(backlog) JL | Lt Keál, Princess Xue'Daio - "Daisy Chains" pt II/II

Posted on 241508.27 @ 6:53pm by Civilian Xue'Daio Nox & Lieutenant Keál

The great city of Aleine had stood as a beacon of civilization for thousands of years, growing and absorbing the landscape around it as it snaked along the peninsula like a giant golden veil of gossamer and jewels. The streets of cobbled sunstone shone as if they were gilded in precious gold, each metallic mineral fleck working to catch the high set sun in just the right way – it didn’t hurt that every street had been lay on a grid to capture both the axis of the bright day star and the planet’s silvery moon’s elegant rays… A fact that made Xue smile to herself as she traveled over the time and weather worn stone with care not to catch her silk clad toes on the roughhewn cobbles.

Ever busy, the great square did little to slow itself down in the presence of the traveling royal. Eyes followed her, whispers barraged her sensitive ears, but such was life. Commoner and courtier alike had long since taken a certain shining to the pale future sea-queen, but had long ago learned that watching her from afar was far more likely to yield favorable results. Young as she was, Xue’Daio’s reputation preceded her as being fierce, but fair, and every bit her mother’s daughter – a task that the Empress had done her damnedest to cement in the hearts of the ruling and lower castes whether such a foul statement be true or not. Had the proverbial apple fallen close to the ‘tree’, the delicate little regent certainly wouldn’t have taken the time to lead a Caitian to the city’s medical center – Irises or not.

“Apipoulai.” (Hello) She greeted a desk-bound administrator as the pair slipped from the warmth of the sun into the cold, sterile environment of the hospital – and was hardly surprised to see a look of apprehension flutter over the male’s face as he considered the Caitian. Rising to his feet, the adult Stenellis was easily close to seven feet in height, but quietly clad in the soft sky-blue robes of the Ma’Raydio caste.

“Apipoulai.” He responded, bowing his head to accept their presence with honor. While the Federation had been a confusing sight to begin with, he was hardly ready to question their existence when the crown seemed to embrace them so tightly. Change was often a hard thing to swallow, but it was just as often a necessary ‘evil’ that the Ascendancy as a whole was going to have to accept. “How… Can I be of service?” He inquired in heavy accented Standard, his weight shifting from one foot to the other as he worked to clear his desk.

“The Lieutenant is a medical officer with the Federation. It would be wise if he was shown the medical center and allowed to make and share suggestions in care. The Federation has developed technologies that may benefit us as we open our borders to new peoples and vice versa.” Xue explained, clasping her hands dutifully in front of her once again.

“I see…” The male nodded and seemed to swallow away whatever resistance that may have come to rise. “You’ve come at a good time. Not too busy, Lieutenant…” His voice trailed off, though his eyes clearly asked the strange feline-esque man for a name.

Keál had taken in the sights and smells of the city as he followed the Princess, one step behind. He took in the reactions of the denizens of the Ascendency as they passed, wondering at the mixed expressions they extruded. His deep jade eyes were keen and though he doubted his hearing was as sharp as that of the Stenellis, it was more than ample to hear the comments made by those not to busy to take note of the tiny empress in training and her alien escort. He was use to hearing comments that were less than flattering from other species and had long ago learned to dismiss them as either arrogance or ignorance.

The medical center was clinical in a way and yet as lavish as any palace in another. The reception desk was beautifully carved from what looked to be a single piece of aged, and weathered driftwood. The desk and the floor and the very bulkheads were beautifully and artistically arranged as if to put patients and visitors into a relaxed, or at least comfortable state of mind. More of the native marble was used in the flooring of this building though the quality seemed some what diminished when compared to that of the Palace. The smell of the air told the greatest of tales without saying a word. Keál's olfactory nerve was buzzing with information on the true nature of the building and it's inhabitants.

As the young Princess explained the purpose of their visit and made what sounded like a royal decree regarding the level of access Keál would be given while within the building, the reception clerk stood making Keál feel small for the first time in a long time. At nearly six and a half feet tall, Keál towered over most humanoid species or at the very least stood toe to toe and shoulder to shoulder with them. The male reception clerk gave Keál a look that seemed to beg for a name, so Keál offered his, "Apipoulai, oruki mi ni Keál." (Hello, my name is Keál) He said using one of the few phrases he had learned before beaming down. The language of the Stenellis was soft and much easier on his ears and vocal cords than basic, unfortunately he was not fluent enough yet to use it in continual conversation.

"Minai." (cute) The big Stenellis shot towards the Princess before returning his graces to the Caitian's fur covered face. Xue, however, chose to ignore the xenophobic slight against the uniformed medical officer, reserving her own opinion out of sheer will to keep the diplomacy alive and functioning. The night previous still weighed heavily on the moon-child's mind; the memory of what the dark Romulan’s lips had felt like beneath the soft coral of her own still tingled and burned along her psyche. Even the sound of his heart beating steadily underneath the precious shell of her ear begged to haunt her, snatching from her the span of her attention for delectable moments of time she’d never be able to reclaim. It was wrong, so very wrong; and she so very powerless to stop the rolling tides of revolution that anchored her so very soundly to the Cimmerian alien.

Shaking her head, Xue motioned for the male to proceed and proceed he did. “I am Yen Koul, a pupil of the art of medicine.” He begrudgingly introduced himself, stealing a quick glance at the Princess as he did. Without the little monarch standing there, it likely would have been a much different and darker tale cast in woe and shadow for the Caitian – a fact that Xue allowed to slowly sink in. For so long the Stenellis culture had sat at a pinnacle height over the worlds they governed and ruled. Even the once powerful Cardassian Union now bowed and basked in the rays of their glory; dogs rolling over to obey their master’s superiority and dominance. The Federation, however, held a degree of arrogance that even Xue had been repulsed by. It made her task both easier and harder for her to perform even before Maec tr’Verelan became her most unique and interesting obstacle.

“The Lieutenant is also interested in botany. I think he’d enjoy an introduction to our more traditional medicines.” The albino piped back up, following Yen as he motioned for them to walk along the wide, clean corridor of the main hall.

“An interesting choice, Your Grace.” He nodded to her, swallowing bitterly as the ‘secrets’ of their success were slowly being unraveled to foreigners. “Botanicals are used in a good ninety percent of our medicines, the last ten percent being synthetics or mineral derived. It seems to be easier on patients of all species with minimal side effects.”

Keál could smell the zing of bitter disgust flood the air around Yen. He was doing well to hide his dislike for the Caitian physically but like all species Keál had come across, the Stenellis had tell tale pheromones they could not hide from him. Resigned to allow events to take a peaceful course, Keál, none the less, still theorized about the martial prowess of these wispy people. "My species has long been a believer in holistic medicine and herbal healing. We have a pharmacopeia in a hydroponics lab aboard the Enterprise with several types of flora from my planet used in the making of medicinal teas and poultices. The Federation as a whole, however, is admittedly more reliant on synthetic medications." Keál said with the purring roll of each R.

The chirp of his commbadge punctuated the conversation. "Enterprise to Lieutenant Keál. We have your package and your coordinates f you are ready to receive it." Keál heard the voice of the transporter operator whose name he had not yet learned but whose face he could clearly picture.

"Very well, Petty Officer. Energize." The words no sooner left Keál's lips when the medium sized bio-container full of twisted tubers segregated by labeled dividers appeared at his feet. "Speaking of plants with medical uses Princess, I believe my half of our trrrade agreement has arrrived." Keál squatted to open up the container, plucking a large rhizome labeled Iris Pallida. "This beauty was native to Earth's Mediterrranean area and was used as a trrreatment for Dropsy, a Terran condition now called edema where water collects in the cavities of the body. It also yields a verrry crrrisp, sweet smelling blue flowerrr." He almost purred the words as he pulled the dermal regenerator from his medkit. He quickly tuned it for rapid cellular stimulation and sat the iris tuber down on top of the now closed crate. He held the dermal regenerator over the tuber and started the germination process almost instantly. Within minutes the plant had germinated, leafed out, stemmed out, and budded. The pale blue of the iris quickly became visable as the flower opened before their eyes. Its sweet odor filling the vicinity with its characteristically pleasing smell.

"We've found there to be many... Side effects, from the synthetic medications. Dermal regeneration and grafting, not so much, but the synthetic medications, yes." Yen responded with a slight, understanding nod of his head, "Unlike what we hear of the Terrans, we still battle things like the common cold out in these parts. We're a massive trade hub, we can't defend against bacteria and viruses that we don't know about and when we do know about them it becomes trial and error." The big Stenellis added with a dismissive wave of his hand, clearly not entirely worried about the prospect or ramifications of the biological nasties their planet seemed sat in the middle of.

Xue, however, felt her keen ears strain towards the tell tale sound of a combadge chirp, the Caitian's response, and the subsequent 'shimmer' of a noise that seemed indicative of only a transporter. She wasn't disappointed. While a thin, silvery eyebrow rose high in skepticism, the idea of her precious irises making their arrival and debut only fortified her barely contained excitement over the whole ordeal. Even Yen seemed interested by the plant he, admittedly, had never seen before. "Marvelous." The Princess drawled, watching the plant grow, blossom, and bloom before her rose-hued eyes. It was everything she'd hoped it would be; perfect, and ready to continue life in the garden.

Yen, however, saw greater purpose with the entire 'experiment', "Your regenerators are more handy than ours, Lieutenant. I'd be eager to see what we could do to help bolster the technology we have here." He grinned, stroking his chin momentarily, "Mayhaps the Princess should tend to the flower while we speak? There's much to discuss."

Keál handed the delicate rhizome to the even more delicate princess, "One of many I have had sent down forrr you. Though it is not the larrrgest or longest blooming, this is one of the oldest of the Terrran varieties. May I have yourrr leave to visit the hospital and discuss matterrrs of medicine with Yen, Prrrincess?" Keál bowed from the waist showing his admiration for Stenellis customs and his respect for the young woman.

Cupping the rhizome in her open palms, Xue felt left without choice in the matter. The plant needed to find a home before disaster struck, and many more tubers lay prone in bins at her feet and begging for the attention of loving soil and water in order for them, too, to bloom. She nodded, bowing her own head in her gratitude and acknowledgement of both the gift and the Caitian's sign of respect. Yen, however, watched their actions with no small amount of amusement etched into his strange ocean colored eyes. "Members of our staff will accompany you, Highness, and have your gifts brought along side." He nodded in deep assurance. This too seemed to please the young Princess.

"Then by all means... Proceed." She responded, not only happy for the high bargain she'd fetched, but for the freedom to return to the gardens for at least a time longer. "It's been a pleasure, Lieutenant."

"The pleasurrre was all mine, Highness." Keál said with sincerity as he watched the Princess cherish her prize like a human child with a new puppy. Keál watched as a procession formed and the Princess, her escort, and the rhizomes departed. Smiling to himself pleased that she seemed pleased, he turned to Yen, "Wherrre shall we begin?"

Yen, too, watched the Princess's departure and couldn't help but notice the way the over grown bipedal feline regarded her departing form. "Right this way, Lieutenant." He began, using a massive hand to capture the officer's attention and guide him in the right direction. "There is much to talk about and discuss, but I believe starting with an introduction to our more holistic remedies would be wise."

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Lt. Keál
Chief Medical Officer
USS Enterprise, NCC 1701-F

Xue'Daio Nox
Crowned Princess of the Stenellian Ascendancy
Lady of Aleine
Regent of Apsha
Stenellian Ambassador to the Federation

Yen Koul
apb October
Second Minister; Ma'Raydio Caste
Stenellian Ascendancy