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Chapter 20 - Synchronicity

"I did," he confirmed, smiling.

"Now I'm really sorry I got you back here early. You're in love, Boy Wonder."

"Ha, yeah, I am. But it's okay; she has to go to classes anyway."

He left and she hit communications. "Crita, I need to see you."

"Right away."

Once Mack had explained the situation, Crita agreed to assist. Xo and M'Belle were instructed to get in a workout. Once those two athletes were in the holodeck, Mack and Crita began installing a camera at the ionization diffuser's work station.

"Do you think maybe it was just an accident, that someone touched something by mistake?" Crita asked as they worked.

"For anything else, I might be persuaded, but definitely not for this. To pull down the lever, you've gotta turn the joystick. It's a lot of deliberate movements, plus this thing is way too interesting and important."

"Maybe you should offer the opportunity for the offender to come clean while we remain in the Kreetassan System," Crita suggested.

"Huh, actually, that's a good idea."

By the time M'Belle and Xo were done, so were Mack and Crita. Mack released Crita to go to engineering and help get those cameras installed even more quickly. Mack's own task was to keep Xo and M'Belle occupied even longer.

"So tell me," Mack asked, as the two athletes sat with her in the mess, "How was Risa?"

"Beautiful," M'Belle reported, "it's very warm and comfortable, and the people are very ... open."

"Do you think they would deign to speak with a Jem'Hadar such as myself?"

"Well," M'Belle stated, "I saw plenty of Gorn, and Xindi, and Cardassians, and they were all welcomed warmly."

"Did you see any Vorta?" he asked.

"I did not, but of course I wasn't looking everywhere." M'Belle got up.

"Actually, before you go," Dana thought quickly, "I was wondering. I think you know Crita better than anyone here."

"I suppose I do," the Caitian allowed.

"Well, I think we should get her a wedding gift of some sort, although I've gotta say, I'm tapped for ideas."

"Oh, huh, let's think about this." M'Belle sat back down.

"Maybe something for her new home," Xo suggested.

"Well, she's a third wife. Or, she will be," Mack said, "so I'm thinking that the Prime Wife might have already done the decorating. I mean, I don't know that for sure, but the last thing I wanna do is get her off on the wrong foot."

"Right," M'Belle stated. "Just money seems so impersonal. Maybe we should ask the entire team, or at least most of them."

"That's a good idea," Xo praised, "we could solicit suggestions, and maybe vote on them as well."

There was a chime on Mack's PADD. She read it quickly; it was from Crita.

We are finished with installing cameras at the diffuser station and around most of Engineering.

"Okay," Mack said, "let's try that."

Most of the athletes returned a few days later and, as had been suggested, they held a meeting in the holodeck, in order to determine the best gift for the Daranaean. A few stragglers met remotely, as they had traveled to Andoria.