Joint Personal Log | LtCmdr Neyes, Lt Rotek | "Dynamo"

Posted on Thu Oct 23rd, 2014 @ 4:31am by Lieutenant Commander Rotek & Commander Tristan Neyes PhD.

1,024 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Are You Touched?
Location: Sickbay

=/\= Sickbay =/\=

The headache had returned with a vengeance, and Neyes' quickened steps didn't quite seem to carry him nearly as fast as he hoped. Sickbay was just down the corridor from the counseling offices, but the distance seemed to grow as the pain in his temples worsened. Hopefully his symptoms would resolve themselves in the next few months, and the symbiont would find some equal ground in his mind in order to spare them this headache. For the time being, however, he was ready to hustle down to sickbay for the relief he needed to work.

Entering sickbay, it took him just a moment to locate Dr. Rotek. "Hello again, Doctor."

Looking up from a PADD he was working on, Rotek nodded and said "Hi Counselor. How's it going? Everything alright?"

"Ah well," Neyes scratched his head, quipping sarcastically, "more headaches. Seems to be a pattern with me now. It's very exciting." The two walked over to a biobed, and Tristan took a seat. He smiled at Rotek, despite the throbbing in his skull, and did his best to pay close attention while he received his medication.

Nodding as he worked on administering the pain medication, Rotek scanned him and said "I hope the headaches eventually end Counselor. Not that I mind your visits, but I'll be concerned if they continue to intensify"

"Also I came to tell you I spoke with the Captain." Neyes added, watching Rotek. He neither said it tellingly or with aggression, but with casual interest. The hybrid doctor was a quiet man, Tristan had noted. Rochelle had said Rotek had disclosed some personal struggle she failed to elaborate on, and that he should seek Neyes out for care. Rather, Tristan had something else in mind entirely.

Turning away from him, under the guise of updating his file Rotek's shoulders slumped slightly and he replied quietly "Oh ok. I was planning on visiting you to discuss my ... troubles, but with everything that has been going on, I've been busy. I'm sorry Counselor."

Neyes shook his head, the man was a constant source of humility, "No please, don't apologize. You are free to seek someone to talk to on your own time. If the Captain thinks you should, maybe put it a little higher on your list of things to do. By all means take your time, however." He paused for a second, "When you do go talk to someone, make sure it's Logan or another member of the counseling staff."

Nodding, Rotek replied "Ok I will. If I want to talk to you, is that ok too?"

Neyes felt the wash of relief come over him, and the pain in his temples quickly dissolved to give way for his senses once again. The lights dimmed a little, and the noise of the ship was no longer obtrusive. With a comforted sigh, he smiled at Rotek. "Yes, because you... are coming with me. Your shift ends in 10 minutes and I need a drink. Afterdark has a few things I've been meaning to try, and now that my headache is gone," he nodded thankfully, "I feel like I could use some company. I enjoy our sickbay visits, but I've never seen you leave deck three."

Rotek tried to think of an excuse to turn him down but sighed and said "Ok I guess I don't have much of a choice. Let me just update your file then you can lead the way."

Tristan scanned the breadth of the hospital area, not seeing too many patients or other medical staff. Sickbay, if you could call such an expansive medical facility a 'bay', was quiet and understaffed. Neyes let a little grin slide as Rotek went to enter some information into a console. He had expected the man to find an excuse not to go, or to continue working. From what Tristan knew of the doctor, he was quite aloof and shy around anyone other than his staff or patients. No, shy wasn't quite the right word, it felt more like reticence. The counselor could sense the need to connect with the people around him dripping from Rotek, but Neyes couldn't understand why he didn't, "Well that was easy."

Hearing what the man said, Rotek rolled his eyes and replied with a small smile "Talking me into joining you for a drink was only easy because you knew when my shift ended and decided to come visit coincidentally around the same time."

Tristan shook his head, "Tell that to my skull."

The young Trill felt less troubled with him than he did with many of the other crew. Rotek held no place in his memory, and he represented the fresh start Tristan wanted to assume on the Vindicator. There were no old buried feelings from Landon's past, and their exchanges had been pleasantly relieving the past few weeks. To the counselor, Rotek felt like a comfortable place. He often tried to create a space in his own treatment for people to feel safe and welcomed, but Rotek had somehow managed it with him while putting no great effort. He felt drawn to the half-Klingon doctor.

Neyes feigned a hurt look, and smiling he replied, "I'll have you remember that you invited me out to, 'catch up sometime for a drink in the lounge', weeks ago. I am merely accepting your offer." Feeling relaxed, Neyes threw in a little something extra, "You do drink, yeah?" He gathered himself up and moved toward the door.

Nodding as they left Sickbay en route to the turbolift, he replied "I do drink, not very much, but sometimes." Pausing, he added "I'm sorry to be quiet and maybe ... rude, but I'm not asked out very often. It's a bit of a new experience for me."

"I don't think you're rude at all, and new experiences are what I'm all about. As for not going out very often," he smiled lightly, "we'll have to change that."

Smiling, Rotek followed him into the turbolift, en route to the lounge.

=/\= END LOG =/\=

Lt Commander Tristan Neyes
Chief Counseling Officer
USS Vindicator 78213-E

Lieutenant Rotek
Chief Medical Officer
USS Vindicator 78213-E

 

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