"Captain's log, stardate 49036

"Captain's log, stardate 49036.2.

"We have successfully completed the evacuation of the Pemra-3 colony. The colonists have been transported to Starbase 313 where they will be transported to new homes according to their wishes.

"Constitution suffered some damage during our engagements with the Klingons, which is currently being repaired here at Starbase 313. Despite this, I am pleased to report that ship and crew performed extremely well.

"Once all repairs are complete, we will set course to Evlar Prime, a distant, neutral world, for a routine trade and diplomatic mission. Until then, I look forward to a few days of rest and recuperation.

"End log."

Josh stood in his small captain's office, just off the main bridge, and carefully surveyed the room. In the scramble to evacuate Pemra-3, he had never gotten around to unpacking and setting up the office. Now, he reflected with satisfaction, the place was truly his.

On one wall, there was his fishing rod given to him as a child by his grandfather. In the opposite corner, a small shelf containing his collection of rare and ancient books, gathered over half a lifetime. On a small shelf next to his desk, the most prized possession of all; an exquisitely ornate chess set, each piece painstaking carved from a rock sample from each world Josh had visited in his travels. Polished to perfection, it would be the envy of collectors anywhere.

Just as he was setting up the last piece, the familiar door chime sang out, requesting permission to allow someone into this inner sanctum.

For the tiniest second, Josh delayed. Then he called out, "Come in."

The door swooshed open, revealing the tall, statuesque figure of T'Katha. Taken aback, Josh noticed immediately she was in full Starfleet uniform.

Josh stared at her for a moment, then said, "Come in."

Immediately, T'Katha stepped in with the same regal, self-confident stride Josh had always known. "Captain," she began.

Josh cocked his head, puzzled. "T'Katha," he began slowly, "I can't help but notice you're back in uniform."

"Aye, sir. Lieutenant Commander T'Katha, reporting for duty, sir."

"Say again?" Josh queried.

"Lieutenant Commander T'Katha, Chief Science Officer, U.S.S. Constitution, reporting for duty, sir," T'Katha repeated.

"Chief Science Officer?" Josh asked.

"Correct, sir. You seem to be experiencing some difficulty with your hearing. Perhaps you are not fully recovered from your ordeal with General Kalor?"

"I'm fine," Josh reassured her dryly.

"Indeed. Obviously, I have returned to Starfleet at my previously commissioned rank of Lieutenant Commander. I have been assigned to the previously-vacant position of Chief Science Officer aboard this vessel, sir."

"Assigned? By who?"

"I spoke with Admiral Quinn this morning. She has agreed to fast-track my assignment to this vessel to serve in the capacity of Chief Science Officer. Pending your approval, of course, sir."

Josh gaped, dumbfounded. "You didn't leave Starfleet on the best of terms, T'Katha. If I recall correctly, when you left, you were pretty clear about it being for good."

"Yes, sir, I did express sentiments to that effect."

"Then, what changed your mind? Why come back? And why here, and now?"

T'Katha paused, and Josh could almost see the wheels turning in her head. Should she answer his question? If so, then how completely? Just how much should she reveal and how much should she hold back?

Arrogant self-assurance sure made for a lot of extra thinking, Josh mused silently.

Finally, T'Katha replied evenly, "As you know, as part of the Khorava discipline, I have sworn an oath not to take the life of any other living person, whether in aggression or in self-defense. This oath was and is, much more than a simple statement of intent. It is deeply integrated into my system of beliefs, the values by which I try to live my life and interact with others.

"Nonetheless, during your battle with General Kalor, it became apparent to me that you were not going to be successful. You had stated that it was your intent to kill General Kalor or to die in the attempt. Either death would have eliminated one focal point in time, thereby terminating the temporal paradox and restoring the normal flow of time.

"Although Kalor was both stronger and more skilled then yourself, I am familiar with your own martial skills and it was obvious to me that you were not putting forth your best effort. Rather, you were only providing enough opposition to ensure that the general continued the fight and would not attempt to retreat.

"In short, I was forced to conclude that you did not intend to kill General Kalor, but rather, intended on allowing him to kill you. In this manner you could guarantee that the flow of time would be restored, though of course it meant sacrificing yourself."

Josh could only stare, shocked at just how well this woman still knew him.

"I realized all of this as Kalor struck you across your skull, rendering you unconscious, and was preparing to administer the killing blow. At that moment, I simply found your death…unacceptable.

"Therefore, I took action. Using a crude telepathic link I was able to force him to step over the cliff, thereby causing his death, saving your life and restoring the timeline."

"Well, thanks," Josh answered flatly. He wasn't quite certain what T'Katha was trying to say, and he was groping for words of his own.

"It is ironic," T'Katha continued. "In the end, you were prepared to sacrifice your life to avoid killing another. And yet I, who have sworn an oath not to take another life, was unable to live by what I considered to be my most sacred principles when confronted with the moment of truth."

"Don't be too hard on yourself," Josh advised. "Standing around and doing nothing is always tough when your friends are in danger. It's a normal instinct to do something."

"Nonetheless," T'Katha replied, "I have committed what humans might call an unforgivable sin. I have violated a sacred oath I have sworn to live my life by. A price must be paid for this. Penance must be served."

Josh raised an eyebrow and asked, somewhat incredulously, "Are you saying your serving on this ship is to punish yourself? A kind of atonement?"

T'Katha nodded. "A crude analogy, but essentially, yes, that is correct."

"I don't know what to say," Josh replied thoughtfully. "To be honest, I'm not sure I want a senior officer who regards her presence here as a kind of punishment."

"You need not concern yourself with that. My personal philosophical convictions will not affect my performance. As long as I am here I will endeavor to serve you and my fellow officers to the very best of my ability."

Josh thought about it. He had to admit to himself that her presence on the ship would be uncomfortable to him, personally. But he was a professional; he could and would be able to work around his own personal feelings.

T'Katha's reasons for being here didn't thrill Josh. He liked to think that serving on Constitution was a privilege, not a punishment, but she had given him his word that she would give her best effort at all times. Josh knew her well enough to know that once given, T'Katha's word was as good as anything.

And there could be no disputing her qualifications for the job. Finally, he made his decision. Tapping his comm badge, he called out, "Travis to Lieutenant Navat."

"Navat here, sir."

"Please find suitable quarters for our new Chief Science Officer, Lieutenant Commander T'Katha."

"Aye, sir."

"Travis out."

Facing T'Katha, he let a broad grin slip across his face as he extended his right hand and said, "Welcome aboard."

T'Katha clasped his hand and shook it formally, briefly.

"Thank you, sir," she replied. Then, without another word, she spun around and strode out of Josh's office, ready to take her place among the crew.

The door swished shut, and Josh was again alone with his thoughts. T'Katha coming aboard, serving under his command, was not entirely a welcome turn of events. It stirred old memories, feelings long buried. But he could sort out his personal issues later, possibly with the help of Counselor Jylana.

He turned his thoughts to recent events. Everything had turned out pretty well, but there were, as always, a number of loose ends to the whole episode that Josh supposed might never be resolved.

The Guardian had agreed to suspend itself in time, but only for a century or so. A hundred years from now, someone else would have to deal with its re-appearance. Josh didn't like the idea of deferring a headache like that to a future generation, but he didn't see any other available alternative.

Other Guardians were "re-awakening," it had told Josh. Where were they, and why were they re-appearing in this epoch of time? Josh didn't know.

Then there were the Romulans skulking about in the shadows. Their involvement was implicated in the Klingons' learning about the existence of the Guardian. But nothing, of course, could be proved. Josh could only wonder where the Romulans would turn up next.

Lastly, Josh still had to face a debriefing from Starfleet's Temporal Investigations division. Among the most humorless servants of Starfleet's vast apparatus, they frowned upon any interference in the affairs of the space-time continuum by any Starfleet officer. Nevertheless, Josh felt confident he could adequately explain his actions, and Admiral Quinn was prepared to back him up on this one.

Thinking of these things, Josh sat down behind his desk and reclined in the comfortable chair. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to relax for just the briefest of moments.

Yes, he decided, there were unanswered questions, untidy loose ends. But he would have to table them for now. Soon, Constitution would begin its ongoing mission on the frontiers of Federation space.

It was a dangerous time. The Dominion, the Borg, the Klingons, the Romulans – it seemed that no matter where one looked, Starfleet was confronted with hostile and powerful enemies bent upon the Federation's destruction. As one of Starfleet's most powerful ships, Constitution would no doubt be involved in many future conflicts with these and other adversaries.

But war and battles were not the only reasons for the existence of Starfleet and Constitution, nor even the primary reasons. There were cosmic mysteries to investigate, uncharted regions of space to map out, new species and civilizations to discover. In spite of her duty to defend the Federation, Constitution would still have the opportunity to do all of these things…

And maybe even, with luck, find some strange new worlds to explore.