TLC

Posted on Thursday, 7 May 2020 - 12:29pm by Commander Soral & Lieutenant Alex Kingsley

Mission: Operation: Recall
Location: USS Fontana | XO's Quarters
Timeline: 2393 MD 02

{ON:}

Standing in the open doorway, with a subdued puppy nestled in her arms, Lieutenant Kingsley watched on as Sorel slept. The orders had been very clear. Rest and relaxation were the non-negotiable conditions if Doctor Rose was to allow the ship’s first officer to finish recuperating at home. And for his part, Soral has seemed willing to comply.

“He’ll be okay,” she reassured the Beagle who had been desperate to try and make an impossible climb to curl up at his owners side. Against her better judgement she set Bones down with care, watching as he lay down at Soral’s side like a guardian angel. With fur. And paws. “Don’t wake him,” she warned, her voice barely a whisper.

Leaving them be she spent the next hour or so making a start on some food while worrying about was was happening to the person who had come in and turned her world upside down. For now all she had was questions. Worried she would end up wearing a hole in the floor she decided to try and meditate. She needed to think, a clear head and then she could help him. Somehow.

Setting up the candle she knelt on the floor after another check on the recovering patient. Remembering all of his advice there were a lot of false starts before she felt herself begin to truly relax, her eyes closed and her breathing slowing.

Back in the room Soral fought his way back to consciousness. It was more a sound that roused him. A whimper, that he'd come to recognize, of curiosity. His eyes opened and he startled a little. Bones' ears were floating about him as if someone was holding them up. Soral blinked. He closed his eyes and then opened them find that Bones himself was levitating just an inch off the covers. The dog began to bark, loudly, feeling startled by all this. Soral sat up managing to knock over a lamp in the process.

Hearing the loud noise as the lamp crashes to the floor, Alex’s eyes flow open and she was on her feet in an instant. “Soral?!” She came running in, finding him awake and looking at Bones curiously. “Are you Alright?”

As she asked the question she picked up the lamp, setting it back down on the bedside table. Following his gaze to a very wide eyed Beagle she frowned, “that’s my fault, I let him sit on the bed. He was pinning for you. I’ll take him through so you can get some more rest -“

"No it's alright...he" Soral shook his head. "He was levitating. Perhaps I am more ill then the doctor thought."

Concerned she knelt on the edge of the bed at his side, taking his hand. “Maybe it was just a crazy dream? You’ve had a kind of crazy day after all. Do you want me to call Doctor Rose?”

He held her hand. "No it is alright. I should get up and move around." Seeing that Bones had managed to topple off the bed Soral tugged her hand bringing her onto the bed fully. He pulled her into his arms. "Or perhaps not." It felt good to hold her, comforting.

She laughed as she curled up against him, “you are incorrigible! But I’d happily spend all day like this so I am not complaining at all.”

She twisted so she could look up at him, touching his face, “I was really worried about you. I still am.”

A warmth spread through him at her words. He leaned in to kiss her lips gently. "I will be well. I have been able to recall more. At first all was a jumble but pieces are falling into place. If my theory is correct they will not be able to communicate this way again or rather seek answers from me." He paused. "I am glad you came. We have never talked about if we were to let others know what is occurring between us. I do not have anything against it. Are you ... alright with others knowing?"

“Hmm, am I okay with the universe knowing how incredibly lucky I am for whatever time we have?” She said with mock seriousness. “I do believe I am. And this is a small ship, people are going to work it out eventually. All that matters to me is what you think.”

"Hm. I think that I have dreamed of you all my life and now I hold you in my arms." It was these quiet moments. Not just the electricity in their kiss the passion in their embrace the pleasure in their unions but the quiet of just holding her and being held. The feeling of safety and the feeling of knowing she was there.

She smiled as she rested her head against his chest. “Keep saying the perfect things and I’ll have to break my promise that you would rest,” she warned with a mischievous smile.

His arms tightened around her. "Do doctors not say that physical activity is good for the body?" But they had something to figure out. "I think that whoever was trying to reach me was using a machine of sorts."

She shifted so she was kneeling on the bed facing him, “a machine? Is that possible?”

"It is. There are several devices that can amplify a telepath's abilities there are some that can even give those with no telepathy the ability to reach out. I... would like to request your assistance in finding information about those machines if you will grant it."

“You know I will help,” she gently chided him.

"Yes and it can wait." He pulled her back down so they lay facing one another. "I could spend a lifetime just like this." He admitted. "Just looking at you."

She grinned, “but then your eyes would tire of me. And I don’t want that.”

"They will never tire of you." He thought a moment. "I wish you could stay with me all the time." He confessed.

“I will be here as often as I can, until you do tire of me. Or until we have no choice,” she promised, taking his hand.

"Then stay with me. Make this your home." He was a dangerous request that could end only in heartbreak but he wanted paradise even if it lasted a while.

She propped herself up on her elbow, not quite sure she had heard him, “say that again?”

"Stay here with me. All the time."

“And when you leave to be married? When we can’t be together, even like this?” She leaned in and kissed him before resting her forehead against his. “I wish I could show you how much I want to say yes. I do. But there is one big factor you didn’t consider.”

"What factor is that?" He said.

“Doesn’t Bones get a vote? Maybe he wants it to be a guy only place,” she teased.

"He would love to have you here with us." He closed his eyes. "I know I ask the impossible but..." He sighed. He sat up. "It is not important. If you do not wish it then it will not be so."

“Hey,” she said as followed. As he sat on the edge of the bed she knelt behind him, her hands gently massaging his shoulders as she leaned over so she could kiss him on the cheek. “You haven’t seen that I live in chaos but how about this? We try. Two weeks, and if I drive you insane I move back to my own quarters. Provided Bones agrees of course.”

He turned slightly. "Agreed." He raised his hand cupping her cheek he kissed her. "And for the record I could never tire of you."

She grinned, shifting so was instead facing him, sitting on his lap. “You say that,” she mused as she kissed him, “but you have never heard me singing in the shower.”

"Indeed." He stood up lifting her easily. "Let us go and you can demonstrate."

“Soral!” She yelped, tightening her grip. “This is the opposite of resting! You are supposed to stay in bed.”

"Very well. Bed. After shower singing." He leaned in and kissed her. "I believe the appropriate human expression is what the doctor does not know will not hurt him. Showers can be restful. Very soothing." He carried her towards the bathroom.

“You,” she decided as she kissed him back, “are a very bad influence. I think I like it.”

=/\= Few hours later =/\=

Soral turned putting his arm around Alex. He kissed the back of her neck. "I told you showers could be restful."

“You did,” she admitted as she turned to face him, “and once again you are a man of many hidden talents. If the ship ever has talent night you can consider yourself signed up. And just to be clear, I mean for your singing prowess - because the rest is strictly for my eyes only.”

He actually smiled. Since being with Alex he had been able to control his emotions better. He reserved his smiles only for her. "Shall I make us lunch? While we talk telepathic devices Ashayam?"

Now that he mentioned food, her stomach growled. “Sounds good,” she smiled. “I think we worked up an appetite. Why not let me, you are the patient...”

"The truth?"

“I am a scientist,” she declared, “truth, always.”

"I wish to spoil you."

“You already do,” she promised. “You have completely turned my life upside down in the best possible way. Now sit, relax and be amazed at how good I look in your shirt while I get to spoil you.”

"Very well. I will begin the research on the devices then."

Bones chose to bark then. Soral reached over lifting the dog. "He's a very interesting companion." He held the dog up. "I have never had a pet” he told her as she dressed.

“He’s adorable and knows it,” she grinned as she buttoned up the shirt and untucked her hair. “He was very worried about you. “How did you end up with a puppy anyway?” She asked as she headed out to start prepping some food. On the way she picked up the candle and replaced it.

Soral wasn't far behind her He placed the pup in his play area. " I was wandering the station before we left and heard noises. When I looked in on it there were several of them barking but Bones was off to side looking at them as if they were the most illogical beings he'd seen. Then he tried to follow me. The owner did not want him, thought him weird and gave him to me for free." He noted the candle. "Did you attempt to meditate?" He asked as he sat by the computer terminal and started bringing up data.

“Well, Bones was taking good care of you and I didn’t want to wake you,” she said as she set down a plate beside him and planted a kiss on his forehead before heading back towards the kitchen. “So I thought I should try and practice. I have a stubborn streak.”

"Were you successful?"

“A little. I think. Maybe,” she said as she took a bite from her sandwich and curled up on the nearby chair. “It was relaxing. But it also felt a little weird. Like... have you stood outside before a thunderstorm? That energy that just seems to hang in the air. A little like that. Or maybe I just fell asleep and was thinking of the hit the shuttle took .... either way, it was more fun when you were there.”

"I see." He paused. "Perhaps keeping a journal of meditation to see how the feeling changes over time." He looked up to face her. "I thought I was a distraction to your meditation," he teased.

“You are,” she confirmed, sticking out her tongue at him, “but a very good and very welcome distraction.”

He had been about to say something when the computer started beeping. He looked down. "Fascinating."

Rising, she was at his shoulder in a heartbeat, “fascinating in what way?”

"There are seven devices that can produce these effects. I can eliminate three right away as they all require a telepath solely to use it. That would leave five possible ones." He brought up the five in question.

“It is reasonable to assume you’ve had contact with the person responsible for them to target you so ... do any of the rest seem more likely than the others?” She asked.

Suddenly tired he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I do not know."

“We will figure this out, I promise,” she reassured him, kneeling down as she held his hand, worried. Studying the screen she frowned. “Let’s trust the ship sensors so you can rule out three and four - the range of the devices is too limited and if on a ship, they’d need to be practically on top of us.”

"Indeed." He sighed "It is either the Ferengi orb then or the Betazoid device." He motioned for the sofa. "Let us sit there. Perhaps we can work it out using what I can remember and what I have been able to piece together." He picked up a blank PaDD. "Will you write for me. My head is starting to ache."

“Of course,” she assured him, taking the PADD and inwardly debating calling Dr Rose. She decided to hold off, for now at least.

They moved to the sofa and he wrapped his arms around her feeling secure as they worked through this. "Okay so let's list the two devices as possible."

With a nod she made the two headings, one simply said Ferengi and the other Betazoid.

"Now the facts. Since leaving the station my dreams have become vivid. I always woke feeling tired. I began having headaches, nose bleeds, disorientation."

Her frown deepened, “since leaving the station?! Soral, why didn’t you say...?” There was no anger in her voice, only concern.

"I did not put it together. The last time that Doctor Rose put the telepathy inhibitor on he said my telepathic centers were exerted and I had not used telepathy since leaving the station. Logically with my symptoms I can conclude that this device linked me telepathically overnight while I dreamt."

“Alright... well, from what information we have, a lot of your symptoms are common side effects but to varying degrees. Although that doesn’t take Vulcan physiology into account.... okay, so there is a study involving Vulcan subjects on Betazed. They reported only minor headaches. Nothing as severe as what you described. Unless of course,” she grinned up at him, “your brain is just a little weirder than most.”

To ensure he knew she was teasing she stretched up to kiss his nose.

"Indeed." He said amused. "There is also common. All the dreams involved the same person. A woman half Vulcan, half Romulan accept this last occurrence on the holodeck. That involved a man who appeared human. When our connection was severed I could sense he was injured so perhaps not a telepath. There was something familiar about him."

“Perhaps rest, and then think on how you know him?” She suggested. “You look exhausted...”

"Indeed. I should rest." He kissed the top of her head. "I will sleep a while." He stood and began to walk to the room on shaky legs. He stumbled at the door of the bedroom and grabbed the wall for support.

“I got you,” Alex said quietly as she appeared at his side, their height difference allowing her to easily support him with his arm on her shoulder. She kept their pace slow and steady. “Do you need me to call the doctor?” She asked him softly.

"No. Just rest." He allowed her to help him to bed. "Will you lay with me while I fall asleep?"

Arranging the bed sheets and pillows to make sure he was comfortable she kissed his forehead before climbing over him so she could lie beside him. She managed this without actually touching him, until she was literally in his arms. “Junior gymnastics champion two years running,” she told him with a mischievous grin, “you can think on that while you sleep. Sweet dreams.”

He held her as he drifted off to sleep feeling content and safe. "You are my dream..." He said falling into sleep.

She leaned her head against his chest. How quickly she had fallen, how badly she knew this was going to hurt when it all had to end.

{OFF}