Ishtar's Reckoning [Zero/Jiseth]

[Quarters]

Jiseth was bent over the bathroom sink, her weight on her elbows as she tried to right herself. Physical therapy was something she hated with a passion, but not nearly as much as trying to live in a broken body. Just getting here from the bed was exhausting, like climbing a mountain with her legs tied up.

The mirror fogged up from the warm water pouring out of the faucet. Gingerly she coaxed her arms around to take some liquid in her hands to soak her face. For a moment, it was refreshing. Soothing even. A spray flew from her lips as she exhaled, but when she moved to wipe the mirror to see her reflection her other arm slipped.

Gravity's pull always seemed much faster than imagined and her face became a cannon ball into the pool in the sink. Her throat hit the rim and a bubbled yell was let out before she flopped the rest of the way onto the floor. Coughing and gasping she clung to her neck trying to sooth it. In every way she felt pathetic. Unable to perform the simplest of tasks.

"Ze... Zero! ...Help!"

Ever since Jiseth had returned from wherever she had been and required major reconstructive surgery on much of her body, Zero had never been far away from her. In fact, as soon as she heard Jiseth yell as she slipped, the Augment dropped the PADD she had been reading and was by her girlfriend's side in a handful of heartbeats.

"Easy, Jiseth," she murmured, sliding one arm under the Romulan's back and helping her into a sitting position before gently pulling the hands away from her neck and examining it closely. Zero then sighed, taking Jiseth's hands into hers before looking her in the eye, pale grey to bright green. "Jiseth, I have offered to assist you with your daily ablutions. You must not stress yourself. It will only be detrimental to your recovery. I do not wish you to finish as Captain T'Koris has, with a far more permanent injury."

"I know..." Jiseth replied halfheartedly. "I know."

Her eyes focused on Zero's and for a moment she felt strong again. Swiftly she pulled Zero toward her and kissed her lips. The Augment's affection was something she had been in desperate need of long before she even returned to the ship. When she went to shift her weight, Jiseth found her legs had gone numb again and she could not move them.

One hand balled into a fist and slammed against the wall as she yelled, "Fvadt!" This occurred several more times until she buried her face into Zero's shoulder and wept angrily. When she would be able to return to duty seemed like a far-flung dream. Right now she could barely stand on her own.

"Don't let me go. Please don't let go."

Zero was completely at a loss. She had never had to deal with such things before, not as the supportive one. She had always been the doctor, the one at arms length. As Jiseth punched the wall, she felt so helpless to do anything to ease her lover's frustration.

She wrapped her arms around the Romulan as she cried, not knowing how to deal with such an emotional crisis. This was definitely not her area of expertise. So she sat quietly, just holding Jiseth.

"Shh... It is ok. I will not let you go, e'lev. I will always be here for you."

With a wet sniffle the Romulan let out a few coughs. She had a slight glimpse into the physical pains her partner had been put through except at the very least some scientific insight had been gathered. For Jiseth it had just been torture.

Every bit of her wanted revenge. Enough for both of them. So ruthless that no one would ever again dare to interfere in their lives. To command such fear became a guilty desire of hers. Something she now could see why the Tal'Shiar sought it so fervently.

"I hate them, Zero. I hate them so much. I can't even walk now. How am I supposed to fly? I can't be a burden on you. I won't!"

She was trembling now. Every bit in rage as she was in misery.

"You will walk again, Jiseth, I promise you that," Zero murmured. She moved away slightly so that she could slip her arms around Jiseth's back and under her knees, using her Augment strength to lift her girlfriend from the deck plates.

She was about to take the Romulan back to bed, but then turned and left their quarters, heading out.

[Holodeck]

Walking into the yellow-gridded surface, Zero paused long enough to call out: "Computer, Program Zero Alpha 5, warm up room."

The room morphed into a beautifully decorated room, polished wooden floors and walls. One wall was composed entirely of a window that looked out onto a coastline. Strangely enough, there were wooden bars at about elbow height running along the walls, as well as two lines of the same bars in the middle of the room.

She set Jiseth down on a bench by the arch, kneeling down in front of her. "I have not brought anyone here, but I believe that I can help you walk again from here."

Leaning forward, Jiseth glided her hand over Zero's cheek. Their eyes locked for several moments before the Romulan's emerald ones drifted to the ocean view. It was her favorite place to be, close to the water. Part of her wondered what was about this place that her lover had been keeping hidden. The bars reminded her of her younger sister's dance studio.

Then her eyes widened and she blinked rapidly before returning her gaze to her Augment. Such a strange thing to keep a secret after all this time. Then again, Jiseth had her own private affairs. Though not addicted to them, she had previously smoked a fair number of cigars while in her office and while in the hangars. Few hobbies she had that did not involve some form of flying. It was her life after all. She could do little else, but it was more than enough.

"I think I would like to see you dance, first. If... If that's acceptable."

A delicate blush crept over Zero's cheekbones. Apart from the once or twice that people had walked in on her, she had never danced in front of anyone, certainly not invited them to watch her. But she nodded and reached up to place a gentle kiss on Jiseth's lips before she moved away.

After requesting that the computer change her uniform for a dance costume, her favoured pale blue leotard with a short, floaty skirt, the Augment took a few minutes to warm up. She couldn't afford an injury, not with Jiseth relying so completely on her.

"I have not yet perfected this routine," she warned the Romulan watching her, "nor have I performed for anyone before. I am likely to make mistakes."

Taking a deep breath to sooth the strange sensation of nervousness, Zero called for the computer to begin playback of 'Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy', and began her routine.

"It's alright. I'm not exactly able to give you the best standing ovation currently." Jiseth leaned back with a wide smile as Zero began. The sight of Zero in dance attire was rather pleasing to the eye. Even more so were her movements.

When they first had danced together, her movements were rigid and stiff. She was nervous and unsure what to do. The former was still somewhat obviously there, but Zero was graceful. Elegant. Jiseth wanted to look toward the sea naturally, something that would have to wait. For the moment something much grander had captured her attention: the love of her life in motion.

Zero folded into the final position then straightened up again, her narrow chest heaving as she gulped down air. As fit as she was and granted with an Augment's superior physiology, she had poured every effort into her dance, wanting it to be as perfect as possible for Jiseth.

Picking up a bottle of water from the bench, she smiled worriedly at the Romulan. "Was it to your liking?"

"Very much so," she said softly as she clapped. Thoroughly she wished she could stand and join Zero in some form of routine. Perhaps their own special something. Every so often the Romulan would do similar in her office, but she preferred a vastly different music and dance. Jazz had always been a favorite. Fast and upbeat, yet aggressive at times. Then a moment later it could slow down and she would long to slowly swing back and forth with her lover in her arms.

"I'm glad you shared this with me. You were absolutely wonderful." Jiseth's eyes slowly drifted towards the coast. "I wonder if you look as good in a swimsuit as you do in your current outfit."

Zero tilted her head to one side as she looked at Jiseth, then followed the Romulan's gaze out of the window and to the coast. A metaphorical lightbulb lit up over her head.

"Computer, relocate us to the coast and provide appropriate clothing for swimming."

With a compliant bleep, the dance studio dissolved, moving the pair down onto the Mediterranean coastline that had been visible from the window. Zero looked down at the one-piece bathing suit she was wearing, appearing slightly confused before she brushed it off, taking Jiseth's hands and pulling her to her feet.

"Come with me. Swimming is an excellent manner in which to stimulate muscular regeneration without excessive stress on the systems!"

Jiseth found herself in a black one-piece swimsuit and taking in the warm sea salt air. With her hands in Zero's, she felt stronger. Confident. She squeezed her hands and took a step forward, nearly falling over, but got her message across as her lips met her lover's. Hands loosened and swung around the back her Zero's neck as she held the kiss for what seemed like forever. In no small way could she thank her enough for any of the life they shared.

"How deep in the water do I have to go, shoulder-height?"

For one heartstopping moment, Zero thought that Jiseth was going to fall, but she caught herself. The Augment put her hands on her lover's waist, offering support as their lips met. It felt divine, to be able to hold her Romulan close like this again after everything they had gone through.

"As deep as you like," she replied as they broke apart. Moving slowly, she started to lead Jiseth down into the water.

Jiseth smirked as she shuffled one foot in front of the other. The sand was progressively getting more damp until the water washed up between her ankles. It was warm, far more pleasant than the sand which would bake flesh if given the chance.

She lost count of how many steps she had made, though each one was a small victory. Her eyes had not left Zero's. Even after this long she was taken aback by the love they shared. For all their sufferings, there were these moments. Precious and treasured.

After reaching about thigh-deep, the Romulan stopped. If there was one thing she had learned in this process, it was to take things slowly. "Perhaps here for now? I wouldn't mind your help with the exercises."

Zero watched the Romulan's every move as they made their way into the water, her hands on Jiseth's skin, offering support with every step. She knew that they had to take it slowly, that her lover tired easily, but she would never get stronger if she didn't push herself.

"We are not going to do the standard exercises," the Augment replied, bending down slightly to pick her lover up and wading a bit further into the water until it was at chest height before smiling at Jiseth. "We are going to swim, to let the water beat the majority of your body mass."