<<Part One>> ===== Briefing room, USS Chimera ===== The briefing ended with the Colonels curt dismissal.An immediate flurry of activity and talk broke out as everyone began to discuss the points raised. Moving from her place,Rangi made her way to the opposite side of the table where Shane was talking to Ens Oriana.Rangi waited, standing a little back from them, not wishing to intrude, but close enough to speak to Shane as soon as he was free. In a moment or two, the conversation concluded and Rangi stepped forward as Shane half turned to face her. She smiled softly,feeling the familiar 'touch of magic' that feathered through her whenever he was near. Shane nodded towards Oriana and dismissed her. Looking around he noticed Rangi waiting nearby, looking at him and slightly smiling. It looked like ages since they were talking to each other ... even if it was hardly a day. But all the events ... aliens and stuff made the time long like a year ... Shane could not resist to smile broadly at the woman of his life. She stood there, a bit bruised and tired, but lovely like always. {What a pity we are on duty!} he thought. Sure, it was no secret that Rangi and he were together, but still she was the CMO/2XO and he the XO and some portion of proffesionality was required from them. They were NOT supposed to fall in each other arms ... at least not here. Taking two steps towards Rangi he smiled at her and whispered: "Let's wait for the others to leave the bridge and we'll take our own turbolift." With a sparkle of mischief in her eyes, she glanced away, unable to hold his gaze and read there what he undoubtedly meant. Little by little the room began to clear. Lt Quayle, one of the last to leave, stopped for a word with Shane.Rangis eyes fell on Athena, standing by the door. {Strange..} Rangi thought, when the counselor abruptly turned away {...but then, if she's not feeling well...} Her concern for Athena was momentarily forgotten when Shane gently touched her arm.Turning her head to look at him the sparkle returned to her blue/grey eyes. "Are you finished here?" she asked quietly. Shane wanted to reply to Rangi when the Colonel interruped him. Keylor looked at Shane,"Why don't you walk with me." he said motioning to the door. Having one more glance in Rangi's direction he nodded to Keylor: "Of course Colonel." He sighed slightly ... duty had again priority from personal life and he had again very little time to spend with his beloved. To excuse himself he shrugged in Rangi's direction and left the room with the CO. ===== 30 minutes later ===== Shane walked into the sickbay .... well, better said paced with his famous long steps and looked around to see where to find Rangi. Seeing her to attend someone together with Dr. DeSoto he walked over to her and nodded towards both Doctors before addressing Rangi. "Rangi, I need to talk to you, its quite urgent" "Ofcourse." she replied, wondering at the XOs serious expression. "Steve..please continue this...3cc's as we said." She turned to the AMO as she spoke and caught the chilled look he was directing at Shane. Shane pointed towards Rangi's little office: "Lets go over there" Leading the way, Shane entered the office first and waited for Rangi to enter as well. He then took a step towards the exit and closed the door. He took her hand and lead her to a corner he knew is not visible from the main ward. Rangi looked a bit afraid at him not knowing what is going on. She followed behind wondering why he was headed for the filing cabinet and what he wanted there.He turned to face her. "Shane?.." she queried "What is it?" Once in the corner, Shane smiled at his beloved and to answer her question he hugged her tightly: "Wellcome back Milacik" he whispered to her ears. "I missed you very , very much ..." he added. "Darling..." she mumured, turning her head and kissing first his jaw and then his lips."...not as much as I missed you..." Shane hold her in his arms not wanting to let her go ... and said half joking, half being serious. "Please promise me that you wont disappear with out a word again ... next time please leave at least the address!" She laughed and smiled at him, reaching up to touch his unruly hair. "I'll gladly do that...if I actually know I'm going somewhere!" she replied attempting.. and failing.. to smooth it into order.She stepped back and still holding his hand asked more seriously "So what did the Colonel say?...is there a plan of action? Shane grinned: "Heh, you know Bretam. He is not even 30 minutes back from his floating experience and he's planning to lead an away team again. I could not persuade him to stay on board and I even tried to use the 'Admiral' card." Shane shrugged: "Bretam will lead one team and shut down the station's warp core and my team will disassemble the station's torpedoes. I will shortly arrange with Oriana a small firework for the aliens ... but" he looked into her eyes and now were sparks of mischief in his eyes as well ... "you my beloved, will stay safe and sound on board." He grinned as he continued: "You have surely seen the three marines in front of the sickbay ... I placed them there an hour ago and the Colonel hasnt cancelled that order ... so they will stay here and make sure nothing bad will happen inside the walls of your sickbay ..." Though he tried to make light of the situation and quickly glossed over the fact that he would be leading an away team himself, Rangi couldnt respond in the same vein.She knew well enough that as XO,he would be expected to lead away teams and would in fact relish the whole idea.He had told her he occasionally missed the excitement of his last position of CTAC. "Please be careful" she told him quietly, forcing a glimmer of a smile in responce to his grin."The aliens are all over that place..they've actually killed researchers there...one touch is enough." ***End of part One*** LtCmdr Shane Guzman XO USS Chimera & LtCmdr Rangi Summers CMO/2XO UssChimera