The Surprise

In a bliss, Sierra Devore followed the away team to the transport room. However as they walked around the corner, Lieutenant Devore was lost in a dream world that when they stopped, Sierra walked right into the back of Lieutenant Toran. "Oh I am sorry, Lieutenant." She said embarrassed.

"That is okay Counselor." He said. Toran understood that she must be ecstatic to be here.

Sierra slightly blushed and returned to her daydream.... the day dream of a few hours earlier...........

...................Counselor Devore was now heading to her first meeting on the Leviathan. She was so nervous. Her husband was about to see her for the first time in so many years. . .too many ! She entered the turbolift and directed it to go the Bridge. *I wonder what he will do when he sees me ?* She thought to herself. As the doors open. Devore took a deep breath as she exited the turbolift and headed for the conference room.

Counselor Devore walked quickly to the Conference Room and as she reaches the door Commander Harris approached her from behind. They look at one another for a moment until, Harris smiled at her for he knew that she was nervous with excitement. They enter with the other officers.

Devore sat with his back to the other officers staring at the view screen that now displayed the *Utopia* in all its glory. With his back to the crew, he spoke. "All right. Here is the situation. The Leviathan has come across a ship that shouldn't exist, nor should it be here. I want some answers and I want them........." Devore spun his chair around and his mouth dropped. At the far end of the table, he saw the love of his life. The woman who he thought had been dead for years now as an angel was sitting where Dr. Clairidge once sat. "Sierra !"

"Hello Mark !" Sierra said with a large smile. Captain Devore got up and ran to her oblivious to the other officers in the room. Quickly he swept her in his arms and held her tightly. Lieutenant Devore held him just as tight.

*He was holding her !!! Oh, the feeling*

"Sierra. I thought you were dead !" Captain Devore said through tears of joy. He pulled her away slightly and looked into her eyes that were filled with tears, however in those eyes hid a past.. a past of something that totally escaped the captain euphoria. "Where have you been? What have been doing? What are you doing here?"

"Uh sir ? Should we leave ?" Commander Harris asked with a smile.

"Sierra.. I will talk to you after this is all over. I am just so happy to see you !"

"I am happy to see you again also Mark." Sierra said. Oh how she wanted to talk to him and be held in his arms again, but there was all the time in the world now.

She sat back down as the Captain walked away. He reached Commander Harris and spun his chair around. "You knew she was on board and you didn't tell me ?"

"I am sorry Captain. When you were talking about her when we left Starbase 114, I did a little research and remembered that we had a new ship's counselor coming aboard. Well, it turned out that it was Sierra Mitchell. She hadn't been going by Devore, so I went and talked to her just yesterday and well it turned out that she was indeed your wife." Harris said with a smile.

"Well, commander." Devore said. "Consider yourself on report for withholding such...." Devore looked over at Sierra who had tears in her eyes. "Such important information."

"Yes sir." Harris said lowering his eyes in a mock fashion.

As her husband sat there talking, she could only stare and day dream. She heard what he was saying, but being there was such a dream. But she was snapped back to reality when she heard that HE was going to investigate the *USS Utopia*. She wanted to stand up and scream, "NO! Not you!!", but she sat there holding her breath. Apart of her wanted to go also, but the thought of what could be there made her hold her tongue. They were dismissed and Commander Harris stormed off to the bridge. Immediately she took this opportunity to approach her husband and voice her opinion. "Mark. Please don't go. What if there is something dangerous over there ? I just found you and now I might lose you again."

"Not a chance ! Sierra I will be back! I promise. I have waited all my life for this moment, do you really think that I will let death cheat me out of this moment with you ?" Devore said. He looked around and noticed they were alone. "I have missed you so much."

As a tear rolls down her eye, "And I you."

Devore grabbed her and passionately kissed her. After a few minutes, he pulled away. "I will be back, I promise you !'

"I know." *He has to !*

Sierra Mitchell-Devore and Commander Harris, were now in the transporter room, watching the three men vanish from her sight. She wanted to stay right there until "Captain Devore", returned but the Commander Harris ordered her with him.

On the Bridge sitting in the seat just to the left of the command chair, she recalls the time that was spent away. All that she "had" to do over the years. *Would he forgive her ?. I am sure he would. He was just that kind of man. At least the one she has always known.* She snaps out of her dreaming. How long had she been away from reality ? She didn't know !

The she heard Devore's voice. . . [Devore to Leviathan three to beam out !]

"Captain. We can't get a lock.. There is too much Theta radiation present," Harris says.

"What is happening !!" she says to Harris.

[What ! There is no Theta Radiation here. Get us out of here !]

"We can't get a lock sir," he says

"Get them out !!", Sierra says, "Commander Harris, PLEASE, get them out. *Please God, let them get out ! He has to come back.*

"Counselor. We are doing what we can.. Just relax. He will be back." Harris said calmly. He smiled at her that seemed to soothe her anxiety slightly. A few minutes later, they see a small pod launch from the *Utopia*.

[Devore to Leviathan Listen to me. Beam three directly to sickbay and then set a course away from this spot maximum speed, any direction!]

"Aye sir!" Harris said.

"I hope this works. . .it has to work." Sierra says to Harris, and ran off the Bridge to sickbay.