RD: Chapter 16

"Doctor Crusher, come quickly!  She's waking up."  I hear the voice of a woman.  Slowly my eyes open.  I stare blankly at the woman before me.  Suddenly it finally registers in my brain.  What happened to her hair!  It's a bright reddish color.  I have never seen anything like it.  Then I realize she's not Romulan.
"Can you understand me?" asks the woman with red hair.  Slowly my mind races back to my Federation Standard classes.
"Y…Yes," I answer trying to remember those classes.  It feels strange not conversing in my native tongue.
"You speak Standard?" she asks scanning me with what I assume is a tricorder.  
"Yes… to some…extent.  I had classes long ago." I answer.  "Where am I?"
"In our medical bay." She answers quickly.
"What ship?"  I ask.
"The Enterprise."
Good.  Hopeful we are still in Romulan Space.  "Am I a prisoner?" I ask cautiously.
"No, considering your people helped us.  Please excuse me; I have many patients to treat.  Please answer these gentlemen's questions."  The doctor walks away and two men with yellow shirts come up to my bed.
"Would you please answer a few questions Agent t'Lark?" Says one of them to me.  I incline my head.  "Why were you sent here?"
"I was not sending here.  I appeared here." I answer truthfully.
"You mean transported here." Says the other one.  He is blue like the transporter person, but he has no antennae.  Again I incline my head.
"You just happened to Transport here?" Says the other a dark-skinned human.
"Yes.  It was not by choice."
"Where did you transport from?" He asks.
"The Reman Ship."
"What were you doing there?" Asks the blue one.
"That, I'm afraid, is classified."
"On whose authority?" he asks.
"My superiors."
"Very well," says the dark human.  "Are you a member of the Romulan Intelligence Agency known as the Tal Shiar?"
"Yes."
"Are you a crew member of the Valdore?" He asks.
"Yes," I answer again starting to get tired of the questions.
"Prove it." Says his blue companion.  
"I have no…proof, the word is not correct.  You must take my word.  My honor." I answer.
"I'm afraid that is not enough." Says the blue one.
"Do you insult my word?" I growl.
"Ma'am, please understand.  We do not understand your culture.  Is there any other way you can…show us what you say is true?" Says the dark skinned one.
Just then I hear a loud, "Ne'tal!" from across the room.  I look up to see Tarven rushing towards me.  He is completely white, or as white as a Romulan gets.  "Is it you?" He asks in Rihannsu cautiously reaching for my face.  He brushes it gently as if to assure himself I'm real.
"Tarven-jol." I answer him bringing a smile to his face.  
"My Ne'tal," he says quietly trying to control the tears in his eyes.  "We all thought you were dead.  When the Scimitar exploded.  And you're here, alive."  He gently strokes my face somehow sensing that I'm hurt.  "I thought I had lost you forever."
"I told you I was coming back." I answer reaching for my neck.  To my shock though the pendant is gone!  I glance up in surprise.
"I think you have proven that you are who you claim." Says the dark human handing me a package.  "If you are looking for your necklace, it's in there."  
I simple smile at him.  Quickly I open the package.  Inside is the Nei'rrh Pendant.  I pull it out and show it to Tarven.  He smiles and gently clasps the necklace back around my neck.  "Jol-ao au." I whisper to him wrapping my arms around his neck.
"Jol-ao au ru, Passionflower."  He says carefully pulling me closer to him.  I stare at him in surprise.  Passionflower is one of the closest terms of endearment.  It is usually only used between Bond-mates.  He pulls me into a gentle kiss.  We are interrupted by someone clearing their throat.
I look up to see a hard-faced hawk of a woman who must be at lease 175.  On her shoulder belt sets the rank of erie'Aendah and the Medical emblem.  She is clearly Tarven's Superior.  "I'm glad she is alive and relatively in one piece." She says starting at her tricorder.  "But the humans have a klingon officer that could use your expertise, Dr. Aegis."  Tarven nods in submission and with a glance at me walks off towards the direction indicated.  "And Tarven," says the woman slightly softer and with a twinkling in her cold black eyes, "Congratulations."  Tarven bursts into a full smile.
"Well, my dear it is good to finally meet the young Enarrian Lark of whom I have heard so much about." Says the woman taking out her hand held scanner.  "You are getting yourself a fine man.  I hope you are happy together, and have many children."  She scans my shoulder.  "What were you shot with?"
"A Reman weapon.  It had a red beam.  Beyond that I do not know." I answer.  "Is there a problem?"
"No, just that I have never seen a wound like this before and it has a strange residual energy, but should be easily fixable."  She says with drawing her dermal regenerator.  Carefully she runs it over the wound.  I tense at the burning sensation in the wound.  "Strange," says the healer under her breath.  Finally she turns off the dermal regenerator.  "Have you eaten recently?" She asks.
"No, not since before my mission." I answer.
"Ahh, I see.  Go get yourself something to eat and your wounds should heal more fully afterwards.   I see the Federation doctors treated your side wound.  Be careful with your shoulder for the next few days though so it can completely heal."  
"Yes, Ma'am," I answer.  She nods curtly and moves on to another patient. I sigh stretching out my good arm.  I'm ready to return to the Valdore, and then home.