=== Guest quarters , starbase 485=== The past few days were tedious, tedious with inactivity. Ever since they had arrived on the starbase, and the Gott whisked away form them, they had nothing to do,. Normally this would not have been a bad thing. After a long and arduous mission, the crew needed time to relax, but for Keylor it was the waiting to know his fate that would drive him to distraction. Though many of the crew were enjoying the varied amenities on the base, Keylor had kept to himself, filling out report, after action reports, and not to mention the temporal incursion report that all of the intelligence communities demanded he fill out in great detail. He was beginning to think he was going to be chained to a computer interface for the rest of his life. That was until he received new orders. After reading the orders over carefully, he called Shane and Rangi to come visit him at his quarters. A part of Shane was quite glad to be at this little station. Having no ship ... there were little dutis for an XO, besides several reports to write and crew evaluations to fill. What was plenty now ... was free time. Free time he could spend with his beloved. That was something he was missing all the last mission. But the other (more darker) part of Shane was growing to be uneasy. SSF confiscated the Gott with transwarp speed and grounded the Chimera crew on a small and unimportant station. Knowing some little of Intel ways, it was not a good sign. Shane could swear that SSF Comm was brewing something for them ... wherever it was good or bad ... Shane couldn't say. Rangi had checked her reflection in the mirror one last time before heading off towards the Generals guest quarters. At first call the invitation had sounded informal or semiformal at most so she had thought 'civilian' clothes would be in order but then she changed her mind and decided uniform would be best. { It IS a call from the General after all } she reasoned, {...even though it would be good to forget about uniform for a while.} Her door slid shut behind her and she hurried away intent not to be late. Meeting Rangi on the way Shane smiled at his beloved and kissed her merrily. Looking at her from her toes to her hair he smiled again and said: "You look wonderful my love" And trully .. she did. Clad in a fresh teal collared uniform, Rangi looked very handsome and sexy. Shane was not too fond about civilian clothing besides off-time, so he was clad in a fresh (replicated) uniform as well and together with Rangi they arrived at the General's temporary quarters Pressing the chime they've heard the "Come in" from the inside and the both of the two stepped inside the General's quarters. "Good day General" Shane said as greeting, "CMO and XO reporting as ordered" he added. Sitting at the far end of the slightly curved couch, Keylor fumbled with a few pads in his hands. He looked up as the pair walked in. "At ease you two. In here we can dispense with some of the formalities." He said with a smile. He gestured to the couch and the open spot just big enough for the two of them. Once they sat down, Keylor set the pads on the coffee table and grinned. "So how have you been getting along since our arrival? I take it you have had quality time?" he asked wondering if they had had a chance to be alone since their arrival. Shane looked at Rangi and then back at the General. Bretam was among those few that were 'told' about the ongoing romance between Rangi and Shane and among those even fewer to whom they could talk about it. "Thanks for asking General" Shane started, "its a welcome change compared to the ship's daily routine. If nothing else ... here are we a 'bit' less the center of attention than on a small ship like the Chimera is ... erm ... was" he finished. Rangi glanced at Shane from the corner of her eye at the Generals question, a tinge of colour deepening her cheeks. She smiled at his reply and looked back at Keylor. She eased the collar of her replicated uniform then leaned back against the soft cushion at her back. As the both of them sat on the quite comfortable couch Shane asked Bretam with the slightest of a grin on his face: "What about you Sir? Having had any spare time for affairs of any kind here?" Bretam was a bit of a puzzle to Shane and his personal life almost a sacret secret, but no one can stay entirely 'unaffected' while serving on a small ship for some years. Keylor leaned back in to the couch. "A little. Seen the promenade, taken in a little of holodeck time. But for the most part I have been in here, Filling out reports, requisitions and the sort." Keylor shrugged his shoulders, "Who would have known there was sooooo many forms to fill out when you destroy your starship, 10,000 years in the past." He said smiling. Shane smiled a bit for himself. This was typically Bretam. Sure, he did answer questions about his personal life, but ALWAYS a slightly bit different then expected and never saying anything concrete. Shane could not imagine him saying something like: "Yup, met a fine girl, have a date in the evening" Rangi saw the smile and felt sorry for him. {Always working} she thought {You lead a lonely life general} but she smiled to when he switched his attention to her. "Well, I did not call you in here just for chit chat. I thought it might be a good idea to have an assembly for the crew. A memorial service of sorts to remember those who we lost. " he said plainly. "I was reading about a group on earth, the Irish, and how they would hold. what did they call it. a wake." He said as if proud to remember. "They would have a gathering to remember those who had been lost, but not a sorrowful occasion, more of a time to celebrate life. Something to honor those lost and to embrace life. " he said wondering how they would take the idea. Shane nodded. Bretam's words reminded him again on all the pain and death during the last mission ... all the friends and crewmembers that ceased in thousands years away from their families. "That's a very good idea sir" Shane said finally. "As far I remember from history course, memorials of some kind were tradition on many military bodies in the past, ranging from humans through Klingons to Romulans. I think such an event here might be good for the crew morale." After a slight pause he added: "And it will honor those who will never return ...." Rangi looked down at the floor, smile gone. She raised her head and looked from Shane to Keylor. "I agree Sir." she said. shifting slightly on her seat. "It's a fine idea and a fitting end too for Chimera." Her gaze flicked to Shane and back " Perhaps she could be mentioned too. She was a home to so many and her end shouldn't be forgotten either." She saw Bretam nod acknowledgement of her idea and listened as continued. "We can also pass out the good news." He pointed to the pads on the table. "SSF command has seen fit to give us a new ship. And I am not just talking new to us, but a brand new Katana class ship, straight form the ship yards." He said hiding the smile on his face. Shane couldn't hide his surprise and amazement: "A new ship?" he asked thrilled . "Finally ... I was already thinking that SSF grounded us here for at least a year" he finished. He couldn't hide a wide smile appearing on his lips ... he felt like a small boy with a new toy. Delighted at the news and at Shanes obvious enthusiasm, Rangi beamed at the General."Thats wonderful news Sir.." Her pleased smile told of her thoughts that ran along the lines of {new sickbay...state of the art equipment...so much room} "A shiney new ship!" she said and grinned at them. ""Yes it would be nice to have a ship not aged by time and troubled by refit problems." He said in an agreeing tone. "I wonder what new a new ship smells like?" he said looking up in a wondering gesture. Shane nodded. The old tactician officer in him kicked in and he said: "Katana class is among the best the fleet can offer and I am not sure if there are any katanas in duty outside SSF ... surely not many of them". Shane could remember the feeling of setting his foot on the Chimera for the very first time ...not knowing who was the CO nor who was the CMO. "I hope the new ship will hold the same good surpises for us then the old did" he remarked with a grin. Rangis expression was one of relaxed happiness. "...and only good surprises this time" she said and smiled at Keylor. "You must be very thrilled sir." she stated. "Well.." he let his words trail off a bit. "As we all know the universe is filled with opposites, things that balance other things out. And this new ship has one as well." He said almost reluctant to tell them. " This one is for you to command Commander." Keylor said glancing over to him. For some unknown reason the words like {The One ... Matrix ... you were always right - it's inevitable} flew through his mind. An another suspicion was growing in his head but in the first moment he thought about it as nonsense: "Excuse me sir? I didn't follow you right" he said a bit confused. Rangi sat up straight and opened her mouth to speak but no sound came out. She looked at Shanes face, as shocked as her own, and back to the General who sat observing the effect that his little bombshell ,dropped almost casually into the conversation, had had on the pair. "Sir?" she questioned, her tone prompting him to explain. Keylor nodded, "You have been given command of the new ship. Starfleet has decided to put me behind a desk indefinitely pending a board of inquiry, because of the temporal incursion." he said solemnly. "They are giving you the honor of choosing your XO, They have sent a couple of personnel files along with the orders. I have already sent those over to your quarters." he said moving the conversation along and not lingering over the fact that both of them seemed shocked that Keylor was being dry docked. "What?" escaped from Shane's mouth. "Grounded cause our last mission? Our successfull mission? " he asked shaking his head in disbelief. "None of the Admiral guys would be warming their seats if it wasnt us to save the timeline" he continued getting angry. "I wont deny that I thought of once becoming the Captain of the Chimera, but not now ... not this way" Rangi heard the conversation but was thinking. {A board of enquiry?... They're blaming him for losing a ship?... That's ridiculous} Thoughts buzzed around her mind but none of them reconciled her to the fact that the new ship wouldn't have Keylor in command. She looked from his face to Shane realizing that though he had wanted, some day, to command a ship of his own, it wouldn't have been THIS one...not now and certainly not in these circumstances. Keylor shrugged his shoulders, "Well, that is how things go. No matter. I will just do what they ask and hope the job they give me is a useful one." he replied in a matter of fact tone. "But none the less, the ship must carry on. that now falls on your shoulders Shane." he said for the first time using Shane's name instead of his rank. Shane was taken by surprise with Bretam using his first name ... for the first time they knew each other. It was quite common that the CO and XO spoke to each other (even if only in private) with first names ... but that was not the case for Bretam and Guzman. Both men were accustomed to have some sort of a little invisible barrier around them ... effective keeping their fellow crewmembers at some distance. Till now ... "You know that I hoped that one day I will be in your place on the Bridge but this is just .... ridiculous" Shane said, "The Chimera is your ship and ..." Shane stopped suddenly realizing that there was no Chimera anymore. With the destruction of the Chimera Bretam lost his ship and his Command ... only now he realized what it must have meant for Bretam to command the destruction of the Chimera ... HIS Chimera. " I am sorry ... Keylor..." he said quietly Keylor pointed back to the small desk in his office. "I noticed several people are up for a promotion. Why don't we combine the gathering into a gathering, slash, announcement, slash, promotion gathering. And as the new Commander of the ship, you should have the honors." he said pointing to Shane. Shane shook his head: "Please you do the honors now. The crew expects their leader ... their General to praise them and this was after all a mission under your command and in fact ... still your crew." Rangi listened to and watched the exchange in silence. She saw the Generals shrug of apparent unconcern and heard the positive tone of voice as he offered Shane the promotion ceremony. She suspected that it cost him dearly and knew that for Shane's sake he tried to make the transition inviting and acceptable. She noticed too the use of first names and looked from one to the other. {How good they both are at pretending} she thought seeing a touch of sympathy cross Shane's face that disappeared in an instant into seriousness. "Sir.." she said quietly stepping forward a half step. "May I add that I think this an unfair and totally wrong decision by Starfleet. You brought the crew home..." Her voice trailed off when Keylor looked at her. "I just think its not right Sir" she added, her expression now troubled. Keylor stood up and nodded , "Thank you Rangi.", he said. {It was the first time he had used her first name to her face. It was almost hard to not utter Doctor.. "Well things are as they are." He motioned to the door. "Well I should let you make preparations. Commander," he said nodding to Shane," you have a few decisions to make." After a somber 'yes sir'. Both Rangi and Shane left the guest quarters, a bit stunned by the news. <<OOC: Yes you read it right. I am leaving the ship. I am retiring form simming due to real life reasons. We will make the in character announcement at the reception. It has been an awesome two years, it has been an honor to be your captain. Thank you everyone! Indy>> ===End log=== Bgen Bretam Keylor Former Commander USS Chimera & Cmdr Shane Guzman Actaing Captain USS Chimera LtCmdr Rangi Summers CMO USS Chimera