"Do I really have to be up this early?" Tilly groaned as she slipped on her running shoes.
"Yes, you said it yourself, you want me to help train you so this is the most ideal timing."
"It's six in the morning!"
"You get up in 30 minutes time every day. The half an hour difference won't kill you." The vampire reasoned, her arms folded as she waited for Tilly by the door.
"Unless I wander sleepily into an airlock and jet myself out."
"I hardly see that likely, Tilly." Michael chuckled.
"I never said accidentally." Tilly quipped back, straightening up with a deep sigh and pulled her hair up into a bushy, red pony tail. "Let's go."
They immediately started their run as soon as they left though Michael had also dressed down into the appropriate gear for the occasion too and easily maintained a brisk pace for Tilly to catch up to. Although she could immediately hear Tilly's pulse pick up as well as her breath, a minor indication that the woman's stamina and endurance hadn't been built up yet. Michael slowed a fraction.
"So… err…" Tilly started. "How long are we going to…run for?"
"We'll do one lap run, the next a fast walk; a cycle we'll repeat a few times today. We need to build you up before jumping straight into it. Otherwise it's exhausting and you'd hate me."
Tilly didn't answer but kept on going. "God, must be so nice to not need to catch your breath…"
A hint of jealousy lingering in her tone which made Michael smile softly.
"It's a unique change, Tilly but I do miss those small things in life." Michael shrugged calling 'left, please' to the people who were in their way as they jogged. "At least a heartbeat and shortness of breaths gives you the sense of being alive…"
It was a sublet thing to miss, feeling the fluttering in her chest when nervous or scared… the racing when she put herself through lot; the feeling of a unique thrill that was literally pumped through her veins when met with a risky mission; like when she had flown to the Klingon artefact. With that gone, her emotions were released differently through her system. Not carried by her veins and no doubt just different type hormone release around her brain than her body. A complete different physical reaction. Scared, stressed or threatened, she stiffened up, her general demeanour was just an eerie calm… if she was human, she'd no doubt act so different to her current self; all because she would have had a beating heart…
"Still, going red faced and looking like a tomato isn't exactly attractive here." Tilly pointed out after a few seconds of Michael's answer. "Not to mention, heaving like you've suffocated yourself…"
"Tilly…" Michael gave her a soft look but she could see they were getting back to their starting point so she slowed to a brisk walk "Can we please just…move away from comparing our physiologies here?"
Tilly's face flushed a little though nodded. "Okay, It just… there sounds like there's a lot of benefits of being like you."
Michael shrugged. "It had a lot of draw backs. But we can discuss this later, Okay?"
The redhead gave a short nod and they fell into silence as they walked. Around them, she could hear a few more of the crew moving around, getting ready for the day. Even Lorca's voice seemed to be idly chatting to Landry on the bridge.
'We still need to run some more battle drills, I need the bridge crew trained in much more depth and alternative situations, Ellen. The Battle's we've done are just the tip of the spear. Get the other shifts of the bridge crew trained up too."
"I thought we were going to join more on the front line? Since the spore drive is up an running…"
"There's been a setback on that but Michael's team is working on the solution."
"Michael's team? It's Lieutenant Stamets's team, sir."
Lorca hummed, "Like there's much difference."
"There is a difference sir, Stamets is the officer of the Discovery while Burnham is an unkillable, immortal mutineer, getting temporary bail on our ship and not an officer." Landry's voice wavered with a hint of doubt.
Michael sighed deeply.
"Where did you go?" Tilly mused, glancing at her in the moment of silence.
"Listening into Lorca's conversation on the bridge."
"I really shouldn't be surprised by your hearing…but I am. What was he on about?"
Michael shrugged. "Talking about me to commander Landry. You'd be surprised how often my name gets put into a conversation…especially with him if I'm honest."
Tilly hummed though started to pick up the pace. "Maybe he has a crush on you?"
"Oh god, I hope not." Lorca, no. There was something different about his interest that wasn't about attraction, something deeper she couldn't put her finger on it but didn't care for it.
"What? You're not exactly unattractive, Michael. I'm sure other people find you very attractive. Red eyes are a little off-putting but other than that, you're like a freaking supermodel. I'm sure there's a few times where I-"
"Thank you, Tilly." Michael interrupted before Tilly said too much
Tilly grinned with a mild flush of blood to her cheeks though they relapsed in silence until they headed towards the Mess hall again some time later.
The vampire took her usual seat as Tilly got her breakfast though she was surprised to see Airiam pull a seat at the table though with Bryce from the Bridge.
"Morning, Airiam, Lieutenant Bryce, this is a surprise." Michael greeted.
Airiam offered a smile. Though Bryce looked a little uncertain, fingering the edges of his tray but she couldn't feel his nerves or concern about her. Perhaps he was only with them because of Airiam? Given they had hardly knew each other, that seemed the likely case. Michael's eyes drifted about, noting Detmer and Owosekun looking their way for a moment.
"She's not going to hurt you, Keyla…"
"I know but she freaks me out… you didn't know her before."
Owosekun sighed deeply. Michael's focus returned to the ones at her table
"Wow, 2 minutes I've been away and you're already making new friends?" Tilly's voice spoke as she settled down. "Here I thought we were going to be left alone because we're weird and questionable." Her tone ever so blunt.
Bryce seemed to relax a little more, he smiled softly as he stared to continue his morning meal without interrupting..
"I hardly think that's the case, Tilly." Airiam noted, "Despite your differences—" Michael noted the flicker of eyes to her "- your work is getting a little more attention. There's a chance we're going to do much more for the War now. Thanks to you two"
Tilly nodded eagerly, "is it also the fact we're going be stuck in each other's presences too that you're broadening your friendship skills?"
"Why are you questioning potential friendship, Tilly?" Michael mused, the curl of her lips more prominent. She didn't expect herself to gain any friends given her position on this ship and status in Starfleet but Tilly had a lot of options for it, once confident enough… and Tilly had gained a lot more confidence they met… was it a psychological aspect that handing around a thing like herself that did that?
Tilly shrugged, taking a deep sip of her orange juice.
"So, how's work on the bridge?" Michael asked.
Bryce was the one that shrugged this time. "Busy. Lorca's keeping us in simulations for the time being. It's a learning curve." There was a tightness of displeasure lingering in the undertones of his voice.
"Not a bad thing, we can't be seen with our pants down at our ankles if we cross paths with Klingons…" Tilly pointed out, finally grabbing her cutlery to tuck in.
"Simulations, not the issue. Captain Lorca's not easy going when we fail."
"Ah…" Michael could tell by his attitude he wasn't a fan of Lorca, like the rest of the ship but what could they do. He was their captain and they owed their loyalty to him. She certainly did, even if she was here temporary.
"I'm sure things will pick up, right?" Tilly added in, "Not like we…have the option."
Bryce let out a somewhat bitter chortle. "Probably. But that's more of a wait-and-see sort of deal."
Michael watched as the two started to chat though idly aware of Airiam's glances before she turned her gaze to the augmented human. "You're keeping looking at me, Lieutenant, is there a question you're curious to ask?"
Airiam paused. "Well, it's might be personal. I do not wish to offend."
"It takes a lot to offend me, ask away."
Airiam still hesitated, placing her cutlery down. "How…did you come about to be turned into what you are now?"
The silence immediately settled at their table as soon as those words left her lips. Tilly pausing mid-bite though her blue eyes widening a fraction. Michael though could see and understand immediately her curiosity and hesitance.
Tilly had been curious but had never dared ask that deep of a question. It was personal and it wasn't something she did talk about yet she could see the logical side of asking; if someone did this to her through some sort of experiment or not? No other species would have been known to transform a human being, let along break into a Starbase prison facility and attack her outright.
"That is… a complex story, Airiam." She started, her tone not changing. "You're worried if Starfleet did this to me?"
Airiam's head tilted a fraction as she thought. "That thought did cross my mind. As the first fully augmented human, my augmentations did come from star-fleets aid."
"Starfleet didn't do this to me. Another of my kind did this to me three weeks into my prison sentence. However, she escaped after. I don't know if there are others out there." Michael wasn't comfortable with the details she could remember, so she certainly was keeping what was otherwise done to her to herself. She didn't need a look of pity on what the woman had done. She hadn't meant to survive it; that was clear.
"Wow… must be so weird…" Tilly pushed her tray forwards to lean on her elbows. "and to think Earth had others like you, and no one had any fucking clue! Earth is looking like a turn-off now for vacations, right?"
Michael's lips curled up in mild amusement.
"Michael Burnham, to the Ready Room." Saru's voice called, but this was not over the comms but from the bridge, casually called even. Unusual.
Her head turned in response, the gesture not unnoticed by the human group. "I'm being called. I'll catch up with you later, Tilly." She offered a smile then shot away.
Within a few moments, Micheal stepped onto the bridge and slid to Lorca's ready room. The door opened to see the captain awaiting with a broad and amused smile.
"I like your new hearing range."
"You were testing me?" Michael's eyebrow rose, entering the small space. "I did not peg you for that sort of captain, Captain."
Lorca chuckled, "Testing, no. If you can hear everything on this ship that's not proofed against you then the need of comms for you is redundant. I got curious."
"Hmm.." Michael hummed though settled into a formal position, her hands behind her back. Though as she stood, she could pick up the old scent of Stamets lingering around, along with Landry's. Hours old. Michael thought nothing of it. "Was there something you needed, captain?"
"Your work on the drive mostly. Any further on finding a new navigator since our last talk?"
Michael shook her head. "The potential list is very small for all necessary requirements. Humans are the only current possibility. Use of the tardigrade on other species are proving… fatal. Human DNA is proving to be most acceptable for survivable mutations with little ill effects."
Lorca's face scrunched up though she noted how his eyes ran down her figure, no doubt in mental agreement given her own circumstances. "What about vampires for the drive?" The question was abrupt and certainly a planned question by Michael's assessment of his posture and voice
"Not possible by conventional methods, Captain. Our skin is too hard for a hypospray and injection wouldn't spread if on the chance you could break into my skin."
Lorca hummed, moving around his desk, pulling up a holographic projection that she immediately recognised; their human-tardigrade DNA to vampire simulation. From his pocket, he pulled out a hypospray and held it up, inside the cartridge was filled with a silver liquid, her venom that looked to be contaminated and watered down with the other DNA and infusion compound. Stamets's scent drifting off it.
"You think I didn't know?"
Michael's eyes narrowed a fraction. "It wasn't an option I wanted to exploit, Captain." Her voice remained ever calm and her body ever still but she felt a welt of nervousness she hadn't had in a while. "May I ask where you got that?"
Lorca shrugged though slipped it away into his pocket again. "No. But, it does present itself an opportunity; having one of you makes it easy to slip through the eugenic loopholes and gets us what we need to defeat the Klingons."
Michael's eyes narrowed but she could conclude that he got that from Stamets. He was the only one that had a vial of her venom to start with, to study… he hadn't wanted to tell Lorca for this very reason. Unless… Michael pulled up her memory of the engineering room; her focus to her environment… the few cameras she hadn't really noted on in the lab, despite seeing… he had known all this time.
"Starfleet has also passed the option of being able to turn humans; willing humans that have been fully educated on their future-to-be and you're their responsibilities of those you turn." Lorca carried on, "But I suppose that's more general for vampires now, not specific you."
"I do not want to turn anyone, Captain." Her tone dropped to an icy level.
"Burnham, if we want to stop the suffering of that creature then turning a human could be our best option-"
"No." Her tone hardened.
Lorca held up his hand, "I know your held back on the whole matter, you didn't have a choice to be turned. You suffered a lot with what that vampire did to you. But this, this can be done efficiently, clinically and in a controlled environment. We know what we're dealing with and we also have you."
"This isn't a simple yes-or-no question, Captain. It something that effects everyone. I can't agree to it!" Her stance on the whole thing was made.
"I'm not asking for permission from you, Burnham. It's more of an FYI. I've gained the permissions from high enough to allow this for this ship."
Michael's jaw clenched but she could sense the lie in his words. Not just the fact there was a slight uptick in his heart rate. He didn't get permissions for this. It wasn't his place to decide such a high and personal decision.
"You're lying, Captain." She wasn't afraid to call him out on it. "You can't make this decision."
Lorca wasn't abashed at being caught out but he shrugged, still retaining a calm demeanour. "Where is the logic in belaying the outcome? Sooner or later, the tardigrade will fail us. You haven't found us a legal solution yet and I doubt you will in that time. War doesn't allow us time to go through with details. People have to make decisions for the greater good."
"I know what you're trying to do, Captain but this… this isn't something that can be rushed. I turned into a killer. I killed the doctor's because they were food to me. Even if I was to agree to assist, the human would have to know what they were fully getting into and what they'd lose. Not just their humanity here. They'd have to try and stop themselves from wanting to kill anything with a heartbeat."
"I believe I have a few ideas of who would be an ideal candidate but I'm not an fool, Burnham. I did read up on your file after all. I know what I'm letting this crew into but I do believe there will be a benefit to this...for you." He moved a step closer, exhaling deeper out. "What is it you're so scared of?"
Michael's eyes watched his face, her dark gaze almost burning into his. He was confident, his decision felt made and she felt a little wedged in the corner. He was using both logic and emotion against her. To persuade her.
The fact was, he had her venom—not a mistake she'd make again— he could pick anyone he wanted, who agreed that is and use it. Leaving her to deal with the aftermath either way. She could easily calculate ways to remove it off his persons and crush it; but then the results wouldn't bode well on her end. She'd earn a trip to the brig for sure but it was surely worth it. Why was he obsessing over the idea of another one of her kind? It felt more than professional.
The worry for her was that, while Stamets had brought up the idea, he was interested in the science behind it and the fantasy of what it'd be like but with the restraint to not follow through. Here she had been worried on him… when she should have been more worried on Lorca. Another mistake she should have paid attention to.
While his question had merit, it was meant to gauge a reaction.
Lorca carried on. "Scared of the responsibility of another of your kind? Scared of sharing this ship with another? Scared that I'd use this being once they're turned?" He remained ever calm, feet away from her with a surprisingly soft expression. "But this isn't about you. I will assure you that…I won't use a vampire as a weapon and it will be a choice for them. Now, let me make this clear; I'm not saying I'm gonna run down and inject it now. It'll take a few days but I want you to help prep them." His body gave no indication a lie in his speech, no up-beat of breath or a heartbeat; his skin stayed as flushed as it was nor his pupils expand. He wasn't lying. Her eyes flickered down to his pocket where she could see the shape of the hypospray.
"We haven't even tested to make sure it's safe." Michael argued softly, her lips pursed. How was he able to wear her down?
Lorca nodded. "I know. But I have piggy-backed on your simulations to run my own and it all correlates to a working and successful….transformation."
"Who are your potential subjects?"
At that, there was clear signs of hesitation though he simply picked up his PADD and held it out to her. "I've yet to talk to all them. So don't…don't talk to them about this before I've broached the topic. That, Burnham is an order."
Inhaling deeply, she nodded, "Yes, Sir." But she had a gut feeling on the possibilities; from exposure to her and to the project; the circle of people was severely limited. The options; she didn't like. She plucked the PADD from his hand but didn't look at it just yet. "Is…is there anything else?"
Lorca looked around his office and shook his head. "No, you're dismissed. Go to your quarters and read through the reports. You'll take this as a personal day off to…process everything and get things in order."
"Yes, Sir."
Once in the turbo lift down, her fingers ran over the screen, closing her eyes softly as she saw the first two of the listed names
Paul Stamets
Silvia Tilly
"Damn it…"
hehe finally, turning of events, the story will pick up now so please, please drop a comment on which of the two you'd like to.. well turn. It's always been the plan that at least one of the two would but i'd like a second opinion and work from there.
