Ozzy's quarters aboard the USS Blythe serve as his sanctuary. His mentor, Lieutenant Commander Arden, must have really pulled some strings to get Ozzy his own quarters as a Cadet, yet the room is a welcome respite from the bustling chaos of his work. The room's subdued lighting casts a tranquil aura, creating a haven of solace. Lost in his thoughts, he contemplates the boundless mysteries of the universe, oblivious to the passage of time. A soft chime rings, signaling an incoming holocall.

At the sound, Ozzy's shoulders droop slightly, he felt like his feet were in treacle, as he approached the console like a schoolboy summoned to the headmasters' office. He entertains the notion of letting it ring, allowing the echoes of space to swallow the connection. 

But in the end, he forces himself forward, compelled by a sense of duty.

The holocall connects, and an image gradually coalesces before him. Suddenly, Ozzy finds himself staring at a holographic projection of his older brother, Cam, and those all-too-familiar, penetrating blue eyes.

"Hey there, Lil bro," Cam's cheerful voice resonates through the room. "I was starting to wonder if you'd ever answer."

Ozzy is acutely aware that he needs to mask his genuine emotions from one of the people who know him best. His energy levels have plummeted in the past week, a gnawing emptiness in his stomach, but Ozzy just can't bring himself to eat. A fleeting, almost reluctant, curve brushes his lips as he responds to Cam. “Hey, Cam! Maintenance tasks, you know how it goes,” he mumbles.

Cam's curiosity is piqued, his brow furrowing with concern. “Whoa... What...? Is the Blythe an Orion slave vessel now? Maintenance tasks in your quarters? They've got you working overtime in there?”

Caught off guard, Ozzy scrambles for an explanation, weaving a web of falsehoods. "No, um, I've been using the console to oversee some remote diagnostics. Efficiency is key, you know."

Cam, seemingly uninterested in probing further, shifts the conversation. "Ah, I see. Well then, how are things? Commander Arden must have you knee-deep in intriguing projects out there in the Deneb sector, with all that 'science stuff' of yours, right?"

Ozzy's response lacks the fervor and enthusiasm one might expect. "Yeah, it's been... interesting," he says, his tone tinged with a subdued excitement that struggles to break free. “Just last week, we ventured into the heart of the Ciater Nebula.”

Ozzy's mind drifted back to the moment, and suddenly, he found himself transported back to the Ciater Nebula, reliving the past. Only just over a week ago, the doubt and eerie feeling in his body had just started to appear, he had been wholly engrossed in his scientific pursuits within the sterile confines of the research lab. He had meticulously combed through the intricate patterns of the nebula, hunting for elusive particles that held the promise of scientific discovery.

Then, Commander Selene Arden had graced the lab with her presence, her Betazoid empathy sharp as a sensor array. As her gaze fell upon Ozzy, her eyes bore into his soul, as if she could perceive the very essence of his being. Her words had cut through the silence like a phaser beam.

"Cadet Solari, are you alright?" she had inquired with genuine concern. "It feels like the entire lab is filled with your sorrow."

In that vulnerable moment, Ozzy had felt like a tiny vessel adrift in the vast sea of the cosmos. He couldn't decide if having a Betazoid mentor was a blessing or a curse. The weight of his emotions had pressed upon him, urging him to bare his soul. So, he had chosen the path of honesty, letting the waves of his feelings crash against the barriers of his composure.

"I-I don't know if I want to be here, and I don't know how to feel about that," he had stammered, his voice quivering like a distant signal in a cosmic void.

"What do you mean, Ozzy?" Selene had probed, reaching out to him like a lifeline.

Ozzy had paused, his thoughts coalescing like dark clouds on a stormy night. "Well, you see," he had begun, his words carrying the weight of a starship's hull, "While I do appreciate the opportunity you've given me, I wasn't prepared for this. I hadn't expected to be out here already, not for another three years at least." His voice had trailed off, and a heavy silence descended upon the lab, like the oppressive vacuum of space pressing against his chest.

"Go on," Selene had encouraged, her reassuring smile a distant star in the night, inviting him to continue.

"Ozzy? Ozzy?"

The soft murmur of his name pulls Ozzy from the intricate daydream he's weaving in his mind. He blinks and refocuses, meeting the deep blue gaze of his older brother, Cam.

Cam's concern is evident as he asks, "Hey, there you are. I'm starting to worry you've fallen asleep or something. Is everything okay? You seem distant."

Ozzy's gaze briefly flickers, his thoughts lingering on the turmoil within. "Yeah, sorry, Cam," he replies, his voice carrying a hint of weariness. "It's just been a tough week."

Cam leans in closer, his eyes seem to catch the hidden layers of Ozzy’s turmoil, his brow furrowed. Ozzy's eyes dart to a nearby window, a fleeting attempt to escape the introspection, and before his brother can ask him anything, he says, “How are things over at Starbase Bravo?”

"Well... you know, the usual… Although it is more challenging than I expected," Cam admits, “I still can't help but wish I were serving on a starship like you. I was chatting with Mom and Dad the other day, and I told them I'd love to join you and explore the stars instead of watching them from my office. Speaking of which, you won’t believe what happened to me the other day!”

Ozzy's thoughts had drifted once more, triggered by the mere mention of his parents. His mind had transported him back to a recent conversation he had engaged in, a conversation that had unfolded just two days prior within the welcoming embrace of the Holodeck. He and Ensign Jazara Koran had been leisurely strolling through the holographic recreation of San Francisco.

As they ambled along the virtual streets, Ozzy couldn't help but reveal the weight that had rested upon his heart. "It was just... You know," he remembered saying, his voice tinged with a hint of melancholy, “I told Commander Arden that I didn't quite belong here at the moment. It had only been a few months since I left my parents behind to enroll at the Academy.”

Jazara's curiosity had been piqued as she probed further, “And what was her response?”

With a heavy sigh, Ozzy had replied, his eyes scanning the familiar yet surreal surroundings. "She said it was normal to feel that way, that we all left someone behind, and that I should give it time—maybe a few weeks, at least."

His breath had quivered as he exhaled, and his gaze had swept the holographic cityscape. A strange sensation had gnawed at his stomach, and unbidden tears had welled up behind his eyes.

Jazara, her attention still fixed on the holographic sidewalk beneath her feet, had remained oblivious to Ozzy's inner turmoil. She had probed further, her voice gentle and caring. "Well, I think she's right, you know. Have you talked to your parents about how you were feeling? Or your brother?"

Ozzy's response had carried the weight of his unspoken emotions. "No, I couldn't bring myself to burden my parents with this," he had confessed, his voice quivering with vulnerability. "They have already endured the loss of students during that horrific Frontier Day last month, and...” He had paused, contemplating the isolation of his emotions before continuing, "As for Cam, I just know he misses this beautiful city too.” Ozzy paused again as it felt like the grip on his throat had tightened.

After a few breaths, he continued, “I mean, just look at it."

Suddenly, Ozzy's attention transports him back to his cramped quarters, his brother’s voice buzzing in the airwaves like a charged lightning storm. Cam, with his boundless enthusiasm, can power the entire ship if harnessed.

"And then Commander Vlček takes the controls," Cam exclaims, his words rushing like a river in full spate. "She brings the fighter even lower in the atmosphere. I have to tell you, Ozzy! I sure can fly, but compared to her, it's like I've just learned to walk."

Ozzy manages a strained smile. "Wow, she must be really something Ozzy manages to say, suppressing a sigh. Cam's story is amazing, no doubt. But the hollowness inside him persists, a constant reminder of what he left behind.

Luckily for Ozzy, Cam's fervor leaves little room for Ozzy's need to shroud his true emotions. "She is!" Cam exclaims, and he's off again, plunging into his tale. "And then we saved the Cadets! So basically, we saved them because you bore me with your science stuff when we still lived at home. Otherwise, I would never have even thought of tachyons!"

Ozzy's thoughts drifted once more, carrying him back to the previous night when he had sought solace from his mentor, Lieutenant Commander Arden. He had bared his soul, describing the relentless blockade in his limbs, the invisible stranglehold constricting his throat, and the relentless yearning for something that lay far beyond the star-studded expanse. He blinked back tears, finally unleashing the torrent of emotions that had festered beneath the surface.

However, the response he received from the Empath was far from what he had anticipated. Her gaze, though empathetic, had held a stark pragmatism.

"Cadet," she had uttered, her voice tinged with detachment, "our mission is of paramount importance. Starfleet won't divert precious resources for every crew member gripped by some homesickness. As I told you before, it’s part of life."

Her words, though painfully accurate, had pierced Ozzy's heart, forcing him to face the unforgiving reality. There was no respite. After a lingering pause, she had delivered the directive that stung even more deeply, her voice laced with the harshness of reality.

“Toughen up, Cadet! That’s an order.”

Abruptly, Ozzy is yanked from his daydream once more, but this time it isn't his brother's doing. Instead, it is the cheerful chirping of his communicator, followed by a commanding voice that brings him back to reality and even silences Cam's torrent of words.

"Cadet Solari, your transport to Farpoint Station will be ready in approximately fifteen minutes."

"Affirmative, I'll be there," Ozzy replies to the anonymous voice before the channel closes.

Cam immediately begins probing his younger brother, saying, "The infamous Farpoint Station, huh? Sounds important. Why are they sending a Cadet?"

"Yes, sorry Cam, I'll explain later. I really need to go," Ozzy declares, and after receiving a nod, Cam's image vanishes.

Ozzy rises from his chair, heaving a deep sigh, but this time it is a sigh of relief. He walks toward the door, where his neatly arranged bags await him on the floor. As he exits his room, a sense of gratitude washes over him, directed towards his mentor, who has once again pulled some strings for him. But most of all, Ozzy feels happiness, the kind that comes from heading back home.