The Lesson

T'learn wanted to learn to use the Bat'leth.  Skaren had promised to start her training and since the city was still recovering from the last storms, and now they are off duty.  It was sunrise and she left to head to the gym that at this hour would be almost empty.  She'd worked the night shift and he was working the second watch and she had third watch again.  She arrived at the gym and entered.  Skaren was in a private training area warming up.

Skaren stretched his muscles, moving on the Kingdom art of Mok'bara. He knew this was the ultimate way to relax and on the same time to be ready for battle. He looked over his shoulders when he heard a sound, he saw it was his partner, good she was at least on time for her lesson.

She waved and walked over and set her gym bag down and started stretching and warming up.  *She'd learned to use the staff in martial arts how much more difficult could this be?* She smiled and ready to tackle this and prove herself in his eyes.

"I see you are ready, now you are ready to begin, we will learn how to hold this weapon. The thing is blunt, but you can still hurt someone with this, so expect some bruises later on in the lessons. The real weapon is sharp of course, but we start with the official training Bat'leth." He handed her one.

Instead of starting with the edged weapon he'd decided to practice some of the moves with a blunt practise Bat'leth.  Both of them had weapons and warmed up and doing some drills that he taught her as they go.  She was paying attention but she was tired and she blinked at the wrong time and out of the corner of her eye without enough time to duck or block she caught the blow to the side of her head and dropped to the ground like a sack of rocks.

"I see more lessons are in order." He threw the weapon on the ground and kneeled next to her. "T'Learn?" He checked her vitals, she was breathing but it was quite a blow, he found a bleeding wound and tapped his commbadge. [Ensign Skaren to medical, I have a wounded with a head wound.]

[I’ll initiate an emergency medical transport. Whatever you do don’t move her]

Within moments, Skaren and T’Learn disappeared in the blue lights of a transporter. As they reappeared, Dr. Rahel Kahfre was there to meet them with a couple of her nurses. As she saw T’Learn and scanned her, she took a moment to look at Skaren.

“How did this happen?” she asked, but already suspecting.

"She did not avoid a blow from my side. I hit her while practising with a blunt Bat'leth." He replied calm.

“I see… And how long has see been unconscious?” she asked.

"Not long, 5 minutes I think." The Klingon replied.

“All right, why don’t you go out into the waiting room. I’ll call you back as soon as I know something,” she said, setting out to give T’Learn a more detailed exam.

Before Skaren could say anything else, he was ushered from the room by a couple of nurses.

Skaren paced up and down the waiting area, hospitals were not his greatest hobby, but he was concerned about his partner. He blamed himself, that he thought she would have been able to divert the blow. He often forgot his own strength..

T'learn woke up in the medical centre with a beautiful blond woman humming some song softly while she cleaned and inspected a very sore spot on her head.  T'learn didn't remember having an accident on duty, or had she?  "Excuse me...can you tell me what happened?"

”Apparently you had a training session with a blunt Bat’leth, but I’m afraid the Bat’leth won . .” she smiled.

"Where is Skaren?  He must be worried, stop fussing with my head and let me go talk to Ensign Skaren!"

Rahel held her down gently, but firmly. “You’re not going anywhere at the moment. But I can call for him if you’d like. He’s in the waiting room waiting to hear how you’re doing.”

"Why does my head hurt?"  T'learn asked not remembering the conversation of several minutes before...  Go get Skaren."

Skaren looked up when he saw a nurse enter; she told him he could come in now, to see his partner. He followed her inside the door and looked at the doctor and T'Learn who was not accepting being treated.

"Feeling better I hope?" He asked with a wry smile, and worry in his eyes.

"Yeah, other then this tremendous headache, and the fact she is taking her time closing the laceration I received from a dull Bat'leth blade...I'm ready to walk home.  I need to get some sleep before I go on duty at a2300 hrs.  And you need to have a nap before you go on at 1500.  "What happened?  Why does my head hurt?"  She asked for about the third time in the last hour.

"You thought you could avert a blow, and I did not even give you a hard time, I went easy on you, but you were distracted, you were dreaming, and if you do that in combat, you will die." Skaren said. "And if you go home, it is not for you to decide."

"What do you mean, "if I go home...not for me to decide?"  She looked first at Skaren and then over at Dr. Kahfre, and asked, "You are sending me home right?"

She shook her head. “I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but I’ll need to keep you . . . I think you might have suffered some damage to the area of the brain that stores the short term memory . .”

"Keeping me...oh no.  I'll be just fine in my quarters.  Besides I have duty tonight, and my boss Logan isn't going to be happy to hear that I'm out with a slight braining."

”I think he’ll understand,” Rahel replied with a gently smile.

"Common, Skaren, get me out of here..." She said sitting up on the examination table.

I don’t think so,” Rahel said as again she gently but firmly pushed T’Learn back against the bed. “You’ll be staying and no, he can’t help you”

"Sorry no can do, I have orders from our superior not to help you, our reputation was clearly passed on." He sighed and it was clear he did not like this. "You have to do as the doc says, I am very sorry." 

"Ah hell!"  She muttered as she lay back down on the table and rubbed her temple trying to silence the pounding.  "Someone is going to have to contact the chief of Security and let him know I won't be on duty then." 

”I think I can handle that,” Rahel replied. “In fact, a copy of my report will be sent to Commander McQueen momentarily.

Short time later T'learn Demarco was taken up to a private room that was cool and dark with a nice comfy bed.  She was just about to curl up with the blanket around her when a hypospray made contact with her neck..."something for the headache and concussion syndrome.  Sleep well." And the door closed behind Dr. Kahfre as she stepped out to let the Ensign sleep.

Skaren went home and resumed his duties, but he wanted to continue with the Bat'leth training, she learned her lesson, he hoped it at least. He knew a blow like that, even though not given at full strength could give you at least a heavy concussion.. And he had seen the face of the doctor, he had seen she was dizzy and disorientated. And he knew a brain was nothing to mess with. That and that alone was the reason for him, not to help her. He had not even spoken with anyone because he was in the hospital the whole time.

He hoped she would forgive him....

The next day she was feeling better still had a headache but she was able to walk around her room and do a few things for herself.  She wondered If Skaren would come visit today or if he'd worked her shift too.

Skaren did not show up that day, he was indeed shoved up her shift as well, but that same evening she could hear someone knock. Skaren had really had it, he had worked 18 hours and he had not slept more than two hours the night before.

"Hello?"  She called out to whom ever was knocking.

“It is me, Skaren," came the reply.

"Come in."  She called sitting on the edge of her bed, trying to figure out what time it was.  "How are you, Skaren?"

"Fine, working double shifts, and I am worried about you." He sighed and sat down tiredly in the chair next to her bed.

"I'm fine, and hoping when they make morning rounds that the doctor will discharge me home to quarters.  I only have a little headache and residual bump.  I could stand my own shifts."  The half Vulcan female said noting how tired Skaren was looking.  "Go home and take a rest, and stop worrying about me.  I was the one daydreaming when we were sparing."

He narrowed his eyes. "Daydream one time more under my lessons and I will never teach you anything again!"

"It hadn't been intentional.  Next time both of us should be well rested before you try to teach me something.  So go get some sleep before you get sick or injured on duty for not being right on!"

"I am not tired." He stiffened a yawn.

"Liar."  She grabbed his arm and pulled him up out of the chair and pushed him out the door.  As soon and that physician sees me I'll call you. Good night."

As Skaren disappeared down the hall, Rahel watched with a smile before she entered T’Learn’s room. As she saw her standing, she smiled

“Feeling better, I take it.” Rahel said.

"I have a headache, but don't see why you are keeping me? But if you think its necessary then I can abide by your order for the night."  She said relaxing

“Well, we’ll see how you are in the morning. If you’re still doing all right, I’ll consider letting you go. But I want you to go easy with the Bat’leth training. Even that can be dangerous, as you’ve experienced.”

"Yeah, will be more rested next time I try it."  She smiled.

“I’ve gone through Bat’leth training myself,” Rahel said. “It’s an impressive weapon to know and the skills always come in handy.”

"Maybe you should match Skaren." 

Rahel smiled. “Well, get some sleep. I’ll have a nurse come in with another dose of pain meds for you . . . See you in the morning.”

With that, Rahel left the room for the rest of her rounds.

Skaren sighed and walked home, he fell on his bed without even taking off his uniform, and was soon fast asleep.