Prologue: Reunion

Disclaimer: I own neither Star Trek: The Next Generation or Star Trek Deep Space Nine. Captain Olivia Benson and her son, Noah are semi-original characters inspired by Law and Order SVU. Nearly any other character that appears is my own creation.

Summary: The end of the Dominion War didn't necessarily mean a galaxy at total peace. The newly commissioned USS Argos and her crew find themselves navigating an Alpha Quadrant in a state of flux.


Three weeks after the Dominion War ended Captain Olivia Benson was given command of the soon-to-be commissioned USS Argos (NCC-14229). A divorced mother of one, she finds herself in need of a First Officer for her command. These are their stories.


Observation Deck
Utopia Planitia Shipyards
2375

"Mommy, is that where we're gonna live?" Noah Benson asked as he walked alongside his mother, holding onto her left hand.

Captain Olivia Benson looked down to her left as they walked along the observation deck, smiling down at the little boy, "Yes it is, sweetie. Mommy's gonna be the Captain."

"I miss home…"

"I know, Pumpkin, but you can make new friends on the Argos," Olivia said. 'Poor kid, he's moved twice since he was born.'

With a small smile, she said, "Remember the picture near the sofa that says Home Is Where the Heart is?"

"But my heart is home," Noah said, looking up at her with watery blue eyes.

'Help, someone,' Olivia thought to herself, looking down at a wistful four-year-old. 'Nope, sorry, Captain, you're on your own.'

"Okay, maybe your heart is in transit?" Olivia said.

Noah gave a weak smile, "You sound like Daddy."

'Did you have to say that, kiddo,' Olivia thought to herself. It had been two, almost three years since…'No, quit thinking about it! You made the right choice.'

Olivia reached down to lightly ruffle Noah's curly light brown hair with her free hand. "Come here, you."

She lifted her little boy into her arms, smiling genuinely this time when she felt Noah's arms slink around her neck.

"Let's let you get a better look at our new home," Olivia said, slightly shifting her left arm to better support Noah's weight.

Pointing with her right hand she said, "There she is, the USS Argos."

"She's an Intrepid class?" Noah asked.

"Yes she is, Pumpkin. How did you know?"

"Daddy pointed one out when I was with him last year." Noah shifted his weight a little, putting his head on Olivia's shoulder.

She felt her heart sink, one more moment in her son's life in Starfleet did a number on. Her comm badge chimed just then.

"Bridge to Captain Benson."

She reached gingerly around her now sleeping son with one hand to tap the badge, "Captain Benson, go ahead."

"Incoming transmission from Admiral Cragen."

"I'm on my way, route it to my ready room, please," Olivia replied as she began to walk towards the nearest turbolift.

"Computer, Argos." She called, feeling the turbolift's smooth, yet rapid movement. Noah stirred slightly in her arms and she gently patted his back.

Walking across the bridge, she stepped deftly to one side to avoid bumping into a technician installing the helm consoles.

She made another side step to avoid falling down an open maintenance crawlspace in the deck before she stepped into her ready room. With a free hand she tapped the screen and saw the bald Rear Admiral Cragen on screen.

"Captain Benson, here, sorry for the delay, sir" Olivia said as she gently adjusted Noah to make him more comfortable.

"How's the commissioning?" Cragen asked.

"We're on schedule for our shakedown cruise in two weeks. Most of the crew is trickling in, though I'm short a First Officer." Olivia reported.

"Liv, as I told you earlier it might be a while before you get one. The war has meant a manpower shortage." Cragen said, "That said I do have one candidate I was able to locate. His file is in your PADD."

Olivia turned around before reaching over to her desk, picking up the PADD in question and opening the data file. The second she saw the name and photo staring back at her she said, "Sir?"

"I'm well aware of the history you two share. However, your choices are put to space shy a second in command or take him onboard." Cragen said.

Olivia scanned the PADD further still and with a sigh she nodded, "I'll take him."

"Good. I'll issue the appropriate orders. Cragen out."

The screen blanked out before shifting to the symbol of the United Federation of Planets against a black background once again as Olivia Benson mused to herself, "I just accepted my ex-husband as my First Officer. I must be insane."


Canyonlands Park, Utah
United States, Earth
2375

Commander Aaron Carlyle held the rope in his left hand, looking down at his belay device, ensuring the climbing rope was solidly in place. His right hand held the other part of the rope to the small of his back. With a deep breath, he swung his right arm outward, holding onto that end of the rope as he slid down the side of a 25-meter high sandstone cliff. As he free-fell down the side of the canyon his comm badge beeped.

Returning his right hand to the small of his back to arrest his free fall he hung suspended about another fifteen meters in the air.

Tapping his comm badge he said, "Carlyle."

"Commander, it's Admiral Cragen. I know you're on leave right now but let me be the first to congratulate the new First Officer of the USS Argos."

"Thank you, sir," Carlyle replied.

"I hope you know what you've just signed yourself up for."

'Hmm, yes, I think I spoke at length on the subject.' Aaron thought before glancing upward at the bright blue skies overlooking the desert he replied, "Yes sir, I do."

"Why you'd request that posting, God only knows and for the record, I did try to talk you out of it."

Carlyle swung his right arm out to the side, rappelling down another fifteen meters until he got to the canyon floor.

He removed his climbing helmet and set down his backpack before dropping to one knee and putting the helmet into his pack.

"Liv and I already spoke before I requested a posting closer to her last year. We agreed it's best for Noah that we're close enough to him for both of us to be in his life."

"You'll be close enough alright and facing a potentially turbulent next assignment. I wish you luck. Cragen out."

As the comm line closed Aaron Carlyle mused, "I just volunteered to serve as First Officer under my ex-wife. I must be insane."


Utopia Planitia Shipyard
Shuttlebay 5
Two Days Later

Captain Olivia Benson watched as the Runabout Thames landed in the shuttlebay from the sealed observation platform. Once the airlock closed and cycled, filling the bay with breathable atmosphere once again she stepped out of the platform and into the bay.

She watched as the sandy haired man from her past dismounted out of the Runabout's cockpit. 'Noah definitely has his Dad's hair but curlier.'

"You know you could've taken the rotational transport from Earth and then beamed up from Mars," Olivia began.

"I know I could've," Aaron replied with a droll shrug, "But I noticed on the repair schedule at Earth Spacedock that the Thames needed delivery to the Utopia Planitia Shipyard and called in a favor. Gotta keep those quals maintained."

"You still have Transporter Phobia," Olivia replied with a wry grin.

A brief silence hung in the air before both of them spoke at nearly the same time, "We need to talk."

"Ladies first? Or seniors first?"

"I could make it an order that you go first."

"See that's the thing." Aaron's right index finger pointed towards the ceiling as he spoke.

"What's the thing?"

"Okay let's have a talk about the proverbial elephant, oh Hell, herd of elephants in the room." Aaron replied, stopping just shy of the exit, "One thing's for certain the crew is going to know, if they don't already, that you and I were married at one point."

"Believe me, I considered that very carefully. Admiral Cragen, for the record, tried to talk me out of taking you aboard. But when it came to putting to space shy a second in command or taking my ex-husband as my first officer the choice was clear."

"He said the same to me. Full disclosure, Noah was a big factor in volunteering for this assignment. Like we talked about six months ago, he seems to be better if we're in the same neighborhood as each other."

"Like on opposite sides of Starbase 375 versus halfway across the Quadrant. Noah was doing better when we were on the same base." Olivia nodded.

"Good, now that that's outta the way, when duty calls I'm your First Officer first and anything else second. That means we won't always agree with each other because I promise I'm going to tell you the truth."

"I'd worry if my first officer was a 'yes' man, but like I told the Command Master Chief if we disagree we do it behind a closed door."

"Just like we never fought in front of Noah, got it. I'm glad to see we're in agreement."

Olivia nodded. "If you follow me, I'll show you our new command."

Aaron nodded and hefting his bag followed her to the corridor and a nearby turbolift.

"Observation Deck," Olivia said.

Within minutes they arrived at the observation deck and stepped from the turbolift. Looking into the bay Aaron looked over at the Intrepid class starship there.

"It's quite a view, isn't it?" Olivia asked from in front of him.

"Indeed, quite a view," Aaron replied as they walked towards another turbolift. His gaze flickered from the ship to his ex-wife's backside as he spoke. 'Who am I kidding, I appreciate that view too.'

"Sorry for taking the long way, but I figured we both should have another look at our new command."

"Reminds me of how we looked at Noah in the nursery after he was born."

"That's a good point. A command is almost like another kid."

"There's some personification going on there, Liv. And speaking of kids, where's Noah?"

"He's asleep in my quarters," Olivia said before they reached the turbolift. As the doors closed she said, "Bridge."

"Aye Madre de Dios! Will you watch out with that module! It's very delicate!"

Aaron turned just in time to see a short deeply tanned woman with wavy dark hair shouting at a trio of shipyard workers installing a console.

"Captain on the Bridge!" The woman shouted when she saw Olivia and Aaron exit.

"Carry on!" Olivia replied, before turning to the woman, "What's going on Audrey?"

"Sir, I'm having the yardbirds reinstall the Navigation module. It isn't calibrated properly again!" The woman huffed.

Aaron glanced downward at the woman, seeing the two collar pips on the gold fabric of her collar.

"You must be the Chief Engineer, right?"

"Yes sir. Lieutenant Audrey Ramirez-Sweet."

"Commander Aaron Carlyle, the new guy, and First Officer."

Glancing over one shoulder she said, "Santa Maria, you three, don't make me come over there and show you how to properly calibrate a navigation module!"

"Carry on, an Engineer's work is rarely done," Aaron said as Audrey headed to the three yard workers.

"So help me if your three don't align those circuits properly, again!" She strode purposefully over to a paunchy shipyard worker with a surly disposition.

Aaron followed Olivia into the Captain's Ready Room and as the door closed behind them he remarked, "Our Chief Engineer is pretty high strung. I thought she was gonna bend a spanner wrench around that lead yardbird's skull just now."

"Audrey's a perfectionist." Liv smiled, "When she gets riled…"

"I can imagine," Aaron replied as Liv motioned for him to have a seat.

Liv sat behind her desk, "So how have you been, Aaron?"

"I had a good leave. Visited my parents in South Florida for two weeks, then two weeks in Rio de Janeiro at the historic Pedro Sauer Academy, then I polished it off with rappelling, climbing, and mountain biking in Canyonlands Park."

"Sounds like you had a good leave break since Kalandra," Olivia replied.

"Well, sir," Aaron replied, "I am fit and the injuries sustained are behind me. Literally."

The door chime for the Ready Room sounded and Olivia said, "Enter."

A balding silver-haired gentleman with a handlebar mustache walked into the room. Aaron looked up, getting more impressions of the man. He had the three chevrons and a cluster on a tab on his collar indicating him as the Command Master Chief.

"Master Chief Lou Pickles, our Command Master Chief." Olivia indicated.

Aaron stood and extended his right hand to shake hands with the man.

"Pickles? You must be Stuart Pickles' Dad?" Aaron asked

"Yep, he's my son, one of them brainiacs that studies alien weapons."

"He worked for me when I was at Mojave Installation," Aaron said with a smile.

"Which time?" Olivia interjected.

"Both times, sir."

"I forgot you EOD types practically live at the Mojave installation." Olivia replied, "If I see another feral donkey again it'll be too soon."

"I don't know how you could stand the over 38 degree Centigrade heat." Pickles said.

"Well, Starfleet also sent me to the Barbers Point Annex in Hawaii before they grabbed me up for the Dominion War."

"That explains it." Pickles replied, "I'll see to the new First Officer's access and command codes."

"Give Stu my regards, Master Chief."

"Aye sir," Lou said with a nod before he left the ready room.

"Well, if you've got nothing else for me, sir, I'm off as well," Aaron said. Olivia shook her head and he stood up, turned, and walked out of the room.

"Commander?"

"Yes, Captain." Aaron stopped in his tracks.

"Can I expect to see you tomorrow morning around 1100 in the lounge for Noah's fifth birthday?" Olivia rose from her seat.

"I wouldn't miss it for the whole galaxy." Aaron smiled, "Good day, Captain."

'Well, that went about as well as it could have,' Olivia thought to herself as she looked through her computer terminal.

A single message came across her screen consisting of two words:

Theta One.

Olivia's heart skipped a beat before she opened another encrypted data file on her PADD containing any of the hundreds of secret codes Starfleet captains were expected to refer to.

When her eyes lay on the decoded message they narrowed as her investigative juices flowed. 'Just what does the Asymmetric Warfare Group want on my ship?'


USS Centaur (NCC-42043)
Dorvan V, Cardassian Space
2374

"Liv…t-tell my girls…I love them…" with those words, Captain Charlie Reynolds, survived by a wife and four young girls slipped the mortal coil.

'Charlie, no you cannot die right now.' Olivia thought. Choking back a sob as she heard the rattle as Charlie Reynolds, exhaled his last breath.

With a lump in her throat Olivia closed Charlie's eyes before attempting to stand back up, only to fall back down, wiping tears from her own eyes with the back of her left hand.

"Report!" She called out as she struggled to stand. 'Why aren't my legs moving? Am I hurt too? Paralyzed?'

"Aft shields to 62%!" Ensign Roy Derna shouted from the tactical station, a chunk of transparisteel from his console embedded in his forehead.

Derna's voice resonated with a weird hollow sound in her ears as her vision misted again. Charlie was dead. Stealing a glance over at his prostrate form she swore she saw his legs twitch.

'Maybe I spoke too soon…Come on Charlie, please be alright…I know you're too damn stubborn to just die that way.' Olivia thought as she saw Charlie's legs twitching before forcing herself to look over to Derna, shouting an order to him, "Reroute auxiliary backup to the engines!"

"Sir?" Derna yelped, mouth hanging agape as he wiped blood and soot from his forehead.

"We need speed, not protection right now, Ensign," Olivia said. 'Kid I need you to follow the damned order!'

Olivia coughed as she shakily rose to her feet, limping towards the captain's chair, gripping the arm rests.

"Derna…" Olivia began. 'How am I gonna tell Helen? What will I tell her? Hell I can't even tell her why Charlie died minus the fact that we were at war!'

"Yes sir!" Derna half choked as the smell of smoke filled the bridge.

Master Chief Ben Randall went after the burning science station with a fire extinguisher.

"Damage report," Liv called out, forcing herself to keep her eyes open and trying to sound as calm as possible.

"Sir," Randall said, his scarred face looking over at her, "Three hull breaches on Decks 3, 5, and 7. Forward shields at 71%, and falling."

Liv's heart hammered in her chest. 'Deck 5, deflector control!'

"Master Chief, status on deflector control?" Liv called. 'Staying at maximum warp is suicide if we lose the deflector array.'

Silence. Liv's heart jumped into her throat. "Ben!?"

"Sir it's intact. Barely, but intact, four crewmen dead." Ben called out, crossing the bridge in long strides.

'It might as well be a walk in the park for Ben, how does he do it?' Liv thought to herself

"Three more Jem'Hadar fighters to port!" Lieutenant Dak Ho shouted, throwing the Centaur into an Immelmann loop before coming in head to head with the original two pursuing Jem'Hadar fighters.

'Brilliant flying!' Liv thought as she saw the maneuver that Dak Ho pulled brought them flying head to head with the Jem'Hadar at Warp 7.5.

'Charlie you were a genius to let Dak Ho work with the Chief Engineer modify the engines for that extra power.' Olivia thought to herself.

"Let 'em have it, Derna! Quantum torpedoes, full spread…target their engines and reactors!" Olivia said. 'How do you like that you scale faced pricks!'

On the viewscreen, Olivia watched the six torpedoes slam home into both Jem'Hadar fighters with a few phaser blasts for good measure.

Liv's stomach did a flip as Dak Ho turned the Centaur on its port side, flying between both Jem'Hadar fighters closing her eyes as the Centaur narrowly avoided a collision by a hairsbreadth...


USS Argos (NCC-14229)
Captain's Ready Room
2375

With a startled gasp following her impromptu stroll down one of the more unpleasant thoroughfares of Memory Lane, Olivia tapped her comm badge, "Benson to Pickles and Carlyle. I need to see both of you in my Ready Room right away."

"On my way, sir." Pickles' voice echoed.

She heard the door hiss open and looked up to see Aaron standing in the doorway. 'Not surprised he's there, he just left the room.'

As the door closed behind him he walked closer to her desk, concern in his eyes. "Liv? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Aaron," Olivia stiffly replied.

"Liv, do not lie to me," Aaron calmly replied, sitting across from her as he saw her free hand shaking.

"Are you telling me that as my First Officer or my ex-husband?"

"Take your pick. In either case, I hope you can trust me." Aaron replied. 'That tremor in her voice. I'd know it anywhere!'

"Two words…" Liv managed in a small voice.

"I think I know exactly what you're referring to," Aaron replied and Liv nodded.

"Coffee?" Aaron asked.

Olivia replied, "Please."

He walked over to the replicator and ordered two cups, handing one to Olivia. "Thank you."

As she sipped the coffee Aaron noticed she got herself centered just before Master Chief Pickles entered.

"Computer, seal Ready Room door, Authorization Benson One Nine Sierra."

"Acknowledged." The automatic voice of the computer responded.

Olivia reached over to just above her left breast, removing her comm badge and setting it on the desk. She saw Aaron and Lou respond in kind.

"Gentlemen, what I'm about to say does not leave this room. Understood?" Olivia began evenly.

Both men nodded their assent. Clearing her throat and setting her coffee cup down she said, "Theta One."

Recognition crossed both men's faces and a brief silence followed with Aaron being the first to break it, "Specifics?"

"None, as of yet. I'm not likely to know until whoever Asymmetric Warfare Group sends our way has that conversation."

"Just the warno then, sir?" Lou replied with furrowing silver brows.

"Unfortunately that's all I know at the moment. Believe me, the second I know more, I'll inform you two." Olivia replied.

"Aye sir," Lou replied.

"And gentlemen, this conversation never happened," Olivia ordered, before retrieving her comm badge. She saw Lou retrieve his comm badge and leave the room.

Aaron hung back after he retrieved his comm badge. "Need me to look in on Noah?"

"Thank you," Olivia replied with a nod.

"Maybe you should take the next twelve hours off, get yourself oriented and everything. I can take care of all the reports." Aaron replied, "It's what I'm there for anyway."

Liv nodded and tapped her comm badge, "Master Chief, pass the word I am not to be disturbed for the next twelve hours and to pass all reports to Commander Carlyle till morning."

"Aye aye, sir." Came Lou's response.


Observation Deck
Utopia Planitia
2374

As she walked solemnly toward the podium, Commander Olivia Benson stared out at the sea of faces. The surviving officers and crew of the USS Centaur sat in chairs in neat rows.

'The butcher's bill of this mission. Fifty-five dead, one-hundred-and-twenty-two wounded. One hundred and seventy-seven casualties, nearly half the crew casualties to rescue six men.' Olivia thought.

"So others may live. Four words that define the mission of Search and Rescue," Olivia began as she looked out over the crowd. Her eyes noticed Derna sitting in the front row. The youth's right eye was covered by an eyepatch, with a raw pinkish scar marking where the piece of transparisteel had embedded itself above and below his eye socket.

"Every one of our fallen fifty-five shipmates believed in those four words. What did they die for? That answer isn't easy, but it is simple. Each other, and all of you. Every single one of them gave his or her life so we would live." Olivia felt tears welling into her eyes as she spoke, reaching her hand up she wiped them away as she continued.

"A great leader in Earth history, Abraham Lincoln, once said, 'The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.' Truer words have never been spoken." She felt her voice break a little, managing to hold in another sob for a brief while.

"I can tell you since we limped into Utopia Planitia one question has haunted me. And I ask it in turn to each of you, 'What do we do with this gift of life those fifty-five people gave us?' You don't have to answer it right now, or even share it with anyone. I only ask that you take some time to reflect on that answer."

Olivia let the words sink in, looking out at the sea of faces. Seeing Derna with his head in his hands, weeping openly. Dak Ho went over, draping a slim yet well-muscled arm over his friend's shoulders.

Squaring her shoulders and standing to attention Olivia called out, "Master Chief Randall, Crew to Quarters."

"Attention!" Randall called out. Chairs scraped along the deck as crewmen stood to attention. Even the ones on crutches did so to the best of their ability, supported by their shipmates to the right and left.

Randall's voice boomed again. "When you hear your name sound off with 'here' or 'present'.

Holding a PADD in his hands Randall called out, "Captain Charles William Reynolds."

Silence as Olivia thought to herself. 'Did I say the right things?'

"Captain Charles William Reynolds."

Silence once more as she looked out over the crowd.

"Captain Charles William Reynolds?"

Another pregnant pause before Senior Chief Ling declared, "Dead, Master Chief."

"Commander Olivia Margaret Benson."

"Here, Master Chief!"

"Lieutenant Commander Saleem Al-Batani."

"Injured, Master Chief," Ling called back.

On down the roster, three hundred and eleven more names. For fifty-four more names, a solemn pronouncement. For one hundred and twenty-one others a call of 'Injured'.

Once every name on the books had been read aloud Randall executed an about turn to face Olivia, "Sir! All crewmembers of USS Centaur present or accounted for!"

"Crew dismissed!" Olivia called out watching the surviving crewmembers of USS Centaur quietly leave the observation deck.


USS Argos (NCC-14229)
Captain's Ready Room
2375

'Theta One. Who could think that two words could dredge up so much emotion.' Olivia thought to herself. A sob choked up. 'I wonder what kind of impression I'd set if I visited the Ship's Counselor on my first day on the job?'

Burying her face in her hands Olivia felt her body shake as the tears flowed freely. 'Fifty-five names. One year ago. God it still hurts. Will it ever stop?'

She heard the door to the ready room hiss open. Looking up she saw Aaron walking inside. "What are you doing here?"

"Noah's still asleep so I went to check on you," Aaron explained.

"Why?" Olivia asked.

"Liv, on at least two occasions since I've known you I promised I'd never lie to you," Aaron began, "The first time was when we got married. And the second time was when I volunteered to be your First Officer."

"Aaron, get to the point."

"I'm honestly worried about you."

As she stood to face him, Aaron said, "No I don't think you can't do your job. That's the last thing on my mind. Hell, you're a better commander than I ever could be. I think that quite a few other people around the galaxy would agree with me."

"You came all the way over here at just before midnight to give me a pep talk?"

"Liv, after fifteen years I know you well enough to understand that you're overthinking everything you did on the USS Centaur after the last Theta One you received. And trust me as the one who usually overthinks things, you couldn't have done anything more than you did."

"But…"

"I'm not finished. If the Centaur had a less capable First Officer than you, she and her crew would never have come home."

"I remember my own Board of Inquiry and how they didn't find any fault with me, but can still see Charlie's family when I delivered the news. I mean Helen was doing everything she could to keep it together. She even was worried about me and how I felt." Olivia sniffled a bit after she spoke.

"I mean Charlie's four year old asked me, 'Auntie Liv, can you bring back my Daddy?' I mean, she thought I could do that. Believe me if I could, I would have and…"

Instinctively Aaron threw his arms around her, feeling her body shake with those sobs, the tears soaking into his collar. Before long that emotional wave subsided and Olivia disentangled herself from Aaron's arms.

"Thank you," Olivia said, "I needed that."

"Think nothing of it," Aaron replied.

Olivia glanced at the chronometer on the bulkhead to her left as she spoke, seeing the time was half past midnight. "See you at Noah's birthday today?"

"Like I said, I wouldn't miss it for the galaxy," Aaron replied, walking out.


TBC