*** Rangis Quarters * USS Chimera *** {He's early!} Rangi left her seat on the sofa and walked quickly towards the door, the long skirt of her satin gown 'swishing' at each step.Giving her hair a fleeting touch, she then pressed the button to open the door and looked eagerly to see who was outside. "Shane." She said his name with a smile and felt suddenly self concious when he looked at her.Blushing slightly and half turning away she said: "Do you want to come in for a moment?...you're early" and looked at him again. Rangi, my love" Shane replied standing at the door and looking at his beloved. A warm smile appeared on his lips as he realised how beautiful Rangi looked this evening. Her deep blue satin dress suited her very well, making her very appealing. Her hair looked different than usual ... very nicely in fact. Shane was always amazed how Rangi managed to style her hair for special occasions. Reaching for Rangi's hand he said: "You look like a princess Milacik ... VERY lovely" With that he entered the room and the door closed behind him with a slight hiss. Flattered by the compliment, Rangi followed him into her main room, holding his hand and feeling a surge of happiness to simply be in his company. He stopped near the centre of the room and she stepped to him, stood on tiptoe, reaching up to kiss his cheek. "You look wonderful .." she told him her eyes running over the smart dress uniform he wore. She ran her fingers along the rows of ribbons and looked up at him. "...very hand..some." she finished, but her last word was broken as she noticed his hair. She blinked at the array of spikes where usually a tousled mass of dark hair sprouted. A moment passed and she dropped her gaze to meet his eyes and smiled warmly but said nothing. Shane noticed Rangi's gaze and now waited for her reaction. There was none expressed. But of course he knew Rangi a bit by now and no answer from her meaned rarely something positive. He shrugged slighty and said in an innocent tone: "I tried my best Rangi ... even used that gel stuff from the Mr. Bolian, but well" he shrugged in a manner like wanting to say :' I am innocent.' Rangi looked up at the new hairstyle and after a moment bit he lower lip. "Mmmmm..." she said and remet his eyes. "Oh Shane" she murmured and began to laugh at his expression. "Come here." she moved forward and hugged him. "You look fine.." she said stepping back "...really....a little bit...like a hedgehog perhaps?...but not too much" she added hastily. Taking another half step back, she stood in front of him, hands behind her back. " And I love hedgehogs." she said with serious expression and voice. "A hedgehog?" Shane asked in an surprised tone. "Erm ... do I really look like a small thorny animal?" Shane beamed a smile at his beloved and added: "Well, then we will be tonight like the Beauty and the Beast or better Beauty and the Hedgehog" He reached to the pocket in his uniform trousers and pulled the little white box and handed it over to Rangi. "Just for you my love ..." "Oh!!" Rangi looked at the box, at Shane and the box again. She reached to accept it and looked at him once more. "Thankyou" she whispered, surprised and pleased by the gift. "What is it?" she asked moving towards the sofa and sitting down. She waited for him to sit beside her and smiled at him as he did so. Shane smiled content about Rangi's reaction. He was so glad that there were always ways how to make her happy. It was a shame that since he took temporary command over the ship, the two of them had very little time to spend together. Pushing such thought back in his mind, he said pointing to the box: "Its something I would like you to wear on the ball ... if you will like it of course" Shane watched Rangi opening the box and looking at the little Orchidea flower on a hand bracelet made of dark blue titanium with three single white crystals embedded into it with surprise. "Its....beautiful...really...I dont know what to say." Rangi lifted her head and he saw her eyes were brimming with tears. She smiled at him and looked back at the bracelet. "Shane its more than lovely....thankyou so much." Lifting it from its box, she fingered the design. "Please put it on for me?" she asked holding her wrist to him. Shane nodded and took her hand with one of his. With the other he first gently wiped the traces of tears in Rangi's eyes and only then proceeded with the putting on operation. Luckily the mechanism wasnt hard to work and in less then 10 seconds, Rangi's wrist was covered with the bracelet. Shane kissed softly her fingers and squeezed her hand slightly. "May we go now my love?" Rangi sat looking at the bracelet and at his fingers holding hers. {No...} she thought {...lets not go out...lets stay here together.} but she knew that they must go and that they were expected and an evening to themselves was still out of the question. She raised her head and with a smile, nodded slightly. "Yes ofcourse" she answered and stood up. Hand in hand they walked towards the door.Rangi stopped and turned to face the wall mirror near the entrance to her room. She looked at her reflection and then at Shane standing to one side.She smiled at him, turned to face him and said quietly: "You know?..sometimes you still make me feel as I did when I first met you.You make it...magical." Feeling suddenly foolish to say such things, she bowed her head, looking down at the folds of the satin gown. "But I love you so much." she whispered. Shane squeezed Rangi's hand in reponse: "I love you too Milacik. It was the most lucky day for me when we both met on Aurora and I am very thankful to whatever chance arranged it". He noticed that Rangi wasnt in the most happy mood ... {I hope she will enjoy the ball} he thought. Looking at her evening dress, he could not dismiss the thought that Rangi's dress had some unspoken meaning ... like she wore it on a special occasion already ... but he could not recall it exactly ... "Lets go then Rangi, a dancing evening is ahead of us" he said. Rangi took a deep breath and pushed away her sentimental thoughts.She forced a convincing happy smile and looking up at his hair replied; "Yes it is...come on...Hedgehog !" and grinning at him from the corner of her eye, squeezed his hand and opened the door. *** End Log *** Commander Shane Guzman ACO USS Chimera & Lt Cmdr Rangi Summers CMO/AXO USS Chimera