“It’s truly incredible that we’re both stationed here on the same Starbase. It feels like our childhood dreams are finally coming true,” Ozzy remarked, his eyes gleaming with nostalgia as he clasped his tea. He traced the rim of his mug, as if trying to ground himself in the reality of the moment.

Cam returned the sentiment with a warm smile, though he made sure not to show too much emotion in front of his younger brother. Instead, he took a slow sip of his raktatjino, the steam rising in gentle wisps that curled around his face like memories. With a teasing tone, he replied, “Well, maybe we’ll ‘serve together,’ Cadet, once you finish up at the Academy.”

Ozzy’s cheeks flushed a soft shade of pink, but his grin didn’t falter. He leaned back in his chair, the metal frame creaking softly beneath him, and crossed his legs, his foot tapping a rhythm of anticipation against the floor. “Yeah, yeah, I know,” he admitted before changing the subject. “So, now that you’re a fancy starfighter pilot, do you have a callsign?”

Cam’s eyes lit up mischievously as he nodded in response, his gaze flickering with a playful spark. He set his raktatjino down carefully on the table; the porcelain clinking against the surface like a secret shared between friends.

“I bet it’s something cool, like Thundertribble!” Ozzy exclaimed with enthusiasm, his voice echoing off the walls of the bustling lounge.

“Thundertribble?” Cam repeated, unable to contain his laughter. His shoulders shook with mirth, and he covered his mouth with one hand as if trying to stifle the outburst.

“Thundertribble!? Cool??” Cam managed to add in-between his amusement rippling through the air like waves on a shore.

“Well then, what is it?” Ozzy asked, a hint of annoyance creeping into his voice, though his eyes still twinkled with curiosity.

Cam struggled to compose himself as the laughter began to subside. He ran a hand through his hair; the strands tousled and dishevelled, before finally meeting Ozzy’s gaze with a grin.

“Well, it’s…” He paused abruptly, his attention suddenly caught by a familiar figure by the replicator. “Hey! Isn’t that Mike Iane?” Cam sprang up from his chair, pointing excitedly across the bustling lounge. His voice rose above the din of conversation, a beacon of recognition in the sea of faces.

As Cam’s excitement filled the room, Ozzy sank deeper into his chair, feeling a flush of embarrassment wash over him. He shifted uncomfortably, his fingers drumming a nervous rhythm against the armrest, as he watched his brother’s exuberance draw the attention of all nearby.

“Mike! Michael! Iane! Mike!” Cam exclaimed until he caught his attention.

Michael turned around when he heard the sound of a familiar voice while holding his Earl Grey tea, which he had come to like throughout the Academy. He found the famous drink that Admiral Picard drank to be a nice and refreshing drink compared to a normal cup of standard tasteless tea. 

“Cam, Cam and Ozzy Solari what on Earth are you to doing in a place like this let alone a Joint like this, I would have thought you would have been off on your adventures now Cam and you Ozzy should you not be back in the Academy learning to catch up with us,” replied Mike as he walked over to their table while putting his hand out to shake there’s.

Cam’s laughter rang out as he spoke, his eyes alight with amusement. “You sure are well-informed for someone I haven’t seen for years! Have our mothers been talking again?” There was a playful edge to his words.

Then, with a grin, he continued, “I am though, this appears to be my adventure, and for Cadet Solari here,” he nodded towards Ozzy, “he just returned from a rotation with the USS Blythe.”

Ozzy’s expression softened, a flicker of recognition and warmth dancing in his eyes as he exchanged glances with Cam.

Finally, sitting down at the table, taking the first sip of his hot Earl Grey and slightly burning his top lip. “Come on Cam, you should know that my mum and I are close and yeah our mums are even closer and still best of friends and closer than anything after all these years,” replied Ensign Lane. 

Taking another sip hoping that he didn’t burn his lip again, Michael asked the brothers, “So don’t you two keep in contact with your mum then that much? What are you guys up to and have you got your assignment yet, Cam?”

“Of course, we do,” Ozzy chuckled, his eyes glinting with a warmth that belied the ache in his heart. The laughter danced on his lips, but beneath the surface, a wave of nostalgia crashed over him, tugging at the corners of his smile. His gaze drifted momentarily, lost in a distant memory before he refocused on Cam, who was practically vibrating with excitement.

“Man, what a journey it’s been!” Cam exclaimed, his words bursting forth with boundless energy. “And right now, I’m soaring through the stars as a Starfighter Pilot, part of Bomber Squadron SB4-T1, also known as the White Squadron!” His enthusiasm filled the room, overshadowing the fleeting glimpse of homesickness in Ozzy’s eyes.

“Well, you finally did it Cam. You got to where you wanted to be. You made it to White Squadron! Are you the team leader or just a grunt on the team?” looking over at Cam he said. “So Cam where are you looking to be posted when it is time and what field of speciality are you heading to is it a starfighter like your brother or have you got your goals set higher like being a captain on your own ship maybe an intrepid class or even a Sutherland-Class?” 

“Me on the other hand, even though I’m in the science department, I’m still waiting on my posting.”

Ozzy’s eyes flickered anywhere but towards the person he was talking to, his voice barely audible as he muttered, “No, I’m majoring in Astrometrics, actually.” 

A puzzled expression crept onto his face, lines forming across his brow. “Wait? What do you mean by waiting? I presumed you were posted to the starbase. Are you just passing through, then?”

“yeah I’m posted here to the starbase but I’m still waiting on my first assignment. I reported for duty with the head of the department but still have not been assigned my assignment yet”. And did I hear that right you are in Astrometrics, so you not following your big brother in being a Starfighter Pilot, good on you man” replied Michael.

“Thank you!” Ozzy’s face brightened, his lips stretching into a genuine smile that reached his eyes, momentarily erasing the fatigue etched on his features. But as swiftly as the smile appeared, it faded into a somber expression. He glanced down, his fingers fidgeting with a loose thread on his sleeve, before he spoke again. “Well, I guess they’ve got plenty waiting for you, especially after the Frontier Day Disaster. They’ve even roped in some of my classmates to help out.”

“Ease up, Oz,” Cam interjected, a playful grin spreading across his face. “Let Mike savour his freedom a bit longer!”

“Thank you Ozzy as much as I love the freedom to do what I want when I want, I want to get to work ASAP, there’s only so much holodeck time one person can endure” he said as he smiled at them and then continued. “But yes, I hope they do have loads of work for me to crack on with Cam, so I can keep myself busy as much as possible” looking at Cam as he spoke.

Finishing off his drink, he sat there deciding if he wanted to get anything to eat as he had missed breakfast. Still, while thinking this he said to the brothers, “So you two when you both back on shift, maybe we can make it a regular thing to meet up again and catch up, like the good old days.” said Michael.

“Count me in!” Cam exclaimed with a smile directed at Mike. “It’d be fantastic to bring a touch of home here. If we gather a few more, we could swap out ‘Bravo’ for ‘Frisco’.”

“Starbase Frisco?” Ozzy chuckled, then added, “I’m game whenever I’m on the station.”

Their camaraderie was interrupted by a familiar chirp, followed by a voice echoing through the room. “Vlček to Solari, report to Briefing Room Delta Six.”

Cam swiftly rose from his seat, tapping his commbadge as he replied, “On my way, Commander.” With a nod to his companions, he said, “Duty calls, catch you later!” before disappearing from the lounge.

“Well thanks for the company Ozzy, but I’m going to get a bite to eat and go look out at the ships coming and going then retire to my room for a bit of light reading” With that Michael got up from his seat and headed to the Replicator ordered a bite to eat and headed to stand near the nearest port window to watch the ships incoming and outgoing.