Working out the kinks.

Posted on Monday December 19th, 2022 @ 10:20pm by Lieutenant Commander Niali Deval Dr & Lieutenant Commander Alaina Trywhitt-Duffy & Lieutenant Finchley Kerr

Mission: Shore Leave
Location: Finchley's quarters/Niali's quarters
Timeline: A week after Sickbay rest period.

[ON]

"I don't know Karadis" Finchley said "What if she's reacts differently...what if I react differently...what if she reacts to my reaction...what if I react to her reaction...what if we both react differently to each others reaction?"

"You know, you have this ability to talk absolute crap down to a 'T', don't you" Karadis mused.

"But it's true" Finchley said "Our last meeting didn't exactly go well, and the return meeting wasn't a bed of roses either...you know that, you were there and were on the receiving end of some curt words."

"True, but I have the ability to get over such things Bird" Karadis said "you just dwell on things to much, dissect every last morsel of what was said by who about whom. You live in Paranoiasville in the great state of Paranoiaet...just think of how happy this ship would be if you two could get on again!"

"What if it doesn't happen, what f it all goes pear shaped again?" Finchley retorted.

"And what of it, it's not the end of the universe, at least you'll both have tried!" Karadis said.

"Ohhhhhh, I don't know" Finchley said, wringing his hands "I'm just nor sure it's the right thing..."

"For Kahless sake!" Karadis said exasperated, then tapped her COMM badge "Karadis to Commander Korial, are you free just now, Lieutenant Kerr was wanting to speak with you?"

"Now wait a minute...." Finchley said, storming over to Karadis. She in turn not so gently poked him in his groin with the toe of her boot and watched in satisfaction as he went down like a ton of bricks clutching himself, uttering "That...really...hurt..."

For a moment Niali’s mind had gone blank. She knew that Karadis and Finchley had probably thought up another torture for her, she now knew they were not lovers or even friends but In case it was ships business she would go and do the professional thing although she really wanted to beat the crap out of both of them. She sighed =/\= This is Korial where are you Lieutenant? =/\=

"We're both in Lieutenant Kerr's quarters Commander" Karadis replied "Sir, could we both ask a favour of you, can you bring Commander Trywhitt-Duffy with you please, we need a word with her."

Niali shrugged, “if you have a medical emergency we can get you to sickbay Karadis?” Niali said unable to hide the concern in her voice.

"It's not an emergency Commander, it's more of a...private, personal situation that we need to speak to her on" Karadis replied.

Niali stood and put the PaDD she had been working on down on the table. For some reason her vision was drawn to a holophoto of her and Finchley taken in a happier time. She remembered she had always loved his eyes and, sometimes she felt that they could see her soul. She shrugged and pushed the thought away. He had made it very clear that he wanted nothing to do with her on a personal level. She sighed and walked out of her office.

Picking up Alaina from Sickbay on her way they made small talk. Alaina had had to report medically on the pair’s condition but of course left those other discussed things out. Personal things were just that, personal. However she had reported that Finchley would be back to full fitness in ten days and Karadis was already back to full Klingon health. Something that Niali was very happy about. Approaching the Lieutenants quarters she pressed the chime and waited.

Inside Finchley's quarters, both he and Karadis heard the chime and Karadis said "You know what you have to say, don't make me force you to because you know I'll do it!"

"Yes, I know what I have to say" Finchley replied, walking over to the door. He pressed the button to open the door and once it was he openly gestured inside and said "Commander Korial, Commander Trywhitt-Duffy, thank you both for coming, please, come in."

Alaina rushed forward medical tricorder to the fore. “Are either of you ill Lieutenants?” She asked whilst Niali stood there in the door frame. Wondering what was about to kick off once again she put her head through the door and looked into the room.

Karadis took Alaina by the arm and ushered her further inside the room "Actually Doctor, there was just a niggle I had..."

Meanwhile, Finchley walked forward and watched Niali look, but not, come into his quarters. He wasn't really sure why she wasn't coming in, so he said "Honestly Commander, I don't bite...well, not hard anyway."

Niali looked suspicious, “why am I here Lieutenant? you made it clear you didn’t want to even look at me and now you’re making a joke.”

Finchley could see this wasn’t going to be easy. He fixed Niali with a stare and said “We’ve both done some stupid things since me and Karadis returned, can you just drop the suspicious attitude and come in please, you’re letting a fraught in.”

At that point Karadis reappeared momentarily, slapped Finchley on the back of his head, said “Wrong!” Then disappeared again.

Finchley tried again “Perhaps if you come inside we can talk…Niali.”

Niali couldn’t help but smile and finally entered the room. “You two are like an old married couple, you know that don’t you?” She tried to look over his shoulder at Karadis disappearing back. She touched Finchley’s arm and gasped at the electricity that passed between them. “I’m sorry for everything.” She said.

“As am I” Finchley said, patting her hand on his arm. He noticed her looking over his shoulder towards Karadis, and said “You can go to her you know, but she will bite.”

“Oh yes, well I’ve been on the receiving end of those teeth before, not so long ago. I just wondered what she is putting poor Alaina through. I don’t think Pacificans are anywhere near a match for Klingons.” She studied his face. “Why the change of mind….if indeed this is a change of mind?” She asked.

“Well, it’s part guilt at how I left before, part me being sorry at how I reacted to you on our return and part apology for the trick played on you, though in fairness it was to prove a point.”

Again, Karadis appeared behind him and slapped him on the back of the head “Nope!”

Finchley slowly turned to look at her, a ‘What the fuck!’ look on his face.

Karadis raised her eyebrows.

Finchley turned back to Niali “Part apology for the trick played on you”, then quickly turning back to Karadis said “satisfied?”

Karadis nodded her head and went back to the Doctor.

Finchley turned back to Niali “I get what you mean about being an old married couple…”

Niali had no real idea about what was going on. The whole thing seemed surreal. She still had no idea what he wanted. Then she realised he had no idea what had been going on with her, or, even if he cared that she had to travel to Trill to have the symbiont removed. “What is this Finchley?” She asked softly.

“I’m trying to apologise to you Niali, but obviously you can’t see it” Finchley said, then turned and stormed over to Karadis “This was your doing, it’s all gone tits up! Niali doesn’t know why she’s here, even though I’ve said it’s to apologise for before, and I wasn’t ready, I was choosing my own time but you pushed it like you always do and now you’ve fucked everything up!”

He turned back around and walked back over to Niali “I’m sorry you got pulled into this. I wanted us to try again to have a relationship but I wanted to do it in my own time, instead Karadis done her bulldozer best to screw it up. I can understand if you wish to leave.”

Niali began to laugh, the sort of laugh that came from her toes, rushing up her body igniting her back, lungs and face. The sound was so loud it hurt her ears as it exploded from her mouth. She stood and grabbed him. “Don’t you know I love you you fool?” She said through her laughter. “Oh what the hell” she said as she pulled him to her.

Finchley hugged Niali and sank his face into her shoulder, he couldn't believe that she was able to see the funny side of things but he was so glad that she had "Thank you Niali, thank you sooooo much."

“I never stopped loving you!” She said as she held him tight. “I do t care where you’ve been what you have done so long as you're home with me to look after you.”

He straightened up and looked deep into her eyes "Yes, I am home with you...however, part of me is still missing, it hasn't come back with me. That's where you come into it in your first professional capacity. He glanced over her shoulder to look at Karadis, "and part of her is still missing to, though I doubt she'll admit it" he said. Looking back at Niali again he continued "We don't have priests here, on this ship, there's no confessional, so the next best thing is talking to a Counsellor, but that can wait, first I need some help with a need...no, a desire...actually, more of a want" he smiled.

“Whatever you need Finchley. I know you cannot tell me the what or why but I do know you both suffered physically as well as mentally if it’s within my purview I can do it?”

"It's not the 'what or why' I was referring to that I meant" Finchley replied, pulling her in close so that his mouth was next to her ear, "my 'want' is more...personal, you could say it dominates my thought of you."

“Ah,” Niali smiled. “I need to speak to you about something that is going on with me. Look, I’m still on duty, can we get together later? When we can spend as much time as we like…..alone.” She looked behind him. Karadis is being very quiet!” She exclaimed.

"That sound ominous" Finchley replied "and yes, just let me know when you're shift is over and you want me to meet you. I can come to your quarters to save you going out again, I'm happy to do that."

He then looked round at Karadis, and grinned "She's being quiet because she's chatting up the Doctor" he said.

[OF]

Lieutenant Commander Niali Korial
Executive Officer.
USS Oberon

&

Lieutenant Finchley Kerr
Intelligence Officer.
USS Oberon.