New Life and New Civilisations: Part 2/2

Posted on Wed Jan 21st, 2026 @ 12:29am by Petty Officer 1st Class Ember Locksley & Lieutenant JG Amari

1,065 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Prologue: To Boldly Go
Location: Valhalla Bar
Timeline: Day 9 - after the crew board Fenrir

PREVIOUSLY:

"She said she couldn't exactly just rip out a chunk of metal and eat it," Amari added. "It definitely needs more investigation."

ON - CONTINUED:

Ember's eyes narrowed in thought as she nodded along, her medical brain kicking in as she contemplated it. She'd spent years as a doctor before becoming a counsellor; she was still just as fascinated by the biological as the psychological. "It's why I became a doctor," she smiled softly to her, arching an eyebrow. "Trying to solve the mysteries of life."

"My species have some mysteries," Amari said and with barely a thought activated her computer implant, her forearm lighting up slightly as the display projected itself a few millimetres above her skin. "We implant ourselves with technology."

Ember watched with awe, her blue eyes widening as she leant in for a better look. "It seems so natural," she observed softly, reaching out to run her fingers through the projection, almost as if testing it. "Do all of you do this?"

As Embers hand came closer Amari thought the display to project itself a little further. "Pretty much all of them, there's the odd clan that doesn't. I have translator implants in my eyes and ears too."

"This happens when you're young?" Ember was unable to hide her interest at the concept, even though it probably wasn't sightly to seem overly fascinated. "To allow you time to...adapt to processing so much data?"

Amari shook her head slightly "My clan implant them when we reach adulthood, some do it earlier, some later. The ones I have are pretty common across all the clans."

"What kind of data does it offer you?" she asked softly, trying to imagine what it would be like to have all that quite literally at your fingertips.

"Having gotten my hands on a lot of your tech I'd say it's quite similar in function to your tricorders." Amari replied, she tapped at the display to cycle through a few different screens though the text was in Lesran so Ember wouldn't be able to read them. "General scanning ability, calculations, things like that. With the Captain's permission it's connected to your Lcars system. Works through both touch, voice and to a lesser degree.. thought."

"Thought?" Ember replied softly, taken aback. A machine connected to something as complex and temperamental as the mind? She could only imagine the precision required for such technology. "You must have a great deal of discipline."

Amari chuckled slightly then with a thought turned the computer implant off. "The thought part is not perfect, mostly limited to turning the computer on and off, same with the other implants, clan Marus developed a more advanced version of the mind impulse unit that can do a lot more but they keep that pretty much entirely to themselves, they're very good with that branch of technology."

"You know, Starfleet would most definitely sponsor you writing a paper on this technology and the effect it's had on your society," Ember noted softly, and in truth, she'd be eager to read something like that too.

"That would take a lot of work, before I even started writing. The clans take a very long time to decide to share technology with each other, never mind telling off worlders all about them." Amari told her. "It took months to persuade my clan and my husbands clan to let me on this exchange programme."

"Well, I for one, am glad they did," Ember assured, shaking her head with a gentle smile. "It's just food for thought. Perhaps towards the end of your exchange, when both sides have had time to see the benefits."

"When I tell my people about all the technology I've seen here..." Amari paused for a moment. "That the Federation let's me share." She quickly added. "I'm sure they'll see the benefits of some sort of agreement with you."

"And I'm sure we will too," Ember replied softly but honestly, not only to make her feel welcome. It went to the core of what Starfleet valued, and why exchanges were so important. "We learn more than just details of new technology when we share knowledge, we learn to trust too. Hopefully, by the time you've spent more time here, both sides will have improved their grades on that lesson."

"I was told one of the requirements to join your federation is a single government for the whole planet, I think that would certainly take some doing for us." Amari said recalling some of a conversation with the engineers on the Broadsword "Some clans have fought each other for years after a simple disagreement over a technology exchange."

Ember nodded in agreement. After all, humanity had taken its own sweet time to make it happen. And as usual, it had come about through hardship. "The truth about any kind of change is that it only happens if the people involved really want it," she admitted softly.

"We have been a clan based society for as long as anyone can remember, our ancient history speaks of clans fighting each other. The only time we acted as one was destroying clan Isaraya......" Amari stopped for a moment as she thought for appropriate words to explain them. "I think the best way to describe them is daemons?? Vicious monsters who terrorised the planet."

Ember nodded gently, but her features were honest with her surprise as she tried to imagine the kind of societal trauma that would have created. She had no doubt it would have lasted generations. "Did it improve relationships between clans at all?" she asked softly.

"For a while, then it all broke down again," Amari replied "I think it was something like one of the clans refused to hand over some Isaraya territory it was agreed would be given to another."

"The passing of the threat destabilised the alliance," Ember nodded with a slight frown. It was a story that repeated itself far too often across the quadrant, whether it was a personal relationship forged in trauma or diplomatic alliances. "Well, I hope that we get to learn as much about your people as you do about us," she added honestly.

"I hope so too." Amari smiled widely then got the attention of the barman. "Another one of these please."

OFF:

Dr. Ember Locksley
Counsellor
USS Fenrir

LTjg Amari
Engineer
USS Fenrir
[Pnpc Masters]

 

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