===== In some jeffries tube, USS Chimera ===== Shane was on his way down to engineering. For a moment he cursed the ship designers cause its seems a VERY long way from the bridge to engineering, particullry through the jeffries tubes. Shane was not used to crawle through those tubes, he was always a bridge officer and his place was rarely somehere else and his back started to ache 5 minutes ago. For a moment he wished the transporters would work ... but the same he could wish for a little faery ... Finnaly he reached an intersection on deck 11 and he could leave the tube. Slowly, like a red clad worm he crawled out of the tube and cursed metaly again. Quietly, but hearable he muttered: "And this is what the engineers call an easy access ..." Someone not far from his laughed a bit. Shane stood up from his knees and looked stern at the marine sergeant that was the source of teh laugh. The marine stood immeditely to attention: "Sergeant Varinaris, sir. I've been assigned to guard you, sir" Still a bit breathless Shane hissed: "What?" "Sergeant Varinaris, sir. I've been assigned to guard you, sir" was the laconic reply from the marine. "Guard me from what?" Shane asked a bit confused. "From anything that might cause you troubles sir, especially some greed blooded romulans if they will dare to board the ship". Shane looked stern at the marine and said: "I dont need a babysitter sergeant. Who the hell thinks i do?" Well, though the years of service on board a station with a large marine complement and a year and a half on a ship FULL of marines, Shane learned a bit of their language and with some sort of amusement he used it when the chance came ... like now. "Noone sir" the marine replied, standing still at attention, "Captain Walsh ordered me to defend you in case of an attack and that is what i will do, sir". Shane could never tell is those marines were just stubborn or if they were joking on his account. This marine looked to be totally serious in what he did say. "Hmmm" Shane said, "isnt Captain Walsh on the casuality list?" he asked. "I dont know sir" was the reply he's got, "he looked quite alive when i last saw him and i bet that the medical personal better released him then keeping him on a bed somewhere, sir" Shane raised an eyebrow ... an expression he elarned long ago from his vulcan ex-HELM officer. But he only shrugged. He knew that very few patients dared to escape from the Rangi's sickbay and most of them were very sorry doing that when she got on them. If there was something not all right with Walsh in the sickbay ... Rangi would hunt him down in everycase. Shane was about to order the marine to dismiss, but then he thought that Walsh might be right. Really ... the warbird was missing ... not destroyed and there could be more romulan ship's lurking out there. An intrusion was not such an impossible thing. Looking at the armed marine he said: "All right sergeant, but i want you to hide that phaser. The last thing i need is you to scare anyone going around armed like a battletank. Do your job but dont stay in my way ..." The marine smiled: "Its a deal sir". Shane noded: "All right, lets go to enginrreing now. I hope Idrani has some good news for me." Suddenly his combadge went alive: +Taps+ Summers to Commander Guzman. Shane wondered a bit about the formal tone in Rangi's voice. She used to call him by name only ... but obviouly not now. +Taps+ Guzman here.........Commander. +Taps+ A reminder Sir...that you're due back in sickbay. {Geeeez, speaking about the devil ...} Shane better resisted looking at the marine. He's head already the rumous that the XO's under the CMO's shoe. +Taps+ Ah.....I havent forgotten that.....I'll be there soon. {Grrr ... if i forget, she will come and drag me all the way there!} he thougth with some amusement and quite a lot of imagination that scene. +Taps+ Sir?...any news of deck 5 ..and my sickbay? she asked hopefully. Shane shrugged slightly. He knew that Rangi had to move to an temporary sickbay and she would like to return to her own domain. +Taps+ I'm on my way to engineering now...lets see what they say. +Taps + Thankyou sir. ====== Engineering ====== Shane entered the Main engineering and the marine like a shadow behind him. He made the impression he wanted to go first and check the room and THEN allow Shane to enter, but Shane looked at the marine sideways and the sergeant better let him go first. Anyway ... Shane had the priviledge to look at the mess in main engineering. The battle took a toll on the Chimera and Engineering was no difference. The always with lift pulsing warp core was now dark and silent and the whole left line of consoles that covered the wall from the main door just vanished. All the was remaining was a burned wall and some debrises on teh floor. Shane looked around trying to locate the blue boss of this area ... LtJg. Idrani. ===== End of log ===== Cmdr. Shane Guzman XO/ACO USS Chimera