( there's a pause, a clear hesitation before she speaks. she'd tried to dodge five's questions entirely but that hadn't worked and she doubts this captain would let her dodge too much either, not for nosiness but in making sure she really was okay )

My body doing what it's supposed to do.

( admitting it to m'benga and chapel had been hard and risky, pike had been necessary. but kirk doesn't know her and even though he's not from her world... it's complicated. she doesn't know the status of her people in his world, though she assumes it's the same.

it leaves her on a fence. what's worse, admitting to being illyrian or just admitting to being augmented? neither is easy )

My immune system burns out infections and disease. But in the cage it couldn't. There's a barrier around it.

( which she'd learned her first time there )