"Nuts and Bolts"

"That's quite a nice sentiment and hobby." Raikon said as he propped himself up on his elbows. 

Tyzur gave a small smile at Raikon's question.

"Outside of medicine? I play the Risian lute when I have the time. I also enjoy reading science-fiction novels from different cultures. It's fascinating seeing how different species imagine the future."

He glanced toward Nurse Guilder as she continued with the medical equipment.

"But enough about me. Nurse Guilder, what about you? What do you get up to when you're not working?

He smiled faintly.

"After a while, I've learned it's nice to have something that isn't Starfleet."

His gaze briefly returned to Raikon.

"Especially when Starfleet starts becoming your entire life."

Tyzur was quiet for a moment, studying Raikon rather than the readings.

“Then perhaps the problem isn't that you don't have enough time. Perhaps you're afraid of what happens when you have it.”

He glanced at the tricorder.

“Your fatigue, stimulant levels, and chronitin readings suggest you've been pushing yourself too hard. I recommend taking the rest of the day off. No engineering, and preferably less coffee.”

His expression softened.

“I won't pry. But you should know you don't have to carry everything alone.”

He gave Raikon a small smile.

“So, when you're not working, what do you do for fun?”

Tyzur recogised that point of view.

“I used to have a similar relationship with sleep. My posting on Starbase 327 was... demanding. I thought sleep was a waste of time, all those precious hours I’m never getting back.”

He gave a small, thoughtful smile.

“I suppose I had the wrong perspective. I was treating time as though there were never enough of it, despite being an El-Aurian and having considerably more of it than most species.”

His expression became a little more distant.

“Having centuries ahead of you doesn't necessarily make each moment less precious. If anything, I think it can make us more conscious of time. We don't just accumulate years. We accumulate experiences, relationships... and eventually, losses.”

He glanced back toward Raikon.

“I think that's something our people don't talk about enough. The advantage of a long life is easy to appreciate. The other side of it is rather harder to explain to someone who hasn't lived it.”

Tyzur paused, letting the thought sit for a moment rather than pressing the point.

“So I'm curious, Commander. Is there something you're trying to accomplish with all those hours you're saving?”

His tone remained gentle, almost conversational.

“Or is it simply difficult to stop once you've convinced yourself that there's still something that needs doing?”

"People think only of the upside of it.....rarely do they think of what the down side of long life will bring" his face grew a bit darker. "I had to make some tough choices...."