In orbit of Starbase 11, a few drydocks were facilitating Starfleet vessels, either resupplying, repairing or receiving new personnel. It was also becoming one of the main locations for Starships to come and receive repairs during the war with the Cardassians. One vessel in particular has just received a clean bill of health, all of her damaged systems were restored, hull breaches sealed, and cosmetics repainted. That vessel was the USS Okinawa. The drydock housing the Okinawa was buzzing with life, as various small crafts flew around, most of the crews returning to the ship from their RnR from the planet, while others were returning from various locations outside the system that they chose for RnR.

The door to the junior officer’s quarters split open as four Ensigns walked in with their duffel bags, the interior room light automatically illuminating the room when the first Ensign stepped in. “That was the best shore leave I have ever had in like…ever!” said Ensign Edward Porter.

Ensign Jude Daniels laughed, “It was the only shore leave we’ve ever had, ever, Ed.”

“Explain it to us again on how you managed to get the four of us a trip to Risa? When all the other junior officers got slagged with shore leave on Starbase Eleven.” Asked Ensign Victoria Clarke.

“Yes, please explain, I would love to hear this.” Said Ensign Lezree Veel.

Daniels grinned, “It was a simple little trick I did with the orders, no big deal.”

“You are kidding, right JD?” Ed asked.

JD chuckled, “Of course I am! Look, the fact is that we are the hardest working Ensigns here on board the Okinawa. Ever since we were assigned here, we’ve been given the toughest assignments, and the most boring ones too. Scrub the plasma manifolds, perform shuttle maintenance for the twentieth time, deionize this, depolarize that…we’ve been doing a ton of grunt work and what do we get to show for it? A shore leave trip to Starbase Eleven. Hell no, my people. I simply made a few calls, and got our orders adjusted to planet Risa!”

The others cheered but Clarke. “Really, JD? Who did you call? Your father? Mother?”

JD rolled his eyes, “Heck no, Vic. My parents want nothing to do with me. High ranking Admirals…HA, more like super long sticks shoved so far up their-”

“Hey!” A random Ensign blurted after they stuck their head in through the open door. “Did you guys hear?!”

Veel raised a brow, “Hear what?”

“The Stargazer has been destroyed!”

JD stepped in front of everyone, “Where the heck did you get that kind of information? We’re all junior officers down here, they don’t tell us diddly squat.”

“I was on the Bridge running diagnostics on the main computer consoles so that they were operating normally for the Command Staff. I just finished the diagnostic on the Communications Computer when I saw a priority message pop up. I accidentally opened it and I couldn’t help but read the message. After what I read what it said, I quickly closed it out, restarted the diagnostic sequence so that the Comms Officer on duty would just assume the diagnostic made the new message not appear, you know…brand new…and and-”

Ed came over and placed his hand on the Ensign’s shoulder. “Dude, take a deep breath, relax. That’s it, in and out, in and out.”

After the Ensign caught his breath, he continued. “The report had a list of vessels that were severely damaged, missing in action and lost in action. The Stargazer was listed as Lost in Action!”

“Oh my god! Wasn’t the Stargazer the one that the Federation tasked to deliver the truce offering to the Cardassians a few years ago, and the Captain was crazy enough to lower his shields and the Cardassians blasted his ship for it?!” Veel asked.

Vic nodded her head, “Yes, Vee. That’s the one.”

JD cursed under his breath. “Really, man? Carddies couldn’t destroy her the first time-”

—-

Briefing Room

“-so the damn spoon heads went and tried again?!” Said Lieutenant Shasi, after he slammed his furred fist on top of the briefing table.

“Shasi! You know how I feel about racial slurs.” Said Lieutenant Commander Chelsea Pearson.

“But Shasi is right. The Cardassians have no honor!” Said Lieutenant Zemaa.

Commander Olivia Bates stood up from her seat. “That’s enough. For one thing, Starfleet doesn’t even know if it was the Cardassians that destroyed the Stargazer.”

“The Commander is right.” Said Captain Jacob Hayes, as he stared out of one of the viewports into the vast openness of space, ignoring the cage like mesh walls that housed massive lights that provided a lot of illumination for the workers to make repairs or even build a whole new vessel. “Starfleet only knows what the Captain of the Stargazer knows. It was an alien vessel of an unknown configuration, nothing of it matched any of the Cardassian vessels we have seen. So far, that is. But whether or not it was a Cardassian ship, Starfleet still intends to retaliate for the other damages and losses we’ve suffered while we were having our little RnR and while the Okinawa was under repairs.”

“If the Captain of the Stargazer is alive, then the crew made it out too, yes?” Asked Lieutenant Tabitha Mullins.

Bates nodded her head as she sat back down in her seat. “Yes, what was left of them anyways. The report states that the Captain made the order to abandon the ship after the threat was eliminated. But Stargazer itself is lost. Which means, Starfleet is down yet another ship.”

Hayes pulled himself away from the viewport and went to the screen display, where he turned it on and what was already prepared was now displaying for everyone to see. “The war is slow, long and bloody. The longest that Starfleet has ever had to deal with since the war with the Romulans and then the war with the Klingons and quite frankly, we all want it to end. But since the Cardassians do not want to accept our truce offering, Starfleet has decided that the time to push is now.” Hayes then pointed at the screen. “The Okinawa will be joining a small task group, consisting of five other vessels. Two Constellations, two Mirandas, and a Nebula.”

Zemaa’s antennae curved in excitement. “One of the first Nebula class starships? Those vessels have long range torpedo launchers and can pick off any Cardassian vessel before they can even get in range to attack it. Why would the Okinawa be needed then?”

“We are needed to ensure that none of the Cardassian vessels attempt to charge the Nebula. The small task group will be launched to seize this system,” He pressed a button and it displayed a solar system. “This is the system Maka. It is inside Cardassian space, right along the border. Starfleet believes that if we can seize this system, we will be able to establish a listening post and have eyes and ears on several key sectors. But Starfleet also believes that the Cardassians will not give it up without a fight, so we are to ensure that the Nebula Class vessel is not overwhelmed with hostiles, as the Cardassians are not entirely stupid. Moment they realize that that vessel can just pick them off from a distance, they will see it as a tactical advantage for us, and they will attempt to take that advantage away.”

“And what happens once when we do seize the system, Captain?” Asked Bates.

Hayes looked to her then back to the rest of the senior staff. “We will drop some away teams with the other vessels and take the Cardassian colony. The sooner we have the colony secure, the sooner we can set up the listening post.” Hayes then looked them over again, “Understood?” And everyone acknowledged. “Good. Lieutenant. Chief. I know she has just been patched up, but do you think we can push the engines? The task group leaves in a couple of days and we need to get there or we need to catch up to them if they leave without us.”

Lieutenant Junior Grade Alexander Shaw looked at Lieutenant Commander Finley Lloyd, who looked back at him before they looked at the Captain together. “I know my engines, Captain. As long as the drydock boys here didn’t mess with anything, she can handle whatever speed you want her to go.”

Shaw smiled, “I’ll keep tabs with Main Engineering. If I have issues pushing the engines, the Chief will be the first to know, sir.”

Hayes smiled, “Good. Then if you don’t mind, ladies and gents, we best get to peeling out of this drydock here. Dismissed.”

As they all stood up, Shasi looked at Zemaa. “These damn Cardassians. Does anyone even-”

—-

Corridore, En Route to Officers Mess.

“-remember what we did to piss them off?” Porter asked.

Both Vee and Vic shrugged their shoulders as JD shook his head. “Who the heck knows anymore. I am just glad that we are only Junior Officers.”

Porter frowned, “The hell is there anything to be glad about?! It doesn’t matter who we are or what rank we have. Eventually we will be sent on some dangerous assignment, or we will be somewhere on the ship doing some routine work and bam! That section gets hit and we’re dead or dying.”

“Come on, Ed. No need to dwell so much on it.” Said Vee.

“I just wish that this war was over already. We are explorers, all we want to do is explore the unknown. Not fight some hot headed aliens because they feel threatened for some stupid reason.” Ed continued as they walked into the mess.

“You three go ahead, I’m going to get the drinks.” Said JD as he went to the replicator to order three synthahols and one alcoholic beverage, after entering someone else’s code to get it. “This should loosen him up.” He thought out loud to himself as he took the tray over to their table. “Drink up everyone, it will only be a matter of time before we get our rounds of hard labor.” He passed the drinks, handing Ed the real deal.

Ed sniffed his, “Woo. They are getting really good at making the fake stuff.” He said before gulping it down. “Wow, I’ll take another.”

JD chuckled, “Go easy now, Ed.” He said, since he got the strongest alcoholic drink he could find and he knew if Ed keeps going like that, he’s going to get hammered, fast. JD soon left then returned with a few more. “Look, just because we’re junior officers don’t mean that our department heads and the senior staff will put us in jeopardy. Besides, we all knew the risks when we applied.”

Vic nodded her head as she took a sip. “We sure did. And the work isn’t all that bad.”

Vee smiled, “I just can’t wait for my assignment in sickbay. I always wanted to treat people, save lives even. Just do my part, you know?”

Ed gulped down his third glass and grabbed the fourth, and last one. “Look. I know I sounded like I was afraid. But I signed up to be an explorer. Not a soldier. I want to command one day, meet new species… see what the women are like.” He then downed the last one. “I’ve heard that some species of females are incredible and…woo.” He shook his head as he started to feel really warm. “Wow… I’m feeling really hot. Are you guys hot? I’m hot. And light headed.”

Vic looked at him as Vee checked his forehead. “You’re warmer than usual. JD, what did you do?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “I gave him the real stuff. And boy that stuff worked quick.”

“Are you insane?! We may not have our assignments yet but we’re still on duty!!” Said Vic as they watched Ed make googly eyes at a female tellarite.

“What? You heard him back in the corridor. The news of the Stargazer wiped out all the fun he had on Risa. He needed to relax.” JD explained.

Vee glared at him then got up and helped Ed up. “Come on, buddy. We are going to sickbay.”

“Did anyone tell you how pretty you are? You’re very pretty.” Ed chuckled.

As the two left, Vic sat across from JD. “You know, you are really something else.”

JD rolled his eyes. “Look. You and Vee don’t know Ed like I do, alright? Me and him go way back, even before the Academy. He used to be so chatty and giddy, talking about how excited he was to be part of the Command Division, excited to become Captain someday but now, aside from hating all the grunt work we do, he hasn’t stopped worrying about the Cardassians since we got here on the Okinawa. Starfleet has been at war with them for over ten years, Vic. We’re in it for one year, and he’s already stressed the heck out. He needed to relax, especially after what happened the last time.”

Vic sighed and nodded her head. “He seemed to have been enjoying himself at the party before the attack.”

JD nodded, “We all were enjoying ourselves. Ten years of this nonsense and just over a year of it on this ship, the party was the biggest stress reliever that this entire crew needed.”

—-

2354
Border Patrol
USS Okinawa

The entire mess hall was booming with life. While the on duty personnel were at their stations and conducting routine work, the rest of the crew were in the mess having the time of their lives. Music was vibrating and booming off the bulkhead, people were drinking, eating, dancing and laughing while sharing stories with each other.

Ed and JD were on top of one of the tables, where Vic and Vee were on another, moving to the beats and the drops while everyone else that was dancing was throwing their hands up into the air. Someone then brought up a bottle of champagne and Ed grabbed it, shook it until the cork popped off. He stuck his thumb over the opening and sprayed the crew below him before lifting it up and pouring some over his face only to have JD take the bottle away and take a swig.

Captain Hayes stood there by the entrance with Commander Bates, who was getting quite anxious. “Come on.” He said to her, gesturing with his head before leading the way out of the mess and towards a turbolift.

“I cannot believe you’re allowing the crew to act like this. Everything in that mess hall is likely misconduct, inappropriate and unbecoming. If Starfleet Command heard-”

“I don’t care what Starfleet Command hears about what is going on on my ship, Commander. So if you plan to rat out on me, then be my guest, but you should at least understand why I am allowing it before you go stabbing me in the back.” Hayes said as he stepped into the turbolift.

Bates stepped in after him and sighed, “I am not trying to stab you in the back, sir. I just think that the party is incredibly unprofessional.”

“Commander. How long has the Federation been at war with the Cardassians?” Hayes asked her.

“Ten years, sir.” She answered.

“When did the war start for you?”

“Right after the Academy, 2347.” She answered.

Hayes sighed softly. “You’re a little green to be my First Officer but Starfleet Command insisted when I took command of Okinawa. Plus I really didn’t have the luxury of picking my officers.” He shook his head, “I have been in this war since it all started. And you heard the rumors, right? The supposed justice system the Cardassians have?”

Bates nodded her head. “Guilty until proven innocent.”

“At first those were just rumors, but they’re not anymore. Captain Patricia Sanders.” Hayes shook his head, “Computer, halt turbolift.” And it stopped.

“She was the Captain of the Hathaway, correct?” Bates asked.

Hayes nodded. “She was my Captain when I served on board the Hathaway, until I was offered Chief Engineer on board the Repulse. After the truce offering was shot to hell by the Cardassians shooting the Stargazer, Hathaway was near the border elsewhere when she was ambushed. The Cardassians disabled her, took the senior staff as hostages, and left the rest of the crew alone, on a ship drifting in space with no power.”

“So it is true then…”

Hayes turned to look at her. “Captain Sanders trial, all the Cardassian trials, were a complete sham. Guilty until proven innocent? They didn’t have a single shred of proof of innocence for the court because they didn’t want any of the Starfleet Officers to be seen as innocent. And so their fate was already sealed long before the joke of a trial began. She and her senior staff were executed.”

Bates shook her head. “Starfleet Command should protest!”

Hayes shook his head. “The Federation Council has. So the Cardassians say that from now on, the guilty will go to a labor camp. So they say, anyway.”

“What about the Hathaway?”

Hayes then smiled, “When I was the Assistant Chief Engineer, we got this new ensign, a tellarite named Dorkirg Mench. The insults we traded back and forth were the highlight of my years on board the Hathaway. I sure did miss him when I took the Chief position on the Repulse, still do. Anyways, apparently the little snot devil learned something from me, because he managed to get the communications back online, and even though the Hathaway’s transponder was still broadcasting an emergency, as it is suppose to, he sent out a general distress call and they were found much more quickly by other Starfleet vessels. He saved a lot of lives that were in critical condition.”

Bates smiled, “I am glad that the crew survived.”

Hayes nodded. “Most of them but yeah. We have been serving together for a little over a year, Commander. So trust me when I give our crew a chance to blow off some steam and boost their morale.”

Bates sighed and nodded her head. “The morale was getting pretty low. I apologize for my outburst, sir.”

Hayes smiled, “If you can learn from your mistakes and learn to loosen up a bit as my First Officer, we will do just fine. Call me Jake by the way, formalities are for when we’re working and crunching numbers. Computer, resume.”

She smiled, “Olivia, then. If you want to.”

Hayes chuckled, “That’s the spirit. Now if we cou-” was suddenly interrupted by the floor of the lift trying to slip out from beneath them. Then the door split open to reveal the Bridge in chaos, red lights taking over, showing the ship was now in Red Alert. “Report!”

Zemaa was cursing in Andorian before she gathered who was asking. “Two Cardassian Warships popped out of nowhere! Shield systems are damaged. I am trying to get weapons online but the phasers are not responding. Damnit!!” She slammed her fists on the console.

“What about torpedo launchers?” Bates asked.

“Loaded and ready to fire!”

Hayes saw one of the warships come from overhead and started to pull away from the bow of the Okinawa. “Then teach these Cardassians that they picked the wrong ship to launch their surprise attack! Maximum yield, full spread!”

Zemaa got a big smile on her face. “Oh hell yeah, time to feel the pain you bastards! I am going to make you pay for-”

—

Mess hall

“-attacking the ship! Everyone, get to your stations, this is not a drill!” A Lieutenant shouted, as JD and Ed pushed themselves back onto their feet from the floor. The violent shake of the ship taking weapons fire had thrown them and the girls right off the table and onto the deck. Luckily no one was seriously hurt, besides maybe some bruising.

“Where the hell were our stations again?!” Ed asked.

“Auxiliary Control Room. These kinds of ships still had them in case something went wrong with the Bridge and if their commands weren’t getting through.” JD told him as he led the way, both Vic and Vee went to their own areas of the ship.

Ship rocked harder and one of the EPS grids blew, explosions rupturing from the wall right behind JD and Ed, taking out a couple crewmembers. “Goddamn Cardassians. Can’t we have a party without someone trashing it?!” Some Ensign said, who was lucky to not get caught in the blast, as JD and Ed ran through the corridor until they made it to the room. It wasn’t very big for eight people but it had pretty much everything.

“I thought Starfleet got rid of rooms like this.” Ed asked.

“Not the Okinawa, she’s a slightly older girl. Look! Lieutenant Zemaa is trying to get shields and phasers online but her commands aren’t getting through.” Said JD.

“Thought there were redundancies for that.” Said Ed as he worked on getting those two very systems online.

“Newer ships do, but not Okinawa. At least not yet. I’m sure Starfleet has plans to upgrade her and make this room obsolete, but since the war began, they have been too focused on more important things.” JD explained.

“How do you know all of this?” Ed asked.

“Blame my parents. Both are Admirals. Fed this kind of crap down my throat but I never thought it would ever come in handy until we were assigned here.”

Ed then smiled. “Got it! Shields and phasers online! But we’ve taken quite a bit of hull damage.”

JD shrugged, “Nothing we can do about that. It’s up to the Bridge now. Well, up to Zemaa to take care of these damn Cardassians.”

“I just really wish this war would end.” Ed said as he lowered his head into his arms on the console.

—

Present
Mess Hall

“Point is, JD. Once the Doc finds out that Ed was drinking on duty, she will call Shasi and he will get thrown into the brig awaiting court martial.” Vic told him.

JD smiled and got up. “Nah, he won’t. Come, let’s go check up on Ed.”

Vic rolled her eyes and then got up after him. “How the hell did you get us on Risa anyways?”

JD sighed, “If you really want to know, don’t go freaking out, okay?” She nodded. “Alright. Holding you to it. I forged the orders.”

“Are you crazy?!”

JD glared at her, “What I say about freaking out?”

“They’re bound to find out, you know!! First they will examine the orders, and then they will check the shuttle flight logs and-”

JD raised his hands. “Vic, chill! For one, if they check the orders, they will think it is just-”

—

Bridge

“-a glitch?” Bates frowned.

“What is?” Asked Shasi, who was reading logs at his station when he heard the First Officer.

“These logs. I said, can this be a glitch? Apparently four ensigns were given travel orders to go to Risa for shore leave.” Bates explained

Shasi frowned as he returned to scrolling through his logs. “That has to be a glitch. There is no way that could have happened.”

Bates tapped her chin. “How many shuttles went to Risa?”

Shasi sighed, “Too many. The entire medical and engineering staff went to Risa. Both departments complained that they worked the hardest here so, Captain Hayes just gave both departments what they wanted without as much as an argument. Then there was us, the senior staff.”

Bates sighed, “Then the only thing left to do is-”

—

Corridor, en route to Sickbay

“-is contact Starbase Eleven and then we will be exposed for certain!!” Vic complained.

JD grinned. “Nah! For one, I got a friend down there. He owed me a favor so he promised he would cover for us if the senior staff ever called.”

“So then if they hailed-”

—

Bridge

“-Starbase Eleven, please.” Bates ordered and soon the viewscreen changed to the operations center.

“Ah, Commander Bates. How can I help you?”

“Yes, there are four officers that I would like to check in on. Ensigns Porter, Daniels, Veel-” Bates was then cut off by a Lieutenant rushing over to the screen.

“Hey I got this from here. Commander Olivia Bates!! What a pleasant surprise. Did you know, you look prettier by the day?” Said the Lieutenant.

Bates cleared her throat, “I just need information on-”

“Ah yes, yes. Ensign Porter, Daniels, Clarke and Veel correct? Yes, they were all here, I assure you. I supervised them personally, wonderful Ensigns. Now, hey, when the Okinawa returns to Starbase Eleven, would you like to get a drink together?” The Lieutenant asked.

Bates shook her head. “Just called about four Ensigns, Lieutenant. Thank you.”

“Oh come on, I won’t bite, honest! Just one drink and-”

Bates hit a button on her arm rest that terminated the transmission.

Shasi chuckled, “And another one bites the dust.”

Zemaa huffed. “If I wanted a man, I’d take him. Not ask them out.”

Bates and everyone else turned to look at Zemaa.

“What?” She asked.

Bates just shook her head with a smile and then sighed. “I guess it was a glitch.”

“Sickbay to Lieutenant Shasi.” Pearson’s voice came over the intercom.

“Go ahead.” Said Shasi.

“Could you come to sickbay, please? Might have a problem.”

Shasi sighed. “On my way.”

Zemaa shook her head. “Another drunk officer, I bet. Don’t these kids have any sense of honor and duty?”

Bates shrugged her shoulders. “We did get back from RnR, but still. Report back on what the issue is.”

Shasi nodded as he went into the turbolift. “Will do.”

—

Sickbay

“You still haven’t explained very well on why you got him drunk.” Vic said as they entered sickbay.

“You heard him. As long as I’ve known him, he’s always talked about wanting a Command. Course that’s a long way away but if he kept going the way he was, he would have ended up having a mental breakdown. He would then get transferred off the ship, and he will never see that Command spot, ever. Plus I wasn’t going to let my friend do that to himself, he’s better than that.” JD explained.

“You don’t know that for certain.”

JD shrugged. “Maybe not but I wasn’t going to risk it. I am his friend, and trust me, I did the right thing.”

Course, Pearson heard it all. “So you got your friend here drunk.”

JD smiled, “Hello, Doc.”

She squinted. “Talk, Ensign. Or Lieutenant Shasi will have two Ensigns to throw into the brig.”

JD then began to explain how they heard about the Stargazer and how Ed had lost all the joys he had coming back from RnR, that his morale had dropped and if JD hadn’t done anything, Ed would of kept going, caused the morale of the crew to drop and of course, probably have a mental breakdown of his own. “So you see, what I did was not only to save his career, but also saved the rest of the crew. Morale is a big deal here, Doc.”

Pearson sighed as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. “You, Ensign, are playing with fire. There are logs for these things.”

JD chuckled, “Ah. I have a friend who was off duty, that helped me. So we’re good!”

“Except he is still drunk!” Vee told him.

Pearson sighed again. “I can give him something to neutralize the rest of the alcohol in his system but it won’t get him back to normal right away. And as soon as Shasi gets here, he will know.”

JD smiled, “Just get him that special black coffee…oh what is it…coffee sixteen or eighteen…anyway, it will do the trick, I swear.”

Pearson looked to Vee and nodded her head, who went to get the coffee from the food replicator in Pearson’s office. Then Shasi walked in.

“So what’s the problem?” Shasi asked.

Pearson stared at JD for a moment then looked at Shasi. “A misunderstanding, Lieutenant. But since you are here, ready to get your shot?”

Shasi blinked at her. “Are you serious? Now?”

Pearson shrugged, “Now the better. I mean, seriously. You have all this fur, and you are embarrassed from getting a simple flea shot?”

“But…I…I don’t have fleas!”

Pearson smiled. “Maybe not now, but why wait? Get the shot and you won’t get them for another two years.”

Shasi’s mouth opened and closed so many times, as he tried to find the words to say to her. He huffed, “Fine! Hurry up already.”

Pearson smiled and hummed softly as she took out a hypospray and inserted the injection in before pressing it to his upper arm and done. “There we go. That wasn’t so bad now, was it?”

Shasi glared at her. “You enjoyed that far too much. Next time you call, it better be important.”

Pearson gasped. “But Lieutenant! This was important! Do you have any idea what kind of diseases those little bugs carry?”

Shasi growled as he quickly left sickbay, soon after the three ensigns chuckled away. Vee then approached Ed and helped him sit up before handing him the cup. After several minutes, Ed started to look like he was coming back to them.

Ed looked around before stopping at JD. “Thanks, pal.”

The others looked at him and JD shrugged one of his shoulders. “Eh. You would have done the same for me. So, Doc. Is he fit for duty now?”

Pearson sighed. “Just try to pick a better time to loosen people, Ensign.”

JD smiled, “It was for the morale of the crew, Doc. I wouldn’t have done it for anything else.”

Pearson rolled her eyes. “Get out of here, all four of you. Your assignments should be coming in any minute now.”

“Thank you, Doctor Pearson.” Three of them said, JD having already thanked her, as the four of them left sickbay.

“You are way too goddamn lucky, JD.” Vic scowled at him.

“Cut him some slack, Vic.” Said Ed as he rubbed his head. “I was being a bit of a downer.”

“You’re just lucky Doctor Pearson could get you back on your feet so quickly. Otherwise you and JD would be in big trouble.” Said Vee.

“No, no. Just JD.” Vic said.

JD shrugged one of his shoulders. “I always have my plans thought out, trust me.”

Vic sighed. “Whatever.” She pulled the small padd out of her pocket and checked. “Looks like I have to start checking on the EPS grid, see if the engineers at drydock messed anything up. Supposedly what the ACE says.” She wiggled her padd. “See you guys later.” She said before taking a different path.

The three stopped and checked their padds too before waving goodbye to each other and went off to their own separate assignments.

It seemed the life and duties on board the Okinawa are returning to normal, as if the ship had never been damaged and undergoing repairs in the first place. Now the ship was high tailing it to the rendezvous point, trying to arrive in time for the operation. The crew knows that it is only a matter of time for them to wind up in an engagement again, but will they be able to handle it after just coming back from shore leave? Hopefully this fight will give Starfleet the edge they are looking for to end this war.