Characters: Miina Awenata, Tass
Miina woke as she had countless times in the last few hours. She smiled inwardly as she felt Tass’ hands still clasped around hers. They had been the first thing she had felt when she woke in Medlab the first time and she had opened her eyes.
“Miina?” she had heard Tass call her name in little more than a whisper. “Are you all right?” he asked.
It had been easier to force a response through parched lips than nod her throbbing head. “Yes…” she managed.
“Thank God,” he whispered.
She squeezed his hand in answer, and then, realizing what she was doing, let go. “Your hands….” she whispered. “Are they…?” she whispered.
“I’m fine,” he told her softly. “How are you?”
“Water…” she croaked.
“Yes, of course,” he told her.
“Let me get Dr. Trassano…”
She squeezed his hand, and managed a weak smile. “No… not the firing squad… just some… water… please?”
He squeezed her hands back. “She only allowed me to stay here if I promised to let her know when you woke.” Miina felt the pressure change in his grip and knew he was turning around. “Dr. Trassano?” she heard him say. “She’s awake.”
“Good,” came the terse reply. “I’ll be right there.”
“Traitor,” Miina half-grumbled and then heard Tass chuckle softly in reply.
“It’s only fair,” Tass whispered, “I’ve already gotten more than my share…”
Miina shifted on the bio bed and sighed softly. Poor Yoshino couldn’t have known how perfect her timing was. If it had not been for Yoshino’s cat, Miina’s ears would probably still be burning. It was unfortunate that the poor thing had been so badly injured, but probably very much like her mistress, the tiny creature was a survivor. Miina hoped that it had fared well under Doctor Trassano’s care, and, to confess, had been glad that the Centauri doctor had something else to busy herself with.
“Awake again?” Tass asked.
“Mmm…” Miina said wearily. Just then the Captain’s voice came over the comm system.
“Attention. This is your Captain speaking…”
Miina and Tass were both silent for a moment after the announcement, when Miina squeezed Tass’ hand. “You’d better go,” she told him.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “The Captain didn’t say one word about the patients in Medlab.”
“Oh, I didn’t know,” Miina said, attempting to sit up. “You didn’t tell me you were hurt that badly.”
“I’m not,” he said, putting his hands on her shoulders, and easing her back against the bio bed. “Just some minor mobility problems. Dr. Trassano says they will most likely clear up.” He paused. “But you are.”
“But that doesn’t mean you…” she began to protest.
“Don’t think you can get rid of me that easily, Miina.”
She smiled in spite of her confusion, blushed at the tender feel of his hands on her shoulders, and found herself wondering when he had begun calling her Miina instead of Anla’shok Awenata. It had seemed so… natural… she hadn’t noticed. “Miina…” she said softly. “I don’t even know your first name…”
“I don’t use it much,” he said, his voice shrugging off her comment. “Just Tass is fine.”
“What is it?” she asked.
“I forgot.” She could hear the smile in his voice.
“Tass…” she insisted.
“All right,” he told her pretending annoyance. He sighed. “It’s Apoloniusz.”
“You’re right,” she said smiling. “Tass is fine.”
He patted her hand. “I’m going to go see about helping with the patient transfer. I’ll be back soon.”
She nodded and smiled, but could not shake the feeling that her smile had gotten away from her, and a great, slightly dopey grin was spreading across her face. She felt her cheeks flush right up to her ears, and then felt his fingertips on her cheek.
His voice dropped to a whisper. “Don’t go anywhere without me, OK?”
Copyright (C) 1998 Judy Caswell. All rights reserved.
