Turning Back Time [Raynor/Ilana]

Raynor Hughes wrote:

"Weak?" Raynor asked, cocking a grin.  "I tend to disagree.  You have the heart of Lukara herself, Lana," he said, gently placing his hand on the slim grey one that was weakly touching him.  He glanced down at the blanket, and then back up to the Cardassian's face.  "Tell me your senses, Lana.  Everything, as they're coming to you.  I want to know what you're seeing, hearing, feeling...leave nothing out."

The Cardassian gave a quiet groan as she tried to shift herself into a more comfortable position. She felt as if the bones of her body were digging into the thin covering of the biobed.

"S-sore... I f-feel as if s-s-someone p-parked a sh-shuttle on m-me. S-sight... is a l-little b-blurred. H-hearing is n-normal." She frowned slightly. "I c-can't r-r-remember wh-what happened. Th-that is unusual."

Ilana Telak wrote:

The Cardassian gave a quiet groan as she tried to shift herself into a more comfortable position.  She felt as if the bones of her body were digging into the thin covering of the biobed.

"S-sore...  I f-feel as if s-s-someone p-parked a sh-shuttle on m-me.  S-sight... is a l-little b-blurred.  H-hearing is n-normal."  She frowned slightly.  "I c-can't r-r-remember wh-what happened.  Th-that is unusual."

Raynor brought back a small glass of water, complete with the requisite straw. He'd told the computer to make it a bended straw...the kind that reminded him of when he was a small boy, and his father would put the same type in Raynor's drinks. It was a fairly random memory, to be honest, but...circumstances had him feeling quite emotional.

"Here," he said, putting the straw to her thin lips. "Slow sips, now. What is the last thing you remember?"

Raynor Hughes wrote:

Raynor brought back a small glass of water, complete with the requisite straw.  He'd told the computer to make it a bended straw...the kind that reminded him of when he was a small boy, and his father would put the same type in Raynor's drinks.  It was a fairly random memory, to be honest, but...circumstances had him feeling quite emotional.

"Here," he said, putting the straw to her thin lips.  "Slow sips, now.  What is the last thing you remember?"

Ilana did as she was told, taking a small mouthful before letting her head fall back against the biobed. She sighed softly, closing her eyes as she sorted through her memory, trying to pick out the last thing she remembered.

"I th-think... I think I w-was lying h-here... You w-were here too..."

Ilana Telak wrote:

Ilana did as she was told, taking a small mouthful before letting her head fall back against the biobed.  She sighed softly, closing her eyes as she sorted through her memory, trying to pick out the last thing she remembered.

"I th-think... I think I w-was lying h-here...  You w-were here too..."

"Yes," Raynor replied, keeping the smile on his face. Klingons were known for not equivocating when it came to how they were feeling, or their opinions. Still, the smile hid a world of worry behind it. Sometimes there were advantages to his mixed heritage.

He placed the cup of water on the side of the biobed. "You have been asleep for a while, Lana. We implanted the biotech into your brain, but there were complications. Your body came damn close to rejecting it outright. Things seemed to have...taken...better, this time around."

Raynor Hughes wrote:

"Yes," Raynor replied, keeping the smile on his face.  Klingons were known for not equivocating when it came to how they were feeling, or their opinions.  Still, the smile hid a world of worry behind it.  Sometimes there were advantages to his mixed heritage.

He placed the cup of water on the side of the biobed.  "You have been asleep for a while, Lana.  We implanted the biotech into your brain, but there were complications.  Your body came damn close to rejecting it outright.  Things seemed to have...taken...better, this time around."

Ilana wasn't in any condition to look beyond the smile on the Klingon's face. Instead, she smiled back faintly. The smile turned to a slight frown as she listened to his report on her operation though.

"R-Rejection? Th-that sh-shouldn't h-have happened."

Ilana Telak wrote:

Ilana wasn't in any condition to look beyond the smile on the Klingon's face.  Instead, she smiled back faintly.  The smile turned to a slight frown as she listened to his report on her operation though.

"R-Rejection?  Th-that sh-shouldn't h-have happened."

Shrugging, Raynor pulled up a chair next to the bed. "I suppose it doesn't matter what should have happened. It did. Who knows what we're dealing with, really, when it comes to Borg technology?" The hated word felt foreign on his tongue. It didn't matter, though...Raynor would deal with Fek'lhr himself if it meant helping her.

"You slipped into arrest. Things look like they've calmed down, as far as your brain is concerned, though." He leaned forward in the chair, touching her hand. "Limbs, digits...extremities. Can you move everything?"

Raynor Hughes wrote:

Shrugging, Raynor pulled up a chair next to the bed.  "I suppose it doesn't matter what should have happened.  It did.  Who knows what we're dealing with, really, when it comes to Borg technology?"  The hated word felt foreign on his tongue.  It didn't matter, though...Raynor would deal with Fek'lhr himself if it meant helping her.

"You slipped into arrest.  Things look like they've calmed down, as far as your brain is concerned, though."  He leaned forward in the chair, touching her hand.  "Limbs, digits...extremities.  Can you move everything?"

Doctor T'Rann, still standing next to the biobed, raised one eyebrow at the Klingon and the Cardassian, at the dodging around the subject that Raynor seemed to be doing, then spoke the blunt truth.

"You died, ensign."

Ilana blinked a few times, then looked up at Raynor, as if to ask if that was true, even though she knew as well as the next person that Vulcans didn't lie.

Ilana Telak wrote:

Doctor T'Rann, still standing next to the biobed, raised one eyebrow at the Klingon and the Cardassian, at the dodging around the subject that Raynor seemed to be doing, then spoke the blunt truth.

"You died, ensign."

Ilana blinked a few times, then looked up at Raynor, as if to ask if that was true, even though she knew as well as the next person that Vulcans didn't lie.

Well. Raynor wouldn't have put it quite as bluntly, but...yes. The thought was amusing, in a way - he couldn't really remember too many times that he'd felt the need to tiptoe around a subject, but...well. Ilana tended to reach in and stir everything up in him, and toss his priorities around. He doubted that she even had to try.

"Yes. Not to put too fine a point on it...you did die. We revived you."

Raynor Hughes wrote:

Well.  Raynor wouldn't have put it quite as bluntly, but...yes.  The thought was amusing, in a way - he couldn't really remember too many times that he'd felt the need to tiptoe around a subject, but...well.  Ilana tended to reach in and stir everything up in him, and toss his priorities around.  He doubted that she even had to try.

"Yes.  Not to put too fine a point on it...you did die.  We revived you."

Ilana sighed softly, letting her head rest again on the biobed as she closed her eyes. "Th-that would e-explain the sh-shuttlecraft feeling," she murmured, more to herself than to anyone else. She swallowed again, trying to gather her scattered thoughts.

She had died. That was a somewhat sobering thought. She had expected complications, that went without saying. There were always complications with something like this. But actually dying? She opened her eyes again to look at the Klingon still leaning over her, feeling his hand touching hers. She had an inkling of how attached he was to her presence, but couldn't imagine how he would take her dying on the operating table while he watched.

"I'm sorry."

Ilana Telak wrote:

Ilana sighed softly, letting her head rest again on the biobed as she closed her eyes.  "Th-that would e-explain the sh-shuttlecraft feeling," she murmured, more to herself than to anyone else.  She swallowed again, trying to gather her scattered thoughts.  

She had died.  That was a somewhat sobering thought.  She had expected complications, that went without saying.  There were always complications with something like this.  But actually dying?  She opened her eyes again to look at the Klingon still leaning over her, feeling his hand touching hers.  She had an inkling of how attached he was to her presence, but couldn't imagine how he would take her dying on the operating table while he watched.

"I'm sorry."

Shuttlecraft? What in the world was she talking about?

Any further rumination in that direction, however, was quashed by her apology. Raynor's eyebrows climbed up high on his ridged forehead. "You're...sorry? For what?" He frowned, shaking his head. "There is nothing...nothing for which you should apologize, Lana."

Raynor stood up from the seat, hands on his hips. "You have faced down Death itself, Lana. You were pulled into that dark realm, and taken back out. We worked together, all of us...and we kicked it in the ass. How many can say as much? No...I'll hear none of this 'apology' veQ from anyone...least of all, from you."

Raynor Hughes wrote:

Shuttlecraft?  What in the world was she talking about?  

Any further rumination in that direction, however, was quashed by her apology.  Raynor's eyebrows climbed up high on his ridged forehead.  "You're...sorry?  For what?"  He frowned, shaking his head.  "There is nothing...nothing for which you should apologize, Lana."

Raynor stood up from the seat, hands on his hips.  "You have faced down Death itself, Lana.  You were pulled into that dark realm, and taken back out.  We worked together, all of us...and we kicked it in the ass.  How many can say as much?  No...I'll hear none of this 'apology' veQ from anyone...least of all, from you."

"Y-you didn't have t-to b-be th-there," Ilana looked away from him. "Y-you didn't have to s-see it." She knew just how much he could blame himself for any harm that came to her, especially if he happened to be involved with it somehow.

She moved her hands, trying to push herself up into a sitting position, but only got partway before she groaned, letting herself lie back again. That had not been a smart idea.

Ilana Telak wrote:

"Y-you didn't have t-to b-be th-there," Ilana looked away from him.  "Y-you didn't have to s-see it."  She knew just how much he could blame himself for any harm that came to her, especially if he happened to be involved with it somehow.  

She moved her hands, trying to push herself up into a sitting position, but only got partway before she groaned, letting herself lie back again. That had not been a smart idea.  

Raynor gave a little sigh, and a smile tinged with sadness.  He didn't have to be there?  Could she truly think that?  Yes, she certainly could, and does, he thought.  Unbelievable.  Actually, no...considering her history, and the way she'd been treated...yes.  It was all too believable.

"Of course I didn't have to be there.  No man truly has to do anything but be born and die," he said, nodding, as he sat back down again.  Raynor took up Ilana's hand in his.  "It's what we want to do...how we do it...and who we do it with...those are the things that make life.  And life is what we fought for that day...fought and won.  It is a battle I would fight a thousand times over."  

He cocked his eyebrow as she settled back down.  "And let that be a lesson - you're staying right here until you're better.  Don't even think about getting up to move yet."

Raynor Hughes wrote:

Raynor gave a little sigh, and a smile tinged with sadness.  He didn't have to be there?  Could she truly think that?  Yes, she certainly could, and does, he thought.  Unbelievable.  Actually, no...considering her history, and the way she'd been treated...yes.  It was all too believable.

"Of course I didn't have to be there.  No man truly has to do anything but be born and die," he said, nodding, as he sat back down again.  Raynor took up Ilana's hand in his.  "It's what we want to do...how we do it...and who we do it with...those are the things that make life.  And life is what we fought for that day...fought and won.  It is a battle I would fight a thousand times over."  

He cocked his eyebrow as she settled back down.  "And let that be a lesson - you're staying right here until you're better.  Don't even think about getting up to move yet."

Ilana gave a soft exhale, almost like a weak snort of laughter. This was pretty much what Raynor had been trying to get her to do ever since he found out that she had a tendency to push herself further than was probably healthy for her.

"Oh, I'm th-thinking it all right," she grumbled. "D-don't like b-being down."

Ilana Telak wrote:

Ilana gave a soft exhale, almost like a weak snort of laughter.  This was pretty much what Raynor had been trying to get her to do ever since he found out that she had a tendency to push herself further than was probably healthy for her.

"Oh, I'm th-thinking it all right," she grumbled.  "D-don't like b-being down."

"Of course you don't," Raynor shrugged. A sly grin came over his face. "You never have liked resting. But, getting you to take time off? To take care of yourself? That is a battle I would also fight a thousand times over. And will continue to do so."

The Klingon glanced down at the biobed readings, and back up to Ilana. "You will have to take it easy for a good while after, you know, right? This will not be optional. In fact, I've taken the liberty of putting your medical leave paperwork through. It seems," he said, smiling, "that you're going to be on vacation for a while."

Raynor Hughes wrote:

"Of course you don't," Raynor shrugged.  A sly grin came over his face.  "You never have liked resting.  But, getting you to take time off?  To take care of yourself?  That is a battle I would also fight a thousand times over.  And will continue to do so."

The Klingon glanced down at the biobed readings, and back up to Ilana.  "You will have to take it easy for a good while after, you know, right?  This will not be optional.  In fact, I've taken the liberty of putting your medical leave paperwork through.  It seems," he said, smiling, "that you're going to be on vacation for a while."

The biobed readings were perhaps on the fringes of normal, but they were stable at that point, which was what mattered. Ilana was staring at Raynor, her jaw slack. He had had her put on medical leave? That was a little extreme, even for him. Yes, he had often gone to extremes in getting her to rest, but he had never bothered to get paperwork involved.

"Wh-what am I g-going to do with a v-vacation?"

Ilana Telak wrote:

The biobed readings were perhaps on the fringes of normal, but they were stable at that point, which was what mattered.  Ilana was staring at Raynor, her jaw slack.  He had had her put on medical leave?  That was a little extreme, even for him.  Yes, he had often gone to extremes in getting her to rest, but he had never bothered to get paperwork involved.

"Wh-what am I g-going to do with a v-vacation?"

"Dunno, Lana," the Klingon shrugged, leaning back in his chair.  "That's for you to decide, obviously.  You can rightly do whatever the hell you want to do.  Read some books, go for a hike, absorb ambient temperature on a beach...build a snowman..."

Raynor leaned forward again, the expression on his face still rather playful.  "But it's done.  Counselor Abols recommended it, and the admiralty approved."

Raynor Hughes wrote:

"Dunno, Lana," the Klingon shrugged, leaning back in his chair.  "That's for you to decide, obviously.  You can rightly do whatever the hell you want to do.  Read some books, go for a hike, absorb ambient temperature on a beach...build a snowman..."

Raynor leaned forward again, the expression on his face still rather playful.  "But it's done.  Counselor Abols recommended it, and the admiralty approved."

Ilana's glare was flat an unamused, a direct contrast to Raynor's playful expression. "I w-want to go b-back to work!" she protested, struggling once again to sit up and failing. "Wh-why did you go over m-my head like th-that?"

Ilana Telak wrote:

Ilana's glare was flat an unamused, a direct contrast to Raynor's playful expression.  "I w-want to go b-back to work!" she protested, struggling once again to sit up and failing.  "Wh-why did you go over m-my head like th-that?"

Raynor shook his head, sighing. He held up a hand, the large, ruddy palm outward. "No. Just...no, Lana. I'll not hear any of this ridiculousness. You're smarter than this." Crossing his arms, the Klingon frowned sharply. "You have major, major surgery. You literally died. You'll be taking at least a week off, and that's not negotiable. Why did I go over your head? Because you're hell-bent on running yourself apart. Now sit back and relax, before I have you sedated again."

With that, he sat back in his chair, frowning somewhat sulkily. A warrior does *not* sulk, he thought, but...yeah, it was probably sulking.

Raynor Hughes wrote:

Raynor shook his head, sighing.  He held up a hand, the large, ruddy palm outward.  "No.  Just...no, Lana.  I'll not hear any of this ridiculousness.  You're smarter than this."  Crossing his arms, the Klingon frowned sharply.  "You have major, major surgery.  You literally died.  You'll be taking at least a week off, and that's not negotiable.  Why did I go over your head?  Because you're hell-bent on running yourself apart.  Now sit back and relax, before I have you sedated again."

With that, he sat back in his chair, frowning somewhat sulkily.  A warrior does *not* sulk, he thought, but...yeah, it was probably sulking.

Ilana sighed softly and lay back down, looking up at the ceiling. It was a very familiar ceiling. She spent a lot of time under it and was apparently going to spent the next week staring up at it.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, "I kn-know you're only t-trying to h-help."

Ilana Telak wrote:

Ilana sighed softly and lay back down, looking up at the ceiling.  It was a very familiar ceiling.  She spent a lot of time under it and was apparently going to spent the next week staring up at it.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, "I kn-know you're only t-trying to h-help."

"Yes," Raynor said, taking up her hand again. He kept his grip light, the same delicate sense of touch that he often used when handling the most precious of his flowers. "I am trying to help you. Now. Rest and relax, Lana...the only thing I want you thinking about and worrying over..." He smiled happily, a dangerous look in the best of times. "...is where you want to spend your shore leave."