Open Heart Surgery (Part 2 of 2)

Posted on 09 Jul 2014 @ 2:16am by Commander Allyndra illm Warraquim & Commander Andreus Kohl

2,007 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 06 - Legend of Souls
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 3, Sickbay
Timeline: MD 05 - 2358 hours

Previously on Open Heart Surgery, Part 1. . .

"Allyndra..." Kohl started to say in response, but he trailed off. He had wanted to speak, but he was overwhelmed by a wave of calm. Even more so, he was surprised by the sparkly feeling inside of him. Sounding in awe, he said, "You truly are a creature of beauty."

Allyndra was surprised at the statement and it showed on her face. It took a moment or two to get her composure. "Perhaps I should do a medical scan? You appear to be having a hallucination." The words sounded scientific but the tone belied both a bit of humour and a bit of nervousness at the same time.

And now, the conclusion. . .


[ON]

Shifting his weight in his chair, Kohl leaned against the desk between them when he said, "I mean it." He sat back a bit and he considered her with an easy smile on his lips. Speaking slowly, and carefully, he said, "Your perception of the environment around is keen and optimistic. That's not a common trait." --Kohl shook his head slightly-- "And I can't be the first person to comment on the appeal of your physical form."

Allyndra felt her hearts skip. She was unused to compliments or was this even an advance which was even more rare. Few actually had ever said such things and never quite so boldly. She would have blushed if she could.

"Tha...thank you. And no, not all that many." Allyndra looked away for a moment as the odd feelings coursed through then smiled. "Forgive me, I am not used to such things, our culture is more rigid, more strict. However, that being said, you too are very beautiful in both form and mind.

Allyndra laughed nervously, "The Guild Mother would have my hands rapped hard for saiyng such things."

"Ah," was all Kohl said at first. It was his turn to sound uncertain and nervous. The entirety of his situation was weighing down on him; Allyndra was his superior officer, and until very, very recently, she had been his boss. There had been no dishonesty in his words, and so he didn't take them back. "On my world," Kohl said, "my hands would have been rapped for denying a truth in my heart." He tilted his head to one side. "I can't say I have been dwelling or planning on this moment, but I thought it was worth sharing."

"You are gracious. Perhaps we leave too much unsaid." Allyndra took his hands and gently kissed them. "If it were otherwise I could easily fall in love, no," She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "No, I could fall more so in love. There I have made my own hearts open."

Kohl laughed; it was a soft sound, and very brief. He felt a tickle on his hand where her lips brushed against his skin. He smiled at Allyndra, looking at her, but there was no promise or intent behind his eyes. All he could say in truth, for this moment at least, was, "I am gratified to know you better."

Allyndra knew she should say more and took a deep breath. "You must know that I do have a lover though. I shall not mention names, and thus while I love others I remain loyal." Her face and words took on a very concerned tone. "I do hope you understand."

The Argelian nodded at her words. "I do understand. I understand all too well," Kohl remarked, and he felt guilty about how relieved he sounded. "I am exploring a relationship with a man I've really known for too short a time, for someone I've known my whole life."

"I see," Allyndra felt her counselor part of her slip into place. "So your mind is full of questions and quandaries. You know I spent time as a counselor, but as a friend and with my own confession would you care to talk about it to me?"

"It's a classic story really," Kohl said, even though by Human standards, and probably Akkadian too, it was anything but. The romance fiction of Argelius, though, was filled with this story over and over again. "When we're together, everything fits. I feel right with him; I feel more myself. And then we go our separate ways, and get caught up in ours separate lives, and days pass, or weeks pass, and neither of us makes much of an effort to see the other."

Allyndra listened. "May I ask when you do get together how does he feel about you and after the absences, is it like making a connection again?"

Bobbing his head around a bit, Kohl shifted in the chair as he considered Allyndra's question. "Even if I have missed him in the absence, or even if I haven't missed him in the absence," Kohl said, "When I am with him again, it's as if the connection had never been lost. It's like a universal constant."

"May I ask how much time in any one encounter have you two been together?" Allyndra wanted to parse this out. Sometimes one could find someone and it seemed everything was right, but it was the freshening of the relationship which made it bloom but it was not a steady blush. There was much difference between spending time with someone for long periods and not.

Kohl pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes on the desk. "Not overly long," Kohl replied. "A handful of hours, most times. Sometimes as many hours as we can fit between duty shifts. We've never found one another during leave time."

"I see. You know that sometimes a relationship feels good in the short term but not when you are together for longer periods. However, I am curious though why when your on leave that you do not spend time together?"

When Allyndra spoke, Kohl met her eyes again. He moved to nod at her words. Kohl could acknowledge the possibility that distance was what made his heart grow fonder for Victarion. It was a possibility. At her probing question about shore leave, Kohl's gaze turned on the down. He examined the desk between him and Allyndra, carefully avoiding any reflections in the glossy surface. "You know how I spent my leave..." Kohl said softly. "Ever since... ever since I returned to duty, everyone I've met has... has marveled at how strong I am, how special I am to be trying to live my life while I recover."

Kohl continued softly, "But you know I wasn't the man I am today when I was first paralyzed. You know. I didn't let anybody see me when I was at my lowest. Even when I was making progress, in my light duties and in my rehabilitation, it took a lot out of me to be alive and in the world. I needed... I needed my evenings to myself. To recover."

The advantage to the compound eye was that it was sensitive to the slightest movement and the quick flick of looking downward was not lost. This had to do with Kohl and his injury.

"That is understandable. When I lost my husband I wanted nothing to do with anyone or anything. It was if someone had taken my main heart and left a void that never could be filled. After a point the Guild Mother gave me tasks which I carried out to the minimum. Finally one day she called me into her quarters and told me: 'Child you must re-engage with life. A constant reminder here perhaps is not the best thus, I have with the Councils blessing decided that you are to go off-world. Perhaps then a change in venue will help you or it will kill you but either is better than the half life you are existing in.' It was harsh and it felt cruel but in the end I did have to reconnect with life."

She paused and then reached with one hand and lifted Kohl's chin so she could gaze deeply into his. "And now your recovery progresses and while not perfect it is time to re-engage. I would like very much for you to talk Victarion and stretch your heart, I think you will be pleasantly surprise."

"Has that been your experience as well?" Kohl said. He smiled gently at Allyndra, embracing her touch. He was careful not to delve too deeply into her personal life, but he still asked, "Have you been pleasantly surprised by the love you've found?"

"Yes, I have though it took long enough to allow myself to love again. It reminded me of a saying we have on my world: 'If one is afraid of falling then never try one's wings.' As I have said before Andreus, you have beautiful wings even if they are in here," She moved a finger to his heart. "Do not be afraid of using them."

Smiling fondly at Allyndra, Kohl thanked her, and he said, "I will try. ...But I ought to give them a rest before tomorrow. I should get some sleep." With that decided, he rolled his chair backward and moved to his feet. Kohl puttered about, piling his mugs together and carrying them over to the replicator for reclamation. As he did so, he said, "Oh, I just remembered. I do have a hand-off for you, Allyndra." Sprightly, he added, "Three of them, in fact."

Allyndra nodded and grabbed her book but just watched Kohl for a bit. She had almost decided to get up and head to the lab again when he turned and said he had three hand-offs. She sighed, it reminded her that she was on the clock again.

"Yes," she put the book aside. "What have you?"

Kohl turned away from the replicator, and he smiled at Allyndra glumly. "Tribbles," Kohl said ominously. "Three of them, last time I looked. I've got them locked under a forcefield on biobed three. But, uhm, maybe they've been breeding in the meantime."

"Under a forcefield but then there is nothing to really eat there either. So we have maybe several small and very hungry tribbles wonderful. What are we going to do with them? I suppose I could stand near enough and scare them away."

Allyndra's suggestion caused a delighted laugh to arise from Kohl's abdomen. As he moved towards the doorway, Kohl asked, "How do you intend to scare them?"

"The little things seem to give me a very wide space. I guess they all think I am going to suck them dry or something."

"Some kind of race memory, maybe?" Kohl replied. He strode into Sickbay, and waved a hand around to directed Allyndra towards the tribbles.

"I doubt it, remember Akkadia never had nor still has warp flight." It was technically the truth. She could feel the slight stiffness run through her body as the words left her mouth.

"Oh, yes, then they couldn't know of you," remarked Kohl. He continued on his way towards the Tribbles. He said, "I believe Zooligist Shroll is setting up a Tribble Sanctuary in the arboretum... Or we can just give them to the Security department, and let them do Security things to them."

"Anyway, we could take bets on a Tribble race since I am here. However, that just puts the problem elsewhere temporarily. Tell you what, just leave them for now and if you can check into the Sanctuary or where ever they are being rounded up to."

Turning away from the Tribbles, Kohl shared one more smile with Allyndra, a smile of shared understanding. "I will," Kohl promised. And he encouraged her to, "Enjoy your book."

"Thank you. It has proved to be an interesting read." She replied and waited while Kohl left. She wished him well with his problems.


[OFF]

Lieutenant Commander Allyndra illm Warraquim
Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant Andreus Kohl
Assistant Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo

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