Hello, welcome back to The Time Traveler series, featuring our favorite Time Traveler, Alex Ramirez! If you haven't read "The Soldier" and "The Wife" I recommend you read those first, but I can't stop you from reading ahead!

Thanks so much for continuing to support this story- and enjoy!

An alarm blared overhead, only the flashing emergency lights illuminated the hallway, leaving grotesque shadows on the walls and floor, shadows that could not compare to the grotesque images of death that littered the floor.

A hand gripped the doorway, panting sounded as the figure moved into the doorway slowly, blood covering the person, their frame leaning their full weight into the doorway as they caught their breath. Vision was shaky, the explosion had caused a ringing in their ears, and after a moment of standing in the doorway, the woman attempted to take a step. She fell to her knees, curls falling around her face as her hands caught her before she could fall completely- and then she retched. Vomit hit the floor in front of her, blood still dripping from her face. She couldn't hardly see, but she could see more blood than she liked.

The echoing shrill ringing in her ears wasn't letting up, and she groaned before the floor beneath her shook, making her blink a few times. She tried to pull herself to her feet, but her body would not support her weight. Next thing she knew, she was back on the floor, laying with her face mere inches from the vomit. Laying there, on the floor, she stared at the blood and vomit, the acidic smell making her stomach churn as she stared at it. Her body shook with shock, and she closed her eyes for a moment, just trying to regroup.

When she regained consciousness, she had no idea how long it had been, but it had been longer than a moment. Her body screamed in agony, but it had been the blaring of the emergency alarm that had woken her. "Oxygen levels 14%," the computer alerted her. There must be a leak somewhere.

She pushed herself to her hands and knees, the vomit and blood had nearly dried. It had been too long.

She grabbed at the doorway, pulled herself up, and then leaned against the door for a moment. A hardness tugged at her cheek and she touched it with a shaking hand. Blood, dried blood had covered her left eye, the entire left side of her face, and her eye was swollen shut. She used her hands to guide her down the hall, the darkness broken only by the flashing emergency light, until she finally made it to the shuttles.

She stepped up to the main computer, most of the shuttles had been taken, of the three that remained only two seemed to be working, if her limited Romulan was correct. She selected one of the remaining shuttles and began the prep for take off, the computer turned it on and turned on the life support before opening the door to the shuttle.

While she did that, she checked the computer system as best she could with her limited understanding of the language she was reading.

"Oxygen levels 10%," the computer said and she blinked slowly before she stepped away from the computer and moved to the shuttle, staggering slightly. Low oxygen, that's probably what was making her so slow right now.

She climbed into the shuttle and made her way to the main computer system. After sitting- well, more collapsing- into the pilot's seat, she sealed the shuttle off from the rest of the ship and began the process of detaching the shuttle from the ship. She knew that each shuttle had a small store of emergency supplies and she'd need to look through them soon, but first things first, she needed to get away from the wreckage that was the Romulan ship.

Alex had never been a pilot, it was a misconception that all Airmen were pilots, but she was never interested in flying, she had been much more interested in jumping from the planes, which was something she'd done several times. But piloting a ship- a spaceship for that matter, it was something she was not too familiar with.

But desperate times call for desperate measures, and Alex was desperate to get the fuck out of there.

She was careful, or as careful as she could be for someone who didn't know what the fuck they were doing- as she tried to pilot away from the ship. There's a misconception in science fiction, or at least there had been when Alex was accustomed to it, that you could hear sounds in space- for example say a ship were to disconnect from a larger ship badly- in media it would have made an ominous sound, but sound travels through vibrations on air, and space, as a vacuum, historically has no air. So as she pulled the shuttle away from the ship, as far as she knew, the pull away was perfect.

After drifting away from the ship, Alex looked at the system in front of her, she was really regretting not paying more attention to learning how to fly something like this- especially now as she drifted towards the edge of the neutral zone. But she had never been too interested in flying a spaceship. Between her duties, training, and her relationship she seldom had time to take on new vocations. She barely had time for her therapy, which more often than not she skipped.

It had been one of the prerequisites to her going to space- but her stubborn nature had resisted therapy, and she instead focused on the things that made her feel good. The burn she experienced when she worked out, the feeling of a job well done, the touch of her husband…

Even now, aching as she was, scared, and covered in blood, the ringing in her left ear still going, and her left eye swollen shut from the head injury she had sustained- even now she could remember the feel of his hands against hers. His hands which were so long and smooth, save for the dusting of hair on his knuckles and back of his hands. The feeling of his hand sliding up her arm, his fingers fitting between hers, holding her hands tight to his, it made her ache for him. As she looked at the computer system she didn't understand, her left thumb pressed into the only jewelry she allowed herself, a band on her left ring finger. A wedding ring designed and made by her husband for her. It was delicate, but beautiful, it had flowers engraved on the band with three stones. Each representing one of the suns of his home world.

Her home someday, she hoped. If she could just get a message to the rest of the fleet.

Communications she knew, she had spent enough time watching Lieutenant Uhura do her job onboard the Enterprise, and when she saw something that reminded her of Uhura's controls she pushed the button. "Ramirez to flagship," she said, hoping that somewhere, somehow someone was reading her. "The Devator has been left inoperable," she continued to speak. "I survived the attack- but I'm in bad shape Flagship," she said. "Requesting assistance as soon as possible."

She waited, hoping they would radio back telling her they were on their way, but after five minutes, there was no reply.

Alex sighed as she sat back in her seat and then turned it slightly, her body ached, and she had no idea how far the flagship was. She left the channel open- or at least she hoped she did- and then pressed another button, one she had often seen her former friend and captain, Captain James Kirk of the USS Enterprise, press. "Ramirez's log," she said slowly. "The Devator had been rendered inoperable after the attack by the Klingon Vessel Tgai'ven. Kaldal's forces are mighty, but they are waning. The Romulans have joined forces with Thal and his people. Kaldal has no outside help in his war," she said and then took in a deep inhale before she slowly sighed.

"I've been injured. If anyone finds this ship, and I'm dead- I'm Alex Ramirez. Some know me as the Little Klingon. Others know me as Thal's second in this war. And others know me as The Time Traveller. I'm not a big fan of that last one- but it's accurate." She licked her lips, blood flaked from her lips against her tongue and she stood up, walking to the back slowly to check on the supplies. "I was sent to the Romulan ship Devator, I was supposed to be helping them train Romulans in the war, but we were attacked." She continued. "Many of the Romulans escaped after the captain ordered an abandon. He was killed by the Klingons." She continued, as a flash of memory crossed her mind. The Romulan Captain being beheaded.

She got to the supplies area and found many of them gone. No doubt some had been taken in the rush to the shuttles, maybe they had more people than supplies and they grabbed what they could before fleeing. Alex didn't know, but she knew she was fucked. "I have minimal supplies," she reported to the log. "And the first aid supplies are for the Romulan physiology," she sighed as she looked at the little she did have. "I don't know what it will do to my human body- but I'll try anything," she said as she grabbed the boxes and brought them with her to the front. "I'm not a pilot, I don't know how to fly this thing. I managed to pull away from the Devator, but I don't know how to fly, or how to contact Thal's ship," she said as she sat back in the pilot's seat with a groan.

"All in all- I'm writing this log… because I'm fucked," she said with a sigh, shaky hands opened a box, what looked like gauze was packaged there and she set it on the control panel. "I don't know how to communicate with other ships- and from what I remember, shuttles don't have the capability for long space communication. I don't know how to fly- and I don't know how to read Romulan, so I can't sent a distress signal," she surmised. "I have limited supplies, no food, one jug of water, and I'm in a shuttle designed to hold enough oxygen for five days," she sighed as she tore open the next box. "So, all in all, yeah…" she paused and then nodded, more speaking to herself than the log.

"I'm fucked."

Alex hissed in discomfort as Em'uw dabbed at the cut on her arm with a strong smelling solution. "Ugh," she said as the smell hit her nose and the Klingon girl smiled in acknowledgement.

"It is not used for its smell," she pointed out and Alex nodded.

"I know," she agreed. It was a very strong antiseptic, and alex watched as she cleaned up the cut.

"How did you get this?" Em'uw asked and Alex gave her a shrug.

"Bat'leth training," she replied.

"I see," the healer commented. "And do you now understand why so few Klingon are trained in the way of the Bat'leth?"

"I would think that would have less to do with the injuries, and more to do with the fact that Klingons so rarely interact with non-Klingons," she commented making Em'uw's smile grow slightly.

"Be still Little Klingon," she ordered as she pressed more firmly into the cut.

"Oh- You're just trying to make it hurt," Alex protested.

"Pain is the reminder of weakness," Em'uw reminded her, and Alex nodded.

"Okay," she sighed and then looked up when the door opened. In the doorway stood a tall Klingon, he surveyed the sight before him before his eyes landed on Alex who straightened slightly, but a smile grew on her face, not at all intimidated by the large man who looked so different from the people she had grown up around.

"Ramirez," Thal spoke as he entered the room. "Your instructor tells me after the injury you continued to fight,"

"Of course," she said as she looked from him to the cut. "An injury does not stop a war," The general smiled slightly, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Nor does a soldier stop when injured," he agreed and she smiled in return.

"General," Em'uw started slowly. "Do you think it wise to continue pressing her?" Two pairs of eyes turned to the healer who did not meet either. Alex's eyes betrayed what she was feeling, surprise at the comment from the person she thought of as her friend.

"Explain," Thal demanded.

"She is human, she is weaker than a Klingon," she explained. "We may call her Little Klingon, but she is not a Klingon. She may learn our ways, but she does not fight for our reasons,"

"This comes from where?" Thal asked as he looked at Em'uw with a slight tilt of his head and a furrow of his brow, making his already ridged forehead crease as he looked at the healer.

"It comes from concern," she answered as she bandaged the wound a little harsher than Alex would have liked. "She has aligned herself with the Vulcan who aligns himself with humans. She is a human, and her loyalty will always be to her own people, her own race."

"Our people owe Ramirez a life debt, as do I." Thal spoke to her harshly, then switched from speaking in English to the guttural, harsh sounding language of his own people, speaking faster than Alex could keep up with. She had been learning Klingon of course, she didn't expect to live with a culture and not learn their language, but the way the General was speaking was too fast for her to pick up anything but a couple of words. So Alex sat by and listened, eyebrows raised as Thal lectured his healer who looked angrier and angrier by the second- but it wasn't until Alex saw the hurt cross Em'uw's eyes that realization hit her.

"This isn't about me," Alex said as she laid a hand on Thal's arm. "Em'uw is Kurak's sister," she reminded Thal who glanced at Alex with even more confusion. "Kurak saw you and Mindy together," she said softly, and realization crossed his face.

"Leave us," he ordered Alex who slipped off of the medical table and gave them both a tight smile.

"I'll go," she whispered as she slipped out of the room. As she exited, she heard the two resume shouting in Klingon as the door shut behind her. "Yikes," she whispered as she turned down the hall and made her way to the bridge. As she passed by Klingons, most of whom she knew, she exchanged greetings as she walked, returning the salutes that those with a lower ranking gave her.

It had taken some time to be accepted on the Klingon Warbird, she was a human after all, and one that had come and been immediately appointed Thal's second, it made sense that they were wary of her. But she had been there for nearly eight months now, she had fought alongside most of them, and she had adapted to their culture with patience and understanding, and humorously the Klingons thought it was interesting that she was accustomed to eating many of their dishes without question. Apparently it was long thought that humans were too weak to eat bregit lungs, but Alex had been no stranger to offal dishes, and one of her favorite things growing up had been menudo, which admittedly many of the Klingons were curious about trying after she explained it to them. But Em'uw's jealousy was not new to Alex, she had heard stories of her infatuation with Thal in the past, but it was new that she'd take Alex's species as her new target of attack.

When she stepped onto the bridge she was greeted with several familiar faces, and one very unfamiliar one sitting in the Captain's chair. She frowned slightly and looked over at Kurak, Em'uw's sister, who was sitting at her station. "Who is that?" she asked softly and Kurak looked over her shoulder and then to Alex.

"He is a transfer from our last stop," she informed Alex. "Raz Toltiss," she informed her as if Alex should recognize the name. When Alex didn't respond to it, Kurak gave her an appreciative smile. "He is a known fighter to our people."

"He's sitting in my chair," Alex pointed out and Kurak turned to look at her a little more head on.

"Move him then, Little Klingon," she ordered and Alex straightened herself before walking to the chair that Raz Toltiss sat in, ignoring how Kurak turned to watch, as did several other members of the warbird.

"I'm taking command," Alex ordered Raz who didn't look up.

"Yes I am Raz the Aggressor," he said almost boredly.

"That…" Alex paused, staring at him with a slight frown. "That is not what I said," It was only then that Raz actually looked at her, a frown on his own face. "I'm taking command." she said, a little more authoratatively. It was then Raz decided to stand. He had about a foot and a half on Alex who stared up at him, almost bored.

"Under whose authority?" he questioned and she stared up at him.

"Under whose authority did you assume command?" she asked simply and he blinked, obviously not used to being questioned.

"I am the-"

"You are the Aggressor," she said, almost mockingly. "I get it, but Aggressor or not, it does not change that I am taking command."

"And who are you?" he asked as he looked her over.

"She is the Time Traveler," someone said and Alex looked over towards the speaker and then back at Raz Toltiss.

"I am," she confirmed. "And I am second only to the General Thal, so once more," she said as she put her hands on her hips. "I am taking command,"

The Klingon stared down at her for a long moment, hand resting on his knife, but Alex's eyes didn't betray her, she was already chastised for being a human twice today, once for being too slow of one, and once for being a traitor to the General she pledged to fight alongside- she would not let this stranger do it to her again.

But as she set her mind to that, he did something that apparently no one expected, he stepped to the side and she stepped up to the chair and sat down. Everyone seemed quiet at that, but after a moment Alex looked around and they all resumed working again. As she sat Raz Toltiss surprised her even more by kneeling next to her chair and speaking to her softly.

"You are the one who Thal owes a life debt to," he said and she nodded without looking at him. "As I owe a life debt to my uncle," he said, making her glance over at him. "I am now in your servitude,"

"That is not necessary," she told him and he shook his head.

"To a Klingon-"

"Right," she held a hand up, stopping him from finishing that thought. She had heard it many times before. It was close to an hour before Thal returned to the bridge, and when he did, he had a fresh set of scratches across his cheek, and looked rather disheveled.

"Do you think that wise?" Alex asked as she looked him over, but didn't move. He would assume command if he wanted it.

"What?" he asked and she just lifted an eyebrow. "Do not be stupid," he said as he pushed her head lightly. "We fought, nothing more."

"Okay," Alex said with a shrug. "I'm just saying, Mindy is-"

"Mindy is my Precious one," he told her as he looked down at her. "I have made that clear to Em'uw." at his words Kurak stood and left the bridge, no doubt going to check on her sister. Thal pretended not to notice as he stood next to Alex, then noticing his nephew he smiled and clapped him on the shoulder. "Ramirez, you have met Raz Toltiss, the Aggressor?" he asked and Alex glanced at him before giving a slight nod.

"I have," she said as she looked at Thal.

"It is an honor to fight alongside such a widely spoken of Time Traveler," Raz said as he looked down at Alex. "I am at her service," Thal glanced at Raz for a moment and then to Alex who turned and looked at the screen

"How much time until Romulan Rendezvous?" Thal asked Alex.

"Three days," she replied and he nodded.

"Get out of my chair," he ordered and she smiled before she got out of his chair and stepped to the side, letting him sit and take command while she moved to stand next to him, ignoring the glance she got from Raz Toltiss. Her mind instead on what would happen when they did rendezvous with the Romulan empire and try to build a treaty with them.

I know, no Spock yet, and there won't be for a little while, but I hope you enjoy finding out what's happening with Alex while she and Spock are apart!