*** CMO Office * USS Chimera *** Rangi sat motionless, leaning forward left elbow on her desk, her head propped on her hand. The fingers of her right hand traced the sides of a padd which remained unread.She had been sitting like that for some time and showed no signs of waking from the daydream that held her fast. When Lt Gannsen had left sickbay, Rangi had returned to her office, thinking over the new AMOs attitude. It puzzled her slightly as to why the lieutenant had applied to transfer. Her given reason of 'boredom' sounded.... strange. But Rangi had dismissed the matter on returning to her office, determined to clear her desk of padds that seemed to generate themselves. She had accompanied Commander Guzman back to the ship. He had been called to deal with some problem that he thought would take no more than a couple of hours.On hearing he was needed, she had decided to spend the time working too and had in fact by coincidence, been in sickbay when the new AMO arrived. Rangi knew that Shane might well be longer than he anticipated and so had begun to work steadily, intending to continue until he arrived to take her back to the base. But she found it hard to concentrate and had fallen into the daydream. {Why can't you ask him?} she questioned herself { Whats stopping you? Theres been plenty of time... opportunity...all you have to say is 'Shane?..can I ask you something?' and he would say 'sure Milacik..what is it?'...so why dont you say it?} She tried to tell herself that the time hadnt been right, that the opportunity had always slipped past. but she knew it wasnt true. {You dont want his answer do you?} she questioned herself further. {You're afraid of what it might be aren't you? Admit it...you think Dad was right.} At that thought Rangi had frowned.{It doesnt matter what other people say...but I dont like Shane being talked about like that...me neither really!...its not true anyway.Ok...so his quarters 'are' near mine...and he 'does' come to see me...... and stay the night...but its not as dad says...not at all.} Her fathers words had echoed in her mind and, she had to admit, worried her to a certain point. {He loves me....I know he does...its not just words..not just said because he wants to....he means it. I know that.So really theres no need to ask him anything!} She gave a long sigh, still lost in her thoughts. {This is silly! It's a simple question. I want to know the answer so I'm going to ask him. I'll just come straight out with it!! That's the best way...stop all this dithering about.I'll ask him......today} "Are you ok?" A voice speaking near at hand made Rangi start suddenly from her thoughts.She saw Scotts questioning face as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sorry...didnt mean to startle you." he said." Are you sure you're ok?" "Yes...yes ofcourse...I was...just thinking." She smiled weakly. "Did you want me for something?" Scott stepped back, wondering what thought had held her so fast that she had ignored his tap on the door and his saying her name twice. "Nothing urgent." he replied. " Just came to tell you the supplies are in place...all accounted for...and we're ready to roll!" He gave his familiar smile. "That's good." Rangi said, returning the smile and pushing back her chair. He waited for her to move towards him, then walked with her to the door. "So what did you think to our new AMO?" she asked as they entered sickbay. "Interesting..." he replied and grinned at her when she turned her head to look at him. *** End Log *** LtCmdr Rangi Summers CMO/2X) USS Chimera & Ltjg Scott Fisher AMO USS Chimera (npc) Rangi