====== Bridge, USS Chimera ===== Rangi stepped out of the turbo lift touching her cheek carefully. Shane, sitting in the CO chair took a moment or two to look in her direction. By the time he did so, she had crossed more than half the distance to his position and met his slight frown with a small smile. "Something strange just happened. " she told him, forestalling any comment he might make about her return to the Bridge so soon after he had told her to rest. She sat on the edge of the XO chair and leaned towards him slightly. "I've just come from sickbay." she told him "...and one of the scientists there...one you rescued from a shuttle?..she's really agitated and eager to leave. She got very upset, so much so that I sedated her. She was talking about unfinished work and the captain helping them. What do you think she means?" Shane wasnt too happy about seeing Rangi here. He wanted her to rest ... the recent events on Sidos were hard to keep with even for trained marines ... and quite too much for a doctor who only recently became XO. Walsh was partially right ... Shane will never treat Rangi like a common crew member ... and even if he DID send her to lead an away team into a "hot zone" he was not ready to see her flatten cause stress and horrors from duty. He wanted to remark something on her behalf when she entered the Bridge, but her first sentence stopped him. He knew that Rangi wouldnt violate direct orders without having a serous reason for doing so. Hearing about an upset scientist from Einhoften seemed not to be serious enough ... but Rangi's tone and a visible red mark just under her eye indicated that he might be wrong. Shane glanced at the red mark under her eye to show his XO that he's noticed it but made no comment about it in front of the Bridge crew. "Unfinished work?" he asked, "did she say something more precise?" he added. Rangi shook her head. "No.." she said. "She and another man..Hawkins I think..were talking together and broke off as soon as they saw me." Shane shrugged slightly: "Well, I would see that as a common symptom after being held prisoner by Marduk soldiers and after we almost destroyed that shuttle ... but you are the doctor from us two. Do you think that is might be more then it looks like?" Rangi considered it. "Well its true..they were used as human shields..thats hardly a comforting idea." She frowned down at the floor. "I dont know..she wasn't like that initially. Lucy said she was fine when they first arrived, a bit shaken but nothing more..... then all at once she began complaining and asking to leave." Shane nodded: "Well, what said the medical examination?" he asked. "It hasnt been done yet." Rangi replied looking back at him. Shane frowned a bit: "Its still hasnt been done?" he asked a bit surprised. "Well, I suppose the medical transport filters would alert us if this person was not fully healthy" he said, but then looked a bit aside and then back at Rangi: "But those guys were brought on board by the shuttles, not via transporter." He looked at Rangi and asked: "Do you think that there is any risk of those guys being infected by something?" "Like what?" she queried, her expression mirroring his. A moment later the frown disappeared and mild amusment took its place. "You mean you think they've been 'altered' too?" Her smile died and the frown returned. " You mean...someone has 'done' something to them? You're serious? you mean the Marduk? " She sat back in her chair and stared at him but even as she spoke she realized the possibilty wasnt that far fetched. { If the scientists could do it, then why not the Marduk} She nibbled at her lower lip for second or two, her gaze leaving Shane and travelling thoughtfully round a section of the Bridge. She returned her attention to Shane. "N'et'vor said that some of the Jem'hadar hadnt responded well, that some of them retain their aggression....but why would they try anything with the scientists? I dont follow if thats your reasoning" Shane shrugged: "I havent said that I think that the Marduk did something to the human crew on Einhoften, but they "could" be infected by some disease by more common means. You know ..." he paused, "like when you catch a cold" He smiled at the feeble example, "but with some other virus or something." Shane shrugged again: "Was just an idea ... " Shane leaned a bit towards her and said quietly: "Well, this all seems like a big Intel game to me and Intel reasons are never visible in "daylight". Looking in her eyes he continued: "Maybe the Humans were used for testing, maybe were the Marduk revenging themselves, maybe are the Marduk just a cover and Fleet Intel attempted to create HUMAN super soldiers" Suddenly he leaned away again, shrugged and smiled weakly: "But maybe its just me being paraniod ... lets forget about that ...." She didnt return the smile but instead sat absolutely still moving only her eyes to follow him as he leaned away from her. His idea was like something from a science fiction holo-game. {Marduk Revenge} It had a sinister 'fantasy' ring to it. {..and yet..} Rangi thought {..it could happen.Intel are capable of anything.} Unconciously she began to nibble at her lip again, a habit her father had tried to cure her from as a little girl. {Is it so crazy? The whole 'idea' is crazy...yet its worked..to a point. Human super soldiers?} She slumped back in her chair, feeling suddenly very tired. "I dont even know why I suggested it." she said, staring at the helm console. "This whole idea is just..." she shook her head, sighed and turned to Shane. "Let's stick with the common cold." she said and attempted a smile. Shane nodded. "Aye, lets no longer bother with it, but" there was something strange in his eyes, "Please make Ra'nar do a FULL medical check of that woman from Einhoften. You can call me paranoid, but its better safe then sorry. What do you think?" "I think you're right." She smiled a weak smile at him. "Lets cover all possibilities, however fantastic they seem. I wish you hadnt mentioned Intel though." she added and her expression took on a hint of worry. Shane's sight hardened for a moment before returning to his usual one. Leaning to Rangi again he said: "Please dont forget that we are Special Forces now and most of the matters we attend ARE Intel games." He shrugged: "maybe not this dangerous and top secret, but still ... we walk the more darker path within the fleet". Rangi remained silent, her gaze locked into his. Eventually she broke it and looked away. "Right" she said quietly, thinking that in the last mission the 'darker path' that they had been sent down had led them virtually to their doom. "So...we're sitting here with a crazed scientist in sickbay, altered Jem'hadar who may or may not be aggressive. Walshs team out of communication facing who knows what down there." She flicked her fingers vaguely in the direction of the view screen " and now we're considering the idea that Intel are using us as pawns...again." She closed her eyes against the madness of their situation. "Oh Shane." she murmured and remet his eyes. Shane almost grinned: "Welcome to the Special Forces" he whispered. She couldnt prevent a short laugh and some of the tension she felt oozed away. "Thankyou" she said and grinned back. ===== End Log ===== Commander Shane Guzman Commanding Officer USS Chimera & Commander Rangi Summers Executive Officer USS Chimera