Nevar finished packing the shuttle. Closing the cargo hold, he ran his hand over the nacelle's which were still damaged from the recent attack by the Breen. Pol chuckled to himself, the Winnipeg had stood her ground. More than that it had taken him home. Turning to look around, Nevar took a deep breath. He always like Kip's Bay, so relaxing.
"You all packed" spoke Dr. Tim Farmer, Nevar's oldest friend and newest resident of the Nevar Family Cottage. It wasn't much a cottage, more a two-room log cabin. Nevar's great great grandfather had built it with his own two hands, and it had remained in his family for over 100 years, even during the occupation.
"Yep" Pol said as he headed back to join his friend on porch of the cabin. Tim, the former Chief Counselor of Starfleet academy - now on leave to write a 3rd book, handed Pol a glass of lemonade. "I don't know how you can drink this, it tastes terrible," Pol said making a face.
"Like so many things, it is an acquired taste, my friend. So you ready?"
"I am" the CSO of SB901 proclaimed.
"Pol, are you sure you want to do this?" Tim asked quietly.
"Tim, its been over two years since the Calvary incident. I've done my penance. I thought I could give up Starfleet, give up the life of fighter,but to be honest, the conflict with the Son'a has shown me that I can't. I've been a scraper for too long. First I fought for the resistance, then for Starfleet. I've come to realize fighting is not only what I was born to do, but it's all I was born to do."
"Well, I don't know about that."
Placing his hand on his former teacher's shoulder "Don't you see Tim, I do. I know it. For the first time in my life, I have accepted my role. Anyways, the Admiral promised me a promotion and the command of a ship, all I have to do is agree to be stationed on SB901. Stationed by the patch."
"Small price to pay. Le'Chell seems to like it." Tim said smiling to himself.
"Keep your protégé away from me will you? One shrink in my life is hard enough" Pol said smiling.
Truth be told he quite liked the trill counselor of SB901. She had a cute face and great spots. The two friends walked towards the shuttle. "Now, don't get me wrong, I can only imagine that the ship Starfleet stations at SB901 will be a junker, but she will be my junker and if I am ever going to get over what happened on that Borg Cube, I have to get back into the 'big chair'. I've been avoiding it for too long." Pol headed up the ramp of the shuttle, pausing he said, "Now Tim, remember I am only LOANING you my cottage. Its just until you finish your latest book. After that I'm coming back to claim her. So no wild parties, got it?"
"Got it" smiled the elder Starfleet officer, at 67 his days of wild parties were all but over.
Tim watched as Nevar lifted the shuttle slowly off the ground and headed off into the skyline. He hoped that Nevar keep his promise to see SB901's counselor on a regular basis and cut back on the drugs. But hope is all he could do. Or was it? Lifting a PADD off the tree stump on the porch Dr. Tim Farmer typed out a message to Lieutenant Le'Chell Nugent, SB901.
"USS Winnipeg to Deep Space Nine..."
[This is the Bajorian Space Command on DS-9, go ahead Winnipeg.]
"This is Commander Nevar Pol, filing flight path co-ordinates from Bajor to Supply Base 901 outside the Briar Patch; and requesting clearance to engage and go to warp."
[Commander Pol, this Colonel Kira, you have clearance. Safe journey and may the prophets smile down on you, Pol."]
"And on you Neyrs. Nevar out," and with that the 28 year Starfleet officer engaged his warp and sat back for the six day trip.