<<Sorry this got hung up somewhere and goes before the three way jl>> =/\= Begin Log =/\= Rangi ran a hand through her hair and sighed as she read through the inventory. {I REALLY need to get it organized today} she thought looking around at the multiple supplies all neatly crated and stacked awaiting someone's attention. {At least engineering promised that the environmental controls are fool proof!} She didn't quite believe it. Athena had tried to eat a bit of something for breakfast but her thoughts kept seeming to drift away. {Maybe if she was busy doing something she would be able to focus.} She went to sickbay and entered to find Rangi standing in the middle of a bunch of medical supply crates. "Need a hand or perhaps two," she asked. Rangi beamed a smile as she recognized the counselor "Here comes the cavalry! ..Oh, yes, please. I want to get all this away this morning if possible. Would you mind helping with these" and she indicated ten fairly weighty looking cartons with the legend 'Saverine Gel Packs... Keep Cool (store at not more than 5 degC). "They need to go in the chiller cabinets through here," and Rangi pointed to three tall units in a nearby store room. Athena nodded as she grabbed one of the crates. She set it down by one of the chilling units and opened the crate carefully. She then neatly, carefully and quickly began to put the small pink packages away. Athena's thoughts began to stray as she did the mindless chore and Rangi noticed as she stepped into the room with the next crate. "You OK?" she asked with a smile "You're actually supposed to leave them IN there when you out them in...not take them out and repack the box!" She placed the second crate with a dull thud onto the floor. "What's up?" "Ahhh, sorry." Athena shook her head to clear it. "Not enough sleep last night I guess," was all Athena gave in response. She wasn't sure she wanted to share anymore and she wasn't sure Rangi was the right person to share with. But she could give Athena some information that might help her if she brought it up just right. Rangi knelt beside the second chiller and gave Athena a sideways glance, thinking that she looked pale and worried. In an effort to take her mind off whatever it was that was bothering her so she said. "This is the third time I've done this. A couple of days ago the heating in these chillers went haywire and cooked the contents...you should have seen the mess!...we restocked after that and then the temperature in the whole department went off the scale and we lost most of it a second time. "She gave Athena a smile. "I just hope engineering know what they're doing this time." Athena gave her a smile, "I had trouble with the heat in my office too the other day." Athena stopped short remember the ice fight that she and Rob had, "but its been just fine ever since my small black out." She hoped that sounded hopeful as she put the gel packs back in the crate to put in the unit. "Rangi..." Athena started and then stopped, "nevermind." "Yes?...what is it?" Rangi sat back on her heels and watched Athena stack the last few packs away. "Aren't you feeling well...more headaches?...what's wrong?" "Well," she paused or few seconds and then asked, "has Rob always drank so much?" Athena hoped that the question sounded at least half way professional and would allow her to ask a few more questions. Athena shut the door to the cooling unit and went back to get another crate. Rangi frowned at the wording on the crate. {Rob?..drink so much?}} she wondered what had brought that up. Looking up as Athena returned she answered. "Well..he likes a drink...but I wouldn't say he takes too much...nothing excessive...at least he didn't when...when I knew him." As Athena set another crate down she asked, "What was he like when you first knew him?" Athena tried to seem as interested in the job she was doing as in the questions she was asking and she hoped Rangi wouldn't guess that one was more important to her than the other. "When I first knew him?" Rangi was surprised by the question but answered almost at once as she unpacked her own crate. "We met when he came to the training base near my home. A friend of mine introduced us. I thought he was...fun I suppose. He was kind and funny..." she glanced at Athena and smiled, "and very good looking." "Hhmm..," was all Athena said and concentrated on putting the next crate of supplies away. She looked up and gave Rangi a small smile. "Guess I'm trying to understand something I'm not supposed to yet," Athena said in response to the question that appeared on Rangi's face. "May I ask what?" Rangi was intrigued and reached for the last of the packs, stowed them and went out for another supply. "Athena?.." She wasn't sure whether to continue or not but decided to "I saw Rob yesterday actually...very briefly. I was on my way to the base." She busied herself with the packs wondering if Athena wanted to talk about Rob and if so, why. Without thinking Athena replied, "I know. It didn't go, well" Realizing what she had said while she was preoccupied, she about dropped the supplies she was carrying. She looked up and met Rangi's gaze, "I'm sorry." If nothing else, one could tell Athena was genuinely sorry for what she had let slip. Rangi regarded the counselor for a few seconds then returned to her work. "That's OK" she said pushing in the last few packs and making room for a stray she found on the {Rob has told her we met? Then what is she getting at?} Rangi closed the cabinet door and turned to her companion. "Athena..if you want to talk about Rob...just say so. If it concerns his health or..if it stays between us two then I can tell you what you need to know, that is...if I know the answer myself." She waited for Athena's response, sitting back on her heels as before, hands on her knees. Athena turned away and put the small crate she held on the counter top and began putting its contents away. "I guess, its just that I find him a bit of a puzzle that's all. Nothing medically wrong with him that I know of." Rangi nodded. "I found that too at times," she said quietly not looking at Athena. "I sometimes thought...I don't know...he can be really nice...and then the next minute....I wondered if it was me." She ran her finger along the edge of the box and looked at Athena. "We just weren't suited I suppose." "What's his family like," Athena asked as she was finishing up with the supplies she was putting away. Rangi seemed to consider her answer. "He has a brother...Paul...a year older I think, just over a year older..he's a marine too, so was their father." She looked at Athena with a serious expression. "He's a strange man...I mean..hard to get to know...at least I found him so. He's retired now was a colonel. He ruled those boys with a rod of iron...very strict. I don't think they got away with anything. But they both 'worship' the man. I think Rob wants to live up to him...know what I mean?...make his father proud." Athena nodded and thought that a lot of that made sense, maybe too much sense. Her thoughts drifted off on their own for a few minutes and then she asked, "What about his mother?" Rangi shrugged he shoulders. "She's quite nice...very quiet." She smiled at Athena. "Would have to be with those three!" Rangi stood up. "That's all the boxes then...want a drink or something?" She wondered what else Athena wanted to know and why she was suddenly so interested in Rob and his background. As Athena looked at her Rangi smiled. Sensing that she had asked as many questions as she was going to be able to get away with Athena smiled and Rangi and said, "I could go for some water." =/\= End Log =/\= LtJg. Rangi Summers CMO USS Chimera & Lt. Athena Wellington Ship's Counselor USS Chimera