Posted by Ensign T’Lora (Doctor) in Heading to Sickbay (All are welcome)

Posted by Ensign Ben Wilkinson (Security Officer) in Heading to Sickbay (All are welcome)

Posted by Ensign T’Lora (Doctor) in Heading to Sickbay (All are welcome)
Posted by… suppressed (17) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Ben caught up with T’Lora in the passageway outside the holodeck. “So you can turn off the empathy thing if you want to? Is there any way for a person to shield their thoughts? Errrrrr.... not that I would have any thoughts I would want to shield.” Ben’s face turned a slight crimson. “Not sure I’m putting this the right way. Let me check the duty roster and we’ll set a date for breakfast or whatever.”

Ben - Slightly awkward as usual.

She laughed slightly, taking pity on him. “We all have thoughts we wish to hide.” She elaborated carefully. “It is possible, with some effort to shield one’s mind. It is difficult for humans, but not impossible.” She tilted her head slightly towards him. “You could learn to shield your own thoughts, but in my profession, I keep my own mind unreceptive. Off duty, I make no such effort. Thus, if you wish to hold my hand, you may wish to inform me first.” She was aware of what she was implying, but her face gave nothing away. T’Lora often played up the “clueless Vulcan” image for her own amusement.
-T’Lora

Ben was deep in thought, trying to understand exactly what T’Lora was saying, but not having much luck. “So if I wanted to say, hold your hand in a non-professional way, as long as I tell you first it would be ok......I think ?”

Ben - Deeper than ever!

She laughed a bit, breaking her poker face. “I grew up on Earth Ben, I am not entirely ignorant. There are plenty of reasons to hold hands, professional or not.” She softened her voice a bit. “If you were to wish to hold my hand in a non-professional way, I would not be in opposition.” She looked at him curiously. “Do you wish too?” she offered her hand to him, smiling slightly. She closed her mind quickly, drawing on years of experience.
-T’Lora - with very little experience and plenty of interest.

Ben took a deep breath and slowly released it. Growing up he had plenty of friends who were girls, but no “girlfriend”. He was always busy trying to keep his grades high enough to get into the Academy or with sports or martial arts, and the Academy left little time for socializing. “T’Lora, I don’t quite know where this is going, but right now I would very much like to hold your hand, and I don’t care if you read my thoughts right now.” Ben had noticed other couples holding hands and walking the ship’s passageways or having an arm around a shoulder. They were both off duty right now, so no protocols were being broken. Slowly he reached out and took the proffered hand.

Ben - Tipping and about to fall ?????

T’Lora smiled softly up at him and closed her fingers gently around his hand. She was careful not to read his thoughts, but she allowed herself to feel the slightest layer of his emotions. She took a deep breath. She had missed casual mental contact while in the Academy. “Where did you grow up Ben?”
-T’Lora

As they continued down the passageway to the turbolift Ben noticed that several other couples greeted them. “I grew up on Earth in the state of Texas, just outside of Abilene. How about you? Did you miss being not raised on Vulcan ?”

Ben

T’Lora gestured to the large scar on her face. “Vulcan was less than friendly. I rather enjoyed Earth, after the first couple of months. I lived in a small town on the Arabian Peninsula.” She kept a close eye on the other people walking in the corridor.
-T’Lora

As they continued to walk along Ben shared more about his growing up. How he and his brother were so close, how he had lost his whole family. Ben had not really noticed the scar on T’Lora’s face, but asked how she had gotten it, and why she hadn’t had it removed. He hoped he wasn’t being too nosy or personal, but he wanted to know as much about T’Lora as he could. Talking with her seemed easier than talking with the counselor.

Ben - More or less oblivious to other people in the corridor

T’Lora smiled contentedly, feeling that Ben was at ease with her. “We are much alike, both without families in this universe.” She took a deep breath before telling him the story of her scar. “When I was five, a young boy came up to me. He showed me the dagger his father had bought him. I told him it was aesthetically pleasing, and he told me it was made to mark the V’tosh Ka’tur.” She touched it lightly. “It was a replicated ceremonial blade used in ancient traditions of exile. The blade was poisoned to prevent flawless healing. The idea is to leave a mark that can never be hidden.” Her hand lingered on the scar, feeling the raised skin beneath it. She placed her hand back at her side and smiled at him again. “I am glad that you find me easy to talk too. Many humans find Vulcans unapproachable.”
-T’Lora - who has very few personal boundaries

Ben looked at the scar. It looked to him as if it had faded over time to a faint white line. “You know on Earth, old fashioned duelists would try to get a scar. They would get cut during a duel and then pack the wound with salt to make a dueling scar. Your scar isn’t that bad, I hadn’t really noticed it until you mentioned it. I’m sorry that it happened.” They continued to walk, Ben noticed that they has passed the turbolift, but wasn’t going to mention it. He noticed T’Lora’s ears and thought they were attractive the way they stuck up through her hair, heck everything about her was attractive.

Ben - About ten degrees from a total fall.

T’Lora’s face flushed green at his change in emotion as he looked at her. “It is perhaps, only of significance to Vulcans. Tell me about your brother?” She was ready to learn more about Ben, just as he was about her.
-T’Lora

“My brother and I were very close, He was only a year and a half younger than I was. Our parents were gone a lot with their jobs and we stuck up for each other,. He always came to me when he had a problem, especially with our mom and dad. He was more than a brother, he was my best friend and I really miss him.” Ben took a deep breath and slowly released it. “How about you, do you have any siblings ?” Ben carefully failed to mention the part about the animosity he had harbored for doctors in the past. He was past it now, thankfully.

Ben

T’Lora shook her head. “I was going to, once. She was going to be called T’Jas. Neither she nor my mother survived the birth.” She smiled softly at him. “Would you like to learn how to shield your mind?”
-T’Lora

Ben sighed. “I’m sorry for your loss, it seems we both have similar tragedies in our lives.” Again the deep breath and slow exhale, it was a way to calm emotions and center yourself. “I would like to learn the shielding technique, if it won’t take too long. I have to report for duty in a couple of hours, but I want you to know that I have truly enjoyed our walk and talk, and I want to spend more time with you. Also, don’t forget our breakfast date.” T’Lora seemed interested, he certainly hoped so. He was certainly interested in her, he just felt at ease in her presence.

Ben

T’Lora nodded. “We may have to relegate shielding to later. The technique can be difficult.” She closed her eyes and smiled. “I would have you know that Vulcans are incapable of forgetting things such as dates.” She was teasing, but she was excited. “I look forward to spending time with you as well. I regret to say that I must report for duty in 38 minutes. Shall we actually make our way to Sickbay now?” T’Lora had, of course, noticed when they passed the turbolift, but hadn’t minded.
-T’Lora

All too soon for Ben, they arrived outside Sickbay. “I’ll be in touch after my shift, and we can make plans for the shielding technique and breakfast or whatever.” He hated to let her go, but knew they both had duties to perform. “I’m going to have to send Tigress a big thank you for inviting us both to meet Midnight, and I still want to do that.” He was wondering what Catian’s really liked, other than large striped predators. “I guess I need to go, and you do too. By the way, what do Vulcans eat for breakfast?”

Ben

T’Lora smiled. “We are vegetarian, but you need not confine yourself for my sake.” She laughed lightly as she released his hand. “I believe the Lieutenant would enjoy some lesser-known data on sehlats or le’matya.” She had slipped her hands behind her back in the usual Vulcan posture, and her face was blank once again. She continued like that as they walked by two Vulcans in the corridor, and took his hand back once they had passed them.
-T’Lora

Ben noticed T”Lora’s change in demeanor as they met and passed the two Vulcans. That was something he would need to ask her about at another time. “Would other Vulcans look down on her for an outward expression of what he hoped was affection? He knew of several marriages between humans and Vulcans and most had seemed happy and normal.” Regarding the food, he replied. “I rarely eat red meat myself. I’m sure we can come up with a mutually agreeable menu.”

Ben

T’Lora felt his curiosity. “I am partial to omelets myself.” she offered. She nodded back towards the two Vulcans they had passed. “Sitjek and T’Vos. They graduated with me.”
-T’Lora

“Omelets it is then. Let’s do breakfast after this shift, if that’s ok ?” Ben stared at the backs of the two Vulcans as they receded down the corridor. “What’s up with those two, are they friends, or would they ridicule you for associating with a human?” Small seeds of anger flared at the thought of T’Lora being ridiculed. “I also need to learn the blocking technique, because I don’t want to have to warn you every time we touch .” Sadly, Ben noticed that they now were just outside sickbay and T’Lora had just minutes before her shift began. He would have just enough time for a quick workout, and a shower before his shift began.

Ben