Private Outbound Flight: Humanity by Proxy

[Dominic Praxon]

He picked at some crud in the corner of his eye, mouth pulled taut across his teeth in a grimace. This busy-work was mandatory, but entirely pointless by definition. Ravion Corvalis had been sure to add so many clauses in the amendment that stranded Dominic on the "Flight" that Dominic's life had devolved into that of a true bureaucrat. And he hated it, profusely — Ravion, too.

Thankfully, he had some small distractions available to him, and one was his role in reporting on the conduct of the crew. That meant, of course, talking with them. If he thought about it too long, he fell into further despondency at the realization that he was a Senator working a glorified Human Resources role.

But that was it, wasn't it? Tatiana Sah looked, but most definitely was not human. This was not uncommon in the galaxy, by a long stretch. Many species had evolved to look human, so as to pass easily in a galaxy dominated by the mostly hair-free primates.

He was at the sink, just around the corner, washing his hands after picking at his eyes out of boredom. The door chime signified his guest had arrived. His back straightened, the guise of official control washing over him, and Dominic stepped to the middle of the room, hands carefully held behind his back.

"Come in..."

Tatiana Sah​

 

[Tatiana Sah]

Tatiana crouched down in front of Dee and brushed away a little carbon scoring from a recently completed repair. The Astromech was far too kind (to her) for dirt and scoring to accumulate on its pristine chassis. So many tools and not one designed for aesthetic upkeep. People already thought so little of droids; if Dee ended up looking drab and grey they'd probably mistake him for a trash receptacle one day and that wouldn't do.

The effort ended in time for her to straighten up and make her way toward Dominic Praxon 's office. Not a difficult thing to manage. Tatiana was exceptionally punctual. There was only so much time in the day, after all, and so much to do or learn. Every minute counted.

Her finger touched the door control at the pointed time, and then the blond stepped back in case Dominic came to the door himself.

As it turned out, he invited her in. Tatiana stepped forward so the doors would open.

"Senator," her voice warm and her blue eyes bright. "A pleasure to get the opportunity to talk with you again." After a second, Tatiana added, "Have you been well?"

 

[Dominic Praxon]

A dry joke about the mountain of busywork died in his throat. It was too risky. A single crack in his composure might invite her to probe into why he was relegated to this post in the first place. He had no desire to nurse his bruised ego or explain the hollow ache of uselessness that came with his current station.

"I have been well. Thank you for asking," he replied, offering a head-tilt that was perfectly calibrated for courtesy. "And the pleasure is entirely mine."

He gestured toward a ambience-drenched nook away from the rigid authority of his desk. "Please, make yourself comfortable." As Dominic settled into the plush two-seater lounger, the sapphire pulse of hyperspace rippled across his shoulders, casting the room in a restless, watery light.

"I must admit," he began, his voice smooth with a politician's practiced grace, "our first meeting left me quite intrigued. There is a great deal I have yet to learn about your people." He kept his tone neutral, but a spark of genuine, boyish wonder flickered in his eyes, betraying the mask.

Tatiana Sah​

 

[Tatiana Sah]

An idiom. Why was the pleasure entirely his? What if the pleasure was hers? There were so many interesting turns of phrases in this Basic language -- among many others. Yes, but concerning this one, it seemed Dominic wanted to make her feel at ease. Thoughtful. Was it an attempt at misdirection? Distraction?

At his indication, the blonde stepped over toward the nook with a small smile secured on her lips. "Thank you." Often times most people had a neutral buoyancy to their lips that sprang back into a smile when they saw someone looking. Tatiana's neutral express was the smile. One which grew a few degrees as Dominic invited her to be comfortable as she settled onto the lounger.

"There is," she replied with a lightly upbeat tone.

Ah, yes, that was an invitation as well. "I offer to share information of them freely, but there are certain matters that might require significant time. I worry that a brief explanation would leave many questions that would invite unnecessary speculation. Please, if you require any clarification, ask. I won't take offense."

Dominic Praxon

 

[Dominic Praxon]

Dominic turned his back towards the armrest a little more, to angle himself towards the crew member. He probably should have offered one of the other two chairs that were positioned on an angle across the other side of the small table in the middle of the nook. He had just assumed, foolishly, that she would sit there.

His smile faltered, but composure was quickly regained.

Her statement was as open-ended as it was open and welcoming. He shook his head with the sheer enormity of trying to understand all of it. So, he leaned into the words of words of one of his favourite professors back in his college days. It's all about philosophy in the end.

"Well...let's start small then shall we...your people have a basis for morality, yes?"

He scratched his temple, absentmindedly. He wasn't actually super strong in this area, but like any politician he could fake competance well enough. So long as she didn't dig too far into his own reasons for why, he would do just fine.

"Some lean on the will of the Force, some...see moralism as a biological drive...others lean on reason...I tend to favour the social contract and general desire for progress rather than regression...but I am curious about your people's basis...deities? The Force?"

Tatiana Sah​

 

[Tatiana Sah]

"We do." Tatiana imagined holding a conversation with a member of a species that did not would be most troublesome. Even most Sith had a sense of morality; radically different as it might be from others. Actually, now that the specter was raised, Tatiana wondered what interacting with a truly amoral creature would be like. Would that constitute complete irrationality? Chaos?

"Reason." There was a brief pause with a slight broadening of her smile. "We possess an innate ability to rapidly exchange information with one another. All matters are passed through that link for consensus in how to best deal with new circumstances or information. Much like your Senate, but considerably faster and until more than a majority is reached." She wagered it would have taken years for the Senate to manage the same on a single topic.

"We seek to understand everything, and to make effective use of what is needed in pursuit of our purpose. Everything is built around and toward that end. There is no concept of intentional waste of resources or time among my people, as a result."

Then she paused with a slight tilt of her head. "Until we arrived here there was no understanding of this 'Force' your people know so well. No aspiration toward a higher being. The universe is everything in all its dimensions, and everything is contained within the universe. Therefore, deities being part of that universe are an extension of it and must be understood under the same principles as anything else. That is what mine would believe." There certainly could be entities one might call a deity, Tatiana wouldn't deny that, but, "They may know more and be more powerful, but they are not All Powerful. Conservation of Energy wouldn't tolerate such."

Dominic Praxon

 

[Dominic Praxon]

Dominic leaned in instinctively, his brow creasing as he mentally unspooled the sheer volume of her answer. The weight of it seemed to hit him all at once. He fell back into his seat, burying his face in his hands. "Okay. Okay, okay, okay..." his voice drifted out, muffled by his palms.

"Where to even start?" He peered through the gaps of his fingers before finally dropping his hands. The polished, political sheen he usually wore had vanished, replaced by a raw, almost childlike curiosity.

"You...your people...you have a hive mind? Are you in communication with all of them right now?" The questions began to tumble out. "Do they provide latency-free feedback regardless of distance?" He waved his hands enthusiastically, a silent plea for her to hold her breath as he forged ahead.

"And this 'purpose' you mentioned...what exactly is it? More importantly, how could your kind not know the Force? I'm not the Jedi my brother is, but I thought every living thing was connected to it. How did you miss it?"

Tatiana Sah​

 

[Tatiana Sah]

Had she said too much? Tatiana was always worried of saying too much. There was so much to say! But while people could listen attentively they might not be able to grasp its full meaning if hit with... what was it? The extinguishing hose.

Bright eyed, the blonde sat next to him quietly awaiting Dominic's response. It looked like he was digesting everything she'd said though.

Which brought them to the first of many complicated topics: the hive mind.

"Yes, and no." Tatiana paused for half a second to let the initial spike of 'yes' die down. "When you look at a stream, do you see the countless rocks, vegetation, fish, insects, and other objects or living creatures that may occupy it, or do you see a stream? If you could see how we converse, it would appear to be a 'hive mind.'" She was familiar with the term as one of the first things she'd researched out in the galaxy. It was important to assemble a psychological profile on how the multitude would react to her kind, after all. "But my people do not think the same thoughts in tandem. We do debate matters with the unique experience each one of us possesses." There was a slight shrug and a smile. "It just happens very quickly. A Collective Consciousness would be a more accurate term."

"And I remain in contact with them. However, you could say my scope of participation has been reduced in order to focus on interacting with the galaxy around me." Which was well enough as having every one of her choices evaluated by the Collective might have introduced latency in her decision making. Despite the people of the galaxy moving relatively slow, by comparison, events around them developed surprisingly quickly. "And it is, by all accounts, latency-free."

"As for the Force," her blue eyes drifted away for a moment. A soft sigh followed suit. "My people are quite upset at themselves for not noticing the true nature of this connection sooner." Tatiana slowly turned her head in order to meet Dominic's gaze once more. "So many of our talents were explainable by manipulating the quantum field, or quanatic energy, the contribution of 'The Force' was... overlooked." The smile had tightened by the time she managed the admission. "Part of my mission is to learn whatever I can about it to help bolster experimentation and research projects meant to learn about this additional energy field."

Some of the embarrassment wore off as she shifted topics once more. "Which is our purpose. To learn. To understand. Only in understanding can we properly plan, develop, and implement every other pursuit. That could be constructing additional habitats and ships, collecting resources, or conducting research. If we... overlook something then so much time and potential might have been lost." Though some might not take Tatiana's answer as describing their 'Purpose' as in the ultimate aim of their entire people. If that had been Dominic's angle then an elaboration would help make that clear.

Dominic Praxon

 

[Dominic Praxon]

Dominic did not immediately respond. He simply stared at her. Not rudely. And by no means blankly. He just…stared.

The restless sapphire light of hyperspace slid across his features, catching in the faint crease between his brows as he processed the enormity of what she had just handed him so casually. A latency-free collective consciousness. A civilization built around total efficiency. A species that had dissected the universe down to quantum fields and somehow…missed the Force.

He blinked once. Then leaned back an inch. His lips parted. Then they closed.

He looked at her again, as if verifying she was real and not some elaborate academic hallucination conjured by too many policy briefings and too little sleep.

A long second passed. Then another. His fingers tapped once against the armrest.

“You…are in contact with them right now,” he said finally, though it was not a question.

He looked away. And then back. His brow creased, relaxed, and the creased again.

“And they are…aware that we are having this conversation.”

He tilted his head, taking in all the ramifications. His gaze drifted slightly, unfocused, as though imagining invisible voices layered atop her own. “That must be…efficient.”

Silence took hold again. He inhaled, as if about to construct something profound.

“Your entire civilization operates on consensus that resolves in seconds and you are personally tasked with correcting a metaphysical oversight that redefines your understanding of reality,” he said, offering a gesture of his hands that said 'correct me if I am wrong, "and you say it like you are discussing…routine maintenance.”

He trailed off. His mouth twitched faintly, almost a smile, almost disbelief. “I am attempting,” he added slowly, eyes returning to hers with earnest intensity, “to determine whether I am impressed…intimidated…or catastrophically underprepared.”

His expression softened, though he did not seem aware of it. “That is not a criticism.”

And then, maddeningly, he stopped there. No follow-up. No clarifying question. Just baffled observation, as though waiting for his own thoughts to catch up with him.

Tatiana Sah​

 

[Tatiana Sah]

Tatiana's head rotated a bit as she stared back at Dominic with the small smile on her lips. True, dead air was not a great conduit of information, but allowing an opportunity to digest information had its own usefulness.

"To be clear, they are aware a conversation is occurring, but to maintain the... essence of the moment, the content and constant feedback is deferred. A summation of matters discussed, with whom, and at what time is sufficient for their purposes in most cases. Though, ordinarily, your depiction would be entirely correct." If the Collective were constantly weighing in and shaping her discussion such exchanges would be far too formulaic and 'efficient.' It enabled Tatiana's personality to more clearly manifest.

"All life is unprepared for the unknown, but we make do each in our own way to come to terms with it. When we first met, it was the Lightning Storm in Space we spoke of," which Tatiana doubted he'd forgotten. "A spatial phenomena of nearly unfathomable power or potential. Dangerous, if recklessly interacted with, but with a little consideration something magnificent to observe."

She offered an upturned palm in Dominic's direction. "I would be grateful if we could continue to converse during this expedition. I have as much to learn about you and your galaxy as you do my people."

Dominic Praxon

 

[Dominic Praxon]

Dominic regarded the offered hand for a moment. Not suspiciously, or even cautiously. Simply…thoughtfully.

The gesture itself was easy enough to interpret. An invitation of some sort. Though the exact intention behind it required a brief moment of translation inside the peculiar diplomatic lexicon that governed first contact between two very different cultures.

The hyperspace glow washed softly over the outstretched palm.

He leaned forward slightly. For someone who had just described a civilization capable of debating entire philosophical frameworks in the time it took most senators to draft a motion to adjourn, the gesture felt oddly…simple. Very human.

Dominic’s lips curved faintly at the corner. “Well,” he murmured, half to himself.

His hand moved at last. Rather than clasp it immediately, he placed his palm lightly against hers first, a brief moment of contact as though confirming the shape of the gesture. Then, with a small adjustment, he turned her hand gently sideways and folded his fingers around it in the familiar orientation of a handshake.

The shake itself was brief and courteous, his thumb pressing once against the back of her hand before he released it. “You have a deal,” he said, the words carrying a quiet warmth that had not been present earlier.

His eyes met hers again, the earlier intellectual overwhelm now tempered by a growing spark of genuine interest. “Purely academic, of course.”

There was the faintest hint of amusement in his voice as he leaned back into the lounger again, one hand resting along the armrest.

“But if this expedition is going to throw lightning storms, metaphysical energy fields, and entirely new models of civilization at me,” he added thoughtfully, “I suspect it would be irresponsible of us not to compare notes.”

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. “And I would hate to be accused of neglecting such an opportunity.”

Tatiana Sah​

 

[Tatiana Sah]

Tatiana waited as Dominic seemed to be weighing the moment with how his hand made contact. After a moment, he accepted her hand and the blonde's smile grew broader. Her fingers curled about his hand to cradle in her grasp. It seemed there was still hope. After exchanging that much there had been a risk he might find the whole thing... overwhelming.

Her head twisted slightly at his joke. Purely academic? Had there been another context she'd overlooked? Perhaps she'd ask later.

"Excellent. In return, I would be happy to lend you assistance in ensuring this mission progresses smoothly. It would provide a reason for us to meet more often?" That was how it worked, she believed. There should be a reason. Considering he was a Senator that was the lead of the expedition and not a scholar tasked with field work, his station might demand it for public appearances.

Perhaps she would have an opportunity to explore Dominic's thoughts about droids like Dee further. To better understand the foundation of why he did not consider them on the cusp of realizing their independence. One of the many subjects they could explore. She couldn't be the only one confessing awkward social positions shared by her people.

Her blue eyes looked out at the sapphiric waves of energy that cast its light into their shared space. "An opportunity to explore the beauty of the moment." Mathematical formulae could explain the way stars and planets appeared as streaks in hyperspace with the compression of space and time giving it a sense of motion. Rationally it was a moment like any other. But people of Naboo and its surrounding regions found meaning in such things.

Dominic Praxon

 

[Dominic Praxon]

Only after releasing her hand, did Dominic register that something was off with the way her hand felt. Shaking hands was something of an occupational requirement for him, and he had shaken many hands of humans, and non-humans. None, ever, had felt quite like that.

Questions about her physiology bubbled to the surface. His curiosity amused even him. It brought an easy smile to his face, one unencumbered with pretence or politics. It had been so long since Dominic had felt free to be himself.

That moment of freedom evaporated when Tatiana insisted on them having what amounted to cover for their meetings and discussions. His lips parted to protest, and suggest that friends did not need an excuse to talk. But the facade of freedom had evaporated. Even Tatiana seemed aware of the importance of maintaining proper appearances.

"Your presence onboard this vessel should already mean you are working towards the betterment of this project?" He said, faking a serious expression, "but if that is what it takes to learn more about...your people, then certainly. It is an acceptable cover story."

And then she turned, to look at hyperspace as it raced past them. The streaks of blue cast an almost angelic aura across her features. She spoke of the beauty of the moment, but in a tone that hinted to her only just discovering those moments. Dominic had seen hyperspace more times than he could count. But looking at it reflected in her eyes...it held the joy of seeing it for the first time.

"It is," he murmured, though he found himself studying the reflection more closely than the phenomenon itself.

Tatiana Sah​

 

[Tatiana Sah]

Tatiana chuckled as she gazed out at hyperspace. "That's not what it takes." She sat there quietly for a moment moment with a smile perched on her lips. Then she turned her head slightly so her blue eyes could look over in his direction while the light still splashed across her features. "I only mean, Dominic -- I hope it's alright if I call you Dominic? -- I mean you do so much for us. I want to help you. More than just being on the crew roster with assigned duties."

She blinked and then turned to look at him directly. "Like, for instance, have you ever taken a walk on the exterior of the hull? Not in hyperspace, of course," of course, naturally, who would ever do something that outrageous, "but while in orbit of a gas giant, or with a nebula off the port bow, or within sight of a pulsar?"

Slowly, his companion turned to look back out at the stream of color as it flew by. "I haven't seen a pulsar, personally. I know all about them because of my Connection, but I've never seen one. There are so many things to see in this galaxy." Her gaze swung back over to the man at her side. "And I think such things are better experienced in good company. Don't you?"

Dominic Praxon

 

[Dominic Praxon]

Dominic’s brow lifted slightly at the suggestion. A walk along the exterior hull. For a fleeting moment the image took shape in his mind. The vast curvature of the ship beneath his boots, the endless ocean of stars stretching out beyond the fragile barrier of a helmet visor, some impossible celestial phenomenon blazing silently in the distance. It sounded less like an excursion and more like the sort of thing one read about in adventure journals written by people with far fewer responsibilities than he carried.

His lips parted faintly, a soft breath of amusement escaping him. “I suspect,” he said carefully, “that arranging such an outing for the expedition’s senate representative might require a small miracle.”

The corner of his mouth tugged upward as he glanced sideways at her. “But,” he added, the admission coming easier than he expected, “if such a miracle were to present itself…I cannot say I would decline the opportunity.”

His gaze drifted back toward the viewport, the river of hyperspace streaking endlessly past them. For a moment he simply watched it, the light shifting gently across his features as he considered her final question. Whether such things were better experienced in good company.

Dominic inhaled slowly, his fingers loosely folded together as though he were about to construct an argument in the Senate chamber. The habit was deeply ingrained. “Yes,” he said at last. He paused, searching for the words. “It is…different when it is shared.”

His tone had softened slightly, more reflective than rhetorical. “When you experience something alone, it becomes a private memory. A moment you carry with you.” His gaze remained fixed on the streaking stars beyond the glass. “But when someone else is there, when you both see it…you gain something more.”

He tilted his head faintly, the faintest trace of a smile returning. “Later, when the moment has passed, you can revisit it. Compare what you remember. Correct each other’s recollections. In a strange way the experience lives longer that way.”

Only then did he glance back toward her. “Though,” he added lightly, “I suspect memory retention is not something your people struggle with.”

“And if that is the case,” Dominic concluded, “then I suppose I will simply have to rely on you to remember the parts I inevitably miss.”

Tatiana Sah​

 

[Tatiana Sah]

Tatiana regarded Dominic with her small smile from the corner of her eye. A small miracle? Sounded like the perfect gift. The sort of thing someone like Dominic needed more than a clerk to fill out paperwork. Though she was willing to help with that as well, but there was no need to address everything all at once. Work was probably the last thing he needed to talk about at the moment.

Slowly she turned to look over at her companion as he spoke about sharing a moment together. To revisit, compare, correct, and add to something shared? That did sound rather enjoyable.

Dominic, of course, observed recall might not be a problem for her kind. "You're correct. But," Tatiana shifted, turned slightly in her seat to better face the man next to her, "there is an... ineffability to the moment that may not be shared in its entirety. We too are part of they memory, Dominic, as we are now and not who we will be in time. A fingerprint on the glass that separates our memory from that of others."

"I would, after all, like to think I will not be entirety the same in the future as I am now. If I never changed, I would not have met you." The smile broadened at the mention of their union. "Perhaps you will be part of that change? I could use someone as considerate and reflective as yourself."

Dominic Praxon