Captain's Log Stardate 240107.08. We're nearly finished our year-long refit at Avalon Fleet Yards, the USS Valkyrie is nearly ready to return to the cosmos. The last thing we are in need of is the rest of the crew and the senior staff. Who should be arriving in system in the next few hours… hopefully.

  “End log,” he said as he stood at the desk. He walked around the desk and went towards the couch that sat under the three large windows. He sat down as he looked out into the busy fleet yard.

‘It’s hard to believe that after a year we will finally be going back out there,' he thought. As he continued to gaze out of the window, ‘I hope the crew is ready for what is to come next.’

As he sat there gazing out of the window a chime came from the door. He stood from his seat, “Come,” he said. As the doors opened to reveal who it was his face lit up. ‘It can’t be,' he thought to himself.

“Well if it isn't, Captain Gabriel Jackson,” the captain said to him as the doors closed behind them.

“Captain D'Antonio,” Gabriel said starstruck. He smiled at her as he went in for a hug. “How long has it been, Captain?” he asked her as they shared a long overdue embrace.

“Too long,” Raven responded as she hugged him back.

As they stood there the years melted away in a warmth of familiarity even after they stopped hugging they were overcome with a sense of joy and sadness. As they sat there a cascade of memories hit them both. They reminisced about the missions and adventures they shared. As they talked their laughter echoed throughout the room as their reunion transcended the years they had been apart.

“Raven I almost forgot to ask. What brings you here?” he asked her as they both sipped out of their mug.

“The Anderson,” she started, “had to be brought to dry dock.”

“Why did something happen?” he asked her concerned for her well-being.

“We were patrolling the Ysidro sector and all of a sudden an Orion ship attacked us. We managed to destroy it but not before it but not before we took critical damage to our warp core and had to be towed here. So we will be stuck here for a while,” she said nodding her head as she looked at Gabriel.

“You for sure have had the better hand. Seeing as you're in command of a Sovereign class,” she said as she looked around, then returned her eyes to him smiling.

“This old thing,” he said looking around the room, “I've had it for a while,” he said playfully. They both laughed at his stupid humor.

“Have you already selected your senior staff?” she asked him.

“Yes, I have,” he said as he stood up and walked over to his desk. “I was going to contact you to get your opinion,” he said as he picked up a PADD from the desk. “What do you think of my selections?” he asked her as he handed her the PADD and sat back down.

“All of it looks good, I'm just curious about one thing. What's with the hazard team, and why hasn't anyone been assigned to it?" she questioned him as she handed him the PADD back and took a sip of her coffee.

“Command said it was non-negotiable to remove it, and I wanted the chief tactical officer the decision of who will be assigned to the team and who's not,” He said as he placed the PADD on the table.

“Will the team be part-time or full-time," she asked him as she moved closer to him.

“Part-time only to become operations when I deem it necessary,” he said to her as he moved closer to her.

They sat there for what felt like an eternity, and unspoken tension grew in the air. They had felt this between them before but it had been so long they had nearly forgotten about it.

As they gazed at each other's eyes they shared a silent confession of a desire they both shared. Even though what they felt for each other could work now, they feared what would happen to a friendship that meant so much it didn't work.

The ever-growing tension grew as the silence between them continued. Though physically close, an emotional chasm separated them. Two hearts yearning for each other calling for each other for a connection they didn't want to risk.

“Bridge to Captain Jackson,” a voice spoke over the intercom breaking the silence.

“Jackson, here,” Gabriel said breaking the awkward silence that had grown between the two of them.

“The remaining crew including the senior staff has just arrived in system and are making their way to the ship right now.”

“Thank you, for informing me. Jackson, out.”

“Well,” Raven said as she stood up from the couch and set her mug on the coffee table. “It seems you will have a lot of work to do. So I think I will be making my exit now,” she said as Gabriel stood up alongside her.

“Until next time, Raven,” Gabriel said to her smiling. He truly did hope that would see each other again.

“Until we meet again,” she said as she walked out of the door.

Gabriel walked over to his desk and sat down in his chair. Raven's departure left an echoing absence in the room an ache in his chest grew. Her absence cast a shadow over the room leaving him in the dark. But he pushed his feelings to the side as he focused on the task at hand.

Approving all of these transfer requests.