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[spaceshipit]

Who: Everyone!
Broadcast: If you want!
Action: July Planet!
When: The month of July!

[This is another planet mingle since the first one has nearly hit captcha! Feel free to continue threads or start brand new ones!]

July Planet Information

First Mingle Post

Comments

[dancingmd]

"Most?"

[outstandingbalance]

No one's forced themselves on me.

[Wryly reassuring.]

I think some of the locals can forget about it from time to time.

[dancingmd]

Understandably - for them, this is normal. Telepathic races from my universe can often forget too, how unusual - how invasive - this is for other species.

[outstandingbalance]

Are there a lot of mind readers out there in your universe?

[That sounds like it would get complicated.

Especially for a spy.]

[dancingmd]

Depends on what you mean by "a lot." There are entire species of billions of individuals who are telepathic - the Betazoids, the Vulcans, the Cairn - but as a percentage of all the sapient species in our quadrant of the galaxy, they are relatively few in number.

[outstandingbalance]

If you're not used to mind readers in the first place, it's a lot.

[dancingmd]

Fair enough. And I won't deny there are those who use their abilities for evil purposes - but that is not a trait unique to mind readers. And...

[And for every Ronin, there's Deanna, there's Lwaxana, there's Daneel.]

There is a certain level of intimacy to it that can be... Reassuring.

[She knows, she knows: "intimacy" is not a word Natasha is comfortable with, but there we are.]

[outstandingbalance]

I don't doubt some people do. [That kind of intimacy strikes Natasha as the least comfortable. Physical intimacy isn't so complicated. Having someone in your head, on the other hand... ] Different upbringings.

[dancingmd]

Believe me, it's not something I was always so comfortable with.

[outstandingbalance]

But that changed with experience?

[dancingmd]

[Beverly nods.]

I once was... given limited telepathic abilities. And I have had both friends and lovers with such abilities.

[outstandingbalance]

Was that something that happened here?

[Natasha is starting to get the impression that all together too many thins like that happen in the fleet.]

[dancingmd]

No... at home. My captain and I were imprisoned by an alien species who fit us with implants that connected our minds to one another.

[outstandingbalance]

[...

what is with aliens?]

Is it worth asking why they'd do that?

[dancingmd]

The devices were meant as a means of interrogation, but we escaped the prison before they could get anything from us.

[outstandingbalance]

[Natasha could see the potential there. She can also respect an escape.]

How long did you have it in?

[dancingmd]

Only a couple of days. But we could never go more than a few meters apart from one another without excruciating pain, so 48 hours spent constantly reading another's mind is more than enough to get an idea of what it's like.

[outstandingbalance]

That sounds like getting a little too close to one person to me.

[She says it lightly, the joke covering the fact that it's entirely the truth.]

[dancingmd]

Fortunately, Jean-Luc is one of my oldest friends. Though there were definitely some... interesting things that were revealed.

[She laughs softly.]

I know it sounds odd, but I wouldn't trade that experience for anything.

[outstandingbalance]

Yeah? Did you find out he had a little crush on you?

[This is a joke, and a way to redirect the conversation.]

[dancingmd]

[Oh Natasha, if only it was a joke.]

Something like that, yes.

[outstandingbalance]

Yeah? That seems a little cliche.

Redheads have that effect on some guys, I guess.

[dancingmd]

[Beverly stiffens at that comment, her jaw subtly hardening. Natasha doesn't mean anything by it, it's a deflection, but it's also a stark reminder that this is not the Natasha she knows, her friend. Her Natasha would have never been so flippant about this subject.

Not that it's her fault - Beverly was probably too open.

Tight smile.]

I guess so.

[outstandingbalance]

[Natasha wouldn't have had to be trained in microexpressions and psychology to know she pushed back too hard and crossed a line with that comment. It was a misstep, and one born of defensiveness.

She drinks her tea, considering how to recover. She's not trying to alienate anyone.]

Sorry. [A moment to late to feel natural, though not insincere.] That was inconsiderate of me.

[dancingmd]

[Slight shake of her head, though she remains stiff.]

You didn't know.