A few minutes later once everyone had been seated, Yue immediately launched into Scott, "Captain Hathaway, with all due respect, have you completely lost your fucking mind?! Jensen is dead, and we may very well have just put the entire Federation at risk, maybe even the entire universe! I hope to hell that you have a plan for all this!"

"Hey! Show some respect, Yue!" Ginny replied.

A part of her felt bad that she was about to fight with her friend, but she wouldn't let the Captain's authority be challenged so openly.

Yue pointed her finger at Ginny, "Don't you start either Major! You disobeyed a direct order from me, and that's the second time since you've been on this ship. I should have you put in the brig for that!"

"You want her in the brig, you'll have to do it yourself, Commander. I won't be putting any of my guys at risk for something that suicidal, and I very much doubt any of the Sharkies will turn on their OC," Dean replied, still sitting calmly at the table.

"Oh my God! Am I the only one in this room who understands what just happened? The Tholians were one thing, but this is completely different. This is the fucking Q-Continuum we're talking about here. For all we know, they could pop us all out of existence with a single snap, just like this" Yue said, snapping her own fingers.

"They won't. Because Star will stop them, Yue," said Ginny, standing and facing the shorter XO down.

"I think you've been spending a little too much time with your friend there, Major. And I think the three of you" Yue said, pointing to Ginny, Dean and Scott in turn, "Are a little too emotionally invested in all of this!"

She then looked at Tirpitz's CMO, Dr. Selar, "Doc, do you have grounds to test these three for mental incompetence, given the fact they may have just provoked a war with gods?!"

Selar sighed, "I cannot directly order Major Tatum to report for testing, but I can request that Leftenant Ryhr perform her own checks in accordance with FMC regulations. However,"

She continued, looking at the Captain, "The XO does have cause to order an assessment for both yourself and our Tactical officer, Captain. You could overrule that, of course. You and I both outrank Commander Tanaka. However, as per my own rules of conduct as this vessel's CMO, I will be required to report your refusal to Starfleet Command."

Cyron walked up to the XO and tried to calm her down, "Yue, why are you so upset? Everything's okay now. I trust you and the Captain and Ginny. We shouldn't be fighting."

"Ahem," Scott said, clearing his throat and bringing the meeting to order.

When the Old Man spoke, everyone had to pay attention. It was a Naval tradition as old as the stars themselves.

"Yue, you're completely right to be upset. I felt the same way you did not so long ago. And the responsibility for the incident with the Tholians is entirely mine alone. Star is an asset that we have to use very carefully. A mistake like that again could very well end the Federation, and you are entirely correct about the risk that poses" he said in a softer tone than Ginny expected.

"And, because I've always believed that the Captain of a Starship is not above any expectation he should have for the crew beneath him, I will happily report to sickbay with Dean and submit to any testing that the Doctor feels is necessary, once we're finished here," he continued.

As Yue returned to her seat, Scott shifted his tone into seriousness, "But I am still the Captain of this Starship. And unless I'm dead or declared mentally incompetent, that means my word on this subject is the final one. I meant everything I said to Miss Q."

"Star's done more for us than the Q race ever has, or likely ever will. Star stays, and she will remain the responsibility of Ginny with my oversight. And that is my final word on the subject, Commander. If you want to file a formal protest about that with the Admiralty, you can do that, that is your right. But after you're done, I'll expect you to continue performing your duties to the best of your ability, as I expect of everyone in this room and on my ship."

He rose, and stared hard at Yue, "If you don't, you'll be relieved of duty, permanently. Make your choice, Commander Tanaka."

Yue stared at her Captain for a long time. Ginny honestly didn't know what choice she would make. If it had been her, she might have been tempted to be asked for relief.

General Castle would likely throw her out of the Marines for it, but it might have been the right thing to do.

Yue rose from her seat and stood at Starfleet attention standing with her hands behind her back, "I intend to do my duty, Captain Hathaway."

Scott sighed in relief, "Noted, Commander Tanaka. And Yue, I'm sorry if this ends a decade of friendship."

Yue smiled and placed her hand on Scott's, "Hey. You ended up marrying my best friend from the Academy before I could. Clarice wouldn't want us to fight, so we shouldn't. Still friends."

Scott returned his own smile, clearly worn out as the adrenaline faded from his system. He yawned before speaking again, "Since we're all here, anyone got anything else to talk about?"

Ginny spoke next, her own body beginning to feel fatigue, "What about the Romulans, sir? Are we still heading to the border?"

Kath was the one who answered the question, "The projected course to this starship is still on the way to the border. We will simply be stopping along the way."

"I haven't forgotten, Ginny. But I think this situation takes priority. Let's see what this mystery ship is all about, and then we'll move on to solve the Romulan Question. Doc, I need a nap. After that, you can expect both myself and Dean in sickbay for whatever tests you feel you need to run, shall we say four hours from now at 1800?" Scott asked.

"That would be acceptable, Captain. And yourself, Major?" she replied, looking at Ginny.

"I'll have a nap as well. Then I'll let my lead Corpsman shrink my head and send the results to you," Ginny replied, also yawning.

"Can I have a nap too? I'm super exhausted after wondering if my warp core was going to blow up in my face" Cyron asked the group.

They all let out a much-needed round of laughter, as Scott shook his head, "Sorry Chief, I require you down in Engineering for a while yet. Feel free to take all day tomorrow for your beauty rest."

Scott smiled to his officers, "We've got six hours until we get to this mystery ship. Let's all try to relax for a little while. Yue, you take over the bridge and send Alpha shift off-duty a little early. Get Cookie to put out something decent for everyone to eat in the mess hall too, my orders. Kath, get something to eat as well, and then see what you can learn with Star about this mystery"

He looked at Ginny before he stood up again, "Ginny, I know you don't really operate on the same wavelength as us Fishies but see that your people get some downtime. Feel free to come over to the mess hall, I'll make sure Cookie saves a plate for the Sharkies too."

Ginny returned her own weak smile, "Thanks sir, we'll take the break where we can."

"That's it everyone, Dismissed," Scott said, waiting for the crew to leave the wardroom first.

Ginny followed Yue out and knelt down beside her when she took over the centre seat. She put her hand on Yue's shoulder and asked, "Hey, we're still friends too, right?"

Yue smiled, and despite Ginny's decline of such things, kissed her gently on the cheek, "Oh I couldn't ever stay mad at a face like yours Ginny, even if I can't see it with candle lit dinners. Let's get our lashes done tomorrow, alright?"

Ginny sighed and mockingly bowed her head, "I guess that's an order too. Fine, lashes it is."

Yue laughed, as Ginny went to the nearby turbo-lift and took one last look at Star, who had started showing Kath the designs for the Quantum Harmonizer she had promised her just that morning. She felt at ease, despite everything that had just happened.

She felt more at ease when Dean joined her in the turbo-lift once he turned over the weapons console to a relief officer. When the turbo-lift doors closed, she slammed him hard against the wall and kissed him with a passion that Yue likely wished she could kiss Ginny in turn with.

After biting down on his lip, she stepped back and winked, "I didn't want you to be jealous of Yue, and I needed that."

"Who's jealous? But I needed that too, thanks. You still coming by later?" Dean asked, wiping his bald head.

Ginny stretched her arms out, "Later, like tomorrow. I really do need a nap. And you look like shit. You should get some sleep too. I need you rested so you can properly fuck the stress of today out of me."

Dean smirked, "Oh trust me, after today, I intend to rock your entire universe, Ginny. But I could use some sleep myself. Cya tomorrow then."

The lift stopped at deck four, officer's quarters. As Dean left out the door, Ginny whacked him on the ass for good measure, before the turbo-lift stopped again at deck seven, Marine Country.

She promptly walked into her cabin, killed the lights, and ripped her boots off of her feet. She collapsed hard on her bed and felt her entire body go loose with relief, not realizing just how exhausted she was mentally and physically.

Just before she fell asleep, Ginny quickly QC'd her Lead Corpsman, "Ryhr, wake me up in three hours and do a PTSD test on me, Doc's orders."