Hope For More

Posted on 14 Mar 2015 @ 2:40pm by Commander Andreus Kohl & Commander Allyndra illm Warraquim

1,707 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 08 - NIMBUS
Location: USS Nautilus - Deck 1, Briefing Room; USS Galileo - Deck 3, Sickbay Laboratory
Timeline: MD -03 - 1620 hours

[ON]

Andreus Kohl had moved into the Briefing Room again, as if it were his own personal office. The meeting table was laid out with a tea service, a bowl of soup and a bowl of something that looked like hummus (but didn't quite taste the same). It was his first day --his very first day-- as Executive Officer aboard the Nautlius, and he was especially anxious about wandering too many footsteps away from the Bridge.

His wasn't the only first day as Executive Officer. To the live image of an Akkadian on the LCARS display, Kohl asked, "How fares the Galileo, Commander Allyndra?" He used her rank not out of any sense of respect or due deference, but mostly to draw attention to their new responsibilities, on their respective ships. "I miss her already," he said, "But I might be falling for my mistress..."

"Good, so far the crew is as exceptional as always," Allydnra replied but avoided the Commander on her part. She was in the lab not being required on the bridge currently. The bridge was a thrilling place even with the ship just in routine cruise but she had always found herself drawn back to the small lab. It was a safe place, a place away from all those others and it was here that she had taken Kohl's call. Allyndra was puzzled slightly by mistress but she figured that he was talking about his new ship under his command and did not comment further.

"Well you look the part I must admit. Perhaps much better then me, as you can see," she waved a hand, "I have retreated to safety. Perhaps for the best since I got us all 'killed' not so long ago." The regret tinged her tone.

Shaking his head emphatically, Kohl remarked, "Noooooope. Holographic Romulans and Starfleet training regulations got us all killed. I don't hold you responsible for my death." --He was, of course, referring to his recent stint as Operations Manager during Allyndra's command training exercise-- "I suppose you are responsible for the deaths of the survivors aboard the Kobayashi Maru, when you had their starship destroyed. A bold and provocative tactic, that." There was a hint of jealousy in Kohl's inflection at that.

Allyndra shook her head, "My first impulse was to refuse to go which would have resulted in their deaths anyway and in some previous simulations I read about some that did that noted that probably the people were already dead and just a tactic to lure a starship to respond. That has been thought now to be an unacceptable course and command wants people to try to think outside. Well," she waved a hand, "I am rambling. On another note retreating here has given me time to think some more and reread the treatise from library. I think I have some new insights as to the genetic rejection."

Kohl's own head was so filled with starship operations and bridge duty, that he didn't understand what Allyndra had said, at first. "Genetic rejection?" he echoed, and he pronoucned the words wrong, as if he were speaking a foreign language. "You don't mean--" Kohl started to say, because it was unthinkable; "Do you mean my rejection? The gene therapy you performed on me, back on Akkadia?"

Allyndra nodded. "Yes, that one. I think I figured out why it did not last long enough. While there is probably little hope of gifting you with full life time regenerative ability, I think possibly this new insight will finish the job we started that is if you are interested."

So overwhelmed with emotion was Kohl that the words wouldn't come. "Am I-- am I-- am I interested?" Kohl asked rhetorically. Not that Kohl could clearly identify or recognize what emotions he was feeling. He just knew there was a lot of them. "I would be thrilled to recover fully from my nerve damage," Kohl said. He breathed a heavy breath and his eyes went a bit glassy. "I redoubled my strengthening rehabilitation while I was on the Starbase. My old mentor -- Doctor Ni Dhuinn -- she was impressed with the program of care you prescribed me. I can say I'm stronger now than I was on Lyshan Three. But, uh, but I, obviously, I still need my motor-assist bands for any kind of speed or dexterity with my legs."

Allyndra nodded, "Still no matter how much rehabilitation work you do it will not give back full function and then there is...well perhaps I should not delve there but there was damage to the nerves for full sexual function. That should be fully restorable as well." Allyndra kept her professional face and composure talking about that aspect. She still figured though that as handsome as he was that he did not have a lot offers. She had a quick fantasy but she reminded herself to keep being professional and quickly discarded the thought.

"I realize that I made a big promise to you back home and it did not work as I thought so I would not be upset if you refused a second go around," she continued but regret tinged her voice. She had been so sure of herself that she could duplicate that genius from long ago and failed.

Before he could even respond to her proposal, Kohl felt it necessary to correct her earlier statement. "Allyndra, you never promised to cure me," Kohl said. He looked her right in the eye, his manner earnest. "I never expected that from you. All you promised was to share your homeworld with me and to assist me in my recovery. You succeeded in every respect. I came away from Akkadia with improved range of motion, and I came to know Akkadia -- and some if its men-- intimately. I do thank you for everything you accomplished."

Allyndra shook her head in the negative, "Perhaps but the implication and my hope was for more." She brightened though, "At least it was not a total loss and I am glad you found some of the Irsemia houses...'interesting'. Still will you give a second chance? The ships are not so far apart that we can't do a warp transport and certainly there might be time once we arrive at the 'games'. I have no doubt there will be some sort of soiree with our Klingon counterparts."

"I'm feeling strong, Allyndra; all things considered," Kohl said. He nodded at her hopefully. "If you think you've found a new insight into the application, I'm prepared to undergo another try at gene therapy."

"Thank you," Allyndra nodded. "I will get things set up and when we can arrange a time then we can make arrangements. The procedure itself will not take long and considering that you have made a good deal of progress then final stages should be rapid enough. The only thing I will admit to is that I do not know quite how long it will last, certainly not a lifetime, but perhaps a month or more is a good possibility. I will let you know when I am ready. Thank you sir for the chance to redeem myself."

"You are most welcome, but I must thank you," said Kohl. He scooped up a spoonful of soup and took a sip. He set aside his spoon and regarded Allyndra seriously. "Thank you for trying, for always championing me. Even in times when I haven't been as focused on my recovery, you've been developing this treatment in your spare time."

"Yes, but you are not the only one I have in mind if I have everything down this time. Then since we are going to give it another go I will get things ready and then we can work out the details of when you can spare the time to come aboard. The treatment itself should not take overly long, an hour at most. The recovery is unknown but..." Allyndra held up her left hand and wiggled the fingers. "It took a month to regrow these, for you we are talking about some nerve repair that has already had some regeneration so I suspect less time for full recovery."

"Oh Allyndra..." Kohl gaped at her in delighted astonishment. He reached one of his own hands out to the display, as if he could touch her. There were dumbfounded pauses between his statements, when Kohl said, "You did it. You grew them back. We're going to do it this time, aren't we?"

"Oh yes, we all do. One reason we are called the Dorian Grey people..." Allyndra replied amused. "I had to look that one up. Not sure your familiar with the tale. No long lives or immortality but until the very end we do not age or get infirm. As you see me now I should look like for the next many decades." She suddenly realized what she was saying and there was a thought that hit her. "I am sorry, I wish I could promise the same to you, but as I explained I do not think the effect will last that long, months for sure but the rest is problematic."

Waving a hand at the screen for emphasis, Kohl said, "Even those couple of months will give me a leg up on my strength training. And it will give you more time to develop your gene therapy further." He was clearly excited by the idea, and then he admitted, "I've read a series of tales about Dorian Gray, about him living to the present day with his vampire bride, and pretending to be a new man."

"Oh? I am only familiar with the original Wilde book and at the end where he sees the picture and suddenly grows old. Such as with us, we just in the last year suddenly grow old. Well, sir, I will get things ready and hopefully nothing unexpected this time."

Grinning back at her, Kohl said, "Thank you, Allyndra. I'm looking forward to see you soon ...and to shake your new hand!"


[OFF]

Lieutenant Commander Andreus Kohl
Acting Executive Officer
USS Nautilus

LCmdr Allyndra illm Warraquim
Acting XO
USS Galileo

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