Gossip

            Riaan returned to the sick bay more slowly than she’d left it. She relieved Tanner after hearing nothing had changed on their patient. All of a sudden, exhaustion overcame her, combined with some guilt over her last words to Jon over a stupid cup of coffee. No, it was more than coffee, of course. She’d left him alone with their daughter, her son, and gone to discover and hone her métier. Perhaps he had found the company of someone other than a Starfleet officer who could diffuse the space she’d left open.

            She looked at Jon, then at his bio signs, and resigned herself to the portable bed a crewman had rolled in. She had no plans of sleeping, but emotional fatigue dogged her down. A thick strip of padded white gauze covered the old-fashioned sutured gash but also encircled his skull to keep the pressure on. She loosened it slightly to let some blood return to the wound and begin healing. She checked the wave generator on his forehead and found it working as designed, displaying the low delta waves in one corner of the monitor. She lightly brushed a heavy shock of hair to one side just to be sure nothing interfered with its function.

            Captain Mitchell came in and joined Riaan at Archer’s bed.

            “I had no idea he was so banged up when we grabbed him. I hope we didn’t make it worse.” Riaan shook her head.

            “Don’t think so. What else could you have done? What about Phlox?”

            “He’ll be calling in as soon as they have a connection. Within the hour.”

            They stood in silence, in friendship.

            “You’ve known Jon a long time,” Riaan said.          

“More than 20 years, give or take. We go back to test flight days.”

            “Can I ask you something?” Mitchell nodded slightly. “I heard something and can’t decide if I should worry about it.”

            “Worry never solves anything. Only decisions and actions, Commander.”

            “He’s a man of his word?”

            “I’m surprised you’re even asking.”

            “Honest?”

            “To a fault. The man can’t lie to save his life. Not when it comes to an outright denial. What’s on your mind, Doctor?”

            “He was angry with Lieutenant Tanner and I can’t figure out why. He seemed angry with me, and I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s a human thing, I don’t know.”

            “He’s honest with his emotions, too. Ask his last first officer, Captain T’Pol.”

            “You’re human.”

            “Last time I checked.”

            “I’m confused.” They walked a few paces away and sat sown. “Your culture is not polygamous.”

            “Not for a century at least." the captain started to laugh. "What’s going on, Riaan?”

            “I heard that, in my absence, the lady who helps take care of Ariannaa has gotten close to him, spending a lot of time at our home, morning to night…night to morning.”

            “You’re think he's, uh, with...the babysitter?”

            “I’ve learned a lot about human culture in the last two years. But I still don’t understand the complexity of male and female relationships. He’s never mentioned marriage. It’s so much simpler on Akal.”

            “Indeed. You’re right, a lot of powerful men, human men, will take advantage of such opportunities. Not Jonathan. I'd bet my command the thought never even crossed his mind.”

            “That’s not all.”

            “Don’t listen to gossip, Riaan. That story’s not true.”

            “What story?”

            “What story are you talking about?” Mitchell asked. The com in the doctor’s office signaled an incoming call.

            “Doctor,” Sato called. “Phlox is on the com for you.”

            “Patch him through, now!”