8

Epilogue

"Doo dooo dooo dooo,"

David shot Ed an odd glance.

"Bum bum bummmm…bum bum bubum bubum!"

David started glancing around uncomfortably; his lower lip slowly lowered in confusion.

"Dun dun dun dunnnnnnn…"

"What the hell are you singing?" David finally interjected…his voice dripping with irritation.

"I don't know…I can't remember where I heard it," Ed replied nonchalantly. "It just popped into my head.

David rolled his eyes…hiding his anxiety with frustration. The agitation seeped through.

He pulled at his collar…straightening it and smoothing it out.

The pair were hurdling through a turbolift; in the window behind them, the Republic could be seen, getting repaired in drydock.

David let out an agitated sigh…then clasped his hands over his stomach.

"Ya good, Boyo?"

"Ya," David shot back.

"Ya seem a lil tense,"

"I'm good!" David glanced over at Ed…irritation in his eyes. Ed noticed the look…and immediately eased up.

Ed began biting his lower lip.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot,"

"Why did you let that alien General live?"

David looked over…another uncomfortable yet irritated look on his face.

"You're asking me this now?!"

Ed shrugged his shoulders.

A moment passed in silence.

David finally cleared his throat.

"It didn't seem necessary," he said quietly, glancing over. "To kill him. Enough people had already died."

Ed nodded his head.

David left out the part about seeing his face on his body…and their voices being the same.

"I was sick of fighting myself,"

The two men remained quiet for the rest of the trip.

When the doors opened…Ed got out first…then immediately paused and turned back.

He placed a hand on David's shoulder and looked him in the eyes.

"I'm happy for you, David. You deserve something good like this,"

David's expression turned from agitated…to slightly relieved. He flashed a small smile.

"Thanks, Ed. This wouldn't have been possible without you, though,"

Ed smiled…then continued forward.

David immediately felt a wave of anxiety wash over him as he stepped into the throngs of people.

They were in a small viewing gallery…with a large window on the opposite side over-looking the Republic.

David spotted Carl at the opposite ended…and waved to him.

Dickie was also there…off in a corner…arms crossed and face bitter. The pair nodded to each other.

David dodged a few crewmates…and started for the center of the crowd…when he spotted her.

Sephora.

His face instantly lit up…and the warm tingling feeling spread throughout his body.

He quickly made his way over…her face also lighting up like his.

"Hello there!"

She stepped a few inches closer…a gaggle of people pushing past her.

"Hi!"

David studied her for a moment; her hair was just as luscious…and her face was just as beautiful. Her eyes pierced his soul like diamonds. She hadn't aged a day.

"I thought I would never see you again,"

Her eyes lowered a bit.

"I did too…but I thought of you everyday,"

He smiled warmly at her.

"I never could forget you,"

She glanced down at his uniform.

"I see you went through with it,"

He nodded his head…feeling a bit bittersweet.

"Yes," he said, lowering his voice. "It turns out Starfleet isn't so bad after all."

She looked a tad bit disappointed.

"Oh," she replied. "That's good."

They were silent for a few minutes.

"What about you?" he asked a bit uncomfortably.

Her face turned from warm to a bit pained.

"Yes," she replied. "I finally buckled down as well."

David didn't know what to say; he looked down at his feet for a moment.

"Sephora," he said a bit sheepishly. "I was wondering if you'd like…"

An officer approached him and whispered in his ear.

David glanced up at her…looking a bit disappointed.

"I have to go," he said…her face growing more disappointed. "Will I see you again?"

She gracefully pecked him on the cheek.

"I hope so," she whispered in his ear.

Before David could say anything…the officer started pushing him to the front of the room.

"Ladies and gentleman," Carl announced, once David was standing next to him. "We're gathered here for the time honored tradition of anointing a brand new ship captain."

The whole room made a roar of hand clapping. After a moment…Carl waved his hand to silence them.

He turned to David…and flashed him a look of pride.

"David Moore. In light of your brave conduct and demonstration of strong leadership abilities in lieu recent events," he looked David in the eyes…a warm expression on his face. "I am extremely proud to honor you with the rank of Captain."

He pinned a rank insignia on David's jacket.

"And to officially assign you to the U.S.S. Republic as its commanding officer!"

Carl produced a book of Federation law. He held it up in front of David.

"Please place your right hand on the law book,"

David obliged; he glanced around at the crowds…just now feeling his jitters start to come back.

He took a deep breath…and began.

"Space…the final frontier," Ed watched from the back…martini in his hand…and cheesy grin on his face.

"These are the voyages of the starship…" David got a bit choked up. "Republic."

Wong cut a conversation with another officer to listen intently.

"Her five year mission…to explore strange new worlds,"

The doctor looked on passively.

"To seek out new life and new civilizations," Theuma watched him carefully…an intrigued smile on his face.

"And…" David paused…making eye-contact with each of his seniors officers. "To boldly go…where no man has gone before,"

Dickie began to slowly clap…the rest of the room eventually joining in.

David turned to Carl…shaking his hand…and thanking him beneath the loud roar of the crowds. He wore one of the biggest smiles on his face.

"Beyooonnd…the rim of the star light!"

The whole room quieted down…and turned to see the source of the singing.

It was Ed.

"My loooove…is wand'ring in star-light!"

David began massaging a throbbing vein in his temple.

"He'll finnnndd…in star clustered reaches love,"

"Ohhhhh…my goddddd," David whispered.

"Strange love a star woman teaches.
I know
His journey ends never
His star trek
Will go on forever.
But tell him
While he wanders his starry sea
Remember, remember meeeeeeeee." He screeched as he finished his song.

The whole room was dead silent…glancing to each other in awkward confusion.

David slowly lifted his head…and looked straight at Ed. Ed lifted his martini to him and flashed him his cheesy grin.

"Ed," he shouted. "What the hell!?"

Ed shrugged his shoulders.

"It felt right,"

David rolled his eyes; Ed's face filled with worry.

"You didn't like it?"

David grimaced. Ed cleared his throat.

"Here's another one folks," he began. "Its been a long road…"

"Aaaaalriiighhhht!" David cried…swiftly moving through the crowd towards Ed.

He grabbed the glass from his hand…and grabbed his arm.

"Cut off!"

David began leading Ed out of the viewing gallery.

"But I never even took a sip!"

"Uh huh,"

David paused and glanced back at the crowds…searching for her with his eyes.

She was gone.

David's face turned from irritated to disappointed.

"I will see you again," he whispered.

He looked over…towards the window.

He caught a glimpse of the Republic…in all of her majesty.

For a moment…as he watched…the song Ed had sung in the turbolift began playing in his head.

"God dammit, Ed! Now its stuck in my head!" he grumbled turning and leading Ed out of the room.

Despite the frustration…and disappointment at not getting more time to see Sephora.

David felt ready…to begin the adventure again.

He realized the different parts of his dream had come true; the Klingon…him joining Starfleet.

Lo-Chem.

Clearly he would see her again. And he knew his father had to be out there somewhere.

David froze in his tracks. He glanced down at his Captain insignia.

He pictured the Republic…burning up and crashing.

A chill ran up his spine.

"Ed," he said quietly. "Let's get started."

"Started with what? Can I go back to the party…"

David quickly shook himself out of his trance…and realized where he was.

"I'm sorry…that was really cheesy,"