Posted by Lieutenant Commander Bethany Kovra Gadi (Chief of Security) in side-sim: New Rhythms

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Aasrel Izei (Chief Medical Officer) in side-sim: New Rhythms

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Bethany Kovra Gadi (Chief of Security) in side-sim: New Rhythms
Posted by… suppressed (45) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Once past the airlock, Bethany relaxed. She stopped in the corridor and put a hand on his shoulder. “I am so sorry, Aasrel. I didn’t expect to see anyone who knew me. That’s my fault. I put you in danger. I’ll never forgive myself.”

Bethany

Aasrel shook his head. “You couldn’t have known it would happen. We’re both fine. Don’t worry about it. I’ve faced worse than an angry Cardassian and his Nausican assistant.” He walked with her, leading her back towards medical. With a teasing look, “I did say no running.”

~ Aasrel

“I’m too experienced to make such a careless mistake.” She nodded accepting that the Borg were much worse than Vaec. “He’s dangerous because he has a temper and he’s strong and he’s dumb. He can’t conceive of a fight that doesn’t involve fists or guns.” She grinned and bumped her hip against his. “Well I had to decide. Run and be a bit sick or die. I mean there was the chance of a fist fight, but that seemed worse than running.” As they got to the lift she paused. “See you later?”

Bethany

“You’re coming with me,” Aasrel said as the lift doors opened. He pulled her into the lift with him. “You didn’t really think I’d let you get off without a medical check after all that excitement, did you?”

~ Aasrel

She was yanked into the lift, “What??” She sighed and just grinned. “No, I didn’t. I feel fine, really, but I won’t protest.” The lift started to move. She leaned against the wall and sighed. “How did I get an El-Aurian neurotransmitter? I’m Betazoid and Human.”

Bethany

Aasrel gave her a serious look. “I was going to wait until we got back to Sickbay to have this conversation… I want to do DNA testing. Then I want to scan your brain… Specifically, the part that processes sound.”

~ Aasrel

Bethany looked perplexed as her brows drew together. “Sound? I’ve never had a problem with my hearing.” A DNA test. “DNA requires a blood draw right? You can run the test without me there?” She sighed. “And the scans? I can’t be stuck in sickbay.” She held up a hand, “I know, I know I have to be careful, but we’ll be leaving soon to follow the cruise ship. We have to be ready.”

Bethany

“If I’m right, you always have, and never knew it.” Aasrel said. “The blood draw will be quick. But you’ll need to rest for half an hour afterwards. The scans will take a little longer but you won’t be here all day.” He gave her a concerned look. “I want to get these scans done so I can fix you. You’re getting worse. I don’t want to lose you to this.”

~ Aasrel

Bethany nodded smiling softly. “I know. Look, I need two hours baring a ship wide emergency. I need to check in with my department and on a few other things. Let me do that, and I will make sure I won’t be needed the rest of the day. Then I can check in when they are done. Will that work?”

Bethany

Aasrel nodded. “Deal. Meet me in sickbay in two hours. Except the check-up. We’re doing that now.” The lift doors opened and he headed towards Sickbay.

~ Aasrel

“Yes Doctor,” Bethany purred, just to tease him, as she followed him into sickbay and sat down on a biobed. “I’m all yours.”

Bethany

Aasrel got a medical scanner and did a detailed scan. When he was satisfied with the results, he nodded, his gloves fingers brushing against her arm for a moment. “You’re still okay. You can go resume duty.” He said. He still looked concerned, but less so.

Bethany proffered his hands ungloved, but even still the touch left a warm tingle behind. “Just okay?” She snickered and hopped up. “I’ll be back. Try not to miss me too much.”

While she worked, he looked at what he’d looked up on the station. He was more and more convinced he was right. How else would the el-aurian neurochemical for empathy have ended up in her brain? Why wasn’t it going where it was supposed to though? And could it be fixed? He needed to confirm his theory, then he’d need to consult with Th’rethiss on how to fix it. On his arm, there was still no reaction to the sample of Bethany’s psilosynine. But there was still most of a day before the test was considered conclusive.

~ Aasrel

Bethany checked on some programs she had set up in the electronic warfare room, then stopped at her quarters to change. Then she headed to her office to check in with her shift leads and go over plans and basic contingencies. She reviewed their performance on the boarding simulations on the holodeck and made some adjustments to the program. The only good thing Blue did was give them a schematic of the ship so they would be very familiar with the layout when they arrived. Then exactly two hours later she reentered sickbay.

Bethany

Aasrel had the equipment he needed set up for her. He led her to the biobed and sat her down. “Ready?” He asked. He started with the blood draw. Then started the brain scan. It was a fancy sort of brain scan that showed what her brain looked like. “Hold still.”

~ Aasrel

Bethany slipped her coat off and laid it on the table before laying back on the biobed. She took a breath before she answered him. Yes, she wanted answers, but… she sighed again. “Yep, ready.” The hypo tingled as he drew the blood, but it didn’t hurt. Her eyes scanned all the equipment. She contemplated all the programmingvthat would go I to making each piece work. Like the day before and the nanites she seemed to keep asking questions that required long answers. “So what does all this stuff do?” She waved her hand to encompass everything. Then he told her to hold still. “Sorry.” She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing and being still.

Bethany

Aasrel finished taking the images of her brain and turned the scanner off. Then he smiled at her, coming around the biobed, took her hand, and pulled her up. “You’re done. With any luck this’ll be the last or near the last round of testing. I think I saw what I was looking for but I want Th’rethiss to check my results.”

~ Aasrel

Bethany waited for him to tell her more, but he didn’t. She told herself to be patient. That there was no point in getting information that was half formed. If he needed to consult Th’rethiss first she would wait. “Okay,” she nodded, her constant grin and upbeat attitude slipping a little. “Am I okay to go back on duty for now?”

Bethany

Aasrel checked briefly who was around them before taking her in his arms and hugging her. “It’s going to be okay. I just don’t want to get your hopes up.” He squeezed her gently. “We’ll know soon. I promise. Remember your promise.”

~ Aasrel

It was the main med bay, people were still around. Bethany knew they would notice; she didn’t care. She hugged him back. “I know, and I appreciate that.” She laughed. “I won’t forget, and if I do, I am sure you will remind me.” She grabbed her jacket and slipped it on. “See you later,” it was half statement half question.

Bethany

Aasrel nodded to answer the question. “See you later.” He consulted with Th’rethiss on the scans, and then spent the rest of the day going about regular work. When his regular shift was over, he went to his quarters to shower and change, then went looking for Bethany.

~ Aasrel

The Broken Dawn’s security chief was sitting in her office, a plate of half finished food next to her and all the screens lit up. One showed the airlock, another sensor readings around the ship, others videos feeds of the different training simulations going on. She was scribbling bites with a stylus on her PaDD and working something on her terminal as well.

Bethany

Aasrel poked his head into the office. “You still busy?” He asked. “Taking it easy?” He spotted the half finished food, “Eating?”

~ Aasrel

Bethany waved him in, “Just taking notes on this last simulation.” Her eyes stayed on the screen as she made a few notes and then sent it off to Torrek. She looked up at him and smiled. “Done now. I have been here at my desk all afternoon except for one small incident at the airlock. All I did was stand there and talk. I swear.” She looked at the food and shrugged. “I got caught up in a project. Forgot to finish it the last bit. You done? How’s the test on your arm?”

Bethany

Aasrel smiled. “Good.” He went in and stood by her desk. “I’m done. There’s not too much going on on the ship medically lately. I was right about your brain.” He grinned then. “You have the El-Aurian structures in the sound processing center for your brain for their form of empathy.” He shrugged, “I’ll never understand it. Hearing the emotions, or at least that’s what I read. But that’s why you’re producing that neurochemical.” Then he lifted his arm and pulled up his sleeve. It was the left. There was no redness of any kind inside the marker circle. “So far, it’s clear.”

~ Aasrel

Bethany just sat there and stared at him for a long time. She didn’t even glance at his arm. She couldn’t process it. She’d been taken to all kinds of doctors that first year when her father had suspected something was wrong. No one ever ever said her brain was…was… “What??”

Bethany

Aasrel smiled, a gentle and compassionate look, and came around the desk next to her. “I don’t know why the el-aurian neurochemical isn’t going where it’s supposed to, but this is what’s wrong, Bethany. It’s a lot, I know, but it’s good news. I’m still waiting on the DNA results, but I think we know what they’ll say.”

~ Aasrel

Bethany nodded once, slowly. Of course it would be in her DNA. That kind of thing didn’t show up with out it. Unless she had undergone some weird surgery, but that hadn’t happened. That she knew of. She couldn’t write her uncles and her father wouldn’t answer her letters anyway. She didn’t have any other family she could ask. Not that she could reach them right now. It was good news? They knew what was wrong. She couldn’t seem to get her voice to work.

Bethany

Aasrel took her hand in a comforting gesture, letting her process. He wanted to remind her that meant that if he fixed her, she would probably be at the least empathic. But for now he just sat quietly with her.

~ Aasrel

Bethany didn’t want to be empathic. She wanted nothing to do with being even remotely like her father. It was childish and stubborn. She knew that, but it was still how she felt. And did Aasrel say that El-Aurians hear emotions? What did that even mean? And it wasn’t like she could look up on the computer information. And going back on the station wasn’t a wise idea right now. “So…you just take the glands out? That will stop it?”

Bethany

“I could do that, but it would be preferable to get the el-aurian neurochemical flowing properly rather than remove the glands. But, Bethany… You’re going to be empathic either way.” Aasrel said quietly, still holding her hand. “Once the el-aurian neurochemical isn’t blocking your paracortex, the psilosynine will do its job properly.”

~ Aasrel

He was being gentle, but she could also hear the happiness in his voice. She would get what he wanted back so badly. She didn’t want it. “Why did it start working though? It never worked before.” Maybe it would stop? Maybe he could take both glands out? She hated herself for thinking it, knowing how much he wanted it. But not before she was able to be his donor. They couldn’t do anything for her right now anyway.

El-Aurian and Betazoid empathy? TWO???? No, it was far too much. What had she done in this life to deserve that?

Bethany

She was getting what he so desperately wanted back. And he knew she didn’t even want it. He was giving the news as if he were telling her she was going to have to quit Starfleet or something, a hint of jealousy he was trying to hide in his voice. If there was happiness, it was because he was happy she wasn’t going to die. “My theory? Your brain started producing the El-Aurian chemical when you came of age rather than psilosynine. For some reason, instead of going to the structure in the sound center of your brain, it went to your paracortex.”

“I don’t know what cause the psilosynine to start producing now, we may never know, but when it started producing psilosynine, that psilosynine had nowhere to go, until it leaked into your bloodstream and made you sick.” He looked at her, “I know you don’t want it. I… I think you should give it a chance. And I promise I’m not saying that because I lost mine.”

~ Aasrel

She never got what she wanted. When she wanted her empathy it was lost to her and now that she had finally found a way to be okay with herself… she sighed. Bethany felt like a petulant child. She squeezed his hand and smiled that carefree dazzling smile at him. “I know your not, and I will. I promised. It’s the only way to not die. You can’t lobotomize half my brain. That would defeat the purpose of a quality of life. Besides it’s my heritage right? And it’s going to help you too. If it stopped, I couldn’t do that. See, you found a solution for both of us.” At least some good would come of it.

Bethany

Aasrel hated this. He wanted her to be happy and even without empathy he knew she wasn’t. And he felt guilty and jealous all at the same time. He nodded. “It’s in your heritage but… Bethany, you’re allowed to be upset about it. And it might help me.” He didn’t want to get his hopes up, because if he did react to her psilosynine, or if the experimental procedure didn’t work, he would be crushed. He sighed. “I found what’s wrong. I haven’t found how to fix what’s wrong.”

~ Aasrel

She squeezed his hand and stood. “Being upset doesn’t change anything.” She pushed his sleeve up to see where the circle was. Other than the mark it looked normal. “It will work.” She needed it to. Whatever may or may not happen between her and Aasrel, it had to work. She could not accept that this would happen to her and she would meet him all at the same time. Something in her life had to matter, had to have some positive purpose. Even if he couldn’t fix her, it would fix him. It had to, and any other possibility could have no room in her head right now.

Bethany

Aasrel flipped his arm as she pushed his sleeve up, letting her see. He gestured with his head towards the empty marker circle. “Even if this stays normal, there’s still no guarantee the procedure will work. The study had positive results. Not 100% success.” He shrugged. He was trying not to think about it. And he was tired. He hadn’t slept last night at all. “Let’s focus on the fact you’re going to be okay. This disease isn’t going to kill you and you’re going to be healthy again as soon as we figure out how to fix it.”

~ Aasrel

She gave him a long look. “When did you sleep and eat last?”

Bethany

“Um.” The night before last, in her quarters, and when they ate together. Aasrel grinned sheepishly and attempted to deflect the question. “Isn’t it my job to bug you about these things?”

~ Aasrel

Bethany laughed, “Yeah, but somebody has to bug you. Especially when you look like you might fall down right here. Come on.” She left her office heading for the lounge and dinner.

Bethany

Aasrel followed her to the lounge. He took a seat and ordered something to eat without complaint. It wasn’t that he was avoiding eating, he’d simply forgotten.

~ Aasrel

Bethany sat and ordered. An Earth dish that would have to be replicated. She didn’t mind. It was heavy and filling. Her uncles used to make it when she was missing her mom. It had been her mother’s favorite. She ate quietly out of long habit. She was processing. It wasn’t like he had given her a lot of information, but it was a huge piece to process. Aasrel was obviously tired so she was more focused on finishing quickly than talking.

Bethany

Aasrel had ordered something smaller and lightweight. He ate quietly and was done quickly. He wanted to ask how she was doing with it or if she wanted more information but he wasn’t sure that would help so he just left her to think. He was tired, but he didn’t feel tired. He looked it, though. His eyes were bloodshot. When he finished his food he set his tray aside and waited for her to finish.

~ Aasrel

She finished by using the bread like muffin she had and soaking up the last of the remnants and popped it in her mouth. She collected both their trays and returned them. “Come on, Doc. You need sleep.”

Bethany

Aasrel stood with her. “I’m okay. I can stay up.” He argued as he followed her out of the lounge. He yawned slightly, trying to cover it.

~ Aasrel

Bethany shook her head. “If I had been up for almost more than 48 hours would you let me stay up?” She walked down the corridor. “Where to?”

Bethany

“No,” he answered simply. “You’re sick.” Even if she wasn’t, he wouldn’t, but he was going to keep using that excuse as long as he could. The fear of sleep that came with nightmares was setting in. He shrugged, “My quarters or yours, whichever you prefer.”

~ Aasrel

“That excuse is getting old, Rel. And you will make yourself sick you keep this up.” Bethany pressed the button for the lift, “Where are you going to sleep better? And do you still want to come over?”

Bethany

Rel? That was kind of cute. He liked it. “Of course I still want to come over.” As for where he would sleep better… His quarters, but he wanted the company of staying with her. “Your quarters, I think.”

~ Aasrel

Her presence was not contingent on being in her quarters. He said hers, so that was where she would go. Once on the lift, with no one around, she grinned as she turned to him. “Sooo, are you going to get a change of clothes first, so you don’t have to leave early? Or not, so you have a reason to escape?”

Bethany

If he’d known that, he would’ve said his, but he’d assumed she would be staying in her quarters either way, for some reason. He was beginning to suspect a change in sleeping arrangements might affect his nightmares. Aasrel smiled tiredly, “I’m getting a change of clothes. Then I get to stay with you longer.”

~ Aasrel

She slipped her arm around him as they stepped off the lift. “Come on in when you get there. I’ll make sure the door is unlocked. No need to knock.” She slipped away as they neared her door and she went inside.

Aasrel nodded. “Okay. I’ll be quick.” He headed to his own quarters and quickly grabbed a change of clothes and his pillow.

Bethany was naturally a neat and orderly person. She slipped off her jacket and hung it in the closet. Then she proceeded to remove the various weapons and devices she had on her person and hide them around the room. She sat to remove her boots, put them away and then headed into the bathroom. A smiled crossed her face at the memories.

Bethany

Aasrel made his way back to Bethany’s quarters. He’d only been gone a few minutes. When he got there, he pressed the button to open the door and stepped in. He set his things on the sofa.

~ Aasrel