A most promising place, for the lonely heart.....

He looked at her with a strange look. However, he could not doubt the feelings that were arising from within. She was beautiful, but it felt like she had much to learn in life. She reminded him of an experiment that the empire had once been apart of when they made the Romulan/Borg alliance. The experiment was shut down and the documents destroyed, but he never forgot his first friend. He looked at her again and wrapped his arms around her. He wondered why she wanted promises. He could not safely and responsibly promise anything. He didn't want to disappoint her, but he did not want to give her assurances that he could not guarantee. He said, "I can't promise knowing that the variables against our eventual union. However," he continued, "I will give the possibility all of my attempt. I will be here for you for a very long time seeing as you are my only friend and I need you as much as you apparent needing me." He smiled at her hoping that she would be happy with that much. He truly desired to eventually be with her and in love.

She smiled up at him putting her left on his face." That is all I want.. Is that you will attempt to feel things and not shove them away." She looked over him." Why do you like at me like I am a specimen that you study?"She was smiling and a twinkle in her eye as she waited for him to answer.

Kaol looked at her with a worried expression. The question had brought up mixed emotions about how he should answer and he wasn't sure how to do it. Would she judge him unfit to be her friend or companion in this strange place? She had to know what he'd done. He had committed such atrocities in his life, in the name of the Tal'Shiar and in the name of scientific discovery. He had been a puppet for so long that even when he was given his own ship to study abroad and unhindered; he still had to report everyday to the people that had given him his ship and tools. They had expected results and in the Academy he'd learned to give results or suffer dire circumstances. He had indeed killed living, breathing, and feeling creatures both sentient and non sentient. How could he respond to Audrey? I look at you like that because I used to study creatures like you. I used to test different theories on creatures like you and they died from my experimentation. I look at you because people like you are specimen to study, exploit, and mutilate in the name of the Romulan Star Empire. He thought to himself all these things and realized that his lessons and learning were all wrong. It was not right to take life for the advancement of science. It was not right to test on living tissue to watch the effects deleterious or not. It wasn't moral to harm people or animals to stop another person from dying of a disease. He looked at her beautiful innocent eyes, "You remind me of a time when I was a monster and did horrible things because my masters told me to." Kaol looked away after giving her a small confession of his atrocities. He couldn't bear to see the disappointment in her face or show her the shame on his. He could only lower his head in doubt and fear. Fear of losing his only friend and possible future because of his tortured past.

She looked up at him smiling." Everyone has a past Kaol. You may think yours is horrible, but who am I to judge?I have done things I am not proud of. I have killed before."She looked over him"We do what we must to survive." She then smiled again with a sparkle of un-shed tears. She wrapped her arms around him tighter. She leaned into his chest smelling his scent. She just wanted to take it in just in case he didn't want her anymore.

She was understanding, but why? Kaol could only guess that she truly did understand. She has had to do things to, to survive. He looked at her hugging him and then thought of something interesting; what would they do now? He was unsure and thought about the possibilities. They could eat, read, talk, or walk; he thought of other things that a typical man would think of, but decided on the fact that it wasn't a relevant choice at this juncture. He realized that asking her might be a more prudent action. He hugged her slightly and asked, "Audrey, what would you like to do now? We have time to get to know one another; what would you like?"

She looked over him and took a deep breath and stepped out of his embrace. "Kaol I want you to study me. You can't cut me but you may take my blood and no cuts the will scar." She smiled she knew he would want.. She wanted to give this to him. This was her was of giving him her. Her mind, her body, and her soul. She looked over him with her bright green eyes that changed to white. "Want me in wolf form first?"

Kaol was confused at her request. Why did she want him to do that? He didn't understand the fascination that she had in him. It was as clear as day and he just didn't understand the sudden attachment to him. He felt like the experiment and it made him nervous. He now knew the small feeling that the gut obtained in situations that he had put many races and people in. He didn't question it, however, she seemed volatile and he did not want to upset the man known as Lex. Kaol wasn't stupid and he'd played that game once; he didn't want to test his luck too much. He nodded slowly and motioned to her to walk with him. He looked back at her, "That is ok stay human...oid for now dear Audrey, I need to walk and talk to you while we go to the area that I saw the tools used for that in." He kept looking at her as he offered her his hand and asked, "May I ask some questions?" He smiled to her as not to alarm her.

Audrey took Kaols hand and looked over him smiling at him. "Of course. I am an open book ask me anything you'd like." She looked down and the floor taking in a deep breath. " I will help you as much as I can."

He smiled at her willingness to help. He decided to indulge himself, "What draws you to me?" He asked out of concern because this very thing was eluding him. He continued though, before she could answer, "How do you change in between forms? Is there a catalyst that causes you to change or do you do it at will?" The questions came out like fire through a forest. It spread so quickly out of him that he realized that he was getting ahead of himself. He turned and smiled at her, "Sorry dear I didn't mean to unleash myself upon you." He walked into a room and over to a table.

Audrey followed Kaol and looked at the table. She walked over and hopped onto it sitting her her legs crossed. "There is something in the air that surrounds you that draws me to you. I can change voluntarily most of the time unless another magic forces me into it." She looked over him her eyes where a soft white color with a mixer of blue. "Anything else you would like to know?"

Kaol began to ready the components for the withdraw of blood. He wanted to study it through the crude instrument near him. He found that this place was indeed barbaric. They used needles instead of genetic extractors, which was the Romulan equivalent to the Federation's hypo spray. He began to ready the needle and decided to apologize early, "If you decide not to go through with this, dear Audrey, I will understand. They have very crude instruments here, like this needle. I am adept at finding veins, but I am sorry for any discomfort." He didn't want to offend her. He had appreciated her honesty, however, he was concerned with the thing that was in the air around him. Though it drew a beautiful woman; could it be dangerous? He finished putting the needle together and moved quickly to the microscope nearby. He made sure that it worked and checked all components. He searched for water and lit up a small burner. He poured the water into a small bowl shaped cup sitting over the burner. He continued to look for his next set of materials. He found a set of gloves and placed them still in their box near Audrey. He moved over and looked at her eyes. He wanted to do some preliminary tests. He smiled warmly at her and found a secondary burner. He asked, "Do you mind if I do some harmless testing while I wait for the water to heat up?" He decided to explain it to her out of courtesy, "I will test your visual acuity, your reflexes, and your heart rate." He touched her hand softly and lightly trying to reassure her that everything would be alright. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable so he removed it immediately asking her in the process, "Do you have any questions Audrey?"

Audrey didn't wince at the needle, she just looked over Kaol. " Do you find me attractive? What do you want to learn about me and my species? And have you ever felt alone in a world that is just cold?" She looked over him her bright blue eyes waiting for his answers. She wanted to know everything about him. " You may test anything you want my body is yours." She leaned back on the table relaxing a little bit.

Kaol, astonished by the questions, was more taken aback by her final statement. Her body was his? He may have been a scientist, but he was still a man and that was like putting gasoline on an already lit flame. He took a moment to get control of all, but one of his functions. The last function was out of his hands and had a mind of its own. He did, however, have to answer her with the same alacrity and honesty the questions she had given him. He nervously cleared his throat and coughed as he began to answer her questions, "I hope to learn about any healing abilities through your blood. If I can then perhaps I can synthesize, to some degree, cures to diseases. I can also enhance other people's natural white blood cells with any findings in your blood. You have remarkable shape shifting talents and I believe that there is more to you than meets the eye." He smiled at her warmly as he continued to prepare for the blood draw. He continued, "I have felt alone much of my life, dear Audrey. My parents died just after I was born. They were considered traitors by my government and put to death. I was alone in orphanages and grew up with science. My government had sent me on a solo mission of geological and technological study only recently. I have never had siblings and never been married. I have never had a significant other, not even a girl friend." He turned and brought all the materials over including the near boiling water. He smiled slightly, "Not all has been horrible, though, because I got to meet a lovely woman like you, Audrey." He continued to work by pouring the near boiling water on his hands, which caused him to wince, and putting the gloves on after do that. He brought up the needle and used some alcohol on her skin. He looked at her before putting the needle in, for he had found her vein quite quickly, and said, "Yes, Audrey, I find you very very beautiful." As he said that he stuck the needle in quite expertly and withdrew the blood. Taking the needle out quickly and painlessly he placed a small bandage over the wound and looked at her, "An effervescent flower in today's garbage filled world, any other questions dear?" He asked the question as he moved a slide that had her blood on it under the microscope.

Her nose crinkled when she smelled the blood but she smiled looking over him. "If you find me so beautiful and haven't had anyone in a long while, why do resist the pull between us?" She was now looking at the ceiling. " I have never let someone do testing on me even though I guess I should have. I never trusted anyone though." She got quiet and bit her bottom lip. " The only way you are going to see how fast I can heal is by cutting into me." She turned smiling at him. "If it could help people you may do it and take as much blood as you want." Her eyes never left his face. " I heal faster when I am in my wolf form though. Do you think that perhaps you could make mortals like me if you learned how my blood works?" The thought of him being like her made her smile brightly. She was hoping by letting him do all this to her that it might let them grow closer together.

He observed her reactions to the blood and smiled at the cute way her nose crinkled. He wasn't sure what was making her commit to that face, but he had a feeling it was the blood. He too had enhanced senses, however, he had worked around blood so much that the copper smell had no effect on his sense of smell. He looked at her as she asked her questions and the curious way she was asking them. She rarely maintained eye contact which suggested one of two things with him; she was one, embarrassed or two, extremely curious with the world around her. He smiled slightly and answered, "I do not resist the pull between us, however, I do not wish to take advantage of you. As beautiful as you are; I have never encountered a woman that was so enamored with me. I have never encountered a woman in which I too have been so enamored with as well. So, I have to take it slow and steady as too not hurt you or force you into something you may not want to do." He tried to keep the fact out that he also had been a practitioner of the teachings of Surak as well, in an attempt to purge all emotion. If there was one thing clear about that and it was that she brought out the best emotions from him. As she continued to talk, however, he began to rest more into his position. He looked at the remarkable genome of the girl and smiled astonishingly at the healing properties that her helix had. The atoms in her body had added on a few more 'than normal' particles to the double helix that made up her genetic makeup. He made note that she regretted not allowing such testing to occur previously so he made a point to explain to her the folly of such thoughts. He looked up and said, "You shouldn't let just anyone test on you, though, it is a tremendous opportunity for me personally. However, some scientists don't care for the subjects or their needs and that can be a fatal mistake for both of them. I am, though, an experienced scientist and will care for your needs, I will go over anything I want or need to do with you, and I will ensure your safety first." Her statements began to intrigue him and he stood up from the scientific equipment. He tilted his head having allowed his emotions to come through for the moment, "My dear I am a scientist and have charted healing abilities before. Though, the trial experiment is an important part of the discoveries; I can still chart your healing abilities simply by observing your genetics through this microscope." His abilities made him proud of himself and his accomplishments, even if he'd only recently within the last few years discovered the moral ethics to added to his abilities. His smile diminished slightly when she suggested him making mortals like her, though. He shook his head, "As wonderful as it would be to share in your abilities, my dear Audrey. I will not be able to make people, not like you or like me. My expertise does not extend that far or in that direction. Genetics is not my forte. Geology and shifting technology is my forte, so I am sorry if I disappoint you. As far as your abilities go," he continued, "they are limited to your beautiful race." He so did want to grow close to her and little did he realize that his hand had crept to hers as he had explained his inability to clone or create life.

Audrey smiled at the touch of his warm hand. She looked over taking in everything he had said. She wasn't sure what was happening but she liked it. " Kaol, Tell me what it's like where you come from. What are your people like? I know they were cruel to you in ways but in every evil thing there is some good." She bit her bottom lip after saying this. She shouldn't pry, but she wanted to know everything about him. Even more then that she wanted to keep the small contact that they had finally made. She took a deep breath, something inside her stirring. She hadn't felt this way since she was and adolescent. She flushed bright red when she thought of how badly she did want and need his touch during all of this and that it was the soul reason she agreed to let him do his experiments on her.

He looked at her with a quiet voice of alarms going off into his head. He didn't want to explain the bad parts of his life or his people anymore. He thought the good parts were just as important as the bad parts. He swallowed hard and began, "My people originated from a planet called Vulcan. Millenniums ago a sect of my people left Vulcan when a teaching of logic was taking root in the old society. The Vulcans that left settled on a planet called Romulus. There we flourished as a society. My people are no different from other societies. We value art, poetry, talents, love, and desire many things in our lives to make us happy. My planet is beautiful from the Hall of State to the Falls of Romulus." He looks at her affectionately, "You are right that there is good in the bad and my people apply to that as well."

*As she listened her heart grew softer knowing that he grew up in a world so void of everything. Emotions there weren't prized like they were where she was from. She looked down thinking for a moment and then decided touch him and pull him in close. She closed her eyes and kissed him feeling the rush of their energies mixing together. She didn't let go. She just wanted him for that moment to feel nothing but pure happiness.*