“Captain’s log stardate, eight-zero-zero-zero-two-one point seven-two. It has been nearly five days since the destruction of the Mirror of Continuum and our engagement with Vaadwaur forces. Long-range sensors continue to show no renewed Vaadwaur presence within the sector. Commander Jirani believes the damage we inflicted, combined with the device’s destruction, has discouraged whatever faction within Vaadwaur intelligence was pursuing it. With the Destiny travelling alongside us, we are en route to rendezvous with the remainder of Odyssey Squadron. Our priority now shifts to the eighty-six lives we brought back from a century of isolation, and to helping each of them find a place in the galaxy once more.”

Seated in the dim quiet of her quarters, Reyas cradled a mug of Tarkalean tea and watched the stars stretch into silver lines beyond the viewport. She had just closed the final page of one of her stepfather’s favourite novels, a comfort she rarely allowed herself, and had been looking forward to an early night.

The door chime sounded.

So much for that, she thought dryly.

The door parted open, allowing the brighter light from the corridor to creep into the darkened quarters. A familiar silhouette appeared in the middle of it all.

“Rio?” Reyas rose slightly. “This isn’t about our passengers, is it?”

The woman smiled warmly as she entered. “I know it’s late, Karyn, but I was hoping to borrow you for a moment.”

Reyas frowned at the bizarre request from Canção. “Everything okay?”

“Of course it is, sweetie, I just need to take you somewhere,” Canção said, her smile as disarming as ever.

“Where?”

“Spoilers!” Canção remarked with a naughty grin, “But I think you’d like it.” She offered her friend her hand, and Reyas didn’t decline it after she pulled on her uniform jacket.

Moments later, they were in the turbolift heading towards deck eleven.

Reyas folded her arms as the turbolift began its descent. “You’re enjoying this far too much. So, am I going to find out what this is all about?”

Canção smirked again. “Well, it’s not going to be a surprise party, but I’ve got a few people who would like to ask you something, and I hope you don’t mind me rallying the troops for you.”

Again, Reyas was confused by that statement. “That’s about as clear as a Malon waste freighter.”

Eventually, they arrived at their destination. The aft crew lounge. It wasn’t a place that was used often on the Ithaca, as the crew preferred the mess hall and the aeroshuttle bay lounge.

Reyas stepped into the aft lounge and stopped.

All eighty-six souls they had freed stood waiting.

They filled the space clustered near the bar, perched on tables and armchairs, some standing shoulder to shoulder along the bulkheads. Her entire senior staff were scattered among them. Behind the counter, Liannra set down a glass for Prexa just as she looked up.

“So what’s this?” Reyas asked.

“A decision and a request,” Liannra answered as she moved around the bar and towards the captain.

Jirani and a few senior staff members stepped forward. The Bajoran first officer raised her hands in surrender. “I promise you, Captain, this isn’t a mutiny,” Jirani said, palms raised. “We were conscripted.”

“I may regret asking James to reinstate your rank,” Reyas muttered to her friend as she realised that Canção must have had something to do with all of this.

Canção chuckled and shook her head. “I may have asked too much of James ever since that scare a few days ago, but his expression was worth it.”

Reyas smirked and looked back at Liannra. “So what’s this decision and request?”

Liannra looked at her fellow survivors. “We have come to a decision,” she said gently. “We wish to remain together. After the ordeal we endured within the Mirror bubble, the one thing that kept us going was remaining together. We forged a community, one that we depended on and one we feel we still need.”

Sophbrist then spoke up. “Many of us are far from our homeworlds, and we’ve all spoken about understanding that many of our loved ones have moved on with their lives. Many believe we are dead. Our former lives are over.”

“But we want to start something new together. Even where returning to our own kind is possible,” Prexa said, “we’ve realised that isn’t what we want. Not yet.”

“Returning to our former collectives is not appealing,” Four declared. “We have much to give a different collective.”
Liannra turned to Reyas. “With your permission, Captain, we would like to remain aboard the Ithaca… as crew. If you’ll have us?”

Reyas blinked and looked straight at Jirani. She held a similar expression, but a more accepting one towards the idea.

“Your crew has already given so much to us in their hospitality and caring for us,” Wilreth said, standing close to Corben. He smiled at her, then turned back to Reyas. “And to be honest, Captain, many of us are not eager to settle planetside again.”

“Flying among the stars sounds preferable to living underground again,” Keshik said with a hopeful smile from where he stood among the younger members of Ithaca’s senior staff.

“And learning about new cultures from the surface, not beneath it,” Tarrik added softly beside the Devore pilot.

“Perhaps following a new kind of leader wouldn’t be so terrible,” Kitell muttered.

Reyas exhaled slowly. Her husband would have reservations about this.

“And don’t worry about James’ reaction to this,” Canção remarked as if she could read Reyas’ mind. “I’ll help you deal with him.”

Reyas straightened. “Then welcome to the Ithaca.”

The lounge erupted in applause, laughter, and something lighter than either.

Relief.