With her eyes closed and the room quiet, Sazra tried calming her mind and focus. She lets everything go, no thoughts, no problems, no concerns. Taking a deep breath and, after a few seconds, breathing out.  A lot has happened since the ordeal of the Blood Dilithium, even to a personal degree. The Damascus was in the docks, ETA was unknown due to its repairs as efforts were relocated to Frontier Day. 

“How long are we going to sit and wait?” 

A male voice came through, which Sazra recognized immediately as the previous host of her symbiont, Donam. Sazra had been trying to strengthen her bond with her symbiont to make the transition smoother. She let out a sigh, “As long as Starfleet deems it fit to let us wait” She opened her eyes, seeing Donam sitting in the chair. 

“Starbase 86 has its charms but wears off after a certain time. Damascus is still in docks, and its repairs have not been updated. What is holding you back to knock some sense into them?” He was agitated for sure. 

Letting out a shrug, “My first impression of you is how calm and professional you are, but it seems your personality is kinda impatient about doing nothing” Sazra smirks at that. “Starfleet is…busy preparing for Frontier Day, so I understand that seeing my predicament is to wait until they have enough engineers to focus on repairing my ship. After that, we can fly back to the unknown frontier Donam, don’t worry”.

“But that is not what you are worried about. Something is troubling you”

A new voice appeared from one of the previous hosts, occurring more often. Sazra looked at her side, seeing an older lady. “Jodra, nothing is bothering me. I feel conflicted about the events that have happened over the past few months”

Jodra looked at Donam, who lifted his shoulders and looked back. “The Blood Dilithium was an intense moment from what we have seen in your memories” 

“Ha! Conflicted, she said, you were downright reckless Sazra!” Donam spoke annoyed, “Exposing yourself to the Blood Dilithium knowing what it could do to your brain and, in the end, even let yourself be taken over” He shook his head. “That whole mission was a cluster…” 

He was interrupted, “….would you have done it anyway different, Donam? Be honest, you have seen memories of that time. She had no choice in the matter,” Jodra shrugs, sitting back on the couch. “I say she did the right thing by her actions. She saved her crew, she managed to survive a connection with a space creature barely…” 

“She had every choice given to her,” Donam spoke but looked back at Sazra. “But given the situation, I think I would have done the same,” Giving in to the recklessness of Sazra being the most logical path. “It doesn’t take away that she bombed a shipyard because she was taken over” 

Sazra narrowed her eyes. “What do you expect of me, I had been exposed to Blood Dilithium, and my mind was pudding after that creature connection. I had no barriers, and yes, I got taken over, an experience I never want again.” Leaning against the back of the couch and shaking her head while closing her eyes, “I just ….feel that Starfleet doesn’t trust me anymore after that event” 

“Oh girl, JAG already cleared your name, and your body’s actions out of your control. Starfleet deems it perhaps fit to let you ease it out after the Delta Quadrant experience,” Jodra spoke as she and Donam looked at the door. “It seems there might be an answer to your troubled mind” 

Sazra opened her eyes as her focus broke, and she was back in her room, sitting on the floor, trying to meditate. The chime went off again as her eyes redirected to the door and narrowed slightly her eyes “Come in,” She stated, getting slowly back on her feet. 

A man in a red uniform enters the room with a petty officer rank at his collar. He looked around, searching for the Captain, and quickly found her. “Captain Praugol, your attention is required at Captain Takato’s office immediately” 

Letting out a sigh of slight frustration as she grabbed her uniform jacket and looked at the petty officer. “For the last time, Kobahl, Petty Officer. I know Starfleet Administration made one mistake, but it doesn’t mean you can push your limits to find out where my frontier is” Putting on her jacket, Sazra looked at him. “That is my final warning. I will make a complaint to your boss now move”

The petty officer snaps to attention. “Apologies Captain Kobahl, but I have a lot of names crossing my desk, ma’am” He quickly leads the way out of the guest quarters to lead the captain to Captain Takato’s office.

Rolling her eyes, “Stop with the excuses, seriously, Petty Officer. If you ever want to make a career in Starfleet, you need to change your attitude and take responsibility for your actions rather than shove them into something else.” Sazra blinked a bit as she realized something. “Crap, I sound like Donam…” She mutters to herself while rubbing her template. 

Captain Takato Office

The petty officer leads Sazra into the office of Captain Takato and snaps to attention in front of her desk. “Captain Takato, I brought you Captain Pra….” He felt the intense stare behind him “Kobahl to you per your request” He stood there waiting.

“Thank you, Loid, you can go” She said informally, not looking at him. The man nodded and left the room with only Sazra and Ryoko there. “Please take a seat, Captain” Her eyes finally went up to see who was standing there. “I wish I could offer you something to drink, but I have to be going in a few hours, so kinda wrapping things up”

Sazra shrugs a bit, sits down per the request of the Task Force Commanding Officer, and looks at Ryoko. “So, Captain, am I finally getting some details about the Damascus?” She was wondering about her ship, and Donam voicing his concerns about the slow speed of its repairs was indeed bothering her. However, she kept her facial expression neutral yet focused on the Captain.

Taking a deep breath, Ryoko placed her PADD down, which had fine details on daily operations at the Task Force 86 operational areas. Without a word said, she walked to the replicator. “I changed my mind. Want something to drink?” Looking at the replicator “Coffee, black with some sugar” The bleep of confirmation made the whooshing sound of an appearing hot cup of coffee. Ryoko grabbed the coffee and looked over her shoulder toward Sazra.

“No, thank you” She waved it off with a hand and shook her head.

“Suit yourself” Ryoko replied while walking to the window and taking a sip of the coffee, looking outside and seeing a ship fly by. “Damascus is for now out of commission for an unknown period, as the docking master might already told you. In all seriousness, the Corps Engineers are still trying to figure out how the Damascus even got back from that space in its condition” Taking another sip.

“So what are you telling me, Captain? Is the Damascus never going to fly anymore? Am I grounded for life…I thought JAG cleared my name on that incident?” Sazra shrugged and looked annoyed down at her fiddling hands. “Please give it to me, direct Captain. What is happening to my crew, my ship and ….me”

A smile appeared on Ryoko’s face as she looked at Sazra. “You changed. That ritual changed you for sure. How is your bonding with your fellow partner in crime” Leaning against the window and taking another sip of her coffee.

Sazra looked back at Ryoko and tried to figure out what she was playing at. “I…am doing well. Kobahl and I have a good connection and even grew closer after many mediation sessions to restore balance to my mind” It was no lie. She had taken her time to mediate more to strengthen the connection with her symbiote. But she felt that Ryoko was avoiding her question, was the situation that bad? 

Looking back outside, Ryoko let it go quiet for a second or two. “I am relieving you of command from the Damascus” She raised her left hand to Sazra. “Let me speak” As if she knew that Sazra was ready to blast her with more questions. “This has nothing to do with the JAG case. As you said, they cleared your name” She looked back at Sazra, lowering her hand and taking another sip of her coffee. “The Damascus at this current moment is inactive due to the relocation of engineers for refits and resupplies for the upcoming Frontier Day, as you might already know”

Taking a deep breath, “Starfleet Command wanted you to stay on medical leave for a little longer. However…the situation has changed” Ryoko returned to her desk and placed the cup down. “We are having ….issues at and around Deneb system. Making certain orders to be revised, one of them is yours” She gets another PADD and shoves it to Sazra.

Grabbing the PADD, Sazra saw details in an overview of a reassignment request in command “I am being reassigned to a different command? What about my crew?” She was legit curious and worried at the same time, Sazra had no idea what was going on, and Ryoko stayed vague for a reason. 

“Yes, my final order as Task Force Commanding Officer to you is that you are being reassigned to the USS Mariner, the newest product line of the Pathfinder class. It fits your profile, Captain. Deep exploration with nifty latest scientific equipment would make any scientist go wild. Your crew will also be transferred to it. Not much will change in that regard.”

Looking surprised at the PADD, she lifted her head to look back at Ryoko. “Your final order? What is happening?”

“Due to the activities at Deneb by the Breen, the Fourth Fleet Command saw fit that I was needed there in a different capacity than I am right now. Your new TFCO will be Captain Barrington, who is already serving as TFCO. I believe, administration sucks” She sighs at that. “He is an experienced man that will help you with your upcoming mission it needs to be. However, your mission right now is marked classified, so share it only with your command team” Ryoko looked calm and serious simultaneously. 

 “What kind of mission” Sazra wondered what was going on and then looked at the PADD to see if something was there. 

“Not here. Go to your ship Captain and embark as soon as possible. There are factors in play that make it impossible for me to discuss this matter with you. So per the request of Admiral Beckett, read the mission at your ready room and travel to the Bajoran gate now. No questions asked” With that, she retook a seat. “You are dismissed, Captain, welcome back to command” 

Sazra didn’t know how to react to this direct order and stood up, giving a slight bow to Ryoko. “Thank you, Captain Takato, for everything you have done for the Task Force. I hope we shall see each other again in the future” She saw Ryoko giving a nod. Sazra quickly exited with the PADD in her hand that was now sealed with Captain’s access only. She halted, however, before the door as she heard her name.

“Sazra, be careful with who you trust. This is very important” Ryoko stated finally.

Suddenly she felt the universe’s weight on her shoulders, and thoughts were racing through her mind. She gave a brief nod but didn’t turn around to face Ryoko, but made her exit from the office. She suddenly had a new command but felt conflicted about it as it was tied to something important. She knew that Ryoko was the last person to be secretive about things, so this situation was very serious. Walking down the hallway, the words of being selective of whom to trust kept haunting her. 

She stepped into the turbo lift and commanded to travel to the docks. Before the doors closed, she mutters, “Only those I trust….” As the door closes. 

At the end of the corridor, walked Loid up, coming to a halt, and saw the door close. Then he narrowed his eyes and looked back toward Captain Takato’s office “Mmm” He let out.