[sb118-darwin] LtCmdr R'Ven & PNPC LtJG Sindrana - Something to talk about

[Merrick R'Ven]

((USS Darwin-A, Deck 6, Natural Selections))

::Merrick and Sindrana had been sitting in natural selections for the past 15 minutes. Although it had been several hours since the briefing they had had with the Captain, both of them had many things to do. However they both wanted this conversation, and they both made time for it. But now that they were here to actually have it, with exception of ordering tea, neither had said or did anything but look at each other. What did one say to another after being away for so long?::

::It would seem that Merrick had been the first to find an answer.::

R’Ven: Where have you been?

::It was not ‘how have you been’ but ‘where’. A difference that Sindrana heard most clearly as she looked at the Rodulan officer who was attempting to put on a convincing portrayal of being Vulcan. But she knew where to look, she knew the chinks. But Merrick had improved over the years. They were much harder to spot.::

Sindrana: You know where I have been. I told you when I left where I would be been going.

::Her words were sterner than Sindrana had anticipated or even meant. But if Merrick was bothered by the tone there was no sign of it.::

R’Ven: Romulus. But you have been back long enough to be returned to active duty? If you had been there most of this time I would have to presume that what you have been doing is with Starfleet’s knowledge or you have had to account for your time there. In either case there would have been a debriefing, an extensive one I would imagine from the length of your stay, perhaps even some retraining.

::Sindrana had forgotten his insight Merrick’s ability to deduce things on very little data. She wondered if he had deduced what she had done? What she had been forced to do? But she said nothing as she looked at those knowing black eyes of his.::

R’Ven: Where have you been since you have returned?

Sindrana: . . . Vulcan, and then The Solace.

::The Solace was a medical ship that operated firmly within the confines of the Alpha Quadrant. It responded to medical emergencies of all sorts. Merrick thought he heard hesitation in Sindrana’s voice. He pushed a little harder::

R’Ven: And how long have you been back?

::And there Sindrana thought she heard a chink in Merrick’s Vulcanian facade. She could hear the tiniest inflection of pain. 'Why had she not come to see him?' was the real question beneath that one. How could she answer that without hurting him?::

::The truth::

Sindrana: Nearly two years.

::Twin black eyes just stared at Sindrana, boring into her. She had the distinct impression that he could see things, things that she hid from everyone else. Things she had hidden from herself.::

Sindrana: I was afraid of . . . of seeing you

::The words were almost pulled from her, heartstrings and all.::

R’Ven: Why?

::With that single word Sindrana could see more of the pain Merrick tried to hide. The way his eyes creased just a little, the way his lips puckered as if they wanted to frown but were bound by Merrick’s will.::

::For Merrick his chest seemed to clamp and his breathing became suddenly more difficult. He could not have pulled his eyes from Sindrana even if he wanted to. Interlacing his hands together Merrick laid them on the table. He could only stare at the woman in front of him, entirely confused as to why she would be in fear of him.::

Sindrana: I was afraid of how you would see me . . . of what I had became of . . .

::As Sindrana trailed off Merrick nodded.::

R’Ven: That you have done some things that you regret.

::The look that was on Sindrana's face was open fear for a moment, her Vulcan control slipping monetarily. Could he really see that far? What did he see? She could only stare at Merrick, her gaze getting lost in his before she nodded silently.::

R’Ven: What did you do?

::It was the problem solver in Merrick speaking now. Find the answer to the puzzle, learn all that he could. There was a mystery here and it was locked inside of Sindrana.::

::She just looked at Merrick. Part of Sindrana wanted to lay out everything she had said or done in the past 15 or so years. And yet another part of her, the part that held onto the secrets screamed NO! She could tell no one.::

::The result of which left Sindrana opening her mouth to speak and then closing it, her own Vulcan mask closing down around her like steel. Her face went cold, her posture straightened::

Sindrana: ::slightly snappy:: I cannot say.

::For a long moment Merrick just stared at Sindrana, as if by sheer will he could pull the answers from her. Find the secrets that lay within her and extract them. But in the end it was neither of them that broke the silent stalemate, but chirp of Merrick’s combadge.::

Shayne: =/\= Shayne to Commander R'Ven.

::The sound from his badge almost startled Merrick. He reached to tap it reflexively, his black eyes not leaving Sindrana.::

R'Ven: =/\= Go ahead Mister Shayne. =/\=

::As he waited for the reply he wondered what Shayne could want. Their duties did not overlap all that much. He did not remember anything from the bridge or on the away missions.::

Shayne: =/\= I'm sorry to bother you, sir, but there's a matter I'd like to discuss with you in private- if you have the time.

R’Ven: oO Private? 6of7 of Unimatrix 635. Her? Oo ::That was the only significant thing that they shared.::

::Black Rodulan eyes that had drifted somewhat as Merrick cudgeled his mind now refastened on Sindrana as he started to reply.::

R’Ven: =/\= I am somewhat busy right. . . ::trailed off as Sindrana touched his hand her face warming just a touch.::

Sindrana: Talk to him. I have to go. I have other things to get back to.

::That was true and yet not. She did have patients to look over and reports to write. But she could have put them off for a while longer. No, she needed to escape this conversation. A conversation that was becoming increasingly more uncomfortable as it continued. And with that Sindrana rose from the table.::

Sindrana: ::touching Merrick’s shoulder:: We will talk again. I promise. I just need to think.

::And with that Sindrana turned and walked away, her pace a little more rapid that she had anticipated, but better than the running that she so wanted to do.::

::Reflexivly Merrick stood and he found himself watching Sindrana until the doors slid open and then closed behind her, cutting off his view of her. It was only then that he turned his attention back to Shayne.::

R'Ven: =/\= . . . On second thought it would seem that I have time available now if you would like. =/\=

Shayne: =/\= Response

::Although Merrick's first conversation had ended unexpectedly, trying to figure out why Shayne would want to talk with him was becoming more interesting. Distracting him. A distraction that he welcomed right now.::

R’Ven: =/\= No, I truly have nothing else here. If you would like we can talk in Natural Selections, it is largely unoccupied. Unless you have some other place in mind?

::In fact the place was nearly empty, which was why he and Sindrana had chosen it in the first place. It was a neutral zone. Their individual quarters just felt wrong and her counseling suite felt like too much like a session. Here felt right. That is until it ended.::

Shayne: =/\= Response

R'Ven: =/\= That sounds excellent. R'Ven out. =/\=

::And with that Merrick closed the connection and picked up his glass of tea and downed it in a single gulp. Perhaps it had been time to end the conversation, but he hoped that they would have time to have another. There was still so much to say, and he hoped that next time, he would find a better way to say it.::

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LtCmdr MERRICK R'VEN - Science/Cybernetics Officer

USS Darwin-A    Training Team       A239210MR0

(And)

PNPC LtJG SINDRANA - Counselor @ USS. Darwin-A