The hail from the holo-communicator had sounded while he was on the treadmill in his quarters.  Feeling slick with sweat, Kellin’s heart rate was already up from a moderate jog, and so he ordered the channel to open.

It’s not like he’d ever had the stomach to say no to Elbon.

The holographic avatar of Captain Elbon Jakkelb materialised halfway between Kellin and the exterior viewports.  He looked smart in his uniform and even more devastatingly handsome than ever.  Kellin felt self-conscious momentarily, dressed for the beach in a tank top, shorts and high socks.

After making pleasantries, Elbon’s gaze dropped as if he were studying how we’ll he’d shined his boots that morning.  But he didn’t talk about his boots.

What he said was, “I’m sorry, Kel.  I should have reached out to you sooner.  Have you been well?”

The question.  That was a loaded question.  Kellin had spent the past months trying to fill the boots of the Changeling imposter who had been promoted to executive officer in Kellin’s place.  Everyone had assumed Kellin deserved that promotion, too.  Somehow, keeping the elevated rank still felt like stealing to Kellin.

But he didn’t say that.  Kellin gripped the treadmill’s handlebar, and he flexed his chest.

“Don’t I look well?” Kellin asked, and it elicited a snort of laughter from Elbon.  “I’m not holding a grudge if that’s what you mean.  I’ve been in the Delta Quadrant for months.  Live communication can only be scheduled through a MIDAS array.  I know you like to get to bed early after a bridge shift most nights.”

“Still…” Elbon said.  He rubbed the back of his neck while his eyes flickered, like he was examining Kellin’s face for any hints to his deeper thoughts.  “I meant to make more of an effort.  And then I waited so long, it felt like I had waited too long.  Didn’t know where to start.”

Blinking the sweat out of his eyes, Kellin averted his gaze.  Despite his easy familiarity with Elbon, the intensity of Elbon’s observation felt white hot to Kellin.  Alone in his quarters, there were no younger siblings or junior officers to defer his attention.  So, Kellin ran faster on the running deck and he pretended to squint at the heart rate monitor being projected by the treadmill.

“So why start now?” Kellin asked, sounding more petulant than he intended.

“I need a favour,” Elbon affirmed.  Crinkling his nose, Elbon gave that sheepish smile that always irritated Kellin right at the back of his teeth.  Kellin never really understood why that tick bothered him or why it still endeared Elbon to him.  

“The Underspace apertures have stabilised,” Elbon said, “and Starfleet has located Underspace corridors extending across the galaxy, from edge to edge.  The Turei claim they never knew Underspace extended beyond the Delta Quadrant, nor do they understand why new apertures have opened across every quadrant.

“USS Almagest has been equipped with a sensor pod to study the tract of Underspace leading coreward of the Ciater Nebula.  We’re travelling in a loop through the same series of apertures to study the workings and stability of the corridors.  Given the unthinkable speeds on offer, the Fourth Fleet is gagging to explore every inaccessible pocket of the galaxy.  We’re also using our ultra-long-range communications suite as a homing beacon for starships that have lost their way.  We’re calling our wayward sisters home to Leonis as a muster point.”

After a big breath, Kellin asked, “Could you add USS Grus to your roster?  We lost our scout ship back in the Delta Quadrant.  We suspect it was headed… generally… in this direction?”

“For you?  Anything,” Elbon promised with a wink.  “My comms officer will add the Grus to her hails within the hour.  Perhaps a favour for a favour then.  One of the apertures we frequent on the trailing side of Ciater, is also being studied by a Cardassian cruiser.  I don’t recognise the class of ship; it’s new.  They’ve ignored all of our hails and friendship messages.  We’ve observed them leaving navigational buoys in Underspace, and now they’re holding position at the one aperture, just outside Federation space.

“We’re all alone out here, Kel,” Elbon said, eye contact intensifying.  “You know what it’s like to risk a Sutherland-class starship with combat.”

Smiling fondly at the memory of their shared days aboard the USS Sarek, Kellin remarked, “A research city in space.  The best you can hope for is to defend your rear as you escape at top speed.”  –Kellin nodded at Elbon– “You need back-up.”

“You caught me,” Elbon said, and he laughed.  “I need you.  I hear Constellation literally fell out of subspace in our neighbourhood.  Docked at Caelum Station for resupply and repairs, you’re only a few days away.”

“Fewer if there’s an Underspace aperture en route,” Kellin supposed.  He grinned at Elbon, and then he caught himself.  This wasn’t the Sarek, and Elbon wasn’t his XO, nor anything else.  Kellin shook his head and asked, “But why are you asking me?”

“Don’t you worry, I’ll send a request to Captain Taes through the formal channels,” Elbon said. “I’m fond of Taes.  I respect her to Kelana and back.  But she listens to you.  And I miss you.”

Kellin said aloud the pang he felt, “I miss you too.”

Elbon’s favoured grin flattened out to a tight smile. At that moment, Kellin suddenly could see the age in Elbon’s eyes.

“Do you regret… anything?” Elbon asked wistfully.

“No,” Kellin surely said.  “You?”

“No,” Elbon replied, “and I miss you.”