—- USS Seattle, Starbase 72 ——

“And this is the bridge,” Captain Cruz said, leading her next First Officer Andrés Sánchez around. He took it in, and tried to imagine it crowded with crew as opposed to a few engineers who were fixing things and performing some upgrades. It was not as lush as the bridge on the USS Obama or on his old ship the USS Amiens. It was new, clean and modern, but smaller than some other classes of ships. It was small, compact, but gave them enough space though it was clear that her new First Officer was wanting a big, or even multiple science stations on the bridge.

“Small,” he said.

”And fast,” the Captain said. 

She lead him to his room which was her old room. While there was not much difference the symbolic change was important to Captain Cruz, even if it had been more work. It showed progress in life, even if on the same ship. She took him to her former room on Deck 1, and they stowed his duffle.

”Small,” he said again looking around.

”For someone so talkative you seem to have gotten quite quiet,” Cruz said, “Is that all you say now?”

”I was off for four months, I had a large room back in Mexico City,” Sánchez said.

Cruz nodded, “Rich kids usually do.”

”There’s no more money, nobody is rich or poor,” Sánchez said, “So don’t give me the hard knock life story. I’ve been nothing but supportive of you joining the family.”

”Yeah you grew up on an acreage and a vineyard, and I get up in a single bedroom apartment,“ Cruz said, “Tell me again how everyone is equal now? Now if you don’t want to come, I’m fine with leaving you on the dock but if you’re my First Officer stop calling our ship small, and get on with helping it to be amazing.”

He looked at her and nodded, “I am sorry. I do not mean to put down the ship, I just, I got used to luxury I know isn’t in space. Not on a Starfleet ship anyway. I am trying to be better to you, our father… I have never had a sister and now I have an older one.”

Cruz sighed, “It’s not all your fault. I cared for the Captain, Hawthrone. I’d be happier with him back and me as his XO, and then finding out that I missed out having it all because my father had an affaire before marriage. Well it made me feel a lot of things. Including unwanted.”

Sánchez laughed, “I just sat through a ride from Each where the Andorian captain made moon eyes at you. You are not unwanted.“

Cruz smiled, “Okay. I hear you, we’ll both try to be better. Tomorrow we get our marching orders.”

”Until then I will settle into my small quarters,” Sánchez said and laughed.

Cruz shook her head and departed leaving her First Officer to settle in.

—- Quark’s Lounge, Starbase 72 —-

“If you squint you can pretend it’s the original one,” Lieutenant Claudia Jara said to the Andorian.

Captain Shraa looked around, “I don’t know I was on Deep Space Nine, it didn’t look like this.”

”Did you fight in the war with the Dominion?” asked Jara.

”How old do I look?” Shraa asked.

”Easy now ladies don’t get into a fight. I just wanted you to meet, Jara we’ve been getting intimate and that’s over now I’m with Captain Shraa,” Captain Cruz said.

Jara nodded, “I wasn’t looking for anything serious, it’s fine. I’m not going to fight this blue Adonis for you Cruz.”

Captain Shraa nodded, “Not that it would be much of a fight. But I appreciate that Lieutenant.”

Jara nodded, she doubted the Andorians bluster but she also knew that fights with Andorians, like those with Klingons, could get out of hand quickly. One minute they were fighting over a woman and the next someone was in the sickbay. 

“We could still have a three…”

”Jara!” Cruz said sharply, quieting her new Chief of Security.

“I’m just pushing buttons,” Jara said holding her hands up in a form of surrender.

Chief Science Officer Gabriella Miller came by, stopping at the trio’s table, “Hey Captain, welcome back. I met your brother today our next XO. Smart guy, I’m glad we’re getting a science XO this time.”

Cruz smiled, “Yeah the last one way a bone head.”

Miller nodded, “Oh yeah total dumb dumb. Just so you know, that’s sarcastic, I know you were the last XO.”

”Thank you Miller,” Cruz said, “Why don’t you join us, I’m sure it’ll be awkward.”

She smiled and nodded, “Yes Ma’am. Hello I’m Gabriella Miller of the Seattle, Chief Science officer.”

”I’m Captain Shraa, Captain Cruz’s Consort,” Shraa said.

“That’s just a fancy way of saying we’re dating,” Cruz said.

Shraa wrapped her arms around Cruz, perhaps feeling a bit awkward at meeting so many new people. Cruz leaned back against the Andorian, and while leaning on a human might provide body warmth Shraa seemed to steal it, she was cold but then again Andorians were cold blooded.

”Get me something fruity and boozy,” Cruz said heading to find if Quark franchised rest rooms as well as Dabo tables. 

“I didn’t know the Captain was gay I thought the was dating the other Captain,” Miller said.

”She’s bi. And she was,” Jara said, “And me.”

”Oh you were dating Hawthorne too?” Miller asked confused.

”No, Cruz after,” Jara said.

”So you’re bi too?” Miller asked.

”No, homosexual,” Jara said.

”Oh, well me too. I just didn’t know there were so many, you know homosexuality in plants is much more interesting than…” Miller began.

”Yeah I don’t care about plants,” Jara said.

”Sorry neither do I,” Captain Shraa agreed flagging down a server, they needed drinks and a lot of them.

—- USS Seattle, Bridge —-

It took a few days to finish the work, but the USS Seattle was ready to leave Starbase 72 finally. Some of their crew had to be taken for additional medical treatment and even with new officers rotating in they were a heavily female crewed ship. They had lost their last captain, to desk duty and their Chief Security Officer was on his way back to his home world for most complicated surgery. The crew, like their ship, was beaten and battered but unbowed. 

“Take us out slowly Pr’Nor,“ Captain Cruz said, “Open a ship wide broadcast Lieutenant Commander Miller.”

Miller nodded when a channel had been opened with the rest of the ship as it pulled away from dock and headed towards the opening to open space. Much smaller than the station was able to handle, it had no problem exiting and slowly moving away from the station.

”Attention crew, this is Captain Adriana Cruz. To those of you who have been with us for awhile, welcome back, I hope to live up to what Captain Hawthorne did. To those of you who just joined us, welcome. We have been through a lot, much of it together, but we are good at what we do. Every Captain says they have the best crew in the fleet, but this is my first real mission as Captain, so I don’t know,” Cruz said, “What I do know if that you’re my crew and you’re perfect for me and for the Seattle. Thank you all.”

She looked around the bridge, “I received out orders from Starfleet yesterday which is a border patrol, so we may see more combat. We’re capable, we’re ready. We’ll make ourselves proud. From here on out, it’s not about admirals and Starfleet, it’s about each other. Keep each other safe and we’ll be back home soon. Thank you.”

The made a signal like she was cutting her own neck, and Gabriella Miller shut it down and then shot the Captain a ’Thumbs Up’ motion to let her know if was off.

”Pretty inspiring,” Sánchez said as his sister and Captain fell into the chair next to him.

“Bits of it were, I should have planned out the ending,” Cruz said. Then looking at her Chief Flight Control Officer she said, “Warp six Lieutenant.”

”Yes ma’am,” the Vulcan said.