New Endeavours (part II)

Posted on 30 Jul 2014 @ 3:49pm by Lieutenant Tuula Voutilainen M.D.
Edited on on 30 Jul 2014 @ 8:03pm

908 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Episode 06 - Legend of Souls
Location: USS Galileo - Deck Five, Holodeck Two
Timeline: MD8, 1630 hours

[ON]

"Computer, activate program Voutilainen Alpha Four."

Around Tuula, the black and yellow grid squares of the holodeck disappeared as she was surrounded by cedar. A wrought iron woodstove appeared in one corner, covered in stones with a pile of birch firewood sitting nearby. Wooden benches lined two of the walls of the small rectangular room.

"Computer, reduce temperature by ten degrees." Tuula thought it best to go a little easy on her guest. After all, it was the first time for her almost nine months pregnant guest.

Wearing a simple white robe, Tuula placed a small towel on the bench near the fireplace and transferred herself from chair to bench. Reaching behind her head, she let her hair down and sat on the bench, twirling an errant dreadlock around her finger as she waited for her new friend to arrive.

T'Vanna arrived not long after though she felt a little conspicuous about wearing a long bathrobe while walking the corridors of the Galileo. She felt watched and it wasn't a pleasant feeling. Still, Tuula had told her to wear a robe, but underneath she had opted to wear bathing clothes: a very elegant maternity bathing suit. "I'm not too late, am I?" she asked, a little nervous about the endeavour; she'd never seen the inside of a sauna before.

"Of course not, take a seat," replied Tuula, motioning towards a space on the bench beside her. "I was just about to get the steam going." As her companion sat down, Tuula ladled some clean water from a bucket at her feet over the hot rocks, filling the room with lyly -- steam.

After placing the ladle back into the bucket, Tuula undid the knot in the belt of her bathrobe. Pulling her arms out of the sleeves, she let the robe fall behind her. Completely naked, her body was on display -- tattoos, imperfections and all. Normally she would be uncomfortable, but the sauna was a special place. Strictly non-sexual and non-judgemental, it was one of the few places where she could simply be herself and let the steam take away all her cares.

"You know, it is traditionally a faux pas to wear clothes in here." Tuula's voice was softer, slower, and more relaxed than usual. "But I'll let it slide... this time."

"I didn't want to cross the halls in just a robe," T'Vanna countered, letting the robe slide off her shoulders. "I can get out of this so long as I'll have something to wear when we leave."

"Your choice," replied Tuula, closing her eyes and letting her mind go blank. "Just relax and let the steam work its magic. It will do wonders for sore muscles." Of course, being from Finland, she was taught to believe that a good sauna session can cure almost anything. Sore muscles, headaches, phantom pains, or just plain stress; all these ailments would disappear for her with a good sauna session.

"Just...sit?" She arched both slanted eyebrows at the other woman. "Nothing more?"

"Were you expecting something more?" asked Tuula, as she opened her eyes and turned back to her companion.

"I don't know. I did tell you I've never been in a sauna before, let alone knowing what it is. So we just sit here in this heat, to what purpose?"

"Because it's relaxing," Tuula explained. She had forgotten her companion was part Vulcan, and would no doubt be demanding a more logical and scientific explanation. "And because studies have shown that time spent in the sauna is correlated to reductions in stress, relief of muscle and joint pain, and other positive health outcomes. In fact, it is particularly good for recovery from childbirth, so I may just prescribe you a few sessions after you give birth. Now, just close your eyes and relax, okay?"

"As you wish doctor," T'Vanna replied formally, while sitting back and closing her eyes. Relaxing was something else though, with an active child in her belly.

Tuula looked over at her companion. Her eyes closed, she could see that she was trying to relax, but the expression on her betrayed some discomfort. Close enough, she figured, closing her eyes again.

The Vulcan woman did her best to remain as relaxed as possible, but she was feeling far from it and the more she tried, the less she felt it. Finally, she gasped loudly as a fiery stab of pain traveled across her belly.

"Are you all right?" asked Tuula, seeing her companion in obvious pain. Oh no, is this...

Wrenching her eyes shut, panting heavily, T'Vanna shook her head. "No," she breathed, "no I'm not..." She relaxed when the stabbing pain seemed to ebb away. She grimaced as she felt the unborn child move, then felt something run down her legs. "Oh no!" she breathed, panic flitting across her otherwise handsome features.

Tuula looked at T'vanna, then back at the puddle on the floor. "Don't worry, I'm a doctor," she said, quickly transferring her naked body back into her chair. "Just lie down, and I'll take care of everything." Holding her companion's hand, she helped her lie back on the cedar bench. With no time for either of them to change, she reached for a comm badge. "Transporter room, two to beam directly to sickbay."

::TBC::

Ensign T'Vanna Murray
asst Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Galileo

&

Lieutenant (JG) Tuula Voutilainen
Medical Officer
USS Galileo

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