—- Starbase 86 —-

The mission failing had been nothing compared with the larger issue that it seemed that the new found access to underspace was gone, and that the Federation was now once more cut off from that way of travel and exploration. It did not thus fall solely on Commander Olivia Carrillo’s shoulders as officers across the Federation had failed to halt the Cardassian’s shutting off the doorways. If Starfleet had wanted to keep underspace open, well they would have had to resort to open war and it seemed that that had been a bridge too far for command.

Lieutenant Pierre Lambert wrapped his arms around his fiancé from behind as she stared out the large windows onto the repair bay where the USS Luna was having its final few days of work completed. Soon they’d be off once again, though the ship was geared towards extended exploration missions away from Starfleet the word was that the Klingons were disappointed that they found themselves cut off from new worlds to conquer and were moving with increased vigor against the Romulans. The Luna would likely be sent to she could to turn back the invasion, and save lives.

Yet with Captain Cruz still recovering everything was up in the air. Would they be assigned a temporary captain, reassigned. Everything seemed up in the air at that point.

Carrillo felt the ground beneath her feet shifting, as everything seemed uncertain. Thus she grabbed onto the thing that she felt was certain, was not slipping away from her. She held onto Lambert’s arms and pulled them tightly to her body, “Let’s get married.”

“I think that’s what we decided,” Lambert said, “Unless I misunderstood.”

“No I mean now, today,” Carrillo said, “No more waiting.”

“But your family on Earth, Captain Cruz, we have nothing planned,” Lambert said. He had no people everyone he knew had died a century ago. His world was Carrillo more than her world was him.

“I’ll reserve a holodeck, they can still come,” Carrillo said.

Lambert kissed her cheek from behind, “You know what’s important to me is what you want. You say jump I’ll jump.”

“You get the crew, senior staff, and I’ll figure everything else out,” Carrillo said.

—- Starbase 86, Holodeck 3 —-

Pierre Lambert observed that dress uniforms had not gotten much more comfortable in the century since he’d first entered Starfleet. Carrillo had gotten Captain Cruz to enter a holodeck where she was, and her family was at a holodeck complex on Earth. The senior staff of the USS Luna had made it in person which was good because the technical problems that a holo presence wedding presented was not insignificant.

“Isn’t your father taller,” he whispered to Olivia as they waited to the Bolian who was officiating.

“He lost a foot in the holo,” Carrillo answered, as a Bolian man entered the holodeck and walked up the aisle, nodding at the two.

“We are here for the marriage of… Commander Olivia Carrillo and Lieutenant Pierre Lambert,” he said checking his notes. It had been hard to find someone on short notice that had the authority to perform weddings and was willing to do one close to the Catholic faith. It had been a miracle that they’d found someone at the last minute, neither officer was going to question it too hard.

The ceremony was short, as far as these things went, though it was extended by the Bolian having to consult his PADD for details regularly. Finally he got to the point, though it was not normally part of his duties on the consular staff he’d had to marry people before. So he knew well the part at the end, “Commander Carrillo, Lieutenant Lambert. I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Lambert put his hand on Carrillo’s back, bent her over and kissed her. The crowd cheered and Carrillo’s father’s hologram was replaced with a full grown Gorn who continued applauding.

Captain Cruz hugged her First Officer, or she hugged a holograph of Carrillo where she was and Carrillo hugged the holograph of her on Starbase 86.

“Sorry you don’t get a honeymoon,” Adriana Cruz said.

“That’s okay, I’ll take one when you get back,” Carrillo said.

“So are you Commander Lambert now, or what?” Cruz asked.

Carrillo laughed, “No, we decided that we’ll keep our names. Our kids will be Lambert-Carrillo.”

“Planning kids already?” Cruz asked.

Carrillo shook her head, “Leaving doors open for possibilities.”

“I never wanted kids myself,” Cruz said,”seems almost alien having a person growing in you.”

“Some of my favourite people are aliens,” Carrillo said.

Her father, now in the body of a Gorn came over, “I wish you’d waited, but I understand. My little girl is all grown up.”

“You have other little girls, and stop fiddling with the settings of your holosuite,” Carrillo said, “you realize you’re giant and green right?”

“I was too short before,” he father complained.

Carrillo sighed, and hugged the holographic Gorn that was actually her very human father, “Thanks for coming.”

Lambert came up and hugged her, “So you moving in with me, or what?”

Carrillo shook her head, “I think you’ll fit in the First Officer’s Quarters on the Luna. I’ll have Tashai move you in.”

“You and me Olivia, anywhere we go, we go together,” Lambert said, “Any where any place. You’re my life, my home.”

“Try not to get lost in time again,” she teased her new husband, leaning against him. She did not say it but she felt in full agreement. He was her home, where she belonged. It had taken her whole life to find out where she belonged, and it had taken him a few lifetimes with being lost in the time stream, but they’d found each other, as unlikely as that was.