Engrossed in reviewing damage reports from across the Deneb Sector, Captain Keziah Nazir sat in her ready room aboard the Hathaway, sipping tea with her feet up on her desk. The atmosphere across the ship was calm and focused, the crew carrying out their duties as diligently as ever. However, her peace was soon disrupted by a chirping sound from her communication panel.

“Captain,” Ensign Ashrin Th’killen, her dedicated communications officer and deputy chief of operations, spoke through the intercom, “I have an incoming transmission from Starfleet Command. It’s an urgent message regarding a personnel assignment.”

Nazir’s eyebrows furrowed in curiosity. “Put it through, Lieutenant,” she instructed, dropping her feet to the floor and adjusting her posture.

The screen in front of her flickered to life, revealing the face of Captain Romaes, a stern and no-nonsense officer known for his sharp intellect and unwavering dedication to Starfleet, the new Task Force commander for Task Force 17, and Nazir’s immediate superior.

“Captain Nazir, I hope I find you well,” Romaes greeted, his expression serious despite the smile he forced across his face.

“Indeed, Captain,” Nazir replied, straightening in her chair. “How may I be of service?”

Captain Romaes’ gaze softened slightly, but his tone remained businesslike. “Captain, I have solved a personnel problem for you. Commander Felix Bachmann will be joining your crew as the new Strategic Operations officer.”

Nazir’s heart skipped a beat, her face betraying a flicker of dismay before she regained her composure. Bachmann, her old foil from their time together on the USS Prometheus, was not a person she held in high regard. They had clashed on numerous occasions, and their disagreements had ensured their time on Prometheus had not ended amicably.

“Commander Bachmann,” Nazir repeated, trying to mask her unease. “May I ask why he is being assigned to my ship?”

Captain Romaes sighed, his eyes searching Nazir’s face. “Keziah, we need his expertise on the Hathaway. His strategic acumen and experience will be invaluable in your upcoming mission. He’ll brief you when he arrives.”

Nazir’s grip tightened on the armrest of her chair, her voice remaining steady despite the turmoil inside. “Understood, Captain. I will ensure a smooth transition for Commander Bachmann.”

“I expected nothing less,” Romaes smiled, appreciative of her acceptance of her orders. Reuniting them had never been on the cards, until recent events anyway.

After sharing some pleasantries and a word of congratulations on the Bajoran’s recent promotion, the screen went blank, leaving Keziah alone with her thoughts. She couldn’t deny the sinking feeling in her stomach, and she was unable to tell whether that was just her, or a mixture of feelings from the Nazir symbiont too. The prospect of working closely with Bachmann again stirred up a mixture of anger and frustration. She had hoped to never cross paths with him again, but now it seemed fate had other plans.

As she pondered her predicament, the door to her ready room chimed, signalling an incoming visitor. “Come in,” she called, her voice resolute.

The doors slid open, and Commander Noli, her trusted first officer, stepped inside. Noli’s blue eyes sparkled with curiosity as she took in Nazir’s composed but distant expression.

“Captain,” Noli greeted, her tone cautious. “I just heard about Commander Bachmann’s assignment. How do you feel about it?”

Nazir sighed, her frustration slipping through her façade for a brief moment. “To be honest, Noli, I’m not thrilled about his arrival. Our history together is less than pleasant.”

Noli nodded sympathetically, having seen the clash between the Captain and her former XO first-hand during a brief stint aboard Prometheus herself. Leaning forward slightly, her hand resting gently on Nazir’s desk to support her stance. “I understand, Captain. But we will deal with it together. We won’t let his presence jeopardise our mission or the harmony of the crew.”

Nazir’s features softened, a glimmer of gratitude in her eyes. “Thank you, Noli. Your support means a lot. Hopefully, we can deal with whatever he brings us, and then we can part ways.”

Noli smiled warmly. “Of course, Captain. We’ve faced challenges before, and we’ve always come out stronger. This will be no different.”

Nazir nodded, a renewed determination settling within her. She couldn’t change the circumstances, but she could control how she reacted to them. She would face Bachmann head-on, maintaining a professional front while ensuring the welfare of her crew. For a moment, her thoughts settled on poor Or’uil. The young Ungeat had been through so much in the last few weeks, and now he would come face to face with a man who had made his life a living torment.

“We’ll make it work, Noli,” Nazir affirmed, her voice steady.

With a shared understanding, the two officers left the ready room, ready to face the challenges that lay ahead of them, whatever they would be. The news of the arrival of Commander Bachmann may have brought discomfort and unease, but the Trill mistress of the Hathaway was resolved to navigate this new chapter with integrity and strength. She just hoped that Bachmann might have learned a lesson or two since his… departure… from Prometheus.

Several hours later, Captain Keziah Nazir stood in the bustling shuttlebay of the USS Hathaway, her eyes fixed on the incoming shuttlecraft. She clenched her fists, trying to hide her growing unease. Today marked a significant change for her crew, as Commander Felix Bachmann, a man she knew all too well, was about to join them as the new Strategic Operations officer. Nazir couldn’t help but feel a sense of apprehension and dissatisfaction every time she thought about his impending arrival. She had served with Bachmann before, during their time on the USS Prometheus, and his presence had not been a pleasant one.

As the shuttlecraft touched down and the doors hissed open, Commander Bachmann emerged; a tall, ageing figure with a commanding presence. His white hair and matching moustache, coupled with his imposing stature, made him appear even more formidable. Nazir suppressed a sigh and straightened her uniform, determined to maintain a professional demeanour despite her reservations.

“Commander Bachmann, welcome aboard the USS Hathaway,” she greeted, mustering a polite smile.

Bachmann’s cold, calculating eyes studied her for a moment before he nodded curtly. “Captain Nazir. It seems fate has reunited us once again.”

Nazir’s smile faltered slightly, but she quickly composed herself. “Indeed, Commander. Starfleet has seen fit to assign you to our ship, and I trust you will bring valuable expertise to our operations.”

Bachmann’s lips curled into a smug smile. “Rest assured, Captain. My experience and knowledge will undoubtedly prove useful to this crew. You will definitely want to hear what I have to say.”

Nazir couldn’t help but recall their time on the Prometheus, where Bachmann had displayed a ruthlessness that made her question his moral compass. She knew she had to remain cautious and keep a close eye on him; their past encounters had left scars, and she wasn’t about to let history repeat itself.

“Shall we proceed to the observation lounge?” Nazir suggested, gesturing toward the exit. “We can discuss your role and responsibilities there.”

Bachmann nodded, following her lead as they made their way through the bustling corridors of the ship. The tension between them was palpable, the weight of their shared history looming over their every interaction.

Upon reaching the observation lounge, they found Commander Noli, the ship’s first officer, waiting for them. Noli, a striking blonde beauty, had an air of authority about her that commanded respect. As she caught sight of Bachmann, her expression darkened, mirroring Nazir’s sentiments.

“Captain, Commander Bachmann,” Noli greeted, her voice tinged with barely concealed animosity. “To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?”

Bachmann’s smile widened, unaffected by Noli’s icy reception. “Commander Noli, always a pleasure,” he replied, his tone dripping with insincerity. “I bring news regarding your missing colleague, Captain Tharia sh’Elas.”

Noli’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of Captain sh’Elas. She was more than simply presumed dead, her body had been seen by several of the crew having sacrificed herself to save the crew during the Blood Dilithium crisis. The loss had weighed heavily on the Ulysses crew, causing many to seek a fresh start and arrive aboard Hathaway. Despite this, the wounds were still fresh for many of them.

Nazir’s eyes narrowed, her voice laced with scepticism. “Captain sh’Elas is dead, Bachmann. Several of the crew saw her die with their own eyes. You read the mission reports when they boarded Prometheus,” she reminded him.

Bachmann’s smile faded, replaced by a grim determination. “I understand your doubts, Captain. But Starfleet Intelligence has gathered intel that confirms that the individual we believed to be Captain sh’Elas was, in fact, a Changeling imposter.”

Noli shook her head. “Not possible. Tharia died months before the Lost Fleet emerged from the wormhole,” she reminded him sternly, “there is no way that there could have been a Changeling aboard Ulysses then.”

“No one thought that a Changeling infiltration and a second war with the Dominion was possible now,” Bachmann told her, “but here we are. The truth is, we have no way of knowing how long the Changelings have been operating in Starfleet, preparing for the invasion of Deneb.”

“Why has Starfleet not acted on this intelligence sooner?” Noli queried, looking between the Captain and her former XO.

“I’m not here by order of Starfleet. I’m here because Fourth Fleet intelligence learned the truth during the Deneb conflict, and shared that information with Captain Romaes. He sent me here,” Felix told them all, eliciting a wry smile from both. Of course Starfleet hadn’t acted, they hadn’t lifted a finger to prevent the Dominion incursion. It was only thanks to the Fourth’s efforts that they had been turned back at all. Some in Starfleet, and even those in the wider Federation thanks to the FNN still maintained that the fighting had been a minor skirmish with the Breen.

Nazir’s mind raced, her thoughts intertwining with a mix of hope and apprehension. If there was a chance that Captain sh’Elas was alive, it meant they had an opportunity to bring her back, to bring comfort and solace to her friends and family. Surely that was worth it?

“Okay, let me play Devil’s Advocate here. Let’s say she is alive – we need to find her,” Nazir stated firmly, her eyes locking with Bachmann’s. “Where do we begin?”

Bachmann retrieved a small data pad from his pocket and activated it, projecting a holographic map of the Andoria system. “Captain sh’Elas hails from Andoria, her homeworld. It’s also where Captain Gor supposedly took her remains, but given the fact that he recently turned out to be a Changeling, who knows what’s there? Our mission should start there, and then follow any leads that may bring us closer to her,” the older man suggested, folding his arms across his chest.

Noli’s scepticism lingered, but the glimmer of hope in her eyes was unmistakable. “Andoria it is then,” she affirmed, her voice firm. “If she is alive, we owe it to Captain sh’Elas to bring her home.”

Nazir nodded, determination etched into her features. “Prepare the crew for departure, Commander Noli. We have a mission to undertake, and Captain sh’Elas’s life may depend on our success.”

As the three officers left the observation lounge, a renewed sense of purpose settled upon them. The shadows of their past grievances with Bachmann lingered, but for now, they were united by a common goal—to find and rescue Captain Tharia sh’Elas, and to bring her back to the Hathaway, no matter the challenges they would face along the way.

At the end of a long shift working on the shield grid with the engineering team, Lieutenant Or’uil now sat in his quarters, his eyes fixated on a small holophoto of his family from his homeworld, Uviri. It had been a few weeks since the Hathaway had played a pivotal role in the liberation of his planet from the clutches of the Dominion. The scars of the conflict were still fresh, both physically and emotionally, but Or’uil found solace in the fact that he had chosen to remain with the crew, his adopted family, to aid in their rebuilding efforts.

As he contemplated the recent events, the door chime interrupted his thoughts. “Come in,” Or’uil called, his voice tinged with weariness.

Commander Noli, the blonde beauty herself, entered the room with a quiet determination in her eyes. She had become a trusted confidant and friend to Or’uil during their time together on the Hathaway, and even more so since she had become his mentor and guide once he assumed her old role as Chief Tactical Operations Officer. Her presence brought a sense of comfort and understanding, something he desperately needed after the trials he had endured of late. Even now, he struggled with his decision to remain with Starfleet, rather than return home to his people.

“Or’uil,” Noli greeted warmly, her voice filled with genuine concern. “May I come in?”

Or’uil nodded, gesturing for her to take a seat. “Of course, Noli. Please, sit.”

Noli settled into a nearby chair, her gaze fixed on Or’uil. “I wanted to talk to you about something important,” she began, her voice gentle yet resolute. “Commander Felix Bachmann will be joining our crew.”

If it was even possible, Or’uil’s bulbous green eyes widened in surprise, a mixture of emotions coursing through his veins. The name Bachmann stirred deep-seated memories of torment and humiliation, bordering on outright xenophobia. He had endured the cruel games and mockery inflicted upon him during their time together aboard the starship Prometheus. The mere thought of Bachmann’s presence on Hathaway made Or’uil’s heart race with a mix of fear and anger.

“No,” Or’uil whispered, his synthesised voice barely audible. “Not him. I cannot… I will not go through that again.”

Noli reached out, her hand gently resting on Or’uil’s shoulder. “Or’uil, listen to me. I know the pain and suffering he caused you. But things are different now. You have people who care about you, people who would never see you harmed. I won’t let Bachmann get away with his old tricks, not while I’m the first officer.”

Or’uil’s eyes met Noli’s, searching for the truth behind her words. He saw the sincerity in her gaze, the unwavering determination etched on her face. The bond they had formed during their time together had grown into something akin to family, and Noli cared for him like a brother. He would reciprocate that feeling at every opportunity he could.

“You mean that, Noli?” Or’uil asked, his voice tinged with vulnerability.

Noli nodded, her voice filled with conviction. “I promise you, Or’uil. We’ve all been through too much together to let one person tear us apart. You’re not alone in this. Prida’s ready to wallop him with a hypospanner; Vittoria’s prepared to detain him on grounds of mental capacity. Hell, Zinn’s even offered to sedate him and lock him in a cry stasis at the first opportunity. We all care about you. We’ll face Bachmann together.”

A surge of gratitude washed over Or’uil, his tense shoulders relaxing under Noli’s touch. She had been a pillar of strength for him, a constant source of support and understanding in recent times. With her by his side, he felt a renewed sense of courage and determination.

“Thank you,” Or’uil whispered, his synthetic voice filled with genuine appreciation. “I don’t know what I would do without you and the others. Your continued friendship means the world to me.”

Noli smiled warmly, a flicker of pride in her eyes as she wrinkled her Bajoran nose. “And your friendship means just as much to all of us, to me, Or’uil. We’ve fought side by side, and we’ll continue to do so. We won’t let the ghosts of the past haunt us.”

With Noli’s assurance and the unbreakable bond they shared, the adolescent Ungeat felt like he could take on the world, let alone one pathetic bully. The presence of Bachmann would undoubtedly stir strong emotions, and not just in him, but he was no longer alone. Noli’s unwavering support would guide him through the challenges ahead, ensuring that they wouldn’t repeat the painful history they had endured.

As they sat together in the quiet of Or’uil’s quarters, a sense of determination settled over them. The journey towards healing and overcoming the scars of their past had just begun, but with Noli’s unwavering support and their shared strength, they would face whatever challenges lay ahead, side by side, as true comrades in arms.