Teila was sitting in her office going over the report she received from the extensive lab work she had taken from the Captain. Makayla had been experiencing pain in her head that scans were just not detecting. “Oh boy,” she replied to herself as she read the results, “why couldn’t the scans detect this?” she asked herself as she was scratching her head.

She walked back out to where Adams was laying, she would need to do another scan but decided to focus on one part of the brain. “Can you lay on your stomach?” she asked looking at her.

“Is everything ok?” Adams asked as she turned over onto her stomach.

“Labs came back with something that I just need to confirm, the initial scan didn’t detect anything so I am going to try something a little different,” Teila replied as she tapped a few buttons on the console and the scan began.

After a while, the scan was completed and she began to go over the data. Finally, she found it, it was much worse than she had expected it to be. She downloaded the information onto a padd. Taking a large sigh she looked at the Captain “alright, you can get up I need for you to come to my office with me. We need to talk privately,” Teila said looking at her which caused concern for Adams.

They both walked into the office and sat down, “computer lock doors.” Teila ordered as the doors to her office closed and locked so they were not disturbed.

“Is everything alright?” Adams asked looking back at her with concern that she had found something, Teila’s expression was that of some bad news.

“No,” she replied pausing for a moment to catch her thoughts before she continued. “I never like giving this kind of news, I was hoping the results were wrong. I even ran them more than once different ways but they were still coming back the same,” Teila replied as she always hated giving such news.

“What?” Adams asked hoping she had just gotten to the point.

“We found a tumor very close to your brainstem, it is cancerous,” Teila replied as Adams looked taken back what was just said.

“Is there anything that can be done?” Adams asked looking at the doctor.

“The brainstem is a very delicate area, one wrong move can either cause death or paralysis. I am unable to perform that type of surgery, I will be referring you back to Starfleet Medical as they have a doctor there that is qualified for this type of surgery.” Teila replied looking at her.

“Can you just treat cancer without the need for surgery?” Adams asked looking at her.

Teila shook her head, “unfortunately that won’t be enough. If we don’t remove the mass soon it will keep growing even with chemotherapy and will eventually cause death in a few months to a year at max at the rate that it is growing.” Teila replied looking at her with sadness in her eyes.

Adams sighed looking down for a few moments before looking back at the doctor, “understood.” Adams replied as she knew exactly what the doctor was going to say next.

“Unfortunately because of this I am going to have to report to Starfleet Command that you are unfit for duty and are being relieved as Captain of the Saratoga. You will be sent to Starfleet Medical to begin treatments that could take months.” Teila replied she hated to have to do that. “After treatment is complete and Starfleet Medical clears you for duty I am sure they will assign you to another command.” She added trying to sound positive out of a bad situation.

Adams nodded as she understood that this was beyond her control, that she was only doing her job as a medical officer. “I guess I should go and start packing,” Adams replied looking at her still couldn’t believe the news.

Teila looked at her, “I am sorry Captain this is the last thing I ever wanted to do. You have been a great Captain that I have ever had the privilege to work under.” Teila replied as she was trying to keep her composure. “You will want to arrange transport back to Earth, I’ll let Starfleet Medical know to be expecting you,” Teila added as she stood up unlocked the doors.

“Thank you Teila, it’s been great having you aboard. I hope the new Captain will be just as good.” Adams replied as she stood up and walked out of the doctor’s office towards the exit. Stopping just outside of the infirmary she took a deep breath and regained her composure, headed off to start packing. She knew she needed to tell Chon’al, but she didn’t want to do that right now.

After the Captain left her office Teila walked to the replicator to grab a cup of coffee with light cream and sugar. She would need this with the call she was about to make, she never liked relieving a Captain of duty it was her least favorite part of her job. She had only been on board the Vesta and then the Saratoga only for a short time but she grew close to Adams in that short of time.

Taking a drink of her coffee, setting it down on her desk a few moments later. “Here goes nothing,” she said to herself as she made the hardest call she had to make which took a few moments to explain to Starfleet Command that one of the best Captains was being relieved of Command.

After the call finished she sighed leaning back in her chair for a moment looking at the ceiling. She had one more call to make, looking back at her computer she gathered everything into one file so she would be able to send it. She made the call to Starfleet Medical to explain what was going on and to expect the Captain.

****

Makayla had arrived back to her quarters, she had a date with Chon’al for dinner later on tonight but canceled it. Walking over to the nearby window she looked out, things were starting to look grim and going downhill. She wasn’t sure how to take the news and handle it, she just knew that her current career was being placed on hold for the foreseeable future.

She had asked Teila to not tell the crew that she would in due time, though she would send everyone a letter once she was off the ship. She didn’t want this to be made into a huge deal, just wanting to leave quietly. She continued to look out the window for a while more lost in thought, “why me?” She asked herself unsure why things were happening.

After what seemed like an eternity just standing there, though time felt to drag in her mind. She had never returned the totes she had from her unpacking a couple of days ago, she began to get them out of the storage area in her room and began to pack her belongings again.

She knew that this would take a few hours, unlike the other day when she had help from Chon’al. She would be sending him a more personalized message, she felt it would be best if she moved on with everything going on she didn’t want to weigh him down. After about an hour of packing, she heard her computer sound, as if there was a message awaiting her.

Walking over to the computer she sat down and turned it on, it was a message from Starfleet Command. She already knew what it was about but she began to read it, she was to get on the first transport to Earth once I am ready. The ship happened to be the USS Vesta as it was scheduled to leave for Earth in a few hours. After she finished reading she shut down the computer and went to finish her packing.

When she finished she had all crates transported over to Vesta’s cargo bay, looking around to make sure she wasn’t missing anything. Taking a deep breath as she stood there for a few moments just thinking how fast her career came crashing down in a blink of an eye. She just hoped that it would only be temporary and she is back in no time.

Looking at the time, the Vesta was due to leave shortly she decided against walking to the docking port so she used the transporter to beam over to Devron then walk onboard the Vesta. She would write and send letters to the crew once she was on her way to Earth as it would be a while before they would reach Earth.

****

Azras was in her quarters having dinner with her family for the first time in a long time since she was given the position of commander of an entire task force. Earlier that day she tendered her resignation, she wanted to be back in the center chair instead of just pushing paper and dealing with other ships and Captains. Though she hadn’t heard anything on her reassignment as of yet.

“What made you resign?” Arzin asked as he took a bite of food looking at his wife.

“I missed being just a Captain,” Azras replied as she too took a bit of food. “I would rather be back out there in space than sitting here on a space station,” Azras added as Arzin nodded in agreement.

“So we have to pack up and leave again?” Yadri asked as he was just beginning to enjoy it on Devron Fleet Yards.

“Sooner or later though currently, I have not gotten any new orders,” Azras replied to her son looking at him. “Everything will work out my dear,” Azras added with a smile as he stuffed food in his mouth, she shook her head with a chuckle.

“I will be heading back to Starfleet Academy tomorrow morning as holiday break is over,” Linha replied looking at both her parents then at her brother who had a sad look on his face.

“Do you have to?” Yadri asked not wanting his sister to leave.

“Yes little brother, I have to.” Linha replied with a soft smile, “there will be other breaks that I’ll get to come home for. It’s not like I am going to be gone forever,” she replied rubbing Yadri’s head.

“Stop that,” he replied moving a bit over and they both started laughing.

Azrin shook his head as he then heard the computer chirp, “Azras dear I think your computer just went off.” He replied as Azras had just taken her last bit of food as she nodded excusing herself from the table to only head to her computer.

After a few moments, Azras returned and sat down just in time for dessert, “Who was it dear?” Arzin asked curiously as to who could have contacted them at this hour, though he knew that it wasn’t impossible.

“That was Starfleet Command, I have gotten my orders,” Azras replied as she took a bite of her piece of chocolate pie which was her favorite that Linha made herself. “I have been assigned to the USS Saratoga as its Captain,” Azras replied as Linha looked up from her pie.

“That is an Odyssey-class ship isn’t it mom?” She said remembers seeing it docked at the station as she always made a point to take daily walks no matter where she was, here on Devron it was around the habitat ring.

“Indeed it is my dear,” Azras replied not saying much more. “We are to report on board first thing in the morning. So that would mean we better start packing,” Azras added as she took another bite of the delicious pie.

“You have outdone yourself again Linha this is delicious,” Azras replied as she took yet another bite.

Chuckling, “thanks mom” she replied with a grin.

“I thought the Saratoga had a Captain?” Arzin asked looking a bit confused as he to finished his pie.

“Captain Adams had some important business she needed to take care of back on Earth, I can’t go into detail,” Azras replied looking at him with the look of do not ask anything else, to which he nodded.

“Yadri once you have done the dishes begin packing your belongings except for what you will use tonight as well as tomorrow morning,” Azras said looking at her son who gave her this but I don’t want to look. 

“It’s Linha’s turn,” Yadri wined.

“She did it yesterday for you now it’s your turn,” Azras said sternly which caused him to sigh even louder.

“Fine,” he said with a pout and began to clean up the table, then working on the dishes.

“What will we do with that boy,” Arzin replied with a chuckle.

“Right,” Azras laughed back as they got up from the table she had crates sent to her quarters before returning to the table after the call came in. “Where do you want to start first?” Azras asked looking at her husband as Linha was already off packing her things for her trip back to the Academy.

“Probably start in here and leave the rooms for the very last,” Arzin replied.

“Good idea,” Azras replied then looked back at the kitchen to make sure Yadri was doing the dishes which he was.

They began to pack which would take a couple of hours with the number of things they had, Yadri finished with the dishes and began to pack his room leaving only the things he was going to use tonight and early in the morning. 

Once he finished he came out dragging the crate out to be put with the others, it would be transferred over in the morning. “Is there anything else that needs to be packed I can help with?” Yadri asked looking at his mom and dad who looked up from what they were doing.

“The office still needs to be packed if you want to take care of that, just remember to wrap the fragile things before putting them in the crate that is marked as fragile,” Arzin replied looking at him.

“Alright,” he replied and headed off to his dad’s office to pack.

When they finally finished it was late, “alright Yadri it’s time for bed going to be an early day tomorrow.” Azras said as he popped his head out of his room.

“Do I have to? I am not tired.” He wined as he didn’t want to go to bed yet, he was way too excited to be living on the largest ship in Starfleet.

“Do not argue with your mother, get to bed young man,” Arzin said sternly just as Azras was about to speak up.

“Fine!” He said as he stomped back off to his room and got ready for bed.

“That boy,” Azras said as she shook his head.

“I know,” Arzin replied as they went to check on Linha which they found already fast asleep. They smiled as they too went and got ready for bed, Arzin took his shower as Azras would take hers early in the morning.

Once they were laying on the bed together, “you will have your own office and lab to do your work. So you don’t have to worry about other science officers being in your way.” Azras replied looking at her husband, it’s been a long day and tomorrow is going to be an even longer one.

Leaning over kissing her “thanks, my dear.” Arzin replied as they settled down to read for a while before falling asleep.