according to preliminary studies by Doctor Featherby, one of whose specialties is nutrition), is also of interest. While perhaps not the most nutritious of foods, it serves as a very efficient food source, since the Dawoathki only eat once every three Earth days. As a supplemental food source for colonies in the case of crop failure, it could be extremely useful, though of course further research on the matter would be required. Lieutenant Uhura has her own report on the Dawoathki language, part of which is the dropping of two letters for those they respect. We experienced this while there, which is a good sign for relations between our peoples.
We experienced issues based on cultural differences, however. Lieutenant Uhura found reference to something called the Time of Abandon. We were unfortunate enough to experience it ourselves.
The Dawoathki purge their emotions in order to concentrate on their science. Their blood is an aphrodisiac, and they make a mist of it during the Time of Abandon, presumably releasing it from their underground laboratories. Fortunately, Doctor Featherby brought along antidotes.
The Dawoathki have an unusual religion, as far as I’m aware. The situation is described as one of mutual slavery. In their own narrow purview, each god or goddess could command certain things from the Dawoathki with no resistance. However, the gods or goddesses were also the slaves of the Dawoathki, chained to perform certain tasks for the Dawoathki.
Lieutenant Uhura theorizes that the change happened somewhere around three hundred thousand to four hundred thousand years ago before their previous civilization died out entirely. Their view of the religion changed from a more usual one to a practical and almost contemptuous position.
This was only relevant because, for reasons unexplained to this team, the Dawoathki believed me to be their Trickster God Ur`retha. During the Time of Abandon, Ur`retha’s role is to have sex with every one of the Dawoathki to purge them of emotion. I was forced to take part, but fortunately the rest of the landing party managed to rescue me.
I’d like to commend each member of the landing party: Commander Spock, Lieutenant Nyota Uhura, Lieutenant Junior Grade Doctor Penny Featherby, and the Ensigns Tariq Abboud, Zhōu Chandra, and Teresa Gemma Chey. Each was instrumental in my rescue and kept their cool in a situation that could not have been easy to deal with.
I recommend the Dawoathki be allowed to join the Federation with reservations, but would caution that should any visitor be mistaken for one of their pantheon they should leave or be extracted as soon as possible. The Dawoathki will attempt to prevent them from leaving or performing any functions other than those dictated by their religion. The only reason they did not take offense at the fact I was no longer on the planet is that they are convinced I will be drawn back during the Time of Abandon, whether or not I am willing. They continue to be patient and wait for me to finish the job that they started. When I do not return, it is possible that they will become hostile. They have not asked about the health status of myself or the other members of the landing party.
Doctor Featherby has made a thorough analysis of the Dawoathki’s blood and has treated us for additional symptoms such as muscle spasms and phantom pain. She plans to publish on the exact mechanism the blood uses to target the brain. She believes pleasure planets such as Risa might be interested, assuming the side effects could be warded off beforehand. Due to her efforts and coordination with Doctor M’Benga, the entire landing party is expected to make a full recovery.
On a side note, the Dawoathki appear to be able to metabolize the effects of their own blood unless it is breathed in. Ingestion also affects them, but the effects wear off much quicker. This could also be of note in developing the antidote. Doctor Featherby continues scouring the biological notes we were given to discover the cause.
End report.
Personal Log: Oh, hell, that was uncomfortable. I convinced most of them, including the doctors, that I didn’t feel violated. Oddly enough, I can feel their belief, so Pike might not be off-base about that empath stuff. Surprisingly, it’s Uhura that didn’t buy it, but then, once she started actually paying attention, it would be her that would notice, wouldn’t it? When she can analyze every single word I say and how I say it. None of them let me go back on the planet, not that I really argued with their decision. It’s kind of weird to feel so many with the urge to protect and realize they want to protect me. I’m used to that on my ship, but directed at Pavel. I’ll probably have a few more in my arsenal of nightmares, but I’m really kind of used to that.
One of the things I’m going to have to go over in some detail—eventually—is the realization that maybe this Ur`retha was actually from whatever species my dad was. It’s something I’ll bring up to Pike eventually, just…kinda not right now. He doesn’t need to deal with this right now. Still, it’s…I don’t have the word for it. If I was Shakespeare, I’d make one up, but I kinda don’t feel like that right now. Again, maybe later.
I kind of expected Uhura to just ask me a million questions about how it all works, but I shouldn’t have underestimated her. She’s a better person than I ever gave her credit for, but then, she’s a better person than me, so I should’ve expected that. She’s just quietly being supportive and waiting for me to talk about it on my own. It’s a little creepy how well she can read my moods now, though. I suppose it just goes to show that if she feels something’s worth paying attention to, she doesn’t miss much.
Surprisingly, what helps (tremendously), is that, while everyone was treating me with kid gloves at first, all I had to do was show off my competence and they’re suddenly all treating me like an equal. They trusted me before, but now it’s without reservation, the kind that people get after years serving under a Captain (see: Garrovick, rest his soul, see: Pike, fates protect him).
I’m…not sure how to deal with that, actually. No, seriously, it’s only ever happened with Pike and Boyce before, and even then I was still not always behaving myself. I have no idea what they saw in me, way long ago. I have no idea how they saw my potential, but I’m just going to go with ‘they’re awesome’ and leave it at that.
I don’t think everyone knows all the details, but it seems like the rumors made their rounds about me actually needing sex. I had an idea about the loyalty of my crew, but not to this extent. I’ve never had to turn down so many propositions. (Chekov in particular was very insistent and a more than a little worried about me—he kept muttering something about how he didn’t want me to die and looking at me with pleading, rabbit-like eyes. I had to laugh and then explain I was set for a while yet and I wouldn’t ask him because he makes an awesome friend, which at least pleased him and got him to stop talking about it at the same time, so I felt accomplished.) I suspect Uhura might be behind it, but I’m not about to confront her and she’s not about to confess. I’ll talk to her, eventually, when I can figure out how to talk about it. I’m worried as to what she (and in extension the rest of the Enterprise’s crew) are planning for our next shore leave, though…
