Dinner with the Doctor

Posted on 08 Mar 2020 @ 5:07am by Commander Amelia Fox & Lieutenant Syvar MD

Mission: Mission 3 - Whom gods destroy ...
Location: The Medusa's Head
Timeline: MD 5 2000Hrs
1669 words - 3.3 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

After the sparring session with Aidan, Amelia went back to her quarters to have a sonic shower and get changed. While this wasn't an official date, she decided to put on a casual dress and wear her hair down.

Several crew members acknowledged her as she passed, obviously getting used to having the real First officer back on board. Amelia's head was elsewhere, still thinking about what Aidan had said. Look after her counterparts child? Would she even go for that?

Entering the Medusa's head, she headed for a table near one of the large windows on the leading edge of the saucer section.

A waiter came over. "Good evening Lieutenant. What can I get you."

She answered without thinking "Rooibos tea please."

The waiter looked at her surprised "That's not your usual poison."

She raised an eyebrow uncharacteristically and replied "To expect one to order poison in a bar is not logical."

The waiter chuckled softly "Right..... Can I get you any food this evening?"

"I'm waiting for some company... I hope, can I have some time."

He smiled "Of course. When your ready, just give me a nod."

He then went to get her tea.

Still having a single guard trailing him, Syvar pretended not to notice he was being followed. He had been home part of the day, after pretty much being told to go away by his nursing staff. It had made him feel undesired, and persona non grata, much like half his childhood had been.

He'd spent some time just sitting on the floor, staring off in the distance and letting his tears flow freely. After that he'd taken a long sonic shower, wishing he had water as if to cleanse himself thoroughly. When he finally walked into Medusa's head, he was wearing a casual suit in various earth tones, which seemed to complement the green hue of his skin. "Ma'am," he greeted as he joined her.

She looked up at him and smiled. She had been worried that he wasn't going to come and now, his arrival had made her a lot happier for some reason she couldn't put her finger on. "Hello Syvar." She gestured to the seat opposite her "Please join me and could you please call me Amelia. We're off duty here."

The waiter returned with her tea and addressed Syvar "Good evening Doctor, may I get you something to drink?"

"Rooibos tea with a dash of honey please," Syvar requested as he sat down across from her. "I will try," he added in response to Amelia, "but I can't promise. You are my superior officer..."

"As I said, we're off duty." She took a sip of her drink and her face registered surprise. "I Don't know why I ordered this, but it's nice."

The waiter came back with Syvars Tea. "There we are, Doctor. "Are you ready to order some food?"

Amelia thought for a moment. "A nice bowl of Texas cowboy stew."

He looked at Syvar. "And for yourself?"

"Vegetarian lasagna, but please don't hold back on the cheese," Syvar requested, quietly sipping his tea.

The waiter nodded. "Won't be a moment." He headed away again.

She took a deep breath and decided to broach the subject head-on. "I've spoken with Lieutenant Datari this evening. He suggested that I should convince my doppelganger that her baby would be better off being raised in this universe, possibly by me."

Syvar nearly choked on his tea, spraying the sip he'd taken across the table. "You want to raise a child that's not yours?" he asked curiously, "why?"

She chuckled at his very un Vulcan like response and took a deep breath "As I told Aidan, I'd never really thought about having children till now and I would be worried about a child being raised by... her with what she capable of. Maybe he's right, the child would be definitely safer in this universe and while it's not technically mine, I'm the closest thing to its mother you can get."

The waiter brought over their food and seeing they were in the middle of a very deep conversation, set it down and excused himself and moved silently off.

"But you can't know that for certain," Syvar argued, "it's her child, who are we to decide it's better off here?" Despite it all he was ready to defend her.

Part of her was surprised by his reaction, defending her mirror twin like this but also, at the back of her mind, part of her expected it. She argued her case gently but firmly "I'm only going off what I've seen so far of her actions and I can't say they paint a good impression. She drugs me, assumes my identity, manipulates you through fear, pain, and intimidation, she steals Aidan's DNA and impregnates herself with it for some purpose and then she attempts to take over the ship, also for some unknown purpose. Have I missed anything there?"

"No, but we have no right to determine whether she'd be fit to be a mother. For all we know she'll make a great mother. We don't know what her motivations are beyond initial manipulation. Maybe she's just desperate." Syvar sipped his tea again, more careful this time. "I didn't share that kind of intimacy with her to know this," he added.

Amelia had to concede the point, but she couldn't help but notice how much passion the Doctor put into fighting her doppelgangers corner. Even after what she had done to him.

She nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps your right. I haven't even spoken to her since I've returned."

Spearing a small bite of lasagna to his fork, he took a moment to try and enjoy his food. "I don't feel I've really been intimate with her at all," he added after a few seconds, "that requires a two way street...this most certainly was not. I found no enjoyment in the encounters and I wasn't looking forward to being alone with her at all." Which was very much contrary to appearance.

His words said one things but there was something in his voice and at the back of her mind from when they had melded. She frowned at realisation dawned on her. “You’re drawn to her aren’t you?” She asked quietly “You want to see her again? Even after what she did.” There was no accusation in her tone, more surprise than anything.

Startled, Syvar stared at her. "Yes," he finally admitted, "if given the chance I probably will." It was a dangerous admission, he realized. "And you think you're like her. That you're capable of such evil."

Amelia turned bright red as her cheeks flushed. She lowered her eyes, unable to hold hid gaze and nodded. She then spoke quietly "When they abducted me, I was locked in a cell. Laemia came in and offered me a way our. All I had to do was pick up a knife and kill an unarmed Son'a in cold blood." she took a breath "And for a moment.... I actually considered it" She shuddered at the memory. Up till now, she hadn't admitted that to anyone, not even herself.

"We do what we must to survive," Syvar whispered, reaching to cover her hand with his gloved one. "No-one would've blamed you or held it against you if you had done it. Your first duty would've been to escape." He looked up. "Why didn't you do it?"

She took hold of his hand. “I couldn’t. The look in his eyes... He was unarmed. My life was not in danger at that moment. I... Just couldn’t do it. I don’t think I would have been able to live with myself if I had...”

Syvar nodded in understanding. "And that's what makes you different from her," he pointed out. "I think if she had to, she would've killed me or anyone else without a second thought."

She smiled warmly at him and gave his hand a squeeze. “You are a good man you know.” She looked into his eyes for a long time and the world around her seemed to dissolve away. It seemed like an eternity but it had only been less than a minute. She slowly and reluctantly removed her hand and had another spoon of her stew as she thought things over. “She must have a plan. I mean, she’s too clever not to have anticipated this outcome. Do you think that there is any hope for her?”

"Why wouldn't there be?" It was an honest question. Putting down his fork, he took another sip of his tea. "The only way to know for certain is to ask her," he added thoughtfully.

“You’re right, of course.” She frowned. It looked like she would be talking to herself this evening.

The Vulcan sighed. "I can talk to her, if you prefer," he offered. "Monitored, of course."

She frowned. “Didn’t the Captain tell you not to go near her? No. I’ll go but, I will keep you informed.”

"He did," he answered thinly, "but there has to be a way." He bit his lower lip, something he seemed to do frequently. 'This is unfair, she's my patient."

"The Captain is only looking after your best interests Syvar and the are other medical staff onboard. And Doctors themselves always make the worst patients don't they? You've been through a lot and you need to concentrate on getting better before you can look after others."

There was hurt in his eyes as he looked at her. "I need to go," he said suddenly, his food forgotten. He stood, and walked out of the mess.

He's going to see her! she thought. I'm going to have to stop him for his own good.

She lept to her feet and followed him out of the door.

OFF:

●● Lieutenant Amelia Fox
Executive Officer
USS Andromeda


Ensign Syvar
Acting CMO
pnpc Aidan