=== Deck 8=== Unable to sleep and not wanting to buzz about the ship like some mother hen tending to her chicks, Keylor decided to relax with a run. Tense and tired, he hoped he might wear himself out enough for at least a short nap. Running along deck 8 in his tank top and sweat pants, He was barely noticeable. Gone were the adornments that signified him as the captain of the ship. If it were not for the fact he was the only bajoran on the ship, he might have fully blended in to the ship and remained unnoticeable. He found that the ship was busier than he was accustomed t. With the ship at a heightened state of alert, there were more and more crewmen moving about tending to one duty or another. But he did not find it busy enough to prevent him from having a run. His mind swelled with the recent gift Athena had discovered. Though intriguing as it might have sounded to possess the ability to move objects with ones thought, it was a raw untamed gift which Athena could ot control. The thought of ordering one of his officers to take suppressants did not sit well with him, but in the context of away team safety, he was left with no other choice. His greatest hope was that Athena would be able to master her ability quickly enough to at least be able to prevent any accidental moves. Slowly Keylor picked up his pace, trying to move faster and faster concentrating on his running and less on the crew. He had limited time to run, and wanted desperately to wear down enough to sleep some before his next away mission. It was not like he had not gone long periods of time with out sleep, his marine training had prepared himself for that. There were 'tricks' he had been taught by his boot camp instructors for staying awake and waking up after long periods of sleep deprivation followed by short sleep cycles. But he knew that with sleep deprivation came lack of mental concentration, and that above all physical factors, this is what he feared the most. Now running at a good pace, Keylor flew by the crewmen that he passed. Every now and then some one would recognize Keylor for who he was and salute and Keylor came trotting by. Keylor ignored them, saving his concentration for maximum physical exertion. Faster and faster he pumped his arms and legs, pushing him as hard as he could go. He had been rather oblivious to the crew around him until he nearly bumped in to 2 crew as he rounded a corner. He had quickly stepped to one side and ran around the pair. It was then he realized that he might be causing the crew some concern. He had not realized how he must have looked when he was running at top speed. Arms and legs flailing about in a frantic motion, almost like he was escaping something. As he pulled away form the two he almost bumped in to he caught a word or two. "What is he running so fast for? Is he running form one of those Wraiths? I don't know but let's get out of here!" were the few short sentences he could make out. It dawned on him that his actions, thought harmless as they were, might be causing his crew worry that another wraith had gone undetected n the ship. Keylor slowed down and came to a full stop at the next intersection. Breathless and dripping in sweat, Keylor leaned over and propped himself on his knees to catch his breath. Around the corner cam two marines chatting rather loudly. "...And now I hear there is a love triangle between him, the counselor and the chief medical officer." Keylor did not look up at the sound of the ship gossip, but he listened just the same it was one of the ways he was able to keep his finger on the pulse of the ship. The two marines stopped talking as they noticed the doubled over person. "Hey buddy are you ok?" said one of them. The other spoke next "don't you know that no one is to be moving about the ship with out an escort? We are going to have to report this to the Executive officer!" he said in a firm voice as placed a hand on Keylor's shoulder. At the sensation of the cool clammy hand touching his shoulder, Keylor stood up and faced the two marines. If a breathless reply, "I think the XO has bigger fish to fry than reprimanding the captain of the ship for taking a jog." The marine retraced his hand quickly, "Oh sorry sir, did not realize it was you. Do you require assistance?" He stammered realizing that their gossip might have been heard but Keylor. Keylor shook his head no, "No I am fine, just trying to keep in shape." He pointed over his shoulder. "Carry on." He commanded. With a sharp "Aye Sir." Reply form both marines, they continued on their way. Keylor tuned in his ears and listened to the whispers of the leaving marines. "Do you think he heard us?" "I don't know but just keep walking and lets hope he did not." They quickly picked up their pace and turned the next corner. Keylor shook his head at the gossip he just heard. {Were they talking about Shane? Has he started something with Athena, thinking Rangi was lost?" He chuckled to himself. { I pity Shane if he has. I don't think the good doctor would take to being replaced so quickly. Her bedside manor is stern enough, I would hate to see a lover scorned.} He though as he started to walk to the nearest turbo lift. Fairly exhausted form his run, he soon boarded a lift. Keylor propped himself against the back of the lift. He was beginning to feel tired and was beginning to feel the surge of adrenaline fade form his run. He slumped a bit and bowed his head down as he waited for the lift to reach the deck his quarters were located. He had not been on the lift long when it stopped and the doors opened. Tired he remained in his tired position, not concerned about who he might encounter. Waiting to get on the lift were a medical technician and an engineering technician, both females. "Well I heard that she was soaking wet, asking a guard to undress her, Jen," the medical technician said. "The nerve of that woman. Just because she is betazoid and an officer on this ship does not give her the right to seduce all the man on the ship, Barb. I understand the betazoids lack of inhibition towards nudity, but to drench yourself with water to find an excuse to teas the crew is just wrong." The two stepped on to the lift, too self absorbed in their conversation to noticed Keylor slumped over in the lift. Again Keylor kept his head down and listened. "I know Jen, and for what purpose. If she wants t be wet and nude, she can do that in her own quarters,. No one would fault her for that. But to deliberately go out and tease men, the very men there to guard her form danger, is not right." She then placed a hand on Jen's shoulder. "And to top it all off, I heard one of the doctors, Desoto I think, Happened by and she basically invited him in to undress her!" Desoto?" Jen replied, "I thought he was the one you thought carried a torch for the chief medical officer." Barb nodded, "Yes I know! I guess he got tired of waiting and looked for some other starbase to park his ship." The turbo lift stopped and the doors slid open. Keylor stood up and looked out of the doors to see where they were. The two technicians were unaware who was behind them and they stepped out of the turbo lift. Seeing that this was deck 2, Keylor stepped off as well. Down the hall the two technicians walked, slowly. Keylor, ready for a quick sonci shower and some rest picked up the pace and passed them. A few meters down the hall Keylor came to his quarters, the two technicians still gossiping about crewmen Keylor was unfamiliar with. He stopped at his doors and turned to enter his pass code to open them. From his left he could hear the gossiping pair stop talking and a gasp come form one of them. Keylor did not respond, he figured there was no need to cause them any further embarrassment. Keylor walked in to his quarters and let the door shut behind him. Slowly he made his way to the shower, thinking, "Sometimes I wonder if I am running a starship or a pleasure cruse to Risa." He shook is head to himself as he pulled the tank top off of his torso. ===End log=== Col Bretam Keylor Captain USS Chimera