“I don’t want to hear it from either of you right now.” McCallister bellowed at his two sons the moment they entered their quarters. “I cannot believe what you have done today! What a total embarrassment for not just you both but for me too! Being the captain’s sons comes with some expectations, that’s being something I’ve said since day dot!”

“It’s not our fault!” Theo almost screamed back as he flew his hands up in the air in defence.

In disbelief at what he was hearing, McCallister looked at his son as he attempted to hold back from losing all control with him. “Are you kidding me, Theo?”

“Theo has a point dad!” Henri leapt to his brother’s defence.

McCallister looked at both of them. Only moments ago in sickbay they had been treated for busted lips, bruised eyes and a couple of cracked ribs for their punch up. The only signs of their altercation with one another was Theo’s ripped shirt and a few blood stains on Henri’s top. “I wish I had told Slyvexs to leave you both in your injured state. Perhaps that may have made more sense. How is none of this your fault? Answer me that now!” McCallister demanded from them.

Both of them stood before their father, almost shoulder to shoulder, huffing and puffing as they took his words in. 

Theo instantly crossed his arms against his chest. “It’s Alfie’s fault!” He blurted out. 

“What?!” McCallister responded back straight away. “How is this Alfie’s fault? He wasn’t in class with either of you!”

“Exactly! He’s become all best friends with that Jorgeh guy and we both realised who he was.” Henri answered.

Confused still by their explanations, McCallister had no-idea what or where their logic was coming from. He gestured for them both to carry on talking as he placed his hands on his hips. 

“Jorgeh was being all pompous about how he saved Alfie’s life this morning with Miss Gelhem.” Theo stated, “we both then realised we recognised his voice.”

“He was the guy who was with future Alfie in the past who saved us from the Robozombies when the Captain Proton holo-novel took over the ship.” Henri added. “We then started to discuss it and Miss Gelhem told us off for interrupting her.”

“I still don’t get how this is Alfie’s fault?” McCallister said.

“Well he told us not to say anything until now.” Henri replied. “Well future Alfie did.”

“We then started to argue with one another about what had happened and then we argued about how we didn’t notice about what happened to Alfie this morning until it was too late.” Theo added, squirming somewhat. 

Rubbing his temple at how both of his sons had got to this point. “So let me get this straight, you both started to argue with each other because you realised what was going on, who Jorgeh was in relation to your involvement with this paradox we’ve just ended and then you were annoyed for not being there for Alfie this morning? So what, did you throw insults at one another to start punching one another?”

“Yeah, I also said it was Theo’s fault that he hadn’t bothered with Alfie as he was obsessed with hanging out with Duke all the time.” Henri admitted. 

“And I blamed Henri for getting Alfie on board with wanting to get fit and doing all of this morning running so he was ready for the academy.” Theo shared, loosely. 

McCallister rolled his eyes as he walked over to one of the arm chairs in the living area. “Fellas, do you hear yourselves and how ridiculous all of that sounds?” He said as both of them followed him over and sat down opposite to him on the corner sofa. 

Both of them looked at one another and nodded reluctantly. 

“I’m sorry Theo.” Henri said looking at his brother.

“Likewise H.” Theo replied as he gave Henri a hug. “I’m sorry for spending too much time with Duke and not with you or Alf.”

“And I’m sorry for not being bothered about either of you unless we were working out together.” Henri replied as he carried on hugging his brother.

Shaking his head at the drama that they both had just shared, McCallister knew there was more to this than they were sharing. “Is there more to this then either of you want to admit?”

“Like what?” Theo asked after he let go of his brother.

Sighing, McCallister answered him. “Like losing your mother.”

Both boys looked at one another again and back to their father. They didn’t say anything but both teenagers had the same expression on their faces that showed their father he was spot on.

Getting up and making his way over to them, McCallister plodded himself in between his son. “I get it, I do fellas but you both need to talk about this. We’ve got to stick together through this.”

“It just sucks dad.” Theo confessed.

“I miss her.” Henri disclosed as he looked at his father’s with tears almost welling up under his eyes. “A lot.” He then wiped the tears away with the back of his right hand.

“Likewise.” McCallister agreed, his heart breaking somewhat at seeing his sons still struggling with the loss of Karyn. “That said, she wouldn’t have appreciated either of you fighting with one another like that.”

“Agreed.” Theo and Henri said in unison which brought a slight smile to them both.

“You need to make this right with your teacher and with Jorgeh.” McCallister said looking at them both. “Jorgeh doesn’t know about his alternative future self travelling back in time with future Alfie to save both of you from Robozombies. Plus we were lucky he was in the right place at the right time this morning for Alf.” 

Again they both agreed with their father. 

“I suppose out of us three, Alfie has been the most welcoming to him and his brother.” Henri acknowledged with some reluctance.

“Bloody Alf, being so perfect.” Theo mockingly said. “Plus I suppose Jorgeh and Wylem have gone through a significant change with everything that happened with the Quirennal. Uncle Tobias was there for us when we were younger when you were off on the Avenger. I suppose we owe him in being better godsons.”

“And I’m sure a certain godfather of yours would be happy for you all to become friends.” McCallister suggested. 

“We’ll make an effort dad.” Theo promised.

“Not just for Uncle Tobie, but for you and mom as well.” Henri added.

“Agreed.” Theo said.

“Thanks guys.” McCallister said before he pulled them both into a hug under each of his arms. “Now, you both need to get changed and get out of your ripped and bloody clothes then get yourselves back to school so I can finish off my shift. I’ll see you both for dinner with Alf.”

“Sounds good dad.” Henri said before he and Theo got up to go to their rooms to get changed. 

Before he had a chance to stand up the main door opened up and stepping through wearing a brand new crisp red cadet’s uniform was his other son. As the doors closed behind him, Alfie looked up and saw his dad. Straight away he smiled at him before automatically standing to attention. “Cadet Alfie McCallister-Reyas reporting for duty, sir.” Popping that last word with a strong formal tone, Alfie looked and sounded different. He had changed his hair somewhat, it was a bit flatter than normal and his uniform hugged tightly around his body. 

A wave of pride engulfed McCallister in that moment as he looked at how smart and amazing his son looked wearing the uniform. It was nothing like the acting ensign one he had worn recently. Instantaneously, as he rose, McCallister smiled at Alfie. “At ease cadet.” He ordered in his ‘captain’ tone before he walked over towards Alfie. “I take it then your application for Starfleet Academy has been accepted? I didn’t know you were getting your results back so soon?”

Alfie nodded with a big huge grin on his face. “I got called in to Principal Jinna-Chiva’s office before Theo and Henri’s bust up and she shared the good news. An officer from the Mellstoxx campus had visited and said I was in, they were impressed with my school grades and everything else and wanted me to do the entrance exam in the next two days. I signed my submission to join properly there and then! I’ve got so much studying to finish doing.”

Surprised to see how quickly things had progressed for Alfie, McCallister gave him a big hug but deep down there was something else that was scratching at his thoughts. He had never known Starfleet Academy to accept a new cadet so quickly, for anyone from the academy to visit a potential cadet so soon before they took the entrance exam and to allow them to wear a cadet’s uniform.

It then dawned on him what was happening and Captain McCallister had to suppress his worst fears, instead he had to show Alfie how proud he was of this moment. Deep down though he knew that someone had insisted on fast-tracking Alfie’s application so that he fell under the same rules, regulations and protocols as his father. 

And he knew exactly who that woman was.