Midnight Conversations -- Part I

Posted on Tuesday, 11 May 2021 - 3:26pm by Commander Soral

Mission: Operation: Neu Reich
Location: USS Standing Bear | XO's Office
Timeline: 2394 - MD 08

ON:

Soral left Alex to sleep. It was only 0130 hours but he could not keep his eyes closed. He was wide awake and ready for action. He slipped out from under the covers, went to shower, change and headed to his office, which was literally next door to their quarters but he used the outside entrance so as not to wake Alex when the door hissed open and closed.

Slipping into his seat he found that a message was waiting for him in his private message section. Raising an eyebrow, he activated it and read it.

Flipping on the coms section and using his personal code he waited for the screen to connect.

It didn’t take long and soon the typical Starfleet logo shimmered and shifted to the familiar face of a distinguished looking Trill. He gave a nod. “Endymion.”

“Hello Soral,” Endymion said looking at his friend. “I see you got my message.”

“Indeed. I gather that it is urgent.”

Endymion shrugged. “I just needed to talk to someone I trust. I know sounds stupid! I’m a doctor and I help people all the time…”

“It does not sound stupid. You are still adjusting to your symbiont. It will take time. Another nightmare?”

Endymion just shrugged. “Yeah. A memory. It’s like…I’m me but not me anymore. Maybe the commission was right and I should not have been joined.”

“You cannot think this way. Prax chose you, symbiont and host. You will adjust. You are still learning and feeling your way as a joined double entity. Have you though of the embracing? The ceremony to bring you into balance with your symbiont and its previous hosts?”

Endymion sighed. “Yeah, I’ve asked Trill and the guardians for that and was denied. In their eyes Prax chose me and I will either figure it out or the symbiont will go to a more worthy host.”

Soral’s lip twitched in a sneer. He hated the commission. He’d heard this from other Trills but it really hit home when it was one of his friends. “Then you must find a way to embrace the previous hosts because you, now, are the primary. It is your personality and your self that must take precedence and you must bond with the symbiont. You must integrate.”

Endymion looked disgusted. “Yeah, well how are you integrating with everything?”

Soral knew this as a tactic. Endymion was ready to switch topics. “I am fine.”

“Things with Alex?”

“Better.”

“Good,” Endymion said as he studied Soral. “You don’t look well.”

“I am entering Stage two of Pon Farr.”

Endymion gave a nod. “Time for a medical intervention?”

“Not yet but…it is close.”

Endymion studied Soral. “Will you not consider bonding with her now?”

“I will not risk her health to save myself.”

Endymion smiled. “Yes, that is you in a nutshell my friend.” Rubbing the back of his neck he said, “Keep me informed okay. I want to know that you are alright. I have one more thing to do before my new post.”

“New post?”

“Yes, the Zephyr, I think. But before that I have to stop back on Vulcan.”

“That is risky with the Andorians.”

“Yeah, but you know what day is coming up.”

Soral gave a nod. “I do. I wish I could be there as a support Endymion. He was friend to both of us and I too feel his loss.” Soral watched as tears formed in his friend’s eyes. He knew that he was being light about it. Endymion and the he that they were talking about were more then friends.

“Thanks. Anyway, I’ll let you know how things go and once I get settled on the new ship, I will contact you.”

Soral gave a nod. “Until then.”

They exchanged a few more words and then Soral watched the coms wink out. He stood on shaky legs and walked over to the small meditation pillow and table.

Gingerly he lowered himself to the pillow and closed his eyes. Perhaps a meditation session before he began his duties.

This would be an interesting day. They would be preparing to leave soon and he was looking forward to it. The station had begun to feel claustrophobic and he’d begun to get stir crazy.

“Computer, lock door of the office.”

He waited until the computer chirped and then he lit the candle in front of him. He closed his eyes and began to do the breathing exercises that would put him in a trance that was powerful enough for him to tame the fever in his blood. He would make it through another day but how long until he would need to seek a doctor? How long until that no longer worked and he’d have to go into medical stasis? All questions that he did not have answers to but ones that he badly did need answers to.

He was living on borrowed time and he had to ensure that Alex would not be hurt by the bond that they both craved and deeply missed.

Perhaps the new mission would distract him. They had a crew to get back and he vowed that he would not lose anyone else. Despite it all Eyelaya’s death had hit him hard and though he knew he should seek Vali’s help she had enough on her place. He would, as always, have to deal with this all alone.

OFF: