==== Conference room, Deck One, USS
Qashqai ====
Shane nodded and said: "You're dismissed".
As all of the other officers stood from their seats, Shane
said:
"Commander Summers, please stay here."
Walking over to Rangi, Shane hugged her tight … at least
as tight as his bruised body allowed. "I missed you so
much, my love"
Rangi didn't reply but stood, eyes closed, with her head
against his chest. She felt the most overwhelming sense of
relief as though some huge burden had been taken from her.
She opened her eyes and blinked quickly two or three
times,forcing back the tears that clouded her vision. When
she was sure they were suppressed she raised her head and
looked up to Shanes face and he said:
"Martin is here as well. He's all right; no harm was
done to him – luckily. But you look like Harker's
henchmen were not tender with you, were they?"
"I'm alright." she answered and when she saw he seemed to
doubt her word added "...really I am. They were going to
implant something into my neck but at the last minute the
away teams' arrival caused them to stop." She paused and
looked up at him.
"You know Liev is dead?" she asked.
Shaking his head, Shane said: "No, I do not. I thought
he's with you on the Detector or among those staying
behind to hold the fort on Padassa." With a sigh he added:
"That wont be a happy news for Commander Ohmsford.
Whathappened to him?"
Rangi shook her head, her expression clouding.
" I was putin a cell with him..well not exactly 'with'
him..there was a force field which seperated the place. He
had been terribly ill treated. He was starving and almost
blind." She paused for a moment as the images passed through
her mind.
"They had fitted him with some sort of device and took him
away for hours at a time. When Major Kinn was helping me
toescape, we passed open rooms and his body was inside one
of them. I checked to be sure but he was dead."
Shane remained silent for a moment before saying: "And
what about you? You say you're ok, but you do not look so.
I feel responsible for all that happened to you and
Martin"
"No..." she said. "It's not your fault. How can it be? Don't
lay blame where it shouldnt lie."
"Well, it's all cause of me, what have I done to
Romulans in general and Harker in particular. And with this
war and my position within our command, I fear they wont
stop threatening you and Martin."
Rangi, still in the protection of his arms, looked up into
his eyes. " Is that why you want us back at Unity?" sheasked
"
Shane looked at Rangi a bit surprised. He told Chisulo to
take Rangi and Martin back to UNITY only in one sentence not
so long ago ... and Rangi knew it already.
"Yes" he said. "this is still Romulan territory and a war
zone ... once Romulan forces will arrive. I don't want to
risk your and Martin's life again."
Rangi didnt answer immediately for she knew what Shane
would have wanted and would insist on.
She said quietly: " And what about you?
"I have to stay here" he answered quietly, "at least for
some time. We have now Klingons on the station and soon new
forces will arrive. There will be some resistance fighters
here soon as well. I need to make sure that we fight
Romulans and not each other". He stroked Rangi's chin and
added: "I'll be fine, don't worry about that"
" You're obviously not ok...look at you!" She gently touched
his cheek bone beneath the blackening eye.
"It looked worse then it really is, my love." He said
reassuring.
She nodded. " We'll do as you want but first.." she said. "
I want to know for the peace of my own mind that you're
alright. I'll treat you in sickbay and when I'm certain and
'only' when I'm certain that you're fine, then Martin and I
will go. Agreed?"
"Hmmm" Shane said in a joking tone, "you are officially MIA
my dear Commander and so can not issue any medical orders or
no orders at all ..." he smiled, "but if it makes you happy,
lets go to sickbay and then to Martin. He's waiting for us"
"He'll be wild ." she said in a warning tone and they
laughed for a moment at the thought of their sons delight to
come then stood just looking into each others eyes.
Rangi broke the moment by standing onto tiptoes, reaching up
for his kiss.
Shane kissed her passionately and whispered: "I love you"
" ...and I love you.." she whispered back "...you are
everything to me."
With a lighter heart he hugged his love again and said in a
cherish tone: "Let's see after our son. If I have read his
expression right when I saw him last, he will be on the
Bridge, pleading the officer in charge to be allowed to sit
in the CO's chair."
" ...and if he uses that pleading expression that he's so
good at, then I'm sure he will have succeeded. " Rangi
replied and linked arms with Shane as they began to move
towards the door.
"But first..." she added looking up at him "...I wont be
dissuaded from treating your injuries...we'll go to sickbay
and 'then' to the Bridge...ok? "
*** End Log ***
Commodore Shane Guzman
CO 1st TF
SSF Command CO,
SB 234: UNITY
&
Commander Rangi Summers
Med.Adv. 1st Task Force
CMO
SB Unity
