AN: Salutations and bienvenue! Yes, dear reader, I'm alive…. well, on the outside at least!

Been gone so long, I think we need the computer lady to do a bit of a recap, so take it away computer lady!

Last time, on Star Trek Cold Case:

"You and your crew are being reassigned to a special diplomatic mission to the Defera system, by special request no less."

The screen expanded to include an average sized Valixian man, with yellow eyes, combed back black hair, and a very stylish mustache.

"We've recently been getting reports of increased Breen activity in that area of space. They've been leading raiding parties on planets and on freighters passing through or entering that section of space for reasons that are still unclear to us."

'Don't react, Captain, but something is wrong, Xavius just lied to us.'

"I don't want to spy on my friend, but if there's something that we need to know about this mission that he's not telling us, I want to know about it."

"We believe that the site was once used by the Preservers, and we have located several artifacts that appear to correspond with their technology."

"Breen ships just warped in! We're dealing with it, but sensors are picking up Breen transporter signatures!"

"I am General Xrithath of Klingon Intelligence."

"Ariat Iset."

"She tricked you, tricked all of us!"

"But none of you fell in love with her!"

"I think this is an excellent opportunity for the two of us, the Federation and the Klingon Empire, to not only join forces to fight a common threat but to show the Deferi that both our governments are capable of balance."

"I'm truly sorry that you went through that Vex, I really am. But we have to take a Vulcan perspective on this situation. The Deferi need our help and we need to start somewhere in opening a dialogue with the Klingon Empire to get back to the peace we had twenty years ago."

"I can understand why Vex and the crew feels the way they do, but I'm not doing this to hurt them, I'm doing this to save lives for Valix's sake!"

"Please respond! I repeat, away team to Quinzel! We've engaged the Breen and have casualties! Admiral Zevil is in critical condition and needs emergency medical help!"

"The trauma and the extreme cold seem to have activated a brumation cycle."

"Activating Emergency Delta Hologram."

"Please state the nature of the Delta emergency." The hologram said, his face and voice flat, but at seeing the shocked looks around him, he grimaced and said, in a sheepish tone, "I would surmise you have questions."

And now, the continuation:

"What. The. Hell?!" Shouted Tyufia, shocked and a little more than just pissed off at the revelation that Zevil really was keeping something from everyone, validating Vex's suspicions.

"Before you attack the poor, innocent, hologram," EDH said defensively, holding his hands up in placating defense, "I need you to tell me the Admirals status, he's clearly out of commission since Chakotay Protocol has been enacted, but is he in critical condition?"

Vex studied the hologram closely, her mind going over every possible scenario that would warrant the creation of a hologram like this, before answering its question. "He's…stable," She said, trying to gauge it's reactions, "but he's in a deep brumation cycle and we haven't been able to wake him up. Dr. Mrill has called Dr. Citte to see if there is a way to safely wake him up."

"So not dying, good." The hologram said, letting out a sigh of relief and looking much more relaxed, "We can work with that, and with the Mo'Kai's doctor coming to help, we won't need to worry about the time space continuum imploding."

"Why would we need to worry about…" Vex started to ask but trailed off as the wheels in her brain started to turn and she realized exactly what was going on. "Fuck!" She groaned as she rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands and then slowly slid her hands down her face.

"What-" Tyufia cut herself off as she also got what was happening. "Son of a whore!" She whined as she placed her head in her hands and let out a groan of frustration. "The sheer fucking hubris of the man!"

"Would someone like to fill in the dense soldier what's going on?" Zasva asked irritably and a little bit panicked at the emotions she was feeling from the two other officers.

"Time travel! The idiot is using time travel!" Tyufia shouted to the ceiling before she turned her ire on the hologram. "Of all the crazy stupid things you've done, Xavius Vexius Zevil, this is the worst!"

"Again, I'm not the real Zevil." EDH said in a deadpan, his demeanor already looking tired from the conversation, but straightening his spine and drawing on the same kind of commanding presence the real Zevil did. "However, I would be remiss if I didn't defend the genuine article's actions."

"What kind of defense is there for breaking two of Starfleet's cardinal rules?" Demanded Vex, feeling like she wasn't going to like the answer, but seeing that this was time travel, that was a forgone conclusion.

"In the not so distant future the galaxy is at war." He told them bluntly, his voice ominous and serious. "Not just the Federation, but the Romulans, the Klingon Empire, the Ferengi, the Cardassians; everyone is fighting against an enemy that has been watching us from the shadows."

"The Iconians." Tyufia breathed, fear coloring her voice, drawing the attention of the other two women to her as she looked right at the hologram. "It's the Iconians isn't it? We've come across too much of their influence for it not to be them." When they stumbled onto that first piece of Iconian tech on the S.S. Azura, Tyufia had had a bad feeling about it. That feeling only grew as they kept finding more Iconian tech and then what they saw while fighting Hakeev with Obisek turned that bad feeling into dread.

"So, you're trying to stop it from ever happening?" Asked Zasva thoughtfully. All this time travel stuff was flying clear over her head, but she tried to see it from a strategic point of view. If the war never happened, then they could keep the galaxy safe from the war's effects.

"No… that's way too risky, you could make things worse…" Vex said slowly, deep in thought as she studied the hologram, trying to get into the mindset of her friend, "I'll bet you're on a fact-finding mission: working on giving us an edge in the upcoming war."

"The files on you weren't exaggerations." The hologram said with a small smile that was very Zevil. "That is, in fact, what the Admiral is doing. With the help of contacts from the very distant future, the Admiral and others like him have been collecting technology and information on Iconians and their servitor races."

"Others? There are more out there?" Tyufia was surprised and a little scared. Temporal manipulation on this scale was scary enough when it was just Zevil, but multiple operatives doing the same thing?

"Of course, no man is an island Commander." The hologram replied reproachfully, then explained further, "To get a full picture of the oncoming threat, multiple agents were seeded in Starfleet, the Romulan Republic, and the Klingon Empire."

"These contacts 'from the very distant future'," Vex asked, glaring at the EDH, "they wouldn't be named Daniels would they?" The hologram smiled knowingly at the same time Tyufia swore loudly.

"Of course that jump suited temporal Machiavellian is part of this!" Tyufia groused, running her hands through her hair in a frustrated manner. Then she caught on to something and looked at Vex suspiciously. "Hold on, how do you know Daniels?"

"Starfleet Intelligence has a file on him that's the same size of a small planet and a record of all the times we know he's visited." Vex said, arms crossed looking just as suspicious. "I read them when I became captain, but how do you know him?"

"He recruited us to help with a temporal mission that I can't (and won't tell you about." Tyufia said adamantly. "We have enough of a time traveling headache with this nonsense." She finished this statement with a dismissive wave at the hologram, who only glared in response.

"So, the next question I have," said Zasva, speaking after being deep in thought as she absorbed this information, "Why are you telling us this? Why break the Temporal Prime Directive?"

"Two reasons, Commander." The EDH informed the Aenar politely. "Firstly: to make sure that the alliance with the Mo'Kai is still intact." He looked to Vex expectantly. "I assume it is?"

"That-" Vex squeaked, quickly clearing her throat before continuing in a seething voice, "That was part of his mission?"

"…Yes?" Said EDH cautiously after a short pause, clearly hearing the anger in her voice and seeing it spread on her face. "He was given historical records stating that they would be in the area."

"Nothing else about them? No dossiers on the crew?" Vex needed to know this. She wanted to believe that Zevil, even doing something for the greater good, wouldn't treat her like a chess piece.

The EDH turned his head to the side, as if he were looking at something else, and his eyes rapidly flashed with inhuman light as he went through his internal database. "Just a psych file on General Xrithath, so he could better prepare his case to form an alliance." He told them when turned back, a perplexed and still uneasy look on his face. "Why? Is there something that wasn't added to the historical records?"

Vex squinted at the concerned look on the hologram, but not seeing any signs of deception (not that she thought she could with a hologram), she let her momentary anger go. "No, in fact I've invited the General and an away team from his ship to join us on board when we follow Preservers trail."

"Excellent! Glad we won't have to worry about that historical change." The hologram said with cheer that was a little uncharacteristic of the usually reserved Valixian, before raining in that emotion and regaining Zevil's usual professionalism. "That should help with goal number two."

"Which is?" asked Tyufia, a tad impatiently, her annoyance at the whole situation bubbling up again. 'Bad enough I have to deal with this shit every time Daniels shows up, now here I am again and not a jumpsuit in sight.' She massaged her forehead tiredly, 'The things I do for you Xavius.'

"Getting the Admiral back on his feet before the last leg of this mission, but" the hologram turned to the model and the hanger bay opened and popped a small square piece of opalescent metal, which the EDH pulled out and gave to Vex, "failing that then you need to use this in his place."

"What is it and what do I use it on?" Vex asked, hesitantly taking the odd metal square. On closer inspection, it was about an inch in width and diameter and looked to be a centimeter thick, but smooth all around and as light as a feather.

"It's a data collector and you need to use it on whatever you find at the end of this chase for the Preservers." The Hologram held up his hand when Vex was about to ask more, regret in his face and voice. "I'm sorry, but that's all my programming will allow me to say at this time." He stood up straight and placed his hand behind his back, a classic Zevil, "If you have not woken the Admiral by the time you reach the end, reenact Chakotay Protocol."

Vex started to ask another question but the EDH said, "Deactivating EDH." And in a blink, he was gone and both Tyufia and Vex let out huffs in annoyance.

A biting remark was on the tip of Vex's tongue, aimed towards the hologram and the model housing it, when her badge beeped. "Captain," said Toros's monotone from the badge, "the General and his away team have transported aboard."

"What's the human saying?" asked Vex tiredly to no one in particular, "'When it rains, it pours'." She tapped her badge, finally answering the call. "Thank you Toros. Please have security escort our guests to their quarters and then oversee the preparations to head out of the system."

"Aye Captain…however-" Vex groaned inwardly at the word and tone, "-the Klingon's Medical Officer is already making her way to sickbay to speak with Dr. Mrill and examine the Admiral."

"I'm assuming you tried to stop her…right?" Asked Vex flatly, already feeling a headache coming on, a common occurrence for a Starfleet Captains dealing with Klingons and their allies.

"Aye, ma'am." Toros informed, the slightest change in his tone telling him that he was annoyed. "But Dr. Keeyas was…most insistent on seeing to the Admiral's treatment."

Vex pinched the bridge of her nose, definitely feeling a migraine coming on. "Understood. I'll go to sick bay now and meet with them. Vex out." She tapped her badge off and turned to the door.

"So, we're not going to talk about what we just learned?" Tyufia asked as she followed Vex out, Zasva following them both.

"Nope." Vex stated flatly. "I would much rather deal with Klingons. Way simpler than the insanity we just learned." This earned a grunt of agreement from the Betazoid and a mirthless chuckle from the Aenar.

The three Command officers entered the sickbay to find that the Klingon's doctor was not, in fact, a Klingon but a Gorn. He was big, marginally shorter than Xrithath, but still bigger than an average Gorn. However, there was something about the reptiloid that Vex couldn't help feel she was missing about him.

"Ah, Captain Vexx," the Gorn said as he noticed the Trill and her entourage enter, his voice barely hissing, "I am Dr. Keeyas, I undersstand you have sstudied Valixian physiology." The massive lizard leaned forward to look Vex in the eye. "Ssuch information would be invaluable to our little 'conference'."

It was then that it finally hit Vex, the thing that was bugging her about this Gorn. "It's a pleasure to meet you, doctor." Vex said after a moment of hesitation. "Forgive me if I stare, but it's very rare to see a female off your homeworld or colonies."

Unlike mammalian species, where it's usually very easy to tell, there wasn't much to distinguish male Gorn from female Gorn. They didn't have breasts or long hair like most females did, they looked almost exactly like the males of their world. The only difference, apart from the obvious internal genitalia, was that their head scales, on the very top and around the eyes, were more rounded than the males. This was true for most reptiloids, the known exceptions being Saurians and Valixians.

"There are more of us off world than you think, Captain." Keeyas said with a rumbling chuckle, that sounded more like an amused growl, "If we left everything to our males, nothing would ever get done right."

"I was just apprising our guest and experts of the Admirals condition." Mrill informed her captain as she stepped forward. At the mention of experts, Vex looked around and saw that the wall screen near Zevil's biobed, where the two doctors were standing by before, were on and three faces looking out at them.

One held the countenance of the Hades Chief Medical officer, Dr. Citte Vaalm, who was clearly in his home office on Bajor. With the Hades still under repair, Citte had returned to Bajor to spend more time with his family, something his wife was very pleased with and his children were exuberant about, especially with the model of the Hades he brought home for his son.

The other half of the screen showed a blonde Vulcan woman in a medical officer's uniform and a female Valixian Engineer. An Engineer that knew the Admiral very well. "Avalia?" Tyufia gasped, surprised out of her foul mood, caused by the older Zevil, at the sight of the younger.

"Given how few Valixians there are in Starfleet, I thought it best if I called the only other doctor in Starfleet with experience treating them." Said the Caitian doctor, gesturing at her two colleagues. "But it was Dr. T'Puk who decided to include Lieutenant Zevil."

"Logic dictates that the Admirals condition is not a new or isolated incident." T'Puk stated to the room at large, her tone blunt even by Vulcan standards. "I hypothesized that this has happened before and another Valixian would know of it…" if she were any other species, Vex would almost think that the Vulcan was feeling very smug as she said "and I was correct."

"It's called the 'Sleep of the Ice Cloak'." Avalia informed, her voice strong but with the slightest waver, clearly worried about her brother. "Our father told us that centuries ago the Ancient Valixians believed that if they were ever caught unprepared for the winter season, they would be cursed into a deep sleep that they might never awaken from by the Goddess Malorai and her Ice Cloak."

"Primitive Gorn had ssimilar beliefss for our brumation ccycle." Keeyas mused, hand at her chin in thought. "Gornar iss fifty-five percent sswampland and ocean, however we do experiencce winter sseasonss and we must be cautiouss on worldss we vissit with exceedingly low temperaturess."

"That tracks with my records and previous medical scans of the Admiral." Citte informed the group, remembering how he had worn a full EV suit when they went after Amar Singh. "While Starfleet's records on Gorn physiology isn't absolute, we do know that the epidermis of a Gorn is much thicker than a Valixian's."

"While this quite fascinating, it is not a solution to our current issue." T'Puk broke in, before someone could derail this meeting, she knew how medical scientists were. "What stimulants have you tried? Have any shown promise?"

"I've tried a small dose of tricordrazine, but to little effect." Mrill told her colleagues, bring up the Zevil's latest medical scans and images of his brain scans, "But given the strain and damage to the Admirals brain, due to his repeated use of his telekinesis, I'm hesitant to use anything stronger or in higher doses."

"The logical solution would be to ignore that concern of yours and uses a high dosage of a strong stimulant and then treat damage it causes later." T'Puk told Mrill simply, but with a clear superior attitude added: "The risk of death is low, and any side effects would be easily treatable."

"If you call ending up a vegetable being an easily treatable side effect, I worry for your patients' 'doctor'!" Mrill growled, actually baring her teeth at the Vulcan woman. 'I knew calling this mad woman was a mistake.' Mrill thought. T'Puk was thrown out of the Vulcan Science Academy for doing procedures and experiments like the one she had just suggested, but she was also one of the few doctors to treat a Valixian.

"I swear, she's not as crazy as she sounds." Avalia said, trying to defuse the situation before the Caitian ended the call and she was left worrying about her brother. She thought she lost him when the Le Fey was destroyed, she couldn't stand to lose him now or go through not knowing like before.

"Doctors, please can we be civil?" Asked Vex, giving both women stern looks. When Mrill seemed to be calm, and had put her fangs away, Vex turned to Avalia. "Avalia, do you happen to know if your ancestors had a cure or ritual for this 'curse'?"

Avalia thought for a long moment, searching her memories for the answer. "I barely remember what father told us, Xavius is the history buff in the family." She gave her brother a mournful look, remembering being a little girl and sitting in her big brother's lap as their father told them legends of the Ancient Valixians. 'Wait…that's it!' she thought and then spoke up.

"Heat!" She shouted suddenly, then clarified as she saw the confused looks. "The story goes that when someone would fall under the curse, their family would hold them close and whisper in their minds to wake up and then, when winter was over, they would take them out and into the sunlight and 'the bright lady would call them awake with the power of her dress of light and growing'."

"It sounds like your people would use their body heat to keep the victims alive and telepathy to keep them grounded and fighting." Citte surmised, his tone thoughtful as he mentally picked over the Lieutenants information.

"But what iss the ssignificance of the ssunlight?" Pondered Keeyas aloud, arms crossed and eyes squinting in thought. "Could it be the added heat?"

"I believe that the answer is in Dr. Citte's earlier observation." T'Puk supplied, pressing in a few commands on her console to bring up a diagram of a Valixian side by side with a Gorn. "While Gorn have evolved to have thicker epidermis, Valixians have a thinner one, not unlike humanoids." She added a human to the diagram with radiation waves going into the human and the Valixian but bouncing off the Gorn.

"However, this is where they differ from the rest of us." A percentage appeared next to the Valixian and human, the number next to the Valixian significantly larger. "Valixian skin seems to absorb more solar radiation than average humanoids that is then used to supercharge their T-cells and boost their immune system."

"That's amazing, I knew that the Admiral's skins was more sensitive to radiation than most people, but I didn't know that he could use sunlight like that." Citte said in amazement. "It would also explain his impressive immune system.

"Not many do, doctor." T'Puk told him, the smallest hint of pride filling her voice if not her face and demeanor. "I only know this from my experiments on the sample of Lieutenant Zevil's skin that I have."

Said Lieutenant jerked her head to give the Vulcan a shocked and unnerved stare. "When did you get it and how much did you take?"

"So, all we need to do is put the Admiral under a sunlamp and send positive vibes his way?" Tyufia asked, not believing what she was hearing and cutting T'Puk off before she could answer Avalia's question. She was a Betazoid and believed in psychic therapy, but as a scientist she had a hard time believing that kind of mumbo jumbo.

"As unscientific and unrealistic as it sounds: yes." Mrill said but frowned. "However, given his head injury and the strain on his mental abilities, I would recommend light psychic therapy combined with small regular doses of tricordrazine to wake him up gradually and higher doses of alkysine to help repair his brain, with solar radiation to boost his immune system."

"I concur." Citte said confidently, the other two medical officers nodding their agreement. "It would have to be yellow giant solar radiation, since that's the kind of sun that Malorai is."

"I'd like to be the one to help with the psychic aspect of his treatment." Tyufia said as she stepped forward. "I've known him the longest and I'm familiar with how his mind works." She faltered for a moment, not sure how true that was anymore, but recovered by playfully saying: "And he tends to listen to me most of the time."

"Thank you, commander." Mrill said, accepting her offer. "I'm sure out of any psychic on this ship, he would respond to you the best." She turned to the two doctors and the engineer on the screens. "Thank you for the consultation, doctors. I'll keep you informed about the Admiral's progress when I can."

"I would appreciate that, doctor." Citte said with a sad smile. "He's my captain and my friend, I want to know how he's doing."

"I'll make sure you know as soon as he's awake Vaalm." Tyufia told the Bajoran, before turning to look at Avalia, "Both of you."

"Thank you, Ty- Commander." Avalia said, correcting herself before she addressed a superior informally in an official meeting, showing that she really was Xavius' sister. With a final smile from Citte and Avalia, and a solemn head nod from T'Puk, the screens went dark as the calls ended.

"Dr. Mrill, may I assist you in your preparationss for the Admiral'ss treatment?" Asked Dr. Keyaas. "I have alwayss been curiouss as to how Sstarfleet medical facilitiess differ from the thosse in the Empire."

"I'm happy for all the help I can get, doctor." Mrill told her with a grateful nod as she turned to Tyufia. "Commander, you can pull up a chair by the Admiral's bed for the psychic therapy," she pointed to a chair by Zevils bedside and then added, "but I have to ask that you only start with simple general feelings and then start using actual words after he's shown a positive response to the neurological treatments."

"Of course, doctor, I'll be careful." Tyufia reassured. She turned to Vex and Zasva as the two doctors got to work. "It's going to be a 'fun' exercise in will power to resist giving him more than just a small piece of my mind while he's forced to lay there and listen." She tried to convey that in a mischievous way but Vex could see right through her façade.

"Whatever you- we might think about his mission," Vex whispered, correcting herself so Tyufia knew she wasn't alone in her feelings, "he was trying to serve the greater good, and this is the best way our future leadership saw us doing it."

Tyufia nodded at the same time Vex's badge beeped. "Chief Jorgensen to Captain Vex."

"Vex here. You got good news for me Clyde?" Vex asked hopefully.

"I do indeed, captain!" Clyde said, his voice full of pride. "De computer core completed its analysis of de star chart."

"Find anything interesting?" Vex asked. "If I'm remembering right, Admiral Picard's Preserver hunt was filled with secret messages and puzzles."

"Right on de money, sir." Clyde replied. "There is an encoded marker indicating that de S'hinga system is a significant location- and before you ask," he said just as Vex was opening her mouth to say something, "de repairs to our defense and weapons systems will be done within de hour."

"Clyde, you are my favorite Viking!" Vex said with satisfaction, signing off and then turning to Zasva, "Call Toros and tell him to us ready to head out when Clyde gives us the green light." Zasva nodded and walked out of sickbay, tapping her badge.

Before leaving, Vex put a hand to Tyufia's shoulder and whispered: "Focus on waking him up. You and I both can give him a piece of our minds when he wakes up." Tyufia gave a mirthless bark of laughter before giving her best friend a watery smile and turning to help her other best friend.

"Status report." Vex ordered as she and Zasva walked onto the bridge

"Our… guests from the Mo'Kai have been assigned quarters and have armed escorts." Toros told her as he left her chair and reclaimed his usual seat, clearly ill at ease about having Klingons onboard. "I have also dedicated multiple monitoring systems to electronically survey Commander Iset exclusively."

"As long as you're subtle about it, I guess that's probably fine...if not wise considering its Ariat." Vex said, messaging her forehead as she paced in front of her command chair. "Vic, how are our subsystems and scanners."

"Picture is a little fuzzy but nothing a solid hit to the set won't solve." She replied dryly, but seeing the confused looks from the non-humans, not to mention the unamused look from Vex, she clarified: "Its above minimum functionality, Captain."

"Thanks for clearing that up." Vex rolled her eyes as she rolled on down the list. "Tinizi, how are the weapon systems looking?" She got no answer and she looked to the Bajorans and saw that she seemed to be staring into space. "Commander?" Vex asked with a bit of force to wake her up.

Shaking herself out of her stupor, Tynizi answered her captain. "The fore phasers are operational ma'am, but not at full power." She paused a moment before asking: "How's the Admiral doing? Is he going to be okay?"

"He's… stable and still in brumation," Vex said after a breath, "but we have a possible solution, and the doctors are optimistic about it."

"Too bad, traitor deserves to suffer." Said the human Ensign at the port helm controls, a disgusted scowl on his. To his credit, he said it under his breath, but Vex still heard him.

"What was that Ensign?!" Demanded Vex harshly, stopping her pacing to look right at her subordinate, her face a mask of rage. The Ensign whirled his chair around and started to babble an apology and excuses but Vex was hearing none of it.

"Open a ship wide channel." She ordered no one in particular. It was Vic who did so and told her the channel was open. "All hands, this is the captain," She started as her voice gained a more office tone, but with a harsh edge, "it has not gone unnoticed by me that the majority of you have made your feelings of displeasure at our alliance with the Mo'Kai's crew known in the form of insubordination and blatant disrespect towards Admiral Zevil." She cut a glare to the Ensign, who flinched at the heat of her glare.

"I know, because I'm guilty of it myself." Vex took a breath and a moment to feel guilt and sorry for herself, then got over it and back to business. That was one of the perks of having six lifetimes: you could get your shit together really quick when you needed to. "I know most of you probably can't forgive and hate the Klingons for what they've done to us, both to the Federation and to some us…personally," she wasn't psychic, but her eyes seemed to move to look down and to the right and could practically feel Ariat looking at her through the bulkheads of her ship, then she looked away.

"This war needs to end, not because of what we want, but because of what we need. The Universe needs this to end, because the people of the galaxy are suffering: Federation, Klingon Empire, and everyone else, like the Deferi. We may not be the cause of their current suffering, but we sure as hell aren't helping to make things better with our infighting and squabbling." She made sure to look into every single one of her officers, making sure to look into Vic and Tynizi's eyes (the senior officers who were most vocal and active with their anger as much as she was) the longest, making sure her words were sinking in.

"From now on, that stops, and anyone caught being disrespectful or combative with the Admiral, Commander Utprut, or the Mo'kai away team will deal with me personally." She took a calming breath and finished by saying: "Prepare to depart the system. Captain Vex out." She did the universal sign to cut the transmission.

"Captain, I-" The Ensign tried to say, hoping to salvage what skin he had left to save, but Vex spoke over him.

"You're dismissed from duty, Ensign." She told him with absolute authority, making sure that he couldn't mistake her order as a request. "I'm going to let you off with a warning for now, but I will make a formal write up happen if this behavior continues." She followed this up with a heated glare. "Am I clear Ensign?"

"Aye ma'am." The Ensign responded, head down as he walked to the turbo lift and left the bridge, another officer taking his seat.

"Captain," Violet said from her spot at the starboard helm controls, "I have received the all clear from Engineering that the warp drive is ready for use."

"And I just received a coded message from the Relentless, ma'am." Vic told her, reading the message as it appeared on her opts screen. "They're ten minutes out."

"Then let's hit the road. Take us out of here Dinah, best possible speed." Vex ordered as she took her seat, feeling of the future device in her pocket as her ship flew through space at top speed. 'I'm not going to let you down, Xavius.' She thought to herself. 'Not again.'

AN: My goodness this took far longer than it should have to get this done! You'd think being stuck inside my house with nothing to do but write would have me churning out chapters like cookies, but no. Too many distractions and cabin fever got in the way and formed the worst case of writer's block I've had in a long while!

But like Mr. J said: "But now I'm tanned, I'm rested and I'm ready to give this old town a wedgie again!", so expect more from this story and my other works soon! Till then, I bid you adieu!