[USS Charon, Sickbay]
"Fraternizing?" Sakarra favored the Marine with an eloquently raised brow "I find it doubtful many people would consider a Vulcan capable of such a thing. Then again, there are those who would accuse me of fraternizing with the Sundered for the simple reason I serve on this ship. If I were to allow such considerations to guide my actions, it is highly improbable I could function as either an officer or an individual, no?"
His honesty was something the young Vulcan certainly could appreciate, although she was mildly puzzled by his insistence she was being 'kind'. Of course, what was completely logical to a Vulcan often was quite the opposite to an outworlder - or was she truly more concerned for the Marine's well-being than the simple and reasonable interest in a patient's recovery would warrant? She would have to think about this, but there was no doubt in her mind that whatever the degree, her actions were guided by c'thia.
"Do you consider me your enemy then, Mr Chernienko? Or yourself as mine?"
Nikolai raised an eyebrow back at her statement. What did he consider the officers on the Charon after his betrayal. It was diffinatly a curious question for him and what he thought about the situation. After a moment he spoke up. "I do not think of you as my enemy, nor myself as yours. But the sundered as you call them... I think the bad blood between us will always flow, We have built a wall of hate and blood that stretches as far as the eye can see." he said to her after a moment.
"We, Mr Chernienko? To whom are you referring?" Sakarra gave the Marine a look that was as old as Seleya herself, and it was for once what people who knew little of the Vulcan soul would expect - bereft of even the smallest inkling of good humor, the perpetual curiosity that was such a hallmark of Nevasa's children, or the patient, quiet serenity that was so easily mistaken for the inability to feel.
For long seconds, the young Vulcan's face was as unmoved as the ancient mountain but deep in her eyes one could discern just a glimmer of what hate and blood meant to one born of her kind, and it was no wall.
For long seconds, the young Vulcan's face was as unmoved as the ancient mountain but deep in her eyes one could discern just a glimmer of what hate and blood meant to one born of her kind, and it was no wall.
As quickly as the moment had come, it passed and the young woman motioned to the food. "I noticed you still experience some difficulties in moving. Although my attire will be putting me into a somewhat impractical position, I believe it would be beneficial to rectify the situation before it deteriorates, yes?"
Nikolai had noticed that look in her eyes however fleeting it was. It was a look he had long seen in himself, hatred. He looked at her with a new found curiosity, she was different from any Vulcan he had ever seen before. "I would appreciate it though I wouldn't want you to... Compromise yourself if you do not feel comfortable with it." he said to her calmly.
As she prepared to do whatever it was she was going to for this most recent bout of pain he couldn't help but wonder what the Romulans had done to her as well. He gathered his courage to ask her not wanting to offend her but his curiosity got the better of him. "You too have problems with the Romulans don't you Commander?" he asked her as quietly as he could to avoid anyone overhearing their conversation.
As she prepared to do whatever it was she was going to for this most recent bout of pain he couldn't help but wonder what the Romulans had done to her as well. He gathered his courage to ask her not wanting to offend her but his curiosity got the better of him. "You too have problems with the Romulans don't you Commander?" he asked her as quietly as he could to avoid anyone overhearing their conversation.
"Problems?" the young woman's features remained thoughtful, although her voice had returned to be even and melodious "It is one word a person could choose to define the history of our races since the Sundering. Although many will point out it is a woefully inadequate definition. There is little we have not done to one another, Mr Chernienko, and there are those, even on Vulcan, who would advocate settling the matter 'within the family' as it were. Perhaps mutual destruction would ensure peace at last, however personally I find little peace in graveyards."
She had taken position behind his head again, and let the coat slide off her shoulders, placing it neatly over a nearby chair. Achieving the correct angle would present minor troubles with the man up on the bed, but Sakarra had already thought up a solution. For once, all the extra furniture would be put to use.
Another chair was pulled up to the bed and the young Vulcan climbed up onto it, taking a few seconds to find the ideal balance before leaning forward.
She had taken position behind his head again, and let the coat slide off her shoulders, placing it neatly over a nearby chair. Achieving the correct angle would present minor troubles with the man up on the bed, but Sakarra had already thought up a solution. For once, all the extra furniture would be put to use.
Another chair was pulled up to the bed and the young Vulcan climbed up onto it, taking a few seconds to find the ideal balance before leaning forward.
"What will you have me do, Mr Chernienko? Count the toll those 'problems' have taken on my own family? For how long will you have me count? Since the day I was born, or since the day one Eldest Mother of my clan watched the ships leave? To what end?"
Her face was hovering merely a meter above his, and she found the pressure points with greater ease now, while the light undercurrent sparked by her touch immediately guided her towards the areas that needed addressing.
"The unhealed wounds of the distant past, the unfinished business of a distant future." she murmured quietly, and her calm gaze returned to the Marine's face who was still studying her with open curiosity.
Her face was hovering merely a meter above his, and she found the pressure points with greater ease now, while the light undercurrent sparked by her touch immediately guided her towards the areas that needed addressing.
"The unhealed wounds of the distant past, the unfinished business of a distant future." she murmured quietly, and her calm gaze returned to the Marine's face who was still studying her with open curiosity.
Nikolai listened to her and felt like he understood something of the pain she still felt about her distant cousins. His eyes closed briefly as she touched the pressure points and he let out a small groan of both relief and pain as she begun to manipulate his energies. He knew the encounter with his pain wracked body was taking it's toll on the young Vulcan beauty as well.
"I too have lost family in the war against the treacherous creatures that are your cousins. There is no end to their crimes or the suffering they cause is there?" he asked her and seemed to actually value her opinion on the subject. As before he reached up and stabilized her as best he could from this angle because he could already feel the burning sensation of a wave of agony moving up his shoulders and knew it would hit her soon.
Sakarra remained silent for another little while, entirely occupied by keeping her breathing level and letting the searing waves of pain pass into nothingness. Soon she would have to instruct the marine how to support her efforts with the correct breathing, but that would require lungs functioning somewhat better than his were at the moment.
The very moment he reached out, another most difficult wave of agony came lancing through the lowered mental shields and she gratefully leaned against the offered support, noticing in an almost absent-minded way that even after captivity, malnourishment and torture the man's arm was as robust and unyielding as an Indu'kah tree.
The very moment he reached out, another most difficult wave of agony came lancing through the lowered mental shields and she gratefully leaned against the offered support, noticing in an almost absent-minded way that even after captivity, malnourishment and torture the man's arm was as robust and unyielding as an Indu'kah tree.
"Ta'ushah nash-veh k'hdu." the young Vulcan said at last, pausing briefly in her efforts so she could regain some composure. "I grieve with thee."
She had not known the people he spoke of, but there was no escaping the strong emotions that had come with his memory of them, not when her mind was too focused on other things to shield from such intensity. The grief, the rage, and deeply buried underneath, the memory of what had been. Of what was lost. For that, she could feel sorrow, and even if she had been able to hide it, she might not have bothered.
She had not known the people he spoke of, but there was no escaping the strong emotions that had come with his memory of them, not when her mind was too focused on other things to shield from such intensity. The grief, the rage, and deeply buried underneath, the memory of what had been. Of what was lost. For that, she could feel sorrow, and even if she had been able to hide it, she might not have bothered.
"No end? I do not know, Nikolai Chernienko. There are those who believe we are simply too blind to see one another as we truly are, and all the suffering is of our own making. Theirs, as well as ours. And while I cannot dispute the inherent logic of that argument, I cannot see how a gulf as wide as this could ever be bridged."
Exhaling softly, the young woman stretched a little further still and her warm hands raveled across a chest that was moving with much more ease than before.
Exhaling softly, the young woman stretched a little further still and her warm hands raveled across a chest that was moving with much more ease than before.
Nikolai groaned a bit more as her hands moved over his chest, the pain was receding through her skillful manipulations. His breathing came much more easily now and he let out a long slow breath, for the first time in months his lungs didn't argue and cause a coughing fit. "It is pretty of them to think that could be possible. But we both know the truth.. The Romulans can never be trusted." he said to her slowly as his voice came back.
"The truth, Mr Chernienko, is not something I claim to know." she moved her hands back towards his shoulders, where the more relaxed muscles now made it easier to deal with the rest of the lingering pain.
"However, I will freely admit to being more wary of the Rihannsu than pure reason should allow. One may consider this illogical, or possibly prejudice. Another matter to which I fear I have no definitive answer."
"However, I will freely admit to being more wary of the Rihannsu than pure reason should allow. One may consider this illogical, or possibly prejudice. Another matter to which I fear I have no definitive answer."
She nodded with satisfaction when there was no trace of pain left in the now freely weaving telepathic current, only a mild ache as if one had climbed Llangon during mid-day and then incurred scrapes and bruises while sliding down a rocky slope. A sensation Sakarra was all too familiar with, and for a brief moment the memory echoed between her and the human before it dispersed.
That left only the issue of the proper blood oxygenation. Really no point in having your lungs function well if your metabolism would not keep up.
She would have preferred doing this during their next scheduled treatment, but since she was already here…
That left only the issue of the proper blood oxygenation. Really no point in having your lungs function well if your metabolism would not keep up.
She would have preferred doing this during their next scheduled treatment, but since she was already here…
[To be continued ...]
Lieutenant Commander Sakarra Tyrax
Chief Helmsman and Acting Executive Officer
&
Marine Captain Nikolai Chernienko
Platoon Leader
Chief Helmsman and Acting Executive Officer
&
Marine Captain Nikolai Chernienko
Platoon Leader
USS Charon
