Joint Duty Log | Capt Ivanova, Lt Rotek - "Doctor Doctor"

Posted on Thu Oct 2nd, 2014 @ 10:23am by Admiral Rochelle Ivanova & Lieutenant Commander Rotek

1,372 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Are You Touched?

The migraine that had taken hold of Rochelle's head just after the stress of her meeting with Krogoth, Tristan and Pond wasn't giving in. If anything, it was getting worse. Pain thrummed just above her right eye as if something were jack hammering to get out with each and every pulse of her heart. The dizziness had lead to nausea which had lead to her reverting back to not eating which only lent itself to the vicious cycle of the woman's deteriorating day.

Sickbay was the only choice she had unless she wanted to hole herself up in her bed and not surface for the next forty-eight hours. It wasn't an option. "Doctor Rotek?" She called, looking for the man as she entered medical.

Rotek, hearing his name, stepped out of his office, and immediately rushed to her side. He could tell she was doing all she could to stand up. Gently moving her to a biobed, he began scanning her. As he was doing so he said "Captain are you alright? If you don't mind me saying so, you don't look so great."

"I have a splitting headache." Rochelle admitted, depositing herself into the relative comfort of the bio-bed and folding her hands over her ribs. "They happen every now and again, to be expected with the stress of the mission." She managed a small smile, "just means you have me darkening your doors every now and again."

Smiling slightly, he pressed a hypo to her neck and said "This is a mild pain reliever, it should help with the pain and settle the nausea. I do recommend you try to relax though ma'am. Not that I mind the company, but too much stress can be bad for your body over time."

The Captain's eyes closed against the slight sting of the hypospray and sighed, relishing the almost immediate surge of relief that it brought. "I'll rest when I'm dead, Doc." her little smile turning into a grin as she re-opened her eyes and found Rotek's. "It's the bane of being a Captain, all the stress and none of the fun." She winked.

Smiling again, he said "I guess so ma'am." Then pausing he said quietly "I never had a chance to thank you for your support earlier on the planet. I appreciate it. I haven't had a chance to speak to the counselor yet, but if it would be ok, could I talk to you for a few moments about ..." He trailed off, embarrassed at his weakness.

Rochelle reached to touch the Klingon's hand. "Listen... Don't think about it. We're friends and that's what friends do for one another." She offered him a smile, setting aside the role of Captain for a few moments. "I have the time now if you do, but I really do recommend you speak with Commander Neyes when you have the chance."

Nodding, he replied "I will ma'am. I think its my Klingon side's pride that is keeping me from doing so. I will schedule a time to speak with him." Pausing, he added "I guess I was just thinking a lot about my parents after what happened on the planet. I realized they didn't even know the man I had become. I hadn't spoken to them in a long time, and I regret that."


"I can understand that," Opening up to someone, however trained they may be, had never been Rochelle's strong suit. In all of her time with Starfleet she'd never felt compelled to simply sit and gab with a counselor... Not even when things went completely pear shaped. "I think after someone dies we're prone to really think about the should have beens and the could have beens." She replied, pushing herself up to sit with her legs dangling off the bed. "After Captain Neyes died I found myself honestly wishing I'd said and done a lot of things differently and I'm still coming to terms with the fact that no matter how hard I try or how many stars I wish on, that simply can't happen and I'm just going to have to learn to live with what happened as it stands."

Taking a deep breath, touched that she would share something so personal with him, Rotek replied "I appreciate you sharing that with me ma'am. It helps a bit. Its a comfort to know I'm not the only one going through this pain." Pausing, he added "Do you want to know why I didn't have contact with them?"

Rochelle swallowed the all too familiar knot that threatened to choke her, the pain and the sorrow had risen so quickly and promised to overwhelm her if she wasn't careful. Friend, yes she was. But she was also the Captain and weakness couldn't be tolerated. Drawing a steadying breath of her own, she nodded to Rotek. "Yes." She answered, "I'd like to know." Everyone had their reasons. She had her own for not allowing herself to openly love Landon. She hadn't admitted to it, save to a couple people there was certainly no hiding it from, and she wouldn't outright announce it to the world even though she knew everyone who'd come to learn of the Vindicator's wonder team had always had the niggling thought perched so perfectly on their minds. But this wasn't about her... It was about Rotek.

Sighing, he replied "It's pretty simple really when I think of it. After university, and before I applied for the Defense Academy, I came to realize I was what humans call gay. I shared that information with my parents and they did not take it well. They had arranged a marriage between myself and a daughter of a low house in an effort to restore my father's honor. My father kicked me out and disowned me, though my mother brought me my belongings and kept in touch for a brief period, before going silent." Pausing, he took a breath to steady himself and added "They didn't contact me for either of my graduations, or respond to any messages about my assignments."

What do you do when trusted with secrets? What do you do when things take a turn straight into oblivion? Rochelle was forced to perch between Captain and friend, forced between stoic understanding and the warmth that should have been bestowed. The choice was a difficult one, one that painted her in shades of gray instead of the stark black and white that so many before her would have opted for. Her fingers, so small and fragile when compared to the bulk of the Klingon, perched on his upper arm. "It's their loss, Rotek. They should have stood by you regardless." A bemused thought flirted through her mind, the thought that the Klingons had a lot to learn from species like the Trill. Gay. Straight. The lines were melded and blended so thickly that it simply didn't matter and sexuality didn't mark the merit of a person. Much in the same manner, Rochelle didn't allow it to mar her thoughts as they pertained to some people -- Rotek included. "I'd be proud to have a son like you."

Touched by her words, he said "Thank you Captain. I appreciate that. I'm happy that we are working towards being good friends. Perhaps when time permits I can introduce you to one of my favorite holonovels. I'll let you get back to your duties, I'm sorry to keep you."

She smiled at him and nodded. "I'd like that." she agreed, slowly slipping from the biobed to re-claim her feet once more. "Thank you for fixing my headache. When you get a chance, relax, breathe and enjoy a good meal down in the lounge, ok?"

Smiling he said "I'll take your advice Captain once I'm off duty. I could use a break. Also I'll let you know how thing go with Counselor Neyes"

Dipping her head to him, she acknowledged the offer and demonstrated her own approval, "Good. Enjoy the rest of your shift, Doc."

Nodding, he cleaned up the biobed she was using, and returned to his office to get back to his paperwork
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Captain Rochelle Ivanova
Commanding Officer
USS Vindicator, NCC-78213-E

Lieutenant Rotek
Chief Medical Officer
USS Vindicator, NCC-78213-E

 

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