[E] JP: Dr. Rahman & LtCmdr Core, "The Next Frontier." (Part 2)
Deliera Jay
Rahman: ::quietly:: You remember...
Core:::he nodded slowly:: Probably not all of it. According to medical, I wasn’t at all conscious. With all the emotion behind every word and all, your thoughts are hard to miss.
::Her voice was soft as the memories of those nights in the medical starbase came back to her.::
Rahman: They told me you were unresponsive. That it wasn’t looking good.
::She averted her gaze, unable to look at his black Rodulan eyes staring back at her. In the immediate aftermath of the accident, Roshanara had visited Tristam’s ICU room every day, hoping each day would be the one when he'd finally wake up again. Eventually, though the Pioneer was called away on its next mission, leaving Tristam behind.::
Rahman: I shouldn’t have let you go down there. I shouldn’t have brought you on the project. ::This time she did let out a light chuckle.:: It’s not like you actually believed in the work. Clearly, even now.
Core: If I remember correctly, if it wasn’t for me bringing you late night beverages in that damn lab, you wouldn’t be past the second phase yet. ::He gave a chuckle.:: Besides, what’s Engineering without a risk? We all have scars for one reason and one reason only: to prove that, despite all the failures, we survived. And that in itself is a success.
::She looked back at him, though, serious again.::
Rahman: You’re telling me you never doubted? Wondered if it was really all worth it?
::The Rodulan gave a light shrug, his hands now in his pockets.::
Core: Everyone has doubts at some point, myself included.
Rahman: I don’t know, Tristam. I don’t think I’m as strong as you.
Core: It’s not a matter of if you’re strong, Roshanara. You just have to be willing to *try*.
::She balled up a fist in frustration and let out a heavy sigh.::
Rahman: Even if I wanted to, I can’t serve on a starship! It’s not up to me.
Core: It doesn’t *have* to be the Garuda. I contacted SCE, they’ve got a position lined up in the Corridor as a project manager - looking for someone with your knowledge and skill set. ::He gave a slight huff, his features softer now.:: Come back with me. Be the engineer I know you are.
Rahman: You keep saying that as if you really know me. But *I* don’t even know who I am anymore.
Core: You’re afraid - and it’s okay to be. I almost didn’t go back to Starfleet after my medical leave was up. But you know what? I got back on the saddle. In a different capacity, maybe, but I didn’t give up. And the only thing keeping me going was *your* thoughts.
Rahman: *My* thoughts?
Core: Yeah. Your thoughts. The last ones in my head.
::She shook her head dolefully.::
Rahman: I don’t remember them being anything special. Just guilt and turmoil seeing you lying there like that. Because of a failed experiment. ::beat:: Because of me.
Core: You had hope.
::Hope. She looked up as he explained further.::
Core: You knew I’d wake up, that I’d be okay. For a while, I wasn’t, sure, but you were right. I *am* okay.
::A very slight smile finally crept out--just a hint, but it was there, behind her tears.::
Rahman: You are? You’re not upset anymore that I dragged you across the quadrant?
Core: Oh, I’m still annoyed. I hate travelling, especially with strangers in small shuttles.
Rahman: I feel sorry for the strangers.
Core: So does everyone else.
::She took another glance at the toolkit--her toolkit--that he had placed before her.::
Rahman: I think I asked, well, had you brought onto the Garuda because I was looking to make amends for what happened. To try and tie up loose ends before… before it’s too late.
::The Rodulan frowned at her.::
Core: It’s never *too late*.
::She looked back at him sadly, her voice tinged by despair.::
Rahman: How can you be so certain?
Core:::he sighed, putting his hands on his hips.:: You told me that you believe you’ll follow in the same footsteps of this random alternate timeline that you somehow heard about.
Rahman: It’s already started, hasn’t it? ::She looked aside.:: Seems that way...
Core: There’s one factor you hadn’t accounted for.
::She turned back to him, intrigued. She wasn’t used to being told she’d overlooked something, especially from him.::
Rahman: And what’s that, commander?
Core: Me.
::Seriously? She just looked back at him for a moment before finally cracking a wide grin.::
Rahman: You really are something. I doubt there’s a temporal equation out there that could account for Tristam Core.
::But he was serious.::
Core: Think about it. When . . . Kells - the *other* Kells - experienced that future, I wasn’t at all in the picture. You hadn’t considered bringing me aboard the Mercury, let alone contacting me.
::She nodded.::
Core: That future doesn’t account for me. It doesn’t account for the fact that I can *help* you, nor does it account for the fact that I at least can convince you to try and hone these abilities causing you trouble.
::What he said made sense. Maybe he could help her. And if not, maybe it was still worth it to at least try.::
::Maybe *he* was worth letting herself finally open up again to someone.::
::As she looked at his earnest expression, she realized that there was something else now she had to tell him. Before it really was too late.::
Rahman: Tristam, you’re right. I am afraid. And, I know I’ve been unfair to you.
::She took a breath and sighed.::
Rahman: I know why you stayed up all those nights with those beverages four years ago.
Core: Then why never tell me?
Rahman: Truthfully?
::She returned a sheepish smile.::
Rahman: Perhaps I did harbor certain thoughts of my own… you did call me out about those swuit sticks.
Core: They *are* hard to not enjoy.
Rahman: The thing is, Tristam, I’ve been hurt before…
::She thought not only of Javed and his broken promise nearly a decade ago but of all the other painful encounters she’d had since then. Each became yet another brick in the wall she had laid to protect herself.::
Rahman: And so I promised myself I wouldn’t let someone in again. I wouldn’t take that chance.
::She shrugged with a grin.::
Rahman: It seemed to be working, too. I avoided men, and they avoided me.
::She returned a coquettish glance at him.::
Rahman: Until I met this one stubborn Rodulan.
::Stubborn apparently was an understatement. Tristam gave a smile, looking down for a brief second.::
Core: I couldn’t let someone else steal you away.
::His words elicited a small smile to escape from her. She could feel how much he cared about her -- but no, how could that be? Her empathic abilities didn’t extend to his four-lobed physiology. Yet regardless, she knew it to be true.::
::Still, there was another hesitation.::
Rahman: You think so highly of me… ::She let her gaze fall downward.:: I don’t want to end up hurting you either, Tristam -- if things don’t turn out okay as you hope. If I’m not really the person you think I am. If I disappoint you.
::It was then that the Rodulan found himself hopping upwards onto the stage, placing himself right in front of Roshanara. With a single finger and a gentle movement, he tilted her chin upwards to meet her gaze. He was close enough now that she could see her reflection in his eyes.::
Core: Rodulans believe that the Artist, a single being, created everything and anything, like painting a canvas. And everything on that canvas changes - but never is it truly perfection. There’s always a risk that a single stroke could change that canvas for worse. ::He gave a small sigh.:: I guess what I’m trying to say is that . . . you shouldn’t be afraid of risks. We’re Engineers - and like artists, experimenting is what we do.
::She looked back at him, considering her words. Instead, though, she reached up and held his cheek as she brought his lips closer to hers.::
::Just as they were about to embrace, someone popped his head into the room.::
Student: Excuse me, is this Engineering 230?
::The Rodulan snapped his head towards the door, all but yelling his reply.::
Core: *Out*!
::The frightened young man scurried out of the hall at warp speed. Tristam gave a huff before turning back to Roshanara.::
Core: Why is it that *every time* I try to-
::She cut him off, pushing him against the lecture hall display as their lips locked. She let her apprehension, fears, and everything else around her melt away in the moment. With gentle hands, the Rodulan pulled her closer, arms around her waist.::
::When they looked back at each other, she sighed.::
Rahman: You’re still a persistent son of a bitch who doesn’t know when to quit.
Core: My best quality, don’t you think?
Rahman: Hmmmph.
::She smiled before the two embraced once more.::
---
Lt. Cmdr. Tristam Core
Chief Engineer, USS Garuda
&
Dr. Roshanara Rahman
Project Manager, Starfleet Corps of Engineers