*** CMO Office * USS Chimera *** "Take a seat gentlemen." Rangi wore a friendly smile as she indicated the two chairs pulled up close to her desk, opposite her own seat. Steve Desoto and his fellow AMO Scott Fisher crossed the room towards Rangis desk as the door slid shut behind them and settled themselves on the dark green upright chairs. Rangi looked from one to the other, a smile still on her lips. "All completed?" she asked. Scott gave a satisfied nod. "Yes...sickbay 2 is now a cargo bay!" "Good!" Rangi leaned back in her chair. "...And how is crewman Berardi?" she asked, her attention switched to Steve. "Fit and well...almost ready for discharge.Both fractures are fully healed...BD and BT levels are normal." "Excellent...good." Rangi glanced down at a padd in front of her. Scott and Steve exchanged glances, wondering why they had been summoned to the CMOs office.Rangi raised her head. "You're wondering why you're here." she said, forestalling the question. "It isnt for an update or assessment." She sat forward in her chair and looked at them in turn. "I was more than pleased by the way both of you responded to the past call on sickbay.The situation was extreme and you both handled it with the utmost professionalism. You are a credit to this team and to yourselves.I have recommended you both for a commendation....your work and dedication were outstanding." Steve looked at the woman in front of him, the one he so admired and felt himself to be in love with. Only the fact that Scott Fisher was in the next chair, kept him sitting in his own. He watched a smile widen her lips as she responded to Scotts beaming smile of surprised pleasure. " ' Thankyou ' " Scott said with feeling.Rangi acknowledged his response with a deepened smile and turned her attention to Steve. Scott glanced at his fellow AMO, saw the expression that flashed across Steves face when his eyes met Rangis and quickly dropped his gaze. "Yes...thankyou." Steve managed to say and Scott looked up as Rangi replied: "You both deserve it." She reached across her desk, to the right, behind a neatly stacked pile of padds and lifted two small teal coloured velvet boxes.She set them side by side in front of her and raised her head, once again looking at Steve and Scott in turn. "I have one further very pleasing duty to perform today." she said, getting to her feet."Promotions." Scotts eyes followed her as she moved around her desk.He stood up a moment after Steve did so. Rangi stopped in front of Steve, opening the lid of the velvet box and lifting out the hollow pip that lay inside.Steve, acutely aware of Rangis fingers on his collar, concentrated on the filing cabinet in the corner of the room, but couldnt resist glancing at her as she fastened the new ensignia in place. She stood back. "Its a pleasure for me to confer this new rank of lieutenant on you along with the rights and priviledges that go with it. Congratulations." She smiled and offered her hand to shake. Steve accepted it, feeling the warmth of her slim fingers in his own. "Thankyou." he said quietly and felt her begin to pull her hand away. He released it, his eyes following her movements when she turned to the desk and collected the second box. "Scott?" she said. The AMO stood straight not quite banishing the proud smile from his face as Rangi attached the hollow pip to his collar. " Its a pleasure to promote you to lieutenant and to entrust you with the rights and priviledges of that rank. Congratulations Scott." "Thankyou Ma'am." he replied with a mix of friendship and formality as he shook her hand and smiled his familiar smile. Rangi stood back against her desk, watching Scott and Steve shake hands with each other.Scott slapped Steve on his back. She felt pride in this little ceremony and beamed at them both with happiness. "So.." she said taking a step towards them and pressing her hands together in anticipation: "...when's the party?" *** End Log *** LtCmdr Summers CMO/2XO USS Chimera & Ltjg Scott Fisher AMO USS Chimera & Ltjg Steve Desoto AMO USS Chimera (NPCs) Rangi