Chapter 1

Stardate-2344.33

Araminta Evans looked dreamily out of the shuttlecraft window. Her friend, Naomi Spencer sat chatting away in the other seat as usual. The two had served together on their last assignment. It had been on space station Deep Space 4 and it wasn't long before the two had been requested by a captain of a star ship and had been transferred.

Araminta's heart beat faster at the thought of being captain of a starship. When she was a young child, her grandfather, Hikaru Sulu, had told her stories of being captain. Her mother never made it to captain, but she had also served aboard a starship. Ever since, she wanted to be just like them. Serve aboard a ship, then someday make it to the top. After school, she had spent her four years in the academy and had two assignments at space stations the last two years.

"Hello? Earth to Minty!" Naomi's shout made Araminta jump. "Did you hear anything that I just said to you?" Her coffee colored face looked crinkled with irritation.

Araminta bit her lip guiltily trying to think of the last thing that she had remembered Naomi saying. "You said…that you were so excited that we finally got a ship assignment?"

Naomi rolled her eyes. "No! Not even close. Seriously Minty, what's on your mind? You've been so distracted lately!" Naomi's brown black eyes bored into Araminta's own almond ones.

"I'm sorry Naomi," Araminta sighed. "I'm just so thrilled about finally being on a ship that, I just got lost in thought." And dreaming about being captain… She added to herself thoughtfully. Naomi stared out the shuttlecraft window. Suddenly she pointed excitedly.

"Look Minty, there it is! That's our ship." Araminta gazed eagerly out at the vessel.

It was a large, constellation class star cruiser shaped like saucer, with four warp nacelles mounted on the stern, two upper, two lower. She knew from studies at the academy that this enabled the ship to go to a maximum speed of warp 9. It had 15 decks and could hold a crew compliment of 535. Its registration number read NCC-1121 and it gleamed under the name USS ECLIPSE. The gray exterior looked a little rough from age; it was an old ship after all. But it still had a lot of life in it. It's beautiful, Araminta thought excitedly to herself. I'll bet that ship has a lot of exciting stories it could tell.

Araminta was startled by the sudden voice from her communicator. "Transporter Chief to Ensign Evans," Araminta snatched it up.

"Evans here."

"Are you ready for transport?" The voice asked.

"Yes two to beam out." She replied enthusiastically. "Energize."

The two forms flickered as they were beamed from the craft and appeared on the transporter pad. They were met there by three officers and the transporter chief. The captain stepped forward to greet the two. He was of medium height, dressed in a red uniform and had strawberry blond hair slicked back on his head. His sea blue eyes were unreadable; he seemed to be a very formal man.

"I'm Captain Stewart Mooney. Welcome aboard." He gestured to a Vulcan female also in red with dark hair pulled back in a tall braid. "This is my First Officer, S'lvanya Nels; my Second Officer, Derrick Tarses and my transporter Chief, Kevin McFadden." He gestured to an attractive male Vulcan in blue and a brunette male human in yellow.

Naomi, the more outgoing of the two, spoke up first. "I'm Ensign Naomi Spencer." Araminta followed suit. "Ensign Araminta Evans. I'm very pleased to be here." She added truthfully. Her heart leaped as she locked eyes with Lieutenant Tarses. He sure is handsome… Araminta blushed at her sudden thought. Get ahold of yourself Minty! He's a Vulcan, he could never love me!

"Are you two Vulcans?" Araminta snapped back to reality as Naomi asked the two humanoids the question in her usual blunt manner.

"I've seen pictures but never actually in person." Araminta was surprised by Naomi's boldness. Oh dear, I hope she hasn't offended them! Araminta thought in dismay.

"My father was a Vulcan, but my mother was a human." Derrick replied seemingly unoffended. "So I am half Vulcan."

S'lvanya raised an eyebrow. "I am only half Vulcan as well. My father is from the planet Vulcan, but my mother is from Beta Zed."

Naomi's eyes bulged with surprise. "You're half Betazoid? So can you like, read minds and stuff?"

S'lvanya looked annoyed. "No I was not born with the ability. I have certain senses, but that is all."

Captain Mooney spoke up once more. "Commander Nels will show you two to your quarters. We are pleased to finally have you onboard." Then he and Commander Tarsus turned and exited the transporter room. S'lvanya gestured for the two ensigns to follow her.

Araminta jabbed Naomi in the side as they followed S'lvanya. "Ow! What was that for?" Naomi whispered irritably. Araminta rolled her eyes. "You're going to make everyone on this ship hate you if you keep being so frank."

"Okay, okay!" Naomi consented. "I'll try to think before I open my mouth next time."

As they approached their quarters, Araminta's thoughts reverted back to Lieutenant Tarses. She hoped she could see him again some other time. I'm sure he'll be around…

After settling in to their quarters, Araminta and Naomi reported to sickbay for their medical examinations. Once they arrived, the two were greeted by a small tortoiseshell cat. Naomi gave a start.

"What is this animal doing in here?" she asked irritated. The cat growled at her angrily. Suddenly, her form began flickering; it lasted for only a moment. It reminded Araminta of someone being transported, but took less time.

Araminta gasped in shock at what she saw. A female humanoid squatted in the cat's place!

She had long black hair with golden brown highlights and pointed cat ears that peeked from atop her head. A long fluffy tail snaked from behind her back and she was outfitted in a turquoise and black Starfleet uniform. Her amber cat-like eyes burned with anger.

Naomi jumped back in surprise. The feline-humanoid growled and circled her. "Who are you calling an animal?" She spat. As Araminta watched the cat-like being, she noticed that she was very lithe, like a feline. She must be some sort of alien, but what? She shuddered eyeing the way that she treated Naomi. I'd better not ask.

"I'm no more of an animal than you are!" She furiously poked Naomi several times with a claw-like fingernail. Naomi stuttered nervously. "I-I'm sorry. I just thought…" She was saved by the doctor who had just walked into the room.

"Amari!" He called in an accent similar to a British one on Earth. "Why are you attacking our new ensigns?" The cat-like humanoid he referred to as Amari glared at Naomi. "This person called me an animal!"

Araminta scrutinized the doctor. He was tall and thin, wore his straight jet black hair in a scruffy sort of way and had a warm smile.

"Come now Amari, I'm sure she didn't mean it." He soothed. "She was probably just startled by your appearance, that's all." Amari looked critically at Naomi. "Well, I suppose I can look over it-this one time." After saying, she elegantly strolled over and sat on a near-by chair.

The doctor looked apologetically at the two ensigns. "I'm sorry about Amari's behavior. She's been sort of…agitated lately. By the way, I'm Dr. Sherman. Emmett Sherman. And you've already met Amari, one of my nurses," he gestured to the feline-humanoid and her tail tip flicked irritably.

"I'm Ensign Naomi Spencer." Naomi replied more cautiously this time. Araminta chuckled to herself. Perhaps she'll take my advice more readily next time.

"I'm Ensign Araminta Evans." Araminta greeted him. "We've just arrived on the ship and we're here for our medical examinations."

Derrick Tarses stared uncomprehendingly at the screen. No, he thought wretchedly. It can't be true. They can't be dead. Painfully he rose from his chair and paced the room.

Moments ago, he'd been relieved of his post to retrieve the personal message he had received. Thinking it was his parents wanting to have their weekly conversation with him, he had eagerly hurried to his room. His heart plummeted as the message had revealed that the station his parents had served at had been destroyed in an accidental explosion. They had died immediately.

Anguish tore at him. They may not have been his birth parents, but Simon and Elsie Tarses had always treated him just as they had their younger biological children.

Derrick always told people that he was half Vulcan. He'd never told anyone his true background. In reality, Derrick was half Romulan; the identity of his true parents being unknown. His adoptive parents had told him of how they found him, and that he was half Romulan even from a young age; they had never hid it from him. They had felt that he would be pre-judged if they had told everyone on the Mars colony they lived in the real story.

But since Vulcans and Romulans were closely related, Derrick didn't think it made much of a difference physically, except for the V shaped mark between his eyebrows. He reached up and felt his own V mark. Mine is so light, he thought. It's not even that obvious. A sudden thought occurred to him.

This was no accident. He thought furiously. That station was too near the Neutral Zone, a Romulan spy could have very easily planted an explosive.

He recollected that part of the story his parents told included the Romulans accusing them of lying about him and even threatened the ship if they didn't leave. They killed my parents because of me. Bile rose in his throat. He was sure this was a fact. I'll be next if I'm not careful. He thought darkly. There must be something about me that unnerves them.

Derrick strode over to the window and gazed at the stars his mother had treasured so much. His eyes stung with tears. I didn't even get to say good-bye… He dipped his head sadly as a salty tear trickled off his nose.