Picard was in Engineering, catching up with his Chief Engineer about the recent repairs from the damage they had sustained in their recent encounter with mercenaries. Most captains would have left things like that to their First Officer, but Picard liked to get his hands dirty, so to speak, and personally see how his crew was doing from time to time.

Suddenly, a brunette humanoid female headed for LaForge's office and punched in an access code before disappearing inside. She reemerged a moment later, carrying a medikit in one hand and a sour look on her otherwise pretty face.

"I'm supposed to be an engineer!" she groused, heading for one of the access tubes.

"You are; you're just fixing people instead of the ship," LaForge teased, apparently recognizing her.

There was no reply. Picard raised an eyebrow at LaForge.

"That's Ensign Marsin, our resident EMT-slash-engineer," he explained. "She must've gotten what she calls a boo-boo call again, and since the main medikit is in my office, I've entrusted her with the access code. She's one of the few that actually knows what she's doing." He resumed his earlier conversation with Picard.

A short time later, Marsin was seen coming back.

"I swear, these 'accidents' only occur because people know I'm a certified EMT, rather than bothering to be careful or go to Sick Bay."

"Saves time," LaForge said, apparently having heard this gripe before.

"For who?!" she shot back.

Picard looked at LaForge, who just grinned and shook his head in amusement. "We have this conversation at least once a day," he explained to Picard. "A few times I've been on the receiving end of her hands but her bark is worse than her bite and it never lasts long. Plus, she's always respectful."

"Riker described her as behaving like an older sibling towards the younger crew," Picard said thoughtfully.

"That's because she is older than the majority of the graduates that come through here," LaForge said, "and I'm not just talking age-wise."

"Mental-wise?"

"You could say that, or you could say she's older soul-wise, as Guinan might say."

"Indeed."

"I'm this close to taking Dr. Crusher up on her offer of Medical school," Marsin griped, coming out of LaForge's office after putting the medikit away. "I know my medikit better than I do my tool kit!"

"Ensign Marsin, I presume," Picard said dryly.

Marsin froze in mid-step. "Captain Picard," she squeaked.

"I've heard quite a bit about you," he said.

"Hopefully good," she said, eyes wide.

"Quite. Mr. Worf mentioned you were a very cunning young warrior and Dr. Crusher was quite impressed with the way you handled yourself during your Emergency Medical Technician simulation."

"Thank you, sir," Marsin said.

"Should you choose to enter Starfleet Medical, you will be endorsed and you will have an opening on the Enterprise," he assured her. "Having a nurse who knows her way around an engine or can do repairs on something other than a living body is always a welcome addition."

"Good to know, sir. Thank you."

"Who did what?" LaForge asked.

"Ensign Zefram slipped on one of the ladder rungs and caught himself on the chin pretty good," Marsin explained. "Bit of a nasty cut on his chin and a slightly rattled skull, but he's fine now."

"Seems like the majority of your patients are the guys," LaForge teased.

She gave him a sour look and said, "Excuse me for speaking frankly, sir, but I have as much interest in the boys as you do in prancing around Engineering in only your undershorts."

"Now that is a sight I would pay to see!" a female voice yelled back from somewhere.

"Not in this life time, Anders!" LaForge hollered back, grinning. He shook his head in amusement.

"Anyway, if you'll excuse me, sirs?" Marsin asked politely.

"Dismissed," Picard said, nodding. Marsin nodded and continued on her way.

"She's a good officer," Picard said. "I suspect that whatever career path she chooses, she'll do quite well."

Starbase 62:

The base was boring. That was about the only way Commander Dilsen could describe Starbase 62; boring.

Looking like a giant needle in space with branches out the top for docking ports for ships, the base was located near an uninhabited Class J gas giant planet in a Federation system. It was a supply base, nothing fancy, and also served as a connection or transfer point for people traveling between systems.

There was a Commodore Jake O'Riley who was the base's commander and one other commander, Missy Forrester. There were also a bunch of lieutenants, lieutenant commanders, and even ensigns.

Forrester was nice, even attractive, and Dilsen had been tempted by her charms, but in the end he just couldn't muster up enough interest. He still wanted Marsin.

He wondered how she was doing and, on impulse one day, checked her file. He had given a shout when he'd discovered she'd become a fully certified EMT, having passed the qualifying simulation given by CMO Dr. Crusher.

Adreal had contacted him once, apparently trying to make amends. He flatly refused to take her call and sent a message suggesting that she do them both a favor and end their farce of a marriage. She didn't reply.

He had started keeping a journal, finding it easier to pretend as if he were writing to Marsin. In fact, a lot of the times that's what the entries were; letters to Marsin.

God, he missed her. He knew her birthday was coming up and he thought about sending her the journal. Maybe even a holographic recording. He wasn't sure yet.

Then, one morning, he got the shock of his life.

"Buck up, Jonny boy," said Forrester. "We got a big one due in pretty damned quick and she's going to need a major stock up." She handed him the PADD and he glanced at it. Then he did a double take.

It was the Enterprise. And the ship was due in two days.