Meeting of Minds [Zero/Gavin]

Zero Alpha wrote:

There was a subtle flash of fear in the Augment's eyes as Gavin mentioned working at a research facility.  She had already spent too long in those places.  She even had her own room at Starfleet Medical in San Francisco, with her less-known name on the door.

"Perhaps I prefer a more nomadic existence," she shot back at the man, unwilling to reveal anything so deeply personal as her experiences with medical research facilities.

"Erm...right," Gavin said, a puzzled expression still firmly-settled on his face. "I can understand that. I wouldn't mind working in my own little corner of Starfleet on occasion. But...you're more inclined to be around people on a ship, right?" He shrugged, running a hand through his hair again. "Er, I mean, we're a sealed community, doctor. No matter how big a ship this is, and it's got some decent size to it...it's still a collective. We live and thrive around and off of one another. We're a community. At least," he said, leaning against the desk, "in theory. Except you."

Gavin smiled softly. "Look...I'm not trying to irritate you, though I can see that I've already done that. But, like it or not, we're going to be working - and living - together. This job we have is more than charts and hypos. Medical should also be something that the crew looks up to, and trusts. Their lives are literally in our hands."

This conversation was really starting to irritate Zero. Why couldn't this human pick up on the blatant message that she didn't want his company? What was it going to take for him to leave her alone?

His talking about relying on each other out in space and the fact that she didn't fit into the mould of a starship officer struck a nerve with her. She didn't want to be on a starship. She didn't even want to be in Starfleet in the first place! But she had no choice. She had even less choice now.

Getting up from her chair, she tried to hide the emotions that had flickered briefly across her face behind a thunderous glare at Gavin, she stormed out of the lab without another word to him.

She made her way to the holodecks, keying in a personal program code and stepping through the doors. The room was painted in light browns and white. Two walls were huge mirrors, a third made up of a bank of windows that looked out onto beautiful, unspoilt coast. Bars at about waist height ran along each wall.

Zero kicked off her uniform boots, swapping them for a pair of point shoes before taking a place at the nar, taking a deep breath and starting to warm up her muscles. Dancing helped her to calm down, for focus her thoughts, two things she desperately needed.

[Sickbay]

Opening his mouth to respond, Gavin was left with it hanging open as Zero charged out of the area.  He snapped his jaw shut with a small clk, shaking his head.  That should be it.  He should go back to his work.  Or...back to the bar.  Or anywhere else.

Yet...he'd seen the look that flashed across her features.  Oh, she'd had a lot of anger and pure hatred of him in that look, but...there'd been more.  What was it?  Well.  Finding these things out was one of the reasons he was here.

All these things and more were running through his head as he followed Zero out of the area.  A few questions guided him to an unexpected destination.  "Well...what in the hell are you doing in here?" he asked.  Perhaps she'd not locked the door.  Perhaps...

"...No," Gavin said, sighing as his body sagged against the outer door.  He was curious, but...Zero was more than a research project.  She was a human being, and younger than him in more ways than one.  If she wanted her privacy, he would give it to her.  

Shaking his head, Gavin got up, and sadly walked away.

Too impatient to go through a full warm up, Zero barked out an order to the computer to begin playback of a piece she had been working on. Automatically, the computer also changed her uniform to a pale blue leotard with the characteristic tutu. She pulled the tie from her white hair, allowing it to cascade freely.

From outside the holodeck, the opening strains to 'Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy' could be heard filtering through.

[Corridors]

He wanted to leave.

In fact, he'd totally meant to.  

Why, then...why the hell was he still standing there, looking at the holodeck door like an idiot?  I'm certainly no idiot, Gavin thought.  'Hyper performance capabilities in artistic, intellectual, leadership, and creative auspices.  Out-of-box thinking, increased reasoning and spatial learning.  Occasional bouts of hyperactivity.'  That had been what his IQ profile had read, at least.  What it all boiled down to was that Gavin Van Gelder was incredibly intelligent.

"What a bunch of bullshit that is," he muttered, as he moved toward the door.  Maybe she locked it.  Locked...and I can just go away.  That'll be the end of it, he thought, cursing softly as the door showed unlocked.  Sighing, Gavin pushed the entry.

...And beheld a sight from a dream.

There was simply no other way to put it.  Now the Nutcracker music makes sense... he thought as he watched the lithe form of Zero Alpha spinning with the graceful moves of a zephyr made flesh.  Almost as if in a trance, Gavin stepped all the way into the holodeck, allowing the door to close behind him.  He simply could not take his eyes off the angelic form and her movements.

Zero was unaware of the holodeck doors opening. Despite her impressive mental capacity, keeping time with the music, remembering the steps and trying to keep both of the synchronised took up a surprising amount of her intellectual resources.

She continued on with her routine, a slight frown of concentration apparent on her face as she performed a complex series of pirouettes, executing one turn balanced on the very tips of the toes on one foot, the other folded up against her knee before taking a small step and executing the same pirouette again. She had to do six pirouettes, if her memory served, which it always did, and then on to leaps, which were far easier.

At least that's what she thought.

Relieved to have finished the pirouettes, she pushed herself into the first leap. There was a sharp crack as she landed from the first one, her ankle folding almost double. She hit the wooden floor with a surprisingly heavy thud for a girl who looked so light. Pushing herself into a sitting position, she bent over her ankle, focusing on breathing through the pain.

Then her eyes fell on Gavin. Having something else to focus on definitely helped her ignore the pain of a broken ankle.

"How long have you been there?" she snarled, her pale eyes flashing.

Zero Alpha wrote:

Zero was unaware of the holodeck doors opening.  Despite her impressive mental capacity, keeping time with the music, remembering the steps and trying to keep both of the synchronised took up a surprising amount of her intellectual resources.  

She continued on with her routine, a slight frown of concentration apparent on her face as she performed a complex series of pirouettes, executing one turn balanced on the very tips of the toes on one foot, the other folded up against her knee before taking a small step and executing the same pirouette again.  She had to do six pirouettes, if her memory served, which it always did, and then on to leaps, which were far easier.

At least that's what she thought.

Relieved to have finished the pirouettes, she pushed herself into the first leap.  There was a sharp crack as she landed from the first one, her ankle folding almost double.  She hit the wooden floor with a surprisingly heavy thud for a girl who looked so light.  Pushing herself into a sitting position, she bent over her ankle, focusing on breathing through the pain.

Then her eyes fell on Gavin.  Having something else to focus on definitely helped her ignore the pain of a broken ankle.

"How long have you been there?" she snarled, her pale eyes flashing.

Arms crossed, Gavin leaned against the wall, watching as Dr. Alpha went through her exercises.  He knew that just sitting there and watching her was...well, a little more than vaguely creepy.  But...it seemed sacrilege to disturb the pale Augment.  

His mind was racing as she danced.  Gavin's brain moved right along with her, calculating the trajectories she was taking, imagining her straight body spinning on the axis.  He was simply enraptured in the process of it all...so much so that it jolted him when she fell.  It didn't take a trained medical professional to know that it'd been a bad fall, but that was exactly what he was, and so he instantly knew.

"I...you...the door?  It wasn't locked," he said, looking around the room.  "Computer!  Medkit."  The computer beeped in acknowledgement, opening a square-like section of the holodeck grid, wherein an emergency medkit was stored.  Even with safeties, accidents happened.  Gavin raced over to grab the kit, returning to where Zero sat on the floor.  "Alright, Zero.  Lie back.  Let me scan this."

Zero continued to glare at Gavin, not accepting his excuse as to why he had been watching her dance. She never let anyone watch her dance. Not even Jiseth knew about the hobby and she had definitely kept it hidden from her social tutors and Starfleet Medical. In all honesty, she hadn't expected him to follow her to the holodecks.

She hunched over, angling herself away from him as he approached her with the tricorder. She felt strangely naked wearing her leotard, not a sensation she welcomed around an unfamiliar male. Given that the garment left her shoulders bare, the branding with her true name was clearly visible, but she could talk her way out of that one. Her main concern was that the tricorder would show up all of the discrepancies that came with her being an Augment.

She bared her teeth at the young man, narrowing her eyes at him. "Do not approach me!"

Zero Alpha wrote:

Zero continued to glare at Gavin, not accepting his excuse as to why he had been watching her dance.  She never let anyone watch her dance.  Not even Jiseth knew about the hobby and she had definitely kept it hidden from her social tutors and Starfleet Medical.  In all honesty, she hadn't expected him to follow her to the holodecks.

She hunched over, angling herself away from him as he approached her with the tricorder.  She felt strangely naked wearing her leotard, not a sensation she welcomed around an unfamiliar male.  Given that the garment left her shoulders bare, the branding with her true name was clearly visible, but she could talk her way out of that one.  Her main concern was that the tricorder would show up all of the discrepancies that came with her being an Augment.

She bared her teeth at the young man, narrowing her eyes at him.  "Do not approach me!"

It seemed a sin, honestly. She had been so into her dancing that she'd obviously not seen Gavin there...and that was saying something, knowing what he knew about her increased awareness and intellectual capabilities that went along with her augmentation. To have had those amazing motions ended so cruelly...well. Apt metaphor for life, I guess.

As he keyed the tricorder on, Gavin quirked an eyebrow at the prone form of the doctor. "And you're going to fix your broken ankle all by yourself? You're an amazing woman, Doctor Alpha...but I daresay you're not that damn good. Now, hold still!"

As she heard the tell-tale sounds of the tricorder being powered up, Zero gritted her teeth, reaching out and slapping the device out of Gavin's hands. The movement cost her, the angle of the attack forcing her to apply pressure on the broken joint.

"I said do not approach me," she ground out.

Zero Alpha wrote:

As she heard the tell-tale sounds of the tricorder being powered up, Zero gritted her teeth, reaching out and slapping the device out of Gavin's hands.  The movement cost her, the angle of the attack forcing her to apply pressure on the broken joint.

"I said do not approach me," she ground out.

"Zero, I -- " Gavin started to say.  It was all he got out before a streak of white knocked his tricorder, sending the device flying to land hard against a wall.  She had a hell of an aim.  And an augment's strength, he thought.

And that's really what it came down to, wasn't it?  She didn't want him to know what she was.  It had to be that.  Some people were uncomfortable around medical technology, but those people didn't often become doctors.  

Taking a breath, Gavin knew that he stood at his personal Rubicon.  It had come a lot sooner than he'd expected.  Like, I expected to last longer at this assignment than a freaking day, he thought, somewhat resignedly.  However...

However...

He'd seen her, going through her movements.  She had hobbies.  Someone she loved.  A life!  This girl wasn't just a science project set loose in the wild.  He wasn't watching a laboratory rat.  She was a person!

And so, Gavin chose his next words carefully, at the same time saying a silent little goodbye to his career track.  "Alpha 01419.  That's what the tattoo means, doesn't it?"  His voice was soft as silk against stone.  "Your designation.  I know, Zero.  All about you.  I was sent here by Starfleet Medical to observe you.  I..." he hesitated, running a hand through his auburn hair.  "I'm sorry, Zero.  You weren't supposed to know.  I just...I'm really bad at this, okay?  But I know how to take care of a broken ankle.  So...just let me do it."  My dad is going to be so disappointed in me...

Zero blinked at him. There wasn't anything else to do really. A small voice in the back of her head told her that she ought to be surprised by Starfleet Medical's audacity in sending this boy to spy on her and report back to them. But she wasn't. Although, it explained a lot about his behaviour.

Her hand strayed up to touch the marking on her shoulder as he mentioned it. Her expression was closed. Impassive. Then she closed her eyes, fighting back tears. Would they ever leave her alone? Would they ever step back and let her explore her existence on her own? Would they ever return her daughter?

"You were assigned... to spy on me... and report back to them," she murmured, as if trying to get the thought past a mind that didn't want to believe it. She looked up at Gavin, taking in his youthful face and determined air. "You are one of them. I should not be surprised by this fact."

It was a double-assault of low feeling.  Guilt over lying to Zero, even though he barely knew her...and the guilt that would accompany his failure.  He'd have to explain it to the Medical brass...and his father.  Dad had been so proud of me when I got fast-tracked to Ensign, he thought.  Who knew what they'd do to him, now?  

"I was, Zero.  Yes.  I was accelerated through my last year at the Academy and assigned to this ship with the express purpose of observing you.  'Spy', if you want to call it that."  He shrugged.  "We're officers.  We follow orders."  He gave a small sigh.  "Except for when we don't.  Anyway...will you let me see to that damn ankle?  Whatever you think of me, I'm still a doctor.  I can't stand to sit here while you're in pain."

Zero found that several strange feelings were starting to stir in her chest. An urge to scream at this man. To rage and curse at him for even considering spying on her. Inside the sanctuary of her mind, she slapped those urges on a slide and started to examine them under a microscope. Just why was she so angry with this person when he meant nothing to her? There was no relationship to sabotage.

She turned her head away from him, not wanting to look at him.

"I am capable of shutting out pain in the same manner as a Vulcan," she told him. "I do not wish for you to touch me."

The sigh that came was born of the depths of his core. A part of him was kind of glad that Zero outright hated him. She was freaking exhausting to deal with. It made Gavin want to meet this Jiseth character. Anyone who could put up with this...

What if you'd been born in a lab? What if you had lived your life under scrutiny? What if you had to worry that every new colleague of yours was a mole? That last one in particular kicked him right in the guilt. No...he suspected that there was more to Zero than just her outward appearance and demeanor. The girl who loved being a dancer had proven that. Perhaps that was the side that Jiseth saw.

"Well, if wishes were horses..." he sighed. "You know what prerogative of care is, right? Well, consider it invoked." He got up and switched the tricorder back on, bringing it close to Zero again. He'd completely made up the term he'd used, but hoped that it was a decent bluff.

Prerogative of care? Zero frowned, a handful of lines appearing between her pale brows as she searched her memory for the term, but came up with a blank. That was strange, considering the fact that she had read or been forced to read most of the texts concerning patient-doctor relations in order to try to prepare her for working in the real world.

Of course, by the time she had reached that conclusion, Gavin had already retrieved the tricorder and was scanning her ankle. She scowled at him.

"I do not want you to touch me! You stole my daughter!"

Gavin jumped back as if she'd physically slapped him.  Which...well, considering her mood, she likely would have done, had she not been lying prone.  He went between looking at his readings - fracture in the posterior margin of the lowermost end of the tibia - and trying not to gape like a fish.  Her daughter?  What in the actual hell was she talking about?

"Zero...what in the world do you mean?  I didn't even know you had a daughter!  It..." he started to say that 'it wasn't in the briefings', but decided better.  "It...wasn't brought up."

Zero glowered at Gavin, her demeanour similar to that of a child angry with an adult. They hadn't told him about the baby they had stolen from her womb? Well, she supposed that there had been no need to let the world know exactly what horrors they could stoop to in the name of research.

"I was pregnant the last time I was required to return to their care. You stole my daughter from my womb!" The pain in her voice was evident at talking about such a thing. "You stole her!"

Okay. So. This was...not going well. And, considering how they'd gotten to this point, that was really saying something.

"I don't suppose it'd do any good to give you a painkiller," he muttered. He was going to need help moving her. Or, better yet..."I'm going to have them beam us to sickbay," Gavin said, his hand hovering over his commbadge. "I promise you, Zero. I have no idea about your daughter. I've never heard of her in my life. I know you don't have any reason to believe me, but...I'm not a liar." If I was, I'd not have blown my assignment on the first day, he thought.

"Painkillers have little effect. Giving me a dose that would be effective would also be fatal," the Augment murmured softly as she probed her rapidly swelling ankle, wincing as she touched a particularly tender spot. "It is a clean break. Repairing it should not be difficult once we reach sickbay." It was easier this way, putting the fact that he was spying on her to one side and concentrating on the more immediate problems. She wasn't looking forward to telling Jiseth that Gavin had been assigned to her as a tail by Starfleet Medical. While unsure as to exactly what the Romulan might do to him, she knew that she was likely to have to mop up what ever was left of them afterwards.

Zero Alpha wrote:

"Painkillers have little effect.  Giving me a dose that would be effective would also be fatal," the Augment murmured softly as she probed her rapidly swelling ankle, wincing as she touched a particularly tender spot.  "It is a clean break.  Repairing it should not be difficult once we reach sickbay."  It was easier this way, putting the fact that he was spying on her to one side and concentrating on the more immediate problems.  She wasn't looking forward to telling Jiseth that Gavin had been assigned to her as a tail by Starfleet Medical.  While unsure as to exactly what the Romulan might do to him, she knew that she was likely to have to mop up what ever was left of them afterwards.

Gavin nodded. "I understand," he said, having fully switched over to 'medical professional' mode. Well...almost fully. "And I agree with the diagnosis. Speaking of which..." he continued, hitting his badge.

=^="Ensign Van Gelder to sickbay - we need transport from Holodeck Two. Doctor Alpha has fractured her ankle."=^=

Leaning back on his heels, Gavin gave the Augment a considering look. "Poking at it won't help."

Zero listened quietly as Gavin put the call in to operations to be beamed to the medical bay. She murmured a command to the computer, changing her leotard back to her standard duty uniform. She still wanted to keep her hobby as much of a secret as she could. Turning up in sickbay wearing a tutu was not conducive to that goal.

Being chastised for probing her injury, however, got the Augment's hackles up again.

"Determining the severity of the break is not the same as 'poking at it'," she said coolly.

Zero Alpha wrote:

Zero listened quietly as Gavin put the call in to operations to be beamed to the medical bay.  She murmured a command to the computer, changing her leotard back to her standard duty uniform.  She still wanted to keep her hobby as much of a secret as she could.  Turning up in sickbay wearing a tutu was not conducive to that goal.  

Being chastised for probing her injury, however, got the Augment's hackles up again.

"Determining the severity of the break is not the same as 'poking at it'," she said coolly.

Quirking an eyebrow, Gavin gave a small smile. It didn't really touch his eyes, since he felt at the moment that there wasn't all that much to be smiling over. But still...he may as well laugh. The alternative was crying, and Gavin didn't figure that would go over at all. "Yes, ma'am," he quietly said, as their badges beeped in acknowledgement.

Soon enough, the pair was beamed to sickbay. Gavin jumped to work immediately, filling the nurse staff in on the injury. A part of him wanted to avoid talking to Zero much more, but another part (the larger, likely) just wanted to feel useful again...and not feel like such a screw-up.

Zero observed Gavin's expression, reading it and taking it apart in order to examine the smaller parts in a more detailed manner. She had been about to say something else when the transporter beam took hold of them and whisked the pair of them to sickbay.

Upon arrival, Zero flatly refused to allow herself to be scanned by any of the nurses who approached. As Gavin began to fill in the staff on the nature of her injury, she cut in.

"I lost my balance while working in an emergency simulation," she said, glaring at the man who had brought her to sickbay and daring him to say otherwise. "I am perfectly capable of treating it should someone be kind enough to bring me a bone knitter."

[Sickbay]

As the doctor got situated with the Sickbay personnel, Gavin stood to one side. In a way, he was glad to just be done with the situation. After all, he didn't have to have anything further to do with Doctor Zero Alpha. Other than the fact that she's your department head... he thought, somewhat ruefully. Well. That didn't mean they had to be pals. Certainly not now, after she'd found him out.

Then again, a part of Gavin wondered why he felt so bad. After all, he'd never once lied to Zero. But...would you have? a voice asked him. Apparently not, he answered it.

Gavin only nodded in agreement with Zero's insistence of how her injury came about. He took a bone-knitter, approaching her biobed. "If you'll let me? I'll need to scan that, and see if the fracture is properly lined up for knitting."