Disclaimer: I don't own it, never have, and never will. Unless I take over the world...
Author's notes: Sorry I've taken kinda long. School started, and I suddenly have little time for anything fun. Telepathy
A few hours later, after Zandile had convinced her sister to make herself scarce, the door chime sounded. A clattering followed by, "Come in!" was heard. Zandile, who was trying to set the table, greeted Zarin.
"Sorry about the mess. I can't even cook with the replicator sometimes." She grinned in embarrassment. Zarin glanced at the replicator, and noticed that there was some smoke issuing from it.
"It's not that messy," he said. "The pasta looks delicious, though." He said, glancing at the table, where two plates of pasta with tomato sauce and vegetables steamed.
"The replicator started malfunctioning at dessert." Said Zandile, with a slight frown. She pulled out a burned cake from the replicator and held it out to Zarin, who shook his head. "Maybe we could just go back to ten froward for some of those yummy shakes." Said Zarin, smiling at the memory.
Zandile put the burned cake back into the replicator and pressed the recycle button. A few seconds later, the cake was gone, but the burned smell remained. She turned to Zarin. "Let's just forget about that mess, and eat," she said, a smile forming on her lips.
"Why?" Asked Zarin, taking a seat. "I thought it was funny."
Zandile put two candles on the table and lit them before sitting across from Zarin. Zandile saw the question forming on Zarin's face and answered it. "The candles are to get rid of the burned cake smell."
"Yeah, right." Said Zarin, smiling. Both of them started eating, chatting companionably as if they were old friends catching up with each other.
When the remnants of dinner had vanished into the replicator's recycle function; Zarin started lighting mediation candles. "Do you still want to learn how to use your telepathic powers?" He asked Zandile.
"Of course! What do I need to do?" Zandile replied eagerly.
"The first thing you need to know is that there are many abilities that Vulcans have the potential to use. Usually, a Vulcan's strict emotional control prevents them from using many of them. Vulcans can have telepathic communication abilities and empathy in addition to the mind melding and suchlike that Vulcans use far more often." Zarin continued to prepare things for meditation while he talked. He put the meditation candles around the room, lowered the lights, and put pillows on the floor to sit on.
Zandile cleared the table, then sat on a pillow. "Now what?" She asked.
"What were you doing before, when you answered my question before you asked it?"
Zandile's brow scrunched up in thought, making her high swept eyebrows looked almost normal. "I don't know. I was looking at your face, and it was like the question just came across it. I saw it in my mind."
"There's a step in the right direction. I don't think people would appreciate it if you read their minds, which you may be capable of doing on some level, but you are receptive to the unspoken words of others."
Zarin continued, "Now, I will try to telepathically communicate. Just focus on receiving my thoughts."
"OK."
Can you hear me?
"Yeah! Cool!" Exclaimed Zandile.
Try focusing a reply the same way you focus to hear me.
Zandile's face screwed up again. She sighed after nothing happened. "How?" She asked.
Pretend that you're throwing the thought to me, like sending a letter through subspace.
Zandile focused harder. Can you hear me now?
Yes. Good job!
Is it always so hard to send thoughts? Zandile asked. Focusing so hard is tiring.
It will get easier over time.
Can we try mind melds now? Asked Zandile.
Sure. Zarin smiled. Both of their faces were reacting the same as if they had been speaking orally. To the observer who couldn't hear the telepathy, they would have looked foolish or even crazy.
"Mind melds are more intense than normal telepathy," continued Zarin vocally. "Physical contact is made so the link can be made. The link is stronger. You can see the other person's mind, their thoughts, and their emotions. May I attempt a mind meld with you, to show you how it's done?"
"It seems like we know each other so well already, I don't mind at all." Said Zandile with a smile.
Zarin took on an instructing tone. "Saying 'my mind to your mind' isn't necessary to initiate a mind meld. It merely helps one to focus on the connection. When you try it, you can choose to say that or not."
Zarin then put the tips of his fingers on Zandile's face. He said nothing, but after a few moments, she could feel him coming into her mind. Suddenly, there were two minds in Zandile's head, her own and Zarin's. It was as if Zarin was merely a part of her own mind.
"Wow! That was intense!" Said Zandile out loud. The meld broke like a piece of glass.
"Can I try to initiate one?" She asked after they had recovered a bit from the mental efforts.
"Sure, think about the words. Put yourself inside my mind. Focus hard, and it shouldn't be difficult."
Zandile put her fingertips on Zarin's face. She closed her eyes and concentrated hard on what Zarin had told her to do. Suddenly, Zandile felt that a door was being opened into Zarin's mind. She went inside. She could feel Zarin's voice congratulating her for her success. Zarin instructed her more about mind melds until a noise from the outside world startled them and broke the bond.
"I hope we can get together again, for another lesson." Said Zarin.
"Thank you so much for your help. You're a good teacher."
"It was my pleasure." Zarin smiled.
Zandile turned the lights back up and snuffed the meditation candles. Zarin stood up and stood awkwardly to the side.
"I'll see you tomorrow." Said Zarin.
Zandile came over to him. She saw his smile and felt the warmth of his thoughts, and it made her stomach flip. "I'm looking forward to it."
Zarin left, leaving Zandile with a lot to think about.