The BLTS Archive- Casualities of War
by T'Lin (LinkyS@aol.com)

---

Note: Written for the Doctor Fuh-q Fest Round II

Note 2: All dialog in the language of the Rihannsu came from
MrKlingon.org - the home of the universal translator project -
http://www.mrklingon.org/uta/GALDict.html

Archiving: ASC/EM, BLTS, DFF and my own web site --
all others, please ask.

Disclaimer: Paramount/Viacom own the STAR TREK universe. It is such a
lovely universe, I love to play in it ... I promise to return
everything to its proper place when I am done. I intend no copyright
infringement, nor do I make any money off of this ... I do it for the
pleasure it brings me, and hopefully my readers.

This original piece of fanfiction belongs to T'Lin, ŠJune 2001.

---

Sickbay was overflowing with casualties ... it had been one of those
days when nothing seemed to go well. Once again, the Federation's
forces were forced into retreat ... the outcome of this war was
looking very bleak.

Tomalak strode in, surveying the casualties, searching for his own
people. He had been injured, but only in a minor way ... the cut over
his eye had bled a great deal, and his arm may be broken, but these
were minor in comparison to the patients awaiting attention in the
ward.

Tomalak was a seasoned veteran ... war was nothing knew to him ... but
this constant retreat was not what he was used to. It wore on his
nerves, and made him irritable. Of course, he had been resistant to
the Rihanh becoming involved in this conflict, but it had not been his
decision to make.

Suddenly, there was a commotion across the ward. Tomalak, as curious
as the next person, followed the nurse to the curtained-off area. As
the curtain was drawn back, allowing for more medical personnel to
enter, Tomalak saw his second in command, T'Vek, thrashing in pain.

The Doctor was trying to subdue him with little effect ... the wiry
human was no match for the delirious Rihanh. Forgetting his own
injuries for the moment, Tomalak made his way to his comrade, using
his one good arm to hold him down, saying, "T'Vek ... khoi
sthea'hwill! Hwiiy hiakhan. Ssuej-d'ifv?"

Instantly, his thrashing ceased, as T'Vek looked into the eyes of his
superior office. "Daie, Riov." Raising his hand to his chest, he tried
to offer his superior officer a salute, but Tomalak grabbed his hand,
seeing the effort it was taking for this sign of respect from the one
he loved.

"Lhui, daehlen ... faedhe stev," and at his command, T'Vek closed his
eyes. As the grip of T'Vek's hand slacked off, Tomalak diverted his
attention to the doctor, "He will not fight you now, Doctor. I have
told him he is gravely injured, and that he must rest. Do what you can
for him ..." and his words trailed off, for he knew there was little
that could be done.

---

Tomalak was in the observation port, staring into space, or perhaps a
far more distant place, when Bashir found him. It had been hours since
the battle, and the call for retreat. It seemed as if days had passed,
as Bashir worked diligently to treat the wounded.

In the end, his efforts were less than satisfactory, as nearly two
dozen beings lost their lives this day, including T'Vek.

Bashir had been searching for Tomalak for the past twenty minutes. He
knew that the Romulan Commander would want to be told personally about
the death of his officer. After all, it was apparent to him that the
two were far more to each other than just comrades-in-arms. At least,
if his knowledge of the Romulan language was accurate.

As Bashir opened his mouth to speak, he was startled by Tomalak's
softly spoken words, "He is dead, is he not?" 

"Yes, I am sorry, sir ... his injuries were far too extensive ..."

Tomalak turned and interrupted the doctor, saying, "I know ... I
sensed it when I took his hand. I do not blame you for his death, nor
do I ask compensation." There was a faraway look in his eyes, one that
Bashir knew all too well ... the look of a bereaved spouse who knew
death had been imminent, yet still not believing that it has come.

"I grieve with thee." It seemed so inadequate, yet Julian could think
of nothing else to say. Tomalak, however, seemed to understand, bowing
his head slightly in acknowledgment. He came away from the viewport,
and staggered slightly. Reaching out to steady the Romulan, Julian
realized that he had not had his own wounds treated. "Come, Tomalak,
let me fix that arm of yours ... it will do you no good to let it set
improperly."

"You are correct, of course," he said, acknowledging the doctors
concern, even if he could not really find it within himself to make
the trip back to the sickbay. Bashir, knowing that he was in a state
of shock, physically lead the commander to sickbay where he could set
the bone in his arm, and seal the cut over his eye. The bleeding had
stopped some time ago, but Bashir did not want to chance infection.
The sooner he treated the wounds, the better.

---

He had the Romulan Commander fixed up in no time, but was still
concerned over his state of mind.

His refusal to stay for observation was disconcerting, considering all
he had been through. 'Time for a compromise,' Bashir thought as he
asked, "Commander, would you like me to help you to your ship?" It was
the least he could do, knowing that the walk from the infirmary to the
docking ring could be arduous at the best of times ... but in
Tomalak's condition, it could be downright disorienting.

The concern in the doctors voice surprised Tomalak. In his experience,
most human's viewed the Rihanh with distrust and suspicion ... he was
not accustomed to hearing such compassion from them. He thought about
the doctor's offer for a moment, then answered, "yes ... I do believe
I would."

As he stood, he experienced a moment of vertigo and clutched the side
of the diagnostic bed for support. The doctor was quickly at his side,
saying, "lean on me ... you had a bit of a concussion, and may
experience some dizziness for a while."

Tomalak hesitated, wondering exactly how much support he could expect
from such a slim human. He draped his arm over the doctor's shoulder,
and was surprised by the strength he felt in the smaller man's arm
around his waist. "Hmm ... you are stronger than you look, I would
think."

"Yes ... looks can be deceiving," he said with a smile. Once Tomalak
had been on his feet, with the doctor's support, he asked, "do you
feel up to the journey now, Commander? If not, we can rest here a bit
longer."

"No, now that I am up, it is best to keep moving ... I need to sleep,
but I should do that on my ship, don't you agree?" Tomalak had an odd
expression on his face, one that Bashir could not interpret. After a
moment of contemplation, he concluded that it reminded him of Garak,
and his secretive ways. He had learned to read the Cardassian like a
book, but had to forcefully remind himself that this was *not* Garak
he was dealing with.

Ever leery, he agreed that a good nights sleep was in order, and
sleeping in ones own bed was always preferable to a hospital ward.
Whether or not sleep was what was on the Commander's mind, however,
was the question. He had just lost his second in command ... a man who
was, apparently, also his lover. Combine that with all the other
circumstances surrounding the days battle and retreat ... Bashir
mentally shrugged, 'if he were human, he would be a prime candidate
for a suicide attempt.' The thought sent shivers down his spine.

As they made their way to the docking ring, he wondered, 'did Romulans
commit suicide?' Oh, on a large scale, when it was a matter of 'die or
be captured', he knew they did, but when it came to individuals
suffering from loss and depression, he didn't have a clue ... but he
told himself that tonight would not be the night he found out.

It was a slow trip, and although Tomalak seemed to gain strength as
they went along, he continued to walk arm in arm with Bashir ...
drawing the attention of everyone they passed along the way. It was
not so much the fact that there were two men, walking arm in arm down
the corridor, but that one of them was Romulan ... Bashir found this
almost amusing, and commented to Tomalak, "you'd hardly guess there
were over one-hundred species represented on this station, considering
all the stares we've been getting ... I mean, it's not as if they've
never seen a Vulcanoid before, right?"

"I can only assume it is the apparent intimacy of our association that
has them puzzled, and the fact that I am Rihannsu ... for it is
obvious that I am no Vulcan ...for a Vulcan would never allow himself
to be in this position." There was a trace of humor in the statement,
which Bashir took to be a good sign.

They fell silent once more, as they entered the lift ... Tomalak gave
the doctor a bit of a reprieve, as he leaned against the back wall of
the lift. When it came to a halt, Bashir automatically offered his
assistance once more, and it was accepted without hesitation. "Almost
there," Bashir assured the Commander, seeing that his strength was
once again failing him ... he was obviously tiring from the long walk.

They entered the airlock, and as it cycled to allow entrance to the
ship, Tomalak seemed to gather himself. As the inner door opened,
Tomalak stood proud, and declined the doctors offer of assistance.
Striding purposefully onto the Bird-of-Pray, he was met by the
Antecenturion who saluted sharply, saying, "Aefvadh, Riov."

"Khnai'ra, Erein." He then turned to Bashir, saying, "you have been of
great service to me this day ...I would like to share a drink with
you, if you would be so kind as to join me ...?" and he gestured
toward the corridor.

It was apparent to Bashir that Tomalak needed help getting to his
quarters, but did not want the lowly Antecenturion to know this. "I
would be honored," he said, as he followed the Commander through the
door. When Tomalak noted that the corridor was empty, he slumped
against the wall. Bashir was there instantly, and once again offered
his arm in support.

The short trip to the Commander's quarters was entirely uneventful ...
for the ship was nearly deserted, with many of the crew dead or
injured. Those that remained were making repairs to the engines, in
preparation for the return journey to ch'Rihan.

Tomalak sank into the nearest chair as soon as the door to his outer
office closed, and looked up at Bashir with gratitude in his eyes. "I
thank you, my friend ... I could not have made it back here without
your assistance."

Bashir smiled, saying, "my pleasure ... besides, I never would have
let you attempt the trip on your own. You should get some sleep."

"Yes, I know ... but first, I owe you a drink." and he stood, a bit
unsteadily, and Bashir was at his side at once. "I'll be fine, I just
stood up too fast," he said. Taking a deep breath, he stepped away
from the supporting grip of the good doctor and made his way to the
small cabinet recessed into the wall above his desk. He retrieved a
bottle and two glasses, and by the distinctive blue coloring, Bashir
knew he was going to have his first taste of Romulan Ale.

Tomalak poured a generous amount for each of them, and handed Bashir a
glass. Lifting his own in salute, he said, "Iudaiht nuhur daehlen'lar
...il"ukiudh hwia fvi uaefvalhuneitrde'h'n daevire!"

"Yes," Bashir replied, to let Tomalak know he understood his toast,
"one should never forget lost friends," and he took a generous sip of
the blue ale. He gasped for breath, eyes watering, as the slightly
syrupy liquid burned the back of his throat.

"Ah ... your first time, I presume," Tomalak said with a bit of a
smile. "Give it a minute, then take another sip ... once you have
gotten over the initial shock, you will come to appreciate the finer
qualitites of our ale."

Julian had been surprised ... he had heard about Romulan Ale, but he
had assumed that the rumors about it had been exaggerated, just as
they had for most alcoholic beverages. Boy, was he wrong!

As the burning sensation diminished, he took another tentative sip,
and as it slid down his throat, a warmth suffused his whole being,
making him tingle from the top of his head to the tip of his toes ...
it was the most intoxicating sensation he had ever felt.

He smiled, and Tomalak smiled back, seeing that the effects were not
lost on his human companion. "That is better, yes?"

"Much ... wow ... this is powerful stuff," he said, swaying slightly
as he took another sip.

"Yes ... very powerful." Tomalak said, as he took the glass from
Julian's hand and placed it on a nearby table. Putting his arm around
the younger man, he led him further into the room, and directed him to
a lounge-like seat.

Suddenly, Tomalak no longer seemed quite so vulnerable to Bashir ...
'could his incapacity have been a ruse', Julian thought, as the older
man helped him to recline on the unusual piece of furniture. As he
fought the urge to lie down, the room began to spin, and he gave in,
closing his eyes.

Minutes passed as the spinning sensation ebbed. When the lounge
shifted slightly, he opened his eyes to see Tomalak sitting on the
edge, placing their glasses on the small table by his head. "Forgive
me ... I had no idea that the unique qualities of our Ale would affect
you so rapidly, or so intensely," and he gently brushed the hair out
of Julian's eyes, and caressed his face as he continued, "I had hoped
to spend some time talking ... getting to know you, as it were, before
... well ..."

Julian was very aware of the fact that he was aroused ... a fact that
Tomalak was also aware of. The aphrodisiac qualities of Romulan Ale
was one of the things that Julian had assumed to be just a rumor ...
he had obviously assumed wrong. Not that he minded, really ... after
all, Tomalak was very attractive, and 'his type', as it were ... but
Tomalak had just lost his lover ...and Julian was his physician ...
regardless of mutual attraction, this was not a good idea, in his
opinion.

Of course, the Ale made his body disagree with his mind ... and
Tomalak's hand on his chest was not helping. In a last ditch effort to
stop this before it was too late, Julian captured Tomalak's hand in
his own, as he asked, "why are you doing this? I mean, isn't it a bit
soon ... you know ... after T'Vek ...?" Julian stammered out the last,
not entirely sure now if he had interpreted Tomalak's words to T'Vek
properly or not.

"Yes, I suppose it is ... but I have no choice," he said, as he pulled
his hand out of Julian's grasp."T'Vek was my 'h'levreinnye' ... do you
know the term?" Julian shook his head, and Tomalak was not entirely
surprised ... it was, after all, a rather private matter. "Tell me,
are you familiar with the Vulcan term 'T'hy'la'?"

"Yes ... a term of endearment for someone who was 'more than a friend'
... I have heard it described as a relationship closer than brothers,
between two men who are usually lovers ... some use the term 'soul
mate'."

"Yes, you have the gist of it. That is what T'Vek was to me ... and as
such, we had forged a kind of bond between us." Tomalak turned away
from Julian then, resting he elbows on his knees, his head in his
hands. His body shook slightly, and Julian was unsure of the cause ...
'surely the Romulan Commander was not crying,' he thought as he
experimentally sat up to offer comfort to the older man.

The effects of the Ale were wearing off slightly, and the room no
longer spun around him. His arousal, however, had not diminished ...
an interesting side effect the ale had upon him. Doing his best to
ignore his own discomfort, he maneuvered himself to sit next to
Tomalak, "Tell me," he said, as he put his arm around the tense
shoulders, " why do you have no choice?"

There was silence for a moment, and Julian was sure that Tomalak would
not answer his question, but just as he was about to ask again,
Tomalak spoke: "I know you are not entirely familiar with the Rihannsu
... but as a physician, you must be aware of certain biological traits
of various species."

"Yes ... I have a passing acquaintance of them," Julian said with a
bit of a smile ... he had always prided himself on his research into
the biological needs of the species he encountered ... especially when
that research lead to 'mutual pleasure'.

"Then you must be aware of 'Pon Farr' ... and the compulsion that
overcomes the Vulcan male at that time."

"Of course ... but you are not Vulcan." Julian was a bit confused, but
only for a moment, as he continued, "are you trying to tell me that
Romulans undergo Pon Farr, just as their Vulcan cousins do?"

"No ... not exactly." Tomalak shifted uncomfortable ... Julian had a
feeling he would have gotten up to pace the floor, but his earlier
dizziness made that prospect unlikely. Finally, he continued, "the
mating drive is a genetic trait, we share this with the Vulcans. The
difference, of course, is that we have not spent thousands of years
trying to suppress this mating drive. With us, it is an annual event,
with the desire ... the urge to mate ... only slightly stronger than
our usual sex drive."

"I am familiar with the pattern in other species." Julian said, to let
Tomalak know he was paying attention to his words. He had a good idea
where this was all leading ... and his body was certainly ready to
comply. He pulled his leg up under him, as he turned to face Tomalak,
lightly touching the older mans face, encouraging him to turn and face
him. "Am I correct in assuming that it is your time?" and as he asked,
his hand moved down, searching for the tell-tale bulge of the others
arousal.

Tomalak gasped, as the strong hand massaged his bulge. "Yes ... and
since I ... cannot get ... to my wife ... ah ..." he sighed, "T'Vek
and I ... had initiated ...'abilai vnai'." He was breathing heavily
now, as his passions were reawakened. Hands groping, he discovered
that the young doctor was apparently just as aroused as he, but felt
the need to continue the explanation before they went any further.
"Once initiated, we cannot stop ... that is why ... I was compelled to
..."

Julian leaned in to stop the Romulans words with a kiss ... there was
no need for further explanations. Tongues dueling, Julian pulled
himself up to straddle the Romulan, pressing their clothed bodies
close. They were groin to groin ... the friction driving him to the
brink.

Suddenly, Tomalak stood, lifting Julian, whose legs were wrapped
around his hips, and walked into the sleeping area. He set Julian on
his feet, and started to remove his own uniform ... Julian did
likewise. In no time, they stood before each other naked ... one dark
and slim, the other more thickly built, yet no less appealing.

Neither had experience of the others species ... yet the basic needs
of both were very much the same. Julian reached out to touch the
double ridges of the greenish cock before him, while Tomalak grabbed
him by the scrotum. They explored each other ... squeezing ...
stroking ... alternately applying pressure and feather light touches.

Julian was the first to admit getting weak in the knees, and suggested
they lie down ... Tomalak did not hesitate. He quickly asserted
himself, and rolled Julian onto his stomach ... lifting his ass, and
spreading his legs. Kneeling, he bent down to lick along the crack, to
the puckered opening, making Julian squirm ... it had been months
since he had had any contact of this nature ... "take me ... now." he
gasped, as the tongue pushed into him.

Tomalak did not need to be asked twice. He reached over to the table
at the bedside, and pulled a jar of lube from the drawer. Coating his
fingers with a generous amount, he inserted two into the tight
opening, eliciting a gaps of pleasure from the eager doctor. As it
became increasingly easy to move the fingers, a third was added, and
Julian leaned back as if to impale himself further. As he did, a
finger hit his prostate, and he begged for more. This was the sign
Tomalak had been waiting for. He gently pulled the fingers out, and
coated his shaft with lube. Positioning himself, he slipped the tip of
his cock in slowly, adjusting to the tightness as it pulled him in.

His instinct was to thrust ... to pound into the tight ass over and
over ... but he knew he would never last if he did that. And oh, he
wanted to last ... to savor the moment, and forget about all that had
happened this day.

As he moved within the warm channel, savoring the tight caress of
flesh on flesh, he imagined it was T'Vek beneath him. T'Vek, who
occasionally liked pain over pleasure ... T'Vek, who knew
instinctively what he needed, even before he knew himself. And as he
thought of his lost love, his tempo increased, until he thrust deep,
crying out his lovers name as he came.

---

As Tomalak made his first tentative penetration, Julian was reminded
of Garak, and the relationship they once had ... it was a bittersweet
memory. He had fulfilled a need in the Cardassians life just as he was
doing now for Tomalak ... but in the case of Garak, he has wanted so
much more.

He imagined, instead of the double ridged cock inside of him, he was
feeling the flattened, forked cock of the Cardassian ... and as the
penetration deepened, and the thrusts grew stronger, he pictured Garak
in his mind ... and as he came, hearing Tomalak call out for his dead
lover, he vowed to pursue Garak once again.

---

Spent and exhausted, Tomalak and Bashir collapsed beside each other,
and fell asleep almost instantly. When Julian awoke, he was
disoriented. He could feel the warm body next to him, but for the love
of him, he could not recall who he was with. Calling out very quietly,
he said, "lights, ten percent illumination," yet nothing happened.

Suddenly, there was a stirring beside him, and an arm reached across
his chest, as its owner murmured something in his sleep ... hearing
the distinctive Romulan dialect, Bashir's recollection of the previous
night came back full force. He was with Tomalak, who was currently
dreaming of T'Vek ... and the knowledge that this dream would most
likely result in a repeat of sexual activity made Julian hard once
more.

Eager to be in the dominant role this time, he took the initiative,
and stroked along the Romulans chest and stomach. As his hand got ever
closer to the groin, he could feel the heat emanating from the aroused
flesh, and hear the slightly labored breathing ... Julian was savoring
the feeling of manipulating the sleeping Romulan into such a state ...
doing his part to turn the dream into reality, as it were.

Tomalak was still 'speaking' to T'Vek ... Julian's understanding of
Romulan coming in handy, as he was instructed on how to jack him off.
He was pleased to note that Tomalak liked it a bit rough, and had no
compunction about using his tongue and teeth in a playful manner, as
per the instructions.

As he was deep throating, then raking his teeth along the shaft as he
withdrew it, he realized that Tomalak was awake ... how long he had
been was anyone's guess ... and actively participating once again. As
Julian inserted his tongue into the small slit at the tip of Tomalak's
cock, the Romulan grabbed him by the upper arms, and pulled him up to
lie atop him.

The move trapped Tomalak's cock against his stomach, as Julian's slid
between his legs. "Fuck me," he said, as he kissed the smaller man,
then spread his legs to accommodate him. Julian groped around for the
jar of lube, and Tomalak placed it in his hand ... obviously, the
Romulan could see better in the near darkness than the human.

In no time, he had prepared the way, and lifting Tomalak's legs over
his shoulders, slipped his cock into the tight opening. He proffered
doing it this way, as it afforded him the opportunity to jack off his
partner while thrusting into him ... a move that surprised most of his
partners, simply for the physical strength demonstrated by such an
act.

Whether or not Tomalak was surprised, Julian had no clue ... but he
was certainly enjoying the ride ... and as Julian pumped his cock,
thrusting deep into his ass, they called out in shared pleasure and
release.

---

The sound of a comm badge chirping brought Julian to wakefulness.
Tomalak instantly called for lights, and Julian found his uniform.
"Bashir here," he said, as he hit the badge.

"Doctor ... so nice of you to finally respond" said the voice of
Captain Sisko in a rather annoyed tone. "The briefing started twenty
minutes ago, doctor," and there was a bit of a pause, before he
continued, "I do hope there is a good explanation for your tardiness."

"Sorry, sir ... I forgot ... I'll be there ASAP," Julian stammered, as
he gathered his clothes, and looked for Tomalak's bathroom. Tomalak
smiled, and pointed to the door. When Julian emerged two minutes
later, he was once again fully dressed, if not a bit disheveled from
his rushed ablutions.

Julian, for his part, was pleased to note that Tomalak was wearing a
robe ... the memory of last night was still fresh in his mind, and he
would far rather contemplate that, than think about confronting the
Captain just now. But alas, he had his duty to perform. Nonetheless,
he had one last thing he had to do, before he left. Tomalak had been
his patient, after all, and his duty to his patients always had to
take precedent over the wishes of his commanding officer ... even in
this instance. "Tomalak," he said, as he stood in front of the
Romulan, "I am at your disposal, if the need arises."

"I thank you ... but I believe the crisis has passed," he said as he
stepped forward to plant a light kiss on Julian's lips. "Just promise
me one thing," he said, as he stepped away.

"And what would that be?" Julian asked, cautiously.

"Take this bottle of Ale ... and share it with your friend. As you let
me have one final night of pleasure with my lover, I offer you the
same with yours ... and hope that it will lead to a lifetime
together."

Julian took the proffered bottle, and held it close to his chest,
"thank you ... and I share your hopes." And with that, Julian left the
Commanders quarters on the Bird-of-Prey, and made his way directly
back to Deep Space Nine, where he made a quick detour to his quarters
to send Garak a brief message, before making his way to the briefing
...

---

The End