Part One....... ===== Winter Ball/Mess Hall, USS Chimera ===== Smiling at Rangi, Shane offered her his hand and said: "Hey Pretty lady, up for some dancing?" He just came back to their table and saw his beloved a little bit tired.Sure, Rangi danced for quite a while with him, later then with one or two other officers who came and asked for a dance ... but Shane knew her well, Rangi loved to dance! It was a bit funny to see the officers asking the AXO for a dance. The fact that she was there with the ACO .... made it even harder. From their expressions to judge, both men would earn a medal for valour ... Rangi got to her feet, taking Shanes hand as she did so and smiling into his eyes. "With you?...always." she said and followed a half step behind him to the edge of the dance floor, turning to face him and folding into his arms as they began to dance. "This has been a lovely evening hasn't it?" she asked. The music at this late time of the evening was of the quiet and fashion sort. Shane was no music freak so he didn't recognize it ... it was a quiet violin symphony from an old Earth composer called Beethoven. He didnt recognize the other songs as well ... songs from terran composers like Mozart, Bach, Paganini, Tchajkovsky, Ariello, DeRatt ... Other cultures were presented by the Vulcan Tu'Pak or Deleer from Risa. Shane smiled at his beloved and replied quietly, not too disturb the lovely music: "Aye, it was really a great one. To be honest I havent expected that a nice evening. Thinking about all the marines and Intel personel on board, I wouldn't expect such a success" Glancing at Rangi he continued: "I must say that you look really lovely, the most beautifull of all the woman here." They danced a few slow steps.In the softly lit room, the pretty clasp in Rangis hair glittered now and then. She smiled lovingly into his eyes; "Its you who make me beautiful." she said, her voice quiet, hardly more than a whisper."You give me such lovely gifts..." her smile deepened "...and you tell me I'm beautiful all the time when I'm not...but I think I am..for you." She laid her head against his shoulder,eyes closed and lost herself for moments in the pleasure of being with him like this. She opened her eyes and watched the other couples, not moving from her position. "I'm glad you allowed Martin to come." she said quietly, seeing Shanes brother smile at his partner."I dont think I've ever seen Oriana look so happy." Smiling at Rangi he replied: "Everything comes from within". Shane's face darkened a bit when the issue of his brother came to speech. But looking over to Oriana and Martin, he had to admit that Rangi was right ... Oriana SEEMED to be happy. Very happy even. He shrugged slightly not to disturb Rangi's head on him: "I am still not very sure if I did right. Martin technically is a civilian and he should be charged of attacking an SF officer." He paused for a moment: "And he has no respect, like we would be back on some playground when we were teenagers" Martin and Oriana were lost to Rangis sight as she and Shane slowly circled, swaying gently to the music. "Technically perhaps.." she replied "...but there were mitigating circumstances....the pollen affected people in different ways...and besides ...well...he's your brother." They continued to turn, stepping slowly from foot to foot. Athena came into view. Rangi moved against Shanes shoulder and tightened her arms around him. She raised her head and looked up at his face. Shane saw Rangi looking up at him and smiled at her. But he was quite surprised to see the somewhat 'disturbed' expression in her face. Like something would be on her mind ... . Shane let it be ... maybe he was wrong, but when they turned in the opposite way and Shane had now the view that Rangi had before, he looked for what might have disturbed his love. But he saw just dancing couples, Oriana and Martin, MaiKai and a marine, Athena and some officer. {Athena?} Shane wondered. He remembered the strange look he noticed on Rangi's face when they were greeted by Athena on the entrance. {Is there something I am missing?} he asked himself The music ended and everyone stood still and applauded. In a moment a new tune began and Rangi waited for Shane to look at her prior to beginning the new dance. "She worked very hard " Rangi said, seeing that Shane still looked in Athenas direction. {...and works hard to get you to notice her too!} The thought was in Rangis mind in a flash and she frowned, horrified that she could think such a thing. A bit catched in surprise, Shane was a bit confused: "Who worked hard?" he asked. Noticing Athena in his line of sight he looked down at Rangi: "You mean Athena?" he asked not sure what was Rangi's point. "Yes." Rangi tried to regain her ruffled composure and forced a smile, taking Shanes arms and stepping to him. "..Athena...she did almost all the preparation herself." They moved into the dance, another slow and romantic tune. "She looks....very lovely doesnt she?" Rangi tried her best to sound conversational, though almost held her breath for Shanes reply. Shane nodded: "Yes, she arranged this very nice" and smiled at Rangi: "But I am sure she's got somehelp there. Especially with the kids's party earlier" Taking one more look at Athena he said with nothing bad in mind: "Yes, she looks very pretty, but she does always, doesnt she?" Shane didnt got it yet, so he went on: "Besides you she's the most attractive woman on board, so I guess she wasnt unattended tonight" "She certainly wasnt!" Rangi replied frostily and thought.. {....I wouldnt expect much else with a dress like that!} and concentrated on the music. After four bars of it she asked. "Do you like her dress?" Shane noticed the change in Rangi's voice, but tonight he was a bit out of empathy. "Yes, its very nice, almost as nice as yours, but I like satin more" Raising an eyebrow he added: "And you in that dress". A small shadow appeared on his mind: "Is anything wrong with Athena?" he asked innocently. "Wrong?..no!..no ofcourse not." Rangi smiled up at Shane wishing she had never mentioned the woman. "You like my dress then?" she asked. "Yes I do lovely. You look very nice and sexi in it" he smiled back at her. The issue of Athena still remained in his head, he looked sideways at Athena and her partner and back at Rangi: "Is there really nothing I should know about Athena?" he asked, "I am not only her ACO but a friend as well" he said. {He's forgotten.} she told herself {..how could he?...I wore this on our first evening together..and he's forgotten it.} "No I'm sure she's fine." Rangi replied and a little inner voice prodded her to say..." I know you're her friend Shane" and smile at him. Shane nodded: "If you say so. But please tell me if there will be something". Concentrating at Rangi again he said: "Speaking about dress, I am sure I've seen you in this one already, but I dont know where and when. Or am I completely wrong?" "Noooo...you're not wrong...you have." she replied, willing him to remember. It was somehow extremely important to her that he knew exactly where and when he had seen it before. "Hmmm" he said, "but I cant remember where. Do you give me a hint please?" he asked. Playing 'remember that!' games wasnt something he would favour, but something in Rangi's expression warned him not to take it too easy. "It doesnt matter." she said. "its not important....I'm just glad the pie go on it earlier." She took a deep breath and glancing sideways at Athena then quickly back at Shane exclaimed with real dismay: "Oh!..I'm sorry!...your foot!..." and looked up at his pained expression. Shane looked at Rangi confused about her reaction. Rangi was clearly not in her skin ... there was something on her mind ... something heavy ... that made her acting strange. Some burden, some trouble. He looked in her blue eyes and asked not stopping to dance: "MIlacik, I know that there is something not all right with you. What is it? Is it me or something I did or said?" *** End Part One *** Commander Shane Guzman ACO USS Chimera & LtCmdr Rangi Summers CMO/AXO USS Chimera