Naked Soul

Posted on Monday, 12 April 2021 - 1:00pm by Commander Soral & Lieutenant JG Maximus Mackenzie & Lieutenant Alex Kingsley

Mission: Operation: Peace or P'Jem
Location: USS Standing Bear | Various
Timeline: 2394 - Just prior to shuttle launch

ON:

Soral had uncharacteristically sought out the hand-to-hand simulator. It was located in the room adjacent to the gym and the one place that one could replicate holo opponents to fight with the safeties off.

He stepped into the ring. “Computer replicate fighting companion.”

“Specify.”

“Vulcan, male, my height, match my weight.”

The computer chirped and a figure shimmered in front of him. He let his anger wash over him. Without waiting for his opponent, he lunched forward and slammed into the holo Vulcan in full force bringing them both down.

He let out another yell of anger as his opponent managed to shake him and kick him in the stomach. Soral doubled over and called out, “Computer halt. Increase strength of opponent ten percent.”

The figure shimmered and the simulation started. He had hours before he was to board the shuttle with Vali and Mac to go to hunt for space dirt.

He slammed his fist into the hologram Vulcan and was rewarded with a sickening crack. The men continued to grapple inflicting pain on one another but the battle felt good. It calmed his burning blood.

He was so lost in the fight that he did not hear the door open nor did he notice who stepped inside.

For a moment, Kinglsey stood just inside the doors, watching as Soral and his opponent spared. No, that was not the correct term. This was not so civilised. It was raw, brutal and there was no indication at all that he was aware of anything beyond his sometimes victim, sometimes assailant. It was a demonstration of raw power and pure aggression, something she had never in all honesty seen from him. She had glimpsed it, once. But this... this was more.

"Soral?" she said his name quietly as she approached yet he made no acknowledgement. And then she made what she quickly realised was a mistake when she reached out and lightly touched his arm.

It had been her scent that reached him first. Her touch startled him but he didn't react in the appropriate manner. Instead he pivoted and leapt away from her. He studied her with lost eyes a moment and then he seemed to come back into himself. "Computer end simulation." The Vulcan disappeared. Out of breath Soral leaned one hand against the wall breathing hard to get back some calm and control. He hadn't expected anyone to enter.

He had moved so quickly that it startled her, making her take an involuntary step back even as he put distance between them. She watched him, unsure. “I’m sorry...”

He turned to face her, his face tinted green a little, a blush of shame. "I am sorry. I...did not want anyone most of all you to see me in that state."

“Most of all me?” Alex repeated incredulously. “I don’t understand... I thought we were being honest with one another? You don’t need to hide anything.”

He sighed. "Vulcans are...peaceful people. They do not value combat except when they are...entering the mating cycle. It is a time where we return to what we were before the age of awakening. I have been...disturbed by what happened with Vali. My Romulan side angry that she dared harm you. When my emotions are not checked they push me all that much farther into my cycle and it is distasteful to me to loose control like this. I did not want you to find me distasteful."

Alex rolled her eyes, “because you feel angry and frustrated?”

She stepped onto the mat, “did it help?”

He gave a nod. "Yes. I am feeling more in control....I am less … afraid."

“Afraid of what?”

"That you were hurt and how angry I was at T'Lanna, I know she could not help it but I was angry at her. The way Max was."

“You reacted like most people do. It’s natural because we care about our friends and loved ones.” She paused. “I want to try your program.”

He sighed. "With a different opponent of course."

“No, that one,” she said with a hint of stubbornness.

Just before Soral could say anything the doors opened. He looked up in time to see Mac barreling towards him full strength. Soral managed to push Alex out of the way just as Mac's fist connected with Soral's jaw.

Thankful for the mat, Alex scrambled to her feet as spun around, seeing Mac preparing to unleash another punch. What was with these two today?! She didn’t ask, instead she ran at Mac, bracing herself as she hit into him from the side, knocking him off balance as he threw his punch.

“Enough,” Alex shouted as she got back to her feet and planted herself between them. “Mac, what the hell?!”

Mac stood breathing heavily. Soral got to his feet standing a little in front of Alex as if to shield her. He kept his friend's gaze.

"Why this damned shuttle mission? Why me? In the shuttle with that woman!"

Soral relaxed a little but his stance was still guarded. "I asked you because I required you there. I trust you to keep me from saying something hurtful to her for causing Alex pain."

The fight seemed to leave Mac. He growled.

"Also..you need to take some time away. Haru needs time away from you as well to think all this over."

Soral looked at Alex. "Are you alright?"

“You worry too much,” Alex quipped, rolling her eyes. “We should just let you both loose on the Andorians. They wouldn’t stand a chance.”

Mac laughed. "Yeah." He sighed and looked at Alex. "There is also another reason your husband is afraid to go on this shuttle mission."

“Oh?”

Soral raised an eyebrow. He had no idea what Mac was thinking.

"He's afraid he'll be a coward with the Andorians like last time."

“I don’t understand...” Alex admitted.

Soral growled and lunged feeling Alex's hand on his arm he calmed. "Get to the shuttle Lieutenant!" He barked at Mac.

Mac stared at him and then left the two alone.

“Soral what is going on?” Alex demanded. The two of them on a shuttle was looking like an incredibly bad idea.

"A long story." He sighed. "Let us share a meal before I go and I will tell you." He wasn't proud of his actions and Mac knew it. He was so angry at him for being in a shuttle with Vali that he was going to lash out.

“Sounds good,” she nodded.

Just an hour later they were enjoying a meal in the mess. N'vek had run off to Engineering to learn from Eyelaya and they had some time. Soral pushed his food around the plate.

“Eating generally involves putting the food,” Alex began, putting a hand on his arm, “in your mouth.”

He sighed. "My mind is distracted." He looked at her. "I did not ask for Mac to join me on this shuttle mission to cause him pain." He said. "I really did need his assistance."

“He knows that, he just may need a bump in the head to realise it,” she grinned. “If you aren’t hungry we could make better use of some alone time?”

He looked up. "What did you have in mind my wife?"

“Nothing appropriate for a mess hall,” she whispered in his ear as she stood up. “Or you can go fight a hologram. Or I could. He didn’t seem so tough.”

"I think the first one is an option." He stood. "I shall recycle our trays."

“Good choice,” she said mischievously, watching as he cleared the table and then moving to meet him at the door.

They walked in silence and then entered the turbo lift. He called their deck and the lift started moving.

“About what Mac said... do you want to talk about it?” She offered. “It upset you... or you can tell me when you all get back...”

He sighed. "It was a long time ago. It involved the Andorians. I should have stood to fight but...I listened to orders and I withdrew. A Romulan ship was destroyed by the Andorians because I withdrew. Mac has never been able to forgive me for that nor I myself."

“You aren’t the same person you are now,” Alex pointed out, “and sometimes we follow orders we may not believe in. Or agree with. Because otherwise, there would be chaos.”

She reached out and took his hand, “Mac will get over this.”

"He has been like a brother to me. As of late I see the strain in him. Things with Haru are not...the best and I know how worried he is. I feel responsible for them both."

“Well you aren’t,” Alex said simply. “You are responsible for you and a whole lot of children. But not other adults. They will figure things out.”

He smiled a little. "Perhaps." He took her hand. "I have always been the buffer between the two."

“A warp core might be a better buffer,” she suggested lightly. “Besides, it means they still love one another. And when they stop fighting and realise it, it will be back to normal.”

"True." He paused, "Computer halt lift." He turned and pulled Alexandra into his arms just holding her.

“What’s wrong,” she whispered as she held him.

"I love you Alexandra. I wish you to know this before I go I do not have a good...feeling about this trip."

“We will be there the first sign of trouble,” she assured him, shifting so they could look each other in the eye, “you will all be fine”

He wasn't so sure. "Computer resume lift." He wanted to spend one more time in her arms worried it may be the last. "Let us hurry I huger for you, my wife."

“Understandable,” she teased, kissing him before stepping back as the doors opened. She tugged on his arm, “home?”

"Indeed. Perhaps we can be more adventurous another time."

“You want adventure huh?” Alex grinned as they entered their quarters. “As they say, no time like the present.”

OFF: