Rules of Engagement

Posted on 06 Jun 2019 @ 9:45am by Commander S’chqenr T’Jedf Tolkath (Jan 2389 - TRNSFR After Gorn War) & Lieutenant Commander T'Lara & Lieutenant Harry Stevens & Lady Sif

Mission: Hahai i na pilikua nui - Hunting Monsters
Location: T'Lara's Quarters & Holodeck Two
Timeline: T+2 22:05hrs

[ON]

[Bridge]

As the meeting with the Captain ended and Harry walked out of the Captain's ready room. T'Lara stopped Harry a moment. "Harry, please join me in my quarters." She then walked in the direction of her quarters, knowing Harry was following her and his trusted 4 legged friend at his side.

"Sure," replied Harry as once again tapping his command to Sif to follow them, He knew that he had embarrassed her in the meeting and knew that this was the best time to apologize to her.


[TLara's Quarters]

As they arrived at her quarters, she opened the door and allowed him in. She stopped in the middle of the room and crossed her arms. She turned around. Her face didn't show any expression when she spoke. "Lieutenant, we each have our own departments to take care off, but your behavior was out of line. I do not threat my patients to call security to drag them to sickbay for their physicals, so I would expect the security chief not to threat to ask me to take other officers out of active duties because they are in disagreement with you. Such behavior is childish. And I am already crossing a line with this relationship..." She stopped.

She remembered how she came to the bridge, and the first thought that had come to her mind was what happened to Harry.

It was also the first person she treated, she had send her nurses to check on the other injured. Professionally she would have needed to check the heavily injured patients first, but no matter his injuries, she chose him first. It was a choice she made based on emotions. Based on her feelings.

She swallowed a moment as she let that sink in. She dropped down on her couch. The past years she had to deal with a lot of emotions. Most of them were either depression or anger. Sometimes even fear. But never did she had to worry about someone. She used reason and logic to judge. She moved her hands up and looked to them as they were shaking. She looked up to Harry.

"I..." She stopped as she didn't know what to say. Something was wrong with her.

" T'Lara are you Ok?" asked Harry as he approached her as he knelt in front of her, Sif on the other hand stayed back to give them room, but knew something was wrong, Harry continued," I'm here, look at me," as he placed her hands on the side of his face, he finished, "and I'm not going anywhere,"

She put her hands slowly on his arms. "I am...fine," T'Lara replied. She took a deep breath as she tried to focus her emotions. She didn't understand. Ever since she came on board she was more overwhelmed than usual.

"You don't sound it T'Lara," replied Harry, He continued," If you need some of my mental energy, Take some," as he knew that by making this Offer showed her that he was willing to help her in her time of need. as he looked into her eyes and could tell something was up and knew that if she wanted to tell him she would.

T'Lara shook her head. "No, I am not going to...." She stopped and looked around the room. She put his hand down. "It is very kind of you to offer, but I do not think you can help me right now." She took his hands. "I am going to be honest with you, it is about my past. I have not told this to many people. the reason why I left Starfleet, why I joined pirates."

Harry looked back at her for a moment and then looked surprised when she said that she was a former Pirate, and wondered why Starfleet had let her rejoin, he asked," so tell me why did you join them?" as he kept his eyes on her.

"Starfleet betrayed me." She leaned back in the couch. "I was raped on my first assignment. No one would help me. My mother said because I am half human, my emotions are very close to the surface."

She closed her eyes as she tried to hold back the gulf emotions that was raging inside her. "I could have gone to my father, he is an admiral, but I should not think I had to involve family. And as a Vulcan I should not have been so upset about things as I was. I returned to Vulcan.

I could not control myself any longer, I fought my mother at every turn. I left Vulcan. I was so full of anger.

I hurt people during my time as a pirate. I threatened to kill people. It took me four years to get over all that. But I never quite was able to control my emotions after that.

During my time as a pirate I was cold, but full of anger. I am afraid, I am loosing control." She felt her hands shaking again.

She looked to Harry, her emotionless face had changed and looked frightened. "I am scared, Harry."

"shhh, I'm here now," replied Harry, he continued, "you can overcome fear, as fear leads to darkness and the dark path," as he looked at her, he finished, " Let me be your Light and together we can overcome the darkness," as he had quoted his own fathers words.

She didn't really know what he meant by that. "Fear is an emotion. As a Vulcan child I was taught, fear is an important emotion, it will warn us of danger. But we can not let fear guide. It will tell us to be cautious, but we should never show fear. I can go on this mission, but I have to control my emotions."

Somehow she could feel all kinds of feelings boil inside of her as she looked to him. On one hand she wanted to just grab him and kiss, and on the other she could just slap him for being so forth coming in the meeting.

Finally she got up. "I need help, I need help to control my emotions. I have to see Commander Tolkath. He can help me." She wasn't sure how Harry would react to that. But Tolkath reminded her so much of her stepfather. Her hands were still shaking as she walked to the door.

"Then let me help you get there," replied Harry as he wasn't going to let her go on her own and not in this state, he continued," until you get to see Tolkath, just take some of my energy to help you get there," as he knew that instead of going to him he was going to bring Tolkath to her.

"Your energy?"T'Lara looked to him. "I need to get my control back over my emotions." It was hard to focus for her. The last she needed was his spirited energy.

Unless he suggested she'd meld with him. She didn't know what good that would do. She needed a controlled mind. One like Tolkath. She took a deep breath and nodded. "You can take me to Tolkath." She said.

"What about instead of us going to him," replied Harry looking back at her, " He comes to us?" he continued as he felt that in her state it would be better for her to be in her own quarters, he turned to Sif and said," Sif, go outside and wait for Commander Tolkath," as he knew that having Sif outside would show others not to come near the door.

Sif stood up from where she had been sitting and headed outside to take up her duty as ordered,, Harry turned back to T'Lara and said," Who is going to call the Commander, Me or you?" as he looked back at her as he finished, "and I,m not going to leave you T,Lara,"

T'Lara noticed at this point she was in no state to argue with him as his logic was flawless. "Acceptable. I will call him." She reached for his badge and said, =/\="Commander Tolkath, this is Lieutenant T'Lara. If you have a moment, could you come to my quarters as soon as possible."=/\=

Harry continued, =/\= And Make it quick Commander=/\= he looked back at T'Lara and finished =/\=as I'm starting to get worried that she is about to lose control of her emotions,=/\= as he knew from reports of how Vulcan's could be and was willing to do what was right by her.


[Science Lab Two]

Tolkath was reviewing data on the Gorn implants when TLara's communication came through. He thought for a moment at the unusual request to attend a junior officer's quarters and was about to reply when Steven's voice came through.

That was more explanatory, although Stevens should have known better than to broadcast any fellow officer's mental health condition over an open channel. Especially on a subject of deep privacy to Vulcans.

Tolkath closed his eyes for a moment, reviewing possible courses of action. He settled on one and tapped his commbadge, speaking quietly and calmly but with authority he said =/\=Lieutenant TLara I will meet you at Holodeck Two =/\=

Like the Officer's quarters the holodeck was located on Deck Four, it would not be far for her to go.


[TLara's Quarters]

T'Lara was shocked that Harry did that. "Lieutenant, why do you keep embarrassing me?" She rubbed the bridge on her nose. "This is exactly why I am not melding with you right now." She tapped her badge again. =/\="Commander, we will meet in holodeck two. T'Lara out.=/\=

She turned to Harry. "I can tell you are worried about me. I can not stop you if you want to join me. You confuse me enough as it is." She sighed. "But please do not say anything. Not a word, understood?"

"Understood T'Lara, unless I get asked," he responded looking back at her, "And you know I'm not going to leave your side through out this, No matter what Tolkath says," he finished speaking to her and trying to reassure her.

"Good, and you do not have to support me. My emotions are not crippling me. I will accept it if you hold my hand." She continued.

Harry held out his hand, he said," Let's go and find out what's up with you, Shall we?" as he stood up still holding his hand out, he finished," and yes I do care about you T'Lara,"

"I believe you," T'Lara said as she took his hand and walked towards the Holodeck.


[Holodeck Two]

Tolkath made his way up from Deck Eighteen and headed towards the Holodeck.

T'Lara walked in holding Harry's hand who was walking behind her like a worried puppy. "My apologies for the disturbance, Commander. I wouldn't have called if it was not urgent."

Tolkath arrived at practically the same time. He could sense the unease in the woman as she spoke, the tension and confusion was almost palpable.

"I understand, how may I be of service?" he asked

"As you know, I have been a bit wary since I came on board," T'Lara started. "I have been meditating to control my emotions. But lately, I feel like I am loosing control. And just earlier...I have done some horrible things in my past when I lost control. But...I..I am scared." She could a strange tension rise inside her.

"Very well, we shall endeavor to address your.... situation." He said to T'Lara, then turned to Stevens "Thank you Lieutenant, you may depart."

"You want me to depart?" Exclaimed Harry looking at Tolkath, he continued," "No way Sir ," replied Harry, He concluded," I am here to lend my support to her " As he knew that he had become quite fond of T'Lara, he looked over at the female Vulcan.

Tolkath raised an eyebrow at the foolish young man. "Lieutenant Stevens, your concern is admirable. However, your continued presence is not required and would be detrimental to her. This a Vulcan cultural matter of which you have little experience or knowledge. " He explained, his words not harsh, just factual.

Harry responded,"I am here to support her and if that means I stay then I stay," replied Harry as Harry stayed where he was and didn't move with Sif by his side, he finished," I am not being disrespectful Sir," as he looked at the Commander.

T'Lara turned to Harry. "Harry, please, not even I know how to handle this on my own. I know you care for me a lot. But Commander Tolkath is right, this a Vulcan matter. I trust him, like I trust my Stepfather."

She walked to him and took both his hands. "Take Sif, go to my quarters and wait for me there. Nothing will go wrong. Commander Tolkath is more experienced than I am and he knows what he is doing and he will not hurt me."

"Fine, I will go back to yours and wait," replied Harry as he looked back at T'Lara, he continued," give me a call when you are done," as he kissed her on the cheek, he turned to face Tolkath, "I leave her in your hands Commander, and I am quite fond of this lady and if you do need me, call me" he finished

Tolkath looked at Stevens as the young man came to accept the situation. "I understand your wish help to Lieutenant TLara. Thank you for your understanding" He said sincerely.

After his squabbling with other officers during the briefing earlier in the evening the Second Officer had been having some concerns about Stevens' suitability to be given command of the Security department aboard this ship, particularly during a time of war. But this latest interaction had shown the man was capable of mature reasoning and behavior after all.

As he tapped the side of his leg to call Sif, Harry knew that he had to learn to trust Commander Tolkath a bit more, as both of them were living on the same ship, he knew that also that he had to be a lot more calm than he should. as he exited the holodeck.

T'Lara turned to Tolkath. "The Lieutenant has so much potential, he is just so young of mind to see it." She swallowed and then said, "I am ready, commander."

As the door closed behind them Tolkath announced “Computer: Start program Tolkath Nine - T’Jedf Temple Link environmental controls to program”

To Be Continued...

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Tolkath, CMDR, SF
2XO/CSO

T'Lara, Lt, SF
CMO

Harry Stevens LtJg, SF
ATACSEC

Lady Sif
SFWD