"You wanted to see me, sir?" Captain Kirk looked up from his work to see his Yeoman standing in the open doorway of his ready room, her again stoic manner almost causing Jim to roll his eyes.

"Yes, Yeoman, sit down." He said before silence enveloped them for several moments.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Kirk finally asked, leaning his elbows on his desk and observing her with concern.

"Yes, sir. Why wouldn't I be?" Elanore responded, sitting stiffly in the chair across from him.

Sometimes I just wish she would crack a smile or let her guard down. Even just for a moment...

"I just thought...well...you had to kill to defend yourself today. I was just checking..." Jim started, for once completely lost for words.

"Sir, I'm fine, really. It wasn't what I particularly wanted to happen but I had no other choice. It was me or him." Elanore assured him with a small smile and Jim returned it before raising his eyebrow.

"You're sure?" Jim pried again, hoping against hope to get some sort of small emotional response from her.

"Positive, sir." Elanore stated coolly with a swift nod.

Damnit, she's as bad as Spock!

"Well alright then...can I interest you in a scotch?"

"Definitely not." -

Kirk smirked before responding, "Didn't think so."

"Well, we're screwed." Captain James T. Kirk stated matter of fact-ly as he sat at the head of the table in the Enterprise's briefing room the following morning

"Tha's a sound evaluation, Cap'n!" Scotty retorted with a roll of his eyes.

"We dun get any parts teh replace the damaged ones and we'll be more than jus screwed I tell ya!" He added, muttering over the calculations and notes in a messy pile in front of him.

"Would it not be prudent to locate the closest star system and seek assistance in the repairs?" Spock queried, hands folded careful on the table top and his face as calm as ever.

"The closest star system is in Klingon territory. I think we can all safely say that that isn't an option unless we want to die." Captain Kirk stated with a grimace.

"The closest star system beyond Klingon territory is home to the Federation planet Betazed and the Betazoid people." Sulu explained, having already scouted the area for possible pit stops within short warp range. None of them noticed the way that Yeoman Troi instantly stiffened in her chair, her eyes round in alarm for a moment before she took in a deep breath and neutralised her features.

"Then we go there." Jim said simply.

"Sir, wouldn't we be better off remaining where we are to conserve power and wait for the closest star ship to assist us?" Elanore added, her voice slightly strained as she tried to argue that it was better off not visiting Betazed nor deal with the Betazoid people. She knew that if they did, it would be nearly impossible to avoid the confrontation she knew to expect from most, if not all, Betazoid's.

"Tha was me first choice, lass but without repairs in the next three days, there won't be enough energy teh power a light bulb, let alone life support!" Scotty explained and Elanore let out a deep sigh before remaining quiet. It was clear that there was no way she could talk them out of their decision and the fact that the entirety of the crew was depending on the people currently seated in the briefing room only made her feel even more guilty about her selfishness.

"Are we able to get warp online long enough to reach Betazed?" Captain Kirk asked simply.

"It'll drain a considerable amount of our power but it should be possible with a few minor twigs." Scotty explained.

"I shall assist you with the needed repairs, Mr. Scott." Spock offered with a small incline of his head.

"I can use all the 'elp I can git!" -

"Then that's sorted. You and Scotty see to the repairs needed to engage warp and I'll get Uhura to send communications to Betazed to ask for their assistance. Projected time frame?" Kirk queried, standing from his seat.

"We should arrive in the Betazed system in approximately 29 hours time." Spock assured the Captain and he nodded stiffly in response.

"Alrighty then, you all have your orders. Dismissed."

Yeoman Elanore Berenice Troi was going to be sick. The nerves that were swirling fervently in her gut had only grown since the news of their definite journey to Betazed for assistance in repairing the Enterprise. She had tried her hardest to concentrate on the work in front of her but she continually found herself biting her lip and staring off into space in deep thought, her mind racing at a hundred miles an hour with every possible outcome to her visiting Betazed once more. Elanore sighed and gazed down at the pad in her hand's again, re-reading the same sentence she was certain she had already read ten times over before her lack of concentration was interrupted when the door of Captain Kirk's ready room swished open and closed before Kirk himself descended tiredly into the chair behind his desk before sighing deeply.

"Everything alright, sir?" Elanore asked, looking up from her pad with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, Yeoman, just tired." Was Jim's muttered response as he sunk back further in the chair and rubbed his eyes.

"Perhaps you should get some sleep. We won't be arriving at Betazed for another seven hours." Elanore explained and Kirk let his full lips quirk up into a smile.

"Who's Captaining this ship, hmm?" -

"It was merely a suggestion, sir." She responded but her lip twitched slightly with amusement.

"Yeah, maybe you're right." Jim sighed again, rising from his chair and walking lethargically to the door. When he reached it he turned around and added, "By the way, I'll need you for the away team once we get to Betazed. I'm sure there'll be a hefty amount of Federation related paperwork we'll all have to fill out before repairs can commence."

Elanore's face paled considerably and she swivelled her chair around sharply and stared up at the man hovering above her.

"Sir, surely I can handle the paperwork when you get back to the Enterprise. Is it really necessary?" She said quickly, her voice slightly panicked but her face as calm as ever. But Kirk knew better.

Something is bothering her about this mission.

"It's necessary, Yeoman. Chances are we'll be meeting with their leaders and I need someone there who can see to all the fine details and take notes if need be. That's an order." Jim explained and finally Elanore nodded tersely.

"Yes sir."