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DAY 01: Healing | Part 1 [0730 hrs.]

DAY 01: Healing | Part 1 [0730 hrs.]

[ Zaraq | Mess Hall | Deck 09 ] Attn: Anyone (either Zaraq or Rihen Neyah)

Zaraq was sitting by his table, eating his lunch, alone, as he had been ever since the mutiny.

He was still struggling with the consciousness of his actions, fighting to accept what he had done under his former Executive Officer's mind-control. T'Rena had entered his quarters and put him under her control, forcing him to commit dishonourable deeds that he was having trouble to forget - even more to forgive himself for. Counsellor O'Connor had convinced him to not take his own life, so instead of the afterlife fit for his crimes, he suffered a living purgatory.

He wasn't a very sociable person, his past had taught him to not trust easily and always be cautious. That only was enough for him to feel even worse for becoming a prey of the Vulcan woman. So, after his decision to remain alive, despite it all, he just didn't want to be around anyone. He had sent a message to Wenn Cinn where her asked to resign as Master-at-Arms. The Counsellor had given him leave from his duties, yet try as he might, he had difficulty to come to terms with himself.

"Is this seat taken?"

Zaraq raised his thick eyebrows and saw Rihen Neyah, a Risian engineer that the Theurgy had picked up during the first battle with the Calamity. He had been somewhat intimate with her during the Festival of the Moon, caught up in something altogether new with Winterbourne, Riptor and Aisha S'Iti. The sight of her had been appetizing on that beach, with her slim body now inlaid in black overalls and displaying a large cleavage. She had short blonde hair, a becoming face not marred but rather accentuated by her heterochromatic eyes. In the past, a female like that would have been more than enough to arouse his appetite. Now, not so much. She just reminded him about killing Winterbourne, but he decided against scaring her away. He merely nodded towards the seat while he ate.

"It is good to see you again, Zaraq," she said, her smile unwavering - no fear for him underscoring her tone. She had not started to eat yet, which ruined the notion that she had not come to him without an agenda of some sort. "I heard you have taken a leave from your duties, and I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I am fine, Engineer," he said, the formality in his tone cold and distant, discouraging all attempts of closeness. "Thank you for your concern."

Though she ignored his frown completely, and she leaned a bit over the table. "I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with me tonight," she said, her generous smile fixed and her mismatched eyes looking hopeful. As if she wasn't aware of what she was doing, she had idly raised a hand and strolled up and down her overalls' edge. "I have no plans, and I could use some company to take my mind of all these repairs..."

Zaraq narrowed his eyes. She had to have an idea of what he was going through. She was Risian, and Zaraq suspected she wanted to help him. In her people's infinite generosity, she was laying pity on him. He suspected she wanted to give him relief and confirmation of his own value. In his opinion, she wanted to fool him, despite the best of her intentions. He did not need her pity. Her company would not return the dead or make him go back in time.

"I'm afraid I'm indisposed," he answered, leaving his meal unfinished and getting up. "I'm sure you'll find someone more available to make you company."

Then, he left the mess hall.


"Wait..." Rihen said, to no avail. He had already left, without looking back. She knew none of his dark deeds had been his fault, and she had confirmed it with a quick talk with Ensign Cir'Cie - the one who had cured his mind.

With all the rumours surrounding him, she ached for him in his unwholesome fate, unable to even imagine the torment he was going through, but she was not about to abandon him. Zaraq was victim to indescribable cruelty, but she believed she could help the Klingon.

Re: DAY 01: Healing | Part 1 [1220 hrs.]

Reply #1 –
[Amelya Duv & Simon Tovarek | Mess hall | Deck 09 ]

Before the duo arrived at the mess hall, Amelya Duv had woken up early to do some exercising after a quick breakfast. She wasn't wearing her teal uniform but instead had a tight purple jogging pants and a gray loose shirt that had a tied knot just over her belly. As for footwear she was wearing sport shoes and her hair was tied up in a ponytail. On her way towards the mess hall, she ran in to Simon Tovarek who was wearing his wearing his standard uniform. His planning for this morning would consist of checking the reports of his science department and extra reports of ongoing projects. There weren't any special things coming for him today, besides the fact that he would have a talk with Morrali later today. Something that would prove to be challenging he imagined.

Duv and Simon greeted each other rather friendly when they ran across one another in the corridor leading up to the mess and they were just having some small talk before they entered the mess. Both of them had spotted Rihen at Zaraq and Tovarek was just ending his last statement with a bit of a humorous pitch. This caused Amelya to snicker a little and playfully slap him against the chest. Yet it seemed that the two officers were having a good friendly basis for further cooperation across their fields. Zaraq however seemed to get up from his seat as the two officers were lining up for their breakfast. Simon looked at the rather big guy and followed him with his eyes, Amelya did the same and wondered if the man had been alright considering the recent events. "I think we'll have to postpone our mutual breakfast lieutenant." She said softly to Tovarek as she saw Zaraq leave "I feel worried about the man, he's... Well, you know.." she said and smiled "I'll catch you around Simon." She smiled and with that she left the line to catch up with Zaraq. "Zaraq, hold up!" She called out for him once she saw him and closed the gap.

Simon nodded understandingly as Amelya made a dash for Zaraq and he had said his goodbye to her before filling up his plate with the essentials of a good breakfast. Needless to say, his tray was rather full as he walked away towards the tables. It was clear that there weren't too many people about at this time and his eye had caught the Risian woman that helped at engineering with Zaraq. Since she sat their alone now Simon couldn't help but to feel somewhat sad for the woman to be so isolated after reaching out to the security officer. "Mind if I joined you?" he asked at her as he waited to take Zaraq's place, literally that is. 

Re: DAY 01: Healing | Part 1 [0730 hrs.]

Reply #2 –
[ Zaraq | Corridor | Deck 09 ] Attn: Amelya Duv

Choosing not to acknowledge the female that called his name, thinking that it was Rihen, Zaraq kept walking down the corridor - not prepared to be pitied like some weak-tasting targ.

As he rounded an intersection, he glanced over his shoulder, however, and saw that it was not the civilian female that was catching up to him, but a more familiar face. It was the former CMO of the Harbinger, the Trill that had unmanned Trujillo together with Deputy zh'Wann and one of Phantom's pilots. Supposedly, she had been locked into the Brig on the Harbinger and managed to escape. The female and he were causal aquaintances, Security ending up in Sickbay every so often after Declan Vasser ordered to flee Earth.

"Doctor Duv," he rumbled and drew to a halt, turning his large frame to face her, "Pardon I did not see that it was you."


[ Rihen Neyah| Mess Hall | Deck 09 ] Attn: Simon Tovarek

Having started to eat her meal, thinking about Zaraq and how she might be able to help him, she was surprised when she heard a male voice above her - pausing with her fork halfway to her mouth and raising her heterochromatic eyes to Simon's.

"Oh, hi!" she said, her blinding smile lighting up her face, "That would be lovely, please do."

Looking at the boss scientist, or Chief-whatever-it-was, she remembered having spotted him when he was promoted - the day before the Festival of the Moon. He had been in that waiting room with one of the boss engineers, Marlowe-something, and the tactical officer that had betrayed the Captain on the Bridge. Or that was what she had heard anyway, since she hadn't been there... Rumours were abundant, and she being the talkative kind, she heard a lot of them.

"I have heard a lot about you. Tovarek, right? Or is it Simon?" she asked, taking her bite and taking in his bearded appearance. "You did some magic on the sensor arrays, at the very least. They have been a bunch of whole other puppies since last I petted them. Then there is talk about some mines and some cargo hold too. Don't know what to make of it, besides how you are one of the heroes on the ship. Am I wrong?"

Re: DAY 01: Healing | Part 1 [0730 hrs.]

Reply #3 –
[ Amelya Duv | Corridor | Deck 09 ]

 It seemingly took a while for the security officer to spot her or even acknowledge that she was going after him. Yet at some point he seemed to do so and as he turned around to face her she smiled and shook her head as he apologized. "No worries Zaraq." She answered him with a soft voice as always. She wondered how to proceed further, should she confront him with the fact that she was worried about his mental state? Or should she try to just bring his thoughts to other places.

Her eyes looked up at the man that towered over her by at least half a meter. "I was wondering..." She started before she bit her lip as if changing her phrase mid sentence "I was wondering if you would feel up to it to join me for a jog. I don't mind if it's throughout the ship or on the holodecks to create a more suitable environment." she suggested to him.

The fact that she didn't eat with probably be in her disadvantage at some point, but she reckoned that she could get something quick from the replicators on their way as they jogged to keep her blood sugar level as they worked out.


[ Simon Tovarek | Mess hall | Deck 09 ]

Well at least this meant that Simon didn't have to eat his breakfast alone. He smiled and placed his tray down first on the table before sitting down in the seat. His eyes gazed into the heterochromatic eyes before he looked back at his plate and started to toy around with his food before hauling it in his mouth.

He had heard a couple of things about Rihen, yet none of them were actual facts. A lot of whispers and a lot of hush hush talk. Simon found such news always to be unreliable as he was a man of facts and evidence. At least one thing people didn't lie about was the fact that the Risian sure was a beauty to the eye.

However, knowing the specialty of her line of work, thoughts drifted him back to Tatiana Marlowe and the loss linked to it. He looked up as she asked for his name "Tovarek is correct, call me Simon though... Rihen, right?" he answered calmly as he chewed on a piece of bacon. His face flourished as she mentioned his sensor arrays and he nodded before swallowing the piece of meat "Oh yes, I'm glad you enjoyed the outcome of that project!" he said proudly. It truly was one of his more effective experiments. As she mentioned the mines and the cargo hold he snickered as he took a bite from his bread. Yet he shook his head as she mentioned that he was one of the heroes aboard the ship. "I wouldn't call myself a hero though. I've not really had such a great impact on the outcome. Besides, it was a group effort, without the others aboard the ship we wouldn't have pulled anything off. I'm sure you had your part in this as well. So technically, I should call you a hero too." he smiled with a coy grin as he looked into her eyes once more, doing his very best to ignore the cleavage that showed oh so tempting.

Re: DAY 01: Healing | Part 1 [0730 hrs.]

Reply #4 –
[ Zaraq | Corridor | Deck 09 ] Attn: Amelya Duv

Looking at Doctor Duv, Zaraq blinked in consternation, unsure what the Trill female truly wanted. Given the atroccities he had committed, the loss of honour, he did not think himself worthy company. Was this another female that wanted to show pity? The difference was that Duv was known to him, the Risian in the mess hall unpredictable and unknown.

"Klingon don't 'jog'," he rumbled and sucked in a breath through his nostrils, "we may run, pursuing prey, or move in battle - swift and true. Running is adequate to keep one's killing abilities sharp, a practice for fighting to come. The word... 'jog', it is too soft a word for hunting and killing, though."

He left it unsaid whether or not he wished to join her, gauging her intentions first. For to him, she represented a victim of what he had become at the touch from their former First Officer, so why would she even seek to speak with him?


[ Rihen Neyah | Mess Hall | Deck 09 ] Attn: Simon Tovarek

Laughing at his remark, Rihen took another bite. "Oh, fancy me, from damsel in distress to a bold heroine in just a matter of days!" Still chuckling she folded her legs underneath the table and leaned forward on her elbow. "Not only did that Calamity hologram shoot me the first time we saw her, but I was trapped in one of them hull-cranes when we tried to leave Theta Eridani IV, having cut my neck on the broken glass while hanging on for dear life. I had to be rescued by a nurse, who climbed out along the lattice work and beamed to sickbay. Fancy me, indeed."

Shaking her head ruefully at the things she had been through in such a short time as she had been on the Theurgy, she raked a hand through her short hair, sitting more straight in her seat as she continued. "The amount of heroism I can take credit for would be limited to throwing a chair at a mutineer, without even considering how he could very well shoot me the next moment." She paused since it was almost too soon to talk about that, the memory of the red-haired man in the exosuit still fresh in her mind. She shook it off, howeever. "Luckily, an escaped patient armed with no more than a hospital gown managed to unhand the brute together with a beautiful Bajoran - leaving me there standing like a fool before I realised that I was actually still alive."

Grudingly, she did ceed him his point in the end. "I... may have been involved in saving the life of Selena Ravenholm, the one with the robot arms and legs. I was asked by Thea to repair holoemitters all the way to Sickbay to keep a holographic blood-stopper in place, while the EMH carried Ravenholm all the way. I... also helped repair the hologrid in Sickbay..."

Re: DAY 01: Healing | Part 1 [0730 hrs.]

Reply #5 –
[ Amelya Duv | Corridor | Deck 09 ] Attn: Zaraq

In return to Zaraq's response Amelya just stood where she was as she doubted how to formulate her reply to him. "Oh... Well... I suppose we could use the holodeck for a pursuit run. If you feel like it that is." she said to him eventually and thought about it herself. The Klingon would probably make the distance in no time while she'd be huffing and puffing to keep up. After all, the Klingon's body was designed to hunt and endure with three lungs. Not to mention that their heart was far more complex and effective than the average species.

"Or maybe..." she reconsidered softly "We could try out some sparring techniques? I'm pretty new to it so I would like to have a mentor to teach me some basic moves. You know... To at least be able to stand ground myself if such time should arise." these words brought her back directly to her former office on the Harbinger. Her mind racing against it to flush the memories away and to hide the pain and anger linked towards it. Unsure if she pulled it off, traces of this pain and anger would no doubt show to Zaraq if he had been looking at her. Yet perhaps learning how to fight would prevent such things from happening again. Or so she hoped.


[ Simon Tovarek | Mess hall | Deck 09 ] Attn: Rihen Neyah

Simon listened to what the Risian had endured in a rather short time span. Was this ship truly cursed? He nodded and at some moments managed to bring out a faint smile to her words. Yet being reminded of Theta and the events that followed, brought Simon back to memories of Tatiana. Good memories, yet somewhat fresh and painful at the same time.

As she spoke he tried to figure out which crew members she was referring too. The nurse was probably Jenkins, whom they had lost as well it seemed due to the latest reports. The jolly crew that saved her ass in Sickbay were probably Ryuan and his own scientist member Sarresh in his newly acquired body. Perhaps he should confront the man later today about this. He was planning to reinstate him to active duty, yet if the first event for Sarresh was to fight of mutineers... God knows what else the man had on his mind after the ordeal of being stripped from his race. When Rihen was done talking he replied after swallowing another bite of his meal.

"Well, you sure sound like you had a few near death experiences. Luckily for us, you're still among us." he said with a smile at first yet he looked down at his plate as he moved his food around. He became silent for a few seconds before continuing "Anyway, you did aid in the repairs at sickbay and to save the life of miss Ravenholm. That alone is a feature that you should be proud of. No doubt, you will have saved ten or hundreds of crewmen."

Re: DAY 01: Healing | Part 1 [0730 hrs.]

Reply #6 –
[ Zaraq | Corridor | Deck 09 ] Attn: Amelya Duv

Looking at the Trill while she made her suggestions, Zaraq tilited his head a little, discerning that there could be a very important reason behind the request for tutoring in unarmed combat.

For a few seconds, he weighed his options, and decided that if she was a victim to the security guards of the Harbinger - his old colleagues on the Akira-class ship, he could not shake the feeling that he was somehow responsible for her plight. Of course he could not have done anything about it, him being as much a victim as they were, but they had reported to him once. Yet their plight might not be the same as the Doctor's, depending on what had happened to her, so he reckoned that he might owe her his time, training her to protect herself.

"My shift begins at 0800 hrs, and I reckon yours do too," he rumbled, not entirely convinced he wanted to make the offer, but he made it anyway. "The holodecks will likely be occupied for drills, but I am willing to teach you self-defence and spar with you. If you want my tutoring, I could show you techniques to practice after our duty shifts end. I can meet with you in the gymnasium. 1900 hrs. I will be there, so if you want to learn, we'll speak more then. Is this agreeable, Doctor?"


[ Rihen Neyah | Mess Hall | Deck 09 ] Attn: Simon Tovarek

"Aw, you are so sweet," said Rihen and laughed when Simon said they they were lucky she was still among them, and when he referenced her work in Sickbay again, she chuckled once more and reached out to tap his shoulder chidingly with her free hand, "Stop it with that sweetness! You are making me embarrassed! Geez, I do what I can, but here you are inflating my ego like I am some balloon-head. Watch it or my tiny brain will pop and I'll be of no use to anyone... Okay?"

And then, in the same breath - while chewing a bite of her breakfast - she began to talk about the day ahead of her. "Well, if it isn't your sensors, it's some other Starfleeter technology I am asked to fix. Today, as far as I know, I first need to resequence the tritonic reflection modules in the aft RCS thrusters, then I need to  calibrate the dorsal axionic compressors. Then I heard there was some unusual wave pattern in the multitronic ramscoop diagnostics, with a frequency shift in neutronium coolant solution that is supposed to keep the warp coils from overheating. Before I got here to eat, I figured I would have to reroute power through the resonance of the nanospheres in order to fix it, but I don't know, what do you think?"

Still chewing, she raked her fingers through her short hair a couple of times. It felt so unusual to be clean all the time. Down on Nimbus III, in Paradise City, she was lucky if she could get the tavern keeper to let her use the 'spa', which was no more than a copper tub and a bottle of essential oil. She was used to having sand everywhere, and to haggle for a scrap of meat just so that she could buy new components for her projects.

Realising that she had been drifting, she blinked at Simon, crossed her eyes like an idiot, and chuckled in embarrassment. "Sorry, what? Say again. I got lost in your dreamy eyes, sweetie."

OOC: The timing and the fact that Duv has her scene with Husker by noon made me think of postponing the sparring to after-duty hours the same day. I think that will be easier.

Re: DAY 01: Healing | Part 1 [0730 hrs.]

Reply #7 –
[ Amelya Duv | Corridor | Deck 09 ] Attn: Zaraq

Amelya looked at the officer as he weighed his options and gave her request thought. Her shift would indeed start later today, yet 1900 hrs would be pretty sharp for her. She nodded slowly at the man before her before speaking "1900 hrs is fine by me, but I'll bring something to eat with me, since I'll probably end my shift at 1830 hrs. It'll give me just enough time get something suitable on for training. Do I bring something for you too Zaraq?" she asks and looks him in the eye.

Her tone in the meantime was still soft and pleasant, yet the undertone showed that she was very serious about this. She would no longer be viewed as a lust object that could be taken whenever the men preferred to do so. No, that time was over. She wanted to be trained in the arts of combat. She wanted to be trained and manage to hold herself in a fight. Her eyes showed the fire for once now, the fire that longed for combat. A fire that so many warriors before Zaraq had shown when he trained them.


[ Simon Tovarek | Mess hall | Deck 09 ] Attn: Rihen Neyah

A bit of a smirk couldn't be hidden from Simon's face as she told him to stop with the compliments. "Fine, fine." He snickered before he continued his meal. The words on his lips lay ready when she told him that her ego was being inflated and that her brain would pop out. Yet he refrained from it and let her continue as he finished his meal. He placed his fork and knife on his plate before he looked at Rihen as she continued to technobabble about what she'd all be doing further today.

He smiled amused and shrugged his shoulders "You're the engineer here, I'm just a scientist with a bit more knowledge about robotics and sensory displays." he answered her "I probably would've asked a second opinion with Tia..." He paused as he looked away from Rihen's eyes now and looked down at the table. Tatiana would've probably been thrilled to talk about this.

Simon hadn't noticed that he had stopped his sentence right there in it's tracks. His mind back in memories before he snapped out of it slowly and looked at Rihen with a faint smile. "Anyway, I'm sure you'll be fine in solving the matter. This ship is in your very capable hands after all." He tried to give it a swing at the end to hide his true feelings.

Yet it seemed that the Risian had been lost in thoughts herself. He chuckled a little and shook his head "Oh, nothing... And I'm pretty sure you're inflating my own ego now miss Neyah." he smiled before he sat up a more straight and adjusted his vest. "You sound like you have a rather busy day ahead though." he answered her.

Re: DAY 01: Healing | Part 1 [0730 hrs.]

Reply #8 –
[ Zaraq | Corridor | Deck 09 ] Attn: Amelya Duv

Nodding slowly, Zaraq was warming to the idea of training the doctor, even if he had been reluctant at first. More and more, he felt that training Duv could be something positive for himself as well. He had a feeling that Hayden O'Connor would find the arrangement agreeable as well - a therapy in form of helping someone else with something he was proficient at. He had little to offer than his skills aboard the ll-fated ship they served on, and if his skills could come to use off duty, then so be it.

"I would not eat directly before training, and nor should you... in case you wish to keep it down," he said to her, and that statement was a testament to the kind of training she would undergo under his tutorship. In case she was not in perfect physical shape already, she would be in for a harsh session that evening. "I recommend eating after we are done, when your body is in need of sustenance, and let the work-out eat away at the reserves your body has been keeping. You'll handle it, I am certain."

Debating whether or not he wanted to question her intentions of seeking to speak with him, he decided against it since the agreement they had struck was beneficial for them both. While the Risian had seemed eager to distract him sexually, this doctor wanted his help, and to learn from his experience, even if Trill females could be just as distracting as any other females. What he had done to the human named Slaverton was still vivid to him, and he did not trust himself that way around females. At least not yet. "I will see you at the upper gymnasium, Doctor. I wish you a good day."


[ Rihen Neyah | Mess Hall | Deck 09 ] Attn: Simon Tovarek

Giggling at his retort to her compliment, she bit her lip and toyed with her fork on her plate - looking at the bearded scientist Starfleeter.

"Busy indeed," she said, watching him adjusting his seat across the table, wondering if he was uncomfortable about something, hiding some implication of what he had said, or if he just wanted to leave. "But not so busy so that I can't eat and have a chat. Thea has no means to escape my diagnostics and repairs, and its not like I am the only one gearing her up for the next part of the voyage. I do what I can... but end up doing a lot more than I had anticipated."

She put her fork down and folded her arms on the table, leaning forward as she sighed a little bit of frustration. "It's like this, I go into Main Engineering, always carrying my toolbox, and the moment I get there, the engineers look at me, and then this Raegar and others of middle-ranker standing come and give me tasks that sends me off somewhere on the ship. It is as if they don't want me hanging around there, and at first, I thought it was because I was a civilian and they were protecting some Starfleeter secrets or something, but more and more, I get the feeling that they do not want me around there, as if I am a bad influence or something like that."

Snatching up her fork again, she took another bite and chewed it while talking, but not in a way that made her look like a little girl with poor table manners, she stared off in thought while she mused. "Do you think they hold a grudge because I brought that emitter Calamity beamed over to my shuttle before I docked here on the Theurgy? That I unwittingly helped that murderous thing kill all those important Starfleeters? Strange thing is that they don't appear hostile against me, just sending me away. In fact, they don't seem sorry to see me or speak to me when I arrive, but I am never allowed to stay - always sent away to fix things as if I was disturbing them somehow... "

Re: DAY 01: Healing | Part 1 [0730 hrs.]

Reply #9 –
[ Amelya Duv | Corridor | Deck 09 ] Attn: Zaraq

Amelya could feel that the Klingon was growing more to the idea. She was glad that he did and hoped their mutual agreement could hone her skills and perhaps give the man the salvation or redemption that he was looking for. Perhaps they could talk during the training sessions, though she doubted Zaraq would be much of a talker. Yet it didn't matter much at this point. They had agreed on terms for sparring and training and Amelya was already looking forward to it.

She nodded at the notion of not eating before the training session. Amelya had a body that certainly was in shape condition wise, yet combat training was another story all together. She didn't know if she was underestimating it or not, but the training Zaraq would give her, would certainly help to make her fine figure even more so. "Alright, so I'll bring something to eat for the both of us for after the session." she said with a smile.

"A good day to yourself as well Zaraq." she said with a nod and let him walk on. Her eyes lingered on him before he finally went out of sight. She looked at her clothes now and shrugged "Ah well, better get to that running." she murmured to herself before she started her jog without the breakfast she wanted to take.


[ Simon Tovarek | Mess hall | Deck 09 ] Attn: Rihen Neyah

Simon listened to the blonde as she made her frustrations clear about engineering. He kept hiss eyes on her and looked into those hemochromatic eyes before looking her over once more. He shrugged as she told him she felt like they didn't trust her and he bit his lower lip before replying "Well, perhaps you should contact the chief engineer about this. He'll be the one that knows why his men would be so dodgy around you. I doubt the crew would hold a grudge against you for bringing Cala closer to us, you had no idea about it after all."

He shifted in his seat as he shook the memory of being in engineering lately, going there was still always a bit of a self tormenting trip down memory lane. He was happy not to go down there so very often, yet knew that there might be times when he would be needed down there. His mind in the meantime provided him with a teasing reply to follow after his serious quote. "Or you know, perhaps they're afraid that you'll be too distracting to the crew in engineering. Nothing worse than engineers dropping tools in warp spoils or cores while eyeing out a beautiful Risian." he teased and snickered.

He winked at her before he drank the last of his orange juice and sat it down on his tray "Anyway, I'm afraid my duties call. Plus I at least want to take a shower before my shift starts. It was nice talking to you miss Neyah." He smiled and got out from his seat.

Re: DAY 01: Healing | Part 1 [0730 hrs.]

Reply #10 –
[ Rihen Neyah | Mess Hall | Deck 09 ] Attn: Simon Tovarek

When he reassured her that what Cala had done did not in any way reflect on her, Rihen was relieved to hear it. "That's what I thought too, I mean I had no idea she had beamed aboard my shuttle!" Then he complimented her again, and in such a sly way that she was completely surprised and embarrassed. While she laughed, she slowly realised she might actually be more right than he thought. Perhaps that's it! She was torn between her reply and her realisation, left looking off in the distance when he winked at her, and belatedly turned back to reciprocate his compliment.

Only then she found him getting up from his seat, and she blinked in surprise at him, looking between his empty plate and her half-full one. He mentioned a shower, and that had her up in a second. "Wait, you are one of them Senior Staff people right? You must have access to a real shower with a water setting, right? And even a bath tub? See, my quarters are in the residential quarters corridor, and there is only a Starfleeter shower there, with them creepy sound vibrations that feel like they are rubbing the top layer of my skin off. I... No it's too much to ask."

She sighed and put her tray in the dispenser machine and gestured while she spoke, walking next to Tovarek. "Still, I have delicate skin, I mean I usually let my skin air-dry after I bathe or shower, and that barbaric device in the quarters I was given makes my skin completely raw, almost feeling like I have bruises. I don't know if I am using it correctly, or if its something wrong with it, but we didn't have that kind of tech on Nimbus III, and back on Risia, I always bathed in the lagoon. I know it's too much to ask, but I am at my wits end about how to fix it. I mean, I tried all the settings, and I think I might have broken it when I tried to repair it. These sonic showers are completely foreign to me. Give me an EPS grid any day, but that shower is an abomination completely beyond me since I can't-"

Trailing off, she sighed. "Well, anyway, I was thinking that if it would not be too much to ask, could I have a quick - super quick - real shower too? I will be in and out of it in no time at all, and I will be out of your quarters before you noticed I was there. I promise!"

Re: DAY 01: Healing | Part 1 [0730 hrs.]

Reply #11 –
[ Simon Tovarek | Mess hall | Deck 09 ] Attn: Rihen Neyah

Simon waited for her as she started about starfleeter showers and he smirked a little as she held back at first yet continued anyway as they both got rid of their trays. He nodded as she seemingly dreamed off about a real bath and real water showers. "Yes, comes along with the rank I imagine. Water setting showers and a bathtub, though I rarely use that tub." he told her as they made their way to the exit of the mess hall.

He had to laugh a little as she complained about the harsh and rugged function of the sonic showers. Surely they weren't comfortable, yet he did imagine she was exaggerating it. He remembered his times with sonic showers and never really complained about them. They were good at what they were designed for and he hadn't really bothered with the sounds it made. Then again he wasn't a woman, perhaps they held more criteria for such things. Yet he could understand what Rihen must've been going through, if you were used to bathing in lagoons..  Needless to day that these showers would be horrid for people like her.

"So technically you're out of sonic showers in a whole as you broke yours?" he asked just to make sure he heard it right. He had to smirk a little about as he imagined that the engineer would at least be able to fix her own shower. Yet he could see the desperation in her eyes and tone as she asked him to use a real shower. Normally he wouldn't allow it yet today he seemed to be in a compassionate mood. As they went through the corridors outside the mess hall he shrugged "Well, I guess it couldn't do you any harm to have a real shower..." he smiled as he looked over at the blonde Risian. "Follow me." he said with a friendly smile and lead her to the turbo lifts.

Once they arrived on the right deck he went to his quarters and opened the door. His quarters were a bit of a mess as he had a couple of PADDs laying across the room and some of his uniforms were draped over furniture. An old memory came to haunt his mind once more as he got reminded that Rihen was the first woman to enter his quarters after Tia. He cleared his throat a little as he let her enter "Sorry for the mess, I wasn't exactly expecting company. Anyway, the shower is right through that door, but if you really want feel free to take a bath." he smiled as he walked over to his desk and sorted some PADDs. "If you need anything just give a shout, I'll wait for you to finish before I'll shower myself. Towels can be found in the bathroom as well." he instructed her while he sat himself down in his chair and turned it around to face the Risian.

Re: DAY 01: Healing | Part 1 [0730 hrs.]

Reply #12 –
[ Rihen Neyah | Senior Officer's Quarters | Deck 05 ]

When Tovarek said she would be allowed to borrow his shower, her gratitude shone in her eyes and her whole body language portrayed the relief she felt when she heard it. "Oh, thank you so much, I have been dreading that I would be stuck with the death-trap in my quarters forever," she said as the entered the turbolift and ascended towards Deck 02 together with her happenstance benefactor in regard to personal hygiene. On the way up, she continued to talk about the sonic showers and how they could all be improved upon in order to grant the crew a much more satisfactory experience. It was, however, a project that there was no time for - the showers hardly a priority.

Rihen glanced around his quarters once they stepped inside, about to compliment him on how neat everything was when he apologised for the opposite. She closed her mouth and was given instructions on where the shower was and even offered to let her use the bathtub... which made her jaw drop. "Oh, I wouldn't... I mean.. Are you sure? It would... Oh, thank you!" she exclaimed and hugged him with her arms behind his neck while he sat in his chair. As soon as she had hugged him, she gave him a blinding smile and hurried off to the bathroom, tugging her arms free from her overalls before she was even through the door. Once inside, she pushed her overalls down her hips and kicked off her short boots, leaving her completely naked since she usually didn't wear anything underneath them. In short order she had the water running and browsed the Starfleet issued products she could use, deciding on a nice-smelling bathing oil and a before she submerged herself.

"Oh, dear, this was just what I needed!" she called to Simon though the closed door, letting out a deep sigh of contentment as the warm water enveloped her. She poured some essential oil over her chest and then stroked it out all her poor, poor skin with her hands - fingers spreading over her tan skin and into every crevice of her body. "You are such a saviour, you know. Hmmmmm... "

Last time she had bathed, it had been during the holographic Lohlunat , and the water had been a bit cooler than in the tub. She remembered taking a swim, and finding Aisha S'Iti on the beach - the Cardassian helm officer naked by the edge of the water. They had talked, and then engaged in Jamaharon. The memory was vivid, and they had gotten some company too, men that they had welcomed to join them. It had been a wonderful start of Lohlunat for her, and she chose to forget how the next day had turned all the joy on its head - focusing on the memory of the rite she had partaken in on the beach. The patrons had been content with each other, and she had soon extracted herself from them to help others, but she could still remember feeling the Cardassian's fingers and her mouth... and the memory made her oily fingers become more bold as she cleansed herself.

"Mmmhhh, this might take a while... my sweet," she called in a thick voice. She grabbed the edge of the tub to keep herelf afloat while she touched herself under the surface. "I hope you are not in too much of a hurry... MMmmhhh... I am sorry, I should stop and let you in." Her turn of phrase caught in her throat as she thought about asking her saviour if he was interested in Jamaharon, but she knew she shouldn't, not when they both had duties to attend to. And yet she couldn't stop herself from pushing her fingers into herself, from teasing her hooded clit - the oil in the water making it feel exquisite. Alas, it was not the right time... She forced herself to sit up in the tub and get the shampoo and the bathing soap. Lathering herself up instead.

"If you are in a hurry, you could use the shower... Unless you are too shy, that is," she said with a giggle, smiling as she looked towards the ceiling - lathering up her arms and her shoulders where she sat. She did enjoy teasing a bit now and then, hardly expecting the human to come in. "I promise I won't peek!"

Re: DAY 01: Healing | Part 1 [0730 hrs.]

Reply #13 –
[ Simon Tovarek | Senior Officer's Quarters | Deck 02 ]

After receiving a hug from behind, Simon smiled as he watched the civilian engineer walk off into the bathroom. He had noticed he she was already removing her attire. He diverted his eyes as he shook his head and heard the door shut. He started working stoically with his PADD as he heard Rihen continue to talk from inside the bathroom. "Well, I hope you can enjoy yourself. It's not like I'll let you in every time you want a bath or a shower." He answered her with a coy smile on his face. He read up on the overnight results from certain experiments in the labs while he leaned back in his chair.

There weren't any groundbreaking advances it seemed at first sight and Simon's eyes looked up to the closed door now and again as he could hear rather joyful sounds coming out of the bathroom. 'Guess she really needed that bath..' he thought to himself as he unbuttoned his uniform a little to have a more comfortable position. It's not like the suit prohibited from being comfortable, yet the free space he got with just a few loose buttons was liberating.

He heard her mention that this might take a while and he laughed a little as this contradicted her "In and out" phrase when he had agreed to it. He looked at the time before making his comment "Well, I have about fifty minutes before my shift starts. So as long as you can grant me twenty minutes to shower I'll be alright." he replied to her, unaware of the teasing she brought on to herself or the fleeting memories she dug up. The next phrase however caught his ear and he doubted for a minute, wondering if this was even a straight request to go shower while she was in the same bathroom.

"It's not that I'm shy or anything... It's just better that you can enjoy yourself in private in the shower." he said to her while he put the PADD away and went to his spare clothing to lay it ready for when he would finish his shower. "And I do get the feeling that you will peek regardless." he added as he smiled to himself, yet it was a faint smile. On any other occasion he might be willing to participate in the action, yet now he felt he was bound to Tia. The woman he had started something with dwelled in his mind. He didn't want to go about with anyone else behind her back, certainly not now. While she laid there in Sickbay due to her injuries, things were looking grim for her and Simon felt that he just couldn't.

Re: DAY 01: Healing | Part 1 [0730 hrs.]

Reply #14 –
[ Rihen Neyah | Senior Officer's Quarters | Deck 02 ]

"I'm shocked!" called Rihen from the bath with a laugh, lathering up her short hair with both of her hands, "what kind of woman do you take me for, Mister Tovarek? Of course I wouldn't peek! Not unless you'd give me due cause for it, of course..." With a grin, she ran her hands down to her chest and began to lather up her breasts - her hard nipples slippery against the palms of her hands as she cleaned herself. She sighed in a mock-forlorn way, even if she was enjoying herself immensely without the company of the human in the other room. The simple fact that she was able to take a proper bath at long last was good enough for her.

"Hey, did you enjoy yourself during Lohlunat ? I don't think I saw you that night. Were you too busy to attend?" she called next, filing her hand with more liquid soap. Bracing herself on the edge of the tub, she sat up on her knees and reached down between her legs with her soap-filled hand, cleaning herself in thorough motions - perhaps a bit more thorough than usual since the memory of Aisha S'Iti was still fresh in her mind. "Mmhhh... Even though I was the hostess, I did get some time for myself as well, even if I tried to talk with as many people as possible in the crowd and lift their spirits. What I was most nervous about was my juggling... I hadn't done that for a lot of years, and while it was nowhere as good as when I was performing in Suraya Bay, I think I did well enough, didn't I?"

She caught herself babbling on, but hoped Tovarek didn't mind too much. Even though she spoke, she realised that she was still touching herself - two fingers sliding in and out of  her soapy sex - and she was quickly bout to make herself come. Her mind lingered on the Cardassian and what they had been up to... until she remembered that she had spent the night with a Lone-Wolf. A certain Axius vel Onea...

...and her fingers came to a stop when she realised that the man had died in the battle against the Calamity. Her head sank, and while her heart was still beating fast, she didn't feel like touching herself any more. She sat down in the water and put her hands on the edge, chest heaving and yet with an ache in her heart. There had been no romance between her and the Câroon, and she even suspected he had preferred men the most, but the idea that the man she had indulged in Jamaharon with that morning had ended up dead only hours later... it served to remind her that the Theurgy was nothing like Suraya Bay.

"Simon..." she said, emptying the water from the tub and getting the shower handle to wash of all the soap, her movements slow in thoughtfulness. "Do you think we will make it?" Such a heavy question to ask, but she could not stop herself - the shower handle forgotten in her hands. "Can we make the other Starfleeters listen?"

Re: DAY 01: Healing | Part 1 [0730 hrs.]

Reply #15 –
[ Simon Tovarek | Senior Officer's Quarters | Deck 02 ]

Simon couldn't help but feel himself dragged out of his emotional depression by Rihen's comment. She sure was witty and funny enough in that bathroom. He shook his head and replied "Oh, of course miss Neyah, how could I possibly be so wrong." He replied to her on a mocking tone. He sat himself down on his bed however and waited for the civilian engineer to finish up on her bath so he could shower himself. He sure as hell wasn't going into that bathroom unless time really urged him too.

Next however she brought up Lohlunat , a good memory that surfaced now as he recalled his time with Tatiana under the luminescent plants of Risia. Yet in the aftermath also reminding him of what he lost. He shook his head away from the darker thoughts as he also remembered having some R&R time with the former commander Edena Rez. It had been one of her former hosts who had given him the pleasure that night and he wondered what Edena would be doing now that she was no longer the commander. He sighed silently before realizing he hadn't replied to Rihen about it. "Uhm... Yes, it was pretty relaxing. I met someone there to whom I grew rather closely, yet she's in sickbay at the moment. Things not looking to swell for her." He replied on a rather dry tone and sighing once more when he was done.

Her next question caught the CSO off guard. Would they make it? It was hard to tell, certainly for a man who dedicated his life to statistics and numbers. Hard evidence to under build theories and hypotheses. He bit his lower lip as he walked over to the bathroom door and he rested his head against the door "It doesn't matter what I believe Rihen... It's about how well we execute our tasks when the time arises. We can only fulfill our duties with 100% commitment and hope it will be enough. We must try to overcome this, even though the odds might be against us. We've beaten the odds more than once. So I think we must succeed in the mission. We'll get everyone to hear our message, no matter the cost." he replied to her and smiling faintly as he did so.

Re: DAY 01: Healing | Part 1 [0730 hrs.]

Reply #16 –
Hearing that Mister Tovarek's acquaintance during Lohlunat  had ended up in Sickbay had made Rihen regret asking about the event. In fact, it seemed that as much joy as she had hoped to bring, lifting people's spirits... they had much farther to fall afterwards.

For once quite sombre, she listened to the Starfleeter tell her about the situation at hand, and how they would all have to work together to overcome the odds. To commit to the ship and its needs, aye, that was the right thing to do. It was not like she had too much choice in the matter, and she had come to grow fond of the harried Starfleet personnel since she came aboard. They were not at all like the people on Nimbus III, the majority of them civil and respectful. Her generous heart bled for them in their dire straits, and she shared in their situation. Gradually, as Tovarek spoke, Rihen began to rinse off the soap from her body, as if washing off her worries and her regrets about what had happened aboard the ship. She just hoped her faith in the way of her people wasn't lost during the voyage ahead of them, and the mission to Starbase 84.

"Thank you, sweetie," she said and stepped out of the tub, picking up a towel to dry herself with - rubbing her short hair and making it stand on its end. "I needed to hear that."

She wrapped the towel around her chest and picked up her clothes. Then she stepped out of the bathroom to let Simon begin to shower while she got dressed. "Thank you for letting me borrow the tub. The bathroom is all yours now!" she said, her earlier joviality having returned to her. "I'll put on my clothes out here and leave when I'm done. Are you sure I could only borrow your bathroom this once? Please, I would be so happy if you could let me borrow yours until my own is fixed and I have learned how to calibrate it right. Once a day, no more, wouldn't that be okay?"

She was sooo envious of the man, having a real shower and bathtub with water there in her new home - the starship Theurgy.

Re: DAY 01: Healing | Part 1 [0730 hrs.]

Reply #17 –
[ Simon Tovarek | Senior Officer's Quarters | Deck 02 ]

He smiled as she thanked him and he lifted his head off the door just in time as the door slid open. He stood face to face with the Risian who just had a towel around her body and his eyes lingered for a second before he looked away int o the bathroom.

As she spoke he walked into the bathroom and looked at the tub that got drained and then at his shower. He already started to peel off his top garments as he smiled once more hearing her thank him for using his bathroom, trying to get more out of it however. "Once a day might be pushing it Miss Neyah. If I let you use my bathroom every day, I might as well have a little swindle with all non senior personnel to have a go with real water." he said laughing a little. Keeping the question in mind however he wouldn't mind letting the woman use his bath now and again, he never really used it himself after all.

"Tell you what, Three times a month tops and once per week tops." he said, the option not really open for much more debate. It was a fair offer in Simon's eyes and he wondered if the Risian would agree on the matter. He didn't want to peek as she probably was getting dressed herself now. Unless she came peeking herself to him as he was undoing his pants to step into his shower.

Re: DAY 01: Healing | Part 1 [0730 hrs.]

Reply #18 –
Rihen had stepped out of the bathroom to let Tovarek inside, and while she had espied him taking his shirt off, the sliding door had closed between them since neither of them were standing close enough to keep it open. By that point, as she mulled over his counter offer with her lower lips between her teeth in thought, she had dropped her towel in order to get her overalls back on.

"Oh, I couldn't keep track of the times per month," she said, laughing, "I had hoped for once a week at least, but that's fine, perhaps there are others who have running water that I could ask, so I won't argue there, sweetie. Thank you so much for letting me use it this once, and if we can get that message out from that Starfleeter base, I will make sure to come back for a victory-bath!"

After getting herself ready to leave she called her goodbye through the door to the bathroom and even though she didn't know if he'd heard her, she left his quarters - feeling refreshed and relieved. Prepared, for certain, to continue her new life aboard the USS Theurgy.

- FIN
 
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