The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth

Posted on Thu Oct 22nd, 2020 @ 9:23pm by Lieutenant Aurora Vali & Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Commander Savar cha'Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen

Mission: Diplomatic Masquerade
Location: CO’s ready room
Timeline: Current Morning

{ON}

Walking up to Captain Kaylen’s ready room door with Savar, Aurora took a deep breath and pressed the chime. She was nervous about how her new CO would take the news about their relationship and impending plans to bond.

The Captain looked up from the report she was currently writing when the door chime sounded.

"Come in" she called, casting an eye over the coffee cup in her desk and finding it disappointingly empty. Surely Savar wasn't keeping tabs on her still. She rose as the door opened and headed to the replicator, ordering a coffee and waiting to see who walked in.

Savar with Aurora beside him, walked in. Stopping in front of her desk. "Captain." He greeted.

Walking into the ready room Aurora walked alongside Savar, both pausing at her desk. “Captain, may we talk to you? There’s something you have to know.”

"It's only my second cup" The Bajoran blurted, her face colouring like a kid being sprung with it's hand in the cookie jar.

The comment made Aurora smile as she looked between Rhenora and Savar. She could only assume that something had happened prior to now between the two for her CO to look so guilty. “Is there something I should know Captain?” She looked at Rhenora.

"Nope, nothing at all" The Captain fumbled, grabbing her coffee and beating a hasty retreat to her desk and setting the previous cup down. Hopefully Savar hadn't shared his notes on the coffee encounter.

Aurora nodded respectfully. “In that case, Savar and I ... there is a history between us Captain.” She smiled as she looked at Savar then back at Rhenora. “We were once promised to each other by our families but we weren’t ready, we’re ready now and we have bonded in preparation for ... Pon’farr.” She looked at Savar once again before turning back. “We are both due Pon’farr within a matter of weeks Captain. The side effects will be mild for me as I’m only half Vulcan but for Savar it will be much more serious.”

"What Lieutenant Vali says is true Captain. Her presence here has reminded me just how much I missed her. I wish her to remain with me as my wife. When Pon'farr strikes Captain, it effects are most debilitating for Vulcans." He said simply not wishing to go into all that was associated with Pon'farr.

“The only problem is we will require being back on home soil” Aurora explained, “the ritual associated with Pon’farr requires that we return to Vulcan.”

Rhenora sat back in her chair a little, resting against the firm surface and allowing her mind a moment to process the new information. So not only was there history between the ships new counsellor and her XO, but they were married...or bonded...however the Vulcan's call it.

" Ok, I had an inkling there was more than an old Academy friendship going on. Thank you for sharing this. I trust that on a professional level there will be no change between you both working together. I have no issues with relationships between my crew, so long as they don't interfere with our duty. I'm sure you both understand" Rhenora explained - knowing her own relationship with her husband ran along the same lines. They understand that her work was one thing, and their relationship was another. The two rarely crossed.

" As for the Pon'farr, I will request special permission from Starfleet Command to travel to Vulcan as a priority as soon as we are finished here. I hope that this will meet your...needs" She continued.

Aurora nodded and smiled relieved her new CO took the news so well. "That will be fine Captain, we have time. We are not married as such yet, we have ... formally promised ourselves to each other. We're more or less engaged." She smiled at Savar.

Savar spoke, "What Aurora says is true Captain. As for returning to Vulcan. We appreciate it. However if we are unable we will make the best of it."

"We will indeed" Aurora nodded. "Thank you for understanding Captain."

" From what I understand if we all don't get this right - the consequences are serious, am I correct there?" Rhenora questioned, already having a fairly good idea of said consequences but not knowing all the details.

"To cut a long explanation short Captain, Pon'farr causes a chemical imbalance in Vulcans that, if not satisfied, can kill within eight days." Aurora looked at Savar then back at Rhenora. "Even as a half Vulcan I still experience the Pon'farr, only this time it will be more powerful as I will feel what Savar is feeling as well through the bond we just formed."

" Ok then, so the timeframe in which we have to get to Vulcan when this sets in is rather short." Rhenora's brain scrambled to keep up with this little curveball. "I trust you both will keep me up to date as to when this 'imbalance' begins to become evident?"

"Of course Captain but I think you will be able to tell for yourself when the symptoms begin to manifest." Savar answered crisply.

Rhenora kept her expression completely professional "So tell me what are the symptoms - without invading your personal privacy of course"

"Of course." Savar quipped, "Some but not all are short temper, loss of appetite, irritability, fluctuate between being hot and cold and the blood lust."

The Captain's face paled a little at the mention of blood lust. Surely it wasn't what it sounded - was it?

"Blood lust?" She queried almost cautiously.

"Actually Captain I misspoke, forgive me it is known as the plak tow or blood fever. It is marked by intense emotions and primal urges." Savar answered stoically.

“Though fortunately we are both onboard ship” Aurora offered a smile. “We can keep each other’s desires in check, and as Savar already said we will make do here if we have to. Ideally though we do need to be back on Vulcan.”

" We will make it a priority as soon as we are able. I take it these symptoms have already started to make themselves known?" The Captain queried, hoping she wasn't prying too much.

Aurora looked at Savar then back at Rhenora. “Up until I got here and made the initial bond with Savar ... no.” She paused. “Since then ... I’ve noticed a slight shift in my emotions but that could simply be me adjusting to our connection. The meeting of minds is a powerful thing, if not done correctly it can cause all manner of problems and in severe cases even death.” She paused. “Imagine, if you will, two minds shared in one body. That is what the bond is, a sharing of two minds but Pon’farr pushes that much further ... it is a blending of two souls for all time. Once blended if anything happens to either partner the other will feel it and be affected by it, if one dies then the other must bond again within a set timeframe or he/she will certainly die.”

"That sounds intense" Kaylen couldn't help but comment, filing this information away in the back of her brain. It seemed that the clock was indeed beginning to tick. "As uncomfortable as it may seem, please keep me informed of your situation as it progresses, if there is a danger to yourselves or the crew I need to know"

“There won’t be any danger to the crew Captain” Aurora offered an understanding smile. “When the Pon’farr begins we will isolate ourselves from others, it isn’t the done thing for a Vulcan going through Pon’farr to be seen in public. It is a very private matter, you are only learning all of this because you need to know.”

"I appreciate that you have felt comfortable enough to share this with me, I can assure you it will be kept in confidence" Rhenora smiled, hoping that to release some of the tension she didn't even realise she was holding. It looked like the next few weeks or months would be very interesting indeed.

Aurora nodded and smiled looking to Savar. “I’m just happy to be where I belong. I’m just sorry I didn’t realise it sooner.”

Savar looked at Aurora. "You are here now, that is the important element to remember Aurora." He returned his look to Rhenora. "We know you will Captain. Let me also apologize now for any inconvenience this may cause you. It is not our desire to create any disruption to the ship's routine."

Rhenora looked at the two before her " So you as you both get through this with mind and body intact, let me handle the disruption side of things" She explained. As they nodded and left the ready room Rhenora's head was spinning, she looked at the coffee cup and took a sip of the luke warm liquid. It would do.

{OFF}