Keylor was heading to the mess hall when he heard the CMO call over the ships internal communication system to him. He was curious as to what was so important that he needed to report to sickbay. The tone in her voice was melancholy, a type of melancholy that only meant something bad. He soon arrived at the sick bay and looked around. Through the window that separated the CMO office from the rest of sickbay; Keylor could barely see Rangi sitting there. She had her door ajar so Keylor walked up and tapped lightly on the door Rangi sat at her desk waiting for the Captain to arrive. In front of her lay the medical report for Lt Mark Redding, CEO. The pad was switched off but she knew the transcript by heart, every cold fact that was stated there. Hearing a tap on the open door she raised her eyes and seeing the Captain walk in, pushed back her chair and stood up. "Sir.." she said her voice quiet and expression troubled. "I'm afraid I have some bad news...." Keylor raised an eyebrow. She seemed sad when she rose and spoke. He nodded, "What is wrong Lieutenant?" he asked in soft voice; unsure about what exactly had happened? "Please take a seat.." she asked indicating the chair opposite her own. Waiting for him to sit comfortably before sitting down herself, she looked at the pad on her desk and then at Keylor's expectant expression. Rangi took a deep breath and said quietly.. "Sir...Lt Redding...died today." Keylor observed the CMO trying to figure out what was going on. As she pointed to the chair in front of the desk he sat to oblige her. As Keylor listened he heard "Redding" and immediately thought he had a relapse from his brain tumor he had operated on months before. It took him a second to realize that Rangi said he died. Keylor sat up straight, "Died? how?" he said with a bit of surprise in his voice. "From a massive haemorrhage." she replied. "He was found in a Jefferies tube but it was much too late. By the time he arrived here...long before that.." her words petered out. She pushed the padd across the desk towards him. "There was nothing that could have been done...even if he had been sitting right here in Sickbay when it happened." She paused,looking at the captains shocked face "I'ts very unusual in one as young as he.I cant explain it. Even in this day and age we cant foretell or prevent it...I'm sorry." Keylor leaned forward as Rangi explained what happened. {How sad that some one so young dies in such a way} he thought. He picked up the padd that Rangi pushed towards him. He glanced down scanning through the information, not really understanding most of the information. There were many medical terms in the information he did not understand, but he was able to get the gist of it from what he could understand. He looked back up from the padd and looked at the solemn face of the CMO. He shook his head." Did he suffer? or was it quick? I hope it was at least quick." he spoke with a quiet but curious voice. Rangi looked down at her desk feeling a lump in her throat. She lifted her head and looked at Keylor. "It would have been quick yes...a moment... perhaps..but he wouldnt have known anything. Thats one blessing." She felt tears spring up and looked away thinking that she could not possibly cry in front of the captain. She reached across for the padd and turned it off, giving her a moment to regain her composure. When she met his gaze again she said quietly. "he had a brother...you know? he died at a young age too.What news now for his parents."" Keylor nodded, "Aye, I know many people growing up on Bajor that traveled to the celestial temple at an early age. It is a shame, but the prophets have their reasons." Keylor sat back in his chair. "SO if I may ask, how did his brother die?" "He was killed in action I think." she replied "Mark told me about him once." She looked across at Keylor and did nor envy him his duty. "He tried hard to make his parents proud." she said quietly. "He wanted so......I'm sorry." she said putting a hand to her face as the tears refused to be held back. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath opened her eyes and looked at Keylor waiting for him to speak. Keylor looked on in silence. He had to believe that Rangi had known Mark better than Keylor himself had. She knew personal details and seemed quite broken up about it. In a way Keylor felt bad. Not only was Mark his CEO, but he was also a member of his old marine unit back on aurora. Either way, Keylor felt he should have known more about mark. He leaned forward and stretched out a hand to Rangi. He patted gently on her closest hand that lay upon the desk. Keylor was at a loss for words. His entire life he had grown up with the reality that death takes us all, and when your time came, there was nothing you could do about it. The years had hardened him to it. Sure it affected him, but not outwardly like so many humans like Rangi. She lowered her hand and gave him a weak smile. "I'm sorry. " she repeated. "Its just that..it seems such a waste..he was so young...wanted to do so much...and I feel so helpless. " she shrugged her shoulders."I know there's nothing I could have 'done' but just the same...I feel there should have been." Keylor nodded. "I know how you feel. After the mission on Drakanus, I felt in a similar way. I felt that I could have acted differently, saved lifes. But the reality is, You cant prepare for every contingency, see every danger." He stopped patting her hand and withdrew his. "It must be a grand plan of some higher power, if you believe in that." Quickly his mind flashed with the holo-images of the mother he never knew. He remembered when he was a young lad coming to terms with his mothers death at his birth. He felt it was not fair. He reached up and rubbed the scar on the left side of his face; a reminder of death and the mother he never knew. "You're right of course." she said quietly and saw him lose himself for a moment. She turned away and remained silent. After a minute or so she straightened up in her chair and asked softly.. "Do you want to see him?" she was uncertain what she should say..not knowing the formalities on a starship. "You'll contact...everyone... I suppose it depends on what his family's wishes are?" Keylor nodded. "Aye I will send a message to his family. IT is my duty as his CO to do so. It is one part of the job I wish I never had to do." He leaned back in his chair. "No I don't think I need to see his body. But I would like you to do two things for me." He waited for a response form Rangi. "Of course.." she gave a small smile "What are they?" "Well first I would like it if you could jot down a few details about Mark. You seem to know a little about him. Some of his personal history if you know it." HE shuffled in his seat. "I did not know him that well, but it would help me to give it a personal touch to the message." She nodded. "I'll certainly do that..I didn't know him that well...but we spent sometime together..on Drakanus. He was incredibly kind to me..when Shane..I mean when we thought Lt Guzman ..was dead." Keylor nodded, "Any thing will be of assistance." He then cleared his throat quietly. "Secondly, prepare his body for transport. I know that many humans like to be returned to Earth for burial. I don't know what his wishes are, but if they were to be buried on Earth, we will need to leave him with the base operations to arrange transport." She nodded, took a deep breath and sighed. "I will do that of course." She hesitated , looked as if she was going to say something but didn't."is there anything else Sir?" Keylor watched Rangi as she replied. HE noticed her hesitate but thought nothing of it. "No Doctor. That will be all." Keylor stood up from the chair. He looked at Rangi and her attempt to be cheerful. He figured some words of encouragement from her co were in order. "You are doing a great job Lieutenant. Things like this will happen. I have every confidence in you that what can be done for our crew is being done with out me asking." Rangi stood as he did."Thank you sir.. unfortunately they do happen..but we can only hope not too often." she followed him to the door."Sir?..would you let me know what the family wants..I imagine..a dress uniform?...we'll take care of it..and I'll write down what you want." Keylor nodded, "Yes the Starfleet dress uniform is appropriate, but make sure his marine awards are on him as well." Keylor turned and headed out of the sick bay. He needed to finish some paperwork before he started on his letter to Marks parents. HE quickly exited the sickbay and headed to his office. She watched him leave and beckoned to Ens Fisher, explaining to him that she needed Lt Reddings 'dress' uniform and medals. She returned to her office, took a new padd from a stack and sat down at her desk.After a minutes thought she began to try to capture in words the essence of the young marine. ===End Log=== LtCol Bretam Keylor Commanding Officer USS Chimera & Ltjg Rangi Summers CMO USS Chimera