The Day After

The gentle breeze of the plains engulfed Brayden. On the rolling hills, he lay there, his tunic unzipped totally relaxed. It had been a good couple of weeks . Repairs on the Leviathan were going as to schedule, and the Captain, dad, had gave him the rest of the day off. Now he took this opportunity to spend some time on the holodeck.

He looked up at the clear skies. A few very shallow clouds could be seen against the vastness of the sky. Brayden clasped his hands behind his head and just smiled.

So is this a Earth ?" A female's voice said startling him. It was Junora.

Surprised, Brayden shot up and stared at the originator. "Hey... You shouldn't barge into other people's holoprograms." He said after he got over the initial shock.

"I am sorry." Junora said her feelings hurt. "I will just go."

"Wait." Brayden said darting after her. "No. Please don't go. I am sorry. I just didn't expect to see you today. You said that you were going to be busy so I just figured I could use this time alone."

Junora looked at him with her beautiful eyes. Her gaze itself made him melt but with the softness in her voice, he was hooked. Since the final attack of the Zeratul, Brayden and Junora have been spending a lot of time together. Officially, Captain Devore couldn't condone the relationship, but as Brayden's father, he was happy to see Brayden getting out and dating. Often he would comment that Brayden was a chip off the old block regardless of the fact that he didn't grow up around the once rogue Captain. Obviously, Sierra had tamed the wild spirit, but still watching his son, he sometimes wished of his womanising days... at least until his saw his wonderful wife.

Brayden had come by it honestly. Junora was quite a looker and there were some young Ensigns down on deck fourteen that have made some comments about wanting to date Junora, however Junora had her own sights on the Captain's son. It had taken long enough, but the night they had spent talking in the forward lounge was all it took for them to hit off. Now they were almost inseparable.

"Well at least while I was on duty Brayden." Junora responded.

"Would you like to join me ?" Brayden said feeling like a fool.

"You're not going to push me away, right ?"

"Never." Brayden went back to the patch of soft grass he had been laying on and motioned for Junora to join him. "Come here."

She looked at him for a moment then smiled. She slowly walked over to him and sat down on the grass next to him. "Hey this is cold."

"The moisture in the grass mixed with the gentle breeze does that. Don't worry I will keep you warm." Junora turned to him and saw him smiling from ear to ear.

"Brayden !"

"I meant like this." He said motioning for her to put her head on his shoulder.

Junora smiled and placed her head where instructed. She was able to hear his heartbeat and the warmth that he provided did warm her up quickly. She smiled contentedly."This is nice."

"It is isn't it."

Within a moment there was a small roaring sound- soft and relaxed. "Junora ?" Brayden looked down and noticed that she had fallen asleep. "Sleep." He said softly kissing her forehead. Brayden rested his own head and softly fell asleep.

Crew Quarters : Captain Marcus Devore

Captain Devore sat on his couch, his leg propped up and his chin in his hand. The stars slowly moved passed the window that his solemnly looked out. He was dressed in his dress white uniform with jacket unfastened for the one duty that is mandatory at some time or another. Now it was one of these times as he pondered the events of the past few months. He had lost a friend, a senior officer, and almost lost another doctor. At least in this instance, he didn't actually have to 'take care' of one of them. The door opened and Sierra walked in. She was still in her regular duty uniform.

"Hi..." She began. "....I didn't know you were still here."

"Yeah I am just thinking of what to say."

"About Toran or Shaka ?"

"Both."

Sierra walked over and sat down next to her husband. "This is not an easy time for a starship Captain. When you lose a crewmember, it is your duty to make and announcement. However when it is a close friend it makes the job that much harder."

"I know Sierra, but he isn't dead. He was taken by Q."

"Which makes it almost impossible to cope with. What about Shaka though ? She had been with you from the beginning and now in a freak accident she's gone."

"I know. That, to me, isn't that hard to deal with. She was a good officer, a little unorthodox but good nevertheless. I really wished that she would have died in a more heroic fashion, but she did die trying to save the ship. Now I have to bury her in an unfamiliar section of space which I feel she is worth more than that."

"I am sorry, I don't follow."

"She is from the Alpha Quadrant. Shaka deserves to be buried in familiar ground not here in the Andromenda Cirrius Galaxy."

"Oh." Sierra said softly. "Marc. I understand what you are feeling, but you have to do what is right. We can't keep her aboard until we get home."

"I know." Devore said returning his gaze to the window. "You had better get changed."

Sierra leaned over and gently kissed her husband. "Everything is going to be all right."

"I know," Devore said standing up and fastening his uniform. "I have got to go see someone. I will see you in the forward lounge in a few."

"Okay hon."

Devore left his quarters and walked to the nearest turbolift. He passed a few ladies in the hall that looked at him and smiled. "Looking good captain." Devore smiled which quickly faded away.

The turbolift door

s opened and he entered. "Brig."

Brig

From within the cell, Tyra was restrained sitting on the small platform that they call a bed. Her eyes, at a point glowing violet, now was a reddish brown which gazed passed the forcefield and eyed the security guard. Ever since her attack on Doctor Katts, the Captain had deemed it necessary to restrain her and lock her up at least until the end of the Zeratul encounters.

"Ensign..." Tyra said calmly even politely. ".....please can you at least undo the restraints. They are very uncomfortable."

"I am sorry Lieutenant. Captain's orders." The young Ensign replied.

"Captain's Orders ! Damn his orders !" She yelled.

Suddenly from the side of the field Captain Devore came into view. "Oh really Lieutenant." He said with a slight smile.

Now Tyra felt about a centimetre tall. "Oh I am sorry sir. I didn't mean it. I just meant....."

"Yes you did, Lieutenant, and I know what you meant." Devore looked over at the Ensign. "Lower the field."

The field dropped and Devore walked in calmly. He wasn't afraid of her or what she could do, but he was concerned. "Tyra. Didn't we have a talk about this at one point. I mean am I going to have to keep you the entire time we are here millions of light years from the Alpha Quadrant ?"

"No sir. I am very sorry." Devore helped her up as she spoke and undid the restraints. "I tried to hold out I really did, but the urge got so unbearable."

"I guess I can understand that, but I need someone I can depend on that won't be flying off the handle every time he or she gets hungry."

"I know sir. It won't happen again."

"Yes it will." Devore said looking at her sternly. "But I can understand that."

Tyra looked Devore squarely in the eyes. "Sir, I am sorry. I couldn't help it." "I know." Devore stood up and turned his back on Tyra. "Am I going to have to put you on the bridge to keep an eye on you."

Tyra's ears perked up. "Sir ?"

"How up are you in Slip Stream Mechanics ?"

"Not much."

Devore turned and looked at her. Instead of saying a word, he tapped his combadge. "Lieutenant Taline, Come to the brig."

[Sir ?]

"Come to the brig on the double."

[On my way.]

Many minutes passes as Devore and Tyra looked at one another. Not another word was spoken until Taline arrived. However Tyra just wondered what was going on. "Luke. I like what you have done for Engineering. I think that you would do much better in a different capacity."

"I don't understand sir. Engineering is all I know. I even breathe and dream Engineering," Taline said sitting next to Tyra but a few feet from her.

"Oh, I am not transferring you out, but rather promoting you."

"Sir ?" Tyra and Taline both said together.

"Captain ! The only position left is Chief Engineer." Tyra said concerned and confused.

"Yes I know. But you will not be Chief Engineer anymore. I need someone on the Bridge who know the slipstream system and guess what Tyra. You know more about the QSD than anyone else, so you are it. You will be our new Slipstream specialist effective immediately."

"Woah !" She said

"Captain. What brought this on ?" Taline asked

"Easy, the death of Lieutenant Commander Shaka."

"I didn't know that she died. I am sorry."

"You didn't. Well in one half hour there is a memorial service. Both of you will attend. Understood ?"

"Aye sir."

"You may want to correct your ranks. Both of you are being promoted. Congratulations Commanders."

"Thank you sir." Tyra said.

"Yours is conditional Tyra. If there is another attack you will be bumped down to crewman. Do you understand ?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Then both of you get out of here and get changed in your whites. Tomorrow I want you both in your new positions. Dismissed."

The two newly promoted Lieutenant Commanders left the Brig and along the way, Tyra spoke. "I thought I was dead for sure."

"Well you would have been if not the Captain wasn't a good man," Taline said.

"I guess so. I don't want to let him down again."

"Then secret... don't attack anyone again."

"Cute I don't plan to."

"All right. I will see you in thirty." Taline said as he hopped on to a turbolift.

"Will do." Tyra said as she headed for her quarters.

In the forward lounge, Devore stood at a window gazing out into space once again. He was alone seeing that he closed the lounge for the senior officers' memorial service for Commander Shaka. However now his thoughts were not of his fallen friend, but of Toran. The El Aurian had been a friend since the beginning and he gave of himself always. Now he had given the final sacrifice if it was truly a punishment worth than death to be taken to the Q Continuum This was no different. Devore knew what Q was capable of to include mockery and deception. Hopefully though his friend wasn't a victim of it but rather an exploiter thereof.

"Captain ?' Came a female's voice from behind. Devore turned around. It was Ensign Katts, her neck still sporting the puncture wounds of Tyra. "Am I early or did I miss it ?" She said trying to be funny.

"Now Lyn." Devore retorted. "How are you feeling ?"

"Fine. My neck is a little sore but still I am fine."

"Good." Devore said turning back to his window.

"You know, my mother always used to say that if you wished on a star you dreams could come true."

"Which one ?"

"That was always the funny thing. There are so many of them to choose from."

Quietly he closed his eyes. "I wish we were back in the Alpha Quadrant."

"Is that what is troubling you sir ?"

After a moment, Devore opened his eyes and looked into her dark brown eyes. "Lyn. As a Starfleet Captain I am faced with tens of choices I have to make. Most of them are for the rest of the crew as well as for myself. This time, I think that I made a bad choice."

"Sir ?"

"I have made an ill thought out decision not weighing the fact that we may never get home again."

"You know something. I had a relative that was on the USS Equinox. They disappeared many years ago to later pop up in the Delta Quadrant. While there they came across the USS Voyager. My family and I were told that the Equinox was missing and feared destroyed, and as long as I can remember, I cried my eyes out. Only when Voyager returned did we really know what happened. When my uncle came through my bedroom doors, I rejoiced and was so happy to see him, even though I never gave up on him. "

"You are saying then, not to give up hope."

"Never. Especially you. You are the Captain. We look to you for strength and if you are weak then of course we become weak."

Devore looked at the beautiful ensign and smiled. "I guess you're right." Devore reached out and gave her a hug. Near the end of the hug, Sierra walked in followed by some of the senior staff. Quickly the two unlocked and stepped back from each other.

Captain Devore just smiled. "It is not what you think."

Everyone smiled except for Commander Devore.

"I certainly hope not," Sierra said coldly glaring at Ensign Katts.