"Dark clouds and sand castles"

By Turan Trelar
41 year old Quentite civilian
and
'Naut' a surviving crew member of the Galaxy

Turan grabbed a broom.

"Turan, Naut asked with raised eyebrows, What are you going to do now?" His constant enthusiasm was exhausting at times. He was always up to something, had a new idea. Naut wondered if he realised just how much his enthusiasm alone kept her alive.

"It's about time to clean the wreck." explained Turan "It is almost totally covered with sand. Imagine your rescue team leaves because they are not able to find any sign of the Galaxy."

~Rescue team!~ Naut scoffed to herself, ~What dammed rescue team? They have forgotten about me, they dont give a dam. Its been YEARS. Why would they come now?~

Over the years her hope had turned into anger and hatred. Anger at what had happened; seeing her crew mates die, unable to stop the blood shed, being alone for years. And all that in turn had turned to hatred, hatred towards Starfleet. The fact that it was Starfleet that had turned on them, Starfleet that had killed all of her crew, Starfleet had left her here on purpose, they had F****d up in the worst way and she, the only survivor, had been left here to perish because of their mistakes. The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few, or in her case one. Isnt that right!?

Starfleet, the thing she had believed in for 20 odd years, the institute she had put her faith and trust into, the thing she had loved..had failed her. It was all alien to her now, as alien as her own name. Truth be told she remembered it, that day when she and Turan had met, she had lied. She never wanted to hear her own name again. The last time her name had been uttered was from the cracked, broken lips of a child who lay dying in her arms. The pain it caused her she had been unable to block out.

He had called her an astronaut that day, eventually that had been shortened to Astra, and then Naut. And that was fine with her.

Deep inside him something was begging that day would never come. He didn't want her to leave. For about thirty years the female alien was the only one he talked to. Together they examined the Galaxy's wreck. Together they cared for the farm. Together they changed the dark humid cavern in a palace any blue blooded would be proud of. And finally ... together they grew old. Last month they celebrated Naut's 57th birthday.

As much as Turan wanted Naut to stay he knew the hope to be rescued kept her alive. Naut never abandoned hope that once a rescue team would arrive to search for the Galaxy or for surviving crew members. One day when the Galaxy was almost swallowed by the sand they decided to keep at least part of the hull free of sand where the saucers name was written as an emergency beacon for a potential rescue team.

"Would you like to accompany me?" asked Turan.

No, she sighed, not this time. You go. If I get bored Ill know where to find you! She replied in Quentinarish.

Over the last few decades Naut had learnt his language, it gave her some comfort and it was easier too. After all they couldn't use the universal translator forever! And besides Turans accent tended to garble anything he said. Naut had learned several languages over her life time, this one had proved to be a challenge, but eventually she had mastered it with success. Still, there were things she couldn't understand, or say. But they muddled through, if she couldn't say it in Quentinarish she said it in federation, he may not be able to speak Fed Standard very well, but at least he understood most of it. They had even come up with a rudimentary sign language to use out in the fields, on the farm, when their voices couldn't carry the distance. From her lack of enthusiasm at the thought of cleaning the wreck he was bound to know that something troubled her, but she just wasn't interested anymore. She had managed to hide her feelings towards Starfleet from him for a long time. But now

Just a few weeks ago she had turned 57. What use would she be to Starfleet now? Even if they found her, them, what would she do? Go back to active duty? Not likely! She was vintage now, an antique, there would be so many things she had missed, on the job training, new techniques, new technology, it would take her another life time to learn it all. And that made her think of the training she *had* received at the Academy! None of it had prepared her for the situation she was in now. They had never taught her how to farm, how to live off the land, how to make clothes etc, everything they had taught was for emergency. You crash land, find shelter, make a camp, use whatever you can to make contact and then wait. FOR HOW LONG? Starfleet will find you, they wont abandon you! It was dawning on her, only now, that this was her life. Now and for ever, till the day she died

So NO! She didn't want to go clean the F*****G wreck. What was the point? They weren't coming, no one was! It was just the two of them now, and she had to accept that.

Turan walked out into the dawning but still warm evening sun. He was worried. One didn't have to be an empath to realize that something was wrong with Naut. Was it something he did or said? Did she just loose her hope to be rescued one day? As open minded as she was when they talked about Turan's former life, about his thoughts and former life targets every time he changed the topic to Naut's life on the saucer and for the organization she called Starfleet Naut seemed to block. Obviously there was something in her life before they both met she wasn't ready to talk about. She wasn't ready yet but probably one day she was. There was plenty of time to wait for that moment and plenty of other topics to talk about.

Living together for 22 years he learned to read her emotions. For the moment she seemed to be full of anger, sorrow and despair. The time he needed to clean the saucers name letters would give him a good occasion to think how he could cheer her up a little.

Naut walked to the mouth of the cave. Her fingers lightly traced the rock face, almost affectionately, as she watched Turan's shadow become smaller and smaller.

She felt a tinge of guilt as she watched him head out alone. She was so incredibly fond of him. After all, they had only had each other in the last two decades. And they had done everything together. And here she was feeling sorry for herself. He too had lost so much. She sighed.

Picking up two rags and thronging she walked out into the fading light. After wrapping the rags around each foot and securing them with the thronging she headed out down the cliff face, to the desert ground below.

For a while she just walked, feeling the sand slip its way underneath the cloth and in-between her toes. In her mind she began to question herself ~ why shouldn't I feel sorry for my self? Stranded and alone, for years. Meeting Turan, which could have easily turned out bad! Not being able to make contact with Starfleet. They abandoned me! They turned their backs on me. ME! Why? ~ she continued to sulk as she crossed the plain to the far hills. From there she could see Turan, a little speck on the fading horizon. Maybe her eyesight was getting bad too! He seemed so far away. ~Turan,~ she thought ~ what has he lost? His family and friends, neighbours, his home and way of life ~ it dawned on her as suddenly as the scary thought that she was going to be here for the rest of her natural life, that he found inspiration from her; he needed her to live as much as she needed him. The thought of aliens, others were out there searching the galaxy, was so incredible to him. She was his inspiration; the thought of others coming to find her was what kept him alive too. His excitement and anticipation of that day was embedded in him. She had to think positive, if not for herself than for him. She had to bury her twisting feelings of hate, for him. And she would. Because after all, what she wanted most was to go home.

She let the tears of anger and frustration flow out of her. The sadness almost threatened to take her over.

I want to go home, she cried out with all her might, I just want to go home!

The tears rolled through the dirt on her cheeks and splashed to the sandy ground mixing with the dirt to form a tiny puddle of mud.

Home she whispered through her sobbing.

Looking across at the landscape so bare and yet so much like home she thought. Ironic after all, she grew up in a place so similar to this one, dry and barren. And back then she loved it! ~Hu!~ she thought as she cast a look back down at Turan.

*****

Something made Turan turn his head. Was it a reflection? A sound? An instinct? Empathy? His eyes hit Naut who was descending the dune whirling up small clouds of sand. Turan was glad she finally joined him.

Hey Turan Naut said, need a hand?

"A hand?" Turan smiled "Naut, I need more of you than just a hand."

Naut bent down next to him and began to clear the sand away with her hands,

You know when I was little we used to make sand castles at the coast.. she began.

"sand castles?" asked Turan. "Okay let's finish up this. And afterwards, you will show me how sand castles are made ..."

"The Arrival"

by
Turan Trelar, 46 year old Quentite man

Time: 30 years after the catastrophe - the day the away team arrived

One great advantage on life near the equator is the continuous supply with fresh vegetables and fruits. Harvest time is not limited to just one or two months in the summer.

Turan opened a pod. The beans inside were dark red and ripe. Pod after pod he now picked from the bean plant and dropped into his basket. After being drained spread out on large cloth covered by a thin layer of sand to protect them against the burning sun for a week or two the beans would be separated from their pods bringing some variety to the evening entertainment.

The basket was already half full when a whining sound made Turan look up to the sky. He would have to hurry bringing in the harvest. To loose their needed food to the upcoming sand storm? Turan would not allow.

Much faster than usual the whining sound grew louder. And not even just faster - there was a certain undertone which was absolutely unusual for a sand storm. Nevertheless the sound felt somehow familiar to Turan. The sound reminded him his youth when ...

Again Turan looked up to the sky this time to search for something totally different from a vortex.

... reminded him of the space craft which flew over his parents' farm on their flight path to Novela space port.

A small point up in the sky caught the Quentite's eyes. - A point which was quickly growing to in a blink of an eye whistled over him to finally disappear behind the hills in a smooth left turn.

They arrived! After thirty years of waiting they really arrived!

Suddenly the harvest was secondly. Turan dropped the basket an ran home tell Naut the good news. The good news?

** Backpost**

Lt. Commander Ethan Suder
Chief Engineer

"Silent Moment"

Ethan sat on the cold and slightly rocky surface and gazed at the huge grey view in front of him. The Galaxy people had said. He had given the thought on temporal mechanics up a while back. It was getting on his nerves, thinking about what happened when they first landed, finding the ship here on the planet when just a little while ago, the shuttle left the shuttlebay of the huge, bulky ship.

The view was quite an experience. Seeing such a disaster. But he thought about all the people that could have been on the ship, and worse-

He kicked out, knocking some rocks away. He was frustrated. He couldn't help but think about what could have happened if he had stayed on the ship, if he had not been ordered to join the away mission.

He crossed his legs and closed his eyes.

He drew in a deep breath and relaxed. The very quiet sounds around him, the other away team members etc drifted away. Soon, he could hear the sound of the wind brushing over him.

Then came the sound of laughter. Two kids playing in the field. Chasing each other, having fun, with no clue to the heartache of life that awaited them when they were to come of age, unless they decided to stay here with Ethan and-

Ethan opened his eyes and looked at the children playing. They seemed so innocent, so content to stay that way forever.

"It won't last you know." a female voice called out behind him.

Ethan nodded, but continued watching his children. "I know, but why not enjoy the moment."

"But with a storm coming, it'll have to end soon."

"Then may be they'll be happy playing inside." Ethan replied with a smile. He closed his eyes again as he felt the woman's hands and arms wrap around his chest.

"What about you?" she asked.

"I'll always be happy here, whether there's a storm or not."

"I'm glad." the woman paused and sighed. "I can never get tired of watching them play. And this place, we really made it work didn't we?"

Ethan smiled again. "This is living. Life at it's best. Family. Everyone should have one. One like this." He turned around and opened his eyes...

The grey bulk appeared before him again. He sighed heavily and raised to his feet. "If this isn't bad news, I'd love to know what is." he said to himself. He looked up at the skies and pondered on the situation. It was going to be tough to get out of, if they were going to get out at all. And what if they couldn't?? He suddenly froze, that would be worse than death. They had to find a way!...

"Orion, Romulan, Drinks"

By Lt Jg Jasmine Bannon
and
Ramir Omar
Romulan Ambassador.

Ramir Omar was returning to his quarters with all of his bodyguards when one of his men shouted at him.

“Sir! An Orion Female!”

Most of his men sneered at her with contempt while the rest of them looked at her with fear for all of his men had bought slave girls or had killed members of the dangerous Orion Syndicate.

Omar looked at her with curiosity though. The Tal Shiar had never mentioned that there were Orion Starfleet officers. Especially one that was green. He had never heard of a green Orion who was anything apart from a slave. Omar then stared at her with great respect for his father had said to him that only the very best of those who were allied to humanity were allowed to be members of Starfleet. He had never thought that green Orion females went into that category but this one obviously did.

He then very cautiously tapped at her left shoulder to wake her.

Jasmine felt the tap and slowly woke up, "Huh?" she managed to get out as she opened her eyes to find the room filled with armed men. She went kind of pale. "Whats.. going on?" she managed to get out sitting up.

Realising that she was very nervous then the senator then shouted at all of his bodyguards. “You are to get out of my presence immediately!” All of them then left from the room.

“I Am Ramir Omar. I Am A Romulan Junior Senator.” He then proceeded to smile at her. “An Orion Starfleet officer? It would be interesting to me greatly to be listening to the story of your life. Would you like to have a drink with me? I do have a very good vintage collection of alcohols.”

Jasmine looked at him to put it mildly shocked. "Uh.. Sir.. Senator, I am not one for drinking alcohol. I am also not the best company.. " She had no idea how to handle this and she could tell that she was blundering it fully.

"Sorry for my rudeness Senator."

Ramir Omar looked at her. His left eyebrow definitely was raised with surprise. “If it is that repulsive sythenhol that you have been consuming then that would not be surprising to me.”

He then added to the sentence. “Do forgive me for my curiosity about you but it was my belief that the Orion people only belonged to a slave trader or to a syndicate. What is your name?”

"Lt jg Jasmine Bannon Sir." She said. That part she knew she could get out without stuttering or dieing of embarrasment. "I am a freed slave sir."

“This place is your office?” His nose was wrinkled with distaste at her unfurnished office. “A freed slave? You must have very influential friends. Are you going to have a drink with me then?"

"yes this is my office, the Xenobiology Lab. " She paused. She decided she would take the time off, it would not hurt surely. "And yes, if you insist I will have a drink with you."

One of his men returned to the room to give to him a bottle of alcohol. He then very hastily left from the office. The alcohol was poured into two very ornate glasses and one of them was handed to her.

“Do Be Careful.” He warned to her. “Saurian Brandy is a very strong alcohol.”

She nodded "I have heard that." she knew that her former master had held a lot of interest in the drink. She raised it slightly in silent cheers and waited for him to drink first.

Omar drank the alcoholic beverage within of his glass and then proceeded to look at her. “So then how did you get your freedom?”

"I ran away." she said simply. "I stowed away on a federation vessel that had pulled in for repairs."

"Revenge is a dish that is best served.."

By Turan Trelar, 46 year old Quentite
And Writer X (The Galaxy survivor)

As the light from the setting sun began to fade the Watcher pulled its tattered cloak tighter round its thin frame. Still, it continued to watch. The anger began to build in its eyes. The hate towards the visitors simmered from every fibre of its being.

Turan ran home to tell Naut the news about the spacecraft he saw minutes ago. When he arrived at their cavern he was sweating, exhausted, breathless. "Naut!" he called for his companion or should I say girl friend or even wife? - No answer. "Naaaaahuuuut!" He called her again. Again there was no reaction of the alien woman who spent the last 27 years with him. Did she see the spacecraft, too? Did she already leave to meet her fellow astronauts? The tall Quentite found footprints of cloth covered feet leaving the cavern towards the hills above the crash site.- She was gone.

Turan didn't want to let her leave him without a last good bye. Actually he didn't want to let her leave him at all. But that was not his choice.

For a few minutes, he followed the track of footprints until he finally found Naut sitting on a rock, her arms wrapped around her legs in a foetal position watching the 'ants' which moved around down at the Galaxy wreck. The sand around the rock she was sitting on was covered with strange drawings. Some looked like maps, other like symbols or excerpts from a spacecraft blueprint.

Her ears seamed to prick up, like a cat, at the noise of someone approaching, though she didn't move. She knew those footsteps like the back of her own hand.

"Hey girl, what are you doing here?" asked Turan "I expected to find you dancing with joy. What's the matter with you? What are you concerned about?"

She turned slowly to face him. Her face was blank, expressionless. Her eyes, however, told a different story.

Turan startled. Her eyes seemed to be ... kind of glowing?

"Naut, what's the matter with you?" He asked worried.

She remained silent, unable to speak. What would she say? What could she say to him to make him understand?

Slowly she rose to her feet. She shook her head slightly as if to say nothing was wrong but it was futile. Her expressions and body language told him otherwise. And she couldn't pretend any longer.

Turan felt uneasy. Do you know the feeling short before a volcano erupts? Maybe that was what Turan expected to happen next - That volcano was his Naut. "Naut, you making me frightened"

Im fine, Turan. Really she replied stiffly, Shouldn't we go greet our guests?

Turan tried to produce his brightest almost aching smile. "Sure, he answered. Can't say how long I waited to host your guests."

Yes. Naut muttered, I know how they consume your thoughts. She said bitterly.

"Hey Naut, I only want to see you happy." Turan replied. Then he reached out his hand and said jokingly: "If mylady would be so kind to take my arm and accompany me to present us to the delegation"

Naut gave him a look of irritation rather than disgust, which is what she felt, I would be happy to see them all dead! she muttered under her breath.

Refusing his hand she stepped forward and led the way down the hill, trying her best to be stealth like. On her back her phaser rifle rattled and bounced, she hoped that Turan wouldn't notice it as she slipped and slided her way down the sandy hill side.

Naut was in a really strange mood. Not even Turan's small jokes seemed to lighten up the atmosphere. All he could do was to follow the alien woman with the warrior look on her face down to the visitors who were examining the wreck.

As they neared the crash sight Naut stiffened even more. Her breathing became regulated; she was preparing.

Turan wasn't able to guess what his companion planned to do. She looked like a hunter watching her prey. Was she going to ....

"Naut, are you all right?"

Shut up Turan! she snapped like a terrier, This doesn't concern you.

What the hell ...? Turan looked at Naut. "This doesn't concern me? his voice grew louder Do you really think so? Oh come on, have a look at yourself. This is not the girl I shared my life with. You look like the angel of revenge. But what is the revenge for? What have they done to you?"

She whirled on him now, so fast and ferocious, it was a wonder that he didn't just cower away.

What have they done to ME? she shouted, her eyes burning into him. All the hate and anger, all the hurt, rolled off her like a tidal wave.

You, she said scathingly, her eyes narrowing slightly as she continued her piercing glare, have no idea. You really have no idea. Do you?

Turan took a deep breath. "No I haven't, my dear I haven't." he answered in a calm voice "Would I have asked otherwise? Maybe you can bring some light to the dark and explain what is bothering you."

They left me here to die, Turan. She said exasperated, They made a mistake and they expect me to pay for it. My life, my career. Its all gone. In a blink of an eye they stripped me of my faith. I believed in them, I pledged my life for them. And now, three decades later they return. For what? What good am I to any one now? I cant go back, not now. Its been too long. I was prepared to die here. But they she gestured towards the visitors, to Starfleet, they just hade to come didn't they? Well now they will pay for their mistakes. I refuse to. Starfleet will pay. The venom in her voice made her sound like the killer she intended to be. Her hands began to tremble slightly with the increasing emotion that she was still fighting to control.

"Oh Naut. I don't know what happened that day. I don't know what happened to your friends. Look at me. I don't even know what happened to my friends, my family. All I know is that from the first time we met I lived with the permanent fear they would come one fine day to take you away from me. More than once I begged, I prayed they wouldn't come. I thought about fighting them, hiding us away. Finally I realised all I would do wouldn't change anything. I wouldn't be able to avoid the inevitable."

Turan paused "Look at them. They are as old as you were when we met. They weren't even born when the catastrophe happened."

I dont care! she replied her voice wavering. They put me here. That day, that awful day. Starfleet turned on us. There ships attacked *us*. She paused as she tried to remember the events which she had buried. They caused us to crash. It was Starfleets fault. I remember the, the day she died, in my arms. So small, a child, Turan, no more than six! They caused her death. The death of countless others, my friends, my she stopped unable to go on. Someone has to pay, she said her voice harsh from the lump stuck in her throat that she was trying desperately to swallow, and that someone isn't me! Not any more. I cant do this any more Turan. Her eyes had welled up at the memories, tears threatened to fall from her eyes. She blinked them back; she didn't want him to see her cry. She didn't want them to have the satisfaction of her tears as stupid as it sounded.

Turan looked into Naut's eyes. They were growing wet with tears. Her anger changed into sorrow. "Oh honey" Turan took the much smaller woman in his arms.

Dont you want to make them pay? All they took from you; your family and friends. You could have had a wife and a family of your own, someone to love, someone to raise your children, someone to have your children. They took from you the ability to pro create? You may well be the last of your species. Dont you care? she asked, her voice muffled by his chest. She pushed away from him, craning her neck to look up into his eyes. Why didn't he understand? Why didn't he feel the same way? Hurt and betrayed.

"Sure I care and of course I sometimes felt hurt and betrayed. Before I met you, I was full of anger and hatred, too. I often had thoughts about what to do when they come back. Having you with me almost healed the wounds on my soul. I asked myself: What would I achieve if I killed one of them? Nothing. Maybe it's my fate to be the last of my species. Whatever I do - whatever we do - none of us is able to turn back time. We have to live with that fate, Naut. What will happen if you kill one of them?" Turan asked his companion. "Tell you what will happen. The survivors will raise their weapons and shoot you leaving me alone without you. The only ones who will pay will be you and me. Say Naut, don't you like your life as it is now?"

She thought hard, about all she had lost, her family and friends, her career. so much gone. But what had she gained? She had made the best of a bad situation. She looked up at Turan searching his eyes. She had never really known how she truly felt about him. They had just seemed to fall together. It was natural; neither of them really had a lot of choice. But was that all it was? Was it just the lack of choice that had brought them together? Did he ever truly love her? Did he even know what love was? She thought about his question, did she like her life as it was now? The answer was going to be hard for him to hear, No Turan, I don't. she said quietly, wiping the tears that were now streaming down her cheeks.

"Was it so bad you want to throw it away for your revenge?"

You dont understand. I have no life. The day we crashed, it was taken from me. What makes a persons life is his accomplishments. What have I accomplished Turan? I have nothing. I am nothing. She looked at the dusty ground her words taking effect on her being.

"Hmm, what did you accomplish? Let's see ... You gave my will to survive back. With your knowledge you managed to repair those gadgets which allow us to live in a certain luxury. We changed this dead sandy desert into a farm that can even feed a family or a bunch of guest. Look around. This all is ours. So don't tell me you haven't accomplished anything. And don't tell me you are nothing. You are the queen of this, our small kingdom. let's get down there to show our visitors our empire"

She gave in and gave him a small smile. But the conflict within continued. She turned and began her decent again.

"The Last Goodbye"

By
Lieutenant Commander James Lionel Corgan
Chief of Security,
USS Galaxy

Lieutenant Commander Adrian An'quinsos
Acting Chief Counselor,
USS Galaxy

Location, Quentin, Class 1-A anomaly site.

The Quentite ground hiccuped, as a tectonic plate shifted uncomfortably on a planet in the last hacking coughs of its death throes. Rumbling the warning of a dying planet, Quentin disrupted the Starfleet officers as they scrambled to gather equipment and regroup at the shuttlecrafts. Everywhere was the chaotic voices of fear stricken men and women, their gaze downwards as if they could predict each noisy grumble.

"MOVE YOUR @$$ES YOU SONS OF B*TCHES!" Corgan waved to officers, barking orders like it was the morning firing drills, "THIS PLACE IS GONNA BLOW! WE'RE LEAVING GODDAMMIT, AND WE'RE NOT WAITING FOR IDIOT STRAGGLERS! C'MON! MOVE YOUR SORRY @$$ES FOR F**K SAKES!"

Corgan was, truthfully, feeling the urgency to move out more than anyone else was. The Guardian of Forever's dire prediction was enough to force himself into an emergency mode, where he balked at even the slightest slip of an ensign's footstep, mistaking it for being a costly delay that could kill them all.

~ "Sh*t on me, it's really going to blow..."~ James sulked, shoving people into shuttlecrafts and fretting over the ones whom were still outside, ~ "Not only did we destroy the place, we get to watch it crumble. Some fate." ~

His sullen eyes took one last scan of the badlands that acted as the graveyard of the Galaxy and her crew. ~"I just hope to god the Guardian was right. Everything better be preventable when we leave. If not... we'll have allot to answer for when we go back home wherever home will be." ~

As Adrian approached the site, his mind oddly drifted back to some of the first Terran Novels he had read on the subject of Science Fiction, called Doctor Who. As he looked back, he noted that the El-Aurians and the Gallifreyans shared similar traits. Both gifted with Extra-Temporal Perception and Awareness and, had phenomenally long lifespans, at least where the Ancient Gallifreyans were concerned. Modern ones had could regenerate. They were also old races, though Gallifrey definitely dwarfed El-Auria by an incredible amount.

He glanced over at the Bajoran security officer on thought. Were he the Doctor, she would probably be akin to one of his companions, Ace perhaps

"Hey!" James hollered at the counselor, "Get in here! We have to leave soon, or we're f**ked, you got that?"

Thats the last place I need to be He trailed off as the two officers left him to Corgans attentions. I believe it would be best if I stayed here. Something tells me, that all our problem lie, not up there, but there, He pointing to the general location of Guardian. As that monolith, we may have all our questions answered, and I intend on seeking them.

"What?!?! Are you out of your f**king mind?!?!" Not quite believing what he was hearing, which was the blatant disregard for one's well being and the violation of the Class 1-A just to have a one on one with an entity, he couldn't easily allow the counselor to leave. "We have a half hour at the most, and that's being liberal! Just get in the shuttle!"

I insist on staying, His voice, cold hard, and unyielding. Leave if you wish, but Im staying whether you like it or not.

"You're serious?"

Absolutely.

James considered the counselor's request. Surprisingly, James thought of something he had missed during the excitement of the mission, a question that he shoved into the back of his mind while he was engrossed in the mystery of the temporal discontinuity.

~ "Oh dear god! I have to ask about the cause of the explosion!" ~ He gasped, answering to the counselor, "I'll go with you. But remember, this is a violation of a Class 1-A directive. Therefore, this officially never happened, and we went out to look for stragglers. Now let's move goddammit! I don't want to die on this f**king rock because of your curiosity!"

Thank you, Adrian said, his expression softening up to a warm, though tense smile. I appreciate your help.

"Yeah..." James groused, slinging a phaser rifle to his shoulder, "Thank me when we get out of here."

****************

"ASK ME A QUESTION."

Lieutenant Commander Corgan looked once again at the stone archway of the Guardian of Forever. The sight wasn't as awe inspiring as before. It was more of an impatient drive, for James was eager to get off the planet. Death was already looking over his shoulder, tapping on him, whispering his eager mission to James' ear.

James drove on, "Ok, we know you are the trigger of these events. What caused the atmosphere to detonate?"

The Guardian spoke aloofly, it's booming voice rivaling a shudder from the ground. One of the pillars of granite toppled dangerously close to the archway. "A TACHIYON/CHRONITON PULSE!"

Blankly, James stared at the arch, "What about it? We detected a few of those... but that shouldn't have caused the disaster!"

The Guardian rebutted, "THAT FACTOR ALONE DID NOT CAUSE THE CATACLYSM. LOOK FURTHER INTO THE CAUSE. LOOK TO SEE... WHAT TRIGGERED THE DESTRUCTION OF THE PLANET QUENTIN."

The archway shimmered into an image, showing the passage of time awashed in dull grays and blues. An image crudely projected itself in the archway, showing the USS Galaxy in orbit. The Galaxy was watching the planet in orbit, and then the next moment, watching the blue sky turn crimson red.

James breathed, "We were the cause..."

"YOUR TRANSPORTER TECHNOLOGY, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TACIYON/CHRONITON PULSES, WAS THE CAUSE. MY SYSTEMS WERE IN DISREPAIR, THEREFORE I WAS ALSO THE CAUSE FOR THIS DISASTER. EVEN THOUGH THE ODDS OF A TRANSPORTER BEAM AND A TACIYON/CHRONITON PULSE WAS NOMINAL, IT NONETHELESS HAPPENED." The entity bellowed its mournful, bagpipe tone.

There was a long pause as James let the information sink in. He shrugged to Adrian, "Well, your turn. Make it quick."

Adrian looked for what seemed like an eternity at the miracle of engineering. He had so many questions for the Guardian of Forever to answer for. There were also so many places to see, to explore, and even to go back to. Temporal energy pulsed and echoed from it in torrents, that it threatened to drive him mad. The human with him was very lucky. He could see the cause and effects. The El-Aurian could feel and experience them, as though they were of a second nature. He stepped forward, dodging the various rubble that was trying to launch there way towards him. One problem seemed to lay with the Galaxy, but the other

What must be done to you, so that these events never take place?

IN ORDER THINGS TO BE RESTORED, TO THEIR PROPER SETTING, I MUST BE DESTROYED The sonorous voice replied, daring to drive him deaf.

The ground shook itself in its largest spasm yet. Another column of stone toppled, and James had to sidestep to keep out of the barreling rock's way. "Let's go! Come on!"

"YES!" The Guardian thundered urgently, "LEAVE THIS PLANET! WITNESS MY DEATH, AND PASS THROUGH THE SAME TEMPORAL ANOMALY FROM WHERE YOU CAME! SAVE YOURSELVES, AND SAVE YOUR FUTURE!"

"You heard the man." James grabbed Adrian by the arm, dragging him off, "Let's move!"

As the officers bolted for the shuttlecraft, James gave last glances at the Guardian. It's shimmering portal into time flickered. The pillars of rock tumbled like a waterfall of stone, until one of the pillars struck the archway down the middle. The arch's portal flickered off, the archway crumbled as more stones struck it to powder. The dust plumed up, covering the former Guardian site in a cloud of smoke.

Adrian turned back a moment, and then literally, dove into the shuttle, the door closing behind him, threatening to take off his foot. He steadied himself as the shuttle rose gracefully into the air, escaping what premature death that might have caught it. He could feel a slight temporal backlash emanating from the sight. The El-Aurian suspected that would be the least of their problems (and his,) as they parted for the temporal anomaly above.

"A Blur....."
Lt. JG. Dr. Klaus Fienberg

Location: 50 Meters away from the shuttle.

The time often slows down. But only in the perception of a single individual at any one time.

-Time seems to have slowed down for me........The Shuttle is a good distance away, and I must reach it soon, if not now.-

Klaus's mind and body raced torward the shuttle. He heard a loud voice, he didn't know what it was...but it was something big....and powerful. It told him to leave.

-I feel as if I could transend my own body. But I cannot. Humans are not that highly evolved....not like the Zalkonians.....or any other race at that level of evolutionary advancement. All of this around me.....-

The surroundings blurred past, as if he was in a moving ground vehicle.....a car if you will. His heartbeat could be heard, deep within his chest. It seemed slower than normal. The Adrenaline pumped in his veins, fueled by fear. Fear of the Unknown. Fear of Death. Fear of Life?

Perhaps he WANTED to die? It would solve his problems.....or would they.....he'd been down this path before. His mind still racing during his approach of the Shuttle. By now he had about 30 meters to go.

-Hell of a time to question existance...but......why.....Why was I able to hear this warning? Why have I been allowed to escape now.....when it is obvious that I am aboard that Derelict. Am I avoiding this dead just to die later? If it is my fate to die....then the sooner the better. Why allow me to Continue?-

Then he remembered a body he saw in sickbay. Familiar....but to mangled and torn by the impact to say who.

He remembered the life he had aboard the Galaxy. His Brother. His Lover. His Friends. His Enemies.

-If there is a chance of Survival, Should I take it? No matter how slim? I would do so with out question for another.....but why do I question it?-

With about 10 meters to the shuttle, things seemed to be.....blurred even more.

-If I am alive...then I should continue to exist.....but why am I alive in the first place.....my Parents? No......it's beyond that. God? Is is likely there is something higher. Fate? Karma? Yin and Yang? Wait a moment......why am I questioning existance now?-

He snapped out of is blur standing at the rear of the shuttle, staring at it like an idiot, while someone beckoned him to board.

"Oh, yes...Of course....everyone is well?"

He Boarded the shuttle and awaited launch.

"Somewhere I Belong, Part I"

By
Legate Kylar Curran
Chief Liaison Officer
USS Galaxy

Karyn Dallas,
Chief Counselor
USS Galaxy

"To start with, my name is Jacen Dragos. I am Captain of this ship, the Ma'at. It is Hydran in design, as you can see from the living tissue around you, but is powered by other means which are beyond your comprehension." He raised a hand at Curran's insulted look.

"Trust me. It is beyond your level of knowledge. I will explain later."

"You did beam down to the planet, but as you can see, you did not materialize. In fact, your transport beam was intercepted, and your bioforms replaced with biological weapons of mass destruction."

"What do you gain from making us appear the bad guys?" asked a none too pleased Karyn Dallas as she moved into Kylar's view looking slightly worn.

They had treated her well considering, but she would not deny these people made her uneasy. It was best to get right to the point.

"Ms. Dallas! Welcome! Are you feeling well? Has Kevalos been making your stay more comfortable?" Jacen deflected the first question for the moment.

Karyn tried her damndest not to explode. She wasn't exactly inclined to be civil and yet she wasn't willing to risk escalating matters when she didn't know the dangers these people represented. "Forgive me, but this is not 'my' anything. I'd be a hell of a lot better if I had ended up where 'I' intended to be. I didn't agree to this arrangement, and no amount of comfort will cause me to lose sight of that fact, so please, just answer me."

"I can understand your frustration, Counselor..."

"Do you, 'Captain'?" Curran grew angrier. Bad enough he was in a disadvantageous position strategically, but now in the same room as the Counselor.

"Commander, Legate! Please... let me finish."

Karyn pinched the bridge of her nose, a dull pounding continuing in her head. Leaving the liquid environment so radically had played havoc with her body. "I'm listening." she replied with a distinct edge.

"Excellent. Like I mentioned earlier, a biological agent was introduced in your place by a certain group who do not yearn for peace. It was not us, as you may believe. We have our suspicions, as per the ship you were taken from, but we are still searching for the truth."

"Whose truth? Yours, or ours?" Curran was exhausted. Maybe it was that drink.

"Both. It benefits both of us. For if we do not locate the perpetrators of this hideous crime and set it right, our worlds will never be the same, or in some cases, cease to exist."

"Maybe you should start from the beginning..." replied Karyn with what she believed to be remarkable patience.

"That is the beginning, Counselor. At least the beginning of what matters in this endeavour. What is your real question?"

Karyn paused for a moment, finally deciding she might as well put it out on the table. "Setting aside the fact that it looks as though we have no choice, why should I trust you?"

"What else are you going to do? You could leave if you like, but you have nowhere to go, and you complete that which you almost set out to do at lanjep."

This perked Curran's ears. He wanted to hear this response from Dallas pretty bad.

That brought her up short, her head snapping up so fast one could hear the joints pop in protest. "That would be my choice and none of your business."

"Ah, but is my business. If you do not trust me in what I say, countless worlds will fall, completing the path of ruin you started two years ago. Trillions will die. I will tell you all you need to know, but if you choose to not help us, you will be the death-bringer. You will live in infamy." He bowed his head in silence.

Curran was loving this. Dallas was being nailed to the wall.

"Somewhere I Belong, Part II"

By
Legate Kylar Curran
Chief Liaison Officer
USS Galaxy

With mentions of Karyn Dallas

"Leave if you like, but you will not find your way home, Counselor. For you see, you are no longer in your part of the galaxy, or for that matter, your dimension." He waved off her protests.

"You are on board a Federation Timeship. I had hoped to not reveal this to you, but I can see you both are too intuitive to ignore it to accept my explanations."

"This is no Federation ship. You are not even in uniform. From the reports I've read on Quantum Incursions, you would at least be in uniform." Curran shivered.

"I would normally agree with you, Mr. Curran, but we were in drydock upgrading our systems, when we were overcome by a time-displacement curve. Fortunately, our emergency systems detected the time-change and placed us in a temporal shield, but not before many of the changes had taken place. One of which was the dissolution of the Federation."

"A fine story, Jacen. You would make a fine narrator of children's stories."

"This is no story, Legate! Do you wish to condemn your mighty Kelvan Empire to ashes with the Federation or do you want to set things right?" Dragos slammed his fist down on the edge of the cot. The first sign of emotion he has shown since their arrival.

"Fine, 'Captain'. Hypothetically speaking, if you speqak the truth, why do you need us? Can you not just find the source and counter it before it occurs?" Kylar crossed his arms smugly.

"Which is precisely what we are doing, Curran." His breathing sped up in agitation. "We only removed you from the holding cells of the Choraii while we search for the source of Quentin's destruction. The Choraii completed a transaction with another species we have an idea of. We only need to place you back into your matter transport stream to complete the transition."

"So why do you refuse to do this now?"

"I don't refuse, Legate, but if I send you back into the stream without locating the source of the infraction, either you will disintegrate when the agent ignites in the planet's atmosphere, and we would only prolong the inevitable. We have already made the calculations."

"You say this is a timeship, but also say we don't have enough time. You contradict yourself. You're lying. What is the real story?"

Jacen's jaw twitched.

"Because, as I said earlier, we were in drydock completing an overhaul. We are on auxiliary power only, and will need to shut down to complete the repairs shortly. When we do, the rest of the time displacement will begin to affect us. Those whose ancestors had lived will disappear, others will take their place, this ship will alter its mission imperatives. Lives both original and new timelines will converge.

"I have only one shot at repairing this incursion, Legate, or we all die."

"Humor me. Why?"

"Both of you and the delegates were taken and the agent was introduced to the transport stream instead to throw blame on the Federation for the death of millions, thereby destroying the future since the Federation and ch'Rihan were on the verge of peace accords after Shinzon's attempts to subvert the Rihannsu Empire to his own warped desires failed, and subsequently signing an initial treaty. Except, being that Quentin is in Rihannsu territory that has been long disputed, the Federation was assumed to have initiated this war. The Lyrans joined the battle on the side of the Rihannsu Empire with their newly-rebuilt forces almost immediately after the first diplomatic envoys failed.

"Several other races, disillusioned with the Federation, joined the war later in the conflict.

"Twelve years later, in 2393, the Federation was conquered decisively. Vulcan was utterly destroyed by the ch'Rihan military powers hungry for retribution on their ancestors. The war stirred up the bloodlust and old memories. The peaceful opposition were again hunted down and killed like their Vulcan cousins. It was incessantly bloody." Jacen clenched his fists.

"Then the Hydrans arrived with their stargods and mighty weapons of destruction. The Lyrans and Rihannsu and both suffered incredible losses. With the newly acquired territories of the Federation, their fleets were stretched thin.

"Throughout the entire war, they'd remained in hiding, keeping their noses clean, all the while rebuilding the fleet. Entire star systems were destroyed in their wake. They sent in Doomsday machines to eat planets. Larger than the one that Commodore Decker's Constitution destroyed in 2268. MUCH larger. Sectors 001-097 are now black voids devoid of all life and celestial objects except a very large debris field."

"So, assuming we believe you, Mr. Dragos - if that is your real name - what is it you need us to do? Sit back and twiddle out thumbs?"

"That is exactly what I need you to do, Mr. Curran."

Something nagged at the back of Kylar's mind.

"What happened after the planet was destroyed? What happened to the Galaxy?"

"It was destroyed, as were the other ships that rendez-voused with it later." Jacen leaned against an alcove and scratched his chin.

"We did detect a temporal incursion though. It was odd. And since the ship was destroyed on the planet's surface, we have not been able to glean much information after it fell.

"The Galaxy sent a pair of shuttles to the surface to locate your remains since scanning was impossible through the radiation enveloping the planet. Only one came back, though, and it tore a rift in the time-space continuum upon breaking orbit.

"Good timing on its arrival, though. The four ships in orbit were in battle. Very strange that. All were Federation vessels... anyhow, two of them were disabled when the breach occurred. The Galaxy and the Nimitz were drawn into the breach with Pershing and the shuttle, where we assume it crashed some time in the past.

"We've been reading an unusual amount of tachyon and chroniton radiation emitting from the planet. Wave after wave of temporal flows ebbing."

[Captain Dragos to the Bridge.] Curran and the oddly silent Dallas cast glances to each other at the break in the conversation.

"What is it?"

[Temporal apertures are extending past the planet's surface. Wormhole activity has increased 3000%. System life expectancy has increased exponentially. Temporal displacement has increased with known incursions up to 5 parsecs out from the source. We need your presence on the Bridge, sir.] The urgency contained in the voice shook with a slight resonance. If this was a fabricated story, they were pulling out all the stops to convince Curran.

"What does that mean, Dragos?" Jacen had turned his back without giving leave, but stopped mid-stride.

"It means, we are almost out of time, Mr. Curran. It means, the galaxy, and possibly, the Universe, is dying. We are protected in here. For the time being, at least."

"And what happens when the shields fail?"

"It won't matter, for your body will deteriorate and crumble to ashes at the speed of time passing at a century a second, if not faster. You will never know you died." He swung a palm up to pass through the alcove screens. Curran jumped up to chase him, but was instantly rebounded back by the force screens in place.

"My apologies that we must keep you here, Kelvan and Ms. Dallas! I'll be back as soon as we have located the incursion!"

Kylar didn't know which was worse. The waiting for an answer, or a possible death with Karyn Dallas seated directly across from him.

"Gone"

by
Turan Trelar, 46 year old Quentite
Naut, a survivor of the Galaxy crash
NPC Lieutenant Mike Wazovski by Ian

Turan and Naut approached the team working at the crash site.

Although Naut seemed to have calmed down, Turan didn't trust the peace. If Turan didn't misjudge her, she was like a volcano, still ready to erupt again. How should he react? Would he allow her to kill them all? Did they even earn it for what they did to her and him?

Her eyes blazed as she watched them all, still the hatred grew inside her. She had to let it out, she needed to let it all out. They should all die for leaving her here for decades. Her fingers began to twitch with the growing anger, her skin prickled and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up.

As they approached the bottom of the hill she let rip. In one swift movement she flicked her cloak away and pulled her rifle up. Sending out a volley of phaser fire across the desert landscape.

"Stop it" shouted Turan "Naut, stop shooting!"

She ignored him. Her finger continued to squeeze the trigger. Running forward towards the group she continued spraying them with phaser fire, shouting is every language she had ever learnt 'Die'.

"Naut, do not shoot them. That's wrong. Stop firing!" Turan again tried to stop her.

She continued to scream at the visitors. As she came clear of the hill she dropped to her knees and fired in semi circles, waving her rifle around like it was a flag pole.

The decision was clear. Nobody should be allowed to kill an other. No Qentite an other Quentite, no Quentite an Alien and this rule should apply to Aliens, too. Slowly, Turan's hand slid into his pocket and slowly produced the only Alien gadget, he never used before - never used at a life form. Adjusted to the lowest setting, he aimed his long term companion and pushed the trigger. A bright beam came from the phaser and hit Naut in her back.

Stumbling forward she had no time to retaliate as she fell face first to the floor.

Turan turned the lifeless body around. At least he didn't vaporize or burn her. He touched her neck. As the Alien body was similar to the Quentite there was a point at the side of the neck where Turan felt a pulse. He was glad she was alive.

First he took her weapon and threw it away as far as he was able too. Then he carefully lifted the unconscious body and continued his walk towards the wreck.

"Help me!" he called at the Starfleet astronauts "I need your help!"

The volleys of phaser fire had come out of nowhere. No one expected any sort of violence whatsoever on this dead world, short of the terrible earthquakes that had already taken one shuttle.

Lieutenant Mike Wazovski peeked up over a boulder after the phaser fire had died abruptly. Looking around, he saw several members of the landing party rise out of their positions. Corgan, a fair distance away, was calling out pattern dispersals to secure the perimeter.

Then they saw him.

An overly tall alien, with a bulging cranium, was carrying a being in its arms. He was calling out something... with the urgency of the words, Mike realized it was a call for help.

The security officers on the team approached the creature, weapons raised. Wazovski scurried out behind, scanning the life-forms before him.

With Naut becoming heavier and heavier every minute Turan watched the visitors rising behind their covers. Carefully he approached the men who had hidden behind a boulder nearby, layed Naut's unconscious body down in front of him and showing his empty hands greeted him:

"Peace with you, friend."

Just as Turan lay the body down, an immense earthquake shook the landscape. Corgan began yelling, of which the Doctor could not hear, but understood the gist of over the roar.

Wazovski helped pick up the unconscious form where they all carried her over to the shuttle. Corgan and von Ernst were directing officers and crew in, but not all of them. Some had stood to the side, in what Mike surmised was those that were being left behind on the death-trap of a world.

He carried her in, and stepped away.

"Permission to remain, sir!" The rush of wind roared in his ears, whipping around any loosely attached materials on him. Corgan never hesitated.

"Granted, Doctor! Be careful!"

Wazovski backed down the ramp as it closed, getting under cover of rock and overhang with the other crewmembers who had stayed behind.

Turan still stood where he layed Naut down. Now the unthinkable finally started to happen. The ramp of the small alien starcraft had closed and its engines powered up. She was gone - Gone without giving him a chance to say farewell or even good by. Not all visitors boarded the shuttle. Some of them stayed behind with him. So Starfleet was expected to send an other rescue team. But what about Naut. Would she ever return? Would she even try. Would she even want to return after he betrayed her by shooting her in her back? Would she ever understand it was out of love?

“Reporting To The Romulan Senate.”

Time: It Is Just Prior To The Battle With The Rest Of The Starfleet Vessels.

Ramir Omar walked into his quarters and then sat down at a console. He quickly entered into it his letter to the rest of the senators.

An Occurrence
Recently then this planet was destroyed just when all of the diplomats were dispatched to the surface of the planet. A phenomenon that as of yet then has not been identified quickly destroyed the whole of the planet. No survivors were detected. A shockwave then damaged this vessel. Our Neutral Zone sensors probably then should have of detected it.

The Starfleet Vessels
It is very strange that several of their vessels have come to fight with this vessel. It is possible that these humans are not as politically stable as we would have of believed to be. The Lyrans definitely then should be informed of this occurrence. Starfleet probably is not responsible for the occurrence though. The presence of some of their vessels does actually say to me that they are planning to completely destroy us to hide from us their pathetic action.

Sub-Commander Savar
While Sub-Commander Savar is a treacherous veruul then he is probably not a very dangerous one. He was positioned at a tactical station during the occurrence though. I am sure that it was not him who was responsible for this occurrence though. While some of us would like to believe that this action was the action of a traitor and that it was not the action of one of our allies-to be then we should not be prejudiced to him.

By Ramir Omar. A Loyal Junior Senator Of Romulus.

OOC: Takes place right after "Tumbleations"

Sorry about the really late posting, takes place right after the shuttle falls through the ground, hey, we got there in the end!

"Dawn of Discovery"

Lt. Commander Ethan Suder
Chief Engineer

Lieutenant Michael McDowell
Engineer

*** Down on Quentin ***

The trembling of the ground stopped as suddenly as it had began. Dust began to settle. The quake had taken him completely by surprise. Looking around he made sure that the people around were alright. It was at that same moment he noticed something odd.

~The SERENGHETI... Where is it?~ From where Michael was standing the shuttle had vanished from sight. More important, same thing was true for Ethan, which was even worse. Without wasting anymore time he made his way over to the spot where the shuttle had been only moments before.

A large part of the plateau had collapsed during the quake and the shuttle had fallen down in what appeared to be a cave. Michael, and the others that had been near the shuttle, stood at the edge and looked down to try and see if he could spot Ethan. Unable to see his superior and friend he called out, "'Commander Suder, are you there sir!?"

Ethan only chuckled at first as he struggled to get back to his feet after being knocked around. "Lieutenant, would it be safe to say the ground is unstable?"

Michael let out a short laugh, relieved that Ethan was alright. "Unstable? Yes, it sure looks that way."

Ethan slowly emerged from the shuttle and looked around. A lot of dust was still on its way back to the ground. There were large rocks that led back up to a level where several Starfleet Officers were looking down.

"I hope the shuttle survived the fall. I'll come down and check if it's still flight worthy." Michael said while looking down the big gap. Now the all dust had gone he had quite a good view on the scene. Right then he heard someone else speak up. Michael recognized the voice to be from Susan Delphino who appeared to be standing behind him.

"Sir, it seems we're walking right on top of a cave system. It's probably the reason why this whole part collapsed during the earthquake." Ethan overheard the Ensign's report and looked up at Michael. "Oh yeah, that's what I came back here for." he said remembering. He pointed towards the coastline where he had been earlier. "I think I found something over there. Similar thing, want to check it out with me? I'm sure there's enough people here who can cover this section?" Ethan asked as he made his way up towards Lieutenant McDowell.

Michael was a bit surprised. Surely the shuttle was first priority? At least, he wanted to make sure it was still operational. But he couldn't just voice his opinion just like that it could be interpreted as questioning a Commanding Officer. "Uhm, you know how I think about caves, right? After what happened on Grainus VI..."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of you. Ethan replied with a smile as he gently thumped Michaels arm in a friendly gesture. Didn't go well huh last time?

"Well,..." Michael pondered for a moment. "Lets just say that I don't want to be buried a second time."

"I'm sure we can avoid such a thing." Ethan replied. He began strolling in the direction of where he had early found a cave of some kind. "It'll be about a five minute walk." Ethan estimated. He sighed and turned for a second to see several officers looking at the shuttle that had dropped through the ground. They were beginning to make their way to it, no doubt to check that it was still operational.

"I'm right behind you. Just lead the way." As Michael turned to follow Ethan he found himself wishing that the there wouldn't be anymore quakes for the next few hours or so. "But I doubt we find anything interesting."

"Don't be so negative." Ethan replied. "We might find something but then we might not. All part of the job." Ethan considered the slight change in personality of Michael. When he had left his world he had more or less fallen apart. There were problems between him and Karyn and other issues too. But when he had returned to the Galaxy, Michael was a different man. "So how's things going these days?" he asked.

Ethan's question was unexpected and Michael didn't really have a clue what he wanted to know. "What do you mean? You know how things are going. That's why I write you all those damn reports." Michael laughed quietly as to let his remark on the reports sound less sarcastic.

Ethan glanced over at his friend. "I mean with you. How are you doing? I know about Engineering, the ship, the reports are good for that. But what about you, personally?" Ethan hoped that the rephrase of the question wouldn't be too offending for Michael. He knew that Michael had been preoccupied with issues, and he was getting concerned for his friend.

"Considering others, I'd say that I don't have the right to complain. Right now I'm already glad that I'm still alive and well after that shuttle ride." It was a most general answer. They'd spoken once before about his personal situation. There was nothing new to tell. Nothing Michael wanted to share at this point anyway.

"I see." Ethan replied simply. He wasn't going to push for information, when Michael was ready, he would share. Hell, Ethan knew all to well about that situation. He had a bone to pick with Dhanishta Eshe regarding 'forcing the issue'. He wasn't one for sharing much either and suddenly realized that his question could be thrown back at him. That he wasn't looking forward to. "I kind of find myself at the moment wanting to be on the ship, pulling it back together. I have to admit I was surprised when I got my orders to come along." It was an idle and pathetic attempt at small talk, but it would have to do. He knew as well as Michael that the chance to find Karyn was a top priority.

"I would agree with you,...but this time it's different." Michael replied, suddenly feeling a pang of pain. He realized that he probably wouldn't see Karyn alive anymore. What a fool he's been to keep trying to avoid her.

Michael sighed and decided to try and change the subject again. "You heard those stories about the 'Ice Queen'?"

"Stories, not really, care to share?" Ethan asked in reply.

"You're telling me that you never heard those stories about our XO?" Michael was a bit surprised. He didn't usually listen to all the rumors that got around, but hearing the ones on the their XO were troubling to say the least.

"You know me, always one for keeping my ear to the ground. Hear a lot of things you know?" he asked as they approached the hole he had earlier discovered. "However, I have been a little... distracted as of late. Haven't heard much about our newest First Officer, but based on her little comments in the last staff meeting and the amount of rumours going around, I suspect they're true. If she's been nicknamed the Ice Queen, doesn't surprise me much. She seems to be an up and down character, a good idea here and there, cold hearted and isolated every now and then." Ethan stopped and realized what he was saying. "I mean I respect her as an officer, but she leaves a lot to be desired." Ethan continued as he once again tried his tricorder... Still nothing. He could sense several strange and confusing emotions beaming out of Michael, even though he had a clear poker face. It was clear, to Ethan anyway that he had become a man of many mixed up emotions. He was no doubt in turmoil inside. Ethan thought back to when they were the best of friends, talking just about anything. Michael had a promising career ahead of him, nothing in his way. A good job, a good life, love, what more could one ask for? Michael once had everything. He once had everything Ethan had wanted. He envied Michael for that, but was also jealous. Then it all went downhill, one by one he was losing it all. His lover, his career, what next? Ethan gave Michael a quick glance. "So, when we get back, how's about you, me, the good old Counselor get together for a drink, for old times sake. It's been a long time since we were all back on the same ship, and now that we're all here, it makes sense to get together." Ethan explained. He didn't for one second believe that Karyn was dead, or just gone. She had to be here, somewhere. They would find her, may just be what Michael and Karyn needed, the reminder that one of them might not be here one day, that could maybe do something for their ghostly relationship. He would have to find Karyn first though. The thought didn't escape Ethan that Karyn may be dead, but he wasn't going to allow himself to believe it.

Ethan's proposal was not something Michael had expected. Yes, it did made sense,...and he'd thought about looking Karyn up, though he kept postponing it simply because he hadn't a clue how to approach her after all what happened. Just when Michael was about to answer he thought about what Ethan was actually saying. He didn't doubt that Karyn was still alive. Of course, Michael knew Ethan was a full Betazoid. Why didn't he thought of this before? But if Ethan could sense Karyn why would he conceal it? "You know that Karyn is still alive!? Can you sense her?"

Ethan glanced at Michael and bit the bottom of his inner lip. "No." he replied quietly. "I can't sense her. But I have this... Gut feeling. Look at what's going on. A planet that was destroyed, to suddenly this?" he said waving his arm around. "Something doesn't make sense here, obviously enough. But she's alive." he said with confidence. "What do you think?" Ethan asked, trying to get Michael to use his instincts, his own feelings. His gut.

"Think?" Michael said, now even more feeling depressed. "What must I think? I can only hope that, by some miracle, she survived. But we both know that's wishful thinking, isn't it?"

"Sometimes wishful thinking is enough." Ethan replied. "But for me, it's a bit more than that. I not only think, but believe she is still alive. Maybe that'll be enough for the both of us." he said with a reinforcing smile. He knelt down to where he had discovered a whole. Activating the flash light that led to the underground cave of some kind, he aimed it at the opening and peered inside.

Michael mulled over Ethan's answer, not sure if he'd really meant it. He'd always taken Ethan as someone who had a realistic view on life. "See anything?" It wasn't a highly intelligent remark, but the only one that sprang to mind.

"Something." Ethan replied. "Looks like some junk of some kind. Like junk metal. And something else." Ethan stretched his arm into the hole and felt around for a few seconds and squinted his eyes, as if mentally searching. He then grabbed the item and retracted his arm. The dust covered object was identifiable at first sight. The moment Ethan pulled the item free, he sighed and looked up at Michael. One of his first reactions was to throw the object back into the hole, but then that didn't seem to be the right option. He rested the item on the ground and stood next to his friend and looked at the skull he had just pulled out. He sighed again and brushed his hands together. "One of the inhabitants maybe." Ethan offered.

Looking at the skull Michael noticed some characteristic features, the high forehead being the most prominent. "Must be. It certainly didn't belong to any species I know." He turned away and looked in the direction where the other half of the Away Team had to be. The skull reminded him of the possibility of a future without Karyn. "Why don't take this skull and let some Science people date it? They're with the other half of the Team."

"Sure." Ethan thought. He bit his lower lip again and picked the skull up. From behind them, an Ensign approached them. Traveling all this way, there was clearly a reason for him being here.

"Sirs, the away team, they've found something." the Ensign reported as he took heavy breathes.

"You ran all this way to tell us that?" Ethan asked.

Yet the Ensign remained serious. "I was asked to come get you. You won't believe it." At that, the Ensign turned and began walking away back towards where the other half of the away team were.

Ethan looked at Michael and then down at the skull. "I guess the three of us better make a move then." he suggested. He turned and began walking, following the Ensign.

Michael smiled briefly. Even in the situation they were in now, Ethan could conjure up a joke. "I'm all for that." Michael said while following Ethan. "I hope they found a way out of this place."

Michael, Ethan and the skull made their way off, following the younger Starfleet officers footsteps. Hopefully, as Michael had said, maybe they had found a way off this rock.

"Otherside"

Lt. JG Ahdjiia D'Tinya

The tapes found on the bridge had been reported in to the Commander and once again Ahdjiia was alone with her thoughts. An expert would say she was still in mourning or not at whatever stage of grieving yet, but for her, there was still only the ache and new questions where there were still old ones yet to be answered.

None of what she'd seen made any sense, and her Faith was still batting a thousand with not being the comfort it had been before. Even with her own people considering her as never having been, she still had her Faith, and now that was fading fast...

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