*** Sickbay USS Chimera *** Rangi picked up the medpadd and read through the report. Following his arrival aboard Chimera, Corporal Hughes had undergone surgery to treat the phaser burns to his upper arm and shoulder.Steve had taken charge of this and the record showed that he had done his job well.Satisfied that the marine was on the road to recovery, Rangi glanced at him as she returned the medpadd to its place and saw that he watched her. "Did I disturb you?" she asked quietly. "No ma'am..I wasnt properly asleep, just dozing." "How are you feeling...any pain?...discomfort?" Corporal Hughes flexed his arm a little."It feels sore thats all" he said, sounding surprised. Rangi smiled down at him."Thats to be expected...it was a bad burn...I can give you an analgesic if you need it." "No..its really not that bad" he replied as she had half expected him to. "How long will I have to stay here?" "At least until tomorrow." she replied."...possibly a little longer.There was quite a bit of muscle damage there." He sighed and eased his arm to a more comfortable position. "Corporal...when I asked you on the station how you came by such an injury, you told me Ensign Hathaway had fired on you.I dont understand entirely...did she somehow mistake you for one of the aliens?" It was a question that had lodged in the back of Rangis mind ever since she had entered the station sickbay.It had smacked to her of the ensign being somewhat 'trigger happy' and she was keen to know the circumstances surrounding the incident. The answer was hesitant."Well....no ma'am..she didnt." "Oh?...please explain ?." The marine looked at her doubtfully. "Corporal..as well as being the CMO,I'm the second executive officer of this ship...if there is anything that a member of our crew has done that isnt in the line of duty, then I need to know about it...and so does the captain." Corporal Hughes considered this piece of information and after a moment or two,made an effort to sit up.He swung his legs off the edge of the biobed and cradling his left arm, waited uneasily as Rangi prepared to record his statement. "Don't look so worried.." she told him clicking on a padd."..just tell me what happened in your own words...ok?" She gave him a reassuring smile to which he responded with a murmured "Yes ma'am." "Computer...record on medpadd Z84...a statement by...Lnc Corporal Ian Hughes...copies to be sent to LtCmdr Guzman and Colonel Bretam." "Recording.." the computor responded. Corporal Hughes looked at the medpadd in Rangis hand as though it might bite him at any moment. Rangi sat herself on the edge of the biobed next to him and said :" When you're ready corporal...in your own time.." He glanced at Rangi, moistoned his lips and began. "Well...Lt Bakull and me..." he stopped and looked questioningly at the woman next to him "Want me to say where we're from?" Rangi smiled agreement. "Start at the beginning." He turned to the medpadd, cleared his throat and continued: "We're from Starbase 621 and we.." he looked uncertainly at Rangi ".... went to station Zepher to deliver six quantum torpedoes." He paused, considering what to say next.Shifting his position he continued: "We off loaded them all no trouble...straight forward delivery.We meant to leave more or less at once but the research people were real keen to get on and they fired one pretty soon after we got there.The Lt was surprised about that and then....well...everything went haywire." He frowned in concentration, momentarily reliving the experiance. "These...shapes appeared...misty formless things." Glancing left at Rangi she saw the fear return."Its ok...take your time." "We were in a control room.." he said staring at the floor." ...and this thing...this alien...just came out of no where.One of the scientists...a woman...she tried to stop it..talk to it." He shook his head and Rangi remembered the figure she had stumbled over. "It killed her straight out" Cpl Hughes continued "...and then it came at us." He took a steadying breath and turned to face Rangi. "We ran" he stated bluntly. "..all of us...we just scattered...and there were more of those things...'many' more." Rangi waited in silence for him to continue. "I dont know where we went. Lt Bakull and I stayed together.The phasers made no impact on them and so we tried to hide at the same time as trying to find our way back to our shuttle. Thats when Ensign Hathaway found us." Rangi nodded understanding. "She told us to put down our weapons and to go forward from out hiding place....but we didnt know who they were...you've got to understand...we were scared...disorientated...it could have been a trap." "I do understand that...go on please..." "I couldnt see her clearly, couldn't be sure and when she came close...I....lashed out at her." "And?..." "She fired" "Without a warning?...she just fired?" Rangi couldnt keep the surprise from her voice. "She told me not to hit out with a weapon......then she fired." rangis lips straightened in displeasure. "What about Lt.Bakull?" "There was a bit of a confrontation there...she wanted to get me to the sickbay...but the ensign disagreed and insisted that as part of an away team she had command until a higher ranking officer found us." He gave Rangi a considering look. "There's something else?" she asked. "She ...er....she threatened to shoot Lt Bakull too ma'am." he replied after a second or two. Rangi stood up. "Thankyou Corporal....you've been very clear.Computer..end recording." "What happens now ma'am...too the ensign?" "well......" Rangi said with a sigh."She's still unconcious so it might be a while before we hear her side of it.A copy of this will go to Colonel Bretam." Rangis nails clicked on the padd as she spoke. " Its up to him to decide anything when all the facts are known.He'll need to talk to Lt Bakull too ofcourse." The marine nodded. "Now I want you to get some rest." Rangi said altering her tone. "If you have any discomfort, let one of my team know. I'll be back to see you later." "Yes ma'am" came the obedient reply.She watched the corporal lay back on the biobed, carefully moving his arm to a comfortable position.Satisfied that he would indeed rest,Rangi turned away. {The colonel won't be too impressed!} she thought and headed towards her office. *** End Log *** LtCmdr Rangi Summers CMO/2XO USS Chimera & LncCpl Ian Hughes Marine Starbase 621 (npc)Rangi