A/N: She's back! Everyone's favourite Bajoran returns, in a brand new story, directed by Jonathan Frakes!* A special thank you to all my readers and supporters, but a MASSIVE vote of thanks to Kretolus, who has read and reviewed pretty much every STO fic I've written from the start. His own stories are excellent, and you should totally read those too!
I should also apologise for the long hiatus. Things have been mad, with christmas, and the new year, and A LOT of parenting, and then there was a small Tribble infestation we had to get rid of,** but we're okay now!
Star Trek Online is not mine, etc.
* - probably a lie.
** - definitely a lie.
The diminutive form of Admiral Kassai Lydana stormed down the corridor of the Shadow of Bajor, the tails of her Intelligence-issued long coat snapping behind her. She sipped her Vulcan spiced tea as she strode towards the bridge, giving a short nod to any crewmembers that greeted her.
She felt renewed, revitalised...but also colder, as though something was missing from her. She knew that there was, but she could no longer dwell in her grief – she had spent time on Mol'rihan grieving, and now it was time to get back to the life Loraya wanted her to live.
"Ma'am, I have those reports for you," a young human officer in a yellow-trimmed uniform stated, hurrying to keep up with the admiral and passing her a PADD. "Engineering are just finishing installation of the new warp core, and-"
"What happened to these readiness times?" Lydana asked firmly, frowning as she found more details she didn't like.
"Ma'am?"
"Red alert readiness times were at two minutes when I left," she told the younger officer. "Now they're at almost four and a half. What happened?"
"Well, the captain-"
"Has clearly let the crew get sloppy," Lydana interrupted, passing the PADD back. "I'll get this crew back in shape even if it kills me. Tell Engineering to finalise that warp core installation ASAP, we have work to do."
The young officer peeled away again as Lydana stepped into the turbolift, and commanded it to take her to the bridge.
"Officer on deck!"
Lydana swept out of the turbolift with the same focussed speed, and her bridge officers all stood at the announcement.
"As you were, people," she told them, striding around the Tactical and Intel sections and heading for her ready room. "Captain Flores, in my ready room, please."
The young admiral entered the office-like space, setting her mug on the desk and settling into the chair with predatory grace, and the change was not lost on Elisa.
"Well, you've changed a bit, Lyddie," she said with a crooked smile, as the door closed behind her. Lydana met her eyes, but did not smile back. "Is...is there a problem?"
"I'm requesting your reassignment," she told her friend flatly, and Elisa's expression became a mixture of anger and pain.
"What? Why?! Now, I worked damn-"
Lydana's raised hand stopped her, and she bit off her tirade immediately.
"You're a Captain now, Elisa," Lydana answered, her tone softer. "And I am back in command of the Shadow. You don't need to be a second-in-command any longer. You've earned your own command several times over, and it's about time you got a new one."
"I-I'm...I'm shocked, Lyddie. This is...a bit out of the blue, isn't it?"
"Changes have to be made, Elisa," she continued in that quiet tone, which actually made the human redhead more concerned. "This seemed like a natural one. It's about time you moved on, had your own command again."
"Well...I'll be sorry to leave, ma'am," she managed, after swallowing hard. "It's...been an honour."
"Likewise," Lydana responded, offering her hand, and Elisa shook it after the briefest hesitation. "I'll find you a ship worthy of you, I promise. Dismissed, Captain."
Elisa turned on her heel and marched out, still stunned by the conversation she'd just had.
Lydana had barely enough time to finish her tea when she was informed of an incoming hail from Starfleet Intelligence, and she accepted it at her personal terminal.
The screen lit with the face of an Andorian admiral, her features narrow and sharply defined. A pair of dark brown eyes glared out from amidst pale blue skin, and her white hair was cut much shorter than Lydana's own.
"Admiral Kassai, welcome back," the Andorian said with a wry grin. "I am Admiral Sh'vera, your new CO. I hope there will not be any problems between us."
"I don't see why there should be, ma'am," Lydana answered politely. "May I ask what happened to Admiral DeVare?"
"He was...reassigned, following Captain O'Neill's testimony at your tribunal," Sh'vera replied. "While his removal was unfortunate, I am sad to say I agree with the Captain's assessment. He handled you badly after New Romulus, probably before that too. How are feeling, being back?"
Lydana detected no judgement or enmity from the woman, and she felt like they would form a good working relationship.
"I'm okay, ma'am, thank you," she said. "I've had my compassionate leave now, I've...I've dealt with my personal matters as best I can. Now I'm just eager to be about it."
"Glad to hear it. In that case, I have good news – someone has managed to contact us and request a meeting. They say they have information pertinent to the war effort, and they have asked for you by name."
"Because that doesn't sound in any way like a trap," Lydana answered sardonically.
"Precisely, which is why we want you to go," Sh'vera replied. "If it is a trap, at least you have a chance of finding your way out of it. Oh, don't look so surprised, I've read your file. Your escape from the Khnial was impressive and resourceful."
Lydana fought to hide a blush, annoyed that she still even had that reaction after all she had been through.
Even now, she wasn't used to praise.
"Thank you, ma'am, I'll certainly do my best to find out what's going on."
"Good. They sent co-ordinates for a rendezvous in the Iconia 's clear across the other side of the quadrant, so be careful – we won't be able to get reinforcements there fast enough to help you."
"Understood, Admiral. We'll see to it. Kassai, out."
The screen blanked before returning to the UFP logo, and Lydana rubbed her nose ridges in thought. This didn't just smell like a trap – it smelled like a particularly unpleasant one.
She got up and left her ready room, making her way to the captain's chair and settling back into it. Even after so long, it still felt right, and she smiled as she spotted a familiar face at the helm.
"Mister Cobham, still with us, I see," she said with a smile, and the fair-haired young man turned to face her.
"Damn straight, ma'am," he grinned back, "I was hand-picked for this post, and I knew you'd be back. Wouldn't trust anyone else to fly for you, so I had to stay!"
"Well, I'm glad," she answered with a chuckle. "Engineering are reporting the all clear, so let's get moving, shall we? Bring us out nice and slow, Ryan."
The ship trembled softly as the engines came online, easing the sleek black vessel out of its docking cradle. It settled onto its course as Ryan guided it into the appropriate vector for leaving Earth space, and he reported back to Lydana as soon as they were clear.
"Very good, Mister Cobham. Set course for the Iconia system, maximum warp."
"Yes ma'am, setting course for the Iconia system," he confirmed, with a newfound confidence that mirrored Lydana's own. "Course laid in."
"Engage," she commanded, and the engines flared as they built up their energy, before the ship blasted away from Earth in a blink.