Chapter 5

"Vic and I did date for a time, but it's over now," Mac explained.

"He doesn't seem to think so," AJ countered.

"No, but I knew it could never work out for us, so I ended it."

"I can't say I'm sorry because that means you're free to go out with me, but are you sure that your heart's not still involved with him?"

"I'm sure AJ. I would never have accepted a date with you if my heart wasn't free."

"I'm glad to hear that," he smiled at her as they arrived at Ten Forward.

After they got to a table and placed their order, AJ asked, "So, may I ask why someone with a name as beautiful as Sarah, goes by Mac?"

"Because, even in these enlightened times, the security field is still pretty much a 'boys club' and I felt that Mac would be accepted easier than Sarah would be."

"I see. What made you choose security in the first place?"

"My father and his…it's kind of a family tradition. What about you? How did you end up going from a Starship Captain to politician?"

"Family as well, but in my case it was my daughter. Her mother left me when Francesca was only two and we had no contact for quite some time. Then, just after she graduated from high school, her mother and stepfather were killed in a mob hit. It turned out he was the head of an Italian crime family. Luckily my daughter was away from home at the time. Anyway, Francesca was now alone in the world except for me. She contacted me again and I knew if I remained on a ship I'd hardly ever see her, so I took some time off to get to know her again and decide what to do. Because I traveled and had seen so much of the universe, Star Fleet felt I might make a good Ambassador to the new worlds joining the Federation. The rest, as they say, is history."

"I'm assuming that since you were Turlock's Vice President that the hope of one day becoming President was always there?" she asked.

"Are you wondering if I had a motive to kill him?"

"Hmmm even if you did there was no way you could have done it, you were on your way to Lorta Prime when he was killed."

"I could have hired it done…"

"Are you confessing?"

"Just stating the possibilities," he replied.

"So you're suggesting that I should be treating you like a suspect rather than someone in need of protection?"

"Why would I need protection?"

"You weren't told that Star Fleet received a message after Turlock's murder that said if you tried to take office you'd be next?"

"Yes, I was informed, but people in my position get threats like that all the time."

"Are they usually preceded by the murder of your predecessor?" Mac demanded.

"No, not usually."

"Then do you see why there is need for your protection?"

"Sarah, if someone's after me, I don't want to see you get hurt!"

"It's my job to see that nothing happens to you!"

"If nothing is happening to me, then I'm already dead. Things happen to us all the time, like today I happened to meet you," he said gently as he reached across the table and took her hand.

Blushing lightly, she replied, "That's sweet, but you know I meant something dangerous!"

"Oh, like asking you to dinner in front of Lieutenant Galindez?"

"That might have been unwise, but I don't think Vic is dangerous."

"If he were, could you deal with that? Could you 'take out' someone you once dated and I'm guessing cared for?"

"Vic isn't a bad guy, just not the one for me. However, if he ever did have reason to come after someone I was protecting then yes, I would deal with him with whatever force was necessary to stop him. Will that knowledge make you sleep better tonight?"

"Actually I was just wondering if I could be so certain if I was in that situation."

"If you have been Turlock's bodyguard and your daughter tried to kill him, you wouldn't have stopped her?"

To be continued…..