Nige opened his eyes and found himself in his chair.
"Computer, time?" he said as he struggled to get up.
<The time is 11:00 hours.>
Nige new that he was late for his shift but it didn't bother him. He had other things to do. He walked over to the mirror and looked at himself. His eyes were red and swollen from crying and he needed a shave. He took off his uniform and stepped into the sonic shower. "Computer, activate sonic shower," he said. The shower started up and Nige felt the dirt being vaporized off his body. He stepped out and put on some clothes. As he walked to the replicator he began to think about what to do next. He picked up the coffee that had just materialized and sat down behind his desk. He spun around the PADD on the table and turned it on.
"Computer," he began. "Access all files concerning Bajoran evacuation."
<Files restricted.>
"Override restriction, authorization Tyran 3 - 2 - 2 - Gamma."
<Security clearance accepted, accessing files.>
A list of files came up on the screen. Nige began looking over each one individually. Nige looked over the evacuee lists. None of his family were on it. It would seem as though only one person that he once new got off Bajor. Her name was Dinara Jinn. They had known each other in school and had dated for a while. Nige had also entrusted her to look after Torasu when he left Bajor. He continued to look over the lists and from what he could see, nobody she had ever known had got off the planet either. As he got up to put his empty cup back in the replicator, the door chime rang. Nige ignored it and sat back down. The chime rang again and Nige shouted angrily "Come in!" The doors slid open and a figure stepped into the dark room. Nige recognized the silhouette to be Haakon. "What do you want?" asked Nige with a sigh.
"I just came to see how you were doing."
"Not too good," responded Nige as he turned off the PADD. "I just looked at the evacuee reports. Only one person I knew from the whole of Bajor made it off the planet."
"I'm sorry to hear about that," said Haakon. "May I ask who it is?"
"Her name's Dinara. She used to be an old... friend of mine."
"I see. Your not in uniform Nige. Did you know your duty shift started over two hours ago?"
"I know. I don't plan on going on duty."
"Well even if you don't, I'm on duty and I have to get back to sickbay." She stepped towards Nige and handed him a hypospray. "Here's an anti-depressant. It should make you feel a bit better," she said. Nige took it and threw it on the sofa. Haakon walked towards the door. "I suggest you go apologize to some people," said Haakon. "Commodore Pike wants to speak to you as well." She left the room and Nige sat down again. He began thinking about what happened the night before and what he was going to say to the crew. He decided to speak to Carter first.
Nige stepped into the shuttlebay to find Carter and her friends working on the Peregrines. He decided that until he resigned and left the ship, he would have to show no grief.
"Good morning ladies," he said in a cheerful voice. "How's it going?"
"Great!" said Carter. "We're just about ready to kick some Kelvan butt!"
"Good for you. Look, can I talk to you for a minute... It's about yesterday."
"Sure," said Carter putting down her spanner. "What is it?"
"I just want to say sorry about the way I acted towards you yesterday. I shouldn't have ignored you like that. I just took the news about Bajor and my family a bit too bad."
"I think I'd probably have reacted in the same way," said Carter. "Are you going to be okay?"
"I'll be fine," Nige sighed. "I'd better get going. I've got a lot more apologizing to do."
"Good luck," said Carter. Nige turned and walked toward the door. That wasn't too bad, he thought. Now just the rest of the bridge crew to go.
"Captain, we will be arriving at Earth in five hours," called Tumock from his station. The turbolift doors opened and Nige stepped out. He was met by an odd silence and a lot of staring faces. He walked down to the lower level, being watched all the time by the bridge crew. He looked around to see that everybody he needed to apologize to was there.
"Where is Commodore Pike?" he asked.
"He's in his ready room," responded Neil. She pressed a button on the side of her chair and spoke into it. "Commodore, could you please come out here?" The doors behind Nige opened and Commodore Pike stepped out. Nige looked at Pike, cleared his throat and began to speak.
"I wish to apologize to you all. For my actions last night and what I said about some of you. I was out of line and under a lot of stress. Captain, Commodore, I'm sorry about shouting at you and starting a fight on the bridge. You have my word it will not happen again. I am ashamed about what I did and said last night, I know you were only trying to help. As for you Churok, I wish to apologize for the things I said to you. I'm sorry I called you a spoon-head and sorry for throwing a punch at you. I know you don't like being half-Cardassian and I'm sorry I made it difficult for you, and I hope you, I hope you all, can forgive me."
"I think I speak for everyone here when I say 'apology accepted'," said Pike stepping forward and placing his hand on Nige's shoulder. Signs of agreement showed from around the bridge.
"As for me, my resignation still stands, and as soon as the Kelvan battle planet is destroyed, I am going to leave Starfleet." At that Tumock raised an eyebrow and Benson walked up to Nige.
"Nige are you sure?" he asked.
"I'm sure," Nige responded.
"Nige, step into my ready room," interrupted Pike. Nige turned around and watched Pike walk back through the doors. He hesitated and then followed Pike in.
"Sit down Lieutenant," sighed Pike. "I see you're already out of uniform. Am I to assume that you will not be going back on duty."
"I will only put on my uniform again to fly the Mekong sir." Pike sighed again.
"Nige, I understand what you are going through, but are you sure that resignation is the best thing to do? Have you considered counseling?"
"Sir, I no longer want to be a part of Starfleet! All I need is the satisfaction that every last Kelvan on that planet has been killed and that I help them on their way!"
"Nige, I'm not sure that I should let you go on such a critical mission in a state like this."
"Sir, will you just trust me to do this? Please? It will be my last mission in Starfleet sir."
"I don't know, you could be a loose cannon."
"Sir?"
"Dangerous, unpredictable. I can't put MacLeod in the position that you might put him in."
"I'm not going to get any one killed! I have every intention of coming back. There's a young woman I know, who got off Bajor. Her names Dinara Jinn. I plan to meet up with her and see if we can get back what we once lost. Who knows, she may even have got my cat off Bajor."
"All right. I'll let you go. I can see this is something you need to do. However I'm not going to risk giving you a co-pilot. You'll have to go it alone."
"Fine."
"Are you sure about resignation? You had a promising career ahead of you. You got a promotion after being out of the academy for nine days. That's a Starfleet record!"
"I know that. I hoped that one day, I may get a ship of my own. Who knows? I may come back to Starfleet in ten years or so if it still exists. Right now I think it's best that I have some time away from Starfleet."
"All right then. I'll contact Starfleet Command. Report to Lieutenant Taylor when we reach Earth. He'll give you the battle plan. Then take the Mekong out and sit and hope."
"Aye sir."
"Dismissed."
Meanwhile....
The Kelvan Battle Planet was closing on the interior of the Federation now. A system identified as 'Rigel' had been partially purged of unwanted life. Most of the system's twelve planets were very sparsely populated, yet contained tremendous natural resources. Only the one called 'Orion' had been eliminated. It's green-skinned inhabitants had been annoyingly belligerent.
After Rigel however, were the homeworlds of the Federation. These would have to be destroyed regardless of any resources they harbored. With an entire galaxy of planets to pillage, the Kelvans could afford to lose a few. Because without their homeworlds, most of the rest of the Federation worlds and colonies would just surrender.
And so they fell, one by one: Andor, Tellar, Vulcan, Alpha Centauri. They crumbled before the might of the Kelvan juggernaught, although not without a struggle, and not without doing a measure of damage in return. When the Kelvan Battle Planet finally began its final approach to Earth, it was in worse condition than when its campaign of destruction began.
Still, it was more than a match for anything the puny Federation races had thrown at it so far. If that was the best they had, Earth would be the next to fall!