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CH03: S [D04|1800] Token of gratitude

Chapter 03: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1800 hrs. ] Token  of gratitude

[ Lt. JG Izar Bila| Day 4| 1800 hrs. | Desck 15 | Battle Sickbay | Vector 3 “The Stallion”]
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Att.: @Nolan

Izar hesitated in front of the sickbay door while stretched the imperceptible creases of his uniform. When he finished fixing the imaginary imperfections of his clothing, he ran his hand through his curly hair, pulling a few strands from the tight bun that gathered them. Finally he scratched the five o'clock shadow that covered his jaw. He had shaved that morning, but the pertinacious facial hair had already grew again. The hybrid had known for years that it was a lost battle, his bajoran genetics insisted on showing theyselves in that way. He couldn't fight against it. He took a heavy breath and picked up the small package he carried with both hands. A small, circular object, papered in a wrapping paper so pawed that it almost had became transparent. There was no point in being nervous, and he knew it, but he couldn't help it. Despite all his loquacity there were things that he still found difficult to do. Because he didn't know if he would be well received, if he would be dismissed with a "it was my duty" and he would find himself next to the biobed, shifting his weight from one foot to the other while the awkward moment thickened between him and the petty officer.


However, the vedeks taught that everything happened for a reason and that she was where she was in the moment of the attack couldn't be fortuitous. Just as it hadn't been fortuitous that he met Tom past midnight in the Mess Hall of the Thunderchild, so many years ago. Then he had met the one who ended up being his best friend. He didn't know where the Prophets were leading him with this situation but they had wanted him to be in that place at that moment and he had no choice but to move on. He scratched his hirsute cheek again, and placed the best of his grins on his face, free of his usual mischievousness and took a step forward.


The door of the Battle Sickbay of the Theurgy opened in its wake, showing a room full of wounded crewmembers both from  that vector and from USS Cayuga. The sparce medical personnel moved everywhere with the speed and efficiency of a hive. The half-cardassian dodged a nurse carrying what looked like a mountain of medkits, a couple of crew  that headed to the door after a visit to a comrade, hit the corner of a biobed and at the end stumbled as he could until he arrived to his destiny.


The biobed was located in a corner of the bay and despite the bustle of the infirmary, it was curiously silent. The woman who was recuperating there had her back turned to him, and Bila could barely make out her curly hair that hid her features. The cardassian hybrid cleared his throat to call her attention, hoping not to find her asleep. "Petty Officer Bemual?" He asked slightly hesitantly. "I'm lieutenant Izar, I don't know if you remember me ... How are you?"

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1800 hrs. ] Token of gratitude

Reply #1
[ PO 2nd class Kythalie Benmual | Day 4 | 1800 hrs. | Deck 15 | Battle Sickbay | Vector 3 "The Stallion"] Attn: @Numen

The Betazoid security officer had been placed in a more quiet corner of the Theurgy's Sickbay, which in hindsight was probably a good thing to recover from a serious concussion. Wearing one of those ridiculous sickbay gown as her own uniform had been too far gone, she was laying on her side, her back facing the rest of the sickbay as she had her eyes closed and her head facing towards the walls of the bay.

The sickbay had been a beehive of activity as people came and went, doctors and nurses checking up on her occasionally as she felt fine besides the pounding headache. The bruises and scratches she had sustained had been fixed by inoculation and dermal generators. Her skin looking perfect once more as she sighed softly at the boredom of Sickbay. She could hear footsteps approach her bed, probably another nurse coming to check up on her for the millionth time.

She could hear someone clear their throat, which was odd for a nurse as they just did their thing and moved along. Than she heard the voice of a man she didn't recognize. Maybe it was an intern nurse? A cadet perhaps? As he called out her rank and name, she slowly turned around. The sight he had to behold at first was her bare back as the sickbay gown had traditionally slid open, exposing her caramel skinned back. She rolled on her back first, before rolling further so she could look at whomever stood at her bed.

She didn't recognize the face at first. The black orbs of her eyes looking over him, almost scanning him as he introduced himself as a lieutenant no less. Izar Bila... Should she remember him? She frowned slightly as she reached out to him telepathically. Probing his brain which went a whole lot easier considering he was a Cardie. She licked her lips lightly as she nodded slowly, before stopping the probing as it only ached her head even more.

"Lieutenant... How can I be of service sir?" she asked with a dry mouth, her voice cracked lightly as she blinked a few times and her features showed the ache she was in due to her opting to try and easing her way in. That's when her eyes caught on to the wrapping in his hands, he had asked how she was "Quite a severe headache sir... I hope it'll pass soon, but I'll live." she answered with a faint smile. Her eyes darting up to his face again as she wondered what was going on exactly. Had someone died and left her something?

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1800 hrs. ] Token of gratitude

Reply #2
[ Lt. JG Izar Bila| Day 4| 1800 hrs. | Desck 15 | Battle Sickbay | Vector 3 “The Stallion”]
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Att.: @Nolan

Bila shifted uncomfortably for a moment under the scanning of the betazoid's eyes. He felt the pressure of her mind on his and, not for the first time in his life, he wished he owned that ability to block mental assaults possessed by the people of his unknown father. He didn't enjoy that trait and sadly it wasn't something that was transmitted with blood. And another time, the scientist found himself wanting to be more in tune with that part of his genetics that circumstances had forced him to neglect. Even when facing the world, he looked more like that part, more cardassian than anything else. Soon the mental pressure disappeared and the hybrid sighed slightly, relieved, leaving his blood troubles for later.


Then the woman spoke, with the detachment of the chain of command in her voice, and the half-bajoran felt the weight in the pit of her stomach becoming more dense. Like a neutron star approximately.  Maybe closer to a black holes' matter. He shifted the weight from one foot to the other, and went back to fingering the small package he carried. For a moment, he doubted if he should just leave it on the side of the bed without further explanation, just saying it was a gift and leave. And then, possibly buried himself under some bulkplate in his quarters, like the laboratory rat he was, going on and on his ineptitude to complete such a simple task. As if he were the first Fleet officer who thanked someone of lower rank.

In the end he plucked up courage and drew an indecisive smile on his face. The worst smile he had ever had since he was five years old and he had learned that a smiley face could momentarily hide the discomfort caused by his appearance. "Well, the headache is shared" He softly chuckled. "If I remember correctly, the last time we saw ourselves half of the aisle had burst at the height of my face, my eardrums still buzz." Izar scratched his cheek again, the rustle sound audible in the quiet corner. He remembered too well how the skin had hung from his jawbone oddly brought to light. "That reminds me that, well, you know. That's why I'm here. "

He extended his hands in front of himself, bowing his head in a respectful reverence, showing the package he was holding. Possibly the meaning of the pendant was lost for the betazoid , but he could explain it to her. Maybe calm himself a bit talking about his culture. Inside the package was a small medallion of Moba wood with the square ideogram of the word Peldor engraved on it. "I wanted to thank you for saving my life during the Borg attack in the Bajoran way." The scientist smiled sideways, knowing what the next question would be. "Yeah, I know, gray color and ridges have not been in style in Bajor for long time,  but I could claim that i'm bajoran... for the most part” He unconsciously wrinkled his nose to make it more noticeable, and drew his hand to the earring that adorned his right ear.

Suddenly, a realization struck Bila like a lighting bolt. He stared at the betazoid, tilting his head. "You remembers it, right? Save me in the Borg assault?. "



Peldor → Gratitude

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1800 hrs. ] Token of gratitude

Reply #3
[ PO 2nd class Kythalie Benmual | Day 4 | 1800 hrs. | Deck 15 | Battle Sickbay | Vector 3 "The Stallion"] Attn: @Numen 

As the man mentioned that the ache was a shared feeling, the Betazoid couldn't help but chuckle. "Maybe you should linger a bit longer here. They have awesome painmeds." she murmured as she closed her eyes for a second to rest them. He spoke of events in an aisle and how he had sustained injuries. The woman before him scanned her memory for it, yet drew blanks. She tried to keep her composure, hoping to not let on the fact that she didn't really remember.

Even while the man scratched his beard she could hear the rustle of it in her ears. the sound not necessarily too loud or obnoxious yet itching something in her head. She tilted her head from left to right before she opened her eyes once more, only to see him bow in reverence as he extended the package towards her. She could feel her cheeks rush with color as she felt herself getting lightheaded as a result of it.

Had she been dating him before all of this? She thought she only forgot about the events leading up to the attack and during it, yet maybe she missed more things? She scratched at the tissue of the gown as the man stood there, carefully she reached out to open the box, removing the wrapping as silently as she could. Her eyes widened at the pendant as she inspected the carving and word. She looked back up to the man and smiled faintly "I believe a well earned thank you is in order here lieutenant..." she had forgotten his name again as she sighed and shook her head "Though, I..." she paused as she chewed on her lower lip.

He explained now why he had provided her with the pendant. Her heart fluttering lightly as she came to the conclusion that he wasn't a lover of sorts or more. Not that she wouldn't be able to love him, yet because of the lack of memory of such a thing would only hurt him more and undoubtedly leave its tracks with her. He cracked a joke about not looking awfully Bajoran before he highlighted his Bajoran features. She had to laugh softly before he tilted his head and seemingly saw through her plan to just act casually about the entire thing. He called her out on it, not remembering and the shade of red only grew stronger.

"I..." she started "The doctor said I have retrograde amnesia... I can't fully remember what lead up to the attack or during the attack. It... It's all a big black hole really..." she admitted as she looked down at the pendant "So.. Perhaps.. I don't really... earn this token?" she said softly, carefully as she wasn't sure about the entire thing.

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1800 hrs. ] Token of gratitude

Reply #4
[ Lt. JG Izar Bila| Day 4| 1800 hrs. | Desck 15 | Battle Sickbay | Vector 3 “The Stallion”]
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Att.: @Nolan


When the petty officer opened the wrapper, her dark eyes shone like black tourmalines, finely polished. And like the schorl, Bila found that they had a magnetic nature. The scientist allowed himself to smile pleasantly knowing that, at least, the gift was well received. He relaxed his posture a little, and approached the edge of the biobed, embolden by that positive reaction of the woman. However, as soon as it seemed that the situation had relaxed a bit, it became uncomfortable again, when after his question the woman's face twisted from one expression to another, and passed through different shades of blush and distress in just few seconds.  He didn't need to be a telepath to know that his demonstration of gratitude was confusing Benmual more than anything else. Bila chastised himself for that: here he was, trying to act as a gentleman and becoming a scoundrel.


The scientist bowed his head, embarrassed, and listened as the security officer shared her diagnosis. She didn't remember anything. Surely she didn't even remember him. He stared her as she studied the pendant, passing one of her thumbs delicately over the ideogram, outlining the traces of the word. With great care, as if he were dealing with a highly volatile substance, the hybrid grabbed the pendant from between her fingers, opened the clasp of the necklace that held it and closed it behind the nape of the betazoid. Throughout the process, he didn't say a word, nor did he look Kythalie in the eye, as if she were going to scare and run away at any moment. Bila chukled innerly. As if she could do it.


"It suit you well" He flattered her, a small smug smile came naturally to his face, just a soft reflection of how he really was. Without further ado, he sat on the edge of the bed, one leg crossed over the other and the elbow on his knee. "Well, I guess it's time to tell you how you saved my life."



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When he opened his eyes, nothing was where it should be. The floor stretched vertically, a viscous brown substance climbing upward, creating whimsical creeks around blue alien flowers.  Bila didn't recognise those flowers, but he knew that they didn't grow in Trill. He doubted they would grow up in Bajor, but his knowledge of his home planet was rather limited. The flowers were scattered around the floor-wall, as if they grew in the slits of the floorplate, but in a way totally improper of any plant that he knew, joined by a string. It was then that he realized that the ground was where it should be: it was he who was not in the position he should be and was lying face down on the floor, one of the cheeks flattened against the brown stain that stretched slowly around of his head.


Beyond the flowers, a jumble of twisted duranium prevented him from seeing much further. Idly, he found it curious that except for the brown spot, everything was dyed a bright green hue. The chemist tried to move his head, but a burst of pain prevented him from moving to much. Carefully, he brought one of his hands to his cheek that was not squashed against the bulkplates. He found it mysteriously hairless, the wild stubble that usually covered it, absent. He traced his profile with his long fingers and found that, except for the absence of one of the scales on his browridge, there was nothing that could cause the pain he had felt. He stood still, numbed in the same position in which he had awakened, trying to know what had happened.


The next thing his senses detected was the strong smell that clung to everything around him. A sweet smell, like grilled meat, interspersed with an unknown metallic aftertaste, and something he did not know how to define, something bitter and ... "electric" that irritated the back of his throat. Bila coughed, choked and, as he did so, he lifted his cheek from the floor. He immediately felt intense pain from the cheekbone to the jaw, and a cold sensation in the tongue. With growing horror, he put his hand to that part of his face that he had just recovered and found that half of his cheek had disappeared. He could feel the air through the burned hole under his cheekbone every time he breathed. He continued to feel his face, his temples, his skull. Half of his face had disappeared, or it had become a twisted and painful mess.


He panicked and tried to sit up, but his legs didn't support him. He was trapped. Injured. And surrounded by ... by ... by what looked like a plasma fire. "HELP!" He tried to scream, but his lips only let out a plaintive yelp. This time, the Prophets had turned their backs on him. He was doomed.




"Actually, at that moment I thought I see myself finished. But i was wrong. Then was when you showed up." He narrated, smiling faintly.

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1800 hrs. ] Token of gratitude

Reply #5
[ PO 2nd class Kythalie Benmual | Day 4 | 1800 hrs. | Deck 15 | Battle Sickbay | Vector 3 "The Stallion"] Attn: @Numen

Benmual didn't move as the hybrid scientist moved closer to her and took the courtesy to place the pendant around her neck. It felt rather light, the front of the amulet cold on her skin as she followed it with her fingers. She smiled as she felt her breathing wanting to speed up, training however made sure it didn't. To keep her cool as the man did his utmost best to not look at her. Her eyes kept following his every move, she could even smell him now. He had a sort of chemical air to him, as if he worked in nothing more but the labs producing some sort of substance. Or at least working with various substances.

As he complimented the looks of the pendant on her she smiled as sh stopped fiddling with it and placed her hands back on the biobed. She was curious to hear what he was going to tell her next. Hopefully it would spark her mind to remember, if not she'd have to imagine what had happened.

She listened in silence to his rather extraordinary storytelling abilities as she tried to remember. The Cayuga... She remember her transfer to it, the various initial posts she took. The relationships she had built during her stay there. Not only the romantic ones, yet also those of friendship and the sorts. Work relationships... She closed her eyes again as she pushed her brain to reveal more. As he spoke of plasma fires and his half blown away face, a glint of what happened unlocked the initial part of it..

"The Borg... I... We're under attack." she mused softly before closing her eyes "Deck two... On my way to the bridge... I can smell the plasma fire... Faint calls for help... The chaos.." she shook her head slowly as her wild locks waved around her. It was clear that she was pushing herself to remember, that she had caught on to the scent of a memory yet pursued it like a blood hound on a trail.

"Tell me more... Please. Help me remember." she urged him as she took his hand.

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1800 hrs. ] Token of gratitude

Reply #6
[ Lt. JG Izar Bila| Day 4| 1800 hrs. | Desck 15 | Battle Sickbay | Vector 3 “The Stallion”]
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Att.: @Nolan


"Exactly." he nodded when she began to remember what happened during the attack. "I was ... terrified at that moment. Wounded, trapped, unable to ask for help." The skin on his cheeks turned a slightly darker gray, a color with a reddish undertone that showed Bila was blushing. "I'm not a brave man, Miss Benmual, I've lived... things... that most not, but I'm far from being an adrenaline rush seeker. So there i was. I was convinced that I was going to die. "


Quote

"Help!" The scientist tried to scream, but only a tiny voice left his throat. The next thing that came out of his mouth was a choke cough, the smoke from the plasma fire was filling his little shelter, threatening to suffocate him. That would happen if the greenish fire didn't kill him before. He crawled across the floor until he reached the wall of debris that blocked his path and tried to push away the bits of twisted duranium, the cables, the blackened, shapeless pieces he couldn't identify. But he didn't have enough strength, his whole body was a knot of pain. His hands were bleeding. His head was spinning. He surely was going to die there.

He leaned against the rubble, gasping like a fish out of the water, his wounded cheek producing a hissing sound every time he inhaled. He hugged himself, his hands aching over his chest. Under his right hand, he felt something soft between the burned and torn remnants of what had been his uniform. And possibly also his skin. Bila tilted his head until his chin touched his chest. He raised his hand and, under the blackened palm, he discovered a blue flower. Intact. A soft chuckle shaked his chest. He had brought flowers to his own funeral. Certainly, the Prophets appreciated the irony.

Cradling the small replicated plant against his ribs with one hand, the hybrid took another his hand to the earring of his right ear. The ornament tinkled musically, an incongruous sound between the roar of the flames and his elaborate breathing. With his breath becoming scarcer, he raised a prayer to the Prophets. One last orison. He begged them to give him one more chance, just one more, to survive. To allow him find his place in that crazed galaxy. To contribute to the greater good. His mind, half numb with pain and smoke inhalation, drifted among his memories, among the people he would miss, his mother, his few friends, he reveled in all the mistakes he had made, with everything that he never do. He regretted for the last time that he couldn't never find his father.

Resigned to inevitability, he prayed again, to be able to meet with the Prophets in the afterlife. A fatalistic peace seized his mind. What had to happen, would happen. He removed his hand from his earring and crossed it over the other, protecting the blue flower. "Help ..." he whispered with his last strength. A last chance. The eyelids weighed on him. His breathing was getting harder and harder. But he was not afraid anymore. He accepted his destiny ....



.....




"Hello? Is there anyone there? " A feminine voice, muffled by the wall of debris, came to him. Impossible. A fantasy of his dying brain. Their neurons screaming one last time as they died from lack of oxygen. A few last fireworks before fading in the dark. "HELLO?" The voice shouted again, closer. A real voice, a voice adorned with anguish, doubt, hope. Of humanoid emotions. A real voice. A rubble fell at his side, a small hole opened a few inches from his head, letting in a breath of air. The scientist's lungs were suddenly filled, like a drifter who finds water in the desert. "Here! I'm here!" He shouted with all the voice he had left, turning until his face was level with the hole. On the other side, a dark eye, without an iris, looked at him. "I'm Lieutenant Izar," the hybrid coughed. "I'm wounded, I'm cornered by a plasma fire. Please, please, help me" All the desperation he had managed to control overflowed in those moments. Without thinking, he ran a hand through the newly opened hole until he reached the other side, trying to reach the woman, that ray of hope that had suddenly appeared.




"I admit that it wasn't the best way to introduce myself. A half burned hand, cover in blood and ashes through a wall of rubble. Dropping to blue bolian flower. " He chuckled. "I was half crazed by the pain and lack of oxygen, I swear"

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1800 hrs. ] Token of gratitude

Reply #7
[ PO 2nd class Kythalie Benmual | Day 4 | 1800 hrs. | Deck 15 | Battle Sickbay | Vector 3 "The Stallion"] Attn: @Numen 

She smiled faintly as he spoke that he had lived through things, yet that he wasn't a brave man. She nodded slowly as she noticed the change of his skin tone. She felt the urge to try and probe his mind, yet her head was in no place to do so. Instead she listened to his side of the story as she tried to remember. The world around her faded and she closed her eyes as she softly squeezed in his hand...

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The blaring claxons of Red Alert as people rushed through the corridors. Kythalie had to get to her designated position. A pulse rifle at the ready as the group in front of her was making haste to get to the area they needed to guard. An engineer bumped into her, more or less crashed into her as the ship shook. It brought Kythalie down to the floor as the engineer muttered an apology before running off. She had lost the rest of her group and she cursed as she got back on her feet and was about to grab momentum to make a sprint for it.

Yet she saw it out of the corner of her eye. The collapsed corridor where undoubtedly people were running through. Like ants running through their fortress, scrambling for their tasks. With the corridor shut off, it wouldn't be a surprise if nobody checked it for survivors as they were consumed with searching for another way, to get as fast as they could to their trivial tasks.

Kythalie cursed as she walked into the corridor. She could smell the scent of fire, plasma fire to be exact. Great... "Hello? is anyone there?" she called out before she tapped her combadge "Kythalie to Sec Ops. I have a collapsed corridor on deck 2. I'm no-" she stopped as she heard a reply.

'No way, someone is underneath that mess?!'

"Hello?" she shouted again as she began to move some panels and rubble before as the person introduced hismelf.

"Here! I'm here!"I'm Lieutenant Izar," the hybrid coughed "I'm wounded, I'm cornered by a plasma fire. Please, please, help me"

She could see his eyes, just as the plasma fire seemed to rage behind him "Hold on." she replied as she tapped her badge again. Calling for help, medical and Ops to help her out. Yet her request was placed on hold and she cursed lightly. She could risk getting him out, yet there was no telling how unstable the debris field was. Not to mention how fast the plasma fire was burning closer to the man called Izar.

She was trying to think what they taught her about plasma fires, was there a conduit she could open up and use to stop it? Fire suppression systems?

Suddenly though a hand stuck through the debris. Half charred, smelling crisped yet covered in blood. She could notice the ash and bones through the skin and she swallowed as it was a sort of sign that the man didn't have time for her to think. She swallowed as she began to move more of the debris panels aside "Hang tight... Keep talking to me lieutenant. My name is Petty Officer Kythalie Benmual."

She remembered that bit and she smiled slowly before she looked down at his hand "At least that looks better than the first time I saw it." she answered with a faint smile as she looked back up to Izar's eyes. She recognized them this time. Her smile becoming more sincere as she nodded "Keep going..."

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1800 hrs. ] Token of gratitude

Reply #8
[ Lt. JG Izar Bila| Day 4| 1800 hrs. | Desck 15 | Battle Sickbay | Vector 3 “The Stallion”]
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Att.: @Nolan

"Indeed, I prefer myself raw. Overcooked don't fit me, i'm an excellent cut" he joked as he flexed his fingers unconsciously. He remembered well the numbed sensation on his limbs after the initial pain burst, the maddening despation of the moment. In spite of that, he responded to the smile of Benmual with a wide grin, grateful that little by little the light was made in her mind. "So you asked me to keep talking, and for the Prophets' love, I swear I talked more than ever. And, you know, I'm a professional chatterbox ... "


Quote

Bila panicked when he felt the woman on the other side of the debris disappear, his heart beating fast in his chest and his breathing even more agitated than before. However, soon the sound of metal crawling on metal and the voice of the petty officer came to him. "Hang tight ... Keep talking to me lieutenant. My name is Petty Officer Kythalie Benmual." she said over the roar of the flames. "Bila" replied him. "Lieutenant Junior Grade Izar Bila. I'm chemist, graduated in the Trill Science Ministry." It was absurd to recite all his resume to the woman who was trying to get him out of there, but the words had come to his mouth without hardly thinking about them. He knew that Benmual wanted him to continue talking to keep him conscious, to know the situation in his small and dwindling refuge. With extreme care, the hybrid returned his hand to his side of the wall and balled himself against the insurmountable barrier. Despite the closeness of the fire, he felt cold, he was almost freeze. He closed his eyes and tried to control the tremors that shook him for a moment.

"I was on my way to the Bridge when one of the aft panels exploded. An EPS conduit overloaded, I guess. The hallway has collapsed as far as my eye can see but I'm laying in a more or less stable area, a section of about 5 meters of corridor." The chemist swallowed painfully, the explanation streeched the tender skin of his wounded cheek. He tried to control his breathing for a minute before he could continue speaking. "Across the aisle there is an exploded bulkplate, the flames extend from there to where I am. I guess it's the point of origin of the collapse. The blood trail in the floorplates indicates that I somehow drag myself from there to where I am before i lost consciousness. I don't know how long I've been unconscious. Maybe it was only a few seconds. Maybe I've been here for hours, I'm not sure, it's all very confusing. I tried to stand up but my legs don't work as they must... I'm so cold ... "

His head bobbled several seconds, his neck unable to keep it firm. He rested his head against the rubble, his nose next to the small hole that allowed air to enter the collapsed area. He shifted slightly and close his eyes again. Just a little rest, that was all that he needed. A small avalanche caused him to open his eyelids again, when his body leaned outwards, while the rubble settled again. The hole that communicated with Benmual had practically disappeared, the entrance of oxygen and the company that supposed the woman practically disappeared. Fear returned to seize Bila, brightened him up. "Kythalie, Kythalie are you still there? Please, please, don't leave me alone!!!" He shouted as loud as he could, hitting the wall with his bloodied fists.

He stuck his ear to the tiny hole that connected him to the other side of the starship. The woman's voice sounded muttered by the rubble, but still she was still there. He couldn't understand the words, but she was still there. She was still there. The chemist got up slightly and tried to enlarge the hole again. His burned hands were clumsy, and he had to try several times each movement before he managed to do it but little by little he removed some of the twisted pieces of duranium in front of him, throwing the charred remains against the other side of the aisle. "I'm so glad you're still around.  Thanks, thank you very much Kythalie.... What was I saying before? I don't remember it, Prophets know that the lack of oxygen doesn't help to sharpen my wit. I swear I'm a witty guy in other circumstances, I'm not a party monster but I promise that at least I'm an entertaining guy. Hell, before the attack began, I was helping to organize a party. What the hell was it about? A bolian celebration of some kind, all full of weird meat and blue things. In fact I still have some ornament around here, I don't even know why. Maybe just to fuel those flames... Oh Prophets, they are so close... We need to hurry... <shit> I'm gonna die..."



"If I thought that I had been afraid so far, at that moment I was scared shitless. I think I started shouting nonsense, any promise that crossed my mind to get out of there. I hardly felt anything, all my body numbed just running in adrenaline and panic. I lost several nails scratching the debris, but then I didn't notice. The only thing that occupied my mind were the green flames. I'm not proud of myself for that behaviour" Blush returned to the cardassian's cheek while he looked away. Nevertheless, his hand hold hers, tigh.

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1800 hrs. ] Token of gratitude

Reply #9
[ PO 2nd class Kythalie Benmual | Day 4 | 1800 hrs. | Deck 15 | Battle Sickbay | Vector 3 "The Stallion"] Attn: @Numen  

As he mentioned raw and her mind drifted over to food, her stomach complained and twisted as she closed her eyes and let out an uneasy groan. She quickly managed to get a hold of herself again though as she looked back at Izar. He was humorous as he swore he loved talking and classified himself as a professional chatterbox. It made her laugh as she listened to the next part of his story.

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As the science officer simply repeated his name and rank, it seemed like he even added his graduation places "Trill huh? What's it like there?" she asked as she did her best to remove the debris piece by piece without having it collapse on her as well. She had learned in basic training that talking helped to keep people conscious. So she did exactly that.

She listened further to him as he told her where he was heading to and what had happened to him on his way over there. He managed to give her some detailed information about the situation he was in as well as the type of materials that she'd possibly find on her way to him. He mentioned he was cold and that he couldn't walk properly. She wasn't sure what she was going to find on the other side...

"The attack has been ongoing for like... I don't know forty minutes tops?" she informed him "So I don't think it've been hours yet." she tried to encourage him. As she removed the last bit of plating the rubble began to shift as the ship took another hit. Her eyes shifted over the debris as it began to move "No... Nonono..." she hissed as the entire structure began to move and basically forced her to start over.She coughed lightly at the vile stench being released as the rubble had moved, charred meat and hydraulic fluids.

She could hear his faint shouts from underneath the rubble and she wiped some sweat from her brow as she was starting to get fed up with the careful digging. She looked at her rifle and grabbed it as she fiddled with the settings. She could hear him scream to not leave him alone and she moved closer again to the debris "Don't worry, I'll get you out!" she shouted into the debris.

She trained her rifle as the rubble began to move once more "Stand back! Or stay clear. I'm going to punch a hole in it!" she warned him yet just before she pulled the trigger she saw the wounded hands of the man push some debris out. She lowered her rifle as she moved closer to the hole and tried to peek in to check on him. In the meantime he showered her with gratitude. The gratitude quickly changed to panic as he blabbered and became more grim about his situation.

"Hey, Bila... I need you to stand out of the way. Away from the hole. I'm going to blast a hole through it and drag you out before the entire thing collapses or you get turned into a meal for cannibals or something." she spoke up, trying to override his sensation of sheer panic. She needed to work quickly as she knew she was probably needed elsewhere too. "Tell you what. When you're out of this mess, you get to throw me a party or something or show me just what kind of a guy you are in different circumstances."

She raised her rifle once more "Let me know when you're ready for it."

"We all operate differently under stressful circumstances, life threatening ones even in your case." Kythalie answered as she squeezed Izar's hand gently "Besides, I've heard and seen worse. So don't worry about it." she tried to cheer him up as she could feel him hold on to her hand tightly. Perhaps the man would need a counselor at some point? "Did my crazy ass plan work though?" she asked as she missed the next fragment.

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1800 hrs. ] Token of gratitude

Reply #10
[ Lt. JG Izar Bila| Day 4| 1800 hrs. | Desck 15 | Battle Sickbay | Vector 3 “The Stallion”]
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Att.: @Nolan


Bila thanked the comforting squeeze of Kythalie's hand and looked at her for a few seconds, his hazel eyes sparkling greenish in the light of the sickbay. When he spoke again, a forced smile adorned his face and it was clear that he was chosing his words carefully. "Well it worked ... somehow. Just remember me that I'll give you some basic science classes when you get out of here..." The half-cardassian looked away from her and gazed around the crammed room. The rumor of conversations, medical orders and the beeps and buzzing of the biobeds made it impossible for anyone who was less than two steps away of them to hear what they were saying. Even so, when he spoke again his voice was barely a shy whisper, "... after that dinner that I promised you, of course..." The chemist still didn't understand well how he had been involved in a kind of date with the woman who had taken him out of that imitation of the Fire Caves where the Pah-wraiths prowled. Flirtation and women games had always been Ravon's domain, his knowledge in such matters was merely theoretical or the observer's type. He didn't even remember well how he had gotten into this quagmire.

"As I was saying, I took refuge in one of the sides of the wall, trying to get as far away as possible from the hole, but something in the back of my brain screamed that things wouldn't go as intended ...."



Quote
The chemist nodded in front of the hole for the last time, not wanting to turn away at all that window to salvation that represented the crack in the rubble wall. But time ran against them, and every second of hesitation meant getting himself a little closer to death. So he pulled himself away from the wall and crawled on his hands and... well, he couldn't say knees, because while the right one responded to his commands (throwing a burst of pain throughout his body as revenge every time he supported his weight on it), he hardly felt anything from the left hip to the foot of that side of his body. Pretending that it collaborated with any movement was a real nonsense. After a time that seemed like an eternity, he sat on a corner of the wall, his right side against the bulkheads, while he tried to protect his right side as best as he could with one of the remains he had previously moved. "On position!" He shouted with all the voice he was able to muster, to give the signal of attack to Kyth.

However, there was something of all that plan that bugged him. He was not sure what it was,  but the pain, dizziness and lack of oxygen didn't allow him to think clearly. The lack of oxygen. THE OXYGEN SHORTAGE. "WA ... WAIT A MINUTE, DO NOT ... !!!!" Too late. The sound of a phaser at full power resonated in his corridor section, followed by the sound of part of the rubble wall disintegrating. The hiss of the air filling the space occupied by the debriss and the almost-consumed atmosphere of his refuge. And the thunderous roar of the plasma flames, fueled by that puff of fuel when they threatened to be extinguished by the lack of oxygen. The fire took on gargantuan proportions, lit all around with its eerie green tint, eclipsing even the crimson of the red alert.

"<Fuck!>" The hybrid growled using the language of his unknown father. Bila rarely used the Cardassian language, but it had few rivals when it came to swearing. "<FuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuck>" he continued grumbling as he pushed the rubble away from him and crawled through the huge gap that the PO had just created. When half of his body had emerged through the hole, the security woman's slender but strong hands pulled his wrists away from the rubble and the pertinacious flames. The chemist was dragged in such a way a few meters, his teeth screeching because of the pain that the sudden movement caused him.

Finally, Kythalie released him in what the hybrid assumed was a safe place, and Bila rolled on his back, gasping like a fish out of the water, breathing fully at last. He closed his eyes, unable to look at himself. He'd seen glimpses of his injuries while she was dragging him. The left half of his body was totally charred, skin and uniform burned indistinguishable from each other. White bones peeked through the burned muscles at several points, just as his teeth could be seen through the hole in his cheek. Every time he moved, some of the blackened cracks in his body opened, oozing brown blood. Here and there some pieces of duranium shrapnel stood out from his battered flesh. However, the right half of his body was surprisingly intact, the uniform slightly torn and smudged, the dark disheveled curls, the bajoran earring shining silver in his lobe. Despite this, his right knee was swollen and twisted at an unnatural angle, clearly dislocated. Being an hybrid, Bila had always felt that he was missing a half to be completely or bajoran or cardassian. In those moments he was barely half of a person.

"I promise you that I look better off-duty. I'm smoldering in trill formal attire " he joked with a tiny voice, while the shock spasms of seeing himself in such a way began to seize his full body. His right hand clung to the uniform of the petty officer, preventing her from leaving his side. "I'm also a <fucking> amaizing chef ... it's like chemistry, but even a child can do it. I'll invite you to dinner, I'm sure I'll rock your socks off. No barbecue, that's for sure, but I'll make something finger-licking good. I'll make you laugh your head off, best night in your life, I swear. Just put my sorry ass body in the sickbay before I die, please. I …" The hybrid had more flattery comments ready, but a coughing fit interrupted him. When he could get rid off it, he was exhausted, his head was spinning and his neck seemed not to be able to hold it. It was freezing cold, so much that he could hardly feel anything else, not even pain. He clutched with all the strength he had left the handful of golden uniform he held, the only thing that separated him from a certain death.

He was exhausted. The eyelids weighed him like anvils. But he knew that if he slipped into the darkness of unconsciousness he would most likely never wake up. But it was so difficult. His body loosened, his battered muscles unable to hold him any longer. Even so his eyes stayed open looking at Kythalie, the white of his eyes contrasting terribly against the blackened skin, crazed like those of a trapped animal.

It was then that a mechanical voice echoed across the hall, above the roar of the flames. "We are the Borg. Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own. Resistance is futile. "



"At that time, even though I was more dead than alive, I knew we were really fucked up," the chemist confessed with a humorousless smile etched in his gray face. He scratched the scruffy chin before continuing. "I have no idea how you managed, the truth, I came and went from the world of the awake, and it was little more than a dead weight. Even in that state, with the Borg so close, I knew that all my flattery wouldn't save me. You would leave me there, it was the most logical choice. I hardly had a thread of life, and the drones were getting closer, I was just a burden for your own salvation. And still, you saved me." The half-bajoran bowed again deeply, until his face almost touched the pillow where the head of the PO rested.

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1800 hrs. ] Token of gratitude

Reply #11
[ PO 2nd class Kythalie Benmual | Day 4 | 1800 hrs. | Deck 15 | Battle Sickbay | Vector 3 "The Stallion"] Attn: @Numen  

The Betazoid had to frown as he mentioned that she'd need some basic science classes once she'd be out of Sickbay and she shook her head, not really understanding it. As he began to speak of dinner, she frowned even more so before it began to dawn on her what he had promised to her "Oh, well... You don't have to if you really don't want to..." she whispered as she watched him before he continued his story to her.

Quote

The warning he had shouted had come to late as the petty officer had squeezed the trigger of her rifle just as the muffled shouts came through The powerful blast of the rifle caused the heaviest and toughest rubble to give way, yet the true power of it seemed to be coming from within as it cascaded into an explosion on the inside as piece of debris flung around Kythalie as she had to shield her eyes and crouched a little to prevent getting hit full on

When she looked back up she could see the green light emitting from the debris field she had shot into and she could only conclude that the plasma fires were rather intense and burning wildly Her task at hand though was the scientist as she dropped the rifle on the floor and lunged forwards. She could feel a sting in her lower abdomen and legs as she had sprinted forward, yet gave little thought about it as she coughed a little as the fire took the air away rapidly.

The scientist however had seemed to force his own way out as well as she caught him cursing. He looked in a bad shape, though that could've been putting it lightly as she dragged him back to where she had been when taking the shot. She looked him over and noticed the various states of burn wounds over his body. He was gasping for air and Kythalie rubbed through her hair as she tried to recollect what first aid training would have her do. Yet to be fair, no first aid training prepared her for these kind of injuries. She had seen her share of war wounds on Betazed, from charring to dismemberment, yet there it was easy. Call for a medic and fight on. Here she had to take care of this person as there were people rushing about as the alert claxon kept resounding.

As he started to move a little, she could see his charred flesh crack and blood began to leak out of him as duranium pieces were sticking out of him. She was tempted to snatch them out yet withheld from doing so "Right, more bleeding otherwise..." she scolded to herself "PO Benmual to sickbay, I have a seriously injured crewman at my position. Severe burn wounds and foreign objects stuck in him. I need him to be beamed to Sickbay." A chirp simply provided the acknowledgment of her request as she looked at Izar "Don't worry lieutenant, they'll beam you out in no time."

Instead the man began to joke and boast about his culinary skills. The petty officer smiled as she shook her head, he was begging her to get to sickbay and she would carry him all the way there, yet it would only cause him to bleed more and undoubtedly bring a whole lot more pain to him. Of course, that's when the ominous voice began to screech through the speakers.

"We are the Borg. Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own. Resistance is futile. "

Kythalie looked up as she cursed and grabbed her rifle "Calm down lieutenant Bila. Every-" the ship shook as the Borg offensive was pushed up a notch. The plasma fire burning vibrantly now as the oxygen line was caught up by the hungry fire. She could see Izar's body beginning to shine bright as the transport beam began to crystallize around him. She smiled at him as time began to move slowly, it seemed to take forever to get the man beamed out. She heard the slow blast of the oxygen explosion as her eyes slowly darted up to the debris field. A large piece of plating flung towards her and Izar, she quickly braced Izar by laying herself over him. By doing so, the Bajoran Cardie got a bit of the swell of her breast into the unscathed part of his face.

The transport sequence canceled out for some reason and the plating missed them by a hair as it stuck itself on the other side of the corridor. The plasma fire burning ever so brightly now as it took the air of both of them. Kythalie groaned and coughed as she sat up again and knew she had no other option "Come on, we need to get out of here!"

She stood up and pulled him off the ground on his good side, undoubtedly causing for a searing jolt of pain through him. Yet they had no choice, the Borg were here. She had to bring him to Sickbay or to a more suitable safe spot for a site to site transport.

Kythalie smiled a little as he laid his head nearly into the pillow next to her head. She reached out with the hand she was holding his hand with. Her fingers slowly raking through his hair "It's okay you know... You made it, we all did... I appreciate all of this. I'm flattered even." she whispered with a smile "But I'm really glad you made it out in one piece without too much scarring."

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1800 hrs. ] Token of gratitude

Reply #12
[ Lt. JG Izar Bila| Day 4| 1800 hrs. | Desck 15 | Battle Sickbay | Vector 3 “The Stallion”]
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Att.: @Nolan


The chemist didn't expect Kythalie's reaction, and when he felt her hand began to comb up his hair, he shied and freezed next, unable to decide how to act facing that gesture. He felt awkward around physical contact, being what he was and with his past experiences, he wasn't used to it, people had a tendency to keep distance with him. That Bila had had the audacity to take the hand of the Petty Officer had been an extremely daring gesture on his part, moved by the gratitude he felt and the sinister events that both had shared. That caress was... unexpected, odd, but at the same time extremely pleasant. Izar let Kythalie's hand wander through his curly hair for a few minutes, just enjoying the feel of the warm brush of her fingers on his scalp. Like all cardassian (even though he was only partially one), he was cold-blooded and appreciated the heat of her touch more than he wanted to acknowledge. So he closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling, half puzzled, half soothed, his verbosity quietened for the first time since he began to recount their shared history. "Yeah, thanks to you, we did it ..." he just reaffirmed after a while, his voice barely audible above the buzz of the biobed. He rested his head on her hand just a second, until he realized what he was doing and sat up again, abruptly. For a moment he simply smoothed the wrinkles of his uniform, trying to hide how the situation had flustered him, and the dark gray of his checks. When he was able to mend himself and put his best charming smile on his lips, he faced her again and joked. "Well, I guess the doctors considered my face exotic enough to leave it scarred. Had I kept them my face would have been almost baroque," Bila chuckled, trying to hide his nervousness. He still felt the gooseflesh where her fingers had touch his head.

"As I was saying, the transport beam ended abruptly, neither of us knew then why ..."


Quote

The ship shook violently when the outsidel battle intensified, shaking the deck around them, the plasma fire glowed rabid, consuming everything in its path, getting closer, choking their battered lungs and leaving an electric aftertaste at the bottom of their throats. However, the feeling of lightness that came associated with a transport seized his body, and soon he was surrounded by the golden light that confirmed that his salvation was assured. Izar sighed in relief, at least part of that nightmare was over.

The sound of a distant explosion made him open his eyelids again, only to find the bust of the betazoid brushing his intact cheek. The hybrid hemmed and hawed, several different and opposing ideas fighting for leave his mouth at the same time, until in the end he only managed to utter a meaningless babbling. "Eh, humm, this ... um". The most intelligent discourse of his life. Anyway, the transport sequence canceled out at that moment, and only the reaction of the PO freed them from being impaled in a sharp, flying piece of plating. Kythalie pulled away from him, groaning something that Bila couldn't hear as he continued blinking confusedly on the floor.

The pain brought him back to reality when the sec woman put him on his feet, pulling on his arm. He ran out of air for a second, black and brown spots occupying his whole field of vision for a while. He let out a strangled moan when his weight fell on his right leg, wheezing painfully, but when he tried to shift it to the left, it didn't support his weight. He stumbled and he left himself fell over the woman. Bila was tall and skinny, reflecting his ancestry and a background of poor eating while growing up, but still he was heavier than she was. He could only hope that his legs wouldn't fail him completely and drag both of them to the floor in his fall.

She didn't do things by halves, so in spite of all his groaning, whining and stumbles, she kept dragging them forward, her resolution imperturbable to Bila's eyes. He, on the other hand, was immersed in such a flood of pain that he was barely conscious. His head wobbled unsteady on his neck, until in the end it fell to his left shoulder, unable to hold it any longer. He was only able to take one step out of three, and the rest of the time he merely pushed himself with his right heel, trying to relieve some of Kythalie's effort with little success. The walk was barely better than endless agony.

At a certain moment, his knees failed him and he fell like a dead weight on the shoulder of the betazoid. When he managed to focus his eyes again, not knowing very well why he was looking towards the path they had traveled. The corridor had the unmistakable mark of their passage marked with stains of blood, most of them brown in color and, strangely, some were red. He turned himself around as best he could and faced the PO furrowing his right browridge with concern. "You're bleeding too" He huffed between surprised and scared. However, he couldn't elaborate his assertion as phaser shots resounded further down the corridor.

They both stopped, turning their heads in unison only to see how a retreating security team appeared in the t-junction, shooting something out of their visual range. It didn't need to be a genius to know what they were facing. Bila gathered forces from where there was not, and went back forward, faster this time, his heart beating out in his throat, knowing they were running of time. "There has to be a turbolift closer to the prow, you keep calling the sickbay, I've lost my combadge" He gurgled. He really wanted to believe that he had lost it in the explosion, because the other option was that it was part of the black jumble that represented half of his person. For a moment, faced with the threat of the Borg approaching he'd worked on a adrenaline burst which had allowed him to advance with long strides, ignoring the pain in his body. But that didn't last long, and in one of his steps, the pain suddenly returned. He felt himself faint, struggled with all his strength to block the pain and keep going, for stiffening his muscles and keeping his body erect. Just get to the turbolift and try to reach safety. "Left," he whispered with the last thread of will as his body fell on the bulkplates, unable to stand on its own any longer.



"That was the second time I totally lost consciousness that day. When I woke up I was surprised to found ourself where we were... " he continued, shaking his head in disbelief. He looked at Kyth out of the corner of his eye, unable to look directly at her. "I'm afraid there's a fragment of the story that I cannot share with you, because I don't remember it."

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1800 hrs. ] Token of gratitude

Reply #13
[ PO 2nd class Kythalie Benmual | Day 4 | 1800 hrs. | Deck 15 | Battle Sickbay | Vector 3 "The Stallion"] Attn: @Numen

Kythalie wasn't aware that her gesture would cause such a shock for the hybrid. If her telepathic skills would be more on to par she'd probably notice it, yet all she could feel was that stinging headache. She kept raking her fingers over his scalp and she could feel the man relax against her as he seemed to, regardless of the shock, enjoy the feeling of it. she smiled slightly as her visitor remained in place before he abruptly seemed to snap out of it and sat up as he straightened his uniform rather awkwardly "You okay?" she asked softly, wondering if she had done anything wrong to him.

Instead the man joked about his face as she cupped his cheek and smiled "Your face looks fine lieutenant." he started to talk further about what happened and Kythalie settled in her biobed a little to try and remember more of the situation they were in.

Quote
Having raised both of them to their feet, Kythalie had used the phaser rifle as added support. Using it more like a crutch than a weapon. Despite the skinny look of the hybrid Cardassian/Bajoran, the man weighed as Kythalie struggled to keep him up. Nomally though, she wouldn't have had a problem with this. Basic training ensured that you could carry a wounded crewman for quite a distance. She looked down at the minor lacerations she had sustained by the flying debris. A gash at her thigh and a gash around her abdomen were probably the main reasons why she was losing strength. She cursed softly as she saw the blood trickle out.

She had no time to think as she tasted the electric taste of the plasma fires that ventured closer to them. She pushed forward hearing Izar's groan and mild protests as his body wasn't advancing as it was supposed to. "Come on!" she urged him. He was trying, she could tell, yet it wasn't cutting it and he grew heavier by the moment as his cooperation wasn't as desired. He pointed out that she was bleeding as well and she smiled faintly "Yeah, I figured, I couldn't let you be the only one to stain the floor." she joked a little as the pain began to sear through her wounds. The adrenaline starting to wear off quicker than anticipated as she was bleeding rather seriously.

On top of that the fire no longer seemed to be their only problem. Phaser fire making both Kythalie and Izar look at the T-junction. They both knew what it meant and Izar seemed especially motivated by it as he found his second breath. They moved a good few meters ahead as Izar told her to keep trying to get a hold of Sickbay. Which was easier said than done considering she was holding him up and using the phaser rifle as support. He had seemingly lost his combadge and his talking began to sound more slower "Stay with me Izar." she warned him, yet it was inevitably too late when he simply lost consciousness and his full body became dead weight.

It caused them to collapse on the floor all together as Kythalie let out a painful yelp. She looked at the lieutenant that was out cold and she looked at her injuries as she looked around her. 'Turbolifts... Who the fuck made them so distant?' She thought to herself as she dragged herself to the corner of the corridor, grabbing Izar by the collar of his uniform to drag him along. He had managed to get out a direction as she turned left and there it was, a working lift!

She bit on her teeth, jaws clenching as she hoisted him closer and closer to the lift. They had another two meters to go when the first drone came into sight. Kythalie looked in horror at it as she made her hold on Izar turn into a clenched fist. The adrenaline soared through her body once more as she crawled backwards faster, the drone closing in on them rapidly. The doors opened and she got Izar in first, shoving him further in with her back against his. She raised her rifle and fire away at the drone wildly to keep it at bay. "Sickbay! Now!" she shouted at the lift before it chirped. The doors closed just in front of the drone and the last shot was fired into the turbolift door. Afraid that she had damaged the lift, she waited an agonizing couple of seconds before the lift began to move to the desired destination.

Safety at last...

Kythalie nodded as she told Izar the missing blanks. She looked at him with an absent look as the image of the drone seemed to be flashing in front of her eyes. Her voice had been trembling by the end of her memory and Kythali wished to never see the collective again, which would be wishful thinking as they had ventured into the Beta quadrant. Her eyes slowly looked up to Izar's.

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1800 hrs. ] Token of gratitude

Reply #14

[ Lt. JG Izar Bila| Day 4| 1800 hrs. | Desck 15 | Battle Sickbay | Vector 3 “The Stallion”]
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Att.: @Nolan


"Ye-yeah, I'm ok, cool, pretty cool" he stammered quickly to her question, trying to hide how flustered he felt and failed miserably in the attempt.  When Kythalie cupped his face, with a smile and some reassuring words in her lips, Bila looked away from her black iris, his own face embroidered with a faintly smile and a hint of color in his cheeks. However this time he didn't move away, and covered her hand with his own, noticing the strong contrast between her warm skin and his lukewarm one. He interlaced his fingers with hers, without thinking on why he was doing it. Before he could cowered back again, the petty officer began to narrate the part of his rescue that he didn't know about, filling the gaps in his memory with the attack of the drone. Fascinated by the story, he turned his gaze back to hers. Their eyes met for a moment, while her voice faded little by little, trembling. Izar swallowed, without looking away, still holding her hand close to his face.

Minutes thickened without neither of them raising their voices again, hazel eyes staring without blink in full-black ones, losing themselves in their deep shades. "I really hope you'll never need to face the borg again, less still carrying a gravely wounded chemist with you" The hybrid whispered softly, trying to soothe the unease that the memory had brought with it to the betazoid. Bila chuckled and shaked his head, remembering another reason why he had rushed to visit Benmual. "I ... I'll probably meet them soon," he confessed with a grimace in his face, halfway between embarrassment and disbelief. "I've volunteered for the scouting mission that departs this evening following the Cube's trail. I know, I know, I've probably lost my mind at some point but, you know, I've always know I'm a lab accident ahead to become a mad scientist. Maybe I've been crazy for a while without being aware of it. " He smiled again, apologetically. "I needed to show you my gratitude in case, well, you know. We're not going out to pick flowers. Prophets know I want to leave my affairs closed in case I've to meet Them sooner than I expected." The scientist blinked slow and deliberately before looking back to her, in a affected way that gave him a more reptilian appearance than he should have. "In any case there is still time for that. And I promised you a dinner for get me out of that horrible fire trap. And I intend to fulfill it if the Prophets don't reclaim me to Their side." He smiled her with more gallantry than he really could muster, though the gesture faded away when a nerve in the corner of his eye twitched nervously. Feeling like all his courage began to shatter, he untwined his hand from hers and settled his posture again.

Izar looked around for a moment, before continuing to speak. The sickbay was as busy as it was when he had entered, patients, nurses and visitors moving like ants around their nest, determined to fulfill their role without any external observers could understand the reason for their haste. And fully ignorant of the little dramas and joys that were happening around them in de deck. He let out a short sight and returned his gaze to betazoid. "Be that as it may, I woke up in the hallway of the Sickbay. There was a trail of brown and red blood from the turbolift to where we were, with spots of black cinder. You could barely drag me, pulling what were left of my collar... "


Quote

Bila opened his eyes suddenly feeling the air didn't quite reach his lungs and waved his hands uselessly in front of himself, trying to catch his breath. The pressure in his throat suddenly eased, while voices sounded beyond his field of vision. He didn't understand them. In which language did they speak? Where he was? He felt totally helpless. "<Where I ...?>" He muttered in cardassian before a woman's face appeared in front of him. Her uniform was stained and blackened in some places, the long hair tangled. Her full black eyes looked at him with concern as she said something that his brain was determined not to process. Reassuring words? An order? Bila bowed his head, without looking away from the woman and smiled faintly. His face hurted. But he could trust that woman. I didn't know why. But he did.

More people arrived, hurrily, dressed in medical suits. Was he hurt? He was hurt. She was too. He tried to raise a hand to the woman, but was unable to do so. He tried with the other and it obeyed his commands, clutching the woman's sleeve with a force that seemed impossible in his battered body. The doctors tried to move him, causing him to let out a painful moan and gripped the woman even more tightly. Kythalie. His battered brain flashed an instant with her name. "Kyth ..." he whispered through cracked lips. "<Do not leave me>, stay with me". He whispered. He felt faint again. But his hand remained wrapped around his savior's wrist.


"I don't remember anything more. They must have replaced half of my blood with anesthetics and painkillers, none of which ends up working as it should with me. I woke up when the Asurian saucer splitted in a half the Cayuga 's sickbay and ... here I am."Bila closed his mouth, not knowing what else to say, but not wanting to leave yet."Just... Keep yourself alive till I return, 'k?"

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1800 hrs. ] Token of gratitude

Reply #15
[ PO 2nd class Kythalie Benmual | Day 4 | 1800 hrs. | Deck 15 | Battle Sickbay | Vector 3 "The Stallion"] Attn: @Numen

The petty officer didn't mind as the Cardassian seemed to cling on to her hand for warmth perhaps or soothing. Regardless, she enjoyed physical contact and thus this gesture was much appreciated as she had narrated her part of the facts while observing his face and facial expressions. When she finally came to a stop there was a silence between them before he spoke once more, his hopes for her would be short lived she imagined "One can hope so, but I suppose we'll need to stay realistic about it. If the Borg are here.." she whispered.

Her own facial expression changed into one of shock, mixed with partly awe as the man had volunteered to go on a mission to find the Borg cube that hit them. "L-Lieutenant..." she stammered out as he kept talking like a waterfall. The goal of his visit becoming more clear now. This wasn't just a social visit, it was a possible farewell. She slowly tightened the grip around his hand as she smiled faintly as it was all she could do.

He shared her last memory with him and she smiled as she seemed to remember it. "I stayed for a little while longer after that. Until they put you under entirely. They patched me up after that I joined the fight." she informed him "After the Asurians came... I got knocked on the head by something heavy and that brought me here." she explained as she slowly pulled her hand back to her face. By doing so she brought Izar's hand along with her as she looked him in the eyes. Her black pools gazing in his as she rested her cheek against the back of his hand. He made her promise to stay alive and she smiled and nodded affirming.

She softly pressed her lips against the back of his hand as she made him promise in return "I'll be fine, you just make sure you don't get turned into a drone or something crazy. Promise me... I'd hate my food to be spoiled by that." she joked a little. Her eyes kept looking at him and she closed her eyes again at a new surge of pain searing through her head. Her face twisting in pain for a few seconds before she looked back at him "When do you need to leave?" she asked, picking up the slight wish of him to not leave her just yet.

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1800 hrs. ] Token of gratitude

Reply #16
[ Lt. JG Izar Bila| Day 4| 1800 hrs. | Desck 15 | Battle Sickbay | Vector 3 “The Stallion”]
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Kythalie filled in the last gaps left in their shared story and Bila couldn't help but look at her with a mixture of respect and admiration when she confessed that not only she had she stayed by his side until the he was so drugged he released her hand, but she had returned to the conflict once she had been patched up.The betazoid had shown him an iron will so far, but he wasn't aware that she reached those levels. Her professionalism was worthy of respect, almost as much as the woman who behaved that way. Even more so when she was also able to separate her profession from her personality, and kept her demeanor as warm-hearted as she had shown herself withhim. As if she was reading her mind (a possibility that it was pretty real Bila realized), she took his hand and settled into it, getting confortable using his limb as pillow. Obviously the nervousness that provoked in him this gesture was what prompted him to open that cakehole that he seemed to have developed recently and he asked her to stay alive. Because she really needed to be reminded that being alive is a good thing.

Her reaction was so unexpected to him that he froze in place for a minute before his brain could reconnect with his mouth enough to babble an answer, just looking at the spot where her lips had left a feathery kiss. "Ye-yeah... I mean n-no, I think cyber-implants don't stick with my fashion style, you know I'm more into black and gray formal attire, I like that my suits highlight my eyes." He tried to joke, but his wit seemed to be failing him from the moment he set a foot on the sickbay. "Besides, although I'll never share my secret ingredients, I can promise you that they aren't a pinch of nanoprobes, no dish that boasts of it would carry those things in, and I'm a sybarite in the kitchen... well, for most things i am". He gifted her a knowing smile, even when it was mostly a defensive manoeuvre showing more conviction than he really had.

He kept staring at her, blinking puzzled, until her pain burst made him frown, worried, but as soon as he was ready to call nurse, Kyth asked him about the time he must leave. "Tomorrow, just after the beginning of the Alpha shift ... 0800 hours." He replied almost mechanically, with a slight grimace at the corner of his mouth. The prospect of what they might find frightened him, and he couldn't deny it. The scouting mission had many options to become a suicide mission and, the more he mulled over it, the more hopeless it seemed. The hybrid gazed at her again and bit the inner side of his lower lip before he continued speaking. "I don't have much to do until then, my quarters'd received a direct impact on one of the attacks and I'll be forced to travel without a lot of baggage. Meds, some PADDS, a couple of uniforms ... you know how it is. If ... if you don't mind I could be around for a time ... you know, just to keep you distracted and annoy the Docs." He quickly burbled.”O-only if you wa-want, of course. If I don't bo-bother you.”

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1800 hrs. ] Token of gratitude

Reply #17
[ PO 2nd class Kythalie Benmual | Day 4 | 1800 hrs. | Deck 15 | Battle Sickbay | Vector 3 "The Stallion"] Attn: @Numen 

The hybrid scientist seemed to had fallen silent for a little while before he began to talk about style fashion and Borg looks. It was enough to make the Betazoid girl laugh slightly as she looked at his suit before looking up to his eyes. She was doubting to flirt with the man a little, feeling the nervosity and quick shame rising and falling within him ever so quickly. She didn't want to embarrass the man nor push him out of his comfort zone too far. She smirked again as he promised not to spike her food with nanoprobes as it clearly wasn't his secret ingredient.

She asked for mission details and she nodded slowly as he gave the time of departure. What she hadn't expected was for him to share with her that he hadn't had any quarters as of yet due to the Asurian assault. He suggested to stay a bit longer with her to keep her distracted and she smiled as her heart melted a bit at the gesture of the scientist "Aww, that's so nice of you." she smiled as she looked him in the eyes and bit her lower lip "You should rest though for your mission... Can't have a sleep deprived scientist on board." she whispered as she considered letting him stay in her quarters. Though they were shared and she'd wonder how her roommate would respond to a total stranger coming to crash in the bed of the Betazoid. Could be odd...

She looked at Izar as he simply remained by her bedside and she chuckled lightly as she licked her lips "Okay..." she started softly "You don't have anywhere to go and I want you to rest a bit for your upcoming mission. The docs or nurses haven't checked on me that often yet..." she paused for a second as she scooted slightly back a little in the biobed. The hospital gown she was wearing moving a bit out of place, yet not revealing anything just yet as she patted on the open spot "Why don't you lay next to me and just sleep a bit? I don't mind the company and all I had to do was rest... And I sort of enjoy snuggling up to someone so it won't be a problem for me either.

"Unless it's totally something you don't want to do! I mean, I won't force you to do so, but I... I guess it would make me feel a bit more at ease to know you're rested when you go hunting Borg." she said quickly as she used her abilities to pick up on what he was thinking.

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1800 hrs. ] Token of gratitude

Reply #18
[ Lt. JG Izar Bila| Day 4| 1800 hrs. | Desck 15 | Battle Sickbay | Vector 3 “The Stallion”]
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For a moment, just for a moment, Izar thought to tell her about the temporary quarters that had been assigned to him, that the Cayuga's assistant chief officer wasn't a poor, destitute refugee sentenced to sleep in the corridors. For half moment he hesitated if he must confess her his lack of experience and the strangeness when physical closeness is involved. The weirdness he felt just being like that was at that moment, even when he must be there doing what he must be doing. Then, he remember the warm designs of her fingers on his scalp, how soothing them had been, how delightful despite how unexpected the experience had been. His chin trembled slightly, while the hybrid restrained the impulse of just titter facing the proposition. "Well-well, no, I guess-s not, I mean, if it doesn't bother you, if I not, I-I can ... you know, just...  if you feel better having me around, i mean, just..."  He quickly stammered, trying to fill the puzzled silence that had followed Kyth's suggestion. He rubbed a hand over his face and swallowed loudly, trying to arrange the words before they stumbled out senselessly of his lips. What he couldn't control was the blush that spread all over his face. He was so flustered that he could feel the warmth of blood on the top of his cardassian ears, and the redness of his face descending down his neck. He took a slow breath through his nose and exhaled even more slowly through his mouth, trying to regain control. "What I want to say is that yeah, I'm staying here with you." A part of his brain imagined how his best friend could tease him with that situation for months, if he ever discovered it. If Ravon was still alive. Only if Bila could survive the suicide mission that hovered over his future.

Awkwardly, he lay down next to Kyth, stiff and tense. In the eyes of any outside observer he would look more like wooden plank falling on the biobed than a male humanoid who had just been invited to lie next to a beautiful woman. A woman, for more indications, barely dressed in a medical gown that seemed intent on revealing more inches of sorrel-colored skin every minute that passed. Bila made a conscious effort to look away from the garment and focus it on the petty officer's full black eyes. The hybrid smiled shyly, his short-lived daring burst counsumed to ashes. He wasn't sure what to do with his hands, so he caught one of them between his cheek and the pillow and left the other leaning woodenly in his side. The chemist swallowed again, resoundingly. He had the feeling that it was going to be a very long night and that his agitation was going to make it impossible for him to achieve that so must needed rest he had promised. He shrank into himself, not knowing what to do next. "So...."

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1800 hrs. ] Token of gratitude

Reply #19
[ PO 2nd class Kythalie Benmual | Day 4 | 1800 hrs. | Deck 15 | Battle Sickbay | Vector 3 "The Stallion"] Attn: @Numen 

The reaction of the science officer was completely not what Kythalie had expected. He seemed to be frightened as various emotions washed against her mind's eye. She wasn't sure how to react to it as regardless of those feelings he positioned himself besides her either way. He did seem to tense up a whole lot as she smiled slightly, her head puzzling everything together and reaching a conclusion that the man probably never had any close or intimate interactions with females or males for that matter. A typical science thing for them to be socially incapacitated at times.

She looked in his eyes as he tried to find a somewhat natural position though in the end he just looked awfully uncomfortable. She pressed her lips together as she could notice the discoloration of his features, assuming he was blushing. She parted her lips as he radiated awkwardness, a incomprehensible amount of nervousness and stress. He spoke softly as he shrank into himself and Kythalie shook her head slowly "Relax..." she whispered as she traced her hand over his cheek "Turn around, back facing me." she told him, almost ordering him to do so.

She waited for him to do so before she scooted closer "You tell me if it is really uncomfortable or just too weird okay?" she stated softly close to his ear as she slowly rested her body against his back. He could first feel the swell of her breasts against his back before the rest of her frame followed. She placed one arm over his middle and pulled him close against her as she left her arm draped over his middle, her hand to rest on his stomach. Her body felt warm against his back and her free hand was used to support her head at first before she nuzzled her face into the back of his neck. Her warm breathing caressing his neck as he felt cold, sending shivers down her body, yet eventually she got used to it as her body radiated warmth against him "Try to sleep lieutenant, you'll need it." she said with a soft soothing voice.

Re: Chapter 03: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1800 hrs. ] Token of gratitude

Reply #20
[ Lt. JG Izar Bila| Day 4| 1800 hrs. | Desck 15 | Battle Sickbay | Vector 3 “The Stallion”]
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Bila remained frozen for a few seconds just in the position he was before he complied with Kyth's order. A part of him, the part deeply ingrained in Starfleet's chain of command, admonished him for letting himself be swindled by a petty officer. The part of his brain governed by his scientific self, recommended him to follow her indications , because it was natural to be guided by someone more expert than him in the current circumstances. The rest of his brain just screamed hysterically without knowing what to do, just about to panic with sheer nervousness. His heart skipped several hearthbeats and he felt his breathing quicken until he was on the verge of hyperventilate. However he closed his eyes and positioned himself as the betazoid had suggested. After all, Bila distasted conflict. And what Benmual suggested wasn't so horrible. She just wanted to be comfortable. And that he was too. He could do that. Or try to.

The chemist turned on himself, with his eyes thighly closed, and soon felt as the body of the woman squeezed toguether his own, her arm slipping up to embrace his belly and keep him gently but firmly in place. He preferred not to think what parts of her body were pressed on what parts of him. The only thing he would get if he kept thinking about it was that his head spinned till he got dizzy.

It was then that she spoke, but was unable to fully understand her words, only felt her breath warming the soft scales that protected his spine. A chill ran through him from top to bottom, followed almost instantly by one of her. The hybrid supposed that the contact with him wasn't quite pleasant, his body and skin cooler than the standard humanoid, hardly above the ambient temperature. For a moment he thought about moving away, exempting her from the situation that was obviously uncomfortable for both of them. But at the same time, he felt how her warmth was slowly permeating him, making his rigid muscles relax and that he was feeling more and more comfortable.

Before he knew he was moving, he unconsciously squeezed his back against her, adapting his posture to have the maximum surface in contact with Kyth. A low, throaty sound rumbled almost imperceptibly close to his diaphragm, almost under the woman's fingers, totally foreign to his control. A murmur of a contented being relaxing. For Prophets' sake, he was purring. Since when he could purr? Or it was a deep hiss? It was that a primitive and instintive cardassian reaction or it was bajoran? Or neither? He'd been always this way but didn't know a shit about it? At the end, all questions were irrelevant. His body loosened and his breathing became calmer, his hearthbeats slowed down. "Try to sleep lieutenant, you'll need it." she whispered sweetly in his ear. Bila simply nodded, half sleep, making his earring jingle.

 
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