Meditation Brings Two Closer...

Posted on Wed Mar 6th, 2024 @ 5:21am by Lieutenant JG T'lenn & Lieutenant JG Jason Williams III

2,046 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: The Menagerie: side stories & mischief making
Location: USS Astrea, Holodeck 2
Timeline: MD 3 / 1725 hours

A few moments before the agreed upon time, Jason showed up to the doors of holodeck two. Since the day before, he hadn't been able to get T'lenn's face our of his mind. Her eyes especially...he had found them quite mesmerizing. While he was here to learn some meditation exercises, he hoped that he'd get to learn more about his instructor. He knew that he'd have to tread carefully. If he pushed too hard, not only would any possible romantic relationship be aborted, he could very well lose a new friend before that bond was even fully formed.

When the time for their meeting arrived, and T'lenn was nowhere to be seen, Jason kicked himself for not checking the holodeck. Moving over to the control screen, he saw that the program was already running. After inputting his identification code, the doors unlocked and slid apart, granting him access. Stepping inside, he took in the sight before him.

T'lenn had selected a simple scene, it was twilight and twin moons were midway up on the horizon. He had stepped onto a patio of sorts, of smooth gray stone. There was a reflection pool ahead, flush with the patio, and there were two beige pillows, square and fairly flat placed in front of the pool.

T'lenn stepped forward in a casually fitted brown tunic, and matching pants, the fabric on the legs hung loose against her skin, providing an unintentional silhouette of her figure in the moonlight. The landscape beyond the patio appeared to be ancient ruins, and beyond that just the shadow of mountains in the distance.

"Good evening," T'lenn said greeting Jason as she stepped forward, barefoot on the patio. "Are you ready to begin?"

Jason had to take a moment to collect himself. If he had thought T'lenn attractive yesterday, seeing her now caused him to consider her drop dead gorgeous. "Uh..y-yeah," he Saud, suddenly feeling a bit nervous to be in the presence of this highly intelligent and incredibly beautiful woman. "This is a lovely setting. I don't recognize the constellations, though. Is this anywhere in particular, or just a relaxing setting?"

"The stars and the landscape are from what is now classified as Bajor VIII, though this era would be approximately 250 years before humans would have began any sort of interstellar travel," T'lenn stated. "You should remove your shoes."

Jason continued to look up at the unfamiliar starscape as he did as T'lenn asked. When he was barefoot, he placed his shoes neatly by where the arch had been. He then unzipped his hoodieand removed it, revealing a green tank top underneath, that fit his well-built body very nicely. "Thank you again for helping me, T'lenn. I do appreciate it. If there is ever anything I can do for you, please know, I'm here."

T'lenn observed Jason's fascination with the stars. She walked over and took one of the meditation cushions and brought it near the patio's edge where some type of grass was growing. It looked almost blue in the moonlight. "Grounding oneself is one of the first steps in reaching a meditative state. I've chosen this setting because standing on grass is known to have a grounding effect on humans. Perhaps you would prefer to lay on your back so that you can continue to study the stars." she suggested, holding the cushion out to him.

Shaking his head, realizing he was being rude, he blushed noticeably. "My apologies, as a starfighter pilot, I'm always seeing the stars around me when I'm flying. To see an unfamiliar sky is...different." He took a breath and took the offered cushion and moved over to where she had placed hers. "You gave my complete attention now, I give you my word."

"I do not require any of your attention," she corrected him. "You are here to meditate. If gazing at the stars places you in a relaxed state, then that is where we shall begin."

Shaking his head slightly, he replied. "I'll be too distracted looking up at them to fully relax into meditation. Please," he sat down on the cushion, crossing his legs as he did so. He then indicated the cushion in front of him, hoping she would sit.

T'lenn sat down cross-legged on the cushion across from Jason. "How are you feeling today? What is the primary emotion that is causing you concern?" She asked once she was in position.

Jason took a moment to consider her question. Then, looking back up into her eyes. He replied, "Worry. I want to do well here on Astrea, and I don't want to disappoint anyone. "

"Do you feel worry at this moment?" T'lenn asked.

He thought about it briefly, then shook his head. "No," he said softly. "I'm feeling more relaxed now than I have in a long time." His eyes were locked on hers as he spoke.

"That is good," T'lenn responded, oblivious to any signals that Jason may have been sending. "You are in a safe place. In a moment we will attempt to trigger this negative emotion you categorize as worry, and work to minimalize it's impact. But right now, simply focus on what is here in this moment. You are relaxed. And you are safe. As you do so begin to deepen your breaths, bringing more oxygen to your lungs."

As T'lenn sat across from Jason she let her own breathing slow, and she began to deepen her own breaths. T'lenn knew that humans tended to subconconciously mimic body language and breathing techniques of those behind them, so rather than explain any further she sat in silence and waited for his breathing to match hers.

Closing his eyes, he nodded slowly, then started to do as T'lenn instructed. Soon, his rate of breathing matched hers. As he breathed, with his eyes closed, his other senses started to become much more focused on his surroundings. He could hear his breaths, his heartbeat, the simulated light breeze that flowed around him. He could start to feel the cushion he was seated upon in more detail. He could feel the weave of the fabric and the stone edges beneath him.

His senses found focus on T'lenn as well. He could hear the air filling her lungs when she breathed in. He could smell the soft scent that came from her skin as the pulse throbbed in her neck. He could even feel the warmth of her body heat, though they were seated several inches apart.

"Do you still feel safe?" T'lenn asked, finally breaking the silence.

As he replied, he felt his body continue to relax. "I do."

"What do you see?" T'lenn asked softly.

"It's night," he began. "I'm on a beach, with the surf gently crashing against the shoreline. There's a small bonfire on the beach, with a couple logs laying in the sand around it."

"Have you been here before?" T'lenn asked.

He started to shake his head no, but then stopped. "Yes! That beach is Robert Moses Beach, out n Long Island! Red Squad has a small compound out there, to relax after hard training. I was there only once...because...I shipped out with a group of cadets, to complete our ship tours before graduation."

"You were excitable when you recognized the location. The purpose of meditation is to remain calm and contemplative. Focus on your breathing again, but stay in the same place," T'lenn instructed.

Blushing slightly, out of embarrassment, Jason did as instructed. "Sorry." He then quieted down and stayed like that or several moments, until finally, "Okay, I'm back on the beach."

"There is no need to apologize. Meditation is an exercise for your mind. One must trigger emotional responses in order to learn to have control over them," T'lenn explained. "Each time you become uncentered, and then reground your mind becomes stronger."

"Steady your breathing with mine, and stay on the beach." T'lenn paused, waiting until she sensed that Jason had centered himself somewhat yet again.

"I am going to ask you a question now," she warned him. "Why do you worry that you will fail?"

Staying calm this time, the young pilot replied softly. "Every time, since joining Starfleet, when I've done my best, either I get injured, or someone I know passes away. I don't know how to prevent either from occurring, so I worry that, if things go too smoothly, something bad is going to happen to ruin it." He paused, then added, "I'm also worried, that one day, I will fail, and someone I care about will pay the price for that failure."

"Starfleet is dangerous, and you picked one of the - if not the most dangerous job that Starfleet has to offer. Part of you must have wanted that risk when you signed on," T'lenn stated. She spoke calmly, but was goading him now, trying to invoke a reaction again.

This time, Jason remained calm as he replied. "I chose Starfighter Corps, as it gives me the ability to protect my shipmates from danger, before it has a chance to get too close to the ship."

"And when you can't protect your shipmates, then what?" T'lenn prodded. "How will you handle it when your best is not enough?"

For several beats, the young pilot was silent. Then, while his eyes remained shut, a single tear started to fall down his right cheek. Then another, down his left cheek. Suddenly, is eyes snapped open. The implants had changed again. Now, they were solid black, as dark as obsidian. He shot to his feet, looking at T'lenn with pain and confusion in his features. "Why would you do that?!" He demanded as his voice grew in volume. "I thought you were going to help me stay calm! Why would you put that in my head?! He turned and moved to the wall, his hands balled into fists.

T'lenn stood up and calmly walked toward him. "You must invoke your negative emotions in order to learn to control them. Invoke your fears in a safe place, so that they do not overcome you when you are forced to face them."

His back still to T'lenn, Jason replied. "You want me to invoke my fears? How's this?" In a flash, he spun back around, wrapped his arms around her waist, pulled her in and kissed her full on the lips.

T'lenn was taken by surprise and not given enough time to react to Jason's sudden gesture of affection. She could feel her face flush, though she attempted to ignore it as she worked to regain composure, taking Jason's hands into her and holding them in front of her.

"You are in a vulnerable place right now, and you react too quickly on emotion." She took a deep breath in as she took a step back, letting go of his hands. "You wanted to learn Vulcan meditation. In which one must set aside emotion and focus on logic. Shall we begin again?"

Realizing that he had been wrong with his sudden advance, then realizing that he was lucky T'lenn hadn't both called security, and immobilized him herself, his face darkened out of embarrassment. "Forgive me. I should not have done that without your permission." He was about to turn and leave, when the spinning thoughts in his brain caught the last part of her sentence.

Looking back at her, he swallowed and asked, "You...you s-s-still wish to h-h-h-h....assist me?"

"It is evident that you could benefit from learning how to control your emotions, and how to pause and apply logic before making decisions. If you still wish to learn, I will teach you," T'lenn replied.

Jason nodded, a soft, lop-sided grin crossed his face. "I'd be honored, T'lenn. Thank you."

T'lenn bowed her head gracefully and gestured to the spot on the ground where he had been sitting. "Then let's continue. We must end on a positive reflection."

He moved back to the cushion and sat down. Once T'lenn was seated again in front of him, Jason closed his eyes and concentrated on what she was trying to teach him. He didn't want to mess things up again.

~TBC~

Lieutenant J.G. T'lenn
Science Officer
USS Astrea

&

LT(jg) Jason Williams III
Starfighter Squadron Leader
USS Astrea

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