Mike looked around the crew on the bridge. None of them had taken their eyes off of him, waiting for an answer. He breathed out heavily and finally got around to telling them.

"I have a brain tumor." Mike said, he couldn't even look the crew in the eye saying this but knew what their reactions would be.

"You've what?" Kate asked with a gasp behind her voice.

"I have a brain tumor X. Swaine has been helping me but couldn't keep it a secret anymore." Mike looked around the crew.

The crew mainly had a blank face. They weren't giving anything away. Mike wasn't surprised, he knew most of their reactions would be like this. He was a bit surprised that Spider and Bomber did this, he would have thought they would chuckle somewhat.

Nav seemed to be the most scared about this news. Charge and RO just stood there. The three of them had been with Mike the longest and thought they had faced everything together apart from this.

"Nav…" Mike tried to say before she ran out crying followed by Bomber trying to look after her.

"You should have told us Mike." Kate whispered, keeping back tears.

She then followed Bomber and Nav checking on them to see if they were alright. Mike looked around the remaining crew left on the bridge. Charge and RO kept their heads down as Mike turned to them.

"Hammersley…. Hammersley…." Came a communication through the radio.

Mike turned to the radio. As no one was left to answer it, Mike picked it up to answer.

"This is Hammersley." Mike said into the radio.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Kate was walking along the corridors. She was trying to find Nav and Bomber after they left the bridge. She had a very good relationship with the two women. She then came across their quarters and heard sniffing coming from inside.

"Bomber, Nav?" Kate said knocking on the door hoping to be let in.

A quiet come in came from inside. Kate slowly opened the door to make sure she actually heard the yes and didn't just imagine it. She found Bomber hugging Nav who was the one crying. Nav came out of the hug and wiped away her tears.

"Hi X." Nav said, holding back the lump in her throat.

"You two okay?" Kate asked, sitting down across from them.

"Been better." Bomber joked.

Kate and Nav smiled a little at this. Bomber always knew how to change the mood from sad to happy. Nav was made a little bit happier but Kate could still see how hurt she was.

"Why wouldn't the CO tell us?" Nav asked, breaking the ice.

"Maybe he thought it would make us not focus on the mission." Bomber tried to answer her friend's question.

"But he sounds like he's known for ages." Nav said with tears coming to her eyes again.

Both Kate and Bomber couldn't disagree with this. Mike had sounded like he had known for ages and might even have known before they set off from port.

"Maybe we should go and talk to him about it." Kate asked the two women.

"I don't want to talk to him right now." Nav shook her head.

"Maybe it would make her feel better." Bomber suggested rubbing Nav's shoulder.

"Not yet."

"Alright. More ghost stories then?" Bomber chirped.

"I think I have to go back to the bridge." Kate said disappointed that she couldn't stay for the stories.

The two other women nodded and Kate left them to it. She knew now that they were at least a bit more happy then they were.

"You don't really want to tell ghost stories do you?" Nav asked.

"Not really. Gets rid of senior officers though." Bomber shook her head.

"I suppose."

"You can talk to me about how you feel."

"I don't want to. If you don't mind I'd rather be alone." Nav turned away from her friend.

"Course. Just call if you want anything." Bomber said leaving the room.

Nav looked over at her fish she got from ET. It seemed to be staring back at her. It seemed to tell her to move on but how could she? She needed closure on other matters before she could do that.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"It's Commander White here." Maxine's voice came through the other side of the radio.

"Maxine. Nice to hear your voice again." Mike smiled.

"Nice to hear you back on the bridge, Mike." Maxine answered.

"Is there something you wanted to tell us?"

"You're in danger."

"What's new?" Mike tried to joke.

"No seriously. You and all the others are in danger." Maxine said again.

"What?"

"You need to move as soon as you can." Maxine said in a rush.

"You sound like something's happening on that side." Mike said, a little shocked.

"I just need to tell you this."

"Alright we'll try." Mike reassured her.

Charge and RO looked up from their work when he said this. There was obviously something they would need to do soon. Mike put down the radio and turned to them.

"What is it sir?" Charge asked.

"How are the other ships doing with engine repairs?" Mike asked rushed.

"They should be done within the hour." RO said.

"Why?" Charge asked looking at the CO's face.

"Commander White said we're in danger. We need to move."

"Why?" RO seemed to mimik Charge.

"I don't know but we need to move soon." Mike said, biting his nails.

Charge and RO nodded in unison. They could sense the worry in their CO's tone. They had to stay calm for the sake of the other members of the bridge team.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Kate was making her way back up to the bridge. Bomber soon caught up with her. She could tell Nav wanted to be alone. Bomber and Nav were close enough to sense when they wanted to be alone.

"How is she?" Kate asked quietly.

"Taking it a bit worse than I expected." Bomber whispered back.

"I think we all are."

"She has got a point though."

"What about?"

"Why didn't the CO tell us sooner?"

"Didn't have a chance I suppose."

Before the two women could discuss it further, a tannoy announced calling all the senior staff to the bridge at once. Kate and Bomber looked at each other and then made their way up to the bridge as fast as they could.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Maxine put her work away and headed back to her office. Now she had called Mike and the other person, she didn't tell anyone who it was, she could breathe a sigh of relief for now. The person would soon be here and back her up. Now all she needed to do was hear that Mike and the other captains had moved their ships.

She headed back to her office. The office was a lot busier than earlier with more people in it. She just hoped no one had heard her talking to them.

"Going somewhere?" Marshal's voice came from behind her.

Maxine gulped as she turned around to find Marshal towering over her. She straightened her uniform and got ready to answer him.