Makayla stood up from her desk after reading the report, walking over to the window she looked out and sighed. “Captain Adams to Lieutenant Airje, I sent coordinates to your console please set course at maximum warp,” Adams replied as Airje raised an eyebrow but at the moment didn’t question her orders. “Aye sir, course laid in” Airje replied back over the comm channel. “Engage,” Adams ordered before she ended the communication and felt the ship change course. 

She knew where they were going, her crew will see this as breaking the Prime Directive and she will get some push back. This was one thing she’d hoped to never deal with in her career but here she was. Thoughts raced through her mind, she trusted her crew but she knew what it would mean if she told them. She knew that she could lose the trust of her crew over a secret that couldn’t be told.

She would ask her crew to break what they stood for, there were going to be many hard but necessary decisions to be made. After a few moments deep in thought she walked back over to her desk, sitting down she tapped a few buttons enacting the Omega Directive all information, scans would come to her eyes only while showing nothing on sensors to the other crew. 

Meanwhile back on the bridge, Tajir sat in the Captain’s chair wondering what could be going on for them to be diverted so suddenly. Though he didn’t think much of it at the moment as sometimes you get assignments when you least expect them. Something was lingering in the back of his mind that had him wondering. What was so secretive that the Task Force Commander had to contact the Captain under secure channels and for her eyes only.

Getting up he walked towards the ready room and walked in, “what is going on Captain?” Tajir asked as the doors shut, Adams looked up at him. “What do you mean Commander?” She asked knowing full well what he was talking about.

Raising an eyebrow at the Captain, “Why the sudden change in course?” Tajir replied back with his arms folded.

“I can’t discuss that Commander we have our orders,” Adams replied back sternly which caused Tajir to grow concerned.

“What do you mean you can’t discuss? What are you hiding Captain?” He demanded as he was concerned by her sudden change. In the back of her mind, she hated keeping things from her crew especially her number one who has been by her side since the Relentless. 

“I am sorry Tajir, I can’t explain please just trust me! We have been through a lot together over the years so please trust me.” Adams replied as she stood up walking over towards him placing her hands on his. “Just trust me,” she repeated again as Tajir looked her square in the eyes and sighed. “Alright Makayla, you never steered me wrong before so there must be a good reason why,” Tajir replied as he looked at her, she nodded and then headed back to her desk.

“Let me know once we arrive,” Adams said as she sat back down. “Understood Captain,” Tajir replied as he turned and left the ready room. He still felt uneasy about it, what was she hiding.

Loian looked at the Commander after he came out from the Captain’s ready room, “did you find out anything?” Dazra asked looking at him, “not yet I am sure we will find out soon enough Lieutenant.” Tajir replied as Dazra raised an eyebrow glancing at Odan and Chon’al who both gave her concerned looks. But she didn’t dare question further as it always ended up bad for her and got her in more trouble.

Odan walked away from his console up towards hers, “what do you think is going on? It’s unlike the Captain to keep things from us.” Odan whispered looking at her who just shrugged, “I wondered that myself why all the secrecy all of a sudden?” She asked as they both grew concerned. They continued to chit-chat for a bit before Odan walked back to his station.

****

Jheria was working in engineering when the ship suddenly changed course and went to maximum warp. She didn’t think anything of it at first as it wasn’t that unusual to get orders in the middle of them heading back to Devron Fleet Yards. Usually, the Captain calls a briefing to explain but this time was different, all she heard was they were heading towards a planet and that something was being kept hidden from them. 

Walking out of the office she seen officers talking amongst themselves that had her concerned. “Engineering to Commander Derohl could you come down to engineering?” She asked as she waited for a response, “on my way Commander.” Tajir replied before ended the comm channel. She walked back to her office and waited for the first officer to arrive.

A few moments later Tajir walked into engineering toward Jheria’s office and pressed the door chime. “Enter,” Jheria replied as the doors parted, and in walked Tajir. “What is going on? I am hearing chatter amongst the engineers that the Captain ordered the ship to report to a system but hasn’t explained why.” Jheria came straight to the point as the doors closed behind him.

Tajir looked at her, ‘news travels fast’ he thought to himself before he replied. “We were given orders but the information on why has not been shared at this time,” Tajir replied as he sighed not able to really answer her question.

“What is so secret?” Jheria replied.

“I am not sure…I am sure we will find out soon enough but I do ask that we perform our duties until such time trusting the Captain.” Tajir replied, “It’s kind of hard to trust someone who won’t share important information with her crew.” Jheria snapped back in annoyance.

“I understand your concern Commander, we are a team lets continue to work as one.” He replied while Jheria just snorted her response of “fine.”

Sighing, “is there anything else?” Tajir replied as she shook her head, he turned and left her office heading back to the bridge. Jheria sat in her office wondering what was going on, what was the Captain hiding. Maybe the Commander was right, maybe she just needed to trust the Captain’s judgment and that they would soon find out.

Tensions were rising within the crew, wondering what was going on why the sudden secrecy. Jheria walked out of her office again to still hearing chatter going on, “Alright everyone let’s get back to work you can chat after your shift we have work to do.” Jheria ordered as the engineers scattered and gotten back to work.

Going over to a console she began to finish the upgrades she was working on as well as minor repairs that were still left from the battle they ensured during the run-in with the D’Ghor hunters.