Aoife sat alone on the empty bridge of the Valhalla.  The lights were dimmed as the ship had been powered down. The incidents at Arken II and then with helping the Mariner had pushed the squadron beyond its limits.  Andromeda had taken the brunt of the damage and it would be close to a month before the ship could leave port.  The Valhalla faired a bit better, but Chief Engineer Washington quoted two weeks to repair the warp drive and all the hull damage.

“You coming captain?” The voice of Nicholas Halstead broke the silence. He was standing at the back of the darkend bridge with the open turbolift doors inviting behind him.

Startled Aoife turned to face her executive officer. Taking a deep breath she stood and pulled her uniform jacket down. “Rain check?  I have things I need to take care of.”

Nicholas flushed. There was something endearing in that awkward smile she had. “It’s meatloaf night down in the mess hall or we could head over to the station and visit one of the restaurants there. I assume you still eat.”

The Commander had been doing that a lot lately.  She could tell he had feelings for her, but as the Captain and his captain encouraging that school yard infatuation wouldn’t be appropriate.  So, she gave him a polite smile,  “Thank you commander, but go ahead. I have more reports I can fathom. Besides I seriously doubt I would make a pleasant dinner companion right now.”

Halstead nodded trying to hide his disappointment, “Of course captain. Have a good night.”

“You too commander.” Aoife replied feeling a tinge of guilt and regret as her first officer stepped into the turbolift and disappeared

Retreating into her ready room she stared down at the piles of PADDs that seemed to have no end. She had only spent a few months in Avalon, yet lost over a year in this time-line. Life wasn’t fair, but that seemed doubly cruel.

Picking up a PADD from the Andromeda’s CO she scrolled through it. And her stomach grumbled. Nicholas was right. Sue did still have to eat.  Spinning her computer around she opened ship to ship communications she typed out a quick message, “Meet me at the Denobulan restaurant on the station’s promenade. I wish to go over your report. – Aoife” Tucking the PADD under her arm she headed for the station.

Aoife was the first to arrive and she selected a table directly in line with the entrance and sat down.  She politely brushed the waiter aside stating she was waiting on someone, but would take a water while she waited.

Kirin stepped into the Denobulan restaurant and cast an eye about for Aoife. Following the multiple engagements the Sojourner had been in it needed to undergo repairs to most of its major systems. Having limped back to Starbase Bravo along with so many other ships she wasn’t surprised to find the Andromeda and Valhalla in dry dock. She caught sight of Aoife’s red hair and smiled as she made her way over. “Captain McKenzie, glad you made it back in one piece.”

Aoife smiled, “Captain Tarkin I too am glad you made it back in one piece.  Do you care to join? Captain Murphy should be along shortly.  I have some reports to go over with her.”

“I would love to,” Kirin said. “It doesn’t seem like we get much downtime anymore.” She turned around and nodded to the waiter, “Could I have a peppermint tea?” He smiled in acknowledgement and turned to get her drink. “How did you and yours fair during that mess?”

Aoife sighed, “It could have been worse though I’m not sure how.  Eighty-four injured and another thirty-one dead.  Mostly on the Andromeda when the Changling detonated a torpedo in the tube.”

“It could have been worse.   That close to the deflector with all those changed anit-protons we could have lost the whole ship,” Órlaith added as she walked up at the tail end of the greetings.” She slid into an empty chair between Aoife and Captain Tarkin. “Fancy meeting you here, and I thought I WAS the bad penny.”

Kirin sighed and shook her head at that, causing her barely bound red hair to fall down across her shoulders “That is horrible, I am sorry for your losses. I don’t think any ship got away unscathed. We read about the changelings and the Dominion but I never thought we would have to fight them again. I thought we had one on the Sojourner, would have been easier that way than the truth…” She trailed off at that before she turned to Órlaith with a smile, “And who are you calling a bad penny?”

“Me,” she replied flatly.

The server gave Órlaith an exasperated expression as he brought Kirin her tea. “What can I get for you ma’am?”

Órlaith thought for a moment and smiled,  “How about Androsian coffee. Hot and black please.” He nodded and walked away and Órlaith smirked “I reckon he isn’t a fan of us filtering in one-by-one.”

“Works for me,” Kirin said with a shrug and quick smile.  “Heard the Andromeda was hit hard, how are you holding up?”

Órlaith frowned and stared down at her hands, her right knee bouncing unconsciously.  “Yeah… that’s one way to describe it. To be honest I can’t believe we’re still here.  Thanks for coming to help us.”

“Very much so,” Aoife added.  “We both owe you a debt for that one Captain Tar… Kirin.”

Kirin let out a little laugh. “No debt needed. We were close; it’s what we do.” She turned around to check if the coffee was on the way before returning her attention to the other captains. “So, what’s next for you?”

Aoife and Órlaith exchanged glances, both shrugging. Their eyes met briefly, a silent acknowledgment passing between them. It was an unspoken language only spoken between people who had served together for a long time.

“I’m awaiting orders for the Val,” Aoife replied, “but for now, I think the squadron will be broken up. Her ship is going to be in the shipyards for a few months.”

“Oh joy,” Órlaith said dryly as the waiter brought the drinks and refilled Aoife’s. “Wanna trade commands?”

Aoife smirked. “No.”

Kirin smirked at that, “Make the most of the repairs, push for an upgrade of systems where you can. Think of it as an opportunity to build the crew back up after the loses.”

“I think you had already done the upgrade part before I was even assigned,” Órlaith smirked.  “But yes, I will need to work on some crew, and after what happened some will likely need extended leave.”

“Leave will do everyone well,” Kirin said in understanding.

The three captains talked into the night. At last, they broke up and headed back to their respective commands, and Órlaith found herself wandering the corridors that made up the station’s “streets.” She was in a restless mood, her mind too wired for sleep, but she lacked the energy to do anything specific.

Rounding a corner, she came upon a small memorial garden. A tree grew from a planter of grass that reached into the ceiling above. In front of the tree, surrounded by grass, was a wooden park bench, and to either side stood two basalt slabs polished to a beautiful shine. Etched into these slabs were the names of the officers and crews who had given their lives in service of the Fourth Fleet.

Órlaith approached one of the slabs. She didn’t know most of the names—a blessing—and the ones lost on the Andromeda had yet to be etched into the stone. But she found Crewman Charles Greene and Lieutenant Diego Graza, USS Crazy Horse—two names lost to the Vidiians under her command.

Captain Wren Walton stood before the name that meant the most to her.  Ambrose Harris, the captain who had held the chair before her.  She had studied his story, read his reports – but she hadn’t taken the time to pay her respects to his name on the wall.  Her hands ran over his name, a quiet moment of sadness passing over her heart.  She caught someone in her peripheral.  She turned, a reserved smile on her face.  She read the pips, and addressed the woman, “Captain.”

Órlaith hadn’t noticed Captain Walton’s approach, and when she spoke, she nearly jumped out of her skin. Spinning on a heel, she faced Wren, her eyes narrowed in suspicion at the intrusion, and her breathing was perhaps a little too heavy, betraying the pounding of her heart.

Wren’s eyes went wide, and she gently raised her hands. “My apologies…I can be a bit of a quiet walker…sorry for surprising you, Captain…” She studied her face and realized she had come across her name previously.  “Captain Órlaith Murphy.”

“Yes?” Órlaith’s eyed narrowed in suspicion,  “Who’s asking? Uh… sorry, do I know you?”

Wren looked from the name to her and wondered if she was the last to know of the fate of Captain Harris.  “I..uh…I’m familiar with your mission files from my predecessor on the Mackenzie, Captain Harris.”  She wondered how to break the news to the woman.  “I…he died recently.”

Órlaith stared at the other captain, confusion etched across her face, her brain struggling to process being dumped on her. Familiar with my mission files?  Why? She thought. Wait, dead?  Did she say dead?  Captain Harris is dead?

Órlaith searched Wren’s expression for any signs of duplicity.   In measured tones, she asked, “What do you mean dead?”

Walton let out a sigh of regret, “He was murdered by a Devore Imperium officer here in the Alpha…they never forgot about his time in the Delta.”  She shook her head, “I’m sorry…I can’t imagine why nobody told you.”

Órlaith couldn’t believe what she was hearing. It didn’t make any sense. “Devore?  Alpha? Why?  I certainly didn’t make friends with the Imperium either, and as far as I can tell they aren’t trying to assassinate me.”

Wren shared more, “He made enemies of them in the Delta…and they put a contract out on him when he managed to get back home.  A Devore officer had taken over a colony and lured Harris there in order to kill him.  It was quick, from what I understand.”  She swallowed her emotions, “I…I wish I had better news, captain.”

“Shit,” Órlaith swore feeling helpless. “I…” She shook her head and dropped heavily on the bench. The cold polished granite beneath her soaked through her trousers. “I wish I had known.   Not that it would have changed much. I wasn’t invited to the funeral. Still… I feel like I owe him. I’m not a fan of unpaid debts.”

Time passed without her noticing. How long had she been sitting there? She blinked, realizing Wren was gone—probably excusing herself when the weight of the news sank in. Órlaith wiped away tears she hadn’t realized she’d shed, looking up and down at the sea of officers moving around her.

Loss was a part of life in Starfleet, but this… this felt senseless. She took a deep breath, standing beside the memorial, and gently patted it. The stone was cold under her fingers, matching the numbness inside her.

“See you around, Captain,” she said, her voice trembling. With that, she stepped into the sea of officers, blending into the crowd as the tide of duty swept her away.