Captain’s Log: Stardate: 74880.73. It’s been several months since the Delta Quadrant incident, and my crew and I are still mentally and physically scarred. Though most of us have moved on, I’m afraid my closest friend and brother have witnessed the worst of it. Trever hasn’t been himself since we first encountered the Blood Dilithum shard…’

A chime interrupts Vausees, and she lets out an annoyed but soft sigh. “Computer pause,” she says as she reaches over and taps on her ready room’s pulsing intercom icon.

“Go ahead.”

“Incoming message for you, Captain,” Debrah said.

“I’ll take it in here,” Vausees said, tapping the icon again to disconnect from the comms.

She closed her eyes and concentrated on Debrah’s voice as she turned to the holo-monitor. It was the only thing that had aided her during the Delta mission. She notices the spinning “Shield and Bolt” that indicates this is a message from their Task Force when she opens her eyes.

“Computer, secure the room and play the incoming message.”

As the room was secured, a soft beep was heard. Vausees expected the icon to change to show her Commanding Officer, but all she got was an audio message.

‘Captain Vax, I hope you receive this message well. I’ve given orders for you and the USS Heracles to return to the Alpha Quadrant. When you and your crew arrive, you will be given new orders. I know you chose to remain in the quadrant in case of a new threat, but with a new threat so close to home, I can no longer allow that. I wish I could tell you more, but you’ll have to wait until your return to Starbase Seventy-Two for that. We’ll see you soon, Captain Vax.’

When the audio ended, the Task Force icon vanished. Vausees sat motionless. As she mentally replayed the message, her hand cradled her chin.

‘What could be more important than keeping a ship within the Delta,’ she pondered as she gazed into space.

Vausees reached over and tapped the bridge icon, “Commander Bettencourt, set course for the Barzan wormhole,” she instructed. She was aware that their journey would take several days and that they would have to wait at the station near the wormhole until the next opening.

~~~

A couple of days later…

Cody stood on the station’s promenade, looking out into the vastness of space as ships of all shapes and sizes flew by, going about their business. A chill engulfed him as he stood there. He closed his eyes and pushed the feeling away, even though he knew he should have listened to it, he knew it was unnatural for someone like him to have such a trait, and he knew his father was to blame.

Vausees approached him as he continued to stand there. “Anything on your mind, Commander?” she asked as she stood next to him, looking out at the Heracles moored to one of the pylons. The ship appeared to be suspended in the dark inkiness of space. Her nacelles were powered down to a dull glow of their usual self, creating an eerie sight.

Cody looked at Vausees’ reflection in the window glass that they shared. “I have a bad feeling about our upcoming mission,” he admitted before turning to face her.

“Would you like to elaborate?” she asked, looking into his eyes.

“I’m not sure what it could be, but a feeling tells me that something isn’t being told to us,” he says, turning to face the people moving around the station.

“A gut feeling,” she says. “Have they even been wrong?” she asks.

“Only once,” he says.

“And that was?”

Cody fell silent as he remembered that day so long ago, “When my father sent me away. Something didn’t feel right about how he sent me away, but I trusted my father back then, and now I trust my gut instincts.”

Vausees nodded in agreement, understanding how he felt. She, too, suspected something was wrong but couldn’t pinpoint what it was. She smiled as she returned her attention to Cody. “Get some rest, Commander. We depart in twelve hours to find out what our fate is.”

She then leaves Cody alone and proceeds to the mooring and the Heracles.

~~~

Zyvia walked into the living room of the quarters that she and Cody had acquired upon arriving at the station. She knew that the two of them would have a short time together before having to reboard the Heracles. As the door opened, Zyvia turned to face the man who had saved her. As she looked him in the eyes, she smiled.

“Welcome home, Mister Bettencourt,” she teased as she turned to face him, dressed in a sheer kimono. She turned again and headed for the bedroom, a sly grin on her face.

Cody paused for a moment, his gaze fixed on Zyvia. He thought his mind was playing tricks on him until he noticed the heat emanating from his body as a result of his arousal. He immediately followed her and closed the door behind him.

~~~Vausees opened her eyes to a breathtaking view. Her wife rested her head on her chest. Leaning forward, she kissed Debrah on the nose and smiled as her green eyes opened halfway.

“Can you tell me about her?” Debrah asks.

“Klair is a fierce woman when I knew her at the academy,” Vausees knew who she was talking about, “Nothing could stop her. When a challenge arose, everyone knew Klair would beat it into submission, one way or another.”

“Sounds like you were describing me there for a moment,” Debrah smirked.

Vausees kissed her on the lips. “You two have a lot in common,” she said, her lips caressing Debrah’s brow.

“Was that the reason you fell in love with me?” Debrah inquired, raising her head and looking down into Vausee’s light blue eyes.

“I’m not sure. On a subconscious level, it might have,” she admitted, “but you have to remember I thought she was dead and I had to move on with that knowledge.”

Nodding Debrah sat up for a moment to consider it. “Would you go on if I died?” she asked.

“No,” Vausees said as she slipped behind Debrah. “I loved Klair, but I married you,” she said, wrapping her arms around her wife. She rested her head on Debrah’s back while clutching her. Debrah reached up and encircled Vausees with her arms.

“I love you,” Debrah said as she bowed her head and kissed Vausee’s arms.

Vausees smiled as she felt Debrah’s lips on her skin after the kiss. “I absolutely love you as well.”