I Remember Your Hands

Posted on Mon Apr 13th, 2015 @ 11:34pm by Lieutenant Dara Sahli & Lieutenant Commander Nicolao

Mission: Breaking New Ground
Location: Promenade / Piper Medical Center

* * * The Promenade * * *

Nico left Mamu in her shop and moved down the Promenade, avoiding the people strolling along. His thoughts were still on the mystery of who killed Daro the Cardassian. Whoever it was had taken an interest in the target, shown by the fact that it wasn't a distance shot but an up-close attack. And while it was bloody, it wasn't quite as bad as the rumours in Saturnalia would have one believe. Even so, it was a messy job, the sort that appeared to be done in haste. Nico knew better, however. From what he'd seen of the body, the cuts had been precisely done to ensure death as quickly as possible. The rest were window dressing. It would help in tracking down the unknown assailant.

He came out of his thoughts and realized he was standing before the shop where he'd bought the chocolates he'd taken to Dru to apologize after her encounter with his blue stone. She'd loved them and it seemed like just the think to lift her spirits. He emerged a few minutes later with a white box filled with chocolates and wrapped in a pink ribbon. The shopkeeper assured him Dru would+ love them and he hoped they were right. He tucked the box under his arm and set out for Piper.

* * * Piper Medical Center * * *

Dr. Dara Sahli took the padd handed to her by Crewman Leighis and scanned the manifest. He'd been a wizard in rounding up the supplies she needed for the Ptolemy and packing it all up. Now she just needed to check the list and sign it for the quartermaster.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Leighis. You've made this painless, especially on such short notice."

"No problem, Dr. Sahli. I hope you have a good trip." Crewman Leighis smiled down at her.

She adjusted one line in the list, then held out the padd. "That should do it and please give Dr. Crane my regards --" She stopped mid-sentence as a tall man rounded the corner and moved along the corridor. It was a man she knew well, though she'd seen him only a few times and under harsh circumstances. She never expected to see him here. She was so surprised the padd fell from her hand.

"Dr. Sahli? Everything okay?"

"What? Oh, yes, of course. Sorry." She bent quickly to pick up the padd and give it to Leighis. "I just thought of something I forgot to do and I'm almost out of time, that's all. Thanks again." Dara hurried past him without waiting for his answer.

* * *

Nico had turned the corned from the main corridor, moving in the direction of the nurse's station to check on the official update on Drusilla. He heard rapid steps behind him and he stopped, stepping to the side. Fast steps in sickbay usually meant medical staff in a hurry to get somewhere and it was best to give them room. He turned to look back and froze. The person trotting in his direction was a small woman in medical blue - someone he knew from the dark time. Unlike most from that time, however, the woman had been on his side. She'd been more concerned about him than about what had happened to him. She'd even kept the Fleet inquisitors at bay in favor of letting Nico rest and recover.

"Nico!" Dara pulled up short, looking up at him. "Oh my gosh, how are you?"

Nico blinked at her, unsure how to answer that. He was struggling to keep his thoughts in the here and now and not back in another sickbay under Dr. Sahli's hands. His gaze shifted to her small hands, an image that had stuck in his mind following the surgery and the interminable days of his recovery and therapy. He could still hear her voice as it has been during the surgery. They'd left him conscious and used only a local anesthetic because she'd been concerned about the Cardassian device's damage to his neural pathways. She'd talked to him nonstop, her voice so soothing....

"Nico?"

Her voice snapped him back and he smiled briefly. "Dara."

Concern shadowed her face as she watched him. "Thought I'd lost you for a moment there. It's so good to see you though."

He looked good, she thought. Amazing, considering the shape he had been in when she got him. They'd called her in because of her work in cellular regeneration. The pain device in his chest was known to do a lot of damage at the cellular level and it had been touch and go for a while after she removed it.

"You too," he answered. He was surprised to admit it was the truth. She'd saved his life but more than that, she'd put him back together so he could begin to rebuild that life she had saved. "I didn't know you were here."

"I've been assigned to the Ptolemy that's making 900 it's home base. I'm not here long though, we ship out in two hours. What about you?"

He frowned a moment. "You are aware of my status. I am here working with Counselor Swift. He seems hopeful. But yes, I'm here for a while."

"I've heard great things about him," Dara replied. "If there's anything he needs that I can help with, I'll be happy to. He can reach me on the Ptolemy. The same goes for you too. Dr. Harding is here and he's one of the best. Remember what I told you to watch out for and go see him if any of that happens."

Nico nodded. "I will. It's good to see you. Maybe when you get back..."

Dara smiled. "Of course. Now I have to run. Take care, Nico!"

And as fast as she has appeared she was gone, leaving Nico alone in the corridor. He stood, looking after her, and wondering at the odd coincidences here. Her appearance, Mamu, Janice and Jackson...Dae...suddenly 900 didn't seem so foreign to him. The thought was both cheering and a little overwhelming.

And now there was Dru. Dru, I'm coming. He reached out, sensing her close and pushed the thought her way. Then his feet followed.

*****************
Dr. Dara Sahli, CMO USS Ptolemy
Another Piece Of The Puzzle

Nicolao
The Puzzle