Gathering for breakfast, a bulk of the senior staff had agreed to meet as they knew that since the end of their last mission there was a lot that had happened (or would happen) and the arrival of agents from the department of temporal investigation would keep a number of them busy for the next few days. However, none of them could talk about any of it. The all mighty Temporal Prime Directive. 

Congregating in The Lion Gate, a first for them in some time, they had it re-organised so that one big large oval shaped table was in the middle for them all to sit around. To one side a buffet was set up (brought in from the cooks in the Auditorium) for them to help themselves too. A range of breakfast meals from various worlds was on offer and those who were there were helping themselves and starting to sit down to enjoy the meal while sipping on cups of coffee, tea and freshly squeezed juices. 

Tomaz had arrived with Flemen, who had returned to the Odyssey late the previous evening after completing his short trip to Mellstoxx III to undergo the application assessment to be entered onto the command training program. Tomaz had met his friend in the transporter room and both men had gone for drinks the night before to catch up. It had been almost a fortnight since Flemen had gone for his initial assessment and had been successful.

“Ah the prodigal son returns home.” Slyvexs said with a huge Denobulan smirk the moment she saw Flemen enter the room. Taking her seat at the head of the table, the doctor had picked up a selection of jams and croissants and was starting to spread them across the crumbly pastry. “How did the assessment go, Craigen?”

Picking up a plate as he followed Tomaz over to the table, Flemen smiled back at the doctor’s interest and sentiments. “Thanks doc, it’s good to be home and the assessment went well. I’ve just got to wait to see if I’ve been accepted.”

“That’s great news Craigen!” Slyvexs said, relaxing her beaming smile as he tore a piece of strawberry jam covered croissant off to put in her mouth. Just before she did that, she turned to Tomaz, “Lieutenant, you should consider doing the program as well.”

After pouring a mug of raktajino, the Barzan man looked at her, “Maybe.”

Flemen, seeming pleased with that idea, looked at Tomaz with his big blue eyes. “Tomaz, that’s a great idea, we could do the program together. Tell me you’ll seriously think about it?

“I said maybe, Craigen.” Tomaz replied, sounding almost annoyed with his tone at what others were suggesting, he continued to fill his plate with some scrambled egg, which had been something he had enjoyed eating while at the academy along with some warm toast. 

Realising he had perhaps touched a nerve with Tomaz, Flemen relented and returned to piling food up on his plate before both men took their seats around the table.

More of the senior staff started to enter, Horin and Hunsen entered together while T’Rani, Jen and Lenjir were already sitting down and were tucking into their meals. 

“Morning everyone.” Hunsen said, sounding a bit gruff in his tone while Horin just smiled at everyone as they made their way over to the table to get something to eat and drink. 

“Is the captain joining us?” T’Rani asked as she sipped on some Vulcan spice tea. 

Shaking her head, Slyvexs spoke up for their commanding officer. “The captain sounds his regrets, Alfie wasn’t well this morning.”

Hearing that news everyone looked over to her with concern, it was Flemen who was first to ask if the younger McCallister was okay. “Nothing serious, is it doc?” He checked.

“No, I think it’s a bit of fatigue with what they are having to come to terms with recently.” Slyvexs answered, not revealing too much. “I’d suggest while the ship is docked we give the captain and his sons their privacy to deal with their loss.”

“Sound advice.” Lenjir agreed from the other end of the table. 

As Flemen had taken Alfie under his wing during the crisis with the Quirennal and Captain Jyster, he had built a somewhat rapport with him. “Is Alfie still going ahead with undertaking the preparatory program?”

Tomaz shrugged his shoulders but it was Slyvexs who answered Flemen. “I believe he has met the requirements to sit the entrance exam.”

 “When he is up for it, I may offer to the captain I’d be happy to help him study for it.” Flemen offered.

“That’d be nice.” Slyvexs agreed. 

Hunsen, who had just finished grabbing his breakfast, sat down in the middle of the table with Horin joining him (taking a seat opposite to him) , looked around the table and spoke up. “No Max or Tobie this morning?”

Jen, whom Hunsen was now sat next to, spoke up after finishing a mouthful of coffee. “I think they’re enrolling both Jorgeh and Wylem into the school today.”

Horin nodded before adding further clarity, “Yes I think you’re right. I had a request to be around later today to see how things went for them.” She then picked up her cup of tea and looked to T’Rani. “Did Samris not want to join us today?”

T’Rani raised her left eyebrow, “This breakfast was solely for the senior staff, as he is no longer a member of the senior staff he did not see the logic in joining us without an official invite. He also wished to spend the morning in the gymnasium…” She paused as she recalled his words. “I believe the phrase he said was ‘pumping iron’.”

Lenjir and Jen all chuckled at their friend quoting her current love interest in such a cool manner. 

“I’ll probably join him later.” Lenjir stated.

Horin had winced at T’Rani’s response. She was still finding it a bit difficult since she had taken over from Samris as chief counsellor. “Well you must tell him, he is always welcomed to these gatherings.”

“I will take that under advisement, counsellor.” T’Rani said with a slight bow. “Thank you.”

“So does anyone want to guess at what these agents from DTI will be like?” Hunsen asked the room while he cut up some mushrooms on his plate. “Anyone had any run-ins with them before?”

Clearing his throat, Jen spoke up. “Not in this lifetime, but the Jen symbiote has met a couple of their agents almost twenty five years ago.” He mentioned.

“You’ve never mentioned that one before.” Lenjir challenged his friend as he lowered his glass of fruit juice. 

“Not much to say really,” Jen stated back. “Temporal prime directive.”

A few groans filled the room. 

“I agree with the purpose of the temporal prime directive, but surely there’s some manoeuvre for situations like ours when a group of officers, by no fault of their own, have found themselves time travelling through time that they should be able to discuss it.” Slyvexs remarked. 

“From a mental wellbeing point of view, many have argued that it would help those who have been affected by a temporal anomaly to be given the chance to discuss it with others who have gone through it themselves.” Horin added. “It’s like any trauma, being able to relate and understand can help some come to terms with the event and be able to make sense of it so they can move on.”

Jen disagreed with that comment. “Yeah but when you have something as complicated as what we’ve experienced or will experience, then it’s not as simple as that. It’s why the DTI exists. They’re the time travelling experts.”

Noticing the conversation could change at any point, Tomaz quickly changed the topic. “Does anyone know how long we will be docked for?”

Hunsen replied. “A couple of weeks at least, maybe more. We never got the chance to properly finish off the maintenance overhaul we were undergoing when the Century Storm hit. That, along with the damage sustained while in the nebula, has only added to the work needed to be done on the Odyssey. Plus we need to await the arrival of another Aquarius-class escort.”

“Is it true we’re getting a brand new one straight from Starbase Bravo?” Lenjir asked. 

“We are.” Hunsen confirmed. “They started to build a few months ago and it’s nearing completion. Admiral Bennet has already signed off on its new orders to be assigned to the Odyssey.”

“What’s it called?” Tomaz asked. 

“Not sure, but I think the captain has requested for it to be known as the Telegonus.” Hunsen answered.

The room fell silent for a bit while everyone ate their food. It didn’t feel normal or right. It was an uncomfortable silence. 

“This is ridiculous.” Tomaz eventually said. “The fact that none of us can talk about what has happened or will happen is crazy.”

Slyvexs smirked, a gesture that a few of them did. “You’re right, Tomaz, it is but it’s the nature of our job.”

“You’d thought Starfleet would give us some leanway with everything that we’ve had to deal with recently.” Tomaz said in a low tone. 

Horin agreed. “I think they are, but to make sure they understand what that looks like we need to go through a few processes first.”

“It’s a shame the captain couldn’t have found a way to time travel back to before we found the Quirennal.” Tomaz remarked as he tried to eat more of his breakfast. 

Jen scoffed at that remark. “Unfortunately we never found a way to break the paradox to let us do that, Tomaz.” He said. “It was a complicated situation.”

“As was that mission with Captain Jyster.” Tomaz said, sounding a bit more irritated. He took a breath and stopped. “I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to snap there.”

Jen looked at the Barzan man. “Tomaz you don’t need to ever apologise when it comes to us having to deal with the crap we took from Captain Jyster. I get it and I won’t lie to you when I say if I had the chance to change anything from that mission during my trip through Odyssey’s past that I wouldn’t do anything, because I would have but it was a lot to deal with.”

“It’s just hard.” Tomaz admitted. 

“Agreed.” T’Rani shared. “Like you lieutenant, I mourn for the loss of the children I cared for with Lieutenant Samris for such a long time. You were very close to Jeddie and with what has come to light, I am not sure many of us could agree that we would ignore the chance to travel back in time and remove that part of our shared history, just so we did not have to live with so many unanswered questions.”

Horin looked at Hunsen and Slyvexs at this point. She knew she should say something but after being shot down by T’Rani earlier about Samris and the way Tomaz was being, she didn’t feel comfortable doing so in a public area. Hunsen, hearing her thoughts and sensing her feelings, instead spoke up for her. 

 “It’s not been easy on any of us, especially recently.” Hunsen said after clearing his voice. “But let’s get through this work with the DTI team and then carry on supporting one another through it. If there’s anything we’ve learnt about ourselves in the recent months is that this crew is strong together. We’re a family and it takes a lot to break that bond. If anything else, let’s do it for Commander Reyas. She was a fundamental pillar in building what we have today, so let’s honour her in not stopping being there for one another and moving forward together as one ship, one crew and one family.”

Horin appreciated the mini impromptu speech from Hunsen and showed this with her own smile. 

“Here, here.” Slyvexs said in support as she raised her coffee. “For Karyn.”

Everyone else joined in by raising their drinks, including Tomaz, as they saluted their departed colleague and promised to be there for each other.