Mandatory fleet-wide shore leave had a habit of rendering a ship incapacitated, with only a skeleton crew remaining and rotating off so that all would get their chance at a well earned break. This particular shore leave following the events of the Crossroads crisis was proving to be no different. But while many of the ship’s complement were on Risa, Freecloud or some other pleasure planet or homeworld, Noli was right where she needed to be – one last time.

Wandering the ship this time felt different, because of the significance of the occasion. She’d only been back a few months, an opportunity given to her by the Commodore, but that was at an end now. Standing in the doorway of her quarters, she stared into the empty space, devoid of everything but the stock furniture that ensured her new commander would have at least the basics when they arrived. Everything that mattered, everything that gave the room purpose and personality had already been transported aboard Andromeda. She wasn’t the only one. A number of personnel had departed for pastures new, meaning the new Captain would have an opportunity to start a new era with fresh faces unburdened by loyalty to an old commander. Much like the situation she would find herself with in an hours time. One hour was all she had left aboard a ship that had meant so much to her for so much time.

Taking a deep breath, she gave a wry smile and a nod before stepping back and allowing the doors to the Captain’s quarters to close. Looking both ways, she decided to walk aft and began her final tour of the legendary Lakota.

There was no ceremony. No honour guard. No speeches. Just empty corridors and a Captain saying her goodbyes. This wasn’t like the last time she’d left. Last time, in the aftermath of the Nazir court martial, she had a feeling that one day, she’d return to the ship in some capacity, but this time it felt different. She felt different. This time, she knew this was it. There would be no return to the place that had made her. It was time for a new era, according to Starfleet. She’d proved herself on cruisers, travelling Federation space and responding to crisis after crisis. Now she was ready for the step up to the world of explorers. Ship’s of a different calibre, and missions of a different type. She’d be taking her ship beyond Federation space, into the unknown, for the first as Captain. They would, potentially, be out of comm range for a significant amount of time, with little to no support. They’d be alone. She would be alone. She’d hoped for this day, prayed to the Prophets even, but didn’t think it would come so soon. She’d expected a few more years on Lakota before moving on, but as Jaro had reminded her, “Ships serve their time. Captains serve a purpose.” Her purpose now was to lead the next chapter of the Task Force mission beyond Federation borders, the ship and her history would shortly become the care of another Captain and crew, and despite the sadness she felt, there was also a strange feeling she couldn’t shake; the feeling that she was ready.

When she arrived at engineering a short while later, the heart of the ship was strangely quiet. Prida had already gone; she’d accepted Noli’s plea and packed up her belongings in order to take a new challenge in the engineering bay of the finest ship she’d served on to date. Plea was probably too strong a word since Noli knew that Prida would never say no. Where she went, her best friend and confidant always followed, without hesitation. It still felt weird to be down here knowing that someone else would now be in charge of keeping the ship running. She felt a lone tear run down her cheek, a smile breaking out as she remembered the arguments they’d had in this very spot, about impossible repairs and expectations, and the countless cups of coffee she’d shared with her best friend at the end of a long shift. Prida and her team were the finest a Captain could ask for, always coming through when she needed them. Without them, the ship’s history would be very different.

She found herself taking a few gentle steps towards the warp core before running her hand slowly across the core housing.

“You never let us down,” she whispered, tapping the casing one final time.

Emerging from the turbo lift aft of deck one several minutes later, Noli found herself in a place that had brought her solace and calm in some of the most trying of times. Standing at the massive bay windows in the observation lounge, Noli found herself glancing at the stars from her favourite vantage point. She’d spent many an hour in that spot, gazing out into the heavens in search of inspiration or divine intervention from her beloved Prophets, but not this time. This time was different. This time she stared into the stars not out of excitement for her new era, but out of a struggle to accept that her part in Lakota’s legendary story was over.

At last, she came to the bridge, surprised to find the lights dimmed and the consoles virtually unmanned. Only a skeleton staff maintained crucial operations, ignoring her presence as they went about their duties diligently. She walked with trepidation as she took in the sights one last time. Every bridge station came with its own memories. The Borg. The Dominion. The Shackleton Expanse. The Loom. But one station held the most memories for her. Coming to a stop beside the centre chair, her fingers came to rest on the worn leather at the top of the chair. From genetic experiments and Cardassian interference over Eridanus to the clash with the Vaelor at Lysor IV. Henry and Onsas dead in the line of duty. Giarvar heroically giving his life in the defence of the Andoria system during the Vaadwaur invasion. Or’uil lost in the aftermath of Frontier Day and the Borg alliance with the Dominion. Keziah rebuilding her career on some far off assignment. Friends lost; victories earned. She wiped her nose on the sleeve of her jacket, silently fighting back the tears as she gave the chair a friendly squeeze. This was the chair that had set her on her path. Despite the detours along the way, this chair had made her who she was, and its lessons had prepared her for ventures new.

Reaching down to the controls on the arm of the chair one last time, she pressed a single button to activate the main computer.

“Captain’s Log, Stardate… the end?” She wiped her face gently and turned her whole body to look at the view screen one last time, activating the viewing portal to reveal the view ahead of them; Deep Space 17 in all of its wondrous glory.

“There comes a moment in every officer’s career,” she continued, “when the familiar must give way to the unknown. We leave behind ships that shaped us, crews that became family, and chapters of our lives we’ll carry forever. But Starfleet has never been about standing still. Every ending is simply another beginning beyond the next horizon…” she paused, dead in her tracks. On the screen, creeping into view from her position in standard orbit of the station, a behemoth with a strikingly familiar silhouette drew a broad smile from the Bajoran.

“Today, I take command of the starship Andromeda, entrusted with an epic new venture into the unknown reaches of the Alpha Quadrant. Lakota taught me what it meant to command. Andromeda will teach me what it means to explore. I don’t know what awaits us among the stars…” she took a deep breath, “…only that we’ll face it together.”

“Commodore Jaro once told me that ships don’t make history—people do. Maybe that’s true. But ships carry those people through triumph and tragedy alike. They witness our failures, celebrate our victories, and somehow become family along the way,” she tapped the chair one last time. “Thank you for carrying us, my friend.”

Somehow, the computer sensed the natural pause from the Captain as an opportunity to bring the log to an end, simply calling out in its usual, emotionless style.

“Captain’s log archived.”

Noli allowed herself one final smile before turning away from the chair and making her way to the turbolift on the starboard bulkhead. Once the doors opened, she stepped inside.

“Deck Twenty-Two.”

The bridge doors sealed closed behind her.