=/\= Corridors =/\= Athena walked through the corridors going no place in particular wishing that her head would stop aching. It was no pounding in rhythm to her steps and just seemed to echo. It was an ache that was keeping her from sleeping soundly and occasionally woke her. She was on her way to some place quiet to rest and have a drink when the light started to flash yellow. Athena turned around to make her way to the bridge but the ship started to shake before she had gotten too far. She braced her hand against the wall and tried to remain upright. She wasn't successful and bumped her head when she fell to her knees. It wasn't a bad bump and probably wouldn't have bothered her much if she hadn't already had a headache and now her knees hurt too. She stayed where she was a moment or two longer and took a couple on encouraging breaths. She struggled to her feet and went on her way toward the bridge. =/\= Bridge =/\= Upon entering the bridge Athena Noticed that the General had already left and that Shane didn't look happy. She noticed a shared look between Harker and Palmer and thought it was a bit odd. Athena made her way to the chair next to Shane and laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Shane was a bit lost in his own thought and didn't notice Athena come in. The gentle touch of Athena's hand got him unprepared and he jerked a bit not knowing what was going on. Staring at Athena he asked surprised: "Ermm ... Athena, where did you come from?" She raised an eyebrow and replied smoothly, "From that direction," she pointed and the corners of her mouth lifted up into a small smirk. Athena also noticed the rise in tension at the mention of her name. It was as if no one had noticed her coming onto the bridge. "I thought I would join you for a bit," Athena continued lightly and looked around. Samantha seemed very concentrated in her work. Athena's gaze followed around the room until it came to the helmsman, Harker. She was surprised to find him staring at her. He immediately turned back to his work, but she was left with an odd feeling. Shane watched her for a moment. Somehow Athena had a certain aura of grace and mystery. Shane knew her for some years already but she still managed to surprise him. She was like a fairy - there and present and still remote and different then one thought. Shane smiled at last: "That's good, I already thought that you learned how to teleport at will" he joked a bit. Athena smiled a little wider saying, "Wouldn't that put me in some new kind of race." Shane nodded to her and said: "Athena I need to talk to you about some things in private. Let's go over to the conference lounge." The lounge was just opposite to the Captain's ready room on the same deck as the bridge was. Seeing her nod he stood up from THE Chair and looked briefly at the viewscreen. The three shuttles were slowly struggling on their way towards the Gott. The flight was most probably quite shaky but till now no sign of any danger (besides the march) appeared. He flashed quickly at Foster's seat but seeing there a nameless ensign instead the "almost all the time present" OPS officer he glanced over at Commander Palmer and after some hesitation he said: "Commander, you have the bridge till I am back. Inform me if anything unusually happens or the shuttles or on the Gott." Palmer gave him a surprised look. Apparently she didn't expect being placed in command of the bridge. To be honest ... if there would be any other alpha shift bridge officer present ... she would be right. "Aye, Commander" she replied with her soft voice. Shane then turned to Athena and motioned towards the conference lounge's door. Athena led the way with Shane following. ===== Conference lounge ===== Once inside the lounge Shane sat himself in a seat and asked Athena to sit as well. The subjects he wanted to talk about were all sensitive and one even personal. For a moment he thought about Athena the latest events that happened to her when she interrupted him. "Shane, we could sit here forever while you think about what to say or you could just get to the point," Athena said break the silence in the room. She figured they didn't have the time to sit around at the moment. She also hoped her words would spur Shane to get right to the point. Shane nodded: "You are as always right Athena. The best was is to say things plainly. First I would like to ask you how are you feeling?" He saw the surprise in her eyes and added: "Considering your lock-out in your quarters lately and the fact that Science believe that telepathic sensible persons are somehow affected by the march." {Not right to the point I was thinking about.} She unconsciously rubbed her left temple to ease some of the aching before she answered. "I'm fine," she replied and added, "just a small headache," as she gave a small massage to her right temple. She avoided saying that she had the headache for a couple of days now. "I'm betting you had something else on your mind or you could have asked that question on the bridge," she stated plainly. Standing and walking over to the replicator he asked: "Hot Chocolate drink?" guessing a good chance he's right. For himself he ordered a cup of green tea and waited for Athena's reply. "No, actually a nice cup of strong tea slightly sweetened would be good," she replied hoping the caffeine in the beverage would help with her headache. Shane shook his head with a little smile on his lips: "I am not a telepath but I know you well enough to have a good guess in whatever you say the truth or not." Looking at her face for a moment he said: "I guess you are not right at all ... but unless I will send you to sickbay or you self decide so ... I can't prove you wrong." After a small pause he added: "I hope you know that Rangi or me are always there for the counselor." Softly she answered, "Yes, I know," taking a sip of the dark liquid from the cup he had set before her. Shane nodded again: "Well, there is really a personal question or two that I wanted to ask before going back to duty matters." Shane knew Athena and he were friends, good friends but something made him often reluctant when speaking with her about personal things. Taking breath he asked: "What about you and Rangi? War axe buried again?" Athena raised her eyebrows when Shane asked about Rangi and herself. "There was never an ax to bury. It was the after effects from that flower.... but, yes, things are better. Back to normal." She smiled to herself when she thought about the afternoon where they sat and ate chocolate until they both were nearly sick or comatose from the sugar. Shane considered his words again. These were deeper waters again. He scratched his chin before asking: "I know its none of my business, but I would like to know where the truth is. You and ....", he paused, "Bretam?" She looked at Shane giving the impression that her gaze could burn as she thought about how to answer the question. Athena decided upon sarcasm first. She sat up straighter, put her hand over one of Shane's that was resting on the table and said with over desperation, "If anything happens to him I won't be able to go." {Let's see what Shane does with that.} Athena forced herself not to roll her eyes at Shane as she ignored the beating in her head. {I wish something would provide just a bit of relief.} For a moment his expression was a puzzled one. It took him a moment to realize that she was making her special way of fun of things ... like usual. He smiled then: "Ah ... so I think I need to send you after him in a fast shuttle then." He leaned a bit back in the chair and took a sip from him beverage (and thus freeing his hand from under her's) and said: "I am sorry for asking, but you know what for 'news' are heard on the Chimera. I never trusted them, but well ... I am no telepath, so I can know" he grinned. She concentrated on what Shane was saying with half her mind while she tried to will her headache away with the other half. She closed her eyes for a brief moment and was relieved to find that her headache eased a bit with the darkness. She kept her eyes closed and nodded to let Shane know she was still listening. "So" Shane was finishing his question, "having almost no data from Science or tactical, I was interested to know if you receive any emotions from the Gott. Anything that might indicate any one of the Gott's crew alive or maybe the X!Chi?" Athena had narrowed her focus to try and ease her headache, but at Shane's question she opened her eyes and reached further out with her mind. Her eyes were already a light blue and with her concentration the slight color there seemed to almost disappear. She seemed to lift out of her chair a bit and then sagged back into it. She took a shuttering breath and held her head. In barely a whisper, "There are a lot of ..... Athena shook her head as if clearing it and took another cleansing breath. "I'm sorry," she began, "I think the temporal anomalies are mixing things up." She paused for a moment or two and then clarified, "I'm just sensing many different things about the same thing. It's kind of confusing; like everything being blended in a mixer." Shane sat motions less for a moment considering her words. What a pity she couldn't help him more. It would be nice to know what the matter is on the Gott and in the ship's vicinity ... but Athena was a human, no short range scanner. "I see" he said at last, "nevertheless, no news is good news." he added. He straightened himself up in the chair and said in a soft voice: "Athena, if you really don't feel well, please take some rest. I don't say you should go to your quarters and sleep ... just some less stress and troubles for you. But I have one more question I would like to have an answer to" He looked at Athena and went on: "What is the crew feeling about our current mission?" She considered the question carefully as she thought about what she'd been sensing over the last few days. "Many are happy to be doing a mission, a few are tense. Those that are tense seem to be engineers. And some apprehension mixed in which I think would be normal." She stopped and looked out into the room for a moment or two and then her gaze came back to Shane before she added, "And something I can't quite put my finger on, but when I do you'll be the first or second to know." Athena smiled as Shane nodded and considered her response. They finished their drinks in companionable silence and then Shane lead them back to the bridge. "Maybe I will go for a rest," Athena said as he nodded when the doors slid open. =/\= End Log =/\= Cmdr. Shane Guzman XO USS Chimera & Lt. Athena Wellington Counselor USS Chimera