Around The Maze Part 3

Posted on Wed Feb 19th, 2020 @ 7:20am by Commodore Ledeya ‘Ed’ Ehestri (*) & Chief Helmsman Eden Bowers

Mission: Mission 10 - Temperance
Location: Starbase 621, Medical
Timeline: 2396
1284 words - 2.6 OF Standard Post Measure

Lake opened his eyes. Something was wrong, his body was tense and anxious. He sat up ready to pounce into discover and protect mode when he noticed that Ledeya was sleeping peacefully in the bed. He'd had a fit of gallantry and insisted she stay there despite offering to let him have the soft surface tonight. But it wasn't her sleeping that kept his attention, it was the objects that were flying around the room above her. He sucked in a startled breath but calmed down enough to determine that even if they all came shooting at him, there was nothing there to cause him serious harm. He crawled across the floor and put one hand on the side of her face. "Leddie," he whispered hoping not to startle her.

The woman blinked once and sat up a little startled as she saw the objects flying around the ship. “I am so sorry.” She whispered clutching the blanket to her chest as she closed her eyes hoping everything would return to normal.

"Oh it's okay. I thought it must be you, I've never been able to access the powers of the force," he joked. "I didn't know Betazoids could do that to be honest with you. Are you all right?"

Ledeya didn’t answered for a long time as if she was in shock or ignoring the room but slowly the items that had been moving dropped dramatically to the floor. The woman opened her eyes and looked at him. “Not many can.” She finally admitted in clutching the blanket to look at him and take in the hand on her cheek. “I was involved in stuff in the war that I should not have been at such a young age. It damaged my paracortex.”

"That's terrible." Lake answered, sitting down by her bedside. "So does it happen anytime or does something trigger it? Were you having bad dreams?" So many questions flitted through his mind, he was trying to keep the conversation safe though, nonjudgmental. He was much more fascinated than frightened by the experience.

Ledeya looked at and raised the blanket shifting over to give him some space to lie on the bed. “I told you I needed medication. The replicator cannot replicate it and my dose is daily to keep the abilities at bay. They only grow strong and stronger the longer I am off it.”

"Ledeya," Lake said using the name she was more familiar with. "It's really okay. I wasn't really scared by what happened, just surprised. And you didn't hurt me." He took her hand and squeezed it. "This is a pretty good place for something like this to happen. There's no need to be so afraid." Then Lake did something even he didn't expect, he kissed the back of her hand. She would either let him or he'd end up with a black eye but either way she probably would forget her troubles for a few seconds.

The woman tugged her hand back with a blush at the affection he showed her. "I am afraid. If we do not get out of here it will get more and more powerful." It was scary when it happened.

"Like tossing me around the room?" He replied a bit more cheerfully. She hadn't decked him. "Well, I wonder if you have triggers, like if you are upset or if it just happens randomly?"

"Something like that." The woman commented on shaking her head. "It's uncontrollable." She said simply lying on her back taking in the greyness of the room. It was just like the ward she had been in, one of many as a ten-year-old.

Lake knew she was still nervous. He slid down onto the floor right next to her bed. "We'll either be out soon or they'll figure out a way to get your medication to you, you'll see. So . . .while you're on this medication does it inhibit your telepathic abilities as well?"

"You do not need to stay on the floor you know." The woman said softly. It was not a double bed but it was not a single bed and she felt awful for making him sleep on the floor. "Yes, it takes away everything but at the moment. I am able to pick up stray thoughts a little." It wasn't much, the abilities were not fully formed and she had no training as she had been so young.

"That must make it difficult when you're home, being different." Lake glanced up at her. "Oh I'm okay. I don't want to make things awkward for you . . . you know, if someone looked in."

"Sometimes but I only go home to help with the relief effort and to volunteer some of my time with people who medicine could not help." Ledeya shrugged a bit at his thought pattern. It was up to him but she was used to the rumour mill around her.

Lake got up and sat down on the edge of the bed again. They were talking anyway, after all. If she got sleepy well he could go back to the floor if things weren't comfortable. "That's really sweet of you. I've never been to Betazed, but I'd love to see it sometime."

Ledeya was relived when he sat back on the edge. “I do not care for scuttlebutt and I would be unhappy in medical if someone whispered about us especially if they know my situation.” Ledeya said patting beside her. They were both adults and two adults who needed to rest. One of them needed it more than the other in her case with a headache brewing. “It was a beautiful planet but the war tore it to pieces. It is slowly healing.”

"Alright," Lake agreed and he stretched out beside her, being really careful the whole time. "Yeah, it tore a lot of lives apart too. My mom died in the war. I was just a kid and don't remember her that much."

“It was an awful time.” The woman sighed a little as the spare pillow thudded against the wall. She frowned closing her eyes tightly.

"It's just a pillow." Lake reminded her. "At least now I get it." He grinned at her. "Why you don't let people close to you. Well one good reason anyway. But I'm afraid I might be about to freak you out because I think you're stuck with me. We're friends now and I don't scare easily." Lake had to admit to himself he sure as hell wouldn't mind being more than friends with her. He was drawn to her like no other. But they'd only known each other a short time and he didn't want to freak her out more than he had to. It might make her run when they let her out.

“I do not do friends. Not really.” The woman said softly thinking of Ranav and the fact he shared her bed sometimes. It wasn’t often despite him wanting something more but she wouldn’t let him close.

"Well, you're too late now. Should have said something earlier. I already like you, it's a done deal." Lake felt his body relaxing, though they weren't touching he could feel her body heat and it was lulling him into sleep.

"Foolish man." The woman said turning away from him snuggling down a little into the covers.

"Probably, but it wouldn't be the first time" Lake mumbled. He turned towards her on his side and draped an arm over her without thinking about it then easily drifted off to sleep.

---

Lieutenant Lakeland Brown
Stellar Cartographer
SB 621
(PNPC Bowers)

Commodore Ledeya ‘Ed’ Ehestri
Commanding Officer
USS Cosmos / TG 72-B
(PNPC Gregnol)