0000 HRS
On the opposite side of the Galaxy, in the Beta Quadrant, the Science vessel USS Pacifica, under command of Captain Valerie Stevenson, had just arrived at the B-Zeta Nebula located in the Fen Damar region, a relatively uncharted part of space. As they started their scanning procedures, in preparation for conducting their experiments, the ship's sensors picked up a Starfleet emergency beacon.
Captain Stevenson directed her crew to carefully move the ship further into the nebula. Shortly afterward, they detected the Federation shuttle Conciliator, at drift, with one lifeform on board and life support at minimum.
After tractoring the shuttle aboard, the Medical team discovered a human female in the cabin, who identified herself as "Cassandra O'Riley-Lowe, civilian negotiator for Starfleet Command." She appeared to be under shock, severely dehydrated, and highly disoriented and frightened. The Chief Medical officer immediately ordered for her to be taken to sickbay.
Not long afterwards, while examining the flight recorder data on the shuttle, the Engineering crew came across some very strange and disturbing recordings. The Chief Engineer, Lt. Cmdr. Gavin, rushed to his Captain's ready room to discuss the readings with her.
=/\=
"What is so important that it can't wait for a minute, Chief?" Captain Stevenson was just a tad annoyed when he intruded.
"Captain, according to the flight data we've recovered, that shuttle had been on its way to rendezvous with the USS Washington," Gavin was excited, "... in the GAMMA QUADRANT!"
The Captain was confused. "What does that mean, Commander?"
"It means, Captain, that the Conciliator has evidently traveled through a wormhole of some sort...," he explained, "...an unstable wormhole. And Mrs. Lowe can count herself lucky that she made it through in one piece. The radiation output of that wormhole and the stress on the shuttle were immense."
Captain Stevenson froze and wrinkled her forehead.
"And that's not all, Captain," the Chief Engineer continued. "She must have had a violent encounter with someone back in the Gamma Quadrant."
"What are you trying to tell me, Chief?"
"Well, the computer recorded a torpedo lock and decompression of the shuttle's cabin, because the rear hatch had been blown open," he informed her grimly. "Somebody was definitely after her!"
Valerie Stevenson looked concerned. "That does sound like an attack..." she contemplated.
"I would advise you to contact Command without delay, Captain."
"Agreed."
After Chief Engineer Gavin left the ready room, Captain Stevenson turned to the computer and made request for a security subspace channel to be opened to Starfleet Command.
=/\=
Upon receiving the information from the Pacifica, Starfleet Command passed the news of his wife's rescue on to Captain Daniel Lowe, who had reported her disappearance almost 18 hours ago. Admiral Tucker, however, wisely withheld the information about the confirmed torpedo attack on the shuttle. If Daniel Lowe would find out that General Zzarak had lied to him about just firing warning shots at Cass, there could be some real problems. And the Admiral knew that Starfleet Command would not tolerate one of its Captains chasing an outlaw with personal vengeance on his mind. First, he wanted to talk to Dan one-on-one, before telling him anything more. So he gave orders for the USS Washington to leave the Gamma Quadrant and rendezvous with the Pacifica to pick up Mrs. Lowe and then return to Earth immediately.
Meanwhile, an alert would have to go out to all Federation Starships in the Gamma Quadrant to watch for General Zzarak's vessel, the Graethar. The General had definitely established his place on the Federation's "Wanted" list.
=/\= - =/\=
0100 HRS
"Lieutenant Lowe!" Captain Ronovsky's voice shouted over the comm. "Wake up!"
Derek looked around disoriented. He had been dozing, drifting in and out of consciousness for the past few hours, waiting for sleep to overcome him. Now he jumped up from his bed, startled by the loud voice.
"Yes... Captain?" he muttered drowsily.
"Incoming transmission from the Washington," the Captain informed him. "We're putting it through to your room."
"Thanks." Derek stumbled to his desk and sat down in front of the computer.
"Derek," his father's voice prompted him to look at the screen, "they found her!"
"Mom?"
"Yes." Dan smiled happily. "The USS Pacifica had picked up her emergency beacon... in the Beta Quadrant. Evidently, she 'hitched' a ride through a wormhole."
Derek blinked in astonishment. "Wow! Leave it up to Mom to discover a new wormhole..."
"Well, she definitely has some things to explain," his father chuckled, "The important thing, right now, is that she has been found and is well. So make sure you tell your brother, would you?"
"Sure."
=/\=
The transmission ended. Derek sat there for another few moments, letting his father's words sink in. Then he suddenly jumped up and started dancing around the room. All that worry, all that uncertainty, that had weighed him down for the past day, had been completely lifted. Even his sleep deprivation did not keep him sluggish any longer, as adrenaline was rushing throughout his body. Once he would have talked to Damon and settled back down, sleep would come easily, he was certain now. He petted his dog, Smokey, on the head as he skipped out of the room on his way to his brother's quarters.
=/\= - =/\=
0200 HRS
After endless hours of repeated debating, analyzing, reflecting, and apologizing, Liam and Anabelle had finally made progress in dealing with all those painful feelings that had compounded since Jacen Farebanks' death. Walking this path to emotional healing truly hadn't been easy, and they still had many more steps to take. But they were moving forward, and that was encouraging.
Liam was standing by the window, hands clasped behind his back, while Anabelle was pacing restlessly around the guest room. "I'm sorry we wasted all those years," he said with sorrow. "It was all MY fault. I..."
"No! I played my part, too." Anabelle firmly halted his self-condemnation. "I was so blinded by my rage and self-pity that I never even considered contacting you."
Her eyes glistened with tears as she stopped her pacing and walked over to him. Liam turned to face her and put his hands on her shoulders consolingly. And as he drew her close and wrapped his arms around her gently, he could feel her trembling.
Anabelle buried her face into his chest and started sobbing profusely. He closed his eyes and lowered his head, softly pressing his lips against her hair and slowly breathing in its fragrance. That oh-so-familiar scent triggered a thousand memories, flooding his mind relentlessly and unlocking feelings that he had buried within the deepest crevices of his heart so many years ago.
They stood there, holding that warm and comforting embrace, for what seemed an eternity.
=/\=
Anabelle's sobbing finally ceased and she slowly looked up at him. Their eyes locked.
Liam barely dared to breath while he lost himself in those beautiful deep-green eyes. It was like gazing on a never-ending Highland meadow when the morning sun reflected off the fresh dewdrops and made the grass glitter like dusted with gold. He could have looked at them forever...
'SHE IS MARRIED!' His own conscience snapped him back to reality.
He blinked a few times, breaking the mesmerizing spell her eyes had put on him. Drawing in a deep breath to clear his mind, he looked back at her without that incessant yearning in his eyes.
"Liam," she whispered softly, "if things were different... "
He gently shook his head. "But, they are not," he pointedly stopped her before she could finish the sentence, stating a fact that both of them only knew too well. And it didn't matter how much his heart yearned to say anything else, this was were he had to draw the line, and he could not allow himself to cross it.
Liam released her from his embrace and she backed up a few steps. Anabelle pulled her gaze away from him and, lowering her head, she briefly reflected on all that had transpired within the last few of hours. He watched her thoughtfully.
After a few seconds, she looked back up at him with sorrow and regret in her eyes. "Then, perhaps it isn't such a good idea for me to stay any longer."
"Perhaps not..." He nodded.
"I need time to think about all of this... this new situation between the two of us," she said, before she started walking toward the door. "I suggest, you take time for that, too," she admonished him with a gentle smile, turning back over her shoulder before she left the room.
"Aye."
=/\=
After the door closed behind her, Liam stepped back and slumped into the chair. His stomach was churning and his head was spinning. Planting his elbows on his knees and lowering his head into his hands, he started the long and arduous work of calming his mind and reigning in his emotions. Slowly and deeply he inhaled, filling his lungs with fresh air, and then, with one long drawn-out sigh, he forcefully exhaled all the anguish in his heart.
Had they just climbed over this huge mountain of hurt feelings and resentment that had stood between them for all those years only to run into a brick wall? Yes, again he had come to his senses too late. She was married, and that fact he could not escape. He knew he had to work through this and somehow get beyond it. Somehow...
