*** Rangis Quarters * Starbase 485 *** Rangi pulled at the stiff collar, trying to ease its newness into something a little,more comfortable. She sighed in annoyance. If she eased the collar the back of the tunic seemed to ride up slightly. If she pulled that straight the front adpoted a figure hugging effect and the collar dug in.It was one thing or another. She turned to the mirror and regarded herself. {That's not me} she thought noticing the red replacement where always teal had been before. Moving away, she clipped on her combadge and walked out of her quarters. In less than twenty four hours the whole crew needed to be aboard the USS Thorn and it was her first duty as XO to round up any crew who had had the wisdom to get themselves thrown into the Starbase Brig. She walked smartly along the corridor, waited for the turbo lift, requested "Deck 32..section 18" and stood alone on the long journey down to her destination. As the lift came smoothly to a halt, she ran a finger around her collar, tugged gently on the tunic and stepped out. *Starbase 485 * Brig * "Why did I do that again?" Hawk groaned as he rolled out of his bed. He had started the night with the same intentions of just drinking a few and ended up blacking out along the way.The only problem was he realized he didnt make it back to his room this time. He looked up where the bathroom should be and found a force field "Shit." he said with dismay. "Well, look LT Smart Ass just decided to roll out of bed!" the base security guard said to his friend as Hawk walked up to the field "You were a handful last night. You should have just stuck to being drunk but when you decided to smart me off it was your worst mistake." the cocky NCO said to Hawk. He was obviously enjoying the chance to bust down a higher ranking officer. Hawk tried to ask what he even did which met with only rude interruptions and threats of worse punishment. "Your lucky Mr, I havent even filed the report yet. I am just wondering how much more I am going to charge you with. Let's see what else took place on base last night that wasnt explained..." He started to look over a padd in his hands. He kept looking up at Hawk and noted that Hawk wasnt the least bit bothered by his actions, "Do whatever you want Sergeant. I may have been a smart ass and drunk last night, but your nothing more than a little moron on a backwater station who could only dream of seeing the action I have." With this he charged back to his console and began to punch keys feverishly. Just then the door opened, and a red collared woman walked in. Hawk knew the "shit" really did just hit the fan. Rangi stepped into the room and looked around. There were four cells, all occupied. In the centre of the room stood two security men, one working at a console and the other leaning on it watching him, with a grin on his face. Rangi walked towards them and the watcher straightened up as he recognized her rank but the other tapped away, finally ending with a flourish, raising his hand in the air and stating.. "That'll fix you...you typical overstuffed, puffed up, no good bast..." He broke off noticing his fellow security guard was now standing to attention and looking straight forward. He frowned, his lips began to form a question when his companions eyes met his and gave him a meaningful look. Turning slowly around he met Rangis interested gaze. "Commander." he said slowly then sprang to attention himself. "Good morning Chief Petty Officer." she said coming to stand in front of him. "Are you in charge here?" For some reason a grin began to grow on the nco's face and he responded, "Yes Ma'am, may I be of assistance?" He began to make what could only be perceived as a flirtatious smile. Before Rangi could respond the completely idiotic man continued with, "You know Ma'am if you would like I could assist you in more ways than one." His coworker obviously was not that unintelligent as he just decided to leave the room with a look of pure panic on his face. "And where are 'you' going?" Rangis voice stopped Technician Burnett in his tracks. "Did I say you could leave?" she asked him as he turned to face her. "No ma'am" He sidled back towards the console where Petty officer Howden was looking uncertainly at the slim brown haired woman in red. She switched her attention to him. "I am Commander Summers of the USS Chimera. Have you any of my crew here?" she asked. Thinking to cut off any unsuitable replies, Burnett answered the question. "Yes ma'am..three." "Oh?" With a hasty glance at Howden, Burnett tapped a few commands on the console but Rangi had already turned away and was looking at the cells. Opposite her someone lay snoring on his bed. "Private Parker ma'am...drunk on the promenade." Rangis lips compressed into a tight line of displeasure. She moved to the next cell where a Klingon female glared at her. "Parkers...err...assailant ma'am" Burnett supplied the information, giving the Klingon a wary glance. "I see." Rangi moved to the third cell where a man sat on the edge of his bed, leaning forward, forearms resting on legs and head bowed low. "That's Ensign Nisbet Ma'am...arrested for fighting in the 'Anchor' " Rangi frowned and walked toward the cell. "Ensign?" she said, her tone suspicious. "Ensign Nisbet?" He raised his head at the sound of his name and looked at her through one half closed eye. Rangi looked back at him in horror. "Why isnt he in sickbay?" she demanded turning back to Howden. "Look at the state he's in....has he seen a doctor?" "Yes" Howden said at the same time as Burnett replied "No Ma'am" Rangi walked back to the console. "Yes?..... or no" she said looking from one man to the other " Which is it?...though my eyes tell me the answer." "Not quite yet. " the petty officer elaborated and tried to think up a reason why a doctor hadnt been called. "We're getting to it. "Burnett said weakly. "You certainly are." Rangi replied. Her annoyance was now plain to see as she stepped to the last cell and her expression changed to surprise. "Why Leiutenant Versey!...what are 'you' doing here?" Siezing his chance Howden answered rather more forcefully than he needed and drowned out Hawks reply. "Multiple charges...drunk and disorderly...causing a disturbance..possession of illegal liquor...resisting rrest...insulting a senior officer..." Rangi turned her head sharply and moved to his side eager to see for herself this catalogue of disaster Hawk had conjured up for himself. She stood, hands behind her back, reading the report, her expression insrutable. When a few seconds had passed, she raised her eyes and looked at Hawk steadily, then turned to the P/O. "Very interesting." she said and with her right hand pointed to one of the charges. "This is on Deck eighteen...at 00.15?... so tell me...petty officer..." she gave Howden a look that would have frozen a lava pool "..just how did he manage to get HERE on deck four, less than two minutes later." No one moved and the silence became deafening. "Well?" she asked. When no reply was forthcoming, Rangi took a step back and indicated the cells. "Let them out. " she said. Burnett made a move to the cell's wall command console but stopped when Howden said with as much a tone of authority as he could muster: "Now look here...this is my Brig and I say who gets let out." Rangi nodded her head to Burnett that he should continue. "Wake him up." she said pointing to Parker. "Lieutenant?..please help Ensign Nisbet....and 'you'" she added turning back to Howden "...had best check your facts...there seems to be some errors concerning my crew who will 'all' be accompanying me to the Thorn." There was thump and a muttered curse or two, as Parker was unceremoniously pulled from his bed. "I do not expect any delay in our departure." Rangi continued evenly. "Just as I do not expect to have to write a report of my own relating how the security force in the brig here was possibly intoxicated. That IS alcohol on your breath isnt it Petty officer?" "NO Ma'am, They are all free to go, I must have been misinformed by the arresting officers or something, sorry about the mixup and no hard feelings Commander!" He spouted out as fast as he could, saluted her and helped release the force fields from the other cells Rangi and the three crew men exited the Brig. She turned to Hawk, "Lieutenant..Take Ensign Nisbet to sickbay..have his injuries treated and report to the USS Thorn within the hour. You'll find it at Gate Three in the Upper Pylon." "Yes Ma'am." He replied and began to move away from her. Before he even got a meter though he stopped and turned back to her. "Cmdr I was drunk last night but I didn't do anything more than maybe pass out, thanks." ee added and then assisted Nisbet to sickbay. *** End Log *** Ltjg Hawk Versey AEO USS Chimera & Commander Rangi Summers XO USS CHimera ( all npcs) Hawk & Rangi