To Keep From Harm - [Raynor Hughes]

[Medical Lab - Two Days Later]

This time, Raynor entered the lab without bearing any lunch with him. He wasn't sure if she was going to be attempting to have the work done on her today or not, but she likely shouldn't eat heavily before going under.

"Hello, dear doctor," the Klingon said, approaching the terminal at which she worked. Dropping a padd down close to her, he nodded toward it. "A bit of final research. How is yours coming along?" She'd softened a little bit in the time since he had...forcibly...made her rest and eat. But Raynor still wasn't sure that she'd completely forgiven it.

Raynor Hughes wrote:

[Medical Lab - Two Days Later]

This time, Raynor entered the lab without bearing any lunch with him.  He wasn't sure if she was going to be attempting to have the work done on her today or not, but she likely shouldn't eat heavily before going under.  

"Hello, dear doctor," the Klingon said, approaching the terminal at which she worked.  Dropping a padd down close to her, he nodded toward it.  "A bit of final research.  How is yours coming along?"  She'd softened a little bit in the time since he had...forcibly...made her rest and eat.  But Raynor still wasn't sure that she'd completely forgiven it.

Ilana was sat at the same terminal as ever, but this time, there was a holographic image floating above it. The 3D representation of a brain was familiar enough, even one with scar tissue crisscrossed heavily over one section of it that marked it out as being a scan of the Cardassian's brain.

This scan, however, was different to a standard scan. The scarred area had spidery black lines over it which, upon closer inspection, would prove to be cybernetic.

Looking up at Raynor as he walked in, she nodded, allowing herself a small smile. She was still annoyed at his forcible abducting of her a couple of days previously. She considered that he had put her behind by at least that long.

Ilana Telak wrote:

Ilana was sat at the same terminal as ever, but this time, there was a holographic image floating above it.  The 3D representation of a brain was familiar enough, even one with scar tissue crisscrossed heavily over one section of it that marked it out as being a scan of the Cardassian's brain.

This scan, however, was different to a standard scan.  The scarred area had spidery black lines over it which, upon closer inspection, would prove to be cybernetic.

Looking up at Raynor as he walked in, she nodded, allowing herself a small smile.  She was still annoyed at his forcible abducting of her a couple of days previously.  She considered that he had put her behind by at least that long.

Her expression wasn't exactly warm or friendly, but Raynor couldn't exactly blame Ilana for that. Then again, both of those words weren't exactly what one would use to describe the Cardassian. Unless they knew her, he thought, smiling a little. He knew the side of her that few others ever saw, and it made him happy to know that.

As Raynor walked around the work table, he eyed the holographic brain section, giving a low whistle as he took in the web of nanotech cybernetics. "That's some serious hardware, Lana. How soon do you think you'll be ready to have it done?"

Raynor Hughes wrote:

Her expression wasn't exactly warm or friendly, but Raynor couldn't exactly blame Ilana for that.  Then again, both of those words weren't exactly what one would use to describe the Cardassian.  Unless they knew her, he thought, smiling a little.  He knew the side of her that few others ever saw, and it made him happy to know that.

As Raynor walked around the work table, he eyed the holographic brain section, giving a low whistle as he took in the web of nanotech cybernetics.  "That's some serious hardware, Lana.  How soon do you think you'll be ready to have it done?"

One pale grey hand moved to the keypad on the console, the fingers typing out a response. She was getting faster at typing, that was for sure, but she still resented that he had to go through the computer to speak.

The Federation expert on Borg technology will be arriving tomorrow along with a neurosurgeon he works closely with. They'll be helping me to make the final adjustments, and then perform the operation to install it. The estimate is the day after tomorrow.

Ilana Telak wrote:

One pale grey hand moved to the keypad on the console, the fingers typing out a response.  She was getting faster at typing, that was for sure, but she still resented that he had to go through the computer to speak.

The Federation expert on Borg technology will be arriving tomorrow along with a neurosurgeon he works closely with.  They'll be helping me to make the final adjustments, and then perform the operation to install it.  The estimate is the day after tomorrow.

Borg tech. The very idea made an oily feeling rise up from Raynor's spine. Yes, he knew the potential benefits...and of the technology that had recently come to the Federation by way of the Gamma Quadrant. Still...to be associated with the Borg, even in the most tangential of ways...theirs was a life that was truly terrible to behold. All obedience, no passion, no fire, no drinking, no song...no honor. And you're about to stand by and let your best friend put that junk in her head.

Well? What else could he do? Stand in her way? Sling her over his shoulder again, and tell her to live her days in silence? No...not hardly.

"Very well," he said, somewhat neutrally. "What is left to do until then?"

Raynor Hughes wrote:

Borg tech.  The very idea made an oily feeling rise up from Raynor's spine.  Yes, he knew the potential benefits...and of the technology that had recently come to the Federation by way of the Gamma Quadrant.  Still...to be associated with the Borg, even in the most tangential of ways...theirs was a life that was truly terrible to behold.  All obedience, no passion, no fire, no drinking, no song...no honor.  And you're about to stand by and let your best friend put that junk in her head.

Well?  What else could he do?  Stand in her way?  Sling her over his shoulder again, and tell her to live her days in silence?  No...not hardly.

"Very well," he said, somewhat neutrally.  "What is left to do until then?"

Ilana pulled off her glasses, rubbing at her eyes. Staring at a screen for so long was starting to hurt, but she wouldn't have it any other way if it meant that she could get her speech back faster.

I am gathering as much data as I can about the current state of my brain tissue as well as modifying the schematics as much as I can to suit. With any luck, it will mean that I can undergo the operation sooner.

Ilana Telak wrote:

Ilana pulled off her glasses, rubbing at her eyes.  Staring at a screen for so long was starting to hurt, but she wouldn't have it any other way if it meant that she could get her speech back faster.

I am gathering as much data as I can about the current state of my brain tissue as well as modifying the schematics as much as I can to suit.  With any luck, it will mean that I can undergo the operation sooner.

Nodding, Raynor moved over to the far side of the lab, keying in a cup of steaming hot red leaf tea. He'd never really developed a taste for the stuff - it was a strong flavor, but the wrong strong flavor. Most Cardassians enjoyed it, though. At least it's not that damn fish juice, he thought, carrying the dark blue mug and setting it down on the table next to Ilana. Raynor knew that trying to pressure her into actually eating breakfast was a fool's errand, so he didn't even try. It still astounded him how someone so intelligent could be so bone-headedly ignorant of the body's basic needs for functioning.

"How soon is 'sooner'?"

Raynor Hughes wrote:

Nodding, Raynor moved over to the far side of the lab, keying in a cup of steaming hot red leaf tea.  He'd never really developed a taste for the stuff - it was a strong flavor, but the wrong strong flavor.  Most Cardassians enjoyed it, though.  At least it's not that damn fish juice, he thought, carrying the dark blue mug and setting it down on the table next to Ilana.  Raynor knew that trying to pressure her into actually eating breakfast was a fool's errand, so he didn't even try.  It still astounded him how someone so intelligent could be so bone-headedly ignorant of the body's basic needs for functioning.  

"How soon is 'sooner'?"

Tomorrow.

Ilana sat back from her console, running a hand over her short hair and closing her eyes briefly.  It was a bit of a daunting thought, undergoing such a heavy operation in the next couple of days.

She looked down at the mug of tea that Raynor had put out for her, and picked it up.  She didn't take a drink out of it, just sat and looked at it. She then lifted her head to look at Raynor before reaching out a hand to the console.

Only one of them is a doctor. He will need an assistant in surgery. I would like it to be you.

Ilana Telak wrote:

Tomorrow.

Ilana sat back from her console, running a hand over her short hair and closing her eyes briefly.  It was a bit of a daunting thought, undergoing such a heavy operation in the next couple of days.

She looked down at the mug of tea that Raynor had put out for her, and picked it up.  She didn't take a drink out of it, just sat and looked at it.  She then lifted her head to look at Raynor before reaching out a hand to the console.

Only one of them is a doctor.  He will need an assistant in surgery.  I would like it to be you.

Raynor sat down on the edge of the table, placing his hand on Ilana's shoulder. She seemed a thousand kilometers away, anywhere but where she was sitting, doing anything but researching her own operation. He wasn't sure how comforting his presence was for her, but he tried to be as solid of a force as he could be.

"I would...be honored," the Klingon said, nodding with surety. "I feel comfortable serving as an assistant." That was true. This situation was far too important for his own pride to stand in the way. If Raynor didn't believe he could handle it, he would have moved aside. "Someone has to keep these fools in line," he said, flashing a wolfish grin.

Raynor Hughes wrote:

Raynor sat down on the edge of the table, placing his hand on Ilana's shoulder.  She seemed a thousand kilometers away, anywhere but where she was sitting, doing anything but researching her own operation.  He wasn't sure how comforting his presence was for her, but he tried to be as solid of a force as he could be.

"I would...be honored," the Klingon said, nodding with surety.  "I feel comfortable serving as an assistant."  That was true.  This situation was far too important for his own pride to stand in the way.  If Raynor didn't believe he could handle it, he would have moved aside.  "Someone has to keep these fools in line," he said, flashing a wolfish grin.

Ilana smiled at her best friend, knowing that it took quite a bit of courage to agree to operate on someone you were close to. She reached up, putting one hand over his.

Thank you.