Logic indicates that the Captain is dead.

We have spent nearly 24 Terran hours in the Napoda System trying to find some sign of Captain McCoy. We have returned to the satellite. We have boarded the derelict ships. We have scanned Napoda Prime. We have diverted all available power to long range sensors and we have found no signs that there is any other active ship within light years of the Maximus. Zarva has broken down our transporters to the component level to search for signs of any flaw, any defect, that might explain the Captain's disappearance.

We have found nothing.

Admiral Quinn could spare no other ships to aid in our search, but he gave Commander Flores this time to try to find the Captain. In less perilous times, more consideration would be given to discovering the fate of a man with the Captain's reputation, but the very survival of the Federation is in doubt now. My calculations indicate it is highly improbable that he will extend the deadline.

Captain McCoy is gone.

Kaiidth. What is, is.

I have done what I can to find the Captain. Now I must do what the Captain would want me to do. I must make sure that Commander Flores does not throw away her career trying to save a dead man.

It will not be easy.

Commander Flores has many admirable qualities, but she is human. She is highly loyal- a trait that- while laudable under normal circumstances- nearly caused her expulsion from Starfleet Academy. She is emotional, stubborn. She will not give up.

And Captain McCoy is her t'hy'la.

She prowls the bridge like an angry mother le-matya that is looking for a lost cub. Newer bridge officers- those who did not know her in her Academy days- have never seen her so angry, so reckless. She looks over their shoulders, muttering curses in her native Spanish at what she sees.

She has not slept since the Captain disappeared.

(Neither have I, but I am a Vulcan.)

I will have to speak. "Commander Flores, may I speak to you in private?"

She looks at me with a wild flare of hope in her eyes. "You've found something, T'Vrell?"

"No. But it is imperative that I speak with you in private."

"My place is on the bridge."

"Commander, I must insist."

She looks at me, anger starting to kindle in her eyes. "T'Vrell-"

I lower my voice to make sure that no one else will hear me. Fortunately, I am the only Vulcan on the bridge this watch. "Elisa, do not make me call Dr. Morek."

"The Captain's ready room. You've got five minutes." She does not look at me until we're in the ready room and the door is closed. "What?"

"Our time is nearly up."

"I'm not through here, T'Vrell. I won't leave until we find Simon."

Simon. I have not heard her use the Captain's first name since she became his first officer. She has been a textbook perfect First Officer with no sign that they had ever had anything but a professional relationship.

"Elisa, you cannot disobey a direct order from Admiral Quinn."

"Watch me."

I had been afraid of this. "Elisa, that would be mutiny. Your career in Starfleet will be over. You will never hold command rank again."

"I don't care. I'm not leaving without Simon!" She is not crying, but she is not far from it. "He wouldn't leave you or me- hell, he wouldn't leave an ensign who had walked on board five minutes ago without finding out what happened to them!"

"I know." And I do. I had known the Captain- Simon- nearly as long as Elisa had. He was my friend. My first human friend. My first friend at the Academy.

Without his encouragement, I never would have retaken my linguistics exams.

"Do you believe he's dead?"

"Logic-"

"Don't talk to me about logic, T'Vrell. Don't talk to me about probabilities. Tell me- after all we've seen- all we've been through- do you really think we could lose Simon in some freak transporter accident that leaves no trace that Zarva can find? Just like that?" She snaps her fingers. "Do you believe Simon is dead?"

I know the answer that I should give. The one that might finally convince Commander Flores to accept the reality of the situation. The one that Captain McCoy would want me to give.

But I am a Vulcan and I cannot lie in this.

"No. I do not."

Elisa closes her eyes and her shoulders slump in relief. "Thank God."

"But Admiral Quinn will not allow us to remain here indefinitely, Elisa. We have no facts to support our belief that Captain McCoy is alive. He will order the Maximus to move on."

"I'll refuse."

"Then he will remove you from command. If I am placed in command, I will refuse as well. Commander Kolez may also refuse, but at some point Admiral Quinn will reach someone in the command chain who will follow his orders. We cannot help Captain McCoy by sacrificing our careers."

"Are you saying we should just abandon him?"

I do not like the way I feel when she says that, but I am a Vulcan and I control my emotions. They do not control me. "The Captain is very resourceful. If necessary, he will survive until we are able to aid him- directly or indirectly."

Commander Flores scowls at me. Her fists are balled up. For a moment, I believe she may actually attempt to physically assault me.

I prepare myself.

We are friends. We have been friends for years. Captain McCoy brought us together in friendship- will he also be what finally separates us?

"Bridge to Commander T'Vrell, we have something."

Commander Flores sighs. "God, I'm sorry, T'Vrell. Forgive me."

"The cause is sufficient." I nod and then tap my badge. "Bridge, this is Commander T'Vrell. Go ahead."

"We're getting some kind of distress signal. It sounds Romulan, but there's something funny about it."

"The Romulans are not renowned for their sense of humor, Ensign-"

"That's not what I mean, Commander. I'll pipe it into the Ready Room for you."

I exchange glances with Commander Flores as we listen to the signal.

"It's definitely Romulan," Commander Flores observes.

"Affirmative." But there was something more.

I listen to the signal twice to make certain of what I am hearing.

Commander Flores looks at me. "Is that …?"

I nod. "I told you the Captain was resourceful." I tap the console on the Captain's desk and increase the audio. "He manually adjusted the signal." I tap the desk in tune with the broadcast. "Shave and a haircut ..."

"Two bits." Commander Flores grins at me. "Dear God, he drove me crazy when he'd do that in the Academy!" She taps her combadge. "Flores to bridge. We've found the Captain. Repeat, we've found the Captain." She grins savagely. "And we're going to get him!"

Captain McCoy is alive. He found a way to signal us. He has done his part.

Now it's time for the Maximus to bring him home.