Friends from Another Life

Posted on 15 May 2017 @ 4:31pm by Lieutenant Commander Arjin Djinx & Commander Jayla Kij

1,099 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: The Finnean Crisis
Location: Sick Bay
Timeline: MD2

Djinx. Jayla knew that name. Well, more accurately, Kij did. Jayla only vaguely knew it from before shore leave.

Never mind. She could be objective. If she could keep from happily hugging and kissing Pol when they met, she could keep her head around Djinx as well.

Arjin looked at the message blinking on his screen for about the fifth time. It was an invitation from the doctor to have his obligatory physical. He never liked to be scrutinized by doctors. It had something to do with an incident in his first host's past.

But in this case it was even more complicated. It had to do with the person of the doctor herself. To be exactly her symbiont Kij. When on the former Black Hawk, he had kept meetings and conversations as brief as could have been under the circumstances. His Djinx symbiont wanted to do just the opposite, but Arjin had not endulged Djinx this time. He had used the techniques learned from the symbiosis commission to keep his feelings in balance.

And balance was just what was needed since his former host Timor had a complicated history with one of the former Kij hosts.

So this physical was really not to his liking.

He sighed. "Better to get this over with as soon as possible.", he thought.

Standing from his office, he decided to head directly to sick bay. Without any appointment. Maybe one of the other staff members could do the physical and Kij would be abscent.

===^Sickbay^===

Arjin entered the doors bearing the familiar medical sign. Stepping inside and heading over towards the first person he saw.

Jayla glanced up as she saw someone approaching and her breath caught. She recovered quickly. "Good afternoon, Commander," she said, carefully neutral. "I'm Doctor Kij. You're here for your physical?"

Registrering the sound of the doctor's voice even before she mentionned her name, made him and Djinx get a surge of feelings. Mixed ones. Happiness through his symbiont. Cautiousnenss from his side. His hope of getting treated by a nurse instaed of Kij all vaporated. He put on his neutral working face and turned to face the doctor.

"Yes. Indeed. I, we are. If this is an inconvenient time, please tell. I can come back another time.", he stated.

"No, no," Jayla said, voice sounding tight even to herself. "It's fine. Really. Sit here," she added, indicating the bio bed.

Trying to avoid eye contact, Arjin sat himself down on the bio bed.

"Ready when you are doctor."

Without a word, Jayla opened her tricorder and began the scans. But this wouldn't do. They couldn't just avoid speaking to one another forever. Something had to be said. "Okay," she said softly. "No matter what went on between Gavara and Timor, it's nothing to do with us. So we should just put it behind us and maintain a cordial professional relationship."

"You know that is not true.", Arjin replied. Looking at Jayla Kij for the first time since arriving at sick Bay.

"It may not have anything to do with Jayla and Arjin. But it certainly has something to do with Kij and Djinx. Besides. You know it is concidered Improper. As for our professional relationship, I was under the impression that is just what we have been doing the whole time since assigned to the same ship: being professional."

"And I don't really like to talk about Timor.", he thought. Then realizing he said it aloud instead.

Jayla gave him a sad smile. "I don't like talking about Gavara," she offered gently. "I knew her in life. Called her Auntie. It makes it painful to think about her too much."

"O", was all Arjin replied.

Then upon the urge of Djinx, he could not resist inquiring more. "So you, Jayla have known Gavara before you were joined to her symbiont then? That is strange. That they gave Kij to you I mean."

"It wasn't really anyone's choice," she replied. "We were all camping in the wilds of Cambria- they don't allow technology, which is actually rather nice. It's peaceful. But, as a result, we couldn't get in touch with emergency workers when a tree fell on Gavara. With her last breath, she asked me to carry Kij to safety and I agreed. I was only 15, but had been approved physically for joining. Long story short, buy the time we were able to contact help, Kij had already fused to me, so the Symbiosis Commission opted to train me instead. It was a rough couple of years, but I adjusted."

"I am sorry to hear that. Sorry for her and sorry for the way you had to experience the joining.", he sighed.

Jayla shrugged. "It was tough at the time, but I realize now that I wouldn't be who I am today without that difficulty," she replied. "I mean, I'm still essentially the same, but I learned patience and understanding and the importance of listening. And a dark humor that's very popular with teenagers." She grinned, finally relaxing a bit.

"It does define us doesn't it.", Arjin replied. "Was that the reason you became a doctor?"

"No," answered Jayla, switching to the secondary scans. "Actually, my mentor, Saraja Jelic, is a doctor. I think part of me was trying to impress her when I entered medical school. The other part just wanted to help people as much as she does."

He watched as the doctor performed her check up. Keeping silent for the moment, he wondered about how life sometimes had a way to take a strange course. Seeing Jayla relax a bit had the same effect on him.

Jayla finished up her scans quickly, finding both host and symbiont in perfect health. She was pleasantly surprised. Compared to her meeting with Pol, this was practically as easy as a party. Finally, she closed her tricorder and offered Arjin a friendly smile. "You're fit for duty," she informed him. "And Djinx is healthy as well."

"Good to hear that.", Arjin replied. Flexing his muscles, he stepped off the bio bed. "Maybe we do need to have a drink someday and catch up Kij.", he stated. "No harm in that is there?"

"I think that would be okay," she agreed with a friendly smile.

He nodded and offered the doctor his hand. "Better go back to duty now before the Captain replaces me for neglecting my duties" he laughed.

Jayla grinned and shook his hand. "It was good to meet you, Djinx," she said.

"Likewise Jayla Kij.", he replied before exitting sick bay a lot happier than he entered.

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