OOC: Takes after Bren is released from the Brig, after a JL with Anya
Xerxes (which will follow shortly), but before Rangi sees Jacobs about
returning to duty.
*** Guzman / Summers Quarters * SB Unity ***
The door chime sounded and Rangi smiled to herself as she walked
towards the door, carrying a small lunchbox in her hand.
" Here it is." she said opening the door and holding up the box " You
almost forgot your lun....oh...hello." She lowered her hand to her
side. " I'm sorry...I thought you were Martin and Laura come back for
their lunchbox. Please...come in." She stood aside, making way.
Bren stepped inside the quarters and smiled. It was good to see Rangi
again and he was relieved she was all right. Considering what she'd
been through, she looked remarkably well.
"It's good to see," he said, leaning forward to give her a hug. "How
do you feel?"
" I'm alright." she replied having returned the hug and indicated that
they enter the main room. " But whats this?" she asked pointing to
Brens blackened eye. " You've had an accident?"
"I had a small disagreement with a few of Unity's pilots," he
answered, feeling slightly embarassed. "I haven't been myself much the
last few weeks, to be honest."
She followed him into the room, setting the little lunchbox with its
colourful design, onto the table in the hall as she passed it.
" You were in a fight?" she asked and smiled when he looked at her
rather sheepishly. " Please, take a seat. May I get you something to
drink?"
"Black coffee, please," he said as he sat down on the sofa, avoiding
the mention of the fight or the fact that he had spent the night in a
holding cell. "I could really use it
right now."
" Replicated alright?" she asked and when he said he didn't mind it,
she busied herself in getting his choice.
She returned to him and handed the cup sitting down on the sofa next
to him and wondering how best to broach the subject that had obviously
brought him here.
He glanced around the room and saw Martin's toys and the lunch box
left behind. "How is Martin doing... after everything?"
" Very well thankyou for asking." she replied. " He's a remarkable
child. " She gave a short laugh. " I suppose all parents say that
about their children dont they?" she asked
but added: " ..but he really is. I expected some sort of..I dont
know..upset about whats happened. He was quiet on the journey home
because he wanted Shane to come with us but once he arrived here he
seemed to drop straight back into the routine, almost as though
nothing had happened at all."
"That's good to hear," Bren replied with a smile. "Children are
resilient... they can bounce back quickly from trauma. Adults, on the
other hand, seem to take much longer." He took a sip from the hot
coffee cup and noticed his hand was trembling slightly. Putting it
down, he finally decided to ask what he'd come here for.
"Rangi, I need to ask you, about Liev... what happened? I received a request to
see Rodgers about it, but if it's... if he's dead, I would rather hear
it from a friend."
{He doesnt know} Rangi thought and was lost for words for she had expected
that someone would have told him. She reached out and laid a hand on his arm.
"I'm sorry." she said quietly, almost in a whisper and saw the moment
that he acknowledged in himself what he had feared for so long.
"I'm sorry to put you in this situation," he said. Emotions were close
to surface now and he had to swallow very hard against the lump in his
throat.
" I spent some time with him." she said "...and when you want to or if
you do, then we can talk about it."
Bren let out a deep breath he'd been holding and took another sip of
the coffee. He felt strangely relieved in a way, now finally knowing
the truth. "It's what I expected, but when you don't know for sure...
thank you, I appreciate it. I'd like to talk about it, but I
think I need to just take a short while to digest everything."
"Ofcourse. " Rangi replied. " It's always the not knowing that's the
worst." She gave him a faint smile and withdrew her hand. " I'm
removed from duty." she said, changing the subject.
"Why?" Bren asked quickly, not thinking it through, then added, "I
suppose it makes sense, given what you've been through. How do you
feel about it?"
She shrugged. "It was the right decision. I knew it if i was honest
with myself but..well..Ive done nothing for a few days and I feel
rested and ready to take up the reins again."
Bren nodded. "Well, we've been issued new orders. The 1st Task Force
is planning an incursion into Quorum space and I've been ordered to
Padassa. I know that you've just been through an awful ordeal and I
wouldn't ask this if it weren't very important, but... I need you to
come with me. What you saw and experienced there is invaluable, and
I'll need your expertise. The Commodore will also be there. If you
want, I can talk with Jacobs... although, to be honest, I've been
avoiding him."
Rangi had not expected it and her expression showed her surprise.
After a moment or two she said: " I'll come with you of course if you
think I can help. As for our counsellor...he said told me to tell him
when I thought I would be ready to return to duty. I'll go to see
him tomorrow." She smiled. " He's a strange character isn't he? I'm
never sure what to expect from him."
"Yes," Bren replied, frowning slightly as he thought about Jacobs.
"Can't quite seem to figure him out."
Rangi nodded agreement. " The thing is...somehow I quite like him."
They smiled at each other and rangi thought how tired bren looked, it
was the worry of course, the not knowing. Finishing the last of his
coffee, Bren set the mug down on
the table in front of him. "Thank you for the coffee... and for the
talk. I should get going. I suspect we'll be leaving on the Quasar in
a day or two and I have a number of things I need to sort out before
then. Please tell Martin I say hello."
" I will." she replied. They stood up and walked together back towards
the door. "Take care of yourself wont you?" she asked.
Bren nodded as he stood inside the door frame. "Don't worry about me,
I will. See you soon."
"Yes indeed." she replied and watched him walk off along the corridor
a slightly hunched figure as though he was beaten down by what life
had dealt him. She sighed, went in and closed the door.
** End Log **
Commander Rangi Summers
Medical Advisor
-
Commander Bren Ohmsford
Science & Engineering Advisor
-
1st Task Force, SSF
