Ulla nods, going serious at the explanation. "I've never met Armand, but at
least I knew Ashton a little before we were assigned. And if there's a feud
brewing there, it's something to watch out for."
"I met Ashton right when they arrived, and they've always been pretty nice and helpful to me, but-" Mmm. She's still not sure how to take the conflicting stories she got. "I don't suppose it's too much to hope that they'll both take my advice and avoid each other?"
Since Ashton being a vampire is common knowledge, Ulla is willing to tell
Tendi, "Ashton attacked me the first time we met, but I don't hold that
against them. I was arguing with the Admiral afterwards that he ought to
warn us when inmates show up who need to eat their fellow passengers to
survive. They have no way of knowing there are better options here, or that
we won't attack them if we learn what they are."
As for the current situation, "It's a small ship for avoidance. I doubt
that will work unless they both make an effort."
"Yeeeah, I didn't actually know vampires drank blood, when we met? Or I'd have pointed out they could order it from the Enposib's menu." Learning about vampires' dietary restriction had made that menu option suddenly make a lot more sense, though. But that's another point for your argument, Ulla - not all passengers are even going to know what a vampire is.
"We don't have vampires in my world, but there are others on board. My
transformation spell is a bloody mess, and Hjerte bottles the blood for one
of the vampires now. No sense wasting it." Eric is always appreciative when
she offers it to him.
"I'll ask Ashton, and do my best to keep an eye on the situation."
"Oh, I'd met a couple before then, but they, um. Neglected to mention that detail?" Which seems like kind of a big deal, but she gets it. Some things can be pretty awkward to reveal to near strangers. "I've started storing my own blood, since I'm the only one who can donate to myself in an emergency." Which explains the green blood bags showing up in the Infirmary coolers. "But I don't know if it can also be an emergency blood supply for vampires. Kind of hard to test if it's toxic without hurting anyone, but I'm looking into it."
She shakes her head. "Um, anyway, I'll be keeping my eye on both of them, too. I just... didn't want to be the only one? In case something happens."
"If you're seriously injured without access to that supply, I might still
be able to do something. Especially if you don't mind letting me
experiment a little beforehand." Because Ulla's magic is based on
knowledge, and most of what she's studied here is human anatomy.
"We'll manage the blood supply if we have to, without risking anyone's
life."
"I know some of the magical healers will be able to help, but I'm used to being able to just replicate blood when needed. I see it as kind of, you know, a backup of a backup?" Which is always good to have, especially after nearly dying to an injury in her first month-ish on board.
"You're absolutely welcome to experiment, though! Especially if I get to see the results! I can get you data on Orion physiology, if it'd help? Our circulatory systems work pretty differently from humans'."
Ulla nods. "My power is based on understanding, at least in part. Sildroher
magic is sung, and some spells are just rote memorization, things we all
learn in choir practice growing up."
She's never let herself be confined to what she was taught, though. "To
compose a new spell, you need to understand the effect you want well enough
to describe it, and translate that description into music. I've done a lot
of human anatomy study. But of course not everyone on board is human."
Herself included.
"Oh, wow, that's fascinating! But it makes so much sense that you'd need to understand exactly what you're trying to alter to be able to create a spell about it. I'd be happy to get you whatever data you need! Including running some experiments."
Well.
"If it's really something you want to do, I mean! It is statistically more useful to focus your studies on human medicine, given the ship's population, and I really doubt more Orions are going to show up. Even people who've been here years and years haven't recognized my species."
"Don't be silly. I'm the only one of what I am anywhere. Does that
mean I wouldn't deserve medical care if I couldn't heal myself?" Ulla is
stubborn, and anyway, she likes challenges.
"Humans are a majority of the ship's population. I've been both a warden
and an inmate as a non-human, and it... matters... that people are
considered even if they fall outside that majority. Especially if they fall
outside that majority."
Tendi would agree in a heartbeat about any of the other non-humans on board, but she's used to not really being considered. Starfleet medical has information on Orion physiology, of course. She always had access to care. But Orions keep so much of themselves secret from outsiders - and there were so few of them in Starfleet - that she's gotten used to being an afterthought. To being extra work that needs accommodating, rather than part of standard procedures.
"Oh, of course not! I only meant, I mean- I do have other options... are you really the only one of your kind?"
"I don't mind learning," Ulla confirms. And as for the rest of it... "This
isn't the body I was born with. I'm mostly sildroher. My magic is
sildroher, and so was my upbringing. But I have some human witch blood.
And then my transformation was corrupted years ago, giving me an eel tail
instead of a fish tail."
To head off any worries, "I prefer it now. It's much more convenient on
land, and I'm never going back to the world I came from. It's only
one of a number of reasons my people wouldn't welcome me."
Tendi, who knows what it's like to feel like you're somehow different and wrong compared to the rest of your people, nods solemnly. "Mixed species offspring often have a hard time in my world, too. Even in the Federation, where there's a lot of acceptance. And that's without dealing with the, um, rest of it." Not that that was Tendi's excuse. She managed to be bad at being Orion all on her own.
The corruption she has no immediate analogue for, but it sounds like it'd be rough to adjust to, such an extreme change to your body and how you see yourself. Even if it did turn out all right in the long run.
Ulla sighs. "Mixed species offspring aren't supposed to be
possible, so I always thought the rumors were nothing more than
that. Sildroher can't breed with humans. But my human birth mother's
magic was enough to change that. She gave me to my father without a
backward glance when I was born with gills and a tail."
"Oh, wow, yeah. That- that sounds particularly tough. I'm sorry. A lot of species in the galaxy in my world share enough DNA in common that hybrids don't usually require outside intervention to create, but there's been a few cases where in-vitro fertilization has proven necessary and-" She pauses. "Um, sorry. Not important. The point is, that's rough."
Ulla shrugs. "I've left all of that behind now. I'm not going back to my
world when I leave the Barge. And the people I've found found here are
preferable."
"There are some pretty great people here." Her mind goes first to Lucy, but not just - her boys in Cybernetics, Fives, Angel, Kadaj and Yazoo, Thrawn, John, Vaggie... and many, many more besides. "I'd love to visit some of their homes, some day. But I can't imagine not going back home eventually. It's- I'm glad I'm lucky enough to have people I care about and a purpose there. And I'm glad people here can find a home like that, too, no matter what universe they came from."
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Re: Backdated a couple days after temp pairings
Ulla nods, going serious at the explanation. "I've never met Armand, but at least I knew Ashton a little before we were assigned. And if there's a feud brewing there, it's something to watch out for."
Re: Backdated a couple days after temp pairings
Re: Backdated a couple days after temp pairings
Since Ashton being a vampire is common knowledge, Ulla is willing to tell Tendi, "Ashton attacked me the first time we met, but I don't hold that against them. I was arguing with the Admiral afterwards that he ought to warn us when inmates show up who need to eat their fellow passengers to survive. They have no way of knowing there are better options here, or that we won't attack them if we learn what they are."
As for the current situation, "It's a small ship for avoidance. I doubt that will work unless they both make an effort."
Re: Backdated a couple days after temp pairings
"That's what I'm afraid of."
Re: Backdated a couple days after temp pairings
"We don't have vampires in my world, but there are others on board. My transformation spell is a bloody mess, and Hjerte bottles the blood for one of the vampires now. No sense wasting it." Eric is always appreciative when she offers it to him.
"I'll ask Ashton, and do my best to keep an eye on the situation."
Re: Backdated a couple days after temp pairings
She shakes her head. "Um, anyway, I'll be keeping my eye on both of them, too. I just... didn't want to be the only one? In case something happens."
Re: Backdated a couple days after temp pairings
"If you're seriously injured without access to that supply, I might still be able to do something. Especially if you don't mind letting me experiment a little beforehand." Because Ulla's magic is based on knowledge, and most of what she's studied here is human anatomy.
"We'll manage the blood supply if we have to, without risking anyone's life."
Re: Backdated a couple days after temp pairings
"You're absolutely welcome to experiment, though! Especially if I get to see the results! I can get you data on Orion physiology, if it'd help? Our circulatory systems work pretty differently from humans'."
Re: Backdated a couple days after temp pairings
Ulla nods. "My power is based on understanding, at least in part. Sildroher magic is sung, and some spells are just rote memorization, things we all learn in choir practice growing up."
She's never let herself be confined to what she was taught, though. "To compose a new spell, you need to understand the effect you want well enough to describe it, and translate that description into music. I've done a lot of human anatomy study. But of course not everyone on board is human." Herself included.
Re: Backdated a couple days after temp pairings
Well.
"If it's really something you want to do, I mean! It is statistically more useful to focus your studies on human medicine, given the ship's population, and I really doubt more Orions are going to show up. Even people who've been here years and years haven't recognized my species."
Re: Backdated a couple days after temp pairings
"Don't be silly. I'm the only one of what I am anywhere. Does that mean I wouldn't deserve medical care if I couldn't heal myself?" Ulla is stubborn, and anyway, she likes challenges.
"Humans are a majority of the ship's population. I've been both a warden and an inmate as a non-human, and it... matters... that people are considered even if they fall outside that majority. Especially if they fall outside that majority."
Re: Backdated a couple days after temp pairings
"Oh, of course not! I only meant, I mean- I do have other options... are you really the only one of your kind?"
Re: Backdated a couple days after temp pairings
"I don't mind learning," Ulla confirms. And as for the rest of it... "This isn't the body I was born with. I'm mostly sildroher. My magic is sildroher, and so was my upbringing. But I have some human witch blood. And then my transformation was corrupted years ago, giving me an eel tail instead of a fish tail."
To head off any worries, "I prefer it now. It's much more convenient on land, and I'm never going back to the world I came from. It's only one of a number of reasons my people wouldn't welcome me."
Re: Backdated a couple days after temp pairings
The corruption she has no immediate analogue for, but it sounds like it'd be rough to adjust to, such an extreme change to your body and how you see yourself. Even if it did turn out all right in the long run.
Re: Backdated a couple days after temp pairings
Ulla sighs. "Mixed species offspring aren't supposed to be possible, so I always thought the rumors were nothing more than that. Sildroher can't breed with humans. But my human birth mother's magic was enough to change that. She gave me to my father without a backward glance when I was born with gills and a tail."
Re: Backdated a couple days after temp pairings
Re: Backdated a couple days after temp pairings
Ulla shrugs. "I've left all of that behind now. I'm not going back to my world when I leave the Barge. And the people I've found found here are preferable."
Re: Backdated a couple days after temp pairings