<<DISCLAIMER: For those allergic to fun its not recommended to read further. Please disregard this log and return to the 'Annual State of the Country' book >> ===== Shuttle bay, Research station ===== Shane waited for the CO's team to leave the place before he called his team together. He looked at the colorful mix of yellow, green and teal and had to smile a bit. {If this will work, I'll buy everyone a syntehol drink .. a double one}. He cleared his throat and spoke up: "Well" he started ... just typical, "everyone knows the mission and what we need to do. Please, make sure that your devices are activated and let's go". {Yeah ... what a speech! } He turned to Acheson and said: "You LT. and Ens. Sinclair will be the front patrol, Cadet MaiKai, Ens. Blackburn with Private Pillow the next and the rest will cover us from the back and the flanks. Everyone understood?" Yes, Sir!" Pvt. Huhu stood up as tall as she could make herself and glanced at the XO from under a mop of blonde hair. Private Pillow looked like anything but soft. Her body was slim and well toned and at 6 feet even she was as tall as many men. When her chestnut colored hair was pulled back it made her look serious and the deadpan expression didn't help as she replied "Yes, Sir." Shane nodded and pointed towards the exit. Acheson pulled out his tricoder and looked at the little stations schematics displayed there and moved forward. Like a small pathfinder; he lead the way, followed by Ens. Sinclair. The next group of SF personnel was guarded by the young Pillow. The rest of the marines spread in two wings and a tail with Shane being in the middle. Shane noticed that an another young private assigned herself as his bodyguard. He was not too familiar with her, all he knew was her name and commendations from the training camp. Private Huhu. The team left the shuttle bay and went along a long dimly lit corridor. Pvt. Huhu, half a pace behind Shane, fell into step with him, lengthening her stride to match his. Her rifle was raised to her hip and apart from the mass of blonde curls, she looked every inch cold blooded marine. Pvt. Pillow held her weapon across her front, one hand in position to steady the weapon and the other ready to slip up slightly and pull the trigger. As the lead called for a halt to check a cross path, she quickly signaled those behind as she came to a stop. She had remembered her superior's orders {Whatever you do private don't let the XO get hurt.} She gave a small swallow as they continued along now. She and Pvt. Huhu had agreed to make sure the XO stayed out of trouble. She shook her head at the thought of the blonde private's first name, Honey. {Who in their right mind would call their child Honey.} Till now the team was progressing without any trouble. There were no aliens visible and no accident had happened. But of course ... it was too easy to be the truth. All the team members tried their best to be quiet and not to make loud sounds. That was a good way to go and Shane was glad everyone including the young cadet were successful at it. Enveloped by a group of marines, Shane had the slight feeling that they are watching him too carefully, making all possibilities to keep him out of trouble. {Like I would be a 3rd year cadet!} he said to himself. Shane thought that he was just the same good as any marine on the ship ... even if he lacked their training and was a 'button' pusher most of his career. But as the XO ... he was expected to be good! Trying his best he was extra careful but ... as he focused on a nearby wall to look after a carving there ... he fumbled and fell with a loud sound to the ground. "Geeeez" escaped from his lips before he could stop it. "Sir!...are you OK?" Pvt. Huhu was at his side in a flash, glancing at him, assessing possible injury then looking around them quickly. "Sir, can you get up?" she asked. Private Pillow stopped and took a defensive position as Pvt. Huhu checked on the XO. She couldn't help the sarcastic thought that traveled like lightning through her head. {Walk much?} Shane shook his head to get rid of the dancing yellow stars in front of his eyes and said angry with himself: "Yes, I am all right, Private. No need for stopping. Let's go on." He stood up from the floor and examined his 'cloaking' device while thinking about his reputation doing like an axe in a lake ... going straight to the ground. But the problem was not his reputation ... but the device ... it was broken. The fall and Shane's body in the armour made an end to the little device and it seemed to be beyond repair. Shane sighed and rolled his eyes: {WHY? Why the heck me?} Honey stepped back as the XO got to his feet, seeing the expression on his face as he looked at theminature cloaking device. "Sir," she whispered urgently, unclipping her own unit, "take mine." Vanessa and Honey quickly clipped the device onto the XO and helped him start to move down the hall. Van thought the LtCmdr. looked a bit dazed but the rest of the group was beginning to pull away from them. Shane felt like a big baby being baby-sat by two female marines. He glanced over at Acheson thinking if it was him who ordered the two woman to take care of him and make sure that the 'button pusher of an XO' doesn't make trouble. A bit nervously he paced behind the wall of three marines and with the two ladies on his tail. Cursing his luck he wished he would not stand up this morning. Honey moved in front, rifle raised at the ready. Now and again she glanced at the XO as if half expecting him to fall flat again. Van Kept them moving and hoped the XO didn't fall again and she hoped she wouldn't get yelled at for letting the XO fall or fall behind a bit. It was obvious. Half the away team was hoping the XO would fumble again ... the other half was scared to death he would fall and tried their best to prevent that. It was hard to say what half was more disliked by Shane. After all ... he was the XO and not a ... ::tresk:: and Shane saw yellow stars dancing lambada in front of his eyes again. Unbelievable ... he fell again! He dared not to look up to see the mess he caused ... he felt ... that he hit at least two people in front of him! Pvt. Huhu felt a sudden push in the small of her back, staggered two steps, failed to keep her balance and crashed to the floor, her rifle skidding away in front of her. Something...somebody fell on top of her legs. She peered backwards over her shoulder. "Sir?" Pvt. Pillow stumbled a couple of steps as someone tripped her. If it hadn't been for her long legs she would have ended up on the floor too. Van slung her rifle over a shoulder and pulled and tugged at the XO until she had him off of Honey and leaned against the wall. She looked at honey and quietly asked, "You, OK?" Honey nodded, reaching to collect her rifle. "What's up with him?" she whispered to Vanessa. Van shrugged as both women took positions that would protect the XO while they waited on the doctor who seemed to be so enthralled in the whole process of the mission. She trotted up to the trio and asked, "What's the problem?" Honey and Van gave each other a look and quietly replied in unison, "Him?" Shane was a little shaken from his second fall and only now his head cleared up. He glanced around only to see two lady marines holding him pinned to the wall and MaiKai looking at him like he was a little ill doggie. He gathered all his remaining honor and shook down both ladies' arms while saying: "I am all right, I am all right. Jeezes ... I am all right, take your hands off me!" Honey dropped her hand as ordered. "Sir," she said observing him sideways on. She looked at Vanessa and gave a questioning expression. Van let him go to but remained stock still and said, "Well, we don't go one more step until the doc checks you out." "Jezus Christ!" he said a bit louder then he intended. Not only that he was pinned on the wall by two woman and he looked like he was a 5 year old school boy, but he was cared For like a sugar dolly ... a fragile something that needed attention 24 hours a day. "You will let me go Private or you will spend the next week in a brig cell," he said and tried to get loose of her grip, "if I say I'm all right, I am all right and no one will tell me what I have to do, unless there are a dozen pips on your collar!" Shane was getting even more angry and the unfortunate woman was the ideal target. Honey's eyes narrowed very slightly. "Sir with respect..I'd remind you about the order for silence?" Van was tall enough to look down at the XO and did so before bowing slightly and giving a motion for him to lead the way. ====== End of log Part One===== Pvt. Honey Huhu (NPC by Queen Rangi) Marine Escort & Pvt. Vanessa 'Soft' Pillow (NPC by Mrs. President Jass) Marine Escort & LtCmdr. Shane Guzman XO USS Chimera