Cr. 01 :11 – Meanwhile on Rivendell within the main hospital, Chakotay stood watching as the alien male slept, he and Kicking Bird had been assisting him in understanding his dual heritage, especially his Bajoran spiritual side, something that he’d had to keep buried for all the time he’d been on a Cardassian vessel, when he felt another presence beside him.
“You’ve really taken to him, haven’t you?” queried the female softly.
“I’ve only done what any sane person would do, Angeline,” his tone a little defensive.
“It’s more than that, Chakotay,” she noted softly. “Please come,” she invited leading him towards her office. As the station was currently in night-time mode, her office was in soft darkness, with only a couple of soft lights illuminating key areas, whilst the rest was in shadow. She went to the replicator and ordered their special blends of tea and gave him his; once they were both seated on the comfy seating in the softly lit corner of her domain she spoke:
“I’m concerned about you,” she told him, her voice still in that same soft tone she’d used whilst near the Cardassian, Gar’tan.
“You have no need. I like Gar’tan and I’m sure he’ll fit in with the rest of Carenza’s crew,” sipping his tea.
“It is not Gar’tan that concerns me. It is you.”
“Me?” looking at the Betazoid woman puzzled over the rim of his tea mug.
“Yes, you, Professor,” she said quietly worried, especially as he’d flinched at her use of the former Academy title, one he disliked for reasons only known to him. “You had what amounted to an epileptic fit a couple of days ago, Chakotay; that is what concerns me, even more so as I’m aware these visions of yours have become more intense. I….”
“Angeline,” his tone calm but firm so as to get her attention. “Dr. Hoon has already informed me of your concerns that you’d included in my medical records, when he did my medical check-up prior to signing on; so he will be keeping a close eye on me,” he informed her calmly.
“That as maybe, but what if you have one of these fits, visions near a cliff edge or some other dangerous place…..” This time he halted her tirade with a finger against her lips, a gentle smile on his own.
“I can’t wrap myself up in cotton wool, Angeline. I need to be out in space,” he said with deep conviction.
They both sat in quiet solitude, each reflecting on their own thoughts as they sipped their tea. It was at this point a deeper darker shadow slipped into the office unnoticed by the seated pair. Chakotay could see that this medical Doctor was worried about something and he didn’t have to be an empath to ‘see’ it. “Angeline, I forgave you for cutting short my spirit walk at the time and I still forgive you,” he said softly, his dark brown eyes holding her black ones.
“I know you did and do,” she sighed deeply. “I just can’t get over this feeling something will go wrong or worse,” her face reflecting something of her unease. It was also in that moment, recalling that incident when he’d been pulled from his spirit walk with the Chozo, that the tattooed male realised something, something he should have pointed out to her at the time or even before then, perhaps; thus he thought he’d better do so now.
“Angeline,” his tone gentle causes the Betazoid woman to look intently at him. “Rivendell isn’t exactly your average inert structure. I wouldn’t say it was alive as such, yet there is a strong force of feelings here. What happened a few years ago in the Eden Dome with the plants and music proved that.” She nodded her understanding encouraging him to continue. “The visions and my spirit walk were just the start. I’ve had odd flashbacks to that walk at rather inconvenient moments,” he said, his expression making her smile. “They’re not complete and I don’t think they will be until I can discover the answers and those answers are not here on this station, they’re out there in space, somewhere,” his tone firm, taking both of  her hands in his. “The Chozo feared the return of the river – what sort is unknown. A vision of a river drew my peoples here. The station’s name seems to reflect the idea of a river and Tallulah colony fits its name too – Restless water,” he explained his voice taking on that sing-song way she’d come to expect from him.
“And you are restless!” she noted quietly, her voice and words returning him to the present. “Chakotay, take care,” she said giving his hands a squeeze.
“I will,” he assured her as they both stood. “I’ll even keep you updated with any developments,” his smile teasing.
“You had better, Professor,” she admonished him her own tone serious, yet her eyes playful.
“Understood, Captain, Doctor, Matron?!”
“Get out of here, Mister,” she scolded, swatting at him and watched as he left the hospital and then picked up their empty mugs to return them to the replicator.
“You assaulting my officers, Angeline?” queried a new voice, the owner having moved from the deeper shadows to lean against the open door frame.
“Alyxx!” startled, a moment whilst the replicator recycled the mugs. “How much did you hear?” she asked calmly turning to face the Trill woman, her friend.
“Enough to understand why Chakotay jumped at the chance to be part of Carenza’s crew,” looking worriedly at the still slightly flustered Hospital Director. “Is he right about the station and that you can feel something?”
“Possibly, Alyxx; I just thought I was being unusually jumpy, overly protective, but what he said makes a lot of sense in some ways,” she sighed fiddling with some of the items on her tidy desk, rather than look at the other female.
“When was the last time you had a medical check-up?” startling her friend for the second time that evening.
“Alyxx, there’s nothing wrong with me!” she snapped irritated.
“Hmm!” sounding unconvinced, thus she led Nayru-West out into the main consulting area and picked up the nearest medical tricorder and scanned the still protesting woman. “Nothing wrong, well that might be true to some degree,” she said cryptically and handed the Betazoid female the primed tricorder with the scanner results clearly visible. Alyxx Darkka chuckled at the astonished expression on her friend’s face. “Now about my CEO, when can I have him back?” she asked still amused her voice quiet allowing the other female to process the scanner results by getting her to talk shop.
“I’m releasing him tomorrow morning. I’ve already transferred his medical records over to Carenza,” Angeline informed her whilst still looking at the tricorder.
“Good. See that you inform Daniel.”
“What?” looking up to see the Trill woman walking away.
“About your medical condition!” she quipped with a smile as she exited the area.
“Thanks, Alyxx,” she whispered smiling as she looked again at the new life growing within her.