[Round 2] Seeing Cura Pt.2

[AlexV]

((ICU - Sickbay - USS Constitution-)

::The doors swished open and Ensign Sariel Locke entered the ICU of Sick Bay on the USS Constitution-B. Captain Cura Assanti had undergone extensive surgury to her abdomen after receiving a stab wound by a sword. As Ensign Locke entered, Cura's head turned as she lay on the bio bed.::

Assanti: ::smiling:: Sariel? Are you ok?

Locke: ::Sariel walked over to Cura smiling:: Nothing but a few bumps. How are you?

Assanti: I'm fine. Just a stab wound that did some nasy things inside is all. Otherwise I'd be up and about.

Locke: Good... ::Sariel glanced up at the readouts on the wall, he was no doctor but nothing appeared to be outside of the normal ranges.:: Well looks like we survived shore leave.

Assanti: Sar,:: glances downward and sighs as she wondered if she should say anything.:: We will have to be a bit more careful.

Locke: ::Sariel shrugged:: Well next time you pick a planet where no one is trying to kill us. ::He smiled at Cura.::

Assanti: No I do mean you and I and I do mean what we've started. ::brow furrowing a bit.:: The Admiral wasn't too pleased with- :: Cura stopped talking then. She knew where this would go and didn't want to go there. She really did not want to say what needed to be said. Perhaps now wasn't the time. Cura looked into Sariels eyes and all that she had to say seemed to leave her. She didn't want to stop what they had started.::

Locke: Oh... ::Sariel took a step back, he looked down. He felt foolish joking around while Cura was trying to be serious.:: I don't care what the Admiral thinks, what do you think?

Assanti: I don't know. :;sighs:: I've never been here before and I don't see my way. Rear Admiral Rocar's been here before and he knows what's best. Can I totally ignore what he's said and do the exact opposite of his advice? I don't see how that will get me anywhere.

Locke: Ah, the Career aspect. ::Sariel looked at the console above Cura's bed, then down again. His voice remained steady.:: So the Admiral says jump and you jump then.

Assanti: I know I should not let others dictate our lives, Sariel but

Locke: ::Sariel's eyes met Cura's for a moment, they simmered with anger and frustration. Despite his anger, Sariel's voice showed none of his frustrations.:: ...but a flag officer told you to end it and so that's it.

Assanti: See I knew this would happen. ::Cura turned away from his gaze.:: Sariel, I'm a Captain now. I must follow orders of my superiors...my life is dedicated to this ship, its crew and you are an officer within that crew. If I had to make a decision to send you out into a situation that could cause you ultimate death, I ...I don't think I'd be able to do that and still have a relationship with you!

Locke: I would expect you to send me anyway. ::Sariel blinked in surprise and annoyance.:: What else could you do?

Assanti: I'd send someone else and that could very well put our ship and crew in danger. Rear Admrial Rocar was right. I have too much responsibility to go fooling around with it!

Locke: So what Cura? You're done? ::Sariel choked on the words. He took a moment to pull himself together... it had hardly began, what was he loosing really?::

Assanti:i I didn't say that, Sar. I know this is not what you want and I don't want it either but can we really complicate things and not worry about the consequences?

Locke: I think I have a firm grasp on the consequenses, Cura. So up and down in a few hours... at least it has an interesting symetry to it.

Assanti: In just a few hours..no, I'll give ourselves more credit. It took a few months, right? The first mission on the Indria when you joined us. I didn't know right away but I sensed you looking at me....touching me...and then when we went swiming. I wanted to run away cause I thought it was wrong. I sort of knew this would be a problem I was afraid. But when I'm with you, I know it's not wrong. ::Cura grabbed Sar's hand.:: I don't want to say what I asked Paul to have you come in to say. So I won't say it. But if we are to continue seeing one another it will have to be behind closed doors

Locke: ::Sariel took a long moment, his mind buzzed with so many options.:: Is that even an option Cura?

Assanti; No one will accept this...A Captain...and a Junior Officer? An Ensign no less. Althought I had plans on upranking you, the difference in ranks is substantial ::shaking her head.:; It's ground no one has dared to travel upon, Sar. And there are sound reasons for that. Whether we do things in the open or in secret it will force us to live a lie. I don't know if you want to do that.

Locke: I don't... ::Sariel looked away leaning against Cura's bed with his eyes in the corner of the room:: I won't hide whatever this was, just so I can have it in the future. It's not fair to either of us, and it doesn't solve that you feel you couldn't send me into danger.

Assanti: If you were to walk in my shoes you'd find it very difficult. I did it before with Tash and he was actually gone for a whole week..dead, Sar. You don't know how torn apart I was to have given the order that sent him there. Don't ask me to do that again!

Locke: Cura... I was willing to give this a try. I don't want to play cloak and shadow to see you. If we are going to do this we are going to do it in the open. ::Sariel turned to look at Cura:: I'm okay with the risks of that. I signed up for this job knowing that sometimes I would be risking my life, can you be okay with that?

Assanti: Easy for you to say! You have nothing to loose inthis but me...your pride::sighs.:: I...I don't know. ::turning and looking away as tears welled up in her eyes.:: I was actually finding it difficultl down there just now to even consider splitting us up. The thought of any separation gave me a [...] panick attack!! :: Cura slapped her hand again the bio bed.:: You want me to be okay with it? Right. Oh it's just Ensign Locke, my lover and I should just sent him out there into harms way and not CARE that he could get killed? Right! Oh yeah, that's easy!

:: Her words were dripping with sarcasmn now.::

:: Cura had asked this to herself mostly.Could she be okay with possibly sending Sariel into dangerous situations? It was then that Cura realized that she would probably have to adopt another way of dealing with her life, one that included being two, totally different people. She had battled nearly her whole career to try and change John Stone's ways of being no nonsense while on duty and more emotional and engaging off duty, but now she really understood WHY John had adopted that pattern. But this didn't make sense either, because it was wrong to try to be two totally different personalities. Not only that but it would drive her insane! Shaking her head, Cura sighed with frustration. With these thoughts running

through her mind, she tilted her head slightly::

Locke: I'm not afraid of what people think. So it's up to you. ::Sariel pushed off from his leaning position on the bed and headed towards the door.::

Assanti: Sar...Wait! :;turning away and sighing.:: Okay. I'm new at this. Alright? I need some time to think this through. You don't understand. ::crying:: I feel like a [...]ed tug of war rope! You pulling me this way, Tash pulling me another and Rocar might as well of tied knots in the [...] rope! ::covering her face and crying.::

Locke: I'm going to go clean up and get a drink. ::Sariel looked back at Cura, his face for the first time breaking the mask and showing

real concern and sadness.:: Feel better Cura, if you need me I'll be around. We can talk more when your feeling better.

Assanti: ::slamming her fist into the bio bed again, Cura cursed.:: Dammit!

=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=

Captain Cura Assanti

Commanding Officer

USS Constitution- NCC 9012-B

and

Ensign Sariel Locke

Chief Science Officer

USS Constitution NCC-9012-B

Edited March 4, 2009 by Della Vetri