<USS Avalon> "Actions and Consequences"

"Of Actions and Consequences"
As the two entered Sickbay, Talea stated quietly, "Doctor, I know you doubtless see same-gender nudity on a relatively regular basis, and are trained to resist any, um, attraction you may feel toward the patient." She knew, however, that valuable evidence against the man she knew was securely in the Brig was literally imprinted on her body.
Taking her bifocals off and letting them hang down on their chain, Alexis looked at Talea. "It is true, dear, that I see nudity of both sexes, though not as often as it may seem. You needn't worry about any possible attraction. I am merely interested in your injuries." Smiling, Alexis chuckled. "Besides, I am much too old for you." She was trying to put the young woman at ease, although she wasn't sure she was succeeding.
The two diverted to a private area of Sickbay, and Alexis made certain of the privacy. As Talea saw that privacy was assured, she relaxed before she removed her uniform tunic. As the Starfleet-issue t-shirt covered more than her normal RSMC-issue A-shirt, she realized this quickly, and sighed at the necessity to remove other clothing. "Doctor, if you require photographic documentation of what you're likely to see, please to make certain they are not inadvertently erotic in nature." Without further ado, Talea removed her Starfleet-issue t-shirt, revealing not two, but four distinct marks on her fair skin, all four clearly handprints. Two were on her shoulders proper, the other two were on the uppermost section of her upper arms. Revealed also was the fact she was now naked from the waist up, and the fact that this vulnerability clearly bothered her.
"Don't worry Talea. I am only going to take pictures of the handprints so that they can be used against your assailant. I have no need or desire to take erotic photos of you or any other patient. That would be highly unethical."
Talea chuckled, uneasy despite reading Alexis' truthfulness from her body language alone. She murmured, "Ethics have little to recommend themselves to those of my Clan, or the Clans who are directly related to it." She looked down, trying to regain control for a moment.
Taking the tricorder, she ran a quick scan over the markings to make sure there was no internal damage, which, to her relief, there wasn't. She then took a few quick holographic snapshots of the handprints. She wanted to get this done as quickly as possible to relieve Talea's discomfort.
Turning her back on Talea, Alexis spoke calmly. "You are free to put your top back on. When you are fully clothed and comfortable again I will come back and we can talk about what happened or about anything else that may be on your mind." Alexis left the room to allow Talea some sense of privacy while she dressed herself again. She had hoped she had gained a little of the woman's trust but wasn't sure at this point.
Talea did so quickly, yet without seeming to be rushing, her momentary look of extreme relief hidden by the uniform top as it settled over her shoulders again, even if Alexis had had her back to her and wouldn't have seen it. She signaled Alexis to return. Once she did, she continued the explanation. "In the Exiled Clans, one of the sources of erotic photographs is medical personnel. They know that what they're doing is wrong, and they do mask the identity of the woman as well as airbrush over the injury or injuries that necessitated the pictures, but. . ." She sighed, unable to continue for a time as she struggled to control her shivering, which had nothing to do with temperature, and everything to do with reaction from the attack, although she didn't know this yet.
Pulling up a stool, Alexis sat down next to Talea. "First things first, my dear. You must remember you are no longer in your 'clan'. You are a proud member of Starfleet, and we do not use our profession to take advantage of innocent people. Now granted, there may be the occasional jerk, but for the most part, we are all upstanding people. What happened today was first and foremost /not/ your fault. Do you hear me? It was /not your fault/. Some, excuse my language, asshole, decided he was going to do something morally wrong and legally wrong. He will be paying for it for a very long time. Most especially after I turn in my report to the Captain and the Admiral. They do not tolerate behavior of this sort from anyone."
Talea commented softly, "Unlike most, I am well aware that today's attack wasn't my fault, Doctor. If anything, I have kept to myself, to my own business, not interfering with anyone. Why and how this person made this horrible flash judgment of me is quite a puzzle. Anyone coming out of stasis will tend to be rather pale, especially if it causes as much pain to everyone as it did me!"
Getting up, Alexis walked over to the replicator and waited as a protein drink fit for Talea was produced. Taking the drink, she returned to her stool and handed it to Talea. "Drink up. It will help you to regain your strength. I'm sure you used quite a bit of it with that scream of yours. Luckily, K'etrall was able to block some of it, or she would be here instead of resting in her quarters. That is a heck of a scream you got there. I hope you don't plan on using it too often or I am afraid we will be getting to know each other rather well. Which actually, I don't think would be a bad thing. I have a feeling you could use a friend in general to talk things over with."
Talea took a judicious sip of the drink the other had provided before commenting softly, "Ordinarily, a stun-scream doesn't disable the person making it." She swallowed as the memory of the agony she'd felt just prior to her passing out suddenly intruded. "But for some reason I've not fully worked out, stasis or revival from it has apparently blocked my normal use of my psionic abilities. Use is still possible, but oh, Havens, what agony it causes!"
She sighed and took another drink of the protein beverage. "It's growing up around men like that one who attacked me without cause that have given me such a /winning/ personality when it comes to men." She sighed; the sarcasm had been huge in that one statement, yet the truth of it also seared her. Her eyes were troubled as she continued. "Without putting a pretty picture on it, if I fail to correct my current fear of male motivations, I'll seriously endanger my Starfleet career, and with it, my career in the Defense Force of my own people, for my careers in both, as is common for exchange officers from the Regellians, are linked. What happens in one, for good or ill, happens to both."
She heaved a heavy sigh. "So far, I've found my physical attributes to be a serious disadvantage. All most men seem to see is a sex object, not the intelligent woman behind the beauty."
She smiled at Alexis. "Professionalism from medical staffers is quite a relief, quite frankly, and I've yet to understand why I react so positively to Sergeant Ranger, when I am, at best, very distrustful of any other man I've thus far met aboard." She shook her head. "Advice is what I need, Doctor, and that swiftly, for I find myself alternately extremely comfortable and extremely afraid of even him." Her puzzlement was clear on her face now. "Is there something wrong with me, or is this sort of uncertainty common?"
Alexis smiled warmly at Talea. "There is absolutely nothing wrong with you. In fact, what you are feeling is quite normal. It is a step in the right direction, considering your fear of men. The fact that you are feeling anything toward Sergeant Ranger is a major accomplishment. I am quite proud of you."
Getting up, Alexis walked over to the replicator and made herself a glass of tea and then returned to her seat next to Talea. She had a feeling this conversation was going to take longer than a normal one.
"So tell me exactly what you feel when you are around Walker. That will help me to understand what is going on and how I can help you." Alexis sat patiently waiting for Talea to begin talking. She didn't want to rush the woman, knowing how fragile she was in this regard.
Talea sighed and drained the last of the protein drink, then stated, "Computer! Rishalakan tea, type one, lightly honey-sweetened, with cap and straw!" At the ping, shimmer and chime, she walked over and retrieved her order, which was thirty-two ounces in a thirty-six ounce mug. Her comment was a little ironic. "Normal, eh?" She then took a sip of the tea before explaining, "This particular type of this tea has a rather unfortunate effect on Humans. Just preventing problems. It's also a mild calmer for my people."
She then murmured, "What I feel toward Sergeant Ranger is. . .almost indescribable to me, since I have no prior experience with anything remotely similar." She took another sip, then resumed with, "I feel I can trust him, and the feeling is deepening rapidly toward something I neither understand nor feel is entirely proper on my part. There have been times when my need for privacy has flared and I've nearly run him out of my presence as if he were one of the enemy, though. Surely that's not normal!" She closed her eyes and leaned against the wall for a moment. "Even worse, I have felt a hunger I cannot describe in his presence. Not every time or even all the time, but the last time almost overset my control. Five minutes later, at an innocent remark of his, I honestly worried he was going to. . ." She stopped, blushing furiously. "Let's just say that it was inappropriate of me to think he'd even be thinking that, and leave it at that, shall we?"
Not wanting to embarrass Talea more than she was doing to herself, Alexis listened and thought. The first thought that crossed her mind was what was in that drink that had an unfortunate effect on humans. "Just what effects does that drink of yours have on humans? Curiosity is one of my downfalls, I am afraid. As to what you are feeling, it is perfectly normal. I would not lie to you." Alexis thought back to the first time she had felt those feelings herself. Although it was a long, long time ago, she still remembered the feelings.
"If I had to guess, I would have to say you are finding yourself growing attracted to Walker. It could be because of the way he treats you. He appears to be gentle, protective, kind and understanding. Something you are not used to from a man. What you are used to is a man taking what he wants regardless of your feelings. */That/* is not normal. Thus, because of what you are used to, you are scared, yet intrigued. Mind you, that is just my opinion, for what it is worth."
Alexis paused to allow Talea to take in what she was saying. All the while, she thought back to her own "Walker" and the feelings he invoked in her. She had felt much the same way Talea was feeling now.
Not wanting to invade Talea's personal space, Alexis refrained from resting her hand on Talea's as she spoke. "My dear, what you are feeling is perfectly normal. Even the confusion, the hunger and the need for privacy. I am going to go on a limb and say that you are starting to have honest feelings for him. Feelings that were denied you while you were in your clan and due to the harm that was done to you. Not all men are like those who tried to use you for their own will or fun. Talea, you are a very beautiful woman and you should not be ashamed of that. You also shouldn't be ashamed or afraid of someone being attracted to you or you to them. I know that this is a great deal to take in at once but it is all normal."
She sternly controlled herself before asking, "Then you believe that I am what? Falling in love with him? I hardly know him, Doctor." She looked thoughtful as she ran through several thought-trains of her own. "And yet, he is quite attractive in his own right. He obviously keeps his fitness level up, for one." She was struggling to analyze her feelings logically and calmly, but was finding it horribly difficult.
Taking a sip of her drink, Alexis waited for Talea to calm down before continuing. She didn't want to bombard the woman with more information than she was ready for.
Talea blinked at the question about Rishalakan tea, then blushed even more furiously for a moment. "All I know for certain is that type one, a safe, non-drug calming tea for my people, will cause Humans to, erm. . .be rather libidinous, while type two, which is the Human equivalent, will do that to Regellians. Even the steam can cause a mild form of it, thus the request for cap and straw." She gestured carefully with the mug. "There are eighteen forms of Rishalakan tea known; there are nine pairs, each showing this odd effect between their respective species. There are also types that would be poisonous to Regellians, Humans, Klingons and so forth. Which, I could not say, since I have only limited knowledge of the first two types, and none of the other sixteen types." She smiled slightly. "Taste-wise, the tea tastes rather like a well-made apple pie with cinnamon, with a medium mint overtone."
She took another sip of her tea before noting, "As to my physical beauty, Doctor, part of that is due to your work, frankly. Had you not corrected what you had, I would perhaps look relatively decent, but I would still feel unworthy of anyone's regard, due to the scarring and its psychological effect on me. I know that is unhealthy, but it is unfortunately common in cases like mine." She took a larger sip of the tea than was wise in her agitation, and stiffened slightly as the hot tea burned her tongue. Otherwise, she made no sound, although pain seared through her for a long moment. Her eyes didn't show any change of expression during this minor emergency, either.
She sighed as she recovered from the unexpected pain before resuming with, "I know relatively little about medicine outside my Clan, but what I have seen thus far aboard this ship is nothing short of remarkable, frankly. I knew that my Clan's medical knowledge was limited, but I expect I haven't the foggiest clue of just how utterly limited my Clan's knowledge truly is, and not just in medical matters, but those of jurisprudence and so forth."
She took another sip of the tea before asking Alexis, "Then your advice is to pursue this, erm, attraction and see what comes of it?" What rattled her the most was the fact that she hadn't felt alone at all, not even during the revival from stasis, yet she felt strongly that this was improbable at best; her Clan was so isolated that the possibility of the kinship link being solid enough between her and Walker to provide the comfort was almost vanishingly small.
"What I am saying, Talea, is that you let things run their course. Let things happen naturally and at your own pace. If something scares you, don't run from it. Instead, talk to someone. Talk to Walker, or if you want, you can always come talk to me. Don't do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. You have every right to feel safe and comfortable in any situation. You are no longer in your clan. You have a new "clan" and it is the crew of the /Avalon/. I think that you will find that they can be very supportive. I know this is a great deal of information to go through all at once. If you need help, I am always here."
Talea nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I appreciate this." She wasn't sure of the doctor's willingness to be called by her first name, so wasn't doing so. "Shall I report to duty, or something else?"
Cringing at being called Ma'am, Alexis smiled warmly. "You are free to report to duty, if that is what you want. You are also free to call me Alexis, especially when we are alone. Remember if you ever need to talk, I am available. I will also remind the Captain about being a shield for you when the time comes."
Alexis watched as Talea exited the room and left sickbay. She wondered how long it was going to be before she got her /senses/ back and how she would deal with Walker. She truly was fond of the young woman and hoped everything worked out for her.

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