*** V.I.P. Quarters Starbase Kinsi *** She wasn't alone. She woke with that certainty foremost in her mind but lay unmoving in the bed, her eyes scanning the dark room for signs of who or what had disturbed her. All was silent. The pale blue fluorescent face of the chrono showed her it was 4.34 a.m. Shane lay beside her, deeply asleep. Rangi looked at the now familiar dark shapes of furniture. There was a gentle 'creak' "Shane!" she whispered urgently, staring in the direction the sound had come from "Shane..theres something wrong" The XO, apparantly dead to the world, dreamed on oblivious. "Shane...wake up" she said a little louder, though still whispering. She jerked her elbow backwards so giving her beloved a sharp jab in his ribs. "Mm!..." Shane moved slightly and slept on. "Shane!" Rangi said almost aloud and turned her head to see him. "Please wake up .... theres something in the room." The response wasnt quite what she wanted. Shane rolled onto his back with a sigh, moistoned his lips and still dreaming, replied in a voice slurred in sleep: "Alternate the starboard........ phasers..... polar variance" "What?!!" Rangi questioned. She frowned, propped herself up on one arm, looked at the sleeping figure and was about to shake him into wakefulnes when another sound made her stop. It was a 'pattering' sort of sound as though something ran across the floor.She gave Shanes arm a desperate shake. "Shane!" she hissed, looking sideways towards a corner of the room. The commander sighed deeply. "Launch.... torpedos!..." he told her in barely audible voice, adding: ".... full spread!" Rangi slowly turned her head until she could fully see the 'new' dark shape that had somehow entered the room. "Oh.......my........word.." she breathed, her eyes wide in disbelief. A short distance from the bedside stood a wooden chest, quite large like a treasure chest, a little battered looking through long use, but solid and heavy. It hadnt been there before.....but perhaps more remarkable than that was the fact that it had feet...human feet....LOTS of them. Rangi remained motionless and looked at the chest. It 'looked' back. Rangi swallowed, glanced quickly at the sleeping Shane, gave him a desperate shove and looked back at the chest. "Warp nine......" Shane murmured. The chest sidled forward, its little feet pattering on the floor. "Shane?" Rangi said, a tone of desperation in her voice. "...Make it so...." he answered waking just enough to cushion his head more comfortably on the pillow. The lid of the chest opened a fraction. It waited. "Umm....hello?" Rangi said doubtfully."Did you....want something?" The chest pattered nearer the bed and 'sat down' on the floor. Rangi looked at it, now sitting within arms reach.It didnt move but observed her patiently,rather like a devoted dog. Reluctant to take her eyes off it, Rangi slowly turned to Shane then broke into drastic action. "Shane! you've got to wake up!" she said urgently, shaking him relentlessly. "Wassermatter?" he asked surfacing from his dreamworld. "Shane..theres a chest...that wooden chest...from the holodeck" He looked up at her with an expression of non comprehension. "Its' the wooden chest!" she whispered in a tone that asked how many more times must she tell him. "There!...Look!" she said pointing frantically to the side of the bed. Shane sighed, made an effort to sit up and peered around Rangi. "Don't see it" he said flopping back onto his pillow. "What do you mean you don't ...see...it..." Rangi replied turning back and staring at an empty space. "Just a dream." Shane patted her arm, already half asleep again. Rangi lay down, frowning at the darkness.After a few moments had passed, she turned over and snuggled against Shane. In the darkness, something creaked. *** End Log *** LtCmdr Rangi Summers CMO/2XO USS Chimera & the 'dreaming' Commander Guzman XO (written by Rangi this time)