Walking into the Gateway, one of the premier nightclubs on Guardian Station, Rubon Jarata smiled excitedly as he saw his friends waiting for him by the bar. This would be the first time they would have been in each other’s company since Frontier Day. It was also a chance to get together to celebrate those among them who had received a promotion recently. Jarata was one of them, as were Jonarom and Jirani. This could also be the last time they would be together before the Odyssey Squadron left Starbase 38. The Constitution had replaced the Triton and Bellerophon for the moment. Whether Starfleet could spare any other ships for the squadron’s long-range exploration assignment of the Delta Quadrant would be a matter they would have to wait for. Though Fleet Captain McCallister had insisted on not losing anyone from the Bellerophon and Triton, it did mean, for some, they were being split up. So the plan had been for the former command staff for the Bellerophon to get together for celebratory drinks while they could. Jarata was pleased to be taking a night off the Constitution. Though eager to fly the new ship, he struggled to get along with some of the Triton lot. He couldn’t quite work out what the issue was, but there was undoubtedly some low-level tension that made Jarata uncomfortable. He didn’t like how there was some resentment from those on the Triton being forced to be with those from the Bellerophon. It was almost like they looked down at the Bellerophon lot as if they couldn’t do their work. 

As Jarata strolled further into the dimly lit nightclub, he saw many customers enjoying themselves on the dance floor. Several of them were of different species, and he was sure he saw a few officers from the Odyssey and Themis there. This nightclub reminded him of some similar establishments back on Risa that he enjoyed going to when he was growing up. Knowing how to look the part, Jarata certainly did stand out among the crowd with his sharp appearance. His button-down silk navy blue shirt hugged his muscular frame perfectly, while his sleek black trousers and loafers completed the look. As such, his friends noticed him, and they all got out of their stalls to rush over to greet him. 

After hugging them all, Jarata was so pleased to see them after not being together for a few weeks. “Ah, guys, it’s so good to see you!” Jarata said, grinning from ear to ear. They all walked back to where they had been originally.

Looking at them all, he was impressed that they all dressed up for the occasion, too. Commander Jirani Edeena wore a tight, strapless white dress with her blonde hair all pulled up into a bun, while Doctor Sarella Corben had curled her long black hair while she wore a very glitzy dress that appeared to sparkle in the club’s lights. Wearing similar attire to him was Lieutenant Jonarom. The young Ardanan had swept his dark brown hair back while wearing a purple shirt. Jarata chuckled somewhat, as he knew that the shirt had been a birthday gift he had given Jonarom last year when they had gone out to one of the bars on the Markonian Outpost. Jonarom had asked Jarata for fashion tips, which he was more than happy to provide.

Along with the purple shirt (which was skin tight, and he had undone a good number of the top buttons to reveal his chest slightly), Jonarom was wearing black trousers, too. Beside him was Counsellor Krizon Hilgan. Now, Hilgan had gone all out with what he was wearing. A dark red shirt with matching grey trousers and waistcoat. He and Hilgan had decided to call it a day with their relationship after Frontier Day. It was tough, especially after Jarata had to stun Hilgan during the Frontier Day disaster. Hilgan and T’Penni had tried to assimilate the Bellerophon while under the control of the Jupiter Signal. If it hadn’t been for his and Jirani’s quick thinking on how to disable the ship while it was drydocked, as well as Corben’s plan to catch them both to be put away in stasis in the morgue, then none of them would be standing there today. Jonarom had apparently turned against Fleet Captain McCallister and the Odyssey’s senior staff while on the bridge of the Odyssey. Thankfully, he had survived the ordeal, too.

However, tonight was about them forgetting all of that and coming together one more time to celebrate their new assignments and raise a drink to those who were not with them. Jarata and Jirani had organised their gathering. 

Jarata followed them back to the area of the bar they occupied. 

“Now, get this down you, Lieutenant Commander Jarata, that’s an order!” Jirani Edeena said as she passed a drink to the Risian. It was a shot of something, which they all had a glass of. 

Jarata sniffed it but couldn’t work out what it was. “Aye, Commander Jirani!” He replied, emphasising her new rank as much as she had done with his. Drinking the beverage in one go was like gulping down a bag of bat’leths; it was sharp and probably stupid.

Corben gave a short, disgusted sound as she put her empty shot glass down. “That was revolting,” She said, squirming more.

Shaking his head as he put his glass down next to hers, Hilgan didn’t like it either. “Did I taste blood wine in that?”

Jirani nodded. “A dash of blood wine with tequila. It’s called a Shot of Grethor.”

“It is disgusting,” Jonarom said as he looked at the shot glass and placed it down with the others on the bar. He turned to Jarata. “So, is T’Penni joining us?”

Hearing the young man’s eagerness, Jarata didn’t have the heart to tell the whole truth. “She was stuck in engineering running a level four diagnostic on the warp core assembly; I’m not sure she wanted to leave until it was done.”

“Oh,” Jonarom said, a dash of disappointment appearing. 

Jarata placed a reassuring hand on Jonarom’s shoulder. “Hopefully she’ll make it,” He said. “Anyway, tell me more about your new exciting position, Mister Chief Communications Officer!”

Jonarom blushed at that before answering. His tone was almost flat. “Well, it’s certainly different to the science department.”

“Hey, stop knocking yourself, Jonarom. You’ve achieved the impossible at becoming the youngest department head on an Odyssey-class ship, and it’s not any ship – it’s the Odyssey!” Kilgan said, trying to encourage him.

“Jonarom, we are all proud of you!” Jirani added as she picked up her Bajoran spring wine to take a sip. 

“Yeah, some of us aren’t running our own departments anymore!” Corben dryly said.

“Come on, Sarella, again, you’ve got the chance to work with one of the finest physicians in the fleet, and you’re doing the job that is normally reserved for someone at the rank of a lieutenant commander,” Jarata stated. It was his turn to try and inject some enthusiasm, “Plus, you’ve got a huge medical department that will be working for you. Doctor Slyvexs wouldn’t have considered you if she didn’t think you’re good enough.”

“Fine, I will enjoy it,” Corben said after sighing as she sipped her Cosmopolitan. 

Jarata chuckled to himself; he had always loved how adaptable Corben would be when she was in a situation she didn’t like. He had learned quickly to be straightforward with her and give her the facts; she usually would agree to give something a go. He gave her a wink before going to the bar to order himself a Risan mai-tai. As he waited, the others continued to talk among themselves. Jirani soon joined him. 

“So, tell me, how come you turned down the captain’s offer of joining us on the Constitution?” He asked her.

The Bajoran woman sighed. “I wanted to try something new,” Jirani shared. “I think with Jaz dying and that whole Borg palaver, it’s giving me a new perspective on the direction I want to take.”

“So the Prophets have spoken?” Jarata said as his drink arrived, and he took it.

She shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe, but I get to try out the command division for a bit and teach some of those fine young cadets who need a bit of encouragement after being partially assimilated.”

“I hear you’ll be working with Captain Reyas,” Jarata stated, “Have you two met yet?”

“Yeah, we met for coffee the other day; she seems nice,” Jirani answered. “She definitely knows her stuff, plus she made a personal request.”

“Oh?” Jarata said, wondering what that was. “Do tell.”

“Her son is a cadet on the Odyssey,” She replied.

Jarata nodded. “Oh yeah, the captain has mentioned his nephew before. Archie, right?”

“Alfie,” Jirani corrected. “Anyway, she told me that she didn’t want anyone to think she was giving him an easy ride, no nepotism or anything like that. So she wants me to keep on top of him to make sure he does his best or thinks he can get away with anything because she’s now in charge of the training unit.” 

Jarata laughed. “That poor kid,” He shook his head. “With you all over him, he won’t be able to get a single lock of hair out of line.”

She lightly slapped his shoulder, “Hey, I’m not that bad,” Jirani replied with mock defence. “I met him, and he seems like a good kid. He kind of reminds me of Jonarom a bit. From what I can tell, he isn’t like his mother or father. He might be more like his uncle.”

“Oh, wow, you certainly need to bash that out of him! I don’t think the universe is ready for another Horatio McCallister!” Jarata joked again before sipping more of his drink.

“It’s going to be weird,” Jirani said as she leaned against the bar. “All of us, not altogether.”

“At least we’re not that far from each other,” Jarata said, inferring the squadron makeup. 

“Talking of not being together anymore,” Jirani whispered. “What’s going on with you and Krizon? Do you think you guys will get back together? You make a cute couple.”

Jarata shook his head while chuckling. He looked at Hilgan talking to the others a couple of meters away from them. “I’m sorry, Edeena, I think that’s one connection that the Borg certainly severed and one the Prophets certainly won’t change.”

“Wow, I never thought I’d see the day when you two would end it,” Jirani said with a surprised tone. She looked at her friend. “Am I seeing a new and improved Rubon Jarata?”

He scratched the back of his head. “I kind of feel I need to prove the captain’s trust in me,” Jarata said with a sigh as he dropped his hand. “This promotion is early; I know I can do the job he wants me to do, but I know there’ll be others on the Constitution who disagree with it. So maybe, for a while, I need to be a bit more grown up, a bit more focussed on my job than my personal life.”

Impressed with his remarks, Jirani nodded. “Fair play, but don’t forget all work, and no play will certainly make Rubon a very dull lieutenant commander.”

“I know, I know,” He replied. “I just need to prove it not just to them but to myself, too.”

She raised her glass to his. “To new adventures.”

“To new adventures,” Jarata agreed with a smile. He was pleased with his decision, even if it meant he wouldn’t get to spend every day with this group of people. He knew they would have his back, wherever they were in the squadron. “Now, come on, commander, we have a dance floor, and I want to get Jonarom up on that floating platform to prove he is from a cloud city!” 

She burst into laughter as they finished their drinks and went to the others to push them across to the dance floor, where the music was blaring out, and other people were enjoying themselves.