A wolf in sheep's clothing Pt 14B

Posted on Mon Jun 10th, 2024 @ 1:15pm by Commodore Finchley Kerr & Lieutenant Commander Shr'Nesh Karadis

Mission: The missions never over.
Location: Sickbay, USS Thall
Timeline: Current.

Finchley took a deep breath. Standing outside the Sickbay doors, he knew he was about to have a rather awkward talk with Karadis, and knowing her, she wouldn't make it any easier given her sass. Eve had been right, damn it, even he'd have to now recognise that over time he'd grown more and more attracted to Karadis but hadn't allowed himself to admit it.

Pushing the button to open the doors, he walked in. Straight away he saw Karadis lying on one of the biobeds at the far end of the room and walked over, acknowledging one of the nurses who greeted him as they passed by. Arriving at the biobed, he looked down at the Klingon woman lying there, eyes closed, breathing a little shallow but regularly. His heart ached to see her looking like she did, pale and a little perspired. Picking up a tissue, he gently moped her brow and down both her cheeks, starting a little as she reacted with a slight moan.

Her eyes flickered and opened, moving around as if to get her baring's, "Where am I?" she asked in a dry rasping voice.

"Sickbay" Finchley answered, taking a small plastic cup of water, lifting her head and placing it gently on her lips. She drank it gratefully and he let her head go back down to her pillow.

"The last thing I remember is approaching with Lieutenant Steele when we were about to arrest Jara" Karadis said.

"She had a phaser behind her back, she shot you" Finchley replied.

"That explains everything hurting" Karadis said, wincing at some pain in her chest."

"What the hell were you thinking approaching her and not checking to see if she was armed or not?" Finchley asked.

"Adrenalin was still high after taking out the guard posts" Karadis said, "I thought Steele could see if she was armed. Not his fault, it was mine,I take all the blame for that, I should have known better."

"Your damn right!" Finchley said, louder than he'd meant to.

The nurse at the duty station rose from her seat and was about to walk over when Finchley raised his hand in an 'it's ok' sign, and she sat down again.

Turning back to Karadis he apologised, "Sorry, that was uncalled for."

Karadis nodded her head, but said nothing.

"Anyway, Jara was arrested and is being detained in one of the Security cells" Finchley said.

"And Tk'Lar?" Karadis asked.

"In one of the other cells" Finchley replied, "Eve attempted to get inside his mind, find out what the Klingon's plans were, but it was more difficult than we'd thought it'd be, she collapsed, but she's mostly fine, just a little bit of a side effect."

It was much more difficult for Finchley than he thought it'd be, seeing Karadis as helpless as she was. "There's a medical shipon it's way to meet us, they'll take care of your recovery" he said.

"I'm not going anywhere, I'm staying here onboard" Karadis said angrily,if a little weakly.

Finchley took her hand, and Karadis looked down at them as he did so.

"You scared the shit out of me Karadis, to all intents and purposes, you were dead when you were brought back onboard" he said, unable to look her in the eye.

"But I'm here, talking to you, so plainly I'm still alive" Karadis answered.

"Yes, and I'm grateful for that,and your redundant organs" Finchley laughed, wiping a tear away from his eye as he finally looked at her.

"Bird, what's going on, why the sudden concern, and why are you holding my hand?" Karadis asked.

Finchley drew in a deep breath, like the one he'd drawn outside in the corridor, "Because I love you Karadis, and the thought of you being dead was more painful than anything I could ever have imagined!" he blurted out.

There were several moments of silence as they both stared at each other, "Finally..." Karadis replied.

"I'm sorry?" Finchley asked, his brow furrowing.

"Finally you've admitted it you big oaf" Karadis answered.

"You knew?" Finchley asked, his brow now no longer furrowed.

"Of course I knew" Karadis said, "but you've taken your sweet time to admit it, and waiting till I was shot and nearly dead was a little bit uncouth."

Finchley now sat upright, "Wait a minute, if you knew, why didn't you say something?" Finchley asked.

"What...and miss all this!" Karadis answered, "You begging my forgiveness once you finally admit your true feelings for me?"

"I never begged your forgiveness!" Finchley said.

"Not in so many words, yet here you are, holding my hand and telling me you love me" Karadis laughed weakly.

"You...what...I...when...that...hands..." Finchley blustered, unable to make a coherent sentence. He rose from his seat, letting her hand go, "That's...my...when...waiting...Oh, this is preposterous, I have to go!" he said, walking towards the exit.

"See you later...lover boy!" Karadis taunted him as she waved, smiling. She closed her eyes again, the smile still on her face, this was going to be so good now...sooooo good.