—- Observation Deck —-

“How is the Seattle?” Captain Adriana Cruz asked her Chief Engineer as they stood together looking down on the ship which currently sat docked with Starbase 72. Engineers claimed over its hull like ants, tethered down and wearing suits to allow them to breathe in the void of space.

”Some cosmetic damage. I’ve asked for a review of the warp engines and some new paint flourishes. Are you sure we can’t ask for kills painted on the hull like old school fighter jets?” James Young asked, sneaking a grin at the former First Officer.

”Not unless it’s wartime, no, sends the wrong message,” Cruz said hiding her own smile.

Young seemed to consider that, “Shark teeth along the saucer section?”

”No,” Cruz shot that idea down as well.

Commodore Jalian approached the pair, “Captain Cruz may I speak with you?”

”Keep me updated Young,” Cruz said, sending him on his way.

”Captain Hawthorne is recovering from his surgery. We used artificially fabricated lungs, and they seem to have worked. He will be on bed rest a few months before being allowed to return to active duty,” she informed the Captain.

”Thank you ma’am,” Cruz nodded.

”And I am sorry to tell you that your father died,” Commodore Jalian said, ”His funeral is next week on Earth.”

”There must be some mistake, I don’t have a father, or rather I never met him,” Cruz said.

”Well, his will identifies you. I was hoping you could attend, and pick up your new First Officer while you’re there,” Jalian said.

”At a stranger’s funeral?” Cruz asked confused.

Jalian looked concerned then nodded, smiled and seemed to move on from the awkwardness, “I thought you should have someone you trusted, so when I head your half-brother was in Starfleet and looking for a new post, I thought the match was quite clever really.”

”Sorry my what?” Cruz asked, feeling rocked by two revelations all at once, a father and a half-brother. 

“Commander Andrés Sánchez formerly the Chief Science Officer on the USS Amiens,” she said, “he is your half-brother and now First Officer.”

”Well, that’s a lot, thank you ma’am,” Cruz said, she needed to talk to someone.

—- Warp Factor, Bar —-

“Brother?” Lieutenant Yuhiro Kolem asked.

”Half-brother,” Cruz said, “Apparently my father is, well he owned a vineyard.”

”That sounds, Picard like,” Kolem said, “Now that you own a vineyard do you become and Admiral?”

Cruz shook her head, “I imagine someone else owns it now, his wife maybe. The point is I’m going to Earth while we’re in dock and am taking you with me, both as my Doctor and my friend.”

”I’m not a doctor,” Kolem protested.

Cruz smiled and pulled out a PADD, “Actually, I got your scores back today from Starfleet medical. You’re officially a doctor.”

“Still not a medical doctor,” Kolem pointed out, feeling a flutter in her chest at the good news. She had sent off her final test months ago, back before the whole thing with the Borg. She had almost forgotten about it now.

”You’re coming,“ Cruz said.

”Bring Jara,” Kolem said.

”That relationship is not serious enough for a funeral yet, and besides you want to stay here and avoid Lieutenant Junior Grade Hume the whole time?” Cruz asked, “I could order you.”

”Fine Doctor Kolem will accompany you,” she sighed.

”Good I booked us on a Galaxy Class that’s refitting at Starbase 1. We leave tomorrow,” Cruz smiled.

Kolem sighed and shook her head. Her friend and her Captain were devious. 

—- Earth, Mexico City —-

“This is Mexico City?” Kolem asked, she’d never been despite having grown up on Mars in a human colony.  As the Federation and humanity expanded there were just too many places to be to explore everywhere on Earth. For the half-Betazoid life in San Francisco as she had been doing to the Academy had been enough.

”Not my Mexico City,” Cruz said. She felt out of place here, on the outskirts of the city where she had grown up. She was not the daughter of an owner of a vineyard, and had grown up in a gang on the streets, now she was ringing on the front porch that was more expansive than the apartment that she had been raised in.

An older woman opened the door and looked at the two, Cruz who was clearly native to the city, and fit in with the population, and Kolem who was pale with large dark eyes and looked exotic, partly due to her Betazoid blood and partially due to the gravity of Mars shaping her differently than if she’d grown up on Earth.

“I am Adriana Cruz, I am here for the funeral of Hugo Sánchez,” she explained in Spanish though the translator put it in English for Kolem who did not speak the local Earth dialect.

The woman seemed mad, the said something disparaging about Cruz’s mother and lead the paid in.

”She doesn’t like you,” the empath whispered to her friend and Captain. It was pretty plain to see, even without Betazoid gifts.

”No, well I just discovered I had a father, imagine finding out that he had a daughter,” Cruz said.

”I think if I had a vineyard, I’d figure out how to make do,” Kolem observed.

The pair entered a large living room where the woman showed them to chairs. A young man entered wearing jeans and a long sleeved shirt wiping oil from his hands.

”I fixed the drone in the western field,” he said, then noticed the two Starfleet officers, “Oh you wore uniforms.”

”The funeral is tomorrow right?” Cruz asked, standing.

”Yes, you must be Adriana, my half-sister,“ he said and pulling a cloth from his back pocket sipped his hand before extending it in an offer to shake.

”Yes, and apparently your new Captain,” she said shaking.

”I’m Yuhiro,” Kolem said also standing, “Umm, but most people just call me Kolem.”

He nodded, “You’re the Romulan doctor? How does that work?”

”No, I’m from Mars, and half-Betazoid, not Romulan. That’s Doctor T’Rala our Assistant Chief Medical Officer,” Kolem said, “And it works. She deals with our Vulcan doctor, and they have a kind weird thing going on. Not like romantic, just like wacky.”

The man nodded, “We have replicators, if you want to change. I’ll get you some food if you want.”

”You two staying here this week?” the younger Sánchez asked.

”We had booked rooms, at the Starfleet barracks,” Cruz said.

”Nonsense, you’re family, you’ll stay here. Are you two…” he seemed to be searching for a delicate way of asking if they were a couple.

Kolem blushed, “No, no we’re not together. We’re friends, I’m her Second Officer. And straight.”

”Okay, no judgement,” Andrés said holding up his hands.

”So your father, our father,“ Cruz asked, “he made wines?”

”Well the family has for a number of generations. We took the winery several generations ago, he had wanted me to run it, but I wanted to do science,” Andrés explained, “I‘ve been helping out how I can since I was old enough to walk.”

”I joined a gang and stole a runabout,” Cruz said, “So you know, life isn’t just a biography on the Picards. Making wine, saving the galaxy.”

”Cleary our dad did something wrong,” Andrés said, “I’m sorry we didn’t, welcome you.”

”It’s not your fault, it’s just all this, it’s something, must have been comfortable,” Cruz said.

”It was, and I’m sorry about that. I’ll show you your rooms,” he said leading them upstairs. Kolem could tell that Cruz was upset and looking for an outlet to take out her frustrations. It was upsetting to find out that you had a father, who had given a very comfortable and affluent life to his kids but not to you, who had never heard of him until he was gone. While there was no more poverty or hunger in the world, there was a difference between owning a vineyard, and growing up rough and ready on the street. 

Kolem knew that even compared to her comfortable middle class lifestyle, this was something else. This was wealth, of a kind that was not meant to exist but still did because not everyone got to own averages with grape vines all over the place.

A few tries at a nice light dress and Kolem came out to find Captain Cruz with a glass of wine, in her own flowered Mexican dress talking to her half-brother.

”So why Starfleet and not wines?” Cruz asked.

Her half-brother shrugged, “I wanted to do science. The Vulcan science academy turned me down so Starfleet seemed like where I could do real science. For while I was going it with the USS Amiens, my last ship.”

“You’ll like the Seattle then,” Kolem said. 

“You look… nice,” Andrés said.

Kolem smiled, “Your brother has a crush on me.”

”What?” he blushed, and looked shocked.

”Sorry half-Betazoid, I can say those things,” Kolem smiled, teasing him.

Kolem took a glass of wine when offered and tasted it, she nodded, “That’s good.”

”Why do people want wine from a winery when they can just replicate it?” Cruz asked.

”She says that about the former Captain grinding his own coffee beans too,” Kolem said.

Andrés Sánchez shrugged, ”The taste, the texture. Not synthahol, lots of reasons. Whatever it is it keeps the place going. People will always like drinking.”

”I certainly do,” Kolem said, enjoying the feel of real wine, and all that that meant.

—- Sánchez Estate Winery —-

Even without being empathic it was clear being at her father’s funeral was awkward for Captain Adriana Cruz. Yuhiro Kolem knew that her Captain had only learned that she had a father after his death and now she was in a different family’s house celebrating a life of a man who had had an affair with a mother that she barely knew. It was a lot for anyone, and add to that the discrepancy between how Cruz had grown up and how her half-brother had been raised.

The pair had staked chairs out at the back of the room, not feeling qualified to sit closer in with the people who were getting up to pay their respects. They had worn black dresses, and that was enough. At some points during the eulogies Kolem felt Cruz want to object or interject but she held herself back. The fact was despite his marital infidelity, and not providing for his daughter during her life, the elder Sánchez sounded like mostly a good man. He was dead and being buried, so there was no point in bringing up all the parts of who he was that did not quite live up to the stories that people told themselves to remember him.

When the ceremonial part of the funeral were done people milled about talking and drinking the family’s wine. Cruz excused herself and after looking through the library Kolem went to find her but instead found her newly discovered half-bother Commander Andrés Sánchez, the son of the deceased. 

“I was looking for Cruz,” Kolem said.

”I think the extended family cornered her,” he said smiling, “She’s kind of a celebrity now. The long lost daughter.”

”I think this is all, well hard for her. You had a good life, and it’s not your fault but she had a tougher one,” Kolem said.

Sánchez nodded, “I know, come out on the balcony with me. So tell me a bit about this ship, the USS Seattle. Is it like a family?”

Kolem shrugged, “Not like a family, so much as like a dorm room. It’s a young crew, we’re still finding out how we fit in, at nearly all levels.”

”It’s Rhode Island-class. I’ve been reading about them, no families,“ he asked.

”No a few couples, but nobody’s married, again we’re young. Captain is the oldest I think,” Kolem said, “Well except for Tashai, she’s very old.”

”You married, coupled?”

”I was, but he. We didn’t see eye to eye on things,” Kolem said, trying to not get into the specifics of her relationship with Lieutenant Junior Grade Hume and how far it had fallen apart.

”And you’re still on the same ship? Awkward,” said Sánchez.

”You know it,” Kolem laughed. 

She smiled, “I know what the next question you’re working yourself up to is. Not ready yet, besides you’re already going to be dealing with a lot being Cruz’s First Officer and brother without me being involved.”

He smiled, “Empathy is a neat trick. But watch this trick you want more wine.”

Kolem nodded, “I would love more wine.”

Things felt more somber the next day, when the tables of food had disappeared and most of the guests had departed. This was the reading of the will and though Cruz figured that she would not get anything, she remained (and thus so did Kolem) to hear it out. There was nothing much at first with his wife getting the horses and house, and various personal effects and vehicles going to close family members.

”And finally,” read the tall thin lawyer who was presiding over the reading of the will, “I leave to my children however many I may have at the time of my death the winery.”

”You just inherited a winery, or half of one,” Kolem whispered.

”I’m sure he meant his actual children,” Cruz said.

”Doesn’t matter, you’re his kid too, you just didn’t know it until last week,” Kolem said, suddenly feeling like she knew enough about the law to make that claim. 

She stuck her hand up and the lawyer looked at her, “You do not have to raise your hand miss.”

”Yes, okay. Is Cruz one of his kids, does she share the winery,” Kolem asked.

The lawyer looked at the PADD on which the will sat, “It is not specific, so yes, Captain Adriana Cruz would inherit part of the estate along with any other biological children.”

Cruz’s father’s real wife looked upset at that news, but Andrés Sánchez set his hand on her shoulder, and spoke up before his mother could, “And welcome to the family we say.”

The Captain smiled awkwardly. It was clear she was not quite comfortable being part of a family that she had just met yesterday.

—- Downtown Mexico City —-

“I’d feel better if this father of mine owned a restaurant or something for me to inherit part of,” Cruz said, “A winery? It just is all so ostentatious.”

”So this is your Mexico City,” Lieutenant Kolem asked looked around. She was half tempted to pull out a tricorder and really explore. It was busy, crowded with people pushing past them on the street ignoring their Starfleet Uniforms.

”While my brother and his family made wines and gave each other hugs, this was where I lived. Here follow me,” Cruz said and lead Kolem down a series of back alleys until they came to what Kolem would have described in terms of a Charles Dickens novel about street urchins. Children watched them head down the alley, and by the time they reached their destination they had a finally seemed to have reached.

”I’m looking for Marco,” Cruz said and the kids looked at her.

”Ain’t nobody by that name,” one said back.

”Runs everything,” Cruz said but the kids didn’t seem to know who that was, Kolem assumed he was a Fagin type.

”Nobody here by that name,” one of the kids said and Cruz shrugged, and lead Kolem back to the busy Main Street.

They began to head back to the transporter center down the road when a young woman ran after them. She seemed out of breath, as if she’d been running a bit. She shouted, and Kolem and Cruz slowed and turned to watch her as she ran up, and then doubled over trying to catch her breath.

”Adriana. Cruz. Miss. Ma’am,” she panted, “Do you remember me, I’m Marco’s sister. Rosa.”

Cruz looked at Kolem and Kolem could tell that she was thinking back. She did know the woman, and nodded, “Rosa I remember you but you were just a child the last time I saw you.”

”I grew up, and went to Starfleet ma’am. I wanted to tell you. You inspired me to enroll,” she said, “I work at Starfleet Security now.”

This news seemed to cheer up Captain Cruz who smiled wide. When she’d been arrested for stealing the shuttle craft nobody in her neighborhood had gotten to go to Starfleet Academy, and now she was a Captain and Rosa Flores from her childhood had been too.

”We could use more security,” Kolem suggested softly.

”What rank are you Rosa?” Cruz asked.

”Lieutenant Junior Grade Adriana, ma’am,” Flores said, “I’m just home because I live here still. I commute to Starbase 1.”

”Do you want to be on a ship? Rhode Island Class, might be more to do than a Starbase,” Cruz said, “We’ll be traveling back later this week. Come with us.”

Flores’ eyes went wide, “Yes sir, ma’am.“

”Relax, I’ll put in a transfer request tonight,” Cruz said, “If Starbase 1 can afford you.”

—- Sánchez Estate Winery —-

Andrés Sánchez had put on his new uniform for the Seattle for their final dinner on Earth. Tomorrow they would leave aboard a Challenger-Class ship, the USS Obama, that was headed for Starbase 72. Captain Adriana Cruz and her Second Officer and Chief Councelor Yuhiro Kolem were staying at the estate and of course ate there. When he had heard that their return journey would be joined by new officer Lieutenant Junior Grade Rosa Flores Andrés had invited her as well.

”Ignore my mother,” he said as she scowled whispering something about rats under her breath. The future may have many advantages, but it was still humans given to human bigotries. There were still discrepancies between what one owned and what had been provided for you. Nobody was going hungry these days, but that still did not mean that everyone owned a large estate and winery.

Cruz now did, or at least half of it with her newly discovered half-brother Andrés. She looked around the large house and the dinning room, a space that was as large as the mess hall back at Starfleet Academy, and asked, “So we don’t have to do anything? With the winery?”

Andrés smiled, “It’s all taken care of. My father had managers, and staff for all that. I’ll just pop in on my leave to make sure everything is going well.”

Feeling that if she was half owner, she should do something even if she did not know the first thing about owning a winery Cruz said, “Are you sure I can’t do anything?”

“What could you do? From the other end of space?” Sánchez said, “This is what I grew up doing.”

”And I grew up stealing shuttlecrafts is that what you’re saying?” Cruz asked.

Andrés looked surprised at the sudden burst of anger then signed. He had not meant to insult her but he realized she had been called across the galaxy to a funeral of a man she’d never met, told it was her father then presented with a whole new family and a job she’d never wanted and told she was not able to do it.

”Wine’s garbage anyway, you should make tequila,” Rosa Flores said helpfully.

“We do,” Andrés said, “mostly stuff sold up north.”

Trying to play the peacemaker Kolem picked up her glass of wine and took a sip, “I think it’s good, this red it nice. We’ll be back on synthahol starting tomorrow.”

”I’ll bring some bottles,” Andrés promised.

”And the tequila, bring that,” added Flores.

Dinner began and Kolem realized it was mostly the kind of meal that Mexicans show non-Mexicans to impress them, and that all of the guests other than her were locals. So the burritos and tacos that had been prepared by professionally hired chefs using local ingredients were amazing but perhaps not as shocking to the group as Andrés had expected. That and Cruz was still in a mood that had come and gone all throughout their time there, Kolem simply ate everything and commented on how good it all was.

Staff cleared the table, which seemed to annoy Cruz more and she headed out onto the balcony. Kolem waited a minute then followed.

”So wanna talk about it?” Kolem asked, both as a friend and the ship’s Chief Counselor.

“No it’s just I want to go. This isn’t my house, or half my house, this isn’t my family really,” Cruz said, “This guy just had a fling with my mother before settling down with his wife and now, years later here I am. They don’t want me, not really.”

”Well your mother-in-law doesn’t,” Kolem said, “I don’t need to be empathic to tell you that. But Andrés does. He’s an egg head, and you’re a scrapper. You need him to show you how to think things through more, and he needs you to show you how to live a little.”

Cruz was quiet, “When the power went out on the Seattle and the Borg were coming, I thought we were dead and I thought to myself that if I died I’d done a lot. First Officer on a ship, I should have been in jail. Then I come here, and feel like I’m back to being a poor 12 year old.”

”But you’re not, you’re a Starfleet Captain and only you can make you feel a certain way,” Kolem said, “You saw how Flores looked up to you, you going into Starfleet changed her life. Focus on that success and not all the wineries you own, or don’t own.”

”You just want to make out with Andrés,” Cruz teased, lightening up.

”I do, can I? Make out with your brother?” Kolem begged.

”I’m not going to stop you,” Cruz said, “Just if it’s gets messy with my First and Second Officer, you’re both being transferred to garbage scow duty.”

“I’m half Betazoid, we never get ‘messy’” Kolem teased.

Captain Cruz snorted, and followed her Chief Counselor back inside the house.

—- Cruisers Point, Lounge —-

“Enjoying ship life so far?” Lieutenant Kolem asked as she slid into the booth across from Commander Andrés Sánchez. He was drinking a soda water and staring out at the star field that was moving past them as they travelled at warp speeds across the cosmos. 

“I’ve been on ships before, the USS Amiens,” he said.

Kolem nodded, “You seemed to natural down on Earth, like that was where you belonged.”

”You sound like my mother, she wanted me to stay, take over the running of the vineyard,” he said.

Kolem shrugged, “Sure, maybe. But life isn’t about what your mother wants, or I’d have two kids and live in a town house on Jupiter, it’s about what you want. What do you want?”

”I want to see the USS Seattle, to explore,” he said taking a sip of his drink.

“To seek out new life and new civilizations,” Kolem said, wishing she had a glass to toast. Andrés raised his hand and signaled for a waiter and she game him an order for a cherry cider. 

It was delivered and they were left alone, the vastness of space out the view port.

”I think Adriana hates me,” Andrés said.

”They thought they were giving her a XO who she trusted and would have her back. Instead she got a new brother, or half-brother, a father and a winery. It’s a lot to adjust to, she’ll warm up to you,” Kolem said.

“You like the translator for her?“ he asked.

”Nah. She does that herself, I just got picked to be her friend by her and sort of stuck around,” Kolem said, “Everyone’s got that friend who’s just that bit more of a disaster than them.”

“And what makes you a disaster?” Sánchez asked.

”I’m a serial monogamist. I always have to be in a relationship but I’m not ready for it to get serious,” she said, “on a small ship, that can get awkward. That’s what you’ll learn, everyone’s been inside everyone else’s dirty laundry hamper or something. Whatever the saying is.”

”So you shouldn’t make out with the ship’s new First Officer?“ he asked.

”You mean my Captain’s hot brother, no I shouldn’t,” Kolem said.

Sánchez chuckled, ”You think I’m hot?”

”Exact words I used to Cruz, she said I could make out with her hot brother,” Kolem said.

He smiled, “Did she?”

—- Captain’s Lounge —-

Captain Shraa of the Obama nodded at her guest, “It is wine I got the last time I was on Andoria it’s an ice wine.”

”I don’t know anything about wine, other than I own half a winery now,” Captain Cruz smiled at her fellow captain accepting the glass.

”That seems quite the change, you the girl arrested for thievery,” Shraa said, “The whole academy knew it.”

Cruz nodded, they had been at the school at the same time. Shraa was a few years older and had been in her final year when Cruz was in her second. Anytime their paths had crossed the two had been very competitive. Cumulating in a fight in the gym over a slight at basketball a sport neither of them played. 

“Well I knew it was part of the gossip,” Cruz said. She knew that she could not control what was said about her, and that her past was part of her story that she told herself, and apparently what other people said about her behind her back.

”The USS Seattle, have you been to the Earth city?” Shraa asked.

”No,” Cruz said.

”You get to do a lot on it. I’m in charge of these mild runs to Starbase delivering dignitaries and supplies,” Shraa complained.

”It’s ’milk runs‘, not ‘mild runs’,” Cruz pointed out.

The Andorian nodded, not caring for human expressions, “I only mean you are lucky, to get to do more interesting things. Back at the Academy, well I would not have thought you were going to make it past Lieutenant.”

Cruz smiled, “Neither did I some days.”

”I just remember the little human girl I’d beat up,” Shraa said.

”I remember beating you up,” Cruz teased.

“May I be frank Captain,” Shraa said.

”Well I don’t know where this is going so sure,” Cruz said, “Captain.”

”I do not even now understand how humans work, but I would like to find out,” Shraa said.

”You want to dissect me?” Cruz asked, not quite sure what was going on.

”In a way, I wish to date you. I am out your way once a month, more some times. I know it is not ideal but there are…” Shraa began to explain.

”No I get it. Look I’m fooling around with someone, but she’s cool. I’m not…“ Cruz sipped the wine, not sure what made this ice wine and the other wine wine, other than the fact that Andoria was colder but it was strong which she appreciated. There had always felt like there was a flirtatiousness back when she was fighting Shraa at the Academy, but the woman (girl then really) had never made it clear.

”I’m not tied down any more,” Cruz said, “It’s an expression. Not a preference.”

Shraa nodded, “It’s a three night journey, spend it in my bed Captain.”

Finished her wine Cruz set the glass down, and wrapped her arms around Shraa’s neck, “Sounds perfect Captain.”

—- USS Seattle, Starbase 72 ——

“And this is the bridge,” Captain Cruz said, leading her next First Officer Andrés Sánchez around. He took it in, and tried to imagine it crowded with crew as opposed to a few engineers who were fixing things and performing some upgrades. It was not as lush as the bridge on the USS Obama or on his old ship the USS Amiens. It was new, clean and modern, but smaller than some other classes of ships. It was small, compact, but gave them enough space though it was clear that her new First Officer was wanting a big, or even multiple science stations on the bridge.

“Small,” he said.

”And fast,” the Captain said. 

She lead him to his room which was her old room. While there was not much difference the symbolic change was important to Captain Cruz, even if it had been more work. It showed progress in life, even if on the same ship. She took him to her former room on Deck 1, and they stowed his duffle.

”Small,” he said again looking around.

”For someone so talkative you seem to have gotten quite quiet,” Cruz said, “Is that all you say now?”

”I was off for four months, I had a large room back in Mexico City,” Sánchez said.

Cruz nodded, “Rich kids usually do.”

”There’s no more money, nobody is rich or poor,” Sánchez said, “So don’t give me the hard knock life story. I’ve been nothing but supportive of you joining the family.”

”Yeah you grew up on an acreage and a vineyard, and I get up in a single bedroom apartment,“ Cruz said, “Tell me again how everyone is equal now? Now if you don’t want to come, I’m fine with leaving you on the dock but if you’re my First Officer stop calling our ship small, and get on with helping it to be amazing.”

He looked at her and nodded, “I am sorry. I do not mean to put down the ship, I just, I got used to luxury I know isn’t in space. Not on a Starfleet ship anyway. I am trying to be better to you, our father… I have never had a sister and now I have an older one.”

Cruz sighed, “It’s not all your fault. I cared for the Captain, Hawthrone. I’d be happier with him back and me as his XO, and then finding out that I missed out having it all because my father had an affaire before marriage. Well it made me feel a lot of things. Including unwanted.”

Sánchez laughed, “I just sat through a ride from Each where the Andorian captain made moon eyes at you. You are not unwanted.“

Cruz smiled, “Okay. I hear you, we’ll both try to be better. Tomorrow we get our marching orders.”

”Until then I will settle into my small quarters,” Sánchez said and laughed.

Cruz shook her head and departed leaving her First Officer to settle in.

—- Quark’s Lounge, Starbase 72 —-

“If you squint you can pretend it’s the original one,” Lieutenant Claudia Jara said to the Andorian.

Captain Shraa looked around, “I don’t know I was on Deep Space Nine, it didn’t look like this.”

”Did you fight in the war with the Dominion?” asked Jara.

”How old do I look?” Shraa asked.

”Easy now ladies don’t get into a fight. I just wanted you to meet, Jara we’ve been getting intimate and that’s over now I’m with Captain Shraa,” Captain Cruz said.

Jara nodded, “I wasn’t looking for anything serious, it’s fine. I’m not going to fight this blue Adonis for you Cruz.”

Captain Shraa nodded, “Not that it would be much of a fight. But I appreciate that Lieutenant.”

Jara nodded, she doubted the Andorians bluster but she also knew that fights with Andorians, like those with Klingons, could get out of hand quickly. One minute they were fighting over a woman and the next someone was in the sickbay. 

“We could still have a three…”

”Jara!” Cruz said sharply, quieting her new Chief of Security.

“I’m just pushing buttons,” Jara said holding her hands up in a form of surrender.

Chief Science Officer Gabriella Miller came by, stopping at the trio’s table, “Hey Captain, welcome back. I met your brother today our next XO. Smart guy, I’m glad we’re getting a science XO this time.”

Cruz smiled, “Yeah the last one way a bone head.”

Miller nodded, “Oh yeah total dumb dumb. Just so you know, that’s sarcastic, I know you were the last XO.”

”Thank you Miller,” Cruz said, “Why don’t you join us, I’m sure it’ll be awkward.”

She smiled and nodded, “Yes Ma’am. Hello I’m Gabriella Miller of the Seattle, Chief Science officer.”

”I’m Captain Shraa, Captain Cruz’s Consort,” Shraa said.

“That’s just a fancy way of saying we’re dating,” Cruz said.

Shraa wrapped her arms around Cruz, perhaps feeling a bit awkward at meeting so many new people. Cruz leaned back against the Andorian, and while leaning on a human might provide body warmth Shraa seemed to steal it, she was cold but then again Andorians were cold blooded.

”Get me something fruity and boozy,” Cruz said heading to find if Quark franchised rest rooms as well as Dabo tables. 

“I didn’t know the Captain was gay I thought the was dating the other Captain,” Miller said.

”She’s bi. And she was,” Jara said, “And me.”

”Oh you were dating Hawthorne too?” Miller asked confused.

”No, Cruz after,” Jara said.

”So you’re bi too?” Miller asked.

”No, homosexual,” Jara said.

”Oh, well me too. I just didn’t know there were so many, you know homosexuality in plants is much more interesting than…” Miller began.

”Yeah I don’t care about plants,” Jara said.

”Sorry neither do I,” Captain Shraa agreed flagging down a server, they needed drinks and a lot of them.

—- USS Seattle, Bridge —-

It took a few days to finish the work, but the USS Seattle was ready to leave Starbase 72 finally. Some of their crew had to be taken for additional medical treatment and even with new officers rotating in they were a heavily female crewed ship. They had lost their last captain, to desk duty and their Chief Security Officer was on his way back to his home world for most complicated surgery. The crew, like their ship, was beaten and battered but unbowed. 

“Take us out slowly Pr’Nor,“ Captain Cruz said, “Open a ship wide broadcast Lieutenant Commander Miller.”

Miller nodded when a channel had been opened with the rest of the ship as it pulled away from dock and headed towards the opening to open space. Much smaller than the station was able to handle, it had no problem exiting and slowly moving away from the station.

”Attention crew, this is Captain Adriana Cruz. To those of you who have been with us for awhile, welcome back, I hope to live up to what Captain Hawthorne did. To those of you who just joined us, welcome. We have been through a lot, much of it together, but we are good at what we do. Every Captain says they have the best crew in the fleet, but this is my first real mission as Captain, so I don’t know,” Cruz said, “What I do know if that you’re my crew and you’re perfect for me and for the Seattle. Thank you all.”

She looked around the bridge, “I received out orders from Starfleet yesterday which is a border patrol, so we may see more combat. We’re capable, we’re ready. We’ll make ourselves proud. From here on out, it’s not about admirals and Starfleet, it’s about each other. Keep each other safe and we’ll be back home soon. Thank you.”

The made a signal like she was cutting her own neck, and Gabriella Miller shut it down and then shot the Captain a ’Thumbs Up’ motion to let her know if was off.

”Pretty inspiring,” Sánchez said as his sister and Captain fell into the chair next to him.

“Bits of it were, I should have planned out the ending,” Cruz said. Then looking at her Chief Flight Control Officer she said, “Warp six Lieutenant.”

”Yes ma’am,” the Vulcan said.