As much as Akadeanna had enjoyed her 'dragon' time… and soaring through the skies of Pern with her changeling daughter… she had been born human and was accustomed to her human form. It had been quite a shock seeing her altered appearance in the mirror at the hospital, so it was immensely relieving when Akie successfully regained her human appearance… with Luna's help.
Still, Akadeanna could see possibilities in her new ability… especially when attempting to relate to the various races of beings across the galaxy who were interested in Pern and what it had to offer. Akie, in her studies, had come across a sufficient number of alien species who found the human form, for want of a better word, repugnant. So, Akie practiced her shape-shifting as often as she could… to better her skill… and hopefully make other races more comfortable dealing with her.
One such people was the Parondar, a race of octopoids nearly as tall as a human. They had sent a research team to Pern to study the dolphins and the mentasynth process that had been used on them. Unfortunately, they had trouble interacting with the dolphins primarily because the dolphins had only ever dealt with humans before and had no idea how to relate to the Parondarans. Master Readis tried to help out but the octopoids had a difficult time stomaching proximity to the 'ugly two-legs'. So, Akie decided to try a new approach.
"Fh'shan Ressan't…" she spoke, addressing the leader of the research team by his race's honorific title.
The Parondaran octopoid made an unintelligible sound that emerged from a device hanging around his neck as, "Citizen?"
"May I ask a question?"
"Proceed."
"You seem uncomfortable around humans."
Fh'shan Ressan't merely snorted, but Akie could sense his unease being near her.
"What is it about humans that you find so distasteful? I'm curious."
It was several long minutes before Fh'shan Ressan't made noises that emerged from his translator as, "You are not like us."
"In what way?"
"You walk on those… 'things'" he spoke, gesturing at her legs. "You have only two arms instead of eight. You have 'stuff' growing from your top." His features twitching, he added, "It's just so… hideous! I'm sorry."
"And if I looked like you, would you be more comfortable around me?"
"Perhaps," Fh'shan Ressan't remarked, looking Akie up and down, "but a squidling cannot change its ink."
In the next breath, the Parondaran gasped, staggering backwards as Akie polymorphed her form into a female version of the octopoid aliens.
"How?" he hissed through his translator, the other Parondaran research members gawking in disbelief.
"A once in a millennia freak accident, Fh'shan Ressan't," Akie replied, "has granted me the ability to change my form to suit my needs. Do you find my appearance repugnant now?"
Fh'shan Ressan't was silent for a moment. "No."
"And yet, within, I am still the human you knew. It is only my appearance that has changed. Has it ever occurred to you that humans might find your appearance unsettling… distasteful… hideous?"
The Parondarans remained silent, but Akie could tell they were pondering her statement.
Akie returned to her human form. "Yes, we appear different to each other, but is that alone enough to be afraid of one another?"
Fh'shan Ressan't looked at Akie. "No," he admitted.
"There is an old saying among humans, Fh'shan Ressan't. Do not judge a book by its cover. You might miss a wealth of riches within."
Glancing around at the Parondarans, Akie added, "You came to study the Pern dolphins. How about I help you with that?" Glancing over at the Dolphineer, she added, "With your permission, of course."
"Of course!" Readis chimed in.
"Can I help, too?"
Smiling, Akie turned to give her daughter a hug as she ran up.
"Watch!" Luna directed the Parondarans.
Diving off the dock, Luna shifted to her dolphin form, plunging into the waves before surfacing next to the dock.
"Astounding!" Ressan't hissed through his translator. "How will she communicate with us?"
"My daughter," Akie explained, gesturing to the pod nearby, "and the dolphins are telepathic."
"'Pathers?!" another of the Parondarans gasped.
"Yes," Master Readis acknowledged, stepping up beside Akie. "Do you have a means to communicate via telepathy?"
"Yes, we do," Ressan't finally admitted. "It never occurred to me to…" He looked straight at Akie. "Thank you, citizen. We would appreciate any help you can provide."
The Parondaran scientists stayed on Pern for nearly a month, studying the dolphins and evaluating the level of intelligence the dolphins had achieved via the mentasynth process. They also verified that the mentasynth process was also responsible for enhancing the dolphins' nascent psionic abilities, namely their telepathy. The dolphins took it all in stride, treating the Parondaran visitors with great respect. The humans who eventually came to help Readis also broadened their own tolerance of differences, overcoming their initial revulsion and working in concert with their octopoid visitors. Everyone… Parondarans, humans, and dolphins alike all expanded their empathy, something Akie was convinced would make the universe a much better place to live!