Task Force: Gamma

uvek · Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 11:31 am Post subject: Adapting....

Uvek walked into sickbay..again. He held up his left hand, looking at Dr. T'Lau with a smirk on his face. His middle finger pointed straight up, perpendicular to his arm, obviously broken, the polycarbonate knuckle showing through the skin, snapped in the only vulnerable spot on the artificial appendage.

T'Lau cocked her head to one side and said, "I assume you still have things to learn from Petty Officer Koester." It was not a question. The entire ship seemed to know that the Romulan security officer was taking a whooping from the human on a regular basis, training in Sambo, and there was even a pool as to how long it was before Uvek finally put the russian on the mat for once.

"You know," continued the Vulcan, characteristically lifting one eyebrow, "I could log these visits in main engineering."

Uvek tipped his head back and laughed out loud. "Sarcasm, doctor, I'm shocked." He said in feigned incredulity. He looked, not for the first time, at the doctor's slim profile. She was attractive and young and focused. Everything Uvek liked in a woman, when he thought about them. In general his life had been one of solitude and years of training and effort coupled with the need to work alone in anonymity. He hadn't even been with a woman since his younger days in the RDF. But this one; this one had gotten under his skin, in more ways than one. Since the mind-meld he had thought of little else, when he wasn't meditating to put her out of his thoughts. It seemed the only thing that helped was being on duty, training with Karl in the simulators or sleep. That said, he decided it was time to do something about it.

"Doctor, would you consider having dinner with me?" he inquired. T'lau paused only for a second, a sign that the inquiry had caught her off-guard. She kept working on the Romulan's hand. Uvek stammered, "I mean, if that is something you feel would not interfere with your duties."

"Lieutenant," she began, then thought better of it. "Uvek," she resumed, using his name for the first time since their mind-meld. "We have shared a very intimate experience. I do not think it would be appropriate to engage in a more personal relationship until we are sure that the circumstances are not motivated by...outside influences."

Uvek looked down and watched her apply the dermiplast. Mixed feelings emerged in him. Feelings stronger than he was prepared to admit, even to himself it seemed.

"T'Lau, I can understand your sentiments," he replied. "However, I can assure you that my feelings are being motivated by strictly internal influences. I have spent several months adapting to these emotions. Truth be told, I have worked on them as hard as I have worked on adapting to my new hand." He flexed the new repair with satisfaction, then looked back at the doctor.

"I can be patient, T'Lau. I have been alone for a very long time. I have had enough of that. Given our physiology alone, this is a logical course. However I value your mind as well, and it is a mind I know intimately. I trust you will give me the opportunity to learn of the heart behind it."

T'Lau blushed slightly green, and secretly chided herself for the emotional response. Looking at Uvek she simply said, "Perhaps I, too, have some adapting to do."
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