"All channels open." Commander Parker Jaxon fingers flew over the computer console, and she listened. This wasn't her regular station but they were down one crew man so she offered to take the shift. It gave her something to do.

"Nothing?" Captain Sanders asked from his seat.

"Nothing, Captain." Parker sighed as she closed the channels. This wasn't the first time that the Captain had acted paranoid. And they hadn't even been in space more than a month.

"Must have just been an echo." Eric Sanders drummed his fingers on the arm of his command chair. "We've been hearing a lot of nothing in the way of communications lately, haven't we?"

"Yes." Parker answered "That's because there is no one out there to communicate with." She glanced at the view screen; an abyss of empty space.

Sanders chuckled. "Bored, Commander?" He couldn't blame her if she was because he wasn't far behind.

Parker cocked her head to the side. "Of course not, sir." A smile crept into her voice.

He chuckled again. "Of course not; what was I thinking?" Eric stopped his drumming and stared at the view screen.

After spending the day in sickbay, Kira finally found her shift over. As soon as she reached her quarters, she sat in front of the small computer and began to check her incoming communications. Having found several she started read a letter that had arrived just that morning. It was from Terry Kipland, an acquaintance from Starfleet Academy.

Hey, Kira! How's life in the frontier? While you're out adventuring on a starship, some of us lowly extendable security officers are stuck on rather boring assignments...like me! I'm working security on the Vulcan science vessel, Ni'Var. Do you know the last time a Vulcan science vessel has had a security breech? Of course, you'd probably be a lot more comfortable here than I am... I think I'm the only human on this ship! And speaking of science, how's life as a Doctor? I'm sure you're having a lot more fun than I am! You are having fun aren't you? I'd hate to think that a little green blood could suppress all urges to party! In any case, this brings me to the real reason I wrote...I'm getting married! Can you believe it? Oh, I guess I lied about being the only human on this ship...his name's Jamison, and he's a total sweetheart and he adores Maddie. Can you believe it? I'll let you know the exact details of the wedding as soon as I know; we're going to wait until we get back to Earth to make plans so be prepared to put in for shore leave in three or four months. Come on, Kira... this has got to make you at least crack a smile. I'm going to get you to lighten up; it's my mission in life! Maddie says to tell you hi and that she misses you and Addison. She's staying with my Aunt while I'm on assignment. I heard that Addy gets the privilege of staying with your mother while you're out adventuring. I feel sorry for the kid and I know you do to. So why isn't she there with you? I have a feeling that we need to have a nice long talk. Love, Peace, and Strawberry Cake, Terry.

Kira turned off the computer and sat in silence for a moment. She was happy for Terry. If anyone deserved to find somebody, it was her and Maddie. But she felt slightly insulted. Her mother was the only choice when it came to watching Addison. She didn't like to do it but bringing a child on board a starship wasn't a wise course of action, especially when it could be temporary. Of course, if everything worked out, she'd bring Addy aboard to stay. Away from Grandma Loony Luna, which is what her daughter calls her grandmother. Perhaps Terry was right...maybe she did need to lighten up a little. But that is what got her in trouble on her last assignment; lightening up. After all, she could be happy for her friend. There was nothing wrong with that.

Perhaps she was just frustrated. She was frustrated that she couldn't do anything to help, except treat minor injuries from foolish, embarrassing, accidents that happened on the holodeck. And to top it all off, she was bored. She wasn't supposed to be bored. Being a Doctor was something that she enjoyed.

Terry would probably laugh if she could hear Kira's thoughts. She would probably joke that she was going through a mid life crisis. Of course, she was nowhere near the middle of her life but that was Terry's answer for everything when it came to Kira. Even as Cadets, she had joked that Kira was going through her mid life crisis when she got worked up and stressed out about an exam that was weeks away.

Kira stood up then, tired of her depressing thoughts. Walking to the door, it swished open to admit her to the corridor, she stepped out and was stopped by Casey Allen, one of her nurses.

"Hey, Doc, I have a question." The perky blonde babbled.

"Yes?" Kira raised an eyebrow and waited. She liked Casey, she was smart and funny. And always cheerful.

"I just beat Tanner at chess and she called me a tu'HomIraH. What the heck is that?" Casey knew that Kira understood several different languages from watching her treat several different crewmen in sickbay.

Kira raised an eyebrow. "In Klingon, tu'HomIraH basically means good-for-nothing. Don't take it personally. Klingons, even half Klingons, hate to lose."

"Oh." Casey grinned. "That's close to what I thought it meant and I never take her seriously. How can I? She tries to act like a big bad Klingon but her name is Tanner. How can you take a Klingon named Tanner, seriously? But thanks for the help."

Kira smiled as Casey walked off. At least someone was having a good time on this ship...

Kira stood on the bridge, watching the stars on the view screen. This is where she ended up after her conversation with Casey. This was the only place that seemed to be alive on the ship.

Ensign Jarrod sat at the comm station aboard the Dakota. He was tinkering with his comm badge; the communications circuit had shorted out the day before. He glanced up for a second and noticed that a light had lit up on his console. Realizing that the comm badge would have to wait, he swivelled the chair around and announced to the captain. "We are receiving a subspace transmission, sir."

"Contents, Ensign?" Eric Sanders asked.

Jarrod read the message aloud. "The Vulcan science vessel, the Ni'Var, has been the victim of a fatal accident; there were no survivors. Please inform those on your crew who may have had family or friends on board."

Sanders shook his head. "How unfortunate." He glanced over at Kira, noticing that her eyes were closed tightly and she was leaning heavily on a nearby console. "Are you all right?"

Kira's eyes fluttered open and she straightened. "I am fine, sir." Came her curt response.

"I understand that the Ni'Var was manned mostly by Vulcans. Did you know someone on the ship?" He glanced around. N'alae wasn't on the bridge. He'd have to inform her later

"I was not an acquaintance of any of the Vulcans on the Ni'Var ." Kira waited for that slight twinge that happened when she with held the truth, but it never came. She wasn't lying but at the same time she was deceiving her captain.

Sanders looked slightly doubtful, but let the subject drop. He didn't want to pry.

The temperature in Kira's room was just right and she found it relaxing. She had just managed to get herself off the bridge without her legs giving way and back to her quarters where she now sat in meditation on the floor beside her bed, trying not to lose control of her anger. It was growing exceedingly difficult.

While Kira had not known any of the Vulcans on board the Ni'Var, she had known a human woman, Terry Kipland. Terry was one of the few people whom Kira could call a close friend. She was also the person she just received the communication from informing Kira of her engagement to a man also on the ill fated ship. Such a waste of life...a loss...

Loss. That was a word that Kira knew personally. First she lost the right and privilege to be raised by a father that loved and adored her, then her beloved husband, and now her best friend Terry.

As wave after wave of emotions washed over Kira at this reminder, she sat up straighter, closed her eyes and forced herself to remain calm. She took each wave of fresh pain and tucked it away in the back of her mind, where it would be safe. But there was too much pain. Too many memories.

Opening her eyes, she rose and walked over to the dresser on the side of her bed. Kira opened a drawer, and gingerly took out a picture; it was one of those old kinds that were printed on paper and framed. In the picture was two cadets, both wearing huge smiles on their faces, wrapped in each others arms. As she looked at it, she allowed a single tear to run down her cheek. Then that tear was followed by another and then another. One for her lost childhood, one for Ben, one for Terry and one for the millions of people who died because of ignorance or hate. Placing the picture back in the drawer, she ran her finger across her cheek, examining the wetness on her finger tips, and sunk to the floor. She pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. The Dakota and the rest of the world could wait. Right now she needed to grieve. And grieve she did.