Burn Notice - Part 5

Posted on Wed Mar 5th, 2025 @ 9:56pm by Lieutenant JG Aurania (Rani) Anderson MD & Captain Kett V'Laass

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Main Sickay
Timeline: MD4
1463 words - 2.9 OF Standard Post Measure

Previously:

Kett took another big bite of his cookie, brushing the crumbs from the beard whilst chewing on the food thoughtfully "Yes. Yes a very good bake as they say." Kett then realised he was talking to himself. He stood up and walked cautiously to the bathroom. He called after the doctor "Rani are you alright? Do you require assistance?"


Currently:

"well, I hope it was mine as I'm very glad to hear that it offered some comfort." Rani replied with a small, barely distinguishable quiver in the aforementioned voice.

It quickened her pulse to know he had remembered her as she most certainly had remembered him. Who wouldn't? He was a handsome man and he had been so badly wounded, emotionally, deep down within his walled off emotions. His tormentors had made an especially cruel and wilful attempt to break through his training, as she remembered. The fury she had felt at the time and the sadness he had made her feel as she empathised with his pain and mental scars. How could those Cardassians have been so full of spite, hate and cruelty? It had been a source of great sorrow and a hard lesson for her to learn about the universe and all that went on within it.

Rani had witnessed the suffering that was inflicted and had reeled in horror at it all but somehow, this man had been on a level that her empathy had connected with more effectively than with most of the other victims that she helped to treat. She didn't know why but it had moved her deeply and she had suffered a lot of nightmares about the pain he had been subjected to, after he left their care and once he had been transported off to the Vulcan Institute's Medical Facilities on Eros VI for more sophisticated treatment, better equipment and more qualified Consultants.

Looking at him again now, Rani had to fight off a rising blush as he looked at her hard and tried to remember her.

Kett took both her hands and held them in his. He looked at her with his usual emotionless features, but is eyes were warm and grateful. "Thank you. I appreciate all you have done. This is a fortuitous meeting. I had always wished to speak with you again and convey my gratitude." Looking down at his hands held in hers. He suddenly let go, thinking to himself that he had probably crossed over professional boundaries. He coughed to clear his thoughts and clear his mind, but his thoughts lingered on her gentle touch. He stood and smartened his uniform.

"You are, and were at the time, very welcome" Rani replied warmly but she recognised his very Vulcan shut down, the straightening of his uniform a form of displaying his internal closure and she smiled softly. She understood and knew she needn't say anything else, in fact, it would embarrass or discomfort him if she lingered on the subject. If he were ready to bring it up again sometime in the future then she would need to wait until he was ready to do so. Otherwise, she would let it lie. She hoped to gain more of his trust by respecting his emotional boundaries.

Instead, Rani returned to the previous conversation, lightly and with no fuss. "Yes please" she answered an earlier question as if it had only just been put to her. "I would like a drink, if you're comfortable with me staying here a while longer?" She probably wasn't really needed any more but if he had no objection, she would quite like to stay. "Terran Rooibosh Tea, please, no milk or sweetener thanks."

Kett nodded politely, a slight glimmery twinkle in his eye. "I am indeed comfortable with it. Please allow me." Stepped over to the replicator, his fingers dancing delicately on the LCARS touch screen display. "Computer. Two Terran Rooibosh Tea. Hot. No extra's" The replicator made its familiar humming sound, a small ball of blue energy began to swirl in the middle of the replicator pad. It coalesced together then materialized into two chine cups on saucers. Kett picked them up and carried them over, passing one to Rani.

Rani smiled broadly at Ket. "Thank you" she accepted the hot mug and steaming tea and held it just above her lap, warming her hands. It wasn't cold but a hot drink was always a comfort anyway. She blew on the drink, absently but her smile didn't fade away. Watching the Captain's gait, Medics were never really off duty, Rani silently and almost subconsciously assessed how much his steadiness had improved.

"You look as if you've got over your initial post-treatment trauma" she noted. "I'm glad! How are you feeling at the moment?" She couldn't help herself but ask the medical check up question.

The Vulcan raised one quizzical eyebrow. "I am a Vulcan. I do not feel anything." He sat back down again and took a sip of his tea. It had a robust flavour one he had not tried before "Fascinating" he said inspecting the cup and the drink . He looked at Rani "But in answer to your query Mrs Rani. Everything appears to be work within acceptable efficiencies."

"Of course, that was a foolishly worded question, Captain, I apologise." Rani replied. "I meant to enquire after your recovery at the current time." she clarified but, seeing how fascinated he was with the tea, she didn't really expect much of a response. Vulcans were impossible to 'read' in her opinion and even harder to eek out any helpful medical information from. She gave up with a sigh.

"I respond to Doctor, or just Rani, and even Lieutenant - with or without the Junior grade addition but I have never been addressed as Mrs - however if I were to be then technically it would prefix my last name, not my first." she explained in a very passable monotone, just as if she might have been Vulcan too. It did sometimes get attention although if one was offended into thinking they were being mocked then it would have a counter effect to what she was intending. It was both a tired and a risky approach.

Kett put the cup and saucer down, separately, on the small table between them "sooooooo" said Kett trying to piece the last bit of the conversation together as he stroked his black, un-vulcan like, scraggly beard. "You are not a Mrs? Rather You are a Miss Anderson....I mean Rani?"

Rani blushed, her cheeks flushing in discomfort. "No Captain Kett" suddenly feeling threatened by her past once again, she seemed to tighten involuntarily. Her jaw moved with some restriction that she didn't intend when she replied. "I am unmarried but I still am referred to as either Lieutenant, or lieutenant-junior-grade, or doctor, or Aurania, or Rani. Those are sufficient forenames for any one being, in my humble opinion" she replied.

“Then with your permission I would like to call you Rani and my full rank and name is Captain Kett V'Laass. But I would find great satisfaction if you call me Kett.” He picked up the cup and saucer again. Holding one in each hand awkwardly and took another sip of tea. He gave an appreciative nod at the taste. “You have excellent taste in tea Rani”

"That would be quite acceptable, thank you" Rani replied, finding herself unwittingly fitting into the formality that the Vulcan gave off - She knew he had no intentions of being formal in the way of being stand-offish but she also found it similar to trying to talk to someone who wasn't really fluent with one's language, or vice versa, someone with whom one was trying to converse in their own language that wasn't fluent or comfortable to oneself........Dear Goddesses! Now she was even thinking in the same way, let alone speaking in it. It was as if it were contageous! She shook herself internally and made a conscious effort to try to speak as she normally did,

"I mean, I'm happy for you to call me Rani, Kett." she smiled broadly. That was better. No more 'big words'! "....and I already know your rank and name from when we met before during your hospital stay on my home planet!" her smile had spread to her eyes fully and she tilted her head towards the cup, saucer and tea. "and I'm also happy that you like my favourite Tea. May I offer you a biscuit to go with it?" she offered, standing up to approach the replicator but stopping to pick up a Biscuit Barrel and opening the vacuum sealed lid to reveal various baked cookies and offering the selection to him to choose from.

TBC