<<This is the meeting that was mentioned in Muma's Last log.>> ===== CO's ready room, USS Chimera ===== Shane looked at the little chrono that like by a wonder escaped the effects of the battle and nested himself in the seat. The room itself looked like after a teenage birthday party, debris and stuff everywhere, but there were many more important locations to take care of first, so the only one who tried to bring some order into the chaos was Shane. Idrani's promises of having impulse engines in two hours were quite optimistic, and Shane could hardly wait those two hours. {Still 40 minutes} he thought and tapped the table console. NO response. The console was dead like most of other consoles on board. A pity was that Science could not give him many new information about the warbird, the loss of most of the data assembled in astrometrics was very unfitting and the only other source of information was Athena. After all those things that happen in the last few days, Shane was not sure if he should summon her, but as he thought a try was it always worth. +TAPS+ Guzman to Wellington. Please come to the Captain's ready room as soon as possible Lieutenant. Athena was startled by the voice that seemed to come from no where to command her presence. She tapped he badge and responded with an affirmative answer. She made her way to the ready room as quickly as possible but it still seemed to take forever. "Come in," Shane answered as the door chime announced someone just outside the room. As the door opened, Shane could see Athena coming in. Somehow he had the feeling that Athena is less then happy to be there, but he dismissed the thought. {We are just after a battle ... everyone is a bit strange now} "Thank you for coming, counselor," Shane said. From the 'friendly' conversation the two of them plus Rangi had a week before, Shane addressed Athena mostly with her rank or position. He knew she was too intelligent not to notice that, but till now she gave no sign of wondering about the change. Athena gave the ODA sergeant a brief once over as she entered and gave Shane a small smile. She had noted that he was using her position or Rank instead of her name. She figured he was doing that because he was confused about something. Athena figured it was for the best given Rangi's present condition. She figured it would help Rangi to see Shane being more formal with her. "It's my pleasure," she answered and waited to find out why She had been summoned. Shane scratched his chin and started: "Well, I would like to return to your feelings during the battle. You see, we have little to none data about the warbird, just the tactical data from Mr. Acheson. Astrometrics is virtually no more and I have left is a vanished Romulan warbird. So, I would be grateful if you could help me somehow." Athena slowly sat in the chair in front of the desk and raised an eyebrow at Shane's statements. "I'm not sure I can be of help," tumbled from her lips. Shane shrugged: "Well, you mentioned some sort of a test. What did you mean with a test?" A perplexed look passed over her face as she thought. Sometimes what she sensed was hard to put into words because the intensity of certain emotions although opposite grew from the same initial first meeting. She took a deep breath and looked at Shane and then asked a question of her own. "Have you ever had say an instructor ask you a question that had one answer with one exception that you knew about but hadn't learned yet? Almost as though you were being asked a trick question." Now was Shane's turn to look a bit lost. {Trick question?} he asked himself. He was not sure what was Athena talking about but wanted to reply when she went on. Athena let the question sink in but didn't wait for a reply. "I was walking through the corridors expelling excess energy before I would be need. I sensed a sort of deception but it wasn't the kind of deception you get from someone getting the upper hand. It was more like ...when your asked to answer a difficult question for a test." She knew what she was saying was kind of confusing at best, but it was a bit confused in her head yet. "Hmmmm" Shane said quietly as he sank for a moment deep in thoughts. He looked up at Athena and said slowly scratching his chin: "You mean that the Romulans prepared this battle for us to test the strength of our intentions in the Kzenti System? Like knowing how far the federation would go when the diplomatic affairs wont bring any solution?" he asked. "I couldn't tell you if what I sensed was Romulan or not. Athena's thoughts drifted off as she half listened to Shane's response. Shane shrugged: "Well, Lieutenant Oriana suggested that the ship could possibly be NOT of Romulan origin. Its not that she has found traces of non Romulan technology, but she could not identify where the materials used on the warbird's hull were from. The same like we were not able to scan the warbird's identify number." He looked a bit aside and spoke like to himself: "But we are facing here the Tal Shiar, this could be just a ..." he looked up at Athena again: "test". Athena was unwilling to place any blame any where. "What I sensed seemed more curious then what I would sense from an enemy ship nor I can I be sure what I was sensing was from the other ship. It was just different then what I usually feel at the beginning of a mission from the crew." Shane continued with his monologue: "We could not identify the warbird exactly, so formally we can't blame the Romulan star empire for the attack. It would be a clever move from the Tal Shiar. We could blame the Romulans, but without solid proof, we would stand there as fools. It could be presented to the Kzenti in a way that would portray the federation as a blood thirsty group." Shane looked up at Athena and asked: "What do you think about this scenario, after all we all are SSF officers ..." Athena sat shaking her head, frustrated with the lack of words to accurately describe what she felt. Finally she met Shane's gaze and said, "I wouldn't bet on it." "Heh" escaped from Shane's mouth in a now rarely seen sign of amusement. "Neither would I," he replied to Athena. "Sometimes I think I am a bit paranoid, seeing conspirations and war preparations everywhere." He shrugged: "But the fact is that we have been attacked and that the ship looks like a big piece of emethal cheese and that we are soon expected to attend a diplomatic meeting." Looking at Athena Shane asked: "You know the general quite good, you know how he thinks. I wonder what he would do now ...". Shane knew that his command was still in the BIG shadow of the general and his experience and he knew that it was a right thing. Shane was a good tactical officer, but as a Commanding officer ... he still needed to show 'talent'. At the moment ... he would very appreciate the benefits of the general's advice. Athena smiled a bit and thought for a moment then replied, "Get the damn ship fixed and operational and go into that diplomatic meeting with a strong presence." She paused as a smirk passed across Shane's face and added, "But I'd keep an open mind and ears as well." {Never ask a betazoid woman for advice. She will tell you both 'yes' and 'no'} went through his head. Athena watched as Shane gave a thoughtful nod. He was drifting away with his thoughts. Athena excused herself formally and Shane stood and walked around his desk. Once he was standing beside her Athena placed her hand on his arm reassuringly and said, "You'll do the right thing....," she paused and raised an eyebrow as she continued, "...the CO always does." As she took her leave Athena hoped that Shane found some comfort in her parting words. =/\= End Log =/\= Cmdr. Shane Guzman XO/ ACO USS Chimera & Lt. Athena Wellington Counselor USS Chimera