“And that’s it, folks,” McCallister concluded from his briefing with the senior staff as well as their senior assistant heads. It had been a long time since he had assembled so many of them around in the large conference room. “Any questions or thoughts?” 

“Seems quite exciting to be expanding our family,” Flemen noted. 

“But at the expense of us losing some of our crew,” Jen interjected.

McCallister couldn’t disagree with both statements. He shrugged his shoulders a bit, to show he wasn’t going to pass a remark back on either observation (deep down though he wanted to). “I know some of you already have some correspondents to get back to and I don’t want to hold anyone up, but I do want to say this,” He shared. “Please don’t feel you’ll be judged by myself or Commander Duncan if you choose to apply to one of the positions on the Themis. I am very proud of what we have built here on the Odyssey over the past fourteen years, but I also understand that if any of you want to progress any further in your careers then remaining on the same ship can hurt it. With these rare opportunities, we will still get to see one another and still get to work together.” The captain looked around the room and caught everyone’s attention. He wanted them to hear it from him first and wanted them to know he would be sincere about it.

“Umm, sir, I have a question.” Lieutenant Marova asked; after putting her hand up sheepishly. 

“Sure, Marova what is it?” McCallister said, still with a friendly smile. 

“If any department heads decide to apply and they’re successful, who will you replace them with?” The senior assistant chief flight control officer was asking about a valid point and it was one that the captain had discussed with the others. 

McCallister turned to Duncan and gave him the look to answer it. 

“The captain and I have already said we would be happy to consider their deputies for those department head roles in a full-time capacity based on performance reviews.” The first officer stated.

“And this time, I am assured that Starfleet won’t override my decisions on department heads,” McCallister said and gave Samris a look. The Romulan counsellor smiled and bowed his head slightly in appreciation for the captain’s remarks. 

Slyvexs then spoke up, “I have a question, sir.”

“Sure, fire away, doctor,” McCallister said. 

“When are we going to have a party to celebrate your promotion, Fleet Captain McCallister?” The Denobulan’s question came with a huge grin which caused a number around the table to chuckle.

Sniggering back, McCallister looked back at Duncan and this time at Court too. “I’ve been told it will be handled by my trusty Number One and Chief of the Boat.”

“As well as three very eager teenagers,” Court added.

More laughs went around the room. It was nice to hear that even though they had gone through another traumatic mission recently, they still could share special moments together.

“Okay everyone, if there’s nothing else to discuss, can I ask that we know the outcomes before we arrive at the Markonian Outpost,” Duncan said, attempting to bring some calmness to the room. 

The low-level chatting continued, so McCallister called the meeting to an end. “Thanks, everyone, dismissed.” He called out before pushing his chair at the head of the table back and starting to get up.

Horin, who was sitting close by reached forward towards her captain and spoke quietly. “Don’t worry, sir, Tremt and I won’t be going anywhere.”

Before McCallister could respond, he noticed Hunsen shooting a look at his Imzadi before quickly getting up and almost storming out of the room. Horin sighed and excused herself then rushed out of the room.

McCallister looked to Duncan for any clue, the first officer just shook his head. The two men left, leaving the rest of the group to carry on with their conversations. 

After seeing the others leave, Doctor Slyvexs turned to Forbes, who was sitting to her left. “Remi,” She called for his attention, which she got almost instantly. “Go for the job.” 

Forbes frowned a bit before leaning into his boss and mentor. “Ma’am?”

She repeated herself, “Go for the job on the Themis.”

“Don’t you want it?” Forbes whispered.

She shook her head. “I’m getting too old to bother about the excitement of a new ship, you deserve it, Remi. You’re ready to work without a net, go enjoy it!”

Forbes smiled. “I appreciate it, ma’am, I do.”

“Just remember, the one thing I’ve taught you as a Starfleet doctor,” Slyvexs reminded him.

Smirking now, he recalled her words of wisdom almost instantly. “The captain is the worst patient on any ship…after the chief medical officer!”

“Exactly,” Slyvexs said with a wink before standing up. “Now, go accept that job offer.”

“I will,” Forbes said with a smile of appreciation.

Stepping into his ready room and ordering two mugs of tea, McCallister looked over his shoulder as his order was processed. “That went as good as expected.”

“Indeed,” Duncan agreed as he walked over to where the captain had a small area where two long sofas were placed to sit down on one of them. “I can’t work out what the issue was with Tremt and Louwanna.”

Picking up the steaming mugs, McCallister turned around and handed one to his first officer. “My latnium is still on him still being hung up over the whole mutiny situation.” 

“Understandable,” Duncan commented as he sipped on his drink.

Sitting down on the sofa opposite Duncan, McCallister picked up a PADD. “One other factor, we need to consider, is this request by Starfleet to turn the Telemachus into a proper training ship for our cadets. Thoughts?”

Leaning back, Duncan answered. “It won’t require much work, but it does limit us on how portable we can be with undertaking a number of objectives within a mission.”

“If that ever becomes the case then either we’d move the cadets off or assign more experienced officers,” McCallister stated. “I think it would be a great idea and I’m sure Carter would be happy to have a bit of flexibility in giving them more experience out in the field.”

“With some protection from our new fighter squadron?” Duncan asked.

McCallister gave out a short low-level groan, “Yeah, I’m not sure how they’d work besides from being launched off the hanger floor of the Themis.”

Duncan was about to say something but was interrupted by the door chime going off. 

“Come in,” McCallister replied.

Both men turned their focus to the door that opened and was surprised to see Lieutenant Commander Lenjir entering. 

“Cline, everything okay?” McCallister asked as he stood up. 

Lenjir nodded and requested permission to speak freely which McCallister gave him. “I hate to do this, sir, and I’m probably the first, but I want to let you know I’m applying to join the Themis.”

“In what capacity?” Duncan asked as he stood up beside the captain.

“Same as I have here, but also the third officer” Lenjir replied. “I want you both to know that it has nothing to do with what had recently with the Devore, Blood Diliithum Crystals and Princess, but besides a few months on the Triton, all I’ve ever known is the Odyssey since I graduated from the academy.”

“It’s fine, Cline, you don’t need to explain,” McCallister said, trying to reassure the muscular Tiburonian. 

“I do,” Lenjir stated. “If I don’t, sir, then I’m not showing you both the respect you deserve.” He took a breath, before continuing. “I love my job on the Odyssey and I love being a member of this crew, but the opportunity to build my own department from the ground up and train an entirely new hazard team on the Themis…well it’s nothing I’ve had not been able to do here on the Odyssey. When I took over as security and tactical chief, everything was established. I’ve just maintained it.”

“You’ve kept us safe for over nine years, Cline, give yourself some credit,” Duncan told Lenjir.

Smiling at the kind words, Lenjir nodded. “I know, but I don’t feel there’s much more for me to do here.”

McCallister nodded. “I get it, Cline, I really do. I felt the same when I took command of the Trinity. She wasn’t quite mine and I only felt that when I took command of the Triton and then the Odyssey.” He extended his hand out, “We will miss you Cline, and we wish you all the best.”

“Thank you, sir,” Lenjir said shaking his superior officer’s hand. “It has been a privilege to serve under you for these past fourteen years.”

“The honour was mine, Mister Lenjir,” McCallister remarked, finishing their handshake before Lenjir shook Duncan’s hand. 

“One thing though,” Lenjir said, “Don’t hesitate with replacing me with Keli and having Jisaraa as her deputy, both of them are incredible and are ready to lead the security and tactical departments without any hesitation.”

“Only because you made them ready, Cline,” Duncan stated. 

“But you’re right, Keli will make an excellent successor to you, Cline. Are you sure you don’t want one of them joining you on the Themis?” McCallister checked.

Lenjir shook his head. “No, they deserve to remain here and start the next chapter for you.”

McCallister and Duncan agreed with Lenjir’s suggestion before he left them. 

“How many more do you think we will have?” McCallister asked once Lenjir had left his office.

“I hate to think,” Duncan answered honestly. “Back to the Telemachus?”

“Indeed,” McCallister sighed. 

“Imzadi you can’t make such unilateral decisions like that!” Hunsen shouted the moment they entered their shared quarters.

“By the four deities, what are you going on about?” Horin threw back as soon as the door closed behind her. “You’re not seriously thinking that us leaving the Odyssey is a good idea?”

Hunsen went silent for a moment as he kept his back to her and stared out of the window.

“Tremt, you’re kidding?” Horin checked as she walked up to stand behind him. “Right?”

He shrugged as he turned to face her. “Honestly, Louwanna, the moment I received the message from Bexa, it made me stop and think.”

“Tremt, you can’t be serious! We’re about to become parents. We’ve started a life here on the Odyssey, we’re building our family here. We agreed to this, ages ago.” Horin snapped as she walked away from him and went straight to the replicator and got herself a glass of water. “I cannot believe you just said that.”

“Listen, Louwanna, you need to understand that ever since what happened with the blood-” Hunsen started but instantly he was cut off by Horin.

“Enough, Tremt!” She said slamming the glass back down on the replicator and fortunately not breaking it. “We’ve been down this road a thousand times now, we’ve discussed it and you agreed that to move from all of that was to look forward to our future, together.”

Closing the gap between them, Hunsen moved across the room to take her free hand. “Who said our future can’t be on the Themis?”

She shook her head. “No, Tremt. I refuse to transfer.”

“Why?” Hunsen countered back. “What’s wrong with starting our next chapter in a new place?”

“Because we’ve started here already,” Horin stated as she motioned to their quarters around them. “This is our home and I want to raise our child here.”

“I can’t,” He begged her. “I can’t do it, Louwanna.”

“Yes, you can.” She insisted.

He shook his head as she let go of her hand and walked away. “I can’t,” He repeated, sounding upset and frustrated. “Every time I close my eyes all I see is me holding a weapon up against Theo or William’s heads, or kicking the crap out of the captain or hitting Craigen. The rage is unbearable,” Spinning on his heels he looked at her, “The moment I got that message today, it was like a weight being lifted from my shoulders. For the first time in ages, I had a sort of moment of clarity, this was the four deities telling me that was our direction out of this mess.”

“There is no mess here, Tremt.” Horin responded with a shake of her head. “This is you, trying to escape from what happened. I know it’s awful and it’s something you are struggling to live with, however, everyone has said it. No one blames you for what happened.”

“I do, Louwanna, I do,” He pleaded with her. Tears were forming under his eyes as his voice cracked under the stress. “I can’t do it anymore, Louwanna, I can’t.”

“Yes, you can.” She assured him as she took both of his hands into hers. “Together, here on the Odyssey, we will do it.”

He shook his head. “I can’t,” dropping her hands Hunsen stepped back. “I won’t.”

Shocked by what he had just said, Horin took one step forward. “What?”

“I won’t, I need this,” Hunsen said as he stepped over to the coffee table where a PADD sat. “Bexa wants me as her first officer.”

Smacking the PADD out of his hand, Horin didn’t watch it fly across the room. “Bullshit, this has nothing to do with your career and you know it.”

“You don’t know what it’s like, Louwanna,” He said as he raised his voice at her. “I’m the guy everyone hates, I’m the guy who pulled a phaser out on a bunch of kids, how the hell am I meant to raise a child in this setting when everyone knows what I did?”

“The Odyssey is family. If there’s anything I have learnt since I joined over eleven months ago. You need to give it time,” She assured him. “Running off won’t help the problem.”

He shook his head. “I’m going to the Themis, Louwanna.”

“Is that a threat?” Horin asked.

“A fact,” Hunsen whispered, looking down at the floor. “I already accepted Bexa’s offer.”

“You bastard,” Horin cried before slapping him across the face. “Get the hell out of here, now!” She angrily pointed towards the door, holding back the sobs.

Rubbing his face from where she had hit him, it was just as painful as the tears than ran down his face. “I’m sorry,” He pleaded.

“Too late,” Horin said as she turned her back to him. “Get the hell out, I don’t want to see you right now.”

He nodded and headed straight for the door.

The moment the door had closed, Horin broke down in an uncontrollable sob. She couldn’t believe what Tremt had done and what that meant for their unborn child.