*** Living Dream Hotel *** Rangi made her way back towards the rooms she and Shane were occupying, determined that he would take notice of her concerns. She listed the 'odd' events to herself as she walked along the wide corridor leading to the main foyer, ignoring the soothing music that constantly played as a background feature. {Messages with news to good to be true?..people seeing and talking to ghosts?...and where's the ship? He knows its gone!?} Rangi couldnt reconcile herself to the fact that Shane had said nothing and, reaching the end of the corridor, continued across the open area to the carved bannisters where she halted, gripping them with both hands and looking down from this viewing gallery. Eight floors were visible from here, each one designed to capture a different age or culture, each one perfection in its own right and each one filled with guests who were more than happy to spend their time in relaxation and enjoyment on all that was on offer there. She raised her head and looked up towards the top of the massive structure and saw other floors and wondered at the magnificence of it all. {It really 'is' beautiful} she thought and became lost for a few moments in the fascination of the place. Slowly lowering her gaze from floor to floor, she saw other guests on other floors, observing the scene as she herself was. She gasped in surpise, seeing two floors below, three figures standing together...Shane, a grey alien and a pretty blonde woman. The alien appeared to be pointing out features of interest and she saw Shane and the woman laugh at something and the little alien bowed, his hands folded in front of him, standing as Z aba often did. {Wait there} she thought turning quickly away and hurried towards the lift. It took no more than half a minute before the doors reopened onto a similar viewing area and Rangi glanced around eagerly. {Where's he gone?...ah} "Shane?...Shane?" she repeated seeing the trio walking away from her. Shane stopped and looked back, the alien and woman turning too. He said something to them and they moved on though the little alien paused to stare at her for a second or two. "May I talk to you?" she asked, hurrying to his side, overlooking that their last meeting had ended in illfeeling."Can we go somewhere thats quiet please?" Seeing Rangi hurrying towards him, Shane asked his two companions to walk a bit ahead, he will follow shortly. By some luck one of the hotel staff noticed that Shane was walking along the corridors alone and asked if he might keep a bit company to "Alia" who was a tall and pretty Vulcan woman. Quite unusualy for a Vulcan, Alia had blonde hair ... fashioned in an Earth 22nd century style and seemed to be less concerned about logic then the majority of the Vulcans Shane ever met. Shane did not forget the little quarrel Rangi and he had the last time. To be honest, he was getting REALLY fed up with the rows of complaints and faery tales from different crew members and something in his mind told him that he was about to experience a "deja vu" Nodding towards Rangi he said: "Of course Rangi" Looking around he noticed one of the many little recesses of the hotels walls .... with a small table and two comfortable armchairs at each side of it. He motioned with his hand towards the armchairs and said: "Lets go there". Once sitting in the armchairs, Shane smiled at Rangi and asked: "What is it that you want to talk about?" Rangi settled herself in the chair, aware of a slight 'frostiness' in Shanes attitude.She looked at him thoughtully for a moment before saying : "It's about the hotel and whats happening here.Perhaps I was a little too harsh to question Z aba like that...but its not just me who thinks something is wrong.You must too surely?" She looked at him hopefully, not wanting to arouse the defensive attitude he had displayed earlier. This time it seemed that Rangi was a bit more careful with what she was saying ... on the other hand, Shane didnt get the point. He blinked and said: "Please Rangi, once again and in plain words ..." She looked down at her hands resting on her lap, squeezed them together and raised her eyes to him. "Right." she said and took a deep breath. "I've been to see Lieutenant Stephens and he's been released from the infirmary.He explained to me that he has seen his dead wife...in the casino. Thats what made him so upset, he was shocked by the experience. Shane shrugged slightly. He didn't want to argue with Rangi again ... all he wanted was to make her believe that all those "impossible things" were just coincidence. "Well, maybe was Stephens too excited after some holoprogram or drank a bit too much in a bar and saw things" he said, "or maybe he thought about his wife and thought only to see her ..." "But he isnt the only one. Lt Rodgers 'saw' his father and thats impossible too...and more than that..." she hurried on before Shane could speak" ..Jo Weathersby had a message too. She was told there was a mixup in test reults and that she isnt dying. Shane, thats 'so'; unlikely...but its what she wants to hear...just the same as my message. Dont you see?" Shane grinned and replied: "I've seen tentacled monsters once when I was drunk at the academy and I dont suppose that the academy building on Earth was in any way ... weird. I wouldnt pay too much attention to things men see during R&R. About the mixup ... you know it IS possible, quite unprobable but still possible" "Ok...explain this then." she replied. "Scott told me he's been playing a piano... a piece by Simeuqu. Shane..its really difficult and he played it without mistakes...like a professional he said.... but he 'can't ' play well. Then suddenly he can.Thats not possible either." She sat back in her chair as though she had presented her case then thought of something else and leaned forward. "And what about you?" she asked. "You won how much money at the casino? A lucky streak? You know.they dont happen like that." Her expression pleaded with him to agree and sure that he would she added. "I agree..its a wonderful place...but you have to admit there are just too many coincidences, too many pieces of good luck. Its too perfect here." Shane sighed: "Thats the everlasting problem with humankind ... when there is something right and well ... they think its TOO perfect and destroy it instead of enjoying it. OK ... I won a lot of credits, but you must admit that it was pure luck ... and thats what is the game about ... luck. Today I've won, tomorrow I can loose all those credits again" Rangi sighed becoming irritated by Shanes ever ready explanations. "Alright then." she said quietly into the silence. "What about Chimera? " Shane looked at Rangi a bit puzzled and asked: "Chimera? What's up with her?" "But...you 'know." Rangi replied unable to understand why he pretended he didnt. "Shane, you know sh'es left the hotel." They regarded each other in deafening silence. Shane laughed a bit: "Oh, no ... please stop it. Do you really believe that our ship would leave the station?" He shook his head in pretended disbelief: "My dear Commander, I am sure that the Chimera is safe and sound in her docking bay. Some of the crew surely thought this up as a joke and now half of the crew believes that." This explanation sounded feasible. Rangi considered it and was more than ready to accept that Shane wouldnt have agreed to the ship moving a metre without them. It was truly too ridiculous so after a few moments she smiled feebly. "No I dont believ it." she said and saw him smile at her as though he was humouring a child."But things 'are' strange here though...you have to admit it." "Strange?" Shane asked and looked at Rangi. "Sure that some things appear to be strange for us ... after all this is a hotel that wasn't built by race from the Federation. I am pretty sure that the aliens think as "strange strangers" of us." He squeezed Rangi's hand and said: "Lets leave this please. I am up for some theatre and something called: "Red Library: Love boat" is about to begin in quarter an hour one deck higher then we are now. Wanna join me?" He stood up, still holding her hand and she got to her feet too.She was tempted to say 'yes' but she had promised to return to Jason. {...and Okrin will be back soon too surely?} she questioned. So instead she freed herself from Shanes hand and said as lightly as she could. "I'll catch up with you...I have something I need to see to first...if you dont mind." He shrugged as though it he wasnt bothered one way or another and that in itself provided another puzzle for surely he would have tried to persuade her. " I wont be long" she said as he turned away. He didnt look back, but left her standing where she was a look of concern clouding her face. *** End Log *** Commander Shane Guzman CO USS Chimera-A & Commander Rangi Summers XO USS Chimera-A