Editing Lo'ren's Story (section)

==Ari Sia of Bajor and Dr. Tarven of Vulcan==
===Ari Sia in the Mines===
[[Image:Ari_sia.jpg|thumb|right|Ari Sia of Bajor]]

"Keep working!" Glinn Demak yelled at their backs as he stalked the line. Ari Sia swung her tool at the tunnel wall again and again. The Cardassian was fuming, the quota had not been met for weeks and the Legates from Cardassian Central Command were badgering him.

Demak glared at the Bajoran workers, seeming to make it their fault that the dilithium was not coming. Sia knew - just as well as he did - that this mine was now dry, but Central Command didn't care about that. They wouldn't let the work stop long enough to find a new deposit, that would give the Bajorans time to start a revolt.

The officer marched along the line, slowing behind Elis Tam. Tam stumbled and Demak's face warped into a sneer that could only be described as evil. Ari Sia watched the weapon go up. She couldn't stand to watch another beating and do nothing.

"NO!"

Demak stopped with his arm high above his head, startled. In the intervening lull - with the whole work team watching - Ari Sia placed herself between the Cardassian and Elis Tam, pushing her work mate well away.

Demak locked eyes with her. "Move." That one word, hissed as it was, was as menacing at it could get. She trembled, but she held her ground. His eyes flashed fire as he screamed at her defiance.

Demak resumed his swing, adjusting the trajectory of his weapon. Sia heard, but somehow didn't feel, her knee blowing out and her leg shattering. Blow after blow rained down, pulverising her leg and cracking ribs. Just as she blacked out after a blow to the head she saw a Gul come around the corner and catch the weapon in mid-swing.

===Dr. Tarven the Medic===
[[Image:Tarven.jpg|thumb|left|Doctor Tarven of Vulcan]]
Outwardly to anyone who looked, he was calm. Inwardly Tarven was feverish as he worked to save the woman on the table. As thouroughly shattered from top to bottom as she was, it was almost impossible, what with the tools he had - outdated as they were. If he could allow himself to feel anger, Tarven would get very angry that they wouldn't allow new equipment.

The angry Cardassian who had dumped her with him had stated that equipment had fallen on her. Tarven was in doubt of that. "These wounds appear to have been caused by repeated strikes with a blunt object." The Vulcan Doctor spoke aloud, there was no one to respond to him and therefore he could not be harmed for stating his opinion in such a way. It would obviously be construed as a slight on the Cardassian who had inflicted the damage, quite possibly the one who brought her in.

Many times since his arrival on Bajor had Tarven come across such excuses. The Cardassians didn't really care about the Bajoran workers, they only cared that they worked, and to work they needed to be healthy... enough. The call for outside medical help had come and Tarven had responded. He had not been allowed on the planet until it was verified that he was an indepedant - not affiliated with any governing body such as the UFP. Since that time, several months ago, Tarven had worked, alone, in primitive conditions.

The woman squirmed under his hands. She was unconscious, and her body was acting involuntarily but he understood how uncomfortable she must be. He applied a dose of painkiller with his outdated hypospray and continued his work.

===Weeks of Recovery Become the Foundation.===

Ari Sia watched the thin, sandy haired man as he worked. After several weeks being under his ministrations, she could see in his face what most could not. The worker who had come in had walked in under his own power and the wound was minor. Tarven was relieved, he was also tired.

"Miss Ari, please get me some bandages. I require some for this wound." Sia smiled slightly. She knew his aim was to get her to walk, stretching the muscles in her leg and get her blood flowing where the medical equipment couldn't quite reach. She nodded, limped across the room, and retrieving the bandages, she brought them to the Doctor. She placed them on the table beside him. 

"I also require a healing salve, not one for burns however." Some people thought he was brusk in his manner, Sia could hear the kindness underneath though. After all, he was a healer. 

She was reaching the end of her flagging strength as she brought him the container. His fingers touched hers as he took the salve. Sia felt a slight jolt. ~Must be my imagination.~ She thought to herself. ~Or perhaps I'm making too much of my own feelings.~

Tarven of Vulcan let his mind wander slightly as he tended the minor wound. He was thinking of asking the Cardassians to let him train a nurse. Ari Sia was of little use in the mines now, with the amount of injury she had sustained. She would be ideal; also, she seemed to be able to work past his logical exterior, saying or doing things that helped him more than one could guess. He, if a Vulcan could be said to appreciate, appreciated her manner with the patients and with himself.

"Dr. Tarven, I'm spent." Her voice, as tired as it sounded was still alive, and it could bring him nearly to break his emotional barriers. Tarven finished his work, nodded at the tired Bajoran worker, indicating that he could leave, and turned to Ari Sia.

"Perhaps you should sit then, I believe there are no more patients today and I am able to locate the rations. I requested an extra supply of rations as your recovery has become far extended from what I predicted."

Sia smiled a little, "Thank you Doctor Tarven, I suppose I will sit for a while."

===Love Runs Hot===

Tarven was sweating. He felt wild. He struggled to maintain his composure. He had to maintain discipline lest he fail to serve the Bajorans who now trusted him to care for them as they would one of their own.

"Good Morning, Doctor." The voice broke through the haze of emotions boiling beneath the surface. He faced her, chest heaving. Ari Sia - he was now fighting to maintain decorum- let alone discipline.

Sia stopped, something was strange about Tarven today, in fact he had gotten increasingly odd over the last few days. Her concern for him overruled the unspoken commitment of professionalism they shared "Tarven? What is wrong? Are you all right?"

The Vulcan shook his head, almost afraid to speak. She continued, taking a step forward, "What is it? Can I help?"

Tarven's eyes flashed - she was dangerously close to being taken by him without her permission. He grabbed a writing tool and hurridly, violently wrote [I am experiencing Pon Farr, the Blood Fever. I must mate or die. I would choose you. Would you choose me?] It was as much as he could give her - he would have her by force if necesary. Tarven did indeed love her and he wished her to be happy in this, not forced.

Sia read quickly the note shoved at her. Her heart leapt, she had wondered if her feelings were reciprocated, but the barriers had been too complete for her to even think to broach the subject. "Tarven," her eyes glistened with tears as her voice sunk into a whisper, "I have worked with you for a long time now. I have come to care for you deeply. I love you and don't want you to die. Am I truly the one you would choose?"

All he could allow himself was a nod. His voice would not work. She could see tears in his eyes, could see his barriers crumbling in the fire of this Blood Fever.

Her voice strained with worry, fear, and love she blurted the question, "I do choose you! What must I do?" They locked eyes and in that instant they both knew they would forever be husband and wife. The official ceremonies could take place later. He lifted his right hand, two fingers extended and held his left hand out to her. Sia understood, she limped forward and let him guide her fingers to touch his in the correct manner. His face flooded with relief, Tarven moved closer letting his fingers move instinctually, tracing her hand and bringing his other hand to touch her face.

He croaked out the words until his voice was in her head and they spoke as one. "My mind to your mind. Your thoughts to ::my thoughts. We are together. Our minds are parted but never apart. You are my Telsu pudvel-tor (Chosen Mate). My k'hat'n'dlawa (Other Half-Soul/Heart). We are one::

Ari Sia felt her mind expand to include Tarven's in this most intimate of touches. She reached out with her heart and cooled the fires that coursed in his blood, cooled him long enough to survive the day. At the end of the day they would come together again.

===A new life before it's begun.===

Sia wiped tears from her eyes, He had found a way. She had begged him for years for this.

"K'diwa (Beloved), it will be dangerous." He held her eyes with his. Held her soul with his heart.

"I know." She whispered, unable to bring herself to speak louder, "I still would choose this, husband." She leaned her head against his chest. Being alone at night had it's advantages.

He nodded, "I will prepare us both for this. It will not be easy, but we will make it successful. The child must be within you for longer than you would be prepared for. Vulcan children gestate for 10 months, Bajoran children for 5. We must attempt at least something between the two."

She let out a breath, "I don't care about that Tarven. I'll do whatever it takes." Sia wanted a child and she didn't care how long it would take for her to give her husband a baby. If she needed to have the child within her for longer, she would do it.

He was tender as he brushed his hand across her face, letting his mind ghost into hers a little more firmly than the usual mental link they shared. ::Rest now, my love. It will be done.::

She only drifted off to sleep herself when his breathing was deep and even in sleep.