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U.S.S. Phoenix – Sickbay

-Earth Orbit, Day Seven-

Maxwell walked into sickbay after he received an unusual request. One of the prisoners had asked to speak with him. Ordinarily would have declined the request; however, he had been assured that the prisoner wouldn't ask to be released or for any special favors. Therefore, he decided to head down and listen to what the prisoner had to say.

He walked into Sickbay and saw General Lefcourt sitting on an examination table. Since the general was the only patient there, he correctly assumed that he had requested an audience.

"General, you asked to see me?" Maxwell asked.

"Captain Maxwell. Yes, I did. I wanted to thank you personally for the help your staff has provided to me. My knee hasn't been right since I injured it during the Earth-Minbari War. I've had to live with that pain for over ten years, a painful reminder of a war we lost. Your people have made it better than ever, and, more importantly, I no longer have any pain, at least none physical. They even fixed my lungs. You could change the lives of millions on Earth with your medical technology."

Maxwell was taken aback by the gratitude expressed by Lefcourt, so he decided to continue the conversation. "You're welcome. Since you're going to be here for a while, it only made sense to give each of you a proper medical exam and address any medical conditions you might have."

"That's not all, Captain. I've read some of the unclassified information on this ship and The United Federation of Planets. It's almost unbelievable, to be honest. Technologies I've never heard of, and the battle footage speaks for itself. Tell me, Captain, what would Earthforce be with a fleet of ships like this?"

Maxwell answered with one word, "unrivaled."

"You and your people could be the best thing to ever happen to humanity and Earth. Your knowledge and technology would represent a quantum leap in our quality of life and make Earthforce the dominant military power in the galaxy. Why did you choose to join Sheridan instead of us?"

"Honestly, it was an accident. We responded to Commander Ivanova's distress call. The rest is history. Once we found out what was happening on Earth, there was no chance of us contacting EarthGov."

"If you had contacted us first, we could have avoided a lot of the unpleasantness that has happened over the past few months. Earth would have been well on its way to becoming the dominant player in the galaxy."

"And that's why we didn't contact you, General. Don't you think that we realized that we possessed capabilities significantly above any of the known governments? We could have become mercenaries and pledged our ships to the highest bidder. That's not who we are or have ever been. We help people. Clark had already established a pattern of attacking his people whenever they didn't follow his orders. Now that he's been removed, we've established relations with EarthGov, and I will work to strengthen those relations. However, at this time, we won't be providing advanced military technology to Earth or any other government. The risks are simply too great."

Lefcourt didn't understand, so he decided to press the issue. "Doesn't it matter that you're human just like us?"

Maxwell had another answer in mind, then reconsidered. He was still getting used to how local the races were in this universe. "Of course, it does. Why do you think we assisted Captain Sheridan in removing Clark from power? We all want to see and visit a free Earth. Many of us may want to live there. That wasn't going to happen while Clark was still president."

"So, you removed him for your purposes?"

"That wasn't our primary motivation. We were trying to save the lives of tens of thousands of people and free billions more from an oppressive government."

Lefcourt paused and briefly reflected on the meetings with Clark over the last several months. "I didn't agree with everything that the president said or did. I tried to influence him to do what was right, but he was the president, and I was a loyal Earthforce officer, and I followed the orders of my president."

"Unfortunately, many of those orders resulted in the deaths of the people he and you were sworn to protect. You chose to violate your oath to follow a madman. Hopefully, you can find a way to redeem yourself. I couldn't live with myself if I had done the things you've been accused of," Maxwell said, his voice slightly raised.

"I plan to fight those charges, Captain," Lefcourt said with confidence.

"As is your right. But, if you have any respect for the uniform, you must do the right thing, no matter the cost. Demonstrate the leadership skills that got you promoted to general in Earthforce."

"I'll think about it."

"You do that," Maxwell said as he turned and walked out of Sickbay.

Betazed – Governor's Office

The governor and his four-member council were seated in his combined office and conference room on the second floor of the central Government Center building. The office was located on the backside of the building, facing a large park. The park was approximately the size of a football field, with an open field flanked on either side by trees and various plants. The area was very popular with the entire population, with the governor and his staff often walking down to interact with the citizens of Betazed directly.

The council had assembled for the governor's weekly council meeting. Unlike every previous meeting, today's meeting would be anything but routine.

"Please come to attention. Today's meeting is now in session. Governor?"

"Thank you. In light of yesterday's revelations, all scheduled agenda items have been deprioritized for today's meeting. We're here to discuss what we learned yesterday and what this means to our future. We will begin with our Lord of Records. Ms. Var, what have you learned from studying the materials left by Libbon and Deanna?"

"Unfortunately, I was unable to study all of the information simply because it was too vast. My staff and I will need several weeks to review everything. Based on what little I've seen so far, the similarities are striking. The differences I've noted could be attributed to our population being restricted to a single city and due to the influence of the Vorlons. On the other hand, the other Betazed had involvement with other societies, which I'm sure affected their development."

"Thank you, Ms. Var. Next, I would like to get your thoughts, Madam Troi."

"My thoughts are simple. Deanna Troi is my great-great-granddaughter; this is indisputable. I have welcomed her into my home, and she will be afforded the honors and privileges that come with being a Troi. I, too, have reviewed their materials, and I don't question their authenticity."

"Dr. Choik, you expressed strong skepticism yesterday. What are your thoughts today?"

"I decided to challenge the most easily verifiable information first: the departure of the Vorlons. The beacon has always been illuminated since it was first given to us by the Vorlons. However, it went dark at precisely the same time as Libbon said the Vorlons left. The Vorlons said that only they and the Shadows possessed the ability to travel through the dome. However, we know they aren't Vorlons, and, as Libbon said, the Vorlons would never allow the Shadows to land on our planet."

"What are you trying to tell us, Dr. Choik?" Madam Troi asked.

"I remain skeptical, but I am unable to disprove anything they've presented. We could ask them if they would be willing to submit to a simple scan that would confirm no deception."

"Thank you all for your input, but that won't be necessary. I think it's safe to say that most of us agree that Libbon and Deanna are our people and that their stories are genuine. The question now is how do we proceed? I move to immediately allow all of our brothers and sisters to join us here."

"That goes without saying, Governor. As I've said, I've already made that offer to my great-great-granddaughter. I plan to introduce her to the entire family at our next family gathering."

"We also need to consider our protection. Since the Vorlons will no longer offer us protection, we should ask Libbon if his people will protect us. That may be a difficult negotiation since the others aren't of Betazed. Therefore, we need to think of trade opportunities that we can leverage to convince them to offer protection services."

"I think that's wise, Governor. We'll need them to protect us. Madam Troi, perhaps you can speak to your great-great-granddaughter to have her work on our behalf."

"Absolutely. Deanna promised to come home today, and when she does, I'll speak to her about it."

"Outstanding. Well then, on to the remaining items on the agenda."

U.S.S. Enterprise – Troi's Quarters

Deanna Troi sat quietly in her dimly lit quarters, deep in thought. She hadn't slept well as she reflected on the previous day's events. She had the opportunity to meet and talk to her great-great-grandparents! Everything about her experience on the planet had gone well. She wasn't one who typically suffered from homesickness despite how close she was to her family. However, this visit to Betazed had affected her in ways that she couldn't have anticipated.

A few moments later, she heard her door chime. Fortunately, she had already dressed for the day, despite having four hours remaining before her duty shift began. She walked over to the door and was glad to see the face staring back at her.

"Hi, Libbon."

"Hi, Deanna. I wanted to check on you to see how you were handling everything that happened yesterday. I wanted to give you some time before stopping by."

"Thank you. That's very considerate of you. Please come in."

The two walked into her quarters and sat down in the small seating area.

Troi gave Gam a half-smile before she shared her thoughts. "As you can probably imagine, I've been doing a lot of thinking. Even now, it's hard to believe that I have family here. It was such a relief to find out that we weren't alone here, that Betazed existed. Then, to find out I have family here, happy doesn't come close to describing what I'm feeling right now."

"I remember how I felt when we first discovered Betazed. I was happy, relieved, and excited, and those were only my first reactions. You're right, I can't begin to imagine how I would have felt if I had discovered family members here."

"Not just family members, but my great-great-grandparents and my just-married great-grandmother. Even my great-great-great-grandmother is still alive! It's all a bit overwhelming, to be honest. Yet, they welcomed me as a member of the family without reservation. That's been the most special part of this entire experience. We have a home on Betazed, all of us. We've become a family since we arrived here, but it's different for me."

Gam nodded as he tried to empathize with her. "No one expects you to sacrifice your relationship with your family to support us. You'll always be a part of our larger family; however, I think that you need to be with the Trois. No one ever gets the opportunity to spend time with their ancestors, and I believe you must take full advantage of it. You'll regret the decision if you don't."

"I know. That's why I'm going to ask Admiral Picard for permission to live on the surface. I want, no, need to be with my family. Once we've completed the negotiations, I'm going to take leave to spend time getting to know my family."

"I think you should. In fact, I was going to suggest it. If there's anything that I can do for you, just ask."

"Thank you, and thank you for listening to me. It was helpful to hear my thoughts out loud for a change," Troi said with a smile.

"I'm sure. Will you be joining me in the meeting later today?"

"Yes, I'll be there."

"Ok. I'll be on my way. I'll see you later."

"Ok. Thanks again, Libbon."

"Anytime."

Gam walked out of the room and left Troi to her thoughts.

Earth - Earthdome – Joint Chiefs Conference Room

-Next Day-

The generals were seated around the large table in the conference room. They had spent the past few days in deep discussion on how to approach Captain Maxwell. Unlike Garrett, Maxwell was a war veteran with multiple years of combat experience. Every general in the room was a veteran of the Earth-Minbari War, so they hoped that commonality, plus their humanity, would help them reach a common understanding.

"Captain Maxwell, please have a seat. Thank you for meeting with us," General Fitzpatrick said to Maxwell.

"It's not a problem, General. One of the reasons I'm here is to build a stronger relationship with the Earth Alliance and Earthforce. Besides, my first officer is more than capable of maintaining standard orbit around the planet."

"Yes, I can see that. Actually, that leads to one of the reasons that we wanted to talk to you today. We all appreciate the continued support you and your ship have provided us as we work to transition beyond the Clark regime. I would hate to think of what would have happened without your assistance."

"You're welcome. It was the right thing to do, and we were glad to help."

"Allow me to be frank, Captain. Though you've given us no cause for concern, I can't say that I'm comfortable with a heavily armed warship orbiting our planet that we can't even scan. By all accounts, your ship is the second most powerful warship in the galaxy. I'm sure you would have the same concerns for your Earth."

"No doubt about it. I completely understand your position."

"Good. Would it be possible for you to at least allow us to scan your ship to ensure that the planet or Earthforce assets aren't subject to target locks?"

"I would if that were possible. Our shields automatically disrupt your sensors, and I can't drop our shields while we're still detaining Clark and his people. We are a target, and I need to maintain a defensive posture at all times. However, I would welcome you to take a tour of my ship. That might help to address some of your concerns."

"Thank you, Captain. We would appreciate that. We are available whenever you'd like us to be there."

"We can go there now if you'd like," Maxwell said.

Fitzpatrick looked around at his fellow generals and said to Maxwell, "We would."

-Two hours later-

The generals sat around the table in the conference room, each with different expressions on their faces. General Fitzpatrick was more guarded than the others, but he, like the others, had been affected emotionally by the visit to the Phoenix.

"I don't know whether to be amazed or terrified," Blachowicz said, which also expressed the thoughts of others in the room based on the looks of the other generals. "To see a human warship with that kind of technology…."

"Well, I do know, and I am not amazed. We don't have anything that can come close to that ship, and that isn't even their strongest!" Fitzpatrick roared.

"My worst fears have been confirmed. That one ship has the firepower to destroy this planet, and we couldn't stop it with the forces we have currently in the system," Dawodu added.

"We could potentially force them to withdraw if we had enough ships available. But the most prudent course of action is to avoid any potential armed conflict with them. We might prevail, but the losses to our fleet would be astronomical," Fitzpatrick speculated based on what he observed on the ship added to the information Sheridan had given them.

"I agree. This visit confirms what Captain Sheridan told us. Even their shuttles are deadly to our best warships. Not only that, how do we know if the Phoenix is the only ship here? The others could be here, and we wouldn't know."

"So, what do we do? I need to provide a report to the president on the current readiness of Earthforce. The report would be incomplete without the inclusion of the Phoenix and Starfleet," Fitzpatrick asked the group.

"Tell her the truth. All of our ships are returning to their bases as instructed, and we have a warship in orbit of our home world that is capable of destroying the planet by itself, and we would probably lose most of the fleet if we tried to stop it. Maybe they'd run out of torpedoes before we ran out of ships," Blachowicz said, the frustration in her voice evident.

"If we could even get a target lock, which seems unlikely. We know their shields disrupt our sensors, so it's safe to assume that target locks would be impossible. Besides, how do you even target an invisible ship?" Mohammed asked.

"I don't know, and I don't want to risk trying to target that ship now to find out. Making Maxwell angry is the last thing we want to do," Dawodu said as he looked down at his notes.

"I agree. In my opinion, there's only one recommendation to make. Maxwell, Riker, and most of the crew members that we met were human. Every word I saw on that ship was in English. As far as I'm concerned, they should join Earthforce. We would become the dominant military force in the galaxy overnight with them on our side. The president should do everything in her power to convince them to come here and join us," Fitzpatrick said, now confident in his recommendation to the president.

"That could backfire if she presses too hard. They already helped us in getting rid of Clark and keeping him and the others confined to their ship," Mohammed offered, concern evident in her voice.

Fitzpatrick looked over at Mohammed and offered his thoughts. "You're right, but she's a brilliant woman. The president needs to convince Maxwell that the excesses and abuses of Clark are behind us and we would welcome them, not exploit them."

Jackson had been quiet as the other generals voiced their opinions. She had a few of his own, though she was more concerned if they didn't act and act quickly. "I hope you're right. I fear we may not have much time. What if another race makes them a better offer before we do? It would be decades before Earthforce could catch up."

"Catch up? Are you serious? We aren't even aware of the science behind their technology, much less how to build anything similar. How are we supposed to match what they have?" Blachowicz said, her voice filled with dread.

Mohammed sighed. "You're right. We don't know. I'm simply trying to think of anything to avert a potential disaster."

"The Minbari Warrior Caste must be fuming right now, being outclassed by humans," Jackson said as she smiled at the thought of seeing one of their faces.

"Now there's a thought. However, they must respect Picard since he led the allied fleet to victory and commands the strongest warship in the galaxy. The Warrior Caste respects strength above all else, and Picard's strength is unquestioned. They probably overlook the fact that he's human," Fitzpatrick replied, both proud and nervous at the same time.

"I don't know, but I would like to ask one of them someday," Mohammed said earnestly.

U.S.S. Phoenix – Ready Room

-Four Days Later-

Maxwell and Riker were seated in the Ready Room for their regular daily meeting. The two men had quickly developed a routine and now understood how the other preferred to operate. Riker mainly had adjusted to how the ship worked, though he did suggest opportunities for improvement. He had decided against making any recommendations so far, given that this was only a temporary assignment. He planned to speak with Gam when this assignment was over to share and compare notes. Gam may have noted some areas of improvement on the Enterprise as well.

"Commander, I've received word from the president that they have secured a location for our crew on the surface. Apparently, it's a private resort in the Bahamas. I would like you to oversee the necessary arrangements to ensure that it's ready to support our people."

"Yes, Sir. I'll assign our marines and engineering staff to begin making the necessary updates."

"Good. I also think we need to institute a training program for the marines on ship operations. As things stand, we'll be here for a while, effectively making us a training vessel in addition to being a prison barge. I'd like to take advantage of this opportunity to train as many people as possible. These changes will also give our regular crew a long-deserved break. If we're able to leverage everyone on the ship, we could stretch out the duty rosters."

"I agree, Sir. It doesn't look like we'll be fighting any ground wars anytime soon, so it makes sense to train everyone on starship operations. I think that we can also begin training additional pilots as well, assuming that we can clear use of our shuttles with Earthforce."

"I will contact their Joint Chiefs for authorization. I don't see that as a problem as long as we stay away from their established trade routes."

"When do you think we can allow crew members to visit the surface, other than the island?"

"You can authorize visits immediately. I don't want to allow overnight visits just yet until we have more confidence in the security situation. We don't know how many Clark loyalists there are on the surface and what they might be willing to do to gain his freedom. Overnight stays will be restricted to the island for now."

"Yes, Sir. I'll inform the crew and get started on preparing the island."

"Thank you, Commander. That'll be all."

U.S.S. Phoenix – Captain's Quarters

-Two days later-

Maxwell walked into his quarters and sat down behind his desk. The war had been won less than two weeks ago, and he was still getting used to not having to conduct daily mission briefings and tactical mission planning sessions. Now, he spent his time in diplomatic meetings with Earth Alliance officials and Earthforce leadership.

He had to admit that he liked this new reality without the constant fighting. He also enjoyed being here at Earth. It didn't bother him that this wasn't his Earth as much as he thought it would. Of course, that was primarily due to the woman that he was about to call. He'd talked to Maria every day since the party, and he had become wholly taken by her. Maria's impact had surprised him as he wanted to continue to respect the memory of his wife. As they continued to talk, their respective traumas surfaced, and they discussed them openly. Each of them still had work to do to let go of their individual pain, but they'd made progress.

"Hi, Maria."

"Hi, Ben. I thought that you'd forgotten about us."

"How could I? We just talked yesterday."

"You know, mom won't stop asking when you're coming to dinner. I told her it was complicated. Is it still complicated?"

"Not anymore. I've finally been able to get things settled here, and I'll be able to come to dinner whenever I'm invited."

"You have an open invitation, silly, in case you missed the hint."

"Oh, good to know. Well, I was hoping that I could join you for dinner and then invite you and Jenny to my ship. I did promise, and I believe that she would enjoy it."

"We would love that! We've never left Earth before, so this is very exciting! Do we need any special anti-gravity training or something?"

"Not at all. My ship has gravity. It's just like walking around your house, just bigger."

"Ok. In that case, dinner is at six. Don't be late."

"I won't. I'm looking forward to it."

"See you soon!"

Earth - San Antonio, Texas - O'Dell Home

Maxwell, Maria, and Jenny were sitting around the dining room table. Rose had left the room to load the dishwasher and 'other stuff.' Maxwell offered to help her, but she flatly declined. He appreciated her wiliness to give the three of them time to talk. It almost felt like family time.

"Jenny, how would you like to go on a special trip?"

"Really? Where are we going?"

"Would you like to go to my ship for a tour?"

"Yeees! Can we go, Mom?"

"Yes, honey. We can go."

"Ok, ladies, let's stand over here, and then we can go."

The three walked away from the table, and then Maxwell called the ship.

"Maxwell to Phoenix. Three to beam up."

U.S.S. Phoenix

Maxwell stepped down from the transporter pad and looked at his guests. Jenny had a look of extreme excitement, with a grin as wide as her face. Maria, on the other hand, was a bit more difficult to read.

"How did y'all enjoy the transporter experience?"

"I'm not sure. At least I still have all of my fingers," Maria said as she wiggled the fingers on her right hand.

"That was awesome, Ben! I can't wait to tell my friends at school," Jenny answered enthusiastically.

"You haven't seen anything yet. Follow me."

The three walked through the ship. Jenny and Maria tried to take in as much of the experience as possible. They hadn't seen anything yet, but here she and Jenny were, on a starship in orbit of Earth.

"This is 10 Forward. The crew comes here to relax and have drinks. Let's walk over to the windows."

Both Jenny and Maria were in awe of the view. Earth could be seen through the windows.

"Oh my God! Look at that view! Ben, I didn't know warships had windows!" Maria exclaimed.

"Ours do. What's the purpose of being in space if you can't see anything?"

"Yeah," Maria answered as she tried to collect her thoughts.

"Mom, where's our house?"

"I'm sorry, Jenny. We're currently over Russia. It will be a few hours before we'll be able to see Texas," Ben answered instead.

"Can we come back to see it then?" Jenny asked.

"Only if your mother thinks it's OK."

"Can we, Mom?"

"We'll see."

"I'll go get us something to drink. Why don't you two grab that table, and I'll be right back."

The two sat down at the table, and then Maria spoke softly to Jenny.

"Jenny, don't ask Ben for too much. He didn't have to bring us here. I don't want to impose."

"I won't, Mom, but who gets to do this? This is incredible!"

"I know. This is incredible, isn't it?"

"Mom, do you think that I can become a starship captain when I grow up? I want a ship just like this, not like Uncle Alex. His ship doesn't sound fun."

"I don't know, honey. And you're right, Alex's ship doesn't have a bar."

U.S.S. Phoenix – Holodeck 1

-30 minutes later-

The past 30 minutes had been delightful for Maxwell, Maria, and Jenny. Maria and Jenny were asking Maxwell questions covering multiple topics, and he enjoyed answering them. As they approached a room labeled 'Holodeck 1', a bit of doubt entered Maria. She asked herself why Ben would be interested in her and Jenny when he had a ship like this with the ability to go anywhere in the galaxy. She was just a single mother with a mundane job. She wasn't anyone special, and she certainly couldn't measure up to what she'd seen so far.

"There is one more thing I want to show you both. I hope you like it. Computer, Risa Children's Area."

"Program complete. You may enter when ready."

Maxwell, Maria, and Jenny walked into the holodeck. Maxwell took note of the shocked looks on the faces of Maria and Jenny as they looked around the holographic representation of the resort planet Risa.

"Look at this, Mom! Ben has a beach on his ship! I told you his ship was better than Uncle Alex's."

"Ben, you have a beach on your ship?" Maria asked Maxwell, the look of shock evident on her face.

"This is a holographic recreation of the resort planet Risa. It's very popular where I come from. I thought that you both might like it."

Before Maria could ask another question, a greeter walked over to them. "Well, hellooo. What a wonderful-looking family. I'm Surge, and I'm your Happiness Coordinator for the day. If you'd follow me, I'll take you to your exclusive area on the beach. The little lady can go over there to change into something more appropriate and can then join the other children."

"Can I, Mom, can I?"

Maria looked at Maxwell, who nodded and smiled.

"Of course, honey. Have fun!"

-Two hours later-

Maxwell and Maria were seated in a couple of lounge chairs along the edge of the beach area. They had both sampled various Risa specialty drinks. Maxwell had to explain to Maria that the drinks tasted alcoholic but weren't. He told her that he had to specifically ask the computer to provide actual alcohol for the drinks if she wanted that. She declined this time. She couldn't believe the time she was having. She lay back in her chair and looked into the sky, where she could see the two moons of Risa in the distance, which let her know that she was no longer on Earth. She was further amazed that she could feel the heat from the Sun on her skin. It was hard for her to believe that she wasn't on a planet. Maria then sat up and looked at Jenny, who was playing with the other 'children' in the water. Everything felt so real. To say that she was blown away was the understatement of the century.

"I haven't seen Jenny so happy in a very long time. We needed this. I needed this. I can't thank you enough for bringing us here. I can't remember the last time I was this happy."

"There's no need to thank me. I've wanted to bring you and Jenny here for a while, but I needed to wait for the right time. I needed to wait until my crew was allowed to visit Earth before I could bring you here. I couldn't afford to damage their morale."

"I understand. Alex has told me stories about some of the morale issues he's had to deal with on his ship."

"It's even harder for us because this isn't the Earth we know. It looks the same, mostly, but there are major differences. Plus, none of our friends or families are there."

Maria could see Maxwell's eyes change. Instead of looking at her, his eyes appeared to look through her. It was a stare that she knew all too well, and Maria wasn't going to let him go down that road, so she reached over and held his hand, and smiled.

"You've made quite an impression on Mom. I think she may be ready to adopt you, but I told her not to make it official because I might have other plans."

Maxwell was caught off-guard by her statement. "Oh really? What might those plans be? Do share."

"Well, they might include you," Maria said while she gave him a suggestive wink. "I won't lie to you, Ben. I'm concerned. I don't want to be in a committed relationship with someone who will be away for months at a time. I want you in our lives, but I need you with us, not away on some mission. I don't think I would like that very much, and I don't think Jenny would either. She's already asking me about marriage. I told her that it was far too soon to talk about that, but she doesn't care."

"Oh. I didn't realize that I had such an impact on her. I mean, we've become close already, and I think the world of you. You've raised a fine young lady, not that I would expect anything less. She told me yesterday that she couldn't wait to get home to finish her homework just to have time to talk to me. She's so smart and inquisitive..." Maxwell looked down and paused as he tried to collect himself. He then looked up: his eyes moist from tears. "Maria, I've fought in my last war. We were fortunate enough to win, but I'm done fighting. I've also come to realize that I made a mistake with my last family. I put my career ahead of them and have regretted that decision ever since. I promised myself that if I ever got a second chance, I wouldn't repeat that mistake. I'm trying to say that if you give me a chance, I promise that I'll be here for you and Jenny. I'll walk away from Starfleet today if that's what it takes."

She looked around the beach they were sitting on and then turned back to him. "There's no need to be hasty. Let's see how things work out. I can't imagine you wanting to walk away from all of this just to be with us. Regardless of how things go for us, I want you in Jenny's life. She wants to be a starship captain just like you. You have inspired her, unlike anyone else. Her father wants nothing to do with her, and I want her to have a strong father figure in her life. I would love that to be you."

"Regardless of what happens between us, I will be here. Always."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Mom! Come here! You've got to see this!"

"You coming, Ben?"

"Right behind you."

U.S.S. Phoenix – Holodeck 4

Clark and the others enjoyed their daily recreation time on the holodeck. Maxwell recognized that Clark and the other couldn't be held in their quarters all of the time. Therefore, he authorized daily, two-hour recreation access to the holodeck to participate in whatever activities they wanted to pursue. They couldn't contact the outside world and had no access to any sensitive Federation or Starfleet information. However, they could use the holodeck in any other capacity.

Each day, the participants settled on visiting a new Federation Earth city to witness the Earth Alliance Earth's differences and similarities. Clark was still the leader of the group, though he was no longer president. Most of them didn't want to deal with Clark's temper, so they let him have his way. For once, though, no one had any problems with one of his decisions.

Today the group was having lunch at Federation headquarters in Paris.

"This Paris is so similar to ours, but different," Lidya Magnusdottir, the former #2 of Nightwatch, said.

"It is, isn't it? I hope you all see why I pushed so hard for Picard and the others to join us. Look at this place! And Earth is at the heart of the largest alliance in the galaxy. I knew they had powerful warships, but I had no idea they had all of this. Just look at the technology they take for granted. This is what the Earth Alliance could become with their technology! Besides the aliens, this matches my vision. We were so close!" Clark expressed loudly.

The others sat quietly while Clark continued to speak. They had sat in on the Federation council meetings, and they were nothing like Clark's government. None of the fear or intimidation was present. They were concerned with the personal well-being of their citizens, not with trying to oppress everyone in an attempt to maintain power.

"I'm looking forward to visiting San Francisco tomorrow. I want to see how their military operates," Lefcourt told the group.

"Agreed. I can't imagine trying to manage such a large military across multiple star systems. I mean, we have three, and they have dozens," another general added.

"Yeah, it looks like they had a lot more to offer than just technology. We could have learned how to manage Earthforce better to expand it to even our colonies. What a missed opportunity!" Lefcourt almost yelled, clearly upset by this revelation and their current situation.

"If I had known all of this was possible, I would've changed my approach and never bothered with the Shadows. How was I supposed to know that Picard and his people were going to show up and bring all of this?" Clark said earnestly. He even dropped his head as if he might have experienced some regret.

Several people looked at Clark as if he had grown a second head. Clark never admitted to being wrong about anything.

"What do you mean?" Magnusdottir asked him, still surprised by Clark's admission.

"What I mean is if I had been the one to introduce Picard and Federation technology to Earth, I would have won the presidential election in a landslide. I would have been the one who brought Earth this fantastic technology. I would have been the one responsible for making Earthforce the envy of the entire galaxy. I would have been the one responsible for making the Earth Alliance the greatest empire the galaxy has ever seen! Make no mistake; we would have become an empire with access to this technology. I just didn't know!" Clark yelled, and, this time, he was yelling at himself and not anyone else. "I just didn't know," he said again, now somber, and he appeared to have broken. Everyone seated around Clark was shocked by his public display of vulnerability.

"Can I get you anything else?" the waitress asked.

"Rum and Coke, please?" Kim, another former Nightwatch officer, answered.

"Ok. I'll be right back."

"How is that not a real person? How does any of this exist?" Clark asked, almost hysterical at this point. No one said anything because they had the same questions.

Lefcourt looked at Clark as if he was a completely different person. Each of them had been affected by being on this ship. He never thought that Clark would be so reflective and so critical of his actions. Lefcourt then thought back to his conversation with Maxwell and realized that Maxwell had been right. Clark even admitted that his actions, in hindsight, had been wrong. As the Joint Chief's chairman, Lefcourt realized that there was no excuse for what he'd done. Lefcourt was no longer going to fight the pending charges against him. He'd been wrong for following Clark's orders, and now he accepted that fact.

Earth – Bronson Elementary School

-Next Day-

Jenny couldn't wait to get to school to tell everyone about her experience on Ben's ship. She knew that only a few people from Earth had been to his ship, and no one had seen what she saw. Jenny was remarkable, and Ben told her so! Unfortunately, that wasn't how her friends and classmates responded when she told them about her experience aboard the Phoenix.

"I'm telling the truth! I was on a starship with my mom and my new dad," Jenny was flustered, and she hadn't meant to call Ben her new dad. That was private between her and her mom, but she was being attacked and trying hard to defend herself.

"When did you get a new dad?"

"He's not yet. But he will be."

"I've never heard of a starship. What did you see?" Billy's father was a captain in Earthforce and knew when someone was making something up about battleships. His father had told him everything about the Omega class destroyer, and the things Jenny said were not true.

"Lots of stuff. We were in a big room, like a restaurant, and one of the walls was all glass. We walked over, and we could see the whole planet!"

"You're crazy! Ships don't have windows," Billy said.

"Yeah! Everybody knows that you can't walk on a ship in space," Frank added, who stood next to Billy.

"My dad is an Earthforce captain, and he told me that family isn't even allowed on ships," Sam said to Jenny as he folded his arms.

"My new dad isn't in Earthforce. He's a Starfleet captain!"

"What's Starfleet?"

"I don't know, but the new ship they show on ISN is his."

"We don't believe you, Jenny!"

"I'll prove it! Just watch me!"

Jenny ran out of the cafeteria crying. No one believed her. She couldn't wait to share with everyone her experiences from being on the Phoenix. Instead, even her friends thought that she had made up everything. She was devastated.

Earth – ISN Studios

Maxwell shouldn't have been surprised when ISN made the interview request. He initially turned it down because, as far as he was concerned, he was here to build relationships with the Earth Alliance government and not its citizens. However, at the request of the president, he changed his mind and accepted the invitation. She told him that the interview would go a long way to ease several people's concerns about him and his ship, including several people in Earthforce.

He was transported into the studio and surprised everyone present. When they told him where the interview was to occur, Maxwell naturally assumed that he could transport there directly, an assumption that proved to be in error. Everyone quickly recovered, and he was then prepped for the interview.

"Hi. I'm Maggie Cunningham, and this is ISN. Today we have a very special guest. This is Captain Benjamin Maxwell, commanding officer of the U.S.S. Phoenix, the ship that is currently in orbit of our planet. It has become commonly known that former President Clark and the others are being held there awaiting trial. Many of us have wanted to learn more about the ship and where it came from. Today, we hope to learn those answers.

Thank you for joining me today, Captain. So many of us have been curious about you and your strange-looking ship. There have been several rumors about you, but I would like to ask you to tell our audience about you and where you come from."

Maxwell shared a high-level overview of the Federation and then shared the same story they told Sheridan so many months ago. He then shared the role Starfleet played in ending the Shadow War.

"That is quite a fantastic story if you don't mind me saying so."

"Believe me. If I were sitting in your spot, I would be thinking the same thing. That doesn't change the fact that everything I just told you is absolutely true."

"Your ship has been here for several weeks now, and I assume that you've had the opportunity to spend some time here on Earth. What do you think of our Earth?"

"Well, I've only been to a few locations so far, and I have enjoyed each for different reasons. I hope to get out to see more soon."

"You've been here in our universe for several months already. When are you and your people planning to return to your universe?"

"We've recently concluded that it is improbable that we'll ever be able to return. We don't have the necessary technology to open a portal through time and space to get home. We only recently reached that conclusion because several of our crew members aren't human, and we have not yet determined if their races exist in this universe."

"That must be hard, living with the knowledge that you will never see your families and friends again."

"It has been for most of us. Some of us are still coming to terms with it. We intend to visit the home planets of every race in our fleet and then the home planets of each Federation member. So far, we've made contact with two: Earth and Betazed. Knowing that you're not alone in the universe helps a lot, trust me."

"Betazed? I've never heard of that planet."

"I'm not surprised. It's a planet home to a telepathic race called Betazoids. Several of our crew members, including my first officer, are from Betazed in our universe. Since we've been here, we've discovered that the planet is the source of all telepathy in the races we've encountered so far."

"What are you saying, Captain?"

"Telepathy was introduced artificially into the races of this galaxy by the Vorlons to fight against the Shadows. DNA scans of several races have confirmed it. None of the races we've encountered here, besides the Betazoids, are naturally telepathic."

"What does that mean for the telepaths here on Earth? Of Psi-Corps?"

"I don't know what Psi-Corps is, and I don't know what effect the existence of Betazed has on the telepaths here on Earth."

"That's a long story, Captain, that I can share with you after the interview. Let's get back to you. Have you been concerned at all that you have in custody some very high-profile and influential people? I mean, there may be groups out there that would be tempted to stage a rescue mission."

"No, I'm not concerned. My tactical teams are monitoring the system for any threats. My ship is fully capable of defeating any threat posed by anything in this system."

"What if they were rogue Earthforce elements using Earthforce destroyers."

"As I said, they wouldn't be a threat, regardless of the number of ships in the hypothetical assault force."

"Aren't you being a bit overconfident?"

"Not at all. It's a statement of fact. There aren't enough ships in this system to give me any cause for concern."

"Oh, my. Just how powerful is your ship?"

"I'm afraid that's classified. Let's just say that my ship is the second most powerful warship in the known galaxy behind our flagship, Enterprise. Simply put, if every ship in this system decided to attack me, there wouldn't be many left to regret the decision."

Maggie shivered at the implications of Maxwell's statement. "I see. How much longer will you be remaining here on Earth? I imagine that you have many other interests that demand your attention."

"It's true that there are other missions that my ship could undertake. However, we're committed to supporting the president and the Earth Alliance during this transition, and I intend to see that through. We're also interested in building a stronger relationship with the Earth Alliance, something that we refused to do when Clark was in power."

"Thank you for your time today, Captain. I am, for one, glad that you're here. I have complete confidence that Clark will face justice and that there is no chance of their escape."

"Thank you for having me."

Earth – San Antonio, Texas - O'Dell Home

-Late afternoon-

Maria was in her bedroom, seated at her desk. Jenny had just left to go to her room, very upset about what happened at school. Maria was heartbroken for her daughter. They were so happy just yesterday, only to have that happiness turn into something ugly. Maria was reluctant to reach out for help, but she knew that she had to do something.

"Jenny came home upset today," Maria said flatly.

"Why? What happened?" Maxwell asked.

"She told me that the kids at school didn't believe her about visiting your ship. Is there…."

Maxwell didn't hesitate. "Say no more. What time does she get out of school?"

"3:15. Why?"

"Tell her that I'll be there."

"Ben, you do…"

"Yes, I do. I promised that I would be there whenever either of you needed me. Jenny needs me, and I will be there for her."

"Ok. Since you will be in town, do you want to come over for dinner tomorrow night?"

"Yes. I would love to."

Earth - Psi-Corps Headquarters

Psi-Corps headquarters was both extravagant and intimidating at the same time. Telepaths considered themselves superior to regular humans, and Psi-Corps felt their headquarters needed to reflect that position. The architecture of the building, the color palette used for the interior furnishings, and the artwork positioned throughout the building reflected this mindset. This atmosphere was contrasted by the presence of a large contingent of Psi-Cops that patrolled the grounds and the headquarters. Psi-Corps leadership wanted everyone to know that they were being monitored at all times.

Magnus Dalmarson, the leader of Psi-Corps, walked into the meeting room, where several of his direct reports were already assembled. He walked in, took his seat, and pressed the button on the console directly in front of him.

"I've called you here today to discuss this interview. Watch this."

The group watched Maxwell's interview with ISN.

"Wait a minute. That can't be true, can it?" Roger Russell, head of Psi-Cops, asked.

"I want to see some proof before jumping to any conclusions. However, if what Maxwell says is true, then we need to go to this planet and meet the Betazoids," Dalmarson confirmed.

"Maxwell said in the interview that his first officer is from Betazed, as are several of his crew members. Maybe we should ask to meet the ones on the ship first," another Psi-Corp officer suggested.

"No, I would rather meet them on the planet first. Their military may have compromised anyone on Maxwell's ship. We would never allow one of our people to serve on a warship," Delmarson reacted as he shook his head negatively.

"That's true. The problem is that we don't know where Betazed is. How are we going to find it?" Russell asked.

"I'll contact Captain Maxwell and ask him for evidence of his claims. If his claims are true, then I'll ask him for the location of the planet," Dalmarson confirmed as he continued to note the various points raised by the participants.

"That makes sense. If this is true, then we can realize the true potential of Psi-Corps. Who knows how we might improve our telepathy by working the Betazoids."

"For now, this is my top priority. We will meet again as soon as I learn more from Maxwell," Dalmarson said as he effectively ended the meeting.

U.S.S. Phoenix – Ready Room

-Next day-

Maxwell sat in his ready room and stared out the window where Earth could clearly be seen. He reflected on how much had changed for him and his crew since he arrived on the planet. Maxwell was disturbed when Maria told him what had happened to Jenny at school. He'd promised that he would support both Maria and Jenny whenever they needed him, and he had every intention of living up to that promise.

Maxwell turned his attention to the screen on his desk and noted the time. He was scheduled to visit the resort that EarthGov had provided to his crew today. He had every confidence that Riker had everything well in hand; however, he needed to remain connected and accessible to his crew, regardless of where they were. As he stood up to leave the room, he was contacted by the bridge.

"Captain. Incoming message for you from the surface, Sir."

"Put it through."

Maxwell sat down at his desk, where he saw the face of someone he didn't recognize, a common occurrence since he expanded his engagement with EarthGov and Earthforce. "This is Captain Maxwell. What can I do for you?"

"Hi, Captain. It's a pleasure to meet you, and thank you for taking my call. My name is Magnus Dalmarson, and I am the director of Psi-Corps. I wanted to talk to you about the planet Betazed you mentioned during your ISN interview."

"Ok. What did you want to know, specifically?"

"You said that Betazed was the source of telepathy in this galaxy. Do you have any proof to support this claim?"

"Yes, I do. I'll have my Chief Medical Officer provide you with the medical data we've collected from multiple races we've examined since our arrival here. The evidence is quite conclusive."

"Thank you, Captain. That would be appreciated. We've been unable to determine why some people develop telepathy while others don't. It would appear that you have solved that mystery, at least in part."

"Perhaps. I will contact you as soon as I have the records. Is there anything else?"

"No, Captain. Thank you for your time. Good day, Sir."

Earth – Bronson Elementary School

Jenny told everyone that she could prove that she was telling the truth. She would show everyone after school. When the school day ended, all of Jenny's classmates stood around waiting to see her proof. Even the teacher was interested, so she stayed around to supervise the children.

"So, Jenny, where's your proof?" Sam asked her. He hated liars, and as far as he was concerned, she was a liar.

"He'll be here. Just wait a minute. There he is!" Jenny said as she pointed at the transporter beam.

The transporter beam captured everyone's attention. Everyone stopped what they were doing to watch the beam of light that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Maxwell materialized onto the sidewalk in front of the school, still wearing his Starfleet uniform. Jenny smiled as she watched Maxwell appear and the transporter beam disappear.

"Ben!" Jenny yelled as she ran over to Maxwell and hugged him.

"Hey, Jenny. Did you have a good day?"

"It was Ok, but everyone was mean to me, calling me a liar. But you showed them!"

"I'm here for you whenever you need me, always."

"Thank you, Ben," Jenny told Maxwell as she hugged him again.

Jenny turned around to her friends and classmates with a proud look on her face. Maria walked over to Maxwell and Jenny. She delayed her arrival to give them a moment.

"I told you! I told you! I transported to Ben's ship just like that!" Jenny said as she pointed at her classmates. She then looked up at Maxwell. "Haven't I been to your ship Ben?"

"Yes. I even gave you the princess tour," Maxwell said with a smile.

Maria then put her arm around Jenny and asked, "You ready to go, honey?"

"Yeah, Mom. I'm ready! See y'all tomorrow!"

Maxwell then touched the communicator on his chest, "Maxwell to Phoenix. Three to transport to address two."

Jenny waved at her classmates while the transporter beams took them away, leaving stunned faces behind, both children and adults.

Earth – Psi-Corps Headquarters

-Two days later-

The leaders of Psi-Corps had assembled again in the expansive conference room, which had a glass wall that overlooked the courtyard covered in lush greenery and colorful plants. The meeting attendees, as usual, ignored anything happening outside the building, especially today, given the topic of the meeting.

Dalmarson walked in last, as usual, a technique he employed to ensure everyone knew that he was in charge. As soon as he sat down, he looked at the man to his left. "Ok, Bill, let's hear your report."

Bill Ellison, the head of the Psi-Corp science department, began his report. "I'm sure you've all seen the information provided by Captain Maxwell. The geneticists and I reviewed all of the data thoroughly and came to one conclusion. Betazed is, without a doubt, the source of our telepathy. We weren't able to identify one plausible counter-argument to the data. If we'd been able to examine someone from Betazed, we would have been able to reach the same conclusion."

"I don't need to be a scientist to see that the evidence is overwhelming. The question now is what do we do with this information," Russell said as he stared at the scientist.

"I have another question. Do the people from Betazed have stronger telepathy than we do? I mean, they're the originals. Who's to say that the Vorlons copied all of their telepathic genes and introduced them to us," Dalmarson asked.

"That's a good point. We don't know. Our attempts to date to enhance our telepathic abilities haven't been very successful. I suppose we can directly examine one of them ourselves. In that case, we might be able to unlock more of our abilities or even identify abilities that the Betazoids have that the Vorlons didn't give us," Ellison offered.

"I agree. I think our course is set. We need to examine one or more Betazoids to unlock our full potential. The problem is how to go about that if Maxwell refuses to give us the location to the planet," Dalmarson said, more to himself than to the group as he appeared deep in thought.

"Why would he refuse? We have our own ships and won't need him for anything. We'll ensure that we send as many medical and scientific resources as possible to examine their people and to conduct additional research," Ellison suggested as he tried to keep his excitement under control.

"That's our best option. I would prefer to examine a Betazoid here, but I doubt that Maxwell would allow one of his crew members to be examined by us. It's already well known that their medical sciences capabilities greatly exceed ours, which would leave us with no credible way to conduct our research. We need to bypass Starfleet and work with Betazed directly. Are we in agreement?" Dalmarson asked the group, confident in the direction he decided upon.

Everyone nodded.

"Good. I'll contact Maxwell and ask him for the coordinates of the planet. Anna, you, and Bill begin preparations to send a ship to Betazed. I would like to proceed with our plan as soon as possible."

"Will do."

Earth – San Antonio, Texas - O'Dell Home

-Later that evening-

Jenny had a favor she wanted to ask Ben, but she didn't know if she should. Her mother told her not to ask Ben for too much. Plus, she didn't want to hurt her mother's feelings. After today, though, she thought that if she asked nicely, he would say yes.

"Ben, my school is having a bring our parent to school day tomorrow. I know that you're not my parent, but I would like it if you'd come. I hope you don't mind, Mom."

"No, honey, I don't mind as long as Ben is OK with it. Ben, I know how busy you are. If you don't have time, we'll understand."

"I'll always have time for you two. I'll be there, Jenny. What time?"

"9:00."

"Good. I won't miss it."

"Thanks, Ben. You are the best! I told you, Mom! Ben is special, and he will always take care of us."

"Always, Jenny. All you have to do is ask."

Maria stood up and walked over to Ben, who was still seated. She told him 'Thank you' and kissed him.

"Anything for the two ladies in my life."

"Don't say that in front of Mom. She might take offense."

"You're right. The three ladies in my life."

Betazed – Governor's Office

The past few days had been very active for the planet's inhabitants and the Betazoid crew of the Enterprise. The crew members had all been to the surface and had been embraced without exception. Troi had connected with her family. They weren't happy until she agreed to move into the family manor. Her great-great-grandmother had insisted that Troi must move into the estate and wasn't willing to take no for an answer. Admiral Picard reluctantly approved, as he understood the unusual nature of their situation.

"Governor, I wanted to thank you personally for welcoming me and my crew to your planet. I also wanted to assure you that, as Commander Gam said, we're committed to defending this planet. I see this world as part of the Federation regardless of the universe, and I am responsible for the defense of member worlds."

"Thank you, Admiral. Libbon has provided us with information on your Betazed, and we are impressed by what our brothers and sisters have accomplished. We hope to make similar strides here, especially with the help that you've already provided."

"Of course. It's the least we can do. Based on current estimates, the dome could be completely removed within five to seven days. You'll then be able to explore the planet without any restrictions."

"We are very excited to begin. Again, I can't thank you enough for that, plus for allowing us to unite with our people on your ship. Words cannot express how grateful we are."

"It's meant a lot to the entire crew. My other crew members also hope that we may find their home worlds similarly populated. There was another topic I wished to discuss with you. We need to begin searching for a new colony to settle since we can't live on our ships indefinitely. I plan to leave a garrison of runabouts here to protect the planet. They possess enough firepower to give any fleet pause and will prove to be an effective deterrent," Picard said.

Picard's statement caused an uproar among the assembled planetary leadership. "Admiral, that won't be necessary. I believe that I speak for everyone that there is more than enough space on Betazed to establish your colony here. There's no need for you to look elsewhere."

"I appreciate the offer, Governor. However, I would prefer you be given the opportunity to develop without outside interference or influence. The location of our colony won't impact my ability to protect Betazed."

"Admiral, that simply won't do. You need to be here with us. We have more than enough space for your colony, and we must be with our people. We have much to learn from each other, and they need to be here with us. Besides, if your colony is here, it will be easier for you to protect us both, will it not?"

"Indeed, Madam Troi. Very well. I will confer with my officers and discuss your proposal with them. I will give you an answer as soon as possible."

"Thank you, Admiral. That's all we can ask for."

"Very well. If you'd excuse us, we'll return to the Enterprise to begin discussing your request. Enterprise, five to transport. Energize."

Earth – Bronson Elementary School

-Next day-

Maxwell, Maria, and Jenny walked into the main entrance of the school. Several people turned to look at the trio, especially since Maxwell was wearing his uniform, which left no doubt about who he was. Word had spread around the school about the transporter light show earlier in the week, which made Maxwell, and by extension, Jenny, very popular. Jenny grabbed his hand, proud beyond description that Ben was here for her and no one else.

As they walked into the classroom, Jenny noticed that there were several other parents also in uniform. In her opinion, Ben's uniform was the best. She couldn't wait until it was their turn as she wanted everyone to know how great Ben was. Jenny hoped that this meant that they were a family, even though her mother insisted that they were still getting to know Ben. She disagreed. She knew everything she needed to know about him.

Maxwell looked around and saw a couple of Earthforce officers in the room, and one appeared to be a captain who regarded him carefully. He didn't want to get into a who's service was better discussion, nor did he want to embarrass the Earthforce officers. 'This should be interesting,' Maxwell thought.

-30 minutes later-

Several children had completed their presentations ahead of Maxwell and Jenny since the teacher insisted on alphabetical order. The last child's mother was a beekeeper. Some of the kids were interested, but most of them looked bored. Jenny was anxious because she wanted to go first, and waiting was hard. Maria was amazed by her little girl. Jenny was never shy, but she wasn't particularly outgoing either. After her divorce, Jenny became withdrawn and lacked confidence. Nothing Maria did seemed to work. Once Maria fell into her depression, things went from bad to worse. They didn't argue, but they didn't talk much either. That was until Ben entered their lives. Now she saw Jenny as the little girl that was confident and assertive. She was happy. They all were.

"Now we have Jenny Davenport. Jenny, would you introduce us to your parent?"

Jenny grabbed Maxwell's hand and walked to the front of the classroom. "That's my mom over there. Her name is Maria. I asked her if it would be OK to have my fa.. friend help me today, and she said yes. His name is Ben Maxwell, and he's the captain of the U.S.S. Phoenix from The United Federation of Planets."

"Class, say hello to Captain Maxwell."

"Hi, Captain Maxwell."

"Captain, would you like to tell us a little about yourself?"

"Certainly. But I thought that it might be better for the children if I also used a visual aid. Do you mind?"

"Of course not, Captain. Go ahead."

"Maxwell to Transporter Room 1. Transport the projector and PADD to my location."

"Aye, Sir. Energizing."

Seconds later, a holographic projector appeared in front of Maxwell with a PADD. The children were just as impressed by the transporter the second time they'd seen it. The Earthforce officers were particularly impressed and somewhat jealous of Maxwell for having technology that Earthforce didn't.

"What you just saw was a transporter beam. We use transporters to travel relatively short distances and to move things, like this holographic projector. I'm going to show you a video of my ship and my Earth. Could you dim the lights, please?"

Several people around the room appeared ready to ask questions about the transporter until Maxwell set up the projector and pressed a button on the PADD. The room was transformed. They were now in space while moving around the Phoenix in Earth's orbit. All questions about the transporter evaporated, replaced by questions of how it was possible to create such realistic holographic imagery.

"This is my ship, the U.S.S. Phoenix. I am a member of Starfleet, the exploration and defense service of The United Federation of Planets, a multi-race, unified government that spans over 8,000 light-years. My ship was originally designed for long-range exploration, but it's since been refitted for combat."

"Where are the gunports?" asked Sam, whose father was an Earthforce captain. His father was also curious.

"We don't use guns. Instead, we have torpedo launchers and phaser arrays."

"What's a phaser?"

"A potent beam weapon. Much more powerful than a laser or pulse cannon."

The video then went to show 10 Forward. The camera panned around the room and then out towards the windows.

"I told y'all his ship has windows. We sat right here and had ice cream," Jenny said as she pointed to the table where they had been days earlier.

"How are people walking around? Is everyone wearing magnetic boots?" Sam asked.

"All Starfleet ships, regardless of size, have artificial gravity. No boots are required."

"Captain, how long have you been with Starfleet?" the teacher asked.

"About 25 years. I've been in command of the Phoenix for about three."

"And this is Main Engineering."

"Where are the fusion generators?" Sam's father asked.

"We use small fusion generators for our sub-light drives and various ship functions; however, the warp cores provide the power for our defensive systems and warp drive for faster than light travel. What you see there are the warp cores."

"You don't use jump gates? What's your ship's top speed?" Sam's father asked again.

"No, we don't use jump gates. My ship's top speed is classified. Let's just say that it's more than 500 times the speed of light. The last thing I want to show is Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco."

The room changed for the final time, and now they were in a courtyard. Several buildings were surrounding them, and the Golden Gate Bridge could be seen in the background. Maxwell gave a brief description of what they were seeing, and then someone else asked another question.

"I've never seen this in San Francisco. Where was this taken?" one of the other parents asked.

"This is from MY San Francisco, Earth, 2360. The San Francisco here, I'm sure, looks much different."

"You're from the future?" the teacher asked.

"Not exactly. More like an alternate universe. I apologize, I'm sure that I went over my allotted time, but I thought it was better to show rather than to tell."

"It's quite all right, Captain. I think that I speak for the entire class when I say that it was very informative and enjoyable. Thank you, Jenny, for bringing Captain Maxwell to class with you today. Captain, we would be honored if you'd come back again to share more about your Earth."

"I'd love to. Next time, though, Jenny and I will both be sharing. Isn't that right, Jenny?"

"Yes!"

Maxwell turned off the projector and tapped his communicator. Seconds later, the projector and the PADD disappeared in a beam of light. Finally, Maxwell walked to the back of the room to join Maria and Jenny took her seat.

"Next up, we have Sam Evanson. Sam, whom do you have with you today?"

"This is my dad, Captain Roger Evanson of the E.A.S. Achilles." Sam and Roger had practiced their presentation for days in preparation for today because Sam wanted to show up Jenny. He still didn't like her even though she had been telling the truth. His REAL father was an Earthforce captain and commander of an Omega class destroyer, the best ship in Earthforce. He knew that his father would be better than Jenny's fake dad. Unfortunately, there was no hope of that now. Jenny and her dad had blown them away, and he was devastated.

"Would you dim the lights, please?" Roger asked the teacher. Once the lights were dimmed, he started the video he'd prepared of his ship.

"This is an Omega class destroyer, the most powerful ship in the Earthforce fleet. It has 12 pulse cannons and four laser cannons."

"Is it more powerful than the U.S.S. Phoenix?" one of the children asked.

Roger already felt deflated after Maxwell's presentation, and this first question confirmed what he has already expected. Everyone was going to ask him to compare his ship to the Phoenix, and he wasn't looking forward to answering their questions. "No. Earthforce destroyers are slightly less powerful than Centauri warships. Starfleet warships, like the Phoenix, are the most powerful in the galaxy, ahead of everyone."

"Even better than the Minbari?" another parent asked.

"Yes, even better than them," Roger answered.

"Where are the windows?" another student asked.

"Warships don't have windows," Roger answered the little boy.

"The Phoenix has windows. A lot of windows," the boy shot back.

"I know. Only Starfleet warships have windows. No one else has them." Roger quickly advanced the video to another section. "Here is the bridge. It's one of the most important areas on the ship where I command the ship."

"Does your ship have gravity, too?" another child asked.

"Only in the middle near the rotating section. Other areas don't have gravity," Roger answered.

"Why not," a girl asked.

"Earth doesn't have artificial gravity technology."

"But Captain Maxwell is from Earth, and his ship has artificial gravity, so why doesn't your ship have it?" the girl asked again.

"Well, Captain Maxwell and Starfleet are from a different Earth that does have artificial gravity technology. We don't have it yet," Evanson answered as he hoped what the president had said about Starfleet joining them was true.

Maxwell stood quietly in the back of the room. He felt bad for the Earthforce captain as with every question answered, Earthforce appeared even more inferior to Starfleet, which Maxwell had attempted to avoid without success.

"Can you make your ship float in the air like Captain Maxwell?" another child asked, referring to the holographic video of the Phoenix shown in the previous presentation.

"No. We don't have holographic projectors that can replicate what Captain Maxwell demonstrated."

"What can your ship do that Captain Maxwell's can't?" another boy asked.

Roger exhaled. He considered how to answer the question and decided to be honest. "Honestly? Absolutely nothing. His ship is better than anything Earthforce has."

"Why don't you ask Captain Maxwell to share with you? It's not nice to keep everything to yourself. Mom says it's nice to share," a little girl asked Evanson sincerely.

"It's a little more complicated than that, but I hope one day he will be able to share with us."

Sam stood by quietly while his father answered everyone's questions. He was frustrated because his father had to answer every question with 'no' when compared to the Phoenix and Starfleet. He was proud of his father and wanted to be an Earthforce captain just like him. Now, Sam wasn't interested in Earthforce. He wanted to be a Starfleet captain like Jenny's new father.

"Is there anything else you'd like to show the class Captain Evanson?" the teacher asked Roger.

Roger saw this as a lifeline and decided to take it. "No. I think I've shown enough today. Thank you for having me." Evanson walked to the back of the room, a defeated man. He was competitive, and once he saw Maxwell walk into the classroom, he wanted to put Maxwell in his place and let him know that his arrogance concerning Earthforce was misguided.

Unfortunately, it had been Evanson that had been put in his place. Maxwell had demonstrated technologies that Earthforce wasn't close to having, and it bothered him greatly. Roger and Sam had spent two weeks creating their presentation, only to be completely overshadowed by Maxwell. He'd let Sam down, but there was nothing Roger could have done to match anything Maxwell had presented. He'd seen the Shadow War video and appreciated the role Starfleet had in the victory. However, having witnessed Starfleet technology firsthand, he had a different appreciation for Maxwell and his people and better understood why Earthforce leadership wanted Starfleet to join them so badly.

-Two hours later-

Maxwell was overwhelmed with questions as soon as the presentations ended. Children and parents alike asked him questions, from how they captured Clark to how different his Earth was. After 30 minutes, he politely reminded everyone that he was on duty and that he needed to return to his ship. Everyone began to disperse, but before Maxwell could leave, someone walked up to him.

"Captain Maxwell. Captain Evanson. It's a pleasure to meet you," a now-humbled Roger introduced himself.

"Likewise, Captain."

"You've been the talk of Earthforce since your arrival here. Your ship is unlike anything we've ever seen. Most of us have seen the Shadow War footage, and I must say that we were all surprised and very proud to see human warships leading the fleet against them. I never thought I'd see the day when a human commanded Minbari warships in battle. I was a young lieutenant during the Earth-Minbari War, and it was beyond frustrating and terrifying to fight an enemy that you had no chance of defeating. Humanity was always inferior until you arrived, a fact the Minbari have made sure to remind us of constantly. Now, you've proven to the galaxy that humanity is the most dominant force militarily, with superior technology and firepower to everyone, including the Minbari. Maybe when you and your people join Earthforce, I might be able to command a ship like the Phoenix one day."

"I've heard about the Earth-Minbari War. I've been in some battles where I was outmanned and outgunned, but I always had a chance to fight back. As I told Captain Martinez, you should always be proud of your command. You put in the work to get there, and that should be respected. There's always someone out there with a better ship. Regarding joining Earthforce, we'll see. It's not my call to make, though I'll mention this to the admiral. In the meantime, I could arrange a tour of my ship if you're interested."

"Of course, I am! There are a couple of captains I know who would also be interested."

"All right. Hail me on this channel, and I will have it arranged."

"Thank you, Captain. For everything."

"No problem, Captain."

"Ladies, I'll see you tonight for dinner."

"Ok, Ben. I love you!" Jenny told Maxwell.

Maxwell was shaken to his core by the proclamation, but he answered her back honestly. "I love you too, Jenny."

Maria mouthed 'thank you to him as Jenny hugged him. "Come on, Jenny. Ben has to go."

"Until later. Maxwell to Phoenix. One to beam up."

Earth – San Antonio, Texas - O'Dell Home

-Later that evening-

Maxwell and Maria sat on the couch watching TV. Maxwell found the Earth shows interesting and completely different from what he'd previously seen. Maria watched him as he was engrossed in the TV. She then shifted her position and lay her head across his lap. Maxwell forgot about the TV and looked down at her, and smiled.

"Ben, at the school this morning, Captain Evanson asked you about joining Earthforce. You didn't deny it. Is that something you're considering?"

"Absolutely not. Starfleet will remain independent. I didn't want to dash his hopes in front of everyone."

"That's good."

"I'm impressed that you were able to get Jenny to go to bed so early."

"It's a mother thing. Besides, I told her that she had to be on her best behavior when you're here. That was all the incentive she needed."

"I'm glad that I could help your 'mother-ness,'" Maxwell said with a smirk.

"I don't know if you noticed, but she almost called you her father."

"I did notice. It shocked me almost as much when she said, 'I love you."

"That didn't surprise me. We've talked about it a lot. It's only been a couple of months since we've known you, and these have been the happiest we've ever been. Jenny is a smart and perceptive girl; she knew my marriage was a train wreck and that her father had no interest in her at all. You're the complete opposite in every way. Things are going so fast between us. Sometimes I feel like we should slow down a little to avoid another disaster. But I'm not going to do that. Everything about this, about us, feels right. I'm going all in with you. Please tell me how you feel." Maria then sat up and stared at Maxwell while she waited for his response.

"I've been all in since the moment I met you and Jenny. I've been trying to show that in every way possible. I'll be here until you tell me to go away."

"I don't see that happening for a long time."

"That's good, really, really good."

U.S.S. Phoenix – Ready Room

-Next day-

"Mr. Dalmarson, what can I do for you?"

Maxwell had arrived in his ready room less than five minutes before the call. He liked to have a few minutes to himself before he began his daily routine of meetings. Unfortunately, his routine was interrupted today. 'One of the disadvantages of being in Earth orbit,' he thought.

"Captain Maxwell, thank you again for taking my call. My team and I have reviewed the information you provided to me after our last call. That information answered so many questions for us, questions we've spent decades trying to find answers for. Thank you for providing it to us."

"You're welcome. I thought you deserved to know."

"That leads me to my other reason for this call. I would like to dispatch a diplomatic mission to Betazed to meet with the people there. My people and I believe that we may have a great deal to learn from them, and we would like to begin a dialogue right away. Would you be able to provide coordinates to Betazed? We have our own ships and won't require any further assistance from you."

"I'm afraid that's not possible at the moment. Betazed has been isolated from the galaxy for at least 1,000 years and is only now engaging with people outside of their society. Extreme care must be taken as they are slowly introduced to the larger galaxy. We've ensured that only our Betazoid crew members have interacted with them so far. I believe there may be an opportunity in the future for you to meet with them, but not now."

"I understand, but certainly, there is no harm with providing the coordinates now. I'm willing to wait until later to engage in diplomatic communications."

"I'm sorry, but I can't provide that information right now. I'll let you know when I'm willing to share the coordinates."

"I see. Thank you for your time, Captain."

"Of course. Maxwell, out"

Earth – Psi-Corps Headquarters

Dalmarson was mad, almost furious, with Maxwell. He was used to having whatever he wanted, and the location of Betazed was what he wanted most of all. He turned to his assistant, who walked into his office as soon as the call ended.

"Captain Maxwell was unwilling to share the coordinates to Betazed with me."

"What do we do now, Magnus?"

"We need to tap into our network to see if anyone knows where the planet is located. Contact our assets on Babylon 5 to see if they know anything. Utilize all available resources. I don't care about the cost, but we need to be discrete. Maxwell has been useful to us, mostly, and I don't want to lose that resource. Plus, I don't want to make an enemy of Starfleet. Let me know when you learn anything."

Babylon 5 – Green Sector

-One week later-

Delenn and Garrett sat in the Minbari Federation's office in the Green sector. Given the number of meetings she had every day, she decided to maintain a presence in the office to discourage others from visiting her quarters. She and Garrett still had their morning tea in Delenn's quarters, but they always went to the office afterward.

"Delenn, I'm not sure how we should proceed. I was sure that we could successfully establish the alliance. Now, I'm not so sure," Garrett told Delenn, now seated at her desk in the Minbari offices.

"I know. I have complete support from all three castes to join the alliance. The Warrior Caste is completely against joining a federation. They want the Minbari Federation to be the strongest among the younger races as it's always been, present company excluded. We are only now just beginning to implement the necessary reforms for our federation. Asking Minbar to join a larger federation is a bridge too far, as you humans would say."

"I'll admit, I didn't see the possibility occurring though I understand the motivation. Everyone is well aware of how our federation developed, and many races want to up-level their planets by gaining access to advanced technologies."

"Which is precisely why the Warrior Caste is against the idea. Maybe in the future, they might be willing to compromise. However, the answer is no right now, and, to be honest, I am inclined not to disagree with them. I've sacrificed much to see my people evolve. Now that we are finally beginning our journey, I dare not derail it. Besides, we both know whose technologies everyone is after."

"I know. I know," Garrett sighed.

"The question is, what are you going to do about it? You are now the key to whether we can establish the alliance or watch it collapse before getting off the ground."

"I need to contact the admiral to discuss our options. Time is not on our side."

"I agree. Let me know as soon as you've reached a decision. I'm sure that it will be the correct one. You always do what's best for everyone."

"Thank you, Delenn. I'll be back soon."

U.S.S. Destiny – Ready Room

Garrett returned to Destiny to contact Picard. She needed privacy, and that was something in very short supply on the station. For the first time in quite a while, Garrett was unsure of how to proceed and needed Picard's counsel.

"Admiral, I've run into a problem here that I could really use your help with."

"Certainly. How can I help you?"

"We have several governments that want to join the alliance. We have an equal number of governments that want to go a step further and form a federation."

"That's outstanding progress, Rachel! Well done, though I fail to see the problem."

"The problem is that the Minbari won't join a federation. They are currently implementing reforms to their federation to make it somewhat more consistent with our federation. The Warrior Caste is insistent on these reforms as they feel it necessary to match us in military strength and technology."

"I see. We need the Minbari for any alliance or federation to work."

"Exactly. Although no one has admitted it, everyone wants access to our technology, and the governments believe joining a federation with us is the best way to gain that access. I've been asked by more than one government that if we won't sell them the technology, would we be willing to build ships on their behalf. I think that if we agreed to that, then we could proceed with the alliance."

"Interesting. I'm not completely comfortable with this approach; however, I will authorize the construction of ships for use by alliance members with stringent limitations and safeguards. At this time, this is rather academic as we don't currently have construction or training facilities. Inform them that once we have established our colony and constructed the appropriate facilities, we can begin ship construction and training their crews. Also, inform them that those ships will be subject to forfeiture for noncompliance even though they paid for them. Their people will require years of training before they can serve on one of the new ships. Finally, these ships will be based on first-generation Starfleet ships and not our current ships of the line. All of these conditions need to be completely understood."

"Yes, Sir. I will explain this to them. I doubt that anyone will object to these conditions, knowing how provincial the races here are."

"Your reasoning is sound. The Betazed government is insistent that we establish the colony here. They claim that there is more than enough space on the planet for us, which is obviously true. However, I believe that their main motivation is to ensure that we continue to provide security for the planet. Despite my repeated commitments that I will continue to defend the planet, they remain unconvinced. In the absence of another viable option, I'm inclined to accept their offer. What are your thoughts?"

"I'm concerned about potentially impacting their culture negatively by our presence, but I'm sure Commander Gam has already taken steps to mitigate that risk. Otherwise, I don't have a problem with establishing our colony there."

"Good. There is still more work to do before the agreement is finalized. I will broadcast a fleet-wide message once the agreement is official. Keep me informed of your negotiations. Be advised that I'm not willing to compromise further on our technology. Our continued independence is predicated on the relationships we've built, plus our superior firepower. I'm not willing to give up that advantage so easily at the moment."

"Yes, Sir. I will finalize the proposals we've discussed here and then ask Captain Sheridan to call for a vote."

"Very well. Proceed. I will be available if needed."

"Yes, Sir. I will keep you informed. Garrett out."

Earth - Undisclosed Location

-Next day-

The secret cabal decided to use Vid-com for this meeting, given the expected short duration. Extra precautions had been taken to ensure that the communications couldn't be traced back to any facility or property owned by any of the call's participants. There was too much at stake for every precaution not to be taken.

"What have you found out?"

"My people have identified at least one person who's willing to make a deal to avoid jail time. There is another who is also considering it. As expected, the vetting process has been extensive, and my usual assets can't join the legal team for the prisoners. If we send someone to deal with this situation, they will have to be lawyers."

"That is unfortunate. I don't have any assets that are also lawyers, either. Anyone?"

No one answered.

"Do you know of anyone who would be able to act on our behalf for an additional fee above their standard retainer?"

"I know of a few individuals who could be persuaded."

"Good. The people will probably be searched, so we need to prepare them to deliver a solution that can be concealed and avoid even the most stringent security."

"I'll take care of that. I have specialists that handle my most delicate problems. They've always delivered, and I would expect them to do so here, even if we're not using professionals to deliver the packages."

"Good. When are the lawyers traveling to the ship?"

"The day after tomorrow."

"All right. We know what needs to be done. In two days, hopefully, our problems will be no more. Until then."