A/N: Here is the second installment of this…story. Hope you enjoy! Thanx to all my lovely reviwers! Sorry for the wait. Finals cough

Disclaimer: not mine.

KOS-MOS rox: Thank you for the review. You are my first review evah! Well, I hope you enjoy your candy. (see the last A/N)

Wends: Glad you love the couple too. There isn't enough of it out there in my opinion. But, I sincerely doubt you care about my opinion. Anyway, yeah I agree about chaos. I can't seem to get him quite in character.

EnkiduFish: I love your stories! Your "Nowhere Souls" is what turned me on to chaos/shion. I'm glad that you can appreciate my sense of humor. I was kinda worried that it would bring down the rest of the story.

Nox Fiorre: No review is too late. So, thank-you thank-you for reviewing!

Leihko: You get the prize for being the review that finally guilt tripped me into posting again. I had been putting if off and then you reviewed and I was like "Ok, fine I'll post it." So, thanks for reviewing.

Shion—

I leaned back into my chair and looked warily at the UMN channel that was linked to my desk. Should I talk to him here, in my office, in front of the whole first division? Or, should I get a private channel? Would it be appropriate to get a private channel, when this was purely business?

Hmmm. Maybe I'm over thinking this. Probably. I do that a lot. I shook my head and looked at the paperwork on my desk. I had already been dreading it and now it seemed even more a tedious task than before.

I shuffled through the stack glancing at the subject material. Did I want to upgrade our systems with the newest programs? Well duh. I'm not stupid, of course I do! This is the highest division of Vector; we can't be behind other companies in technology. For the love of monkey, we MAKE the upgrades. Do I really need to be asked to sign a paper saying I agree to update? Apparently I do.

Well at least that one didn't take very much time, or thought. The next half hour I spent signing anything from new employees to current employee evaluations. Not to mention a few ridiculous papers that I crumpled up as soon as I saw them. Do people really want to waste my time asking me how many paper cups my division needs? I don't know! Why can't they have one of the lower-downs do this…heh, I did just sign one new employee and it looks like they might have a job to do. Great for me, stinks for them.

I glanced at my watch and almost had a heart attack. 8:50! Had I really taken that long to do that paper work? Ugh. I am becoming extremely inefficient. No, I'm not inefficient. This job, the things they have me do, reek of inefficiency. Why do I still have to do paperwork? Everything else has been upgraded, transformed into technological novelties. We have robots, why can't they be doing this stuff. I glanced at my empty coffee cup and decided I needed a refill. I pushed away from my desk and stalked angrily over to the table that had coffee and all of its amenities.

I glared at the paper cups stacked beside the coffee pot. That is how I react to things that annoy me, even if they are trivial. That might be the reason I'm relationship impaired. But, in all seriousness, why can't we use mugs or something; it would save ME the time of having to fill out ridiculous forms.

I poured the dark, steaming liquid into my cup and headed back to my desk. After I got settled I hooked up to the UMN and waited while it dialed. The dialing stopped and the screen briefly said "loading" before the face of my CEO came onto the screen.

"Hello Miss Uzuki. It is a pleasure," he said in a smooth voice. It made me wonder if he always talked like that or if it was just his business voice.

He was not exactly what I was expecting. I knew he was young, but this young? He had almost white blonde hair and large eyes some shade of …red? His whole demeanor of youthfulness was enhanced in part by these eyes that made him look like a child wide-eyed with wonder.

"The pleasure is mine Mr. Wilhelm," I responded just as smoothly, in my curt, business voice. "I understand there is something you would like to discuss with me."

He smiled slightly, and the gesture looked out of place on him. His was a face that seemed to be perpetually melancholy. The skin around his mouth didn't seem accustomed to bending in that particular way. "Hmm. Strictly business are we? Well then I will oblige you," Wilhelm shifted slightly before clearing his throat and continuing. "As you know well, the Zohar are our main source of energy. Even the UMN relies on the Zohar."

He looked at me and I nodded in understanding. There was absolutely no explaining needed. I of course knew what energy we ran on. There are probably few in the galaxy who don't know this. In fact, I should feel extremely upset at the slight to my intelligence. But, somewhere inside me, there was that sane voice of reason that told me it wouldn't be a good idea to cop an attitude with your CEO.

"It is not well known to the public, but I assume you realize that the Zohar are extremely dangerous."

Once again I nodded. Maybe he had greater respect for my mental facilities than I had originally thought. Not likely. He seemed to be one of those people who thought that anyone other than him wasn't capable, competent, or able. Albeit he was quieter about it than most people are, but you could still sense the undertone of self superiority.

"It has come to our knowledge that there is a planet, named Ariadne, that is emitting waves of energy. This energy is so vast that we think it could be an alternative for Zohar energy, if not a replacement. This is where you come in," He leveled me with his gaze and I have to admit that it made me uncomfortable. His eyes were no longer that of a child, wide and innocent. There was a weight to that gaze, and it made my stomach knot. He was rather creepy when I thought about it.

"We, Vector, are sending in a team of engineers to research this phenomenon. We have chosen the top engineers from Vector and even some outside. We would like you to accommodate us by joining this team," the smooth voice, said void of emotion.

I opened my mouth to form a reply, but I was cut off. "You will be reimbursed for all the time away from work. Although the amount of time you will spend on Ariadne is rather vague. It is completely dependant on the efficiency of the team in researching and harnessing that energy," Wilhelm said with his eyes directly on mine again. The man assumed too much. I hadn't even acquiesced to his proposal, but here he was, giving me a warning of sorts to not waste time. I suppose when you have that much power you can risk assumption.

"Will I need to bring personal belongings, or will the necessities be provided?" I asked trying and succeeding in masking the frustration in my voice. This man rubbed me the wrong way. I couldn't place my finger on it, but it was there as a nagging feeling in my gut.

"We provide the tools and facilities, Miss Uzuki," The CEO answered curtly. Maybe I hadn't quite hidden my frustration. "You are responsible for anything else you wish to have. I would advise to keep it light. Ariadne is an unpopulated planet; most of it is covered with rainforests. You won't need much in the way of formal clothing. And, I'm not quite sure if there will be a washing facility. That will eliminate many of the toiletries the members of your sex seem to be so fond of."

A rainforest. How pleasant. Shion is everybody's favorite outdoor girl. Didn't you know? No, I didn't think you did. In fact, no one knows. Funny, that's because it's not true. I loathe being outside. Nothing against nature or anything, I actually am quite fond of the beauty you can find in nature. No, more of the repugnance is geared toward the uncomfortable heat of being in the sun, the sticky sweat the sun causes, the annoying, itching, biting bugs that are attracted to the sweat. I can just imagine myself in a hot, steamy rainforest with people I don't know and probably don't like. All the while trying to do research, this doesn't seem like a completely thought out plan.

"I will keep that in mind," I force a smile. I am the picture of professionalism. I will not let my image be flawed, cracked, chinked, by something as insignificant as an inner tantrum about a rainforest. "It is an honor to be asked to join this team."

Wilhelm nodded and continued. "You will be departing from the dock colony in three days. The charter ship will be leaving at 0700 regardless if the whole team is present. I advise you be punctual."

A blank screen. He was gone, leaving me an interesting mix of bewilderment and frustration. Poor Allen, didn't know to keep his distance. "Who was that?" he asked lightly, a curious grin on his face.

I rounded on him, smiling sweetly. "Oh, that was your mom. She was telling me what a good

and hard-working boy you were," my sugar-coated voice was practically dripping with sarcasm. I believe it was completely lost on Allen, though.

The employee in question had a rather hesitant and confused half grin on his face still.

I continued, "So, with my new found respect for you, I decided that I could trust you to take care of the whole division while still performing your normal duties. I will be gone for an unspecified amount of time."

I patted him gently on the back and spread my hands to encompass my desk still filled with paperwork from today. I nodded, before walking out of the office. I knew I was probably going to feel insanely guilty very soon, but I needed to vent and he had offered himself on a silver platter.

Chaos—

I had gone onto the bridge expecting the worst. Quite frankly, I believe my expectations were too low. What I had expected was a harried captain. Not a fuming captain who was seething at the universe. Matthews was holding his hat in his hands and to a casual observer everything would look ok. Me, I could tell his nerves were completely shot, something that is always dangerous. He was twisting his hat obsessively with an almost manic expression on his face. Definitely dangerous.

"Captain?" I almost said it tentatively, but the word came out stronger than I had expected even though it sounded like a question.

"God dammit! Chaos, what took you such a damn long time?" He slammed his hat on and swiveled his chair around to face me. He looked extremely haggard; he must have pulled an all-nighter at the bar.

"I was talking to Tony and it seems that took more time than I expected," I said calmly. I have been around the captain too long for me to be scared of him. Though, I must say, even for the captain his mood seemed to be particularly delicate.

The captains eyes bulged and he banged his fist on the arm of his chair. "I told that ass crack to get you without talking!"

I was seriously worried for my safety, but I could take the blame for this one. Ouch, this is going to hurt. "Actually captain, I believe that I am entirely at fault for the delay. I initiated the conversation against Tony's wishes."

I know that I sound like a businessman, but that's how you have to treat the captain when he's hung-over. Things have to be laid out very clearly if the fog enveloping his head is to be penetrated. You have to be the mature one in the conversation. Not that I'm not normally the mature person in conversations I have with anyone on this ship. Anyway, I have interacting with him down to a science, regardless of the circumstances.

Even so, it was to my immense surprise and relief Matthews didn't pursue the topic any longer. "Oh well. Just get you skinny ass over to the UMN. Little Master wants to talk with you about something," Matthews grumbled. Under his breathe I could make out some incoherent babbling about an "Insistent bastard."

I nodded and walked over to the panel, smiling to my self upon hearing the Captain's grumblings. I could just see the conversation between Matthews and Little Master. It probably would have been amusing to watch. I would have pulled up a chair and eaten some popcorn if I had been here. Well, maybe not, since I was in a rather venerable position, what with being the reason the two had to talk to each other.

"Nice to see you're well, Little Master," I told the scowling, red-haired face that popped up on the screen.

"Yes, and it's nice to see that you didn't strain yourself or anything trying to get here quickly," the scowl was still present, but there was a new sarcastic playfulness in the redhead's demeanor.

Man, I'm surrounded by bi-polar people. I smiled and graciously accepted the criticism. I should be a politician; I do believe I have missed my calling in life. "Oh, something of importance this time? No more girl advice…?" I asked slyly. Not the best idea I'll admit.

Jr.'s face reddened, but as always he covered it up with a fit of yelling. "Hey, that was only once, you big jerk. I should have known you would hold it over my head for the rest of my life. And, hell yes, it's important," Jr. paused for dramatic emphasis. "I had to go through some shit to just get to talk to you. Man, I always get suckered into the jobs Gaignun doesn't want to deal with."

I smiled gently to assuage some of his hostility –see, I am passed the point of being scared of most of the more volatile people in my life- and said, "It probably wasn't as horrendous as you're making---"

"Whatever, man! You didn't even have to talk to the grouchy old bastard."

"Actually, I did. But, if you insist…"

Jr. let out a growl and slammed his hands down on his desk. "Just forget it and let me tell you what was to damn important," he said in defeat.

I have a calm and -so I've heard- infuriating way of wearing people down. Apparently I'm hell to argue with ."I'm listening, Little Master," I said still with my calm exterior.

"About time, too," Jr. said. "Well, Gaignun and I are sending you on a mission. A very important mission. You will be representing the Kukai Foundation and we expect you to behave yourself."

Now that is something I would not have expected to come from Jr.'s mouth. Ever. "Hmm, I think I might be able to keep myself in check this once," I said sarcastically.

Jr. ignored the comment and continued. "Vector has found an alternate energy source and it is imperative that they do not get a monopoly on it. We had to pull some strings, but we were able to secure a spot on the research team of engineers that Vector is sending to investigate."

I quirked an eyebrow. How odd. "Hammer is a much more adept engineer, why not send him?" I asked. Apparently they were going for professionalism and hammer was definitely a better choice for that.

Jr. grinned at me. "Yeah, well, you're more charismatic. Let's just say that you'll be needing all the charisma you can get if you want to come back sane," I could tell he was enjoying this too much. "The types of people you'll be going with aren't exactly the most friendly."

I knew there was something else, because I have absolutely no problems getting along with people if I am not deliberately trying to make an ass out of myself. "You will be going to Ariadne, for an undetermined amount of time."

Ah, there it is. But, really, that's not so bad. I could totally get my Indiana Jones on in a rainforest. Too bad I don't have a whip. Maybe I an buy one before I have to go…

"When do I have to leave?" I could tell there was still something else coming at me because Jr. was still grinning.

"Hmmm," Jr. stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Well, if you want to reach the dock colony their transport is leaving from in time, you will have to depart by tomorrow."

Ok, see if you can make chaos cry. Man, so much for my whip. Gah. What do you take to a rainforest anyway?

A/N: I know im using creative license with the whole ariadne thingy, but, hey, this is au and im gonna make the most out of it. And im REALLY sorry about the whole lack of update. I re-wrote this thing a million times and im still not satisfied with the way it came out. Oh well. And thank you again to all my reviewers. You may now all have your candy (throws skittles) hope you like skittles, theyre all I have.