“Chief Diplomatic Officer’s log stardate seven-eight-three-two-six-point-seven-five. The Calypso is only an hour away from the Barzan system. Commander Tomaz and I have successfully conducted a routine mission to Kessik Four to pick up a special package.”

“Morning, Craigen,” Tomaz grumbled as he stifled a yawn.

Turning around in the pilot’s seat, Flemen looked over his shoulder and greeted his friend with a smile. “Hey, sorry, did I wake you?”

Tomaz shook his head as he took the co-pilot’s seat. “Not at all; I wanted to be up before we reached Guardian Station.” He stretched his arms a bit. “How come you’re up as well? Normally, I’m the one waiting for you in The Auditorium for breakfast.”

Flemen chuckled. “It’s nothing serious, but I’ve found it oddly weird just how smooth our ride has been. I woke up about half an hour ago and couldn’t fall back to sleep, so I decided to get up and have a sonic shower.”

Tomaz raised his knees, resting them against the edge of the controls before him. “I know what you mean. This new captain’s yacht is smooth when she’s travelling at high warp.”

“You’re lucky the captain loaned it to you,” Flemen remarked. “Especially as it’s brand new.”

“I know,” Tomaz replied, emphasising his disbelief. “I know the captain said there were no other shuttles or runabouts to take that would get us to Kessik and back in time, but letting us take his new yacht out for a spin was something.”

“I’m sure he has plenty of other things on his mind right now, like the sudden return of his wife from the dead!” Flemen responded. “But letting you take the Calypso to retrieve our special guest was extremely nice.”

Tomaz nodded in agreement. “Yeah, it was.”

“Talking of which, how is my godson doing?” Flemen remarked.

Smirking like the proud dad he was, Tomaz looked at his friend. “He was so excited when he went to bed last night. I’m surprised he eventually slept.”

“It’s going to be good having the civilians back on the Odyssey,” Flemen stated.

“Ah, you may regret saying that when I start calling on you for babysitting duties!” Tomaz said with a chuckle.

Flemen turned to his friend. “You know I’ll do it in a heartbeat.” He turned back to the controls. “Plus, if I don’t do it, he’ll probably end up telling my folks that I’m not fulfilling my duties!”

Both men now chuckled.

“S’Tem certainly enjoyed himself with them; I appreciate them having him,” Tomaz said. “You’re a great friend, Craigen.”

“Hey, it’s not as if he could live with your folks on Barzan. I can’t see him wearing a gas mask for so long.” Flemen said. “Plus, my parents keep pestering my brother and me when we will make them grandparents. At least with S’Tem, I can give them a grand-godson.”

Tomaz agreed with a nod. “They certainly spoilt him, and I’m not sure I could ever thank them enough.”

“Don’t worry about it; I know my dad appreciated that bottle of Draylaxian whiskey you got him, and my mum loved the Tholian silk scarf,” Flemen replied. “And you know they’ll have him again!”

“I’ll remember that when he becomes a moody teenager,” Tomaz laughed. He stretched out a bit. “I’m going to grab a raktajino. You want one?”

Flemen nodded. “Yeah, that sounds good, thanks. My usual order, if you can.”

Tomaz got out of the chair and headed into the middle section to grab their drinks. “Computer, two raktajino, hot, one with double sugar and cream.” 

As the computer created his order, he picked them up and returned to the cockpit. Passing Flemen’s order to him, Tomaz retook his seat. “Marova told me that the entire auxiliary craft compliment on the Odyssey was being replaced before we returned to the Delta Quadrant.”

“No surprise there,” Flemen said as he sipped his Klingon coffee. “Every single shuttle and runabout we had before Frontier Day was either heavily damaged or destroyed as the crew attempted to escape.”

“Yeah,” Tomaz replied grimly as he drank his hot beverage. “Do you think it’s safe again?”

Flemen placed his mug down into the holder beside his controls before answering. “I hope so; with all of the new security measures being brought in, you’d expect we should be in a better position if anything else happens with the Borg or changeling infiltrators.”

“That’s a very diplomatic response, Craigen.” 

“I’m the ship’s diplomat!” Flemen replied with a smirk. “Did I hear right that the captain is considering having it as standard protocol while we’re in the Delta Quadrant that everyone on duty should be armed?”

Tomaz was surprised to hear that. “If he has decided that, then it’s news to me.”

“I hope not,” Flemen stated. “Though I understand if it was something he was entertaining. It’s not as if every mission we’ve taken while in the Delta Quadrant has gone to plan.”

“Planning to return to your role of being a messiah again, Craigen?” Tomaz teased.

Flemen shuddered. “I really do hope we don’t encounter any Pendari,” He paused as he tapped at the flight controls. “That said, we’ll probably have our hands full in peaking up the pieces with the Benthans.” 

Tomaz nodded. “Yeah, the captain is determined to extend an olive branch to them again when we return to the Swallow Nebula region.”

“And he wants to visit the Entharans too,” Flemen added. “I’ve been reading their trading protocols, and they make the Ferengi appear charitable.”

“Ouch,” Tomaz replied. “Talking of Ferengi, did you meet your new Legalistive Officer?”

“You meant Lieutenant Zec?” Flemen checked, which Tomaz nodded at. “Yeah, he seems very competent, but I read in his file that he’s a pretty decent engineer, too. I’m hoping Tierra doesn’t have any ideas about stealing him.”

“Well, I can’t see her doing that anytime soon,” Tomaz replied. “With the high number of new crewmembers we’re getting, we’ll be busy trying to remember so many new names and faces.”

  “And that doesn’t include the cadets,” Flemen remarked. “Our floating starbase nickname is certainly becoming more realistic.”

  Tomaz was about to answer when the door to the cockpit slid open, and he turned around to see his son standing in the doorway. The Romulan boy still wore his pyjamas and held on to his stuffed toy, Toby the Targ. 

“Hey, little man, what are you doing up so early?” Tomaz asked him as he got up and walked over to S’Tem.

“I’m hungry, Dad,” S’Tem answered as he rubbed his eye. 

“I think it’s a little bit too early to eat, mate,” Tomaz said as he kneeled beside his son. “Try and get back to bed and sleep more. It won’t be long until we get back to the Odyssey.”

“But I’m hungry, Dad,” S’Tem whined.

“Yeah, me too!” Flemen said as he got up and joined his friend and godson. 

“See, Dad, even Uncle Craigen is hungry!” S’Tem exclaimed as he rubbed his belly. “Please, can we have some breakfast!”

Realising he couldn’t win this one, Tomaz nodded and picked up his son to head back to the middle section of the ship. “What do you fancy?”

“Pancakes!” Flemen instantly replied. “With lots of syrup, sugar and other yummy things!”

“Yes, pancakes!” S’Tefe agreed, laughing at Flemen’s idea.

Sighing that he would likely have to clean up after not just his son but his friend, too, Tomaz looked at the two of them. “Okay, but we cannot leave any sticky marks on the captain’s new yacht.”

“Don’t worry, Tomaz, I’ll get some of our new junior officers to clean it up!” Flemen assured his friend as he went over to the replicator and started to order large quantities of pancakes. 

Tomaz closed his eyes, hoping that they returned the Calypso in the same condition that Fleet Captain McCallister gave it to them.