Zantor walked down the halls, smiling to himself. He was FINALLY off of duty in the med lab, and glad for it as well. It had been bit of a long day, what with the mind meld and monitoring the condition of that romulan. But he was off now and assured that he could go and get some rest.

Problem was that he didn't really want that much rest. He was far too bored on the ship to go back to his room and sleep. So once again he was wandering, searching the halls.

The further he walked, the more he felt and more he opened up to this metallic box he lived in. Still wondering and trying to figure out his latest dream... The faint touch of skin, the soft smell of hair, voices raised in ecstasy, muted by the power. Eyes... Those eyes...

Zantor shook his head as he often did, struggling to remember his often fainted dreams of incomplete nature. He realized he was broadcasting a little bit to the people around him, noticing the captain herself walk by. He looked at her for a minute, her head lost in thought staring at the floor. He suddenly had an urge to reach out to her, something was troubling her. But He was, unfortianently, an ensign. Contact with anyone of higher rank, especially a captain, like that could be construed as insubordination or invading personal privacy or something. The last thing he wanted to do was to piss off a commanding officer, especially Tempest. He liked her, liked the feeling she eluded when he was around her. Granted, the few times that he was around her she was either knocked out, on the operating table, or sleeping peacefully in sickbay. But she still eluded a presence that seemed to strike deep down into Zantor's core, touching a memory of a forgotten time, a mourned loss.

Zantor decided against touching her, decided against interrupting her troubled thought as he reached the turbo lift, opening it and programming it to head him towards his quarters. He suddenly had a wonderful idea of what to do to pass at least an hour or so.

He smiled and looked up, just in enough time to see the captain come into view for an instant, their eyes meeting for a solitary moment before the metallic intruders broke their connection...

*holodeck*

Zantor plugged in the program into the holodeck. When he wrote this program, back in the academy days (not that long ago) he was laughed at by his roommate. I mean, who would really write a holodeck program of one being in an old style movie theater and just sitting down, watching a movie? Well, Zantor was always a bit of an oddball among everyone he had met so he still decided to run with it. Up to this point, it was his second favorite program to run, outside of hiking on those purple plains of his.

He smiled, sitting back in the comfortable seat in the back corner, watching as the credits started to roll up, announcing the old style drama movie, as the earthers called it. He just called it by its title, A Ferengi Movie called "Return of the Profits."

It was a rather dark film, Zantor agreed with that assessment. It was the kind of film that even if you were sitting right next to someone, they couldn't see anything specific about you. He found he enjoyed movies like that, ones that completely immersed you in their action with no outside influences affecting you, nothing to bother you so you can concentrate on the message of the movie or the acting or what naught.

"Return of the Profits" was a rather interesting movie, consisting of mostly a Ferengi and Human cast. Some strange story about a business deal gone sour, a long dry spell, and suddenly they get into a deal worth billions. Zantor really didn't like the movie that much, but it had just gotten out the last time he was at earth, so he saved it and pretended he was attending a new release, even though he was utterly alone here.

Tempest opened her eyes from her bed, still almost seeing those eyes in her mind. She felt the restlessness move over her for some reason and something compelling her to walk out of her quarters, to go and do something.

"No, I can't keep focusing on that. What ever it was, it's probably just my imagination" She told herself as she proceeded to dress. She suddenly missed her mother's voice, in the back of her mind, telling her that it wasn't her imagination, but that way the way of life.

Tempest walked out of her quarters, determined to find something to do...

By the holodeck, she looked through the programs. Once again, nothing really appealed to her, in fact this one was down right strange. "Return of the Profits, a simulation of 20th century earth movie theaters" the description read. Tempest shook her head, it was just something that Zantor would have been interested in, had he been here.

Well, why not?
Tempest walked in...

Zantor saw the light fill the room for an instant and a figure walk through the door. He looked over at the figure, watching it's movements as if entranced by thought. But as soon as the door had opened, it had closed. He rose and greeted the captain in the darkness.

"Hello captain."
Tempest jumped a little, his voice startling her on more then one end. "ensign, Don't sneak up on me like that."
"Im sorry, captain. I can restart the movie if you want. its a few minutes into the program."
Tempest looked at the man in the dark, only recognizing vague features on his face.

"Oh no, that won't be necessary, Ensign. In fact, the reason I'm here (she lied) was to talk to you. I assume you are the new Medic that we have onboard?"

Zantor took a deep breath, knowing he may have to atone for his actions in sickbay. "Yes, mame. Would you like a seat?"
Tempest smiled at the offer, sitting gracefully on the chair and staring up at the dark movie. "I just came by to thank you for what you did."
Zantor looked at the screen, hiding his nervousness. "I only did my duty, Mame You was injured and I brought you to sickbay."
"Ohh, I know you did more then that, Ensign. I understand I owe you much more then just my safety."
"Nahh, Captain. I only assisted in the operation."
"Don't be modest, Ensign. It's not a good career move." Tempest said with a soft smile. " I know that you are the one that found me, and that you were the one that did something strange with the dermal regenerator, that is now missing mind you..."

Zantor turned to her and held up his hands. "I only took it to evaluate it, Captain. I can return it if you want"

Before she could control it, Tempest's hand pushed him lightly on the shoulder, feeling the sudden heat from his body under the uniform. "Oh, don't be nervous, Ensign. I'm not here to get you in trouble. You saved my life."
Zantor smiled, letting his body give way a bit to her push, exaggerating a bit. "Well, captain. I guess that means your life belongs to me."
Tempest looked back at the movie and smiled. There was something so familiar... She just couldn't...

"Are you feeling alright, Captain? How are the treatments going?"
"Oh, they are going fine. My Muscles are a bit sore, but other then that I feel great, thanks to you."
Zantor smiled and blushed a bit, looking back at the movie screen. "Thanks to modern medicine."
"By the way, Ensign. How did you find me in that holodeck?"

"Youre a betazed, right, captain?" Zantor asked earnestly.

Tempest nodded.

"Well, that's how I found you. You let out a cry for help as you fell and I was right next to you in the other room. I heard your cry and came running."

Tempest looked back at the ensign. "You heard me?" She said, more of a statement then a question. "What did you hear?"
Zantor looked at her, concerned he had overstepped his bounds again. "Um... Just a name, Captain. I responded more to the desperation in your voice then the name really. I'm sorry if I pried where I was unwanted."

Tempest glanced back at the movie, her thoughts wandering. He had heard her? how? "Oh, don't be silly, Ensign. I'm glad that you heard me."
"As am I captain" Zantor said, the relief obvious in his voice. "If the controls had been deactivated for much longer, you would have dropped down to the bottom of that 400 foot cavern."

Tempest laughed. "Well... I shouldn't have gone without proper equipment. It's the first time that I fell really."
"Proper equipment? You shouldn't have gone climbing with the safety protocols off."
Tempest waved her hand. "Oh, Im invincible. Don't you know that?"
Zantor laughed lightly. "No one is invincible, captain. How long have you been climbing?"
Tempest heard the soft laugh and suddenly lost all interest in the movie. "Since I was little. It's a passion of mine." She said with interest, turning her head to stare at the side of his.

"Really? mine too. Tell me, have you ever climbed the slopes of Vilar 4?"

Tempest's eyes widened suddenly. She could almost feel her heart ripping from her chest, it was beating so hard, almost if saying 'ohmygodohmygodohmygod' in rapid succession. She quickly snapped her head forward, afraid of looking at him. "Um.. Actually Yes. The program I was running was Designed after my favorite climb there. There is a cave there..."

Zantor nodded and smiled, feeling something strange coming off of her. "Yes, at the northernmost slope."

Tempest turned her head and stared at him. "yes... You are so familiar..."
Zantor turned his head, not realizing his lips were mere inches from hers. "That is my favorite spot, Captain. I often go there before I transfer, just go to and think" He smiled softly before realizing that just a movement forward, their lips would be touching. they.. Zantor pulled away, not knowing where the sudden urge to push forward came from, but fighting it back, embarrassed. "I'm sorry if I intruded."
Tempest sat back, fighting to catch the sudden escape of breath. His scent, his words... There was something about him that was just intoxicating, familiar, and wonderful. Yet it scared her at the same time. She stared forward, fighting the urge to look back at him, fighting the questions that entered into her mind, her desperation.

Zantor quickly picked up in the change of mood, in the tension between them fluid and changing by the heartbeat. Something was wrong "Tempest, are you okay?" He said with a soft, curious voice.

The voice impacted tempest and shook her to the core. She struggled between staring ahead a looking directly back at him. Finally she decides to stare ahead, better not show him what was happening.. "I'm fine, Ensign. Thank you." She said with a forced smile.

Zantor took a look at that smile and shook his head. "No, I dont' buy it, Captain. You seem a bit... Agitated... What's wrong?"
Tempest gripped the armrest of her chair tightly and fought the urge to look at him. Running her tongue over her teeth thoughtfully, she gave in to the temptation.

Their eyes met for those brief seconds. She could barley see them, yet she could seem them as clearly as any day. "Even in this darkness... You seem... So.... Familiar" She whispered.

Zantor stared at her for a moment before backing away. "Maybe we met in another life, Ma'me. "

Tempest sat back in her own chair. "Perhaps, Ensign"

Zantor nodded thoughtfully. "Well, there is a chance we met each other before.'
"Oh?" Tempest turned, knowing very well that there was no chance they could have met.

"Well, Perhaps. I cant remember anything that happened more then ten years ago."
"Why not?" She let out before she could control it. Tempest regrouped and restated. "I mean, why don't you remember?"
Zantor shrugged like he always did, a motion not missed by Tempest, and replied. "I don't know, Captain. The only thing I remember clearly is waking up in Starfleet Medical. I was told that I was found in a life pod, in a comma and rescued."
"Oh?" Tempest said, very interested in his words at this point "they couldn't trace the life pod?"
Zantor shook his head. "No< ma'me. This is classified, but they said it was of a configuration unlike any they had ever seen"

"Classified" She said with an amused chuckle. "Classified from whom?"
"Everyone, I think, Ma'me. Last time I checked, it took a captain's access or higher. but it doesnt really say anything. Only that I was found around Dega 2"

Tempest nodded. "No family, Ensign?"
"No, Ma'me. I don't remember any."
"Really??' She asked, suddenly feeling a bit downtrodden from that comment.

"Well, to tell you the truth I don't know. Sometimes, in my dreams, I remember holding a child close to me, smiling to her as she ran across the sand. A name comes to me, but It's foreign."
"Is that all you remember?" Tempest said, feeling a bit more comfortable around him, comfortable yet urgent.

"Well, not really. Sometimes I also remember a woman. Just bits and pieces. You know, the scent of her skin, the music of her voice, the depth of her eyes." he turned to look at her. "Her scent, things like that."

Tempest nodded and looked back. "Oh.."

"Do you ever have that, Captain? Do you ever have a dream that just haunts you at night? Knowing that somewhere, in another place, another time, someone meant more to you then life itself?"

Tempest nodded, some what sadly. "Yes, Commander. I mean, Ensign.. Yes, I have that dream almost every night." Realizing her slip, then trying to figure out why she was having a conversation like this, with an unknown ensign at that.

Zantor chuckled a bit and moved closer, whispering in her ear "Is that a promotion, Captain?" He says before leaning back and smiling.

Tempest grit her teeth and felt a shudder moving through her. "Just a slip, that's all..."

Zantor nodded. Tempest looked over at him and opened her mouth. "What is the name that you..."
Suddenly the room filled with the horrid sounds of red alert. The klaxons rang throughout the ship and caught both of their training. Tempest and Zantor leapt from their seats, heading out into the now crowded hallway.

Once out into the corridor, they went their separate ways. Zantor rushing along to get to sickbay, Tempest, still in thought, heading to the bridge.

"Wait!" Tempest shouted as she turned. "I never got your name!"

Zantor looked back, the crowd now obscuring her figure from him. "It's..."

The Klaxons rang out once again. Tempest strained to hear his name... R... or? Huh? That was all she got. Tempest turned about and headed to the bridge, knowing both of them had a job to do...

Zantor walked into Sickbay and quickly changed. He began to follow procedure for red alert status, preparing away team kits and casualties.

Ensign Roka Zantor
Medical
USS Scoperta