Normandy, Stragger, and Destiny dropped out of warp in orbit of Mars.
"Captain, there is a shuttle on the planet. At the Warp Facility." Edwards reported.
Starwind stared at the red planet surface. "VonBach, take Watson and some security personnel to the Warp Facility. I want McKay alive."
VonBach nodded, tapping his comm.. badge on his way out, "VonBach to Watson…"
There was a stillness on the bridge for a bit than Starwind took his seat again. A moment or so later the turbolift doors slid open, revealing a woman in Zeon uniform – Sarah Winters.
"Commander Winters?" Starwind rose, as if an ambassador had entered his bridge.
"Captain Starwind, I want to talk to you about something… in your ready room?"
"Alright." The two entered Starwind's Ready Room, adorned with small trinkets from worlds he had visited. Starwind sat at his desk, "What is it, Miss Winters?"
Winters sat down, "Call me Sarah," she paused, "Sir, I seek political asylum in your Federation."
"Political asylum?" Starwind looked confused.
"See, the fact that I'm a Zeon solder makes me unwelcome in most places in this Quadrant, and most of the galaxy. And within Zeon, Tom Paris and his father, the Marshal, have a bit of a personal vendetta against me they can foreword now with the war ending." Winters sighed. "Besides, I think I'd be better off in your universe. I've studied some records on your ship, and there is no Sarah Winters who matches my description or my DNA or any of that. I should be safe there."
"You know how many Federation laws this would break…" Starwind shook his head, "But I'll take full blame in my log. Asylum granted, provided you sign up for Starfleet Academy the second we get back to our Earth. You are a solder, you said, and a good solder is just what Starfleet needs."
"Thank you Captain." Winters nodded.
Starwind's eyes fixed on his computer, "Don't make me regret it, Sarah. Dismissed."
As Winters exited, lights fell red in the Ready Room, and Talara's voice rang over the shipwide comm.. "Red Alert. Captain to the bridge!"