This is the last one I'm doing. I've tried to write differently for each character because obviously they all took it differently. Let me know what you think.

Trip knew he could have had anyone clean out the plasma relays, he didn't need to do it, but he needed a distraction. Trouble was, when you can do something without really thinking because you know it so well, it's not really much of a distraction. He just couldn't believe it, the news seemed to have come in a dream, not over a view screen. He could remember the way his insides froze and his stomach dropped. Jon's whole body seemed to deflate as he sank into his seat.

"I'm sorry to inform you that Commander Thy'lek Shran was killed in a confrontation with the Orions."

The words kept ringing in his ears, they just didn't sound right. Shran was never meant to die! He froze as those words passed through his head.

Shran was never meant to die?

It was true, Shran was this person, this presence, who showed up when they needed him and lived forever. At least he was in Trip's eyes. While in the Expanse they'd gotten to know each other, and from then on Trip had considered Shran something of an older brother who was always watching out for others. He always did in a way, whether it was Enterprise, his planet and people or his crewmen, he always looked out for others. How could he be gone? Trip just couldn't accept it. He shook his head; he had to get out of engineering! He never thought he'd admit that but he did.

"Kelby finish this off for me!" he exclaimed sharply. Kelby rushed to obey, not dumb enough to refuse. Trip stormed out of engineering and stomped down the corridors. He didn't have a clue where he was going, he just wanted to run away from all these thoughts, away from Shran who seemed to be dogging his every step. He actually whirled around, expecting to see the Andorian standing there ready to tell him it wasn't true. But no there wasn't, there were just human crew members giving him worried looks.

He found himself in the gym and jumped on a treadmill, deciding he could literally run from his problems till he dropped. He ran and ran, but thoughts still plagued him, had Shran been on a ship? If so had he been in command like he deserved to be? The message the Andorian General had given them had been void of any real information save the fact that Shran had died and the Orions had been the cause. Had Shran been on a planet, struggling with Orion pirates? How had he died! Trip smashed his hand on the consol of the treadmill, frustrated as he wished he'd been there to help him. Shran had helped save his whole planet and Trip couldn't help save the shorter man's life! Frustration filled him as he adjusted the setting to maximum and ran for all he was worth. He just couldn't stand it. Shran was meant to be around forever! He was just one of those people you never expect to really be gone, just like Elizabeth…

His sister was supposed to be around forever, but she was gone, just like Shran. The old pain of his sister came back, joining the fresh pain of the loss of Shran.

The running.

Wasn't.

Working!

Trip gave up running and switched the machine off. He walked to his quarters and collapsed on the bed feeling miserable. The Andorian was his friend, and now he was gone. It just wasn't right.

"It's just not fair!" he shouted as he lay on his soft bed. He fell silent and slowly into a restless sleep with the questions becoming images in his mind.

In the morning it still wasn't right.