Stephen Kirk ran into transporter room one still buttoning his dress uniform. T'Nia was already present and dressed perfectly. Chief Engineer Tom Kelly was at the transporter controls. He was fortunate enough to be dressed in his normal uniform.

Stephen scoffed at him. "Nice uniform."

Kelly smiled. "I'm not part of the 'meet-and-greet'."

Kirk continued to argue with the buttons. "Have I ever mentioned how much I hate dress uniforms?" He asked rhetorically.

"More often than I can count," T'Nia answered dryly.

Kirk stuck his tongue out at her as he finished buttoning the top. Kelly smiled. T'Nia raised an eyebrow. "And that is the action of the first officer," she remarked. "My confidence in our leadership grows."

Kirk couldn't help but laugh, but that brought up a point he had been dying to discuss. "Speaking of leadership, where's the captain?"

"Said he was running a few minutes late, but he'd be here." Kelly replied in his trademark Australian accent.

Kirk nodded. "Did either of you catch the captains 'welcome aboard' speech?" T'Nia nodded.

Kelly added, "If you could call it that... sounded more threatening than welcoming, if you ask me." He added a nod.

"The captain has his own way," T'Nia offered emotionlessly.

"I agree with Tom," Stephen countered. "He's really starting to worry..."

The transporter panel began beeping, causing the three to stare at it. Tom pressed a few buttons. "That's Starfleet Command. The peace delegation's ready to come aboard."

Kirk shook his head and looked mildly frustrated. He then tapped his comm badge. "Kirk to Captain Bolerov."

The transporter room door slid open and Bolerov stepped in quickly, slightly out of breath. "I'm right here," he said, trying to catch his breath. Those naps were going to have to end. Perhaps he would need to take more stims so he could stay awake. He ran his fingers through his hair and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. He turned to Tom. "Are they ready?"

He nodded, still a bit shocked. "Yes, Sir."

Bolerov made a grand gesture with his hand. "Then bring them aboard, Lieutenant."

After a few button clicks and the zip of a slider bar, the circular transporter pad lit from beneath with a white light. Soon, the entire area was shrouded in white, shimmering sparkles. As the shower of sparkles faded, five individuals stood on the pad. In the center was the recently promoted Admiral Jean Luc Picard. The five made their way off the pad as Bolerov moved to greet Picard.

The two locked arms and kissed each other on one cheek, then the next. "Andrei," Picard said with a bright smile.

"Jean Luc!" Bolerov replied with a smile. They clapped each other on the back.

Kirk leaned closer to T'Nia and whispered. "I didn't know they knew each other. Did you?" Without turning her head, she barely shrugged and shook her head.