Kylah backs up slightly and, flushing with her murmured 'thank you,' re-ties her bathrobe. She would get dressed entirely but something electric in the air makes her sense urgency, impatience--she cannot even tell if it is coming from her or him. Either way, she must not waste his time. Besides, she does not want him to think she is less comfortable in such an outfit in front of him, as opposed to Graham and Johnson.

When finished, she draws him over to the bed and sits down. "Now please," she says searchingly, caressing his hand. "Tell me how the tests went. You say they were boring? Then they were not painful at all? Invasive?" The memories of her own experience haunt her and she fears Velir might be shielding her from the worst. "No scans or sonic probes?"

* * *

Rangin is beginning to wonder why Kylah seems to not want to let go of him. Sweet though it is, he thought she was a little more sure of herself than as she is acting now. But he puts the worries aside for the moment and beings to relate what happened in Sick Bay.

"It was nothing quite so sinister in being tested. There was the trying to guess the cards test, the guess what I am reading test. They also had a brain scan running while I was shown some pictures. I have no idea how the test went, Dr Villa and Dr T'Var went to study the results behind closed doors, so I honestly don't know what happened. Well, that's not quite true."

Rangin thinks back to the Dr Villa's comments and doubt begins to creep in. "Villa did also say she wanted to run the test results past some colleagues, but I'm sure if there was anything serious I would have been told by now. Then again, she was interested in getting T'Var to try a mind meld with me to see if she could find anything of note."

He looks back across and realises that Kylah has been constantly stroking his hand for the last few minutes. "Kylah, you can stop stroking the back of my hand or you are going to wear it out."

* * * 

At once Kylah lets go, a little hurt by his small joke. She is still trying to understand what he is going through. And now... 

"A mind-meld," she whispers, eyes wide at the thought. Even the medical procedures she underwent had not been as terrifying a prospect. "Is it even safe? With T'Var having been controlled by Mr. Palver..." 

Kylah stands up, walking away from Velir before turning back. "What if it is a plot? Perhaps Palver found some way of--of transmitting a message or scheme from one person to another through their minds, like a virus?" She sinks back on the bed. "They cannot even tell you how or why you escaped Palver's control, and now they want to let T'Var's consciousness invade yours... No, Velir, I do not think you should allow this!"

* * * 

Rangin is caught slightly off balance by Kylah's protestations and takes a moment to gather himself. "I raised the same points with Dr Villa. T'Var has been through her own battery of tests and has come out clean, no ill effects, no lasting damage as far as they can tell. No, she hasn't tried a mind-meld yet and I was given the option of waiting until Anubis and having a Vulcan from there carry out one instead. [I]If, and I do mean if, it is necessary.[/I] Dr. Villa wasn't even sure it would be."

He looks across at her, something catching at his thoughts. "Kylah, you sound like there is more to it than just a mind-meld. It won't be an invasion, more a sharing. And besides I do trust T'Var to to be respectful of my thoughts at the same time." Rangin shakes his head and rises quickly, the bed reminding him of days past, of things he had done, and he slowly walks across the room and back. "And besides, I'm not going to run away from it, just because it might, possibly, maybe, perhaps be an issue." 

Rangin slumps back down on to the bed, "Please enough of the psi testing. It was very, very tedious and nothing really happened," he says wearily, hoping to change the subject. "How was your day, hopefully more exciting than mine was?"

* * *

Watching him practically collapse on the bed is a relief, at least for a moment. This way Kylah can avoid his eyes, which gives her time to rein in her galloping thoughts. The prospect of a mind-meld clearly does not cause the same visceral response in Velir that it does to her. But then, his thoughts and feelings have always been his own. Kylah does not have that luxury. Especially not after she lost herself so completely on OCIII.

Now, judging his mood, Kylah knows she must not voice any more concerns. This need to censor herself even more than usual worries her. Something has changed, some turning point has been reached in their relationship. Until recently, every moment with Velir made her feel as if their connection was growing stronger. Lately everything she says and does seems to create a wall between them, brick by brick.

"My watch was uneventful," she begins hesitantly. "I... I had a good talk with Lt. Collins in the mess hall. We have reached a new level of understanding. Then Graham arrived and things were... awkward. I left without eating and decided to take a shower, and suddenly he was at the door, wishing to apologize. [I]That[/I] is why I look like this..." Kylah fingers the edge of her robe. "I did not expect him. Then Johnson arrived, and then you. It was almost amusing." She says the last part more in hope than sincerity.

* * *

Rangin relaxes slightly as Kylah starts to talk about what happened, glad the focus is no longer on him and those tests. He has no idea about them, but Kylah seems more worried than he does. 

"Well, it certainly sounds more interesting than trying to guess the pattern on a card. I'll be honest, I was very surprised to see you in this robe chatting away to Mr Graham and Mr Johnson like that, especially out in the corridor." 

He keeps his voice even, wondering if ease in wearing practically nothing was an Elasian thing, although it seems like he was going to be the last person to see anything further. "I did speak with Mr Johnson briefly, though he didn't say what he was here for, just that it was some kind of favour. I will admit," Rangin's head drops slightly to one side as he looks at Kylah, "that it did look slightly farcical. Perhaps I should expect someone hidden in the wardrobe or under the bed."

Rangin smiles, hoping Kylah will also relax as well, though she still seems tense and nervous. "You also mentioned you haven't eaten, well, neither have I. Do you have any plans for later?"

* * *

[I]Johnson. What did he say to Velir?[/I] He must not have mentioned the Ferguson rumor, or Velir would have repeated it--she assumes--but then again, who knows what Johnson and his infernal insinuating jokes might have placed in Velir's mind? Kylah's anxiety rises and she edges nearer to the man on her bed. "[I]You[/I] were my plan for later," she says unthinkingly. "I mean... dining with you." 

She reaches out to lightly touch his knee, hoping to get him to look at her. "That was why Johnson was here. I wanted to please you after the tests, to surprise you with something special. He promised he would return in an hour with whatever he comes up with. You see, he owes me, after a misunderstanding a while back, so I thought he could cook something you like as a favor. Although somehow I seem to have ended up owing him..." 

She frowns. How [I]did[/I] things get turned around in that conversation so that a debt that Johnson promised her turned into something that Kylah must repay herself? 

With a shake of her head she dismisses Johnson from her mind. Velir is right here, next to her, but he seems terribly far away. It is taking every ounce of will not to use her empathic abilities to gauge his emotions. "Does that make you happy?" she asks, searching his eyes for something, anything. "To know I was thinking of you?"