It was hard not to feel like everything had failed, as dragging the battle-worn body of the Galileo demonstrated her inability to command. She looked out the window as the Galileo sat lifeless, waiting for her repairs. She could see the reflection of Captain Malik in the window as she looked out at her ship. “I don’t suppose she will be ready soon.

London stopped, standing next to Naris; he looked out into the station’s large docking facility. “I could lie and tell you yes,” he smiled, “if that is what you wanna hear?”

“It is, and it is not,” Naris admitted, “damage like that isn’t fixed in a matter of a few days.”

“Naris,” Malik opted not to use ranks, “you and your people stopped a Malon dictator. You ended his mining operation on that planet and took on several Malon battleships. The fact that every one of you made it home is amazing; you should feel proud. That’s a huge accomplishment.”

“However, in the interest of honesty, Starfleet’s resources are just spread too thin right now,” Malik admitted, “we’re still picking up the pieces from the Romulan incident, and now this thing in the Delta Quadrant.”  He sighed, “it’s too much, Starfleet has had to prioritize things, and an aging Steamrunner is not at the top of anyone’s list. I’m sorry.”

“I’ve been around long enough to figure this out,” Naris said, “I had just hoped I would see my crew again. Things were finally starting to mesh.”

“I am afraid that is not possible,” Malik responded, “we have positions all over the fleet that need to be filled. There is no point in your people sitting here, waiting for your next assignment when they could be out there doing something. It is..”

“I get it,” Naris replied, interrupting the Captain.

Malik nodded, “walk with me, Captain,” the man gestured down the corridor. “I won’t attempt to sugarcoat this or lie. I am sure you certainly have enough experience to see through any form of deception. The honest truth is Starfleet needs qualified people, and right now, I have qualified just sitting here.”  Malik motioned to a nearby lift.

“Docking bay 3,” he ordered.

Naris gave the Captain a puzzled look, “something you need to tell me, Captain Malik?”

“Your next assignment,” he stated in a plain tone, “I am afraid it’s not as fancy as the Galileo, but it’s a good little ship, and she needs a Commanding Officer.”

“I believe you humans have an expression,” she thought for a second, “thy will be done.”

Malik snorted a laugh as he attempted to regain his composure. “More Starfleet’s not mine,” he stepped out of the lift as the doors opened. “ Malik took a few steps but stopped just short of the docking bay’s window, “I must warn you,” he smiled.

Naris moved closer as the ship came into view. She just stood there for a moment or two. Several minutes had passed before she spoke, “an Obena?”

“More specifically, the USS Dragonfly,” Malik motioned to the security checkpoint. “Your ship awaits, Captain.”

Naris started to walk away but stopped suddenly, realizing that Malik wasn’t following her. “You’re not coming, Captain?” She looked puzzled.

London smirked, “and ruin the surprise,” he put a finger to his mouth, “but mums the word, you didn’t hear anything from me.”  He extended a hand, “good luck, Captain.”

Naris returned the gesture, shaking the man’s hand before trying and heading down the walkway to the Dragonfly. Naris stopped looking out the window; she wished Grace was with her, but that would have to wait. She smiled, “she’s a lot bigger than the Galileo.”

The trip to the main bridge was relatively uneventful; a few nods from the crew that she passed but nothing too out of the ordinary. She stepped into the lift, “main bridge,” she ordered.

Samuel Malik sat comfortably with his feet propped up, waiting for the Captain’s arrival. If his brother was punctual, then the Captain should be arriving any second now. He knew his brother, who lived by a schedule and was never late for anything. Sam looked over to the turbolift door; at least he was never late.

“Computer,” Sam said, “what is the time?”

“About five minutes from the last time you asked,” came a reply from the Helm Officer, “and for the record, I am not sure Captain Naris will appreciate your feet on the armrest of her chair.”

Samuel smirked as he stood up, “well, actually, she isn’t on the ship yet,” the man started to ramble, failing to notice the lift behind him had opened, “so it’s not her ship yet. However, as she isn’t here, that is not something she will find out..”

The XO looked at the Helm Officer, whose cheeks had turned a relatively bright shade of red, almost matching his uniform. The Officer not so subtly poked behind the XO as he coughed.

“She’s standing behind me, isn’t she?” Sam questioned.

Rivers simply nodded as he straightened his uniform, “directly behind you, Sir.”

Sam plastered on a big smile as he turned around, “Captain, welcome to the Fly. We were just talking about you…”

“Oh, I heard,” Naris smiled as she walked over to her chair. Taking a moment, she brushed off the armrest, “I heard it all, Commander Malik.”

Naris looked around the bridge, “looking around the bridge, I see that the comments from your brother about my staff were a bit,” she paused, “equivocate.”

“An utter lie,” Sam responded, “he was hoping to pull one over on you.”

“I will have to re…” she paused, “did you just refer to this ship as the fly?”

The Executive Officer looked at the Captain, “the Fly, it’s short for Dragonfly.”

“Let’s get one thing straight, we are not referring to my ship by a small ugly black Terran bug,” she patted the armrest, “this ship is a thing of beauty, understood.”  Standing up, “alright, everyone, carry on, Commander Malik; once everyone has arrived and we are ready to go, let me know. No rest for the wicked. We have our next mission.”

Naris walked to her Ready Room, “Mister Rivers, you have the bridge.” She smiled.

“Ma’am,” Rivers looked puzzled; clearly, the XO was still on the bridge.”

“Commander Malik is a little busy right now,” she turned as she walked off. “The Fly,” she hissed with a slight smile.

Rivers looked to Malik, then to the Captain, and the center seat, “is she serious?”

Malik raised an eyebrow, “no.”

“Very serious, Lieutenant Rivers,” Naris laughed as the ready room doors closed behind her.