Around The Maze Part 4
Posted on Tue Feb 25th, 2020 @ 7:41am by Commodore Ledeya ‘Ed’ Ehestri (*) & Chief Helmsman Eden Bowers
Edited on on Tue Feb 25th, 2020 @ 7:52am
Mission:
Cosmos
Location: Starbase 621, Medical
Timeline: 2396
1792 words - 3.6 OF Standard Post Measure
Lake came awake abruptly. He'd been dreaming about water as if he'd been floating along in a peaceful pool and suddenly he felt as if he slammed back into his body. He opened one eye. Leddie was still asleep next to him and there was no indication that anything was wrong. He briefly thought that perhaps she had been levitating him but he didn't know how hard it was to do heavy objects nor did he have any proof he'd been anywhere other than in the spot he was currently settled. Lake let the thought go. She seemed so peaceful right now and nothing else was floating around the room that he could see.
The woman turned and snuggled into his warmth. It was so nice to have someone warm close by when the room was feeling so cold to her suddenly.
He blinked in surprise and then a grin spread over her face as he wondered how much she was going to freak out when she came awake and discovered herself all snuggled against him. Still, it was rather a nice feeling. The smile that had quickly come was draining off of him now that he realized he much he liked her pressed so close to him. He simply stared at her in amazement.
Strange sensations reached through her slumber and the woman soon found herself stirring. She blinked a few times and realised she was pressed against Lake. It was not Ranav at all, it was different and the woman could not put her finger on it at all, could not work out why it was so different. "Sorry." She whispered looking up at him, the blush evident on her cheeks.
"It's all right, you were just cold and not awake. And well, I didn't mind." He sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. She hadn't moved yet. "Did you sleep well? I didn't notice anything flying around the room at all."
Ledeya nodded quickly at his question. She had slept well and she did not seem to have a brewing headache that normally indicated the telekinesis ability brewing at all. “I guess it is cold. You humans keep your quarters cooler than Betazoids.” She commented on thinking it was set for his physique and not hers.
"Oh well, we can turn the temperature up. Most humans like it cool when they sleep but it's fine, I don't mind it warmer." Course that wouldn't leave her with an excuse to cuddle up to him.
“It is fine. I just require more clothing.” She was sleeping in standard-issue pyjamas but nothing stopping her adding to it.
Lake chuckled. "Computer raise the temperature by ten degrees." At least she could get warm. "Ledeya, don't make yourself uncomfortable for me. You're welcome to my body warmth too. Listen, I know we haven't known each other for very long but I really like you. I know you have a lot of walls around you but I don't care about your telekinesis. It doesn't frighten me at all. I would really like to get to know you better."
“Lake I... I...my walls are there to protect others. I killed people in the war, I was used as a weapon and I just...” Why she was telling him all this she just did not know. He was a lower rank and would never understand. “My telekinesis could kill you.”
"You're probably right, you could technically kill me but I don't think you would." He turned his head slightly trying to figure something out. "Surely you've been in relationships since then. You were really young during the war. Why am I different?"
“I haven’t been in relationships at least how you would view them.” The woman said blushing more. There had been one relationship with Ranav but it was not a relationship as most people would see it.
"Really?" Lake asked surprised. He brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "Tell me about it, I swear it won't leave this room."
"Tell you what exactly?" The woman wondered avoiding the questioning gaze for a moment before the strand of hair was hooked back out of her face.
"About what happened, why you haven't or what kind of relationships you have been in." Lake shrugged. "I mean if you want. I know I'm being really nosey. I'm just curious, I won't judge you."
"This... I... You can imagine the type of relationship if I never get attached." The woman said looking at him carefully. "What about you?" She wondered trying to change the subject and lower her heart rate a bit. She was starting to see things out of the corner of her eyes and knew that was a sign from experience that her mind was having difficulty controlling stuff as it was getting confused between what she could see and sense.
"Hmm, I always seem to fall for the wrong girl," Lake said not being specific. "All she has to do is bat her eyes at me and I follow her along like a lost puppy dog doing whatever she asks until she's tired of me and turns me loose. Story of my life really," he shrugged. "Honestly I think that's why I went into stellar cartography. From my perspective, it takes a long time for such a thing of beauty to change."
Ledeya closed her eyes and nodded. "Tell me more about Stellar Cartography? I am a Doctor at heart." She admitted not sure if she had told him that before or if he had come to that conclusion with her triaging before the gas had hit them.
"I . . ." Lake began, smiling at her closing her eyes. At least she appeared to be calmer now. "I like to think of it as a brain. Because mapping space is really how my brain works. I make connections from something that came before. Discovering something new really doesn't click for me until I know how to get to it. If you have time when we get out of here, I can show you my lab if you like."
"Your lab was not affected?" She wondered before she smiled a little, a devious thought in her mind as she realised suddenly this mans department head was Kallie. "What about your Department head? What is she like?"
"Oh, you know I have no idea. I've been stuck in here for a week. And now I'm back in here again." He fought the urge to say it was much more fun this time. "She's Ummm . . . interesting. Only really had one meeting with her, to be honest. And then I caught that cold."
Ledeya could not help but giggle ever so slightly. It was nice to find something amusing. "I lived with her for four years. Interesting does not cover it at all." She revealed before she turned a little hearing someone tapping on the window to catch there attention. It was the nurse from before.
Her giggle was absolutely adorable. "You're holding out on me here. You have to tell me stories now." Lake prompted but he was interrupted in the middle of his sentence. He moved quickly, both because he didn't want Ledeya to be embarrassed, and because he wanted to let her up so that she could talk to the nurse.
The nurse waited patiently for Ledeya to come over and smiled sweetly at her. "Ma'am. We should be able to get you out of here within the hour. How are doing?" She wondered concerned seeing her eyes.
"It has started." The Task Group Commander admitted glancing back. "He seems to be taking it in his stride though."
He knew it was meant to be a private conversation but there was just no point in pretending he couldn't hear them. "We're fine. She hasn't dropped anything too hard on me, despite asking her fifty questions and probably annoying her horribly."
Nesra glanced over at the man and grinned. She had gotten to know him quite well in the last few days with his isolation and she was pretty he was the only human who could take it all in his stride. "That is nice to know. I am pretty sure she will want to study you as well as to how you picked up the common human cold." That made Ledeya chuckle again before she looked away holding it back. She never laughed at things like that.
"I hadn't thought of that," Lake said, raising his eyebrows. "She has to let me out of here though. It's one thing being locked in here with her but I've had enough time alone. She can take me back to her ship."
"I think that is a discussion for you guys." Nesra grinned before winking at the man. It was not lost on her but she would hold any secretes she saw.
Lake grinned and watched Nesra move away. He was almost afraid of looking at Ledeya, he'd taken the conversation a bit far. Stretching his arms above his head he tried to casually look her way. "Breakfast?"
“Um no thank you. I... If we are going to be out soon I need to get dressed and ready for action.” She told him glancing down at the clothing they both wore.
"There's a shower in there too if you like." Lake pointed at the bathroom. "Or you can change out here and you can lock me in the bathroom. Whatever you're comfortable with. You should eat something though, either before or after you're let out."
The woman nodded and move to the small replicator and set about requesting her usual uniform with her new pips. She quickly disappeared into the bathroom ignoring his comment about having some food. She would eat after she got her medicine, it would get into her system quicker. It was a quick sonic shower and she came out dressed apart from her uniform jacket just as a hissing sounded signifying that the door was released.
Lake ran his hands through his hair. "I guess I'll see you around then, sometime." He really wasn't sure what else to say.
Ledeya opened her mouth to speak but medical personnel appeared at the door to check the pair over properly. "I am sure you will." The woman murmured as her own Chief Medical Officer rushed over.
Lake waved away any medical exam. "I'm fine," he assured them. Making sure their attention was on Ledeya he slipped out of the room and began the walk back to his quarters. He should change and make sure he was ready for duty.
Lieutenant Lakeland Brown
Stellar Cartographer
SB 621
(PNPC Bowers)
Commodore Ledeya ‘Ed’ Ehestri
Commanding Officer
USS Cosmos / TG 72-B
(PNPC Gregnol)
