Meeting of Minds [Zero/Gavin]

The young Augment looked away from Gavin as he approached again, doing nothing to stop him scanning her ankle. Then her hand shot out, grabbing his wrist hard enough to cause severe discomfort, but not enough to cause any damage.

"I require this knowledge," she said softly, bringing her gaze up to lock with his. "I must know why."

Zero Alpha wrote:

The young Augment looked away from Gavin as he approached again, doing nothing to stop him scanning her ankle.  Then her hand shot out, grabbing his wrist hard enough to cause severe discomfort, but not enough to cause any damage.

"I require this knowledge," she said softly, bringing her gaze up to lock with his.  "I must know why."

[Sickbay]

Thankfully, Zero decided to allow Gavin to complete the scan of her ankle. The lack of much movement since the break had been beneficial, and there wasn't much re-alignment work to be done. "Well," he started, "we've got -- aah!" he yelped, as a pale hand latched onto his wrist in a rictus grip. Gavin fumbled and dropped the tricorder, wincing as it went clattering to the deck plate.

"Know...why? Why what? Surely you don't need me to tell you the procedure for fixing a fracture?"

Zero blinked, her expression unamused. She didn't release the pressure on Gavin's wrist. Why must humans be so simple? she wondered to herself, then spoke again.

"Had I wished to know that procedure, for which I am aware of numerous ways of doing so, I would have enquired as to 'how'. I did not. I asked 'why'. I need to know why you agreed to act as the eyes and ears of Starfleet Medical."

Zero Alpha wrote:

Zero blinked, her expression unamused.  She didn't release the pressure on Gavin's wrist.  Why must humans be so simple? she wondered to herself, then spoke again.

"Had I wished to know that procedure, for which I am aware of numerous ways of doing so, I would have enquired as to 'how'.  I did not.  I asked 'why'.  I need to know why you agreed to act as the eyes and ears of Starfleet Medical."

"Well then, you could have equivocated a little less," Gavin snapped, pulling on his wrist a little to test the girl's strength.  "I'm not a freaking mind-reader, and neither are you."  He stopped short, looking her in the pale eyes.  "You're...not, are you?"  Honestly, Gavin would believe just about anything about this odd girl.

He shook his head.  "Doesn't matter.  Why?  Well, I'll counter that - why not?  Why would I not jump at the chance?  They offered me the opportunity to skip the entire cadet cruise process, which I was overqualified for, anyway."  Gavin gave a soft little sigh.  "What was I supposed to do, refuse and go through the Senior Year crap, letting the Academy re-affirm what I already knew?  Pretend to get along with a bunch of cadets that I never fit in with, for the sake of one more year's appearances?"  Other than Grant, there'd been scant few that he was close with, let alone friends, at the Academy.

Gavin pulled at the wrist again, still to no avail.  "Starfleet Medical saw a unique opportunity in me.  My family got the prestige of having me minted Ensign in three years.  I got a starship posting.  And they got a direct line to how you were fitting in on the crew."  He sighed again.  "If it makes you feel any better, now it looks like nobody will get what they want.  Can I have my wrist back?"

The possibility of her being a telepath caused one corner of Zero's mouth to quirk upwards. As amusing as the thought of letting him believe that she could read his thoughts, she didn't believe that it would serve her purpose on the station any. "No. The good doctor believed that such an ability would not create a human as he desired."

As she listened to his story, she raised one pale brow, waiting patiently until he had finished before releasing his wrist, lying down and closing her eyes. Shutting out pain was a tiring exercise. "Ambition. Intelligence. A need to conceal your nature. These are things I can understand."

Gavin frowned slightly at Zero's reaction to the telepath question. Not 'no, don't be ridiculous', or 'you have quite the imagination'. No, it was 'oh, my creator thought better of making me overtly superhuman'. Great.

"I...guess you could say that I'm intelligent. Well...yeah. I am. Always ranked higher than any of the other students, no matter what the grade. Medicine is a strong tradition in my family, and I'm doing what was expected of me. Not that I don't love it, though. Surely...even you feel that tingling rush when someone's life is in your hands? Ironic how vicariously alive it makes you feel, isn't it?"

Picking up a bone-knitting laser, Gavin worked his wrist, thankful that he didn't have to use the tool on himself. "Okay, I'm going to run this over you, now. You know," he said, listening to the laser hum in his hand, "I would be your primary care physician, if you'd want. Even a CMO can't always treat herself. And...I know how to be discreet." He met her pale eyes with his own foam-blue ones. "Despite what you might think of me...I never once lied to you."

A flicker of discomfort flashed across Zero's face as the bone knitter began its work on her ankle, repairing the damage. She knew that she would have to avoid overstressing the joint for about a week, but after that, she could go back to dancing.

As he continued to speak, a faint smile ghosted across her lips. Instead of answering his offer to be her primary physician, she went off on a different topic of conversation.

"It is interesting that Starfleet Medical chose you, a Van Gelder, to be the one to spy on me. Had I been one to believe in a higher power, I would almost think that they were toying with us. Can you imagine why?"

Zero Alpha wrote:

A flicker of discomfort flashed across Zero's face as the bone knitter began its work on her ankle, repairing the damage.  She knew that she would have to avoid overstressing the joint for about a week, but after that, she could go back to dancing.

As he continued to speak, a faint smile ghosted across her lips.  Instead of answering his offer to be her primary physician, she went off on a different topic of conversation.

"It is interesting that Starfleet Medical chose you, a Van Gelder, to be the one to spy on me.  Had I been one to believe in a higher power, I would almost think that they were toying with us.  Can you imagine why?"

[Sickbay]

The boneknitter went to work, and Gavin spared a glance at Zero's face. He wasn't quite comfortable with the smile that was there, faint enough to be easily missed, but no less unnerving...

"Interesting? I...I suppose," he frowned. "I just assumed that it was because of my father's connections...and the fact that I was someone you probably wouldn't have expected. If I'd been a better liar, I don't think you would have?" he finished, more of a question than a statement.

The smile on Zero's face grew slightly. "Your father's connections. An interesting deduction, but not, I think, the one I intended you to make. As Starfleet confiscated every file from the lab, I am sure that they would have known. How remiss on their part not to have informed you." The smile grew a little more as she spoke again:

"You could say that we are related."

Zero Alpha wrote:

The smile on Zero's face grew slightly.  "Your father's connections.  An interesting deduction, but not, I think, the one I intended you to make.  As Starfleet confiscated every file from the lab, I am sure that they would have known.  How remiss on their part not to have informed you."  The smile grew a little more as she spoke again:

"You could say that we are related."

[Sickbay]

"Okay...that should do it," Gavin continued, snapping the boneknitter off. "There'll be some swelling for a..." he trailed off, frowning sharply at the Augment as his blue eyes narrowed. "Wait. What? How in the hell do you assume that we're related?"

Suddenly, those eyes widened. "Oh...my...God..." Gavin exclaimed, running a hand through his hair. "You don't mean...do you think I'm a...you know...too?"

Zero rolled her eyes. It was coming as quite a surprise to her that Doctor Kincaede had chosen this line of humans to pick out certain genes. Certainly this member of the supposedly prestigious lineage was proving to be incredibly dense to the Augment.

Then again, his panic at the thought of being genetically engineered as she was was both amusing and insulting.

"I am relieved to see that you do not consider my nature to be so appalling," she said sarcastically before going on in a bored tone of voice: "Doctor Kincaede used certain genes from one of your forebearers in the template that he created for me."

"Now...now...wait. Just wait," Gavin said, pulling up a chair alongside the biobed. He halfway figured that it was because he didn't trust his knees not to send him to the floor. If what she was saying was true...no. It couldn't be. She's playing with my head, he thought.

It was working.

Gavin frowned sharply, drawing closer to the doctor and lowering his voice to a bare whisper. "First of all...how do you even know these things? You can't tell me that you were privy to all the engineering that went into your birth."

Zero ran her fingers over her repaired ankle, checking Gavin's work. It seemed to be in one piece now, if a little tender. It was likely to be so for several days, she knew that.

As he brought into question how she knew about the various genes that had gone into creating her, she raised an eyebrow. "Why should I not know how I was created? You study human reproduction during your education, do you not? Doctor Kincaede taught me everything that he knew about genetic engineering, including how he put my genetic profile together."

Zero Alpha wrote:

Zero ran her fingers over her repaired ankle, checking Gavin's work.  It seemed to be in one piece now, if a little tender.  It was likely to be so for several days, she knew that.

As he brought into question how she knew about the various genes that had gone into creating her, she raised an eyebrow.  "Why should I not know how I was created?  You study human reproduction during your education, do you not?  Doctor Kincaede taught me everything that he knew about genetic engineering, including how he put my genetic profile together."

Glancing at Zero as she touched her ankle, Gavin watched for any sign of approval or disapproval. He got nothing. At least that was what he'd expected.

He gave a little chuckle at the thought of...education. "Yeah, you could say that you learn quite a bit about reproduction methods in the Academy..." Gavin grinned. He shook his head again. Why did it feel like there was nothing but pea soup fog where a brain should be. "Alright...let's start at the beginning. What genetic material? Which member of my family?"

With a slight sigh, Zero cast a disapproving look at Gavin. "You may consider your remark about the reproduction education at the Academy, but there are several individuals who do not share your sense of humour about such matters," she told him coolly. She put the matter to one side on her head and moved on.

"Doctor Kincaede spent several years gathering the information he needed before 'going rogue' as Starfleet Medical termed it. As a genetic expert, he had access to many profiles created for the people of the Federation, from the common man to the people considered to be geniuses. He could recognise the marker for increased intelligence in a man named 'Simon Van Gelder', who lived several centuries ago. He copied the data from the archives and added it to his own files."

"I...look, I didn't mean anything," Gavin said. What an exhausting woman. She truly was. He had a feeling that she'd be the end of him, if he wasn't careful. Professionally, yes...and probably mortally.

He sighed again as Zero spoke of the genetics. He should have known. "Great-granddad. It always comes back to him. It's about one hundred and sixty five years ago, by the way." Gavin shook his head, and rested it in his hand. "I never met him, but dad knew him pretty well, though he was old and very senile by that point. I...I don't think he ever got over what Tantalus did to him."

Leaning back in the chair, Gavin stared up at the ceiling. "Soooo...what would that make us, then? Cousins? Two times removed?" He shook his head. "I don't suppose there's any way I can see these records, is there?"

Zero pulled her legs up to cross them in a basket, looking down at the biobed, suddenly quiet. Her white hair fell forward, hiding her face as she collected her thoughts.

"All of Doctor Kincaede's records and work were seized in the raid," she said softly. Then, in an even quieter voice, added: "Including me."

Zero Alpha wrote:

Zero pulled her legs up to cross them in a basket, looking down at the biobed, suddenly quiet.  Her white hair fell forward, hiding her face as she collected her thoughts.

"All of Doctor Kincaede's records and work were seized in the raid," she said softly.  Then, in an even quieter voice, added: "Including me."

"I...I see," Gavin replied, as the Augment drew within herself. He had a feeling that she was quite good at that. He was quiet for a few moments, listening as the flurry of Sickbay activity seemed to flow around them, as if they were stones in the midst of a river.

Suddenly, he looked up. "I believe you," Gavin said, nodding. He had no reason in the world not to...however, it was also entirely possible that the Augment was playing a long game. Intellectually, Gavin was often miles ahead of others. He knew that Zero was probably far beyond even that. Who knew what was truly in her mind?

He knew one thing - he would find out.

Unless, of course, he was recalled back to the Academy...which was entirely possible, now. "God. I don't even know if I should ask anyone about it." He thought back to when he'd first met her, and how incredibly attractive he'd found her. Now that felt beyond weird. "It's a good thing my roguish charm didn't attract you to me, then. Starfleet probably places 'kissing cousins' on about the same level as genetic tinkering..."

Zero flinched as he joked about how serious genetic engineerimg was. She was well aware of the fact. She was well aware of how close she had come to being executed because of a crime someone else had committed. Only Starfleet Medical had saved her from that fate and, as such, she belonged to them.

"I do not think that would be true," she said softly. Taking a deep breath, she seemed to shore up her emotinal state and go from child-like to the ice princess most people knew as their CMO.

"How will you proceed?"

How to proceed? Gavin hadn't the slightest clue, and he told her as much. "I don't really know if there even is anything to be done, right now." He stood, stretching a little. "To be honest? I don't even know if I'm going to be remaining on the ship. I don't know how much of this assignment was hinging on how useful I am to Starfleet Medical." Gavin shrugged, laughing humorlessly. "Dad might pull a few more strings, though. He wouldn't want his son busted back down to Cadet."

He crossed his arms, tapping his lower lip. "It seems to me...well. It seems that we both know a hell of a lot more about each other than we did a few hours ago. If you ever want to just...y'know...talk about stuff." Gavin shrugged. "Well. You'll know where to find me."

Zero sighed softly, taking a moment to think. She found herself unwilling to part with this young man, simply because of the fact that he was the only other human on the ship that came even close to her level of intelligence. Oh, the Vulcan crewmembers were intelligent enough in conversation, but she still craved the emotional contact, the need to learn by mimicry as to what was acceptable and what was not.

"I have a proposition for you," she offered. "Starfleet medical does not need to know that I am,aware of your role. What is the human expression? 'What they do not know is incapable of harming them?'. In return, you may be able to help me."

Nodding, Gavin smiled a bit as she recited the old maxim. "Close enough," he said, leaning against the back of his chair. "So...I just kind of...pass off some reports to them here and there." He shrugged. "Sounds good to me. It'll be like a double-agent. You know...from spy stories?"

It honestly didn't bother Gavin that much, lying to his superiors. He wondered exactly why that was. A part of him knew it was his own guilt over the auspices under which he'd boarded this mission. If Zero told him to recite doggerel in the nude, he probably would, just to assuage his own conscience.

"We really can be friends, too, y'know," Gavin said, eyebrow quirked. "Go to lunch, play three-D chess...that kinda stuff?"

"It should not be difficult, and it is a plan in which you are able to keep the position you have been granted, and plants an individual in Starfleet Medical whom we may be able to trust," Zero replied, nodding.

She frowned slightly at the mention of being friends though. On the one hand, she wasn't sure that she trusted him, nor trusted Jiseth not to take him apart when she found out about him. On the other hand, he was the only human who came close to her level of intelligence.

"I do not play games," she informed him. "They are often too easy to win against normal individuals."

Zero Alpha wrote:

"It should not be difficult, and it is a plan in which you are able to keep the position you have been granted, and plants an individual in Starfleet Medical whom we may be able to trust," Zero replied, nodding.

She frowned slightly at the mention of being friends though.  On the one hand, she wasn't sure that she trusted him, nor trusted Jiseth not to take him apart when she found out about him.  On the other hand, he was the only human who came close to her level of intelligence.

"I do not play games," she informed him.  "They are often too easy to win against normal individuals."

[Sickbay]

Gavin nodded. It sure wasn't perfect, and it involved a lot more lying than he liked, but...well. It was better than the alternative. Both of them - losing his position, or leading Zero on. He supposed that was the nature of compromise...everyone got something, and nobody left the table completely happy.

"Well, doctor," Gavin drawled, rapping his knuckles against the back of the chair and grinning, "I'm not often called normal, so...I thank you for that, at least." He glanced down at her ankle. "I hope that gets on the mend quickly." Gavin lowered his voice again. "I...you should get back to your dancing as soon as you can. You...I mean, it's...it's lovely." He was embarrassed at the heat that touched his cheeks.

As she sat on the biobed, absentmindedly rubbing her ankle in small, slow circle, Zero seemed to have retreated behind her usual expression of bored indifference. Or she had, until Gavin mentioned her dancing. Her head snapped around to glare at him with open hostility.

"Do not dare mention my dancing in front of others, nor divulge the fact that I dance to anyone!" she snarled as quietly as she could.