===== Bar restaurant, Starbase Kinsi ===== ... please let me introduce you Rangi, she is the Chief medical officer on our ship and my girl friend" Martin looked at him for a second quietly before saying: "Then you are a lucky man Shane." Martin turned his attention to Rangi, once again smiling at her but at the same time studying her face. He saw her smile widen as she looked at his brother with undisguised affection. Rangi reached for Shanes hand across the table top and as their fingers intertwined, she remet Martins look. "Martin?...you're a little out of touch too.." she told him kindly. Returning her gaze to Shane, Martin saw pride in her expression as she continued: "...Shane isnt a tactical officer anymore ... he's the Executive Officer of Chimera..and recently promoted to Commander." Martin looked at Shane for a moment with a strange expression settled on his face. Maybe was Shane's brother envying his career or the woman he had on his side ... maybe Martin was considering his own luck in his life, but on the second moment he smied: "Congratulations Shane. I always knew you would be making career. I trust our parents are content with you". Shane of course knew what was his brother pointing to. Their father ... the great ambassador Guzman was quite known in the diplomatic circles and even had some influence in starfleet politics. For his two sons and one daughter he had exact career plans, like straight lines that would lead to success and in end effect to strengthen his own position in the beaurocracy of the federation. Shane, as the eldest of the kids was supposed to make career as scientist, but even an starfleet officer was not the worst choice. Martin, the second child was supposed to follow the father into the diplomatic core and for a while he did so. The youngest of the children, their sister Leila was after Shane's decission to join the fleet, the scientist in the family and she alone followed the lines drawn by their father. Shane shrugged and said: "Come on Martin. You know how are things between me and our father. He never liked me in the fleet and to be honest, he even tried to get me away from this ship. You know his connections ..." Martin noded: "Yes, I do. But you are an executive officer of a fleet ship." He said in a slightly offending tone. Shane answered him the same back: "And you were a consul last time I knew about you. You were the diplomatic protective from us two" Rangi followed the conversation, moving her eyes from one brother to the other as they spoke.Shane had said little to her about his father.She knew of Ambassador Guzman and the high profile work he did and she knew that he and his son were not on the best of terms. Wondering if she was wrong in suspecting a slight undercurrent between the two, she thought to intervene. Squeezing Shanes fingers, she looked at Martin and said, smiling : "Martin...we were just about to order a meal.You'll join us ?" She glanced at Shane, then back to his brother. " I'm really pleased to meet one of Shanes family...are you staying on the Starbase for long?" Martin looked at Rangi and smiled slightly. This gesture must have been known to her as Shane smiled sometimes this way too. He nodded: "Thank you for the invitation Rangi. To answer your question ...I am just waiting for a Borelian transport ship that should bring me a bit along my route." Shane was not sure if he should approach the issue but he tried his luck: "Look Martin. You surprised me with the news that you are no more on Artemis. What happened?" While speaking Shane squeezed Rangi's hand as a thank you. Now was Martin's turn to shrug: "I've got sick of all the diplomatic stuff and high style life. One nice sunny day I packed my belongings and went away. Plain and easy ... just the way father never liked." Looking at Rangi and back to Shane Martin asked: 'But your news first, how are you doing? What happened since you manned tactical at the starbase you were on? And more important ... where have you met such a nice lady as Rangi here?" Rangi noticed the stillness settle over Shane and the uncertain, questioning look in his expression. Catching the waiters eye, she raised her hand, beckoning him to come. Martin, distracted by the gesture, smiled to Rangi who took the initiative to answer. "Well...as a fresh AMO I was sent straight to Aurora..where Shane was the CTAC. One afternoon he came into sickbay...rescued me from a rather tricky situation ...and ...we've been together more or less, since then." Rangi gave a small laugh at Martins doubtfull expression and turned to Shane. Shane beckoned Rangi to make her order and after that he asked: "Brokoli with cheese and black tea" Martin said: "Cooked lamb with whatever you serve and fresh water" Looking sideways at Shane he said: "I always knew that you are lucky" Slowly Martin's exression changed ... from somwhat sad and undiffrent .. to his usual jovial one. He smiled at Rangi and said: "Hmmm .... I trust that my dear brother still has the terrible picture of the luggage thing ... have you seen it Rangi?" "Yes I have!" she replied leaning back in her chair. "It haunts me!" she laughed teasingly at Shane and looked back at Martin "He has a strange taste in art I think....and when I had to pack up his quarters one time...all those books about Magic and stuff?..." she leaned forward and whispered loudly "...you have a strange brother!" "Hey, that's valuable literature" Shane said, pretending to be offended. Martin glanced at Shane and said leaning to Rangi: "You can trust that Rangi. Even if older then me ... Shane was always the odd of us. Would you trust that he was in a music school as a cub? singing !?" he stressed. Rangi assumed a look of horror "No!! ......really?" She controlled her smile with difficulty, seeing Shane from the corner of her eye observing them. "...and he was...a cub?...tell me more Martin..." Martin smiled at his brother who looked less than happy and protested: "Come on Martin, that's not interesting anymore. That was 20 years ago ..." But Martin shook his head: "Hey Shanie ... this lady has a right to know every detail of you." Glancing at Rangi he said: "Yes, yes ... Shane was always the talented from us and as a 5 years boy he attended singing lessons by a quite known singer back at Earth. As mom said ... he was quite good. Does he not sing for you Rangi" he asked innocently? Rangi was about to reply, saw the warning look in Shanes eye and stifled her laughter. She covered her lips with her hand and looked back at Martin."Ummm...well...yes I have heard him...once or twice..." Her laughter couldnt be contained as she thought of Shanes operatic performances in the shower. At that moment the waiter arrived with their meals. He placed a plate of cauliflower cheese in front of her and she murmured "mmmmm..this looks nice" aware that Shane was watching her. The two brothers got their meals as well and looked at each other. For a second their look revealed some menance ... but maybe it was just a mistake. In the next moment Shane was looking at Rangi with his usual smiling expression and Martin was studying the meat in front of him. Leaning a bit to Rangi he added: "Well, I dont know if its safe to say and maybe I risk a few days in your prison ... but Shane even won a prize in an opereta..." He mimicked an opereta singer and started to sing in a deep voice: ~Ooooo, soleeee miiiooooooooo~ Rangi looked in amazement at Martin, lowered her knife and fork and applauded him."A talented family all round then!" she smiled to Shane "Darling you amaze me...I'm learning so much about you!" she returned her attention to Martin, picked up her fork and asked innocently "Is there anything else I should know?" Shane gave Martin a hard stare and said in a wanna-be warning tone: "I am sure Martin wants to say you that I was always a good and sensible boy, just the right for you ... wont you Martin?" Martin laughed: "I never said you would be the wrong one Shanie ... you do sure your best and its up on Rangi to judge that I guess ... but you shame me Shane ... such a talented singer and you DONT sing to your girlfriend?" he shook his head: "Tsk, tsk" Rangi smiled softly to Shane and said more seriously to Martin."I'm really pleased you two have met up again. I dont have brothers or sisters and its nice to see a family and the 'fun' they have. Where is your sister now?... Leila isnt it?" Martin's expression darkened for a moment. Maybe he was thinking about something connected to his sister that happenned lately ... but his diplomatic training kicked fastly in. His expression changed again to the playboy one and he said: "She's at home on Earth. A month ago she was still on the Daystrom institute studying relativity paradoxes" Shane looked at Martin but said no word. For a second time Rangi was aware of unspoken moods.She glanced quickly from one to the other of her companions, looked down at her plate, stabbed a flourette of cauliflower and said "Oh?...she has a holiday with your mother?" "She's too much like our mother" Martin said quietly. "But" he shrugged and returned to his usual style once again: "I have to leave you love birds ... have to find a quarters for few days here ... and since I am no diplomat anymore, it might take some time." He stood up from his chair and offered his hand to Rangi: "I am very glad to meet you Rangi. Its rare to see such a lovely lady" Rangi was surprised that he would leave so suddenly and twisted in her chair, looking up at him standing beside her.She took his hand."Thankyou.." she said quietly. "I'm sorry you have to leave so soon...please let us know where you are...we must make an evening together ..... mustnt we Shane?" she added turning to her left. Shane nodded, first slowly but then in a normal speed: "Sure we have to. After all, we are a family Martin, arent we?" he asked looking his brother. Martin nodded slowly: "Yes, we are Shane" he took the offered hand and shook it. "Have a nice evening brother". Shane nodded back:" You too Martin and hey!" he said and pulled out a little PADD, "If you wont think of it as rude,here is a place I've got from the station OPS for the duration of our stay here ... you can have it" Rangi watched the surprise run over Martins face as he took the offered padd.When he glanced at her cautiously, she nodded and smiled to him."Please.." she said simply. Martin took the PADD quote surprised. Eighter he was not used to help lately or was ne not used to get help from his brother. Eighterways he took the PADD after a slight hesistation and said: "Thank you ... both" He smiled slightly in the strange weak facial expression and said: "Take care both ... I'll see you soon". Shane smiled back: "See you then Martin. Enjoy the stay" Martin noded back and turned to Rangi: "See you later pretty lady. " Rangi watched Shanes brother walk towards the restaurant doorway.When she looked at Shane she saw he too was watching Martin make his way out.She tilted her head to one side, wondering what Shane was thinking, so caught up in a daydream as he seemed to be. As he turned to her at last , she smiled to him. "That was kind of you." she said. "I like your brother darling...he's very nice" Shane smiled back. WIth Martin leaving, he was slowly returning to the calm man Rangi knew. "He's a good man ... maybe a bit strange, but all right" He shrugged slightly: "But I fear we have now to return to the ship for the night, cause I gave our quarters away to Martin" Rangis smile froze."Yes...well....we might have a slight problem there then " she said slowly and bit her lower lip in an effort not to laugh " Sweetheart?...the ship left!" Shane raised an eyebrow ... like Orian does occasinally: "Left?" he wondered, "How left?" he asked, "Without us?" ... "Huh ..." Rangi leaned back in her chair and waited. "So..... Commander...what shall we do now?" Shane shook his head in disbelief: "Ask for a shuttle? Together we have 5 and a half pips ... thats almost an admiral ... so we might be lucky ..." Rangi looked at him doubtfully but couldnt surpress a grin "You think they'd believe us?" She frowned momentarily at her plate then looked at him with shining eyes."Actually...thats a good idea...a shuttle...one of those little OP4 things...could we really have one?" Shane thought a bit about the idea ... maybe the shuttle doesnt needed to fly to far away from the station ... just few thousand meters maybe ... He smiled: "I think thats a wonderfull idea Rangi." He shrugged: "Hey, we are SSF officers, I want to see an OPS officer denying us a shuttle" Rangi reached for his hands: "You're just so 'clever' at this sort of thing" she told him confidently "...and it'll be such 'fun'!!...I'm 'really' glad Martin arrived when he did" she beamed her delight at Shane. Shane looked back at his beloved and his eyes smiled: "So I think we have to it try out" and squeezed her hand. ===== End of log ===== LtCmdr. Rangi Summers CMO/2XO USS Chimera & Cmdr. Shane Guzman XO USS Chimera