The office walls were blank, and the desk seemed lonely from its position against the wall.  Jordan stood on the threshold, her fresh teal uniform with rank pips simultaneously making her feel at home and out of place.  Boxes of her office items were stacked just inside the doorway, marked with her old rank and title from the Mack.  Her name and title were set on the wall.

“Lieutenant Reid.”  The voice of her commanding officer broke her concentration, and she turned to shake hands with Captain Helena Dread.  “Thanks for accepting the offer.”  She leaned over and looked inside, “How long you been standing here, Doctor?”

Reid hesitated, “I…it’s weird being back in Starfleet, Captain.  It’s only been two months.”  She accepted the long look, “I am choosing to come back, I know.”  She sighed, “I didn’t want to return to the Mack, anyway.  Lots of memories there.”

Dread understood.  She’d had her share of places with emotional memories in her career.  “One day at a time, Jordan.  Take your time.”  Helena left, and Reid turned her attention to her office. She needed to get the room and start making it her own.

Jordan met with the Surgery and Critical Care team a few hours later.  They’d worked out duty roster shifts, groups, and operational processes.  There had been some directives from the previous Deputy Chief that needed refreshing.  She’d spent most of the afternoon working through drills with the team.  Then the inventory process.  The chrono on her desk read 2000 hours, and she stretched her back, groaning at the tiredness creeping into her muscles.  The door chime rang, and she glanced up.  She was surprised to see the Chief Engineer standing at the door.  She waved her in, “Greer…didn’t expect to see you so soon.  The medical exam isn’t for another week or so.”

Lieutenant Moore shrugged and held up the twin food containers, “I cooked too much for dinner and figured you’d still be up.  Spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread.”  She spread the containers out on the desk, and Reid smiled appreciatively.

“Mom used to make this every Friday night,” Reid reminisced, “It was an old family tradition to bring everyone together.”  She took a swirl of noodles and sauce, savoring the rich flavor, “You know how to cook, Greer!”  They ate and drank together until the plates were washed clean, and they sat on the couch against the wall.  Jordan held a cup of Synthol wine while Greer cradled a beer.  She wondered aloud, “Was this the right decision?”  She absentmindedly looked at the window by her desk.

Greer sipped at her bottle as she answered, “You told me you were starting to lose your mind on Earth.  Something about needing to be in the ‘great wide open’ is how you phrased it”.  She took another pull from her beer, “I think you’ve made the right call, even if it feels like the wrong decision.  After what happened with the Devore and me…man, I wanted to run as far from space as I could.”

Reid understood.  The Devore had beaten and broken her when they came aboard the Mackenzie.  They’d used her to get onto the battle bridge and nearly steal the saucer section.  She asked, “Why didn’t you?”

Moore drained her glass of wine.  “I felt like I couldn’t let them win.  I felt like it was the coward’s way out to run away.”  She said, “I’ve had a lot of time to think about it…and probably should have taken some time off.  I wouldn’t have made it more than a few months before I found my way back here.”  A thin smile crossed her face, “I think we’ve both been on a journey of grief, Jord.”

Reid nodded and leaned into her friend, “That journey is far from over.  I’m glad I’ve got you and the rest of our group.  I don’t want to do this alone.”

Greer accepted her friend and held her gently, “I don’t want to do it alone either.”