DrDMatthews

"Where's Michaels?" "How'd it go?" "What's he like?" "Does he have experience or did they stick up with new CO to go along with all the newbies we just picked up as crew replacements." Debbie Matthews held up both hands to quiet the crowd. And that's what she was facing. She'd scheduled briefing with all shifts but it appeared everyone, on or off duty, had shown up for this one. She couldn't really blame them. The scuttlebutt was running fast and furious. It was to be expected they would all want the low down on the Captain McQueen. "I can only answer one question at a time," she began with a small grin. "So I'll start with the ones you've already given me. Suffice to say, I have good news and bad news" The CMO paused and looked at her audience, some perched on biobeds while others leaned against the walls or sat cross legged on the floor. "Right off the bat, there is no news on Captain Michaels. We still don't know why he was relieved of command or where he is." Her words were met with disgruntled whispers from just about everyone, from senior physicians to the med techs. "That doesn't mean we've given up trying to find out what's going on with him. But our new CO has no information on the whereabouts of Captain Michaels. He said he saw a document transferring the Captain to Operations. As you know, that could mean almost anything." Another groan echoed through the room. There was nothing more to say about Captain Michaels. His absence disturbed the CMO more than she cared to admit. But she knew he would expect them all to carry on.....to make him proud. "Many of us served under Captain Michaels for a long time," she continued solemnly. "We need to continue performing like the professionals we are. That's the best thing we can do to honor the Captain." She glanced down at her padd. "On a more positive note, Starfleet has seen fit to send us a very experienced CO. Captain McQueen has served as the commanding officer of the Marie Curie for about ten years." "The Curie? That's a medical ship, isn't it?" asked someone from a biobed toward the rear of the room. "Yes," replied Deb evenly as she glanced up trying to put a face to the voice. "And his transfer came out of the blue. He didn't have time to say goodbye to his crew either." She held up her hand again to stifle the next question. "Just because Marie Curie is a medical ship doesn't mean Captain McQueen is inexperienced in handling ships of the line." She looked around and smiled pleasantly. "He's a Fleet Captain so the man knows what he's doing." If she'd ever doubted that, she was convinced of it now. Only a wise and seasoned veteran would have walked onto a new ship and within hours, determined the crew was shell shocked and in no condition for another tour in the Romulan Neutral Zone. McQueen possessed an appreciation for how far one can push the average being before said being cracks wide open. "I have one more vital piece of information I'd like to share with you at this time," she continued, her smile broadening. "As you know, we were assigned to routine patrol along the Romulan Neutral Zone." She'd expected a reaction of some kind but her words were met with stony silence. Clearly, none of her staff was looking forward to a return trip to that locale. "Our orders have changed," she added quickly. "We're off to the Cestus System....about as far away from the Romulans as you can get." The announcement was met with audible sighs of relief followed by spontaneous applause. "Don't thank me," continued Deb, barely able to contain her delight. "It was Captain McQueen who pulled off that miracle." She waited a couple of minutes before continuing to allow the group to settle down. "One more thing," she announced, her voice assuming a more serious tone. "We may not be going back to the Romulan Neutral Zone but many of us are still dealing with the trauma from our last excursion into that area. We now have a bona fide psychiatrist aboard to help us work through that. Dr. Caroline Curtis has set up shop just down the hall." She paused and looked at the staff assembled before her. "I know from personal experience our last mission has caused some of us a great deal of distress.. We can't afford to allow the past to damage our futures so please, take advantage of Dr. Curtis' expertise. If you're having problems, I would prefer you deal with them voluntarily. But if necessary, I won't hesitate to order you to seek counseling." The CMO paused and then smiled at her troops. "That's all for now. We have a lot of new staff so I expect all of you veterans to pitch in and help them adjust to life on the Reaent. If you have any questions, you know where my office is. The door is always open. So, if there is nothing more, you're dismissed." She waited until the crowd thinned out before approaching Merina. The Caitian physician had been unusually quiet since the ship's return from the Neutral Zone. Deb had become increasingly concerned about Merina's emotional state. She knew Caitians dealt with emotional distress differently so she wasn't sure Merina would benefit from counseling. But Deb wanted to make sure the Caitian was doing something about her pent up feelings. She addressed her colleague quietly and with a pleasant smile. "When you get a chance, we need to talk. It's nothing urgent but I'd like you schedule an appointment to meet with me...at your conveninec."

Debbie Matthews was in a decidedly better mood as she stepped off the turbolift onto Deck 19. She automatically turned right toward Sickbay but hesitated a moment later as she remembered a conversation cut short by the just completed senior staff meeting. Abruptly turning around, she headed down the corridor in the opposite direction stopping in front of a cubbyhole of an office with a new nameplate tacked to the door. The CMO frowned both from displeasure and embarrassment. No one should be forced to work in a closet sized office, especially a psychiatrist who was sure to have plenty of business. She'd spoken to Dr. Curtis shortly before the staff meeting and promised to look into finding her a more appropriate venue. The meeting had just ended. Debbie hadn't had time to make the necessary inquiries but she still thought it best to stop by and let the Doctor know what was going on. After all, their sudden change in orders would have a direct bearing on the crew's mental health....or at least a good portion of the crew. For the second time that day, Deb rang the chime and waited for Caroline Curtis to respond. Curtis was starting to get used to that door-chime (slightly different in timbre from a station side one), as it had been ringing at more or less regular intervals since she had come aboard a few days before. This crew had taken quite the psychological beating, and while it was a pleasure to know that she was perhaps of some use to them in recovering from it and moving on, it had certainly shown every sign of keeping her busy for some time, not that it bothered her in the slightest. "Come in!" she called, turning her chair slightly to face the doorway and putting down the PADD she had been looking at. Debbie entered with a grin but stayed close to the door. She again looked around the cramped office and the grin turned into a slight frown. "Haven't had a chance to look into finding another office but I do have good news." She smiled brightly. "We're not going to patrol the Romulan Neutral Zone after all. We're heading in the opposite direction....the Cestus System to be exact." The CMO allowed the door to take her weight as she leaned against it. "I can't begin to tell you what a relief that is." Curtis's face opened in a smile as well. "No need to hide by the door, Doctor," she said cheerfully. "Feel free to have a seat." As she had before, she gestured that Matthews should make herself comfortable in one of the chairs in the room; the office may have been small but Caroline had done her best to make it feel somewhat relaxing and welcoming. "And I'm glad to hear that as well -- it's been a recurring bit of trepidation in the stories I've been hearing. No doubt the news will brighten everyone's moods." "Please call me Debbie or Deb," replied the CMO, glancing furtively at the chairs placed in front of Caroline's desk. She felt a strong urge to take advantage of the psychiatrist's offer...to sit down...and talk to a trained specialist about the consequences of the ship's last mission. But she was also reluctant to divulge her innermost thoughts and feelings on the subject. She'd touched on them with Aidan but he played an integral role in her discomfiture. She feared she was rejecting his advice and counsel simply because he was too close to the situation. It wasn't his fault. He was doing all he could but she was still riddled with doubt. Debbie shrugged her shoulders slightly as she made an instantaneous decision to spend a few moments chatting with Dr. Curtis. "I can't stay long," she declared as she took the two or three steps required to move from the door to the chairs in front of the desk. "I need to get back to Sickbay and brief my staff." The CMO settled into one of the chairs and offered a wary smile to the woman sitting across from her. "I was really concerned about taking this crew back to the neutral zone. I'm impressed that Captain McQueen figured out we're not ready for that. It appears his years as the CO of the Marie Curie gave him some insight into the mental state of his personnel." "The captains of medical ships often have a slightly different perspective on their crews than other command officers, I think," Caroline nodded agreeably, watching as Debbie maneuvered herself into the chair with a certain amount of understandable reluctance. It wasn't often, unfortunately, that people came bounding into a psychiatrist's office eager to talk and relax, even if the conversation was still ostensibly a value-neutral one, and Caroline found it hard to believe that the CMO didn't have as much -- if not more -- to talk about as the other members of the crew. "And no doubt he would prefer not to be assigned a situation where there was a chance of his crew suffering post-traumatic reactions, if he could avoid it." She let herself relax back into the back of her own chair and eyed Debbie with a faint smile. "As, I would imagine, would you. I'm sure being in a position of authority -- particularly of medical authority -- while still having gone through the experience yourself cannot be the most easy balance to maintain." Balance, thought Deb silently. I'm not sure what that is anymore. "You're right," answered the CMO calmly. "One tends to put the needs of the many before the needs of the few...or the one." She smiled sadly. "Unfortunately, in this particular situation, there are so many in need....well.....let's just say the task has been a bit overwhelming." She smiled warmly. "That's why I'm glad you're here. And I'm grateful Starfleet went along with the Captain's request for revised orders." "As am I -- I would have been very disappointed if I'd had to leave, having seen the situation," Caroline replied. Her expression showed some sympathy for Debbie's comment that she felt overwhelmed, and also an air of concern, though she took care not to convey it condescendingly or put the other woman on the defensive. "How have you been doing outside of the demands of your duties? Have you been able to take any time to relax and recover yourself? I hope you were at least able to grab some recuperative time during your leave." Debbie had to smile. The psychiatrist's question was a subtle attempt to draw the CMO into discussing her own ability, or lack thereof, to handle the trauma of their recent mission. As uncomfortable as she felt about it, an inner voice kept whispering a quiet warning that she should lead by example. Deb was well aware how traumatized most of the crew was following their excursion into the neutral zone. She was instrumental in bringing Dr. Curtis to the Reaent so Caroline could assist the crew. Yet, she needed help as badly as everyone else did. Why was she so squeamish about opening up? "There hasn't been a lot of time," she replied cautiously. "The Captain's sudden removal didn't help any either. We....or at least I seem to have bounced from one crisis to another." She smiled tentatively and shook her head a couple of time. "I've been questioning reality....and that's never happened before. I keep thinking I'm going to wake up and find this is all a dream. So I'm dealing with it....one moment at a time." Caroline nodded slowly. Debbie's description of her level of activity suggested that she had either not been allowed the ability to sit down and really ascertain her own condition, or she had been deliberately finding ways to avoid doing so. The latter was a definite possibility; there was a cautiousness to the CMO's tone that Caroline could pick up easily, and so she was careful in her phrasing as she tried to draw the other woman out. "That's the best way to deal with it -- the only way, really; it shows wisdom on your part not to be seeking an instant cure-all. You're not the first person aboard who has expressed that sort of uncertainty to me, either," she said, recollecting the conversation she had had with the Reaent's chief of security a little while before, "and it's a completely reasonable one. You have experienced the worst-case scenario and been allowed to retreat from it -- not a situation most of us are really programmed to understand or know how to accept." She paused. "Are there any specific aspects of your...current reality which you find it hard to accept or is it a more general discomfort?" Something of an open-ended question and intended more as a conversational wedge to give Debbie a leaping-off point rather than for a specific factual answer. She hooked one leg over the other and leaned back in her seat, lacing her hands around her knee and looking at the other doctor pleasantly. "I've never thought of it in those terms before," replied Debbie reservedly. "There is general discomfort but I'm pretty sure the root cause of my unease is the threat of losing my husband." She breathed deeply before continuing. "He was killed when the Reaent was destroyed. Losing him was and remains my greatest fear." Deb smiled dubiously. "But, a few minutes later, he was back.....alive and well." Her demeanor morphed into one of mild puzzlement. "My reaction to all of this doesn't make sense to me. Aidan was killed but there was so much going on, I really didn't have time to think about it....too busy worrying about the Romulans and what they were going to do next." Deb shook her head slightly and glanced around the room. "It wasn't until after we were rescued by the....second Reaent that I was able to grieve for him. But, by then, he was back....alive and well." She met Dr. Curtis' gaze with a rueful smile. "There was no reason to grieve." Caroline nodded again. More echoes of the chief of security; it didn't surprise her that both women's concerns had centered around their husbands. Reaent was somewhat unique in that it had not one but two so-far successful marriages among the upper-level command staff, and this could be both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it provided the officers a stability and certainty of situation which was often denied to Starfleet officers, but on the other hand, when things went bad, they found themselves under a double weight of concern where most officers had only to fear for themselves. "Our brains can only follow so many tracks at once, and the impulse to grieve for what we've lost is a strong one. During periods of loss, I generally don't recommend that people try to force themselves or others to hurry themselves through the process of grieving and frankly I don't do so now either. You are grieving for something that, from a certain perspective, never happened, of course, but it doesn't make the feelings any less real and you should not try to deny them. They will pass, as any other grief does...with time." She caught Debbie's gaze, reading the confusion and uncertainty there. "Have you been able to talk to your husband about what you went through? About what you are feeling now?" The CMO smiled plaintively for a long moment before deciding how to answer the question. She was hesitant to drag Aidan into all of this but she couldn't find a way around it. "Yeah," she finally replied with a sigh. "I didn't go into great detail but I didn't have to." She slumped down into the chair and frowned. "He's the XO. He has access to all of the logs and the crew reports." She shook her head sadly. "He hasn't mentioned it, but I'm sure he's read all of the gory details." Closing her eyes for a moment, she recalled a couple of her conversations with her husband. She had no doubt he knew more than he was letting on. "He's been very supportive but he's also been quite busy. I'm hoping we'll both have more quiet time together now that the ship is finally underway....and we're not going back to the Romulan Neutral Zone." Straightening her back, she leaned forward in the chair slightly. "I'm really grateful I have someone to lean on. My big concern is for those who don't. Commander Ridire and I are married and we're very close. But it's difficult for him to understand something this....peculiar. Heck, I can't understand it and I'm the one who went through it. What about the others....the ones who have no close friends or a loved one to lean on? What are they going to do?" Caroline smiled. "That's what I'm here for, and the fact that a number of your crew went through this experience is also in some ways a hidden blessing. None of them need feel alone, since there are others around them who can understand what they went through -- perhaps even better than I or a loved one could. With your permission I'd like to set up more of the group sessions like the one for which you first brought me aboard; the idea was good, though it was curtailed at the time." Her tone was confident, a confidence which belied the amount of work she knew lay ahead of them, but she wanted to relieve the doctor of as much as possible of the admirable weight of concern she had shouldered. "We can be sure that there is a support system in place for anyone who might need it." Debbie nodded her approval. "By all means, continue the support groups. They provide the perfect setting for the escape pod survivors to open up. Even if they don't care to talk about their feelings, at least they'll know they aren't alone." Caroline paused long enough to allow for a regression back to the slightly earlier topic, then added, "And I'm glad to hear that your communication with your husband still feels open; I think you should do your best to ensure that you *do* have some more quiet time together, as soon as is practical. If he is at the center of your uncertainty as to what is reality and what is not, it is important that you give your mind time to experience and adjust to the 'real thing,' so to speak, as much as possible. It will help the grief for the false reality to start to recede into the background." "So far, he's done a good job of convincing me he's the real thing," answered the CMO with a coy grin. She stood up and smiled at the attractive psychiatrist on the other side of the desk. "I have to get back to work. My staff is anxiously awaiting the latest news on our mission. Thanks so much for your time. It was nice to talk to you." She started toward the door but hesitated and looked back at Caroline. "And I'll do my best to ensure my husband and I have more quiet time together. Although I may be forced to come back to you and ask for a prescription." Caroline chuckled at the expression on Debbie's face as she referenced her husband, but nodded more seriously as the CMO got up and began to leave. "Of course -- don't hesitate to let me know if there's anything either of you need. My door is always open, any hour of the day or night, and that goes for the entire crew." "I'll spread the word," replied Debbie with a sincere smile. "After a few days, you may be the one looking for some quiet time. Again, thanks.....and welcome aboard. We're glad to have you with us."

I visited TrekMovie.com this afternoon and as I was scrolling through the site, I saw they had a tribute to DeForest Kelly. Yesterday, June 11th, was the 10th Anniversary of his passing. I can't believe it's been that long. There were several videos of him in a couple of the TOS episodes and the initial TNG episode. He's also shown introducing Shatner and Nimoy at a convention in 1995. I really enjoyed watching and listening to him. Had to laugh several times. If you're interested, here's the url. http://trekmovie.com/2009/06/11/rememberin...orest-kelley-2/

Estimated global gross = $334.8 Million. ::smiles broadly:: I guess folks liked it.

"Why these gifts," she asked out loud, still staring at the exquisite emerald earrings. "Is he grateful I'm alive or what?" She was distracted by the sound of the main door opening. She looked up in time to see Aidan stride in. His expression was a mixture of serious and angry but that vanished the moment he saw her. He paused near the door and smiled warmly. For the life of her, Deb couldn't think of a word to say. Aidan stood silently by the main door, smiling warmly with a hint of amusement sneaking into his eyes. Deb swallowed, clearly embarrassed. "I hope these were for me," she stammered, finally finding her voice. "They're lovely....really, really lovely. But....why? It isn't my birthday. Did I forget an anniversary or something?" He steps up to her and slips his arms around her before kissing her warmly. Breaking it off after a minute he murmurs "Of course they're for you. Who else on this ship would I buy gifts for?" Her first instinct was to pull away and press him for an answer to her question. She resisted the urge feeling more and more self conscious with each passing moment. "No one," she replied, casting a glance at the dress now draped over the nearby chair. "At least, not gifts like these," she added quickly. She lifted her gaze to meet Aidan's and smiled weakly. "But why? What's the occasion?" "I hardly need an occasion to buy you a gift, love. But let's just say they are a reminder of what you have." They held each others gaze for several seconds. Deb wasn't sure what Aidan was thinking but her own thoughts were racing. "What I have, " she finally whispered, "is an extremely generous husband who has the patience of a saint." She relaxed against him, resting her head on his chest. She felt his embrace tighten just a bit as they held each other in silence. She could hear his heart beating and the steady rhythm of his breathing. It seemed so right yet so very, very strange. "It was real," she mumbled. "The ship was destroyed....you were killed....and it was all....real." She pulled away to look up into his eyes. "I know the ship's log confirmed that. So it wasn't a bad dream....it really happened." She lifted her hands to cup his face and smiled. "But this is real too. We're both here, alive and well." Her expression darkened slightly. "I think...." she paused, searching for the right words. "I think I'm afraid all of this is the dream. I'm afraid I'll wake up and find that you and this ship and everything else I've experienced over the past few weeks is nothing more than an elaborate charade my subconscious created to deal with your death. I'm scared to death reality will come crashing down around me at any moment....and you'll be gone again....gone forever." She dropped her hands, her lips forming a foolish grin. "I pulled away so it wouldn't hurt as much when this beautiful dream suddenly ended and I woke up to find myself back in a Romulan brig." His eyes widen a little, not quite expecting this reaction from her. He knew what had been bothering her but the other times he had to shake her a little mentally to get her to snap out of it. This time she seemed to have done it already for the most part. He smiles and murmurs "I don't quite have the patience of a saint. And as for generous, what you've given me is at least as equal as to anything I've given you. However, you are not a closed book to me, Deb, I'm not that blind. This is not a dream conjured by your mind, you're strong enough that you wouldn't delude yourself that way. I'm quite alive and I'm quite pleased my wife seems to have come to terms with what was bothering her." He brushes a hand against her face and murmurs "This is reality." She giggled nervously. "Is it? Do you promise?" She rested a finger on his lips to prevent him from responding. "I know this is reality," she continued softly. "It's just taken a little time to come to terms with that." She smiled ruefully. "And I'm not the only one. There are others who are struggling as well. I was hoping the session with the Fleet psychiatrist would help but that was cut short." Canting her head to the right, she looked at him curiously. "Speaking of which, why did you call a senior staff meeting?" He sighs "Sorry about that though didn't really have a choice. I'm going to assume that it might be a good idea for a counselor to be at least temporarily assigned here, yes? Asking your professional opinion there." He closes his eyes for a few seconds, feeling for a moment the anger he felt earlier at the affront that the new Captain represented rising to the surface. Capping that he says quietly "We've received our new orders and as soon as everyone is back aboard and everything is ready we'll be leaving. And...we've been assigned a new captain." Deb was about to agree that a counselor should be assigned, at least temporarily. She was even going to tell Aidan that Dr. Curtis was trying to get authorization to stay with Reaent until she was confident her services were no longer required. But those thoughts evaporated the moment Aidan mentioned they'd received new orders. She couldn't believe the were being sent out so soon after that debacle in the Romulan Neutral Zone. Then Aidan dropped the bomb. "A new captain?" she asked incredulously, pulling away from her husband. "Who? Who is this new captain. And what happened to Captain Michaels? "The new Captain is one Captain McQueen formerly of the U.S.S. Marie Curie. I haven't been able to get much of a read on him yet other then he says he is baffled to what is going on. He says he just up and got orders to report here. And as for the Captain...the orders did not say what is going on with the Captain. I definitely intend to inquire before we depart...." "Michaels was the first and only Captain of this ship," remarked Deb, her dismay growing by the second. "They can't just dump him and assign someone else.....can they? And why are we shipping out now? This crew isn't ready for another mission!" He sighs and shrugs. "Well repairs are about complete and knowing Command I'm pretty sure they didn't exactly take into account that the crew of the ship would need more time to recover then the ship did. As for the Captain...I'm hoping this a temporary thing. I somehow suspect I know what my reaction will be if it isn't." She didn't need to ask what his reaction would be if McQueen's appointment became permanent. She was pretty sure she would feel the same way. Then again, Aidan said the new CO was just as surprised as everyone else that he'd been assigned to the Reaent. Was it his fault that Starfleet pulled a stunt like this? Wasn't it only fair to give him a chance? Deb glanced around the room and then shook her head. "Dr. Curtis said she was going to speak to her superiors about a temporary posting to the Reaent. I should probably contact her and let her know time is of the essence." She looked intently at her husband. "As far as Captain Michaels is concerned, do you think you can find out anything? " "Yes, you should definitely contact Dr. Curtis. And keep me informed as to what's going on there. And as for Captain Michaels...I'm not sure. I'm definitely going to try. Think I'll start with a new contact I have..." "What contact?" asked Deb curiously. "And can this....contact be trusted?" "An Andorian Admiral named Meve. He came aboard the ship for...a tour and a discussion on the last mission. And as for whether he can be trusted..that I'm not sure. He happens to be the Admiral that was the Commanding Officer of Sky Harbor Aegis when Nick was there. In some ways Nick liked him...in another way...well let's just say they had a rather large disagreement about something Nick did." Did she really want to know what Nick did that angered this Andorian Admiral? Yes, of course she did but now wasn't the time. The staff meeting was scheduled to begin in less than hour. "Maybe he'll be willing to help you," she replied quietly. "But we don't have much time. I get the distinct impression we'll be leaving shortly." Deb stepped around the table, picking up the dress and earrings along the way. "I need to contact Dr. Curtis and then....freshen up a little. Need to make a good first impression on our new CO." He nods and sighs quietly to himself, thinking that his own first impression on the new Captain was less than stellar. "Yes, we'll be leaving shortly, as soon as everyone is back aboard I imagine. But you're right, we should get ready for the meeting. I'll contact the Admiral while you're tending to what you need to do." With that he steps over one of the desks. As he does so he orders the computer to get in contact with Admiral Meve. Debbie contacted Opps as she walked into the bedroom asking them to locate Dr. Curtis for an update on whether or not she would be able to join the Reaent on a temporary basis. The conversation took less than thirty seconds. Once she entered the bedroom, she turned back and smiled at her husband. "Thanks for the gifts," she said softly. "And thanks for reminding me to enjoy what I have.

I use Firefox exclusively and I've never had a problem with it jiving with Java. :(

Disappointing....that pretty much summed up Debbie's feelings about the day. She'd been looking forward to the "survivors session" with Dr. Caroline Curtis. She was hoping the meeting would provide the escape pod survivors a forum to both discuss their experiences and learn how to re-establish their perspective on life, death and reality. Unfortunately, the session had barely gotten underway when they were forced to call an abrupt recess. A senior staff meeting was suddenly scheduled and all leaves were canceled. Everyone in the room, including Dr. Curtis, knew that could mean only one thing. Reaent would be leaving soon. Debbie maintained an impassive expression as the meeting broke up. She spoke privately with Dr. Curtis for several minutes after the others filed out of the conference room. The psychiatrist agreed to speak to her supervisor about a temporary assignment on Reaent. There were no guarantees but the fact Curtis was willing to try impressed the CMO, especially when one considered the ship's penchant for drawing "delicate" missions. On her way to her quarters, her thoughts focused on Mr. Nansk's comments. She wished there had been more time to delve into his problem and help resolve his confusion. The discussion would have benefited all of them, including Debbie who wasn't altogether comfortable with the way she was dealing with the situation. Disappointing.....disappointing indeed! The portal opened having recognized her bio ID as she approached the tiny sensor. She ordered the lights on a bit brighter and started for the bedroom when something caught her attention. From the corner of her eye, she saw a couple of packages sitting on the table. They'd been carefully placed where Debbie usually sat for dinner. Changing direction, she walked over to the table and examined the two boxes. A small, square one sat atop a much large one. There were no names on the boxes but Debbie couldn't resist the temptation to look inside. After all, they were at her place on the table. She went for the big box first. Removing the lid, the contents were hidden from view by several sheets of lightweight paper. Underneath was a carefully folded cocktail dress, emerald green in color. Debbie slowly lifted it out, holding up in front of her. She wasn't sure how long she stared at it before she realized her mouth was hanging open. It was gorgeous....one of the prettiest things she'd ever seen. It was a classic mesh party dress lavishly embellished with tonal sequins on the front and back bodice. The inverted pleat skirt was sprinkled with the same sequins and pleated satin surrounded the waist. "Wow," she whispered loudly to the empty room. Nephyts chose that moment to jump onto the chair and start her welcome home chorus. Deb quickly moved the dress out of the way and smiled down at the meowing feline. "What do you think?," asked Deb as though the Siamese would volunteer an opinion. "It's beautiful, isn't it. Let's see what's in box number two," she added, draping the dress over the back of another chair. She located the smaller box from under the top of the larger one. Slowly opening it, she gasped at the emerald earrings glinting back at her. A wave of guilt nearly took her breath away. What had she done to warrant such extravagant gifts? Obviously they were from Aidan....but why? She'd barely spoken to him in a couple of days having gone out of her way to avoid him on more than one occasion. Deb rationalized her behavior as doing the right thing. Aidan was terribly busy what with the Captain off the ship and the magnitude of the repairs now underway. Her husband didn't need to worry about her and the less than stellar way she was handling her recent trauma. Of course there was more to it than that. She had been forced to acknowledge that fact in preparation for today's session. Her plan was to speak to the psychiatrist privately. She would gradually whittle away her fears while hoping Aidan would be so preoccupied with the ship and crew he wouldn't notice anything was amiss. "Why these gifts," she asked out loud, still staring at the exquisite emerald earrings. "Is he grateful I'm alive or what?" She was distracted by the sound of the main door opening. She looked up in time to see Aidan stride in. His expression was a mixture of serious and angry but that vanished the moment he saw her. He paused near the door and smiled warmly. For the life of her, Deb couldn't think of a word to say.

Just got back from seeing the movie again. I don't know about the ship on the left side of the screen, but the one on the right side at about 2 o'clock of Enterprise had three nacelles. They all lit up when the ship jumped to warp. Not sure what that was.

Most definitely!!! When Pike first met Kirk after that barroom brawl, he tried to talk Kirk into enlisting in Starfleet. He talked about George Kirk and the that 'go for it attitude' (those weren't his exact words but he must have figured out Kirk was a risk taker - who else would take on four security officers just to impress a girl) and how Starfleet seemed to have lost that characteristic. I think Pike sized up Jim Kirk on the spot. He knew exactly what he was doing when he made Kirk the XO. He was helping his Vulcan acting captain think outside the box. I really, really liked Chris Pike. Somehow, someway, I hope we see him again.

After Jon Shamor left Sickbay, Deb took a few minutes to update the necessary medical and personnel files. She'd known the Zemun for years and considered him an extremely dedicated and loyal member of the crew. More than that, he was a trusted friend as well. It pleased her to no end that he and Anna O'Halloran had become close....friends. Jon needed someone like Anna. And she could do far worse than Shamor. Deb finished the paperwork and slipped back into her office. Closing the door behind her, she ordered the lights on low and slumped into her old, comfy chair. For the past couple of weeks, she'd focused on her work, taking care of the crew....or what remained of it. She started organizing a support group for those who witnessed the destruction of the Reaent....or thought they'd witnessed it. She was among them but choose not to dwell on her own reaction to the trauma. Focusing on the patients was her way of dealing with it....even if the relief was only temporary. She leaned back in her chair, shut her eyes and allowed her thoughts to drift. Inevitably, they found their way back to the events of the recent past. Her eyes flew open as the image of Reaent's destruction flooded her consciousness. She experienced the same gut wrenching grief that nearly suffocated her at the time. Deb pushed her chair back and quickly left her office. She handed off Sickbay to Russ Eckert, exited the medical facility and stepped into the nearest turbolift. A moment later, she arrived on the bridge and was met with what could only be described as mass chaos. The CMO paused just outside the lift and surveyed the mayhem. It took only a second for her to locate her husband whom she suddenly felt compelled to see....to talk to....to touch....if only for a few minutes. They'd had precious little time together since arriving at the starbase. She needed a moment with him....she needed the comfort and reassurance only he could offer her. But she hadn't expected to fine three dozen people on the bridge, most of them workers trying to put the ship back together again. Aidan was surrounded by four individuals wearing jumpsuits, two of whom were arguing about something. He had his back to her so he never saw her step onto the bridge. She stood motionless for half a minute watching him try to settle whatever disagreement had arisen. It was obvious he was up to his eyeballs in work. Her feelings changed abruptly. She felt weak and selfish. How could she bother him at a time like this? She should be capable of dealing with her emotions on her own. It shouldn't be necessary for her to run to Aidan like a frightened child. Drawing a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders, turned and stepped back into the lift. Moments later she was again sitting at her desk chiding herself for her impulsive behavior. Forcing herself to focus on the mountain of work still stacked on her desk, Debbie resolved to handle this crisis much like she had in the past, prior to her marriage. She couldn't afford to burden Aidan with anymore grief than he was already dealing with. This time around, she would go it alone.

I don't think Kelvin was on a short mission. Quite the opposite. As the Captain was preparing to leave for Nero's ship, he made a remark to George Kirk that "there is no help for us out here," or something like that. I got the distinct impression they were a long way from home.

A Joint Log by Tabor Nansk and Debbie Matthews When Tabor burst into Sickbay, he was almost tunnel-visioned with the pain in his head and for some reason couldn't seem to catch his breath. He looked around frantically for Dr. Matthews, someone he knew he could trust given the recent events. Irritably, he waved off two other medical personnel that he didn't immediately recognize and stumbled over to where Dr. Matthews was standing. Grasping her sleeve, he looked at her with pleading eyes, "Doctor, I need to talk with you! Somewhere not here!" His arrival was less than discreet. When Deb saw him rush into Sickbay, two thoughts ran through her mind. First of all, she was pretty sure the individual in question was Tabor Nansk, the pilot Mr. Tomlinson referred to during their recent impromptu lunch. Secondly, Mr. Nansk, who was in obvious distress, would offer a perfect opportunity to expose Ms. Anami, the new nurse, to a bona fide emergency. So she assigned Merina and Sakiko to the case, confident the Caitian physician would prove quite capable of guiding their newest member of the staff. Then again, maybe not. Mr. Nansk had Debbie in his sights. He brushed past Merina and Sakiko, rushing toward the CMO in a panic. Tomlinson was right, thought Deb silently. This guy is in serious trouble. "Mr. Nansk," replied Deb calmly, extricating her sleeve from his grasp. "We can talk in my office. Follow me." She hastily crossed he main ward and entered her office with Tabor right on her heels. Ordering the door closed, she motioned toward one of the chairs in front of her desk. "Please have a seat," she said while walking around the desk. Opening one of the drawers, she pulled out her tricorder then quickly joined Nansk in front of the desk. "Take a couple of deep breaths and try to calm down. Then you can tell me what's going on." Tabor tried to follow the doctor's orders. When his breathing had finally settled into merely ragged gasps, he looked up at her imploringly. "You didn't die." It was more a statement than a question. "I heard you were aboard one of the escape pods that made it....sort of." He gripped the arms of the chair tightly and continued. "I didn't die either, but this ship, and most of the people now on it did. I should be ecstatic with how things turned out, but it's a nightmare. I mean, the dead are running things. It was the living that were questioned, that bore the brunt of almost accusation: 'So, you disappeared from the ship in the heat of battle. Explain yourself. File a report. And oh by the way, you're relieved of duty.' Temporal anomalies, whatever it was, something is wrong. We can't just splice time back together. Look what's happened. Some of us didn't die, some did and came back, some died and are truly DEAD. My god, this is a grade B horror film. So there I am, standing in the Flight Ops office, listening to a dead person talk about a new fighter design like we're about to go out on a shopping spree. I don't know what happened, a wave just sort of passed over me. I couldn't breathe, my head couldn't decide whether it wanted to split open or just spin off my neck." Tabor came to an abrupt end of his rant. There wasn't anything coherent really to say. He was laying it all on the line to someone he hoped had a similar experience and understanding. And his sanity, not to mention his career, was in the balance. He talked so quickly it was difficult for Deb to keep up with what he was saying. It didn't help that she was keeping one eye on the tricorder. Of course, she didn't need it to know Tabor was extremely upset. She suspected the cause even before he sat down. But from his wild eyed appearance and obvious confusion, she wanted to make sure there wasn't something more sinister going on. His adrenaline was three times the normal limit but decided to try talking him down before resorting to drugs. Debbie took the other chair in front of her desk, pulled it a bit closer to Mr. Nansk's and sat down. Her heart went out to the pilot. What happened to the Reaent a couple of weeks earlier had clearly thrown him for a loop. "To answer your first question," she began patiently. "No, I didn't die. I was on one of the escape pods along with Merina and a few others." She leaned back in the chair and shook her head. "I saw it too, Mr. Nansk. I saw the Reaent destroyed and my husband along with it. Even before that, I watched this Sickbay blown in half. I saw many of my staff disappear into space before the shields were able to contain the breach." She smiled sadly at the young man sitting across from her. "They died," she continued softly. "They all died. You and those of us in the escape pods can testify to that. So can the logs, not only from the escape pods but the log from the Reaent we saw blown to bits." "Unlike a nightmare, said Debbie, looking Tabor in the eye, "It was real....very real. The grief we all experienced....the fear knowing our next stop was in a Romulan brig or, in your case, death by suffocation. Believe me, that was as real as it gets." She smiled warmly and reached over to pat his arm. "But it wasn't permanent." Her smile broadened a bit. "I can't begin to explain temporal anomalies. I choose to believe we experienced a miracle that scientists put a name on. And I don't think any of us will ever understand it." Tabor's breathing, and probably his blood pressure too, had dropped to a manageable level. "Doctor, you're the closest thing to a counselor this ship has at the moment. I know you don't have all the answers, and we'll probably never get all the answers, but this experience has left me feeling like 'what the hell's the point?' Things that are getting others excited, like Scherer's new fighter design, seem like trivial annoyances. I mean if Star Fleet is going to throw us into hopeless missions, and then virtually get indignant that a "miracle" saved some of us...Doctor, I feel lost. I'm starting to question my purpose here. And for a member of this crew, that's dangerous to others," and with a little chuckle, "not to mention myself." "Don't be so hard on yourself," replied Deb evenly. "It's only been a couple of weeks. We all have a lot of healing to do and that will take time." She opened the tricorder again and took another quick scan. Nansk's vitals were returning to more normal levels. Talking had helped but he remained confused and Deb didn't feel qualified to council him. She was still dealing with her own issues surrounding their recent nightmare. "Be patient with yourself," she continued. "Take some time off. If you want me to talk to the CAG, I will but that's up to you. I don't think Angel would refuse a few days R&R." She drew a deep breath and silently listed her options for helping Tabor. "There are medications I can prescribe to help you sleep and to prevent you from having another panic attack. I'm not suggesting you start down that road just yet, but please keep in mind, you're not alone in this. There is help for you....for all of us." Nansk nodded silently and stood up. Deb followed suit. "One more thing before you leave," added Deb cautiously. "I requested a psych team and Starfleet Medical has obliged. They're on their way....should be here in a day or two." She again reached out to lightly pat his arm. "They're trained to deal with these types of situations. I strongly recommend you avail yourself of their services." She smiled warmly and stepped around him, quickly moving behind her desk and opening a drawer. After returning the tricorder to its proper place, she reached further into the draw and came up with a couple of Tootsie Pops....one grape and one cherry. Tabor stared at her incredulously as she came around the desk and handed him the lollipops. "Be patient with yourself," she advised with a smile. "I know it's difficult but please try even if means taking meds for a short time. We need people like you." He grinned slightly, thanked her for her time and took his leave. Deb stood in the doorway of her office and watched him until he disappeared into the corridor wondering if there would ever be a resolution to the emotional and psychological distress created by their most recent mission. She would give almost anything to know who was responsible but didn't dare consider what she would do to them if she had the opportunity.

I have to share this with you all because my reaction to Spock's relationship with Uhura was not what I expected. I was very comfortable with it and that really surprised me. I've been a fan since the original series first premiered on NBC in September 1966. I fondly remember spending hours on the phone and at school with friends dissecting each and every episode. I can tell you, we all had a hard time with the Spock character. We weren't accustomed to his logical choices and unemotional behavior. The episodes This Side of Paradise, where Spock fell in love, and Amock Time were big deals for us because it showed there were emotions hiding inside that stoic Vulcan. As the TOS movies were released, I came to like the Spock character more and more because, as he matured, he was less inclined to deny his human half. He seemed far more relaxed and comfortable with himself. Now, in this movie, Spock Prime has certainly come to terms with who and what he is. He is at peace with his Vulcan and human halves. But it sure took a long time. The new Spock seems to be coming to terms with his dual heritage a lot faster than his older self. He turned down the position at the Vulcan Science Academy because they considered his "human mother" a handicap. Instead of gasping in horror as Spock bid farewell to Uhura on the transporter padd, I found myself nodding in approval. He knew he might never see her again and he allowed himself to express those feelings. I was happy about it. Another irony was the fact that this time around, it was Spock who got the girl....actually had the girl all along....not the handsome and dashing James T. Kirk. Personally, I can't wait to see how this develops. And I'm still surprised by my reaction to the whole thing.

And that's the whole point! The powers that be in control of this movie made a decision up front to reboot a franchise that had grown old and stale....a franchise that was no longer appealing to new generations of fans. By heaven, they did it!! It's quite possible Trek will be around another forty plus years. Even though it tossed aside some of our beloved cannon, I think that is a small price to pay for the rebirth and continued success of Trek. If they hadn't played to "new" fans, this movie would not have been the hit that is and we'd probably never see another movie, much less a TV show. Again, the movie has it's flaws but we, the long time Trek fan, are the only ones who noticed. We are a small minority of those who have seen and will see this move. The rest of the audience loved it. For the most part, so did I.

Debbie Matthews stared at the stack of padds on her desk. They were all personnel files.....medical staff personnel files. Someone had been kind enough to divide them into two separate piles.....those who were leaving and those who were just arriving. She wasn't sure who that angel was but she decided she would have to find out and thank them. It may not have been much, but Deb felt like she needed all the help she could get. She glanced at the chronometer on her desk while deciding which pile to tackle first. The memorial service was scheduled for later that afternoon. She still had a couple of hours, plenty of time to knock out some of this paperwork. Deb pulled the smallest pile toward her. These were for those current members of her staff who were leaving the ship. Most were taking medical leaves but once recovered, they would probably be assigned elsewhere. There were a few who'd escaped the ship's latest misfortune without a scratch. Their injuries were emotional and psychological. They wanted off the Reaent preferring a safer environment in which to ply their trade. She understood how they felt. She'd also toyed with the idea of requesting a ground assignment but when all was said and done, she couldn't bring herself to bid farewell to the Reaent. Not now anyway. Her reverie was interrupted when she noticed someone standing the doorway, a young woman she'd never seen before. Must be a newbie, she thought silently as her lips formed a smile. The newcomer wore the uniform of a medical officer. She was about Deb's height but couldn't have weighed more than a hundred pounds soaking wet. She was Asian, probably Japanese with a pale complexion and jet black hair. Deb looked twice at the Petty Officer's eyes. They were a dark blue and she wondered which of the Petty Officer's ancestors passed them on to her. "Come in, Petty Officer," she said casually, standing up behind the desk. "Are you reporting for duty?" The young medical officer didn't appear to answer right away. She seemed to be staring off in the opposite direction at the fish tank calmly watching the occupants glide through the water. After a minute or so, she finally looked to the Doctor's direction and tilted her head calmly as if she was not expecting anyone to be around. Soon enough she expressed a soft and gentle smile as she quietly stepped into the Doctor's office. The young officer's eyes scanned the room idly, she took note of how organized the doctor seemed and she smiled approvingly as if she expected no less of someone who was going to be her boss. "Actually, I was not planning on making a formal greeting till tomorrow." The young officer's voice was calm and very quiet, she stood obediently in front of the Doctor's desk with her hands respectfully clasped together up front. The young officer then slowly bowed deeply to the point her hair gently fell over her face. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Doctor. My name is Sakiko Anami, one of the newly assigned Nurse Practitioners... I hope I can be of assistance to you, Doctor." There was something about the way Sakiko spoke her words, there was no doubt she seemed to handle herself professionally, however she spoke so slowly and with respect that she sounded similar to a computer program with the volume set to low. Sakiko simply stayed with her head bowed and perfectly still as if waiting for another command. Deb listened attentively as the young woman identified herself. She had to. The Petty Officer spoke so softly, one had to really concentrate to hear her. The CMO knew this was a cultural trait as was the respectful bow. Shuffling through the stack of padds, Debbie located Anami's file. When she again looked up to find Sakiko's head still bowed, she couldn't help but smile. Working with such a respectful individual might be refreshing. "As you were, Petty Officer," said Debbie, motioning toward one of the chairs in front of her desk. "Please have a seat and tell me about yourself. You can start with why you choose to work in Starfleet." Sakiko slowly stood up and gently brushed her hair away from her face. Her tiny smile back to her again as she nodded in approval of the Doctor's order. She slowly walked over to one of the chairs and sat down slowly with her hands respectfully on her lap. Sakiko's eyes were low as if making eye contact was a bad thing, so she looked slightly downward. She thought about the Doctor's question for a long time, this was a question she couldn't even quite answer her self. However, she knew the Doctor expected some sort of answer, "I felt my presence was needed, I felt much pain knowing that many people were dying... I thought I could help change that." Isn't that the explanation you gave mother? You don't seriously believe that do you? Her gaze seemed to shift slowly over her shoulder as if looking for something that wasn't there. She knew the Doctor would of thought of this motion as being peculiar so she covered it up, "by the looks of the ship... I do not believe I was wrong". I'm sure your boss thinks highly of you acting like you're a drug addict, Sakiko. Heck you're in a Sickbay they probably use that stuff here all the time! Sakiko took a deep breath, and she slowly turned back to face the doctor's directions while turning her gaze down once again. Sakiko's fingers started to fidget and she took another slow and controlled breath. Look at those eyes, Sakiko. She thinks you're a moron, congratulations. She seemed to shiver very gently as if it was cold or something, however it was hard to tell. She simply sat there calmly at attention as she waited for the Doctor's response. Debbie Matthews had greeted her fair share of new arrivals. She was pretty good at sizing up people but she was having a little difficulty figuring out Ms. Anami. She glanced at the nurse's file and saw nothing unusual but the Petty Officer's seemed reluctant to make eye contact. That bothered the CMO a little. Then again, Sakiko was very young. This was her first assignment. And from the condition of the ship, she must have wondered exactly what she'd gotten herself into. "You're right, Ms. Anami," said Deb with a rueful smile. "Good medical personnel are an absolute necessity on any ship. I guarantee you, your services will be of great to use us." The CMO continued her cursory scan of the Petty Officer's file. She would study it in more detail later. One item caught her attention. "Your file indicates you may have a....dietary problem," continued Debbie, her tone inquisitive but respectful. "Do you have any special dietary needs? We have a variety of food items available but if you require something special, I'd like to know so we can make arrangements to provide it for you." The young Petty Officer seemed to almost blush a little in embarrassment. Her gaze seemed to go down even lower. Now they're just on to you, Dr Kazuya sure didn't leave anything out. Maybe she even paid someone to watch your eating habits. Sakiko quietly replied with her gaze stricken down, "N...No. I know the Doctor who wrote that report had some concerns for me. I know her concern is warranted but I'm confident I can handle that on my own." I'm sure she'll believe that, why don't you just tell her flat out that you haven't even eaten since you left Earth? She softly lifted her gaze to meet the Doctor's, her gentle blue eyes seemed calm but strangely empty at times. Sakiko peeked a very tiny smile and she nodded to the doctor as if trying to reassure her that her dietary issues were not a problem. Smile, Sakiko. I'm sure she could see right through you without the need of a machine. She's hiding something, thought Deb silently. But I'll let it go for now. She nodded with a slight smile and again studied the file in front of her. "Please let me know if need any help, Petty Officer. We need good nurses on this ship." She looked up and met Sakiko's gaze. "But we need healthy nurses so if there is a problem, you're obligated to let us know. Which brings me to my next question. You're file indicates you may suffer from reduced breathing capacity." Deb folded her hands on her desk and stared at the young woman sitting across from her. "I need to know what that's all about." Uh oh, she's got you now, Sakiko. She's got you cornered, what are you going to say? Sakiko met the Doctor's gaze, in her eyes it seemed as if there was a form of fear in present in there, but it was hiding behind something invisible. What will you do? Huh? Lie like you did with me? Lie like you did with mother? Go on, Sakiko! Hide it again, just for old times! She looked down suddenly and it almost seemed lightly visible her heart rate had accelerated unknowingly. Everything you've ever lived for is a lie, why stop now Sakiko? You have no honour! Your blind, Sakiko! Your eyes have turned blue along with your arrogant dreams! The Federation will burn, and you will be UNDER IT when it does! Sakiko closed her eyes tightly as if she couldn't concentrate properly. She softly lifted her right hand up to her neck and started rubbing the back of her nape. She pressed her right wrist on her neck and took a deep breath. The whole action seemed perfectly normal as a casual response to stress. Her breathing became normal, she could feel her body becoming calm and her vision becoming blurry again. She smiled lightly and slid off her glasses and set them gently on her lap with her hands softly clasped over them. She turned her gaze back up to the Doctor and nodded gently as if she was agreeing to something. "I have an acute respiratory sickness. It's simply something I've been born with. It's not very serious" For some odd reason Sakiko smiled. She smiled in a normal manor and not a tiny one like before, actually like a normal person. She then actually... giggled and covered her mouth lightly as if casually taking the situation into her hands. Her voice was actually now slightly more audible and seemed to talk normally. "It's just an slightly advanced form of asthma that my parents tend to be sensitive about because I used to be made fun of by it when I was a child. I have medication to keep it at bay so it's never been a problem at all." She took a deep breath but not stressfully, this was more like a gentle sigh of relief, "It usually only bothers me when I'm off duty and even if it does it's still manageable and doesn't effect my work." A flurry of thoughts ran through Deb's mind as she listened to Sakiko. The young woman was admitting she suffered from a respiratory disease....supposedly mild and under control but a respiratory disease nonetheless. If what Anami said was true, it usually flared up during rest cycles. That seemed downright peculiar to Deb. Those types of problems usually manifested themselves during periods of stress. Another troubling aspect of this particular situation was that Sakiko Anami had passed her Starfleet physical and that was no mean feat. If Starfleet Medical certified her as fit, they must have deemed her healthy enough to serve. Still, it was darned peculiar. "Petty Officer Anami, as a trained nurse, I'm sure you understand my concern," replied Debbie calmly. "The Reaent is a ship of the line. We tend to pull tough assignments.....stressful assignments. We can't have you suffering an asthma attack during a crisis." She smiled slightly in an effort to keep Sakiko calm. "I need to know the truth. What medications are you using and how often?" Sakiko calmly reached into her pocket and took out a very small hypospray. It seemed to be custom made to be handy and able to fit very easily into anyone's pocket. She softly placed the hypospray on the Doctor's desk and nodded gently, "It's a mild dose of lectrazine. I only need an injection every... once a week. Like I said it's a very small problem." She smiled again reassuringly and nodded. Debbie picked up the container and examined it carefully. Opening the bottom drawer of her desk, she pulled out a tricorder and scanned the tiny hypospray. It did in fact contain lectrazine. If she uses it once a week, why is she carrying it with her now, wondered Deb, again deciding not to question the Petty Officer further. But she would be making a few inquiries as soon as time permitted. "It may be a good idea for you to carry the medication with you at all times," said Deb, her tone serious yet non confrontational. "Just in case your condition flares up while you're on duty." Deactivating the padd, Debbie leaned back in her chair and smiled at the new Petty Officer. "There won't be much for you to do while we're undergoing repairs. You can check with Ops. They'll have all the information you need about your quarters and that sort of thing. If you'd like to stay on the ship, that's fine. But most of the crew will be living in temporary quarters on the starbase while repairs are underway. That choice is yours." The CMO again opened her desk drawer to put away the tricorder. She also pulled out a small wooden box and set it carefully on her desk. Then she pushed back her chair and stood up. Lifting the lid of the box, she pulled out two Tootsie Pops, one chocolate and one grape. Walking around the desk, she stopped in front of her new nurse, who was also standing, and smiled warmly. "Feel free to wander around Sickbay to get your bearings," she said cheerfully, handing the young woman the lollipops. "And don't hesitate to ask questions. Remember, there are no stupid questions. Welcome aboard...I look forward to serving with you." Sakiko smiled gently and gracefully accepted the little sweat treats, "Thank you Doctor... I haven't seen these things since I was a child... it's comforting... " She looked up to the doctor and bowed again gently. Her hand seemed to gently tighten around the lollipops and it almost seemed as if she was somewhat sad, but this was simply a feeling of hers. "Thank you again, Doctor. I don't have many belongings... but I might as well move into my quarters while the ship is in repair." Sakiko kept her soft smile and nodded again. "I hope to serve with you soon, Doctor." With that, the Petty Officer picked up her hypospray, she walked out the Doctor's office and then turned back to face the doctor, "Yoroshiku onegaishimasu" Sakiko said quietly as she bowed again respectfully. Sakiko collected herself again with a smile and left the sickbay. Debbie watched the Petty Officer leave then glanced at the chronometer on her desk. She put the wooden box back in the drawer and closed it, then left her office. Now that she'd greeted one of the new members of the crew, it was time to bid farewell to those who were leaving.....and would never return.

She could only imagine how the Captain felt. Command could be such a lonely position especially when you're sent on a suicide mission then dragged over the coals for the split second decisions you had to make to save your ship and crew. Deb looked over her shoulder at the double doors the Captain walked through a few seconds earlier. She was glad Kat Schawnsee had been allowed to accompany him but she knew that wouldn't last long. It was just a matter of time before Kat was dismissed and ordered to return to the ship. The doors disappeared from view as the Captain's escorts rounded a corner. Nobody spoke as they made their way back to the docking port. The return trip didn't seem to take as long. As they neared the gangway, Deb noticed a number of people milling about in the corridor. They were pressed against the expansive transparent aluminum windows lining the outer walls of the station. Gathered in small groups, they spoke softly while pointing out the damage to the Reaent. They quieted somewhat when the escort party neared and finally fell silent as the Reaent's officers approached the gangway. Security officer TKAR entered first with Jon Shamor following immediately after her. Deb and Aidan held back a moment, both staring at their ship now resting silently in her berth. The damage was terrible and extensive. But Deb knew the worst losses were still in the cargo bay and wouldn't leave the ship for another five hours. She glanced at her husband. His expression was composed and dispassionate. But the look in his eyes betrayed his feelings. Deb felt a knot forming in her stomach. She stepped toward the gangway, nodding to the security officer standing guard as she walked past him. Aidan followed a moment later, catching up to Deb within a few seconds. They walked side by side but neither spoke. Deb reached for his hand, not caring who they might pass. He glances down at her as she takes his hand. His initial thought, born of nearly twenty years in Starfleet, is to extricate his hand from hers and keep to decorum. However, it's the year and a half of marriage and three years of courtship that win out. That and the simple desire for the comfort of her touch given the situation. "Screw decorum, it's not like there is anyone on the ship who doesn't know Deb and I are married," he thinks to himself. He squeezes her hand tightly, trying to give her some comfort as well, what he could give given the lack of privacy. As the group reaches the turbolifts Aidan clears his throat. With quiet determination he says "As the Captain said, there is another group of people who need an escort off the ship. That will be in three hours...so dress appropriately." Still clasping her husband's hand, Debbie holds back as the others enter the lift. Aidan glanced at her, immediately understanding she would needed a moment or two alone with him. After a moments hesitation, they walked on down the corridor as the lift whisked Jon and Tkar off to their respective destinations. Considering their location, the halls were relatively empty. As the hours passed, traffic in this area would increase but for now, they walked hand in hand passing only one or two crewmen. "I've been avoiding the cargo bay." Deb stared straight ahead and spoke the words softly. "The last time we had that many stasis units down there was.... well you know. It's been a long time." She wanted to say more but the words started catching in her throat as memories of the past surged into the present. Not caring whether anyone sees them he stops and pulls her into an embrace. He kisses her forehead and then tucks his head against hers. Quietly he murmurs "I know. It's been on my mind too." He bring his head back and stares down into her eyes. "So wish I could just take us away from this right now." "But you can't," she whispered softly, relaxing against him. "Nobody can." She paused long enough to draw a deep breath. "After Cairo, I was convinced they were out to get us....all of us....the ship....the crew... anyone who was there at the time. I know it sounds paranoid....it is paranoid....or at least that's what I kept telling myself. I finally convinced myself I was imagining it." She pulled away slightly and looked into Aidan's eyes. "But after this mission....after what happened to us...." She shook her head and again rested it on her husband's chest. "I don't know anymore. I just don't know." He sighs quietly as he runs a hand gently through her hair. "I know. I thought the same way then. And it kind of faded, in no small part thanks to you. But right now it..the old fear seems a bit closer than it was before." He drops both hands to her waist and hugs her tightly. Softly he murmurs "No matter what, Deb, we will get past it, make it through to the other side of whatever faces us. I want to have..have to have faith in what our future will be." Deb wasn't sure how long they stood in the corridor, clinging to each other, but it wasn't long enough as far as she was concerned. Still, they were in a very public place. As senior officers, it was their responsibility to put on a brave face for their subordinates. No matter what happened with the Captain.....no matter what how many died or were injured....life goes on and so must they. She and Aidan separated at the same time. She smiled bravely and gently stroked his face with her left hand. "Thanks," she whispered softly. Drawing a deep breath, she straightened to her full height. "Sometimes, I need to be reminded to keep the faith." Again clasping his hand, they continued down the corridor to the nearest lift. Entering it, Deb looked at her husband and smiled sadly. "I guess I'll see you in a couple of hours. In the meantime, I have a lot of work to keep me busy. I bet you do too." He nods and sighs quietly. "Yeah, still need to contact some of the families and get an update on how the repairs are going. I think when this little situation is over I'm going to arrange a day or two off and just sleep. Just sleep, nothing else." He leans down and kisses her gently. "See you in a couple hours." Deb remained silent as her husband strode down the corridor quickening his pace as he went. She waited until after he rounded a corner and was out of sight before stepping into the waiting turbolift. "Sickbay," she ordered as the doors swished closed. She stepped to the back of the car and leaned heavily against the wall. Sleep sounded like a good idea. They all needed a few days of quiet and rest. Moments later, the lift came to a soft stop and the doors immediately opened. Debbie Matthews straightened her shoulders, drew a deep breath and re-entered the controlled chaos that passed as routine in and around Sickbay. As she entered the medical facility, she nodded to a few of the staff still present and went directly to her office. There were still a couple of hours until the memorial....plenty of time to clear up some of the padds gathering dust on her desk. She entered the office, ordered the lights on and sat down in the old but very comfortable chair she'd had for eons. Glancing quickly at the padds, she quietly longed for a few hours of sleep yet wondered if that would be possible in the near future. For with sleep came dreams and the dreams would be disquieting.

And I can say that I remember when you were still in high school! :) Congratulations Merina! Well Done!!!

Trek was pretty much toothless going into this movie. Now, it has something to chew with and, hopefully, more fans to go along. That's why I can't wait for the sequel. I'm looking forward to a much meatier storyline.

With Permission from Mr. Smith & Dr. Merina Ironically, it was the third day following the attack and there were three of them present. Well, not really. There was one more but he was the reason the other three had assembled. They gathered around a cold, titanium table, two on the left side...one on the right. The room lights were on but somewhat dim compared to the blazing task lighting under which the three stood silently, waiting for the one in charge to issue the order. The one in charge stared blankly at the table's contents, her heart racing. Without looking at her colleagues, she slowly extended her hand over the table until she reached a small blinking light on the top of the long black bag. She hesitated a moment to calm herself before slowly pressing the button. A soft hissing sound followed and a slit appeared in the middle of the bag, running all the way from the top to the bottom. Within a couple of seconds, the sides retracted, folding back on themselves to reveal the body bag's gruesome contents. Debbie Matthews never looked away nor did she make a sound. But she thought for sure she was going to vomit. Withdrawing her hand, she finally looked across the table at Merina and Rocco Studly. They were still staring at the charred corpse of Lieutenant Commander Brian David Smith. "I didn't expect to feel this way," whispered Merina, meeting Deb's gaze. "Nor did I," chimed in Studly still focused on the body. "I know he's alive but....." "Yeah," murmured Deb. "It's eerie.....very eerie." She glanced back at the scorched remains of a man she'd known since he first stepped foot on the Reaent so many years ago. "Let's get this over with," she ordered, nodding toward Merina. "Activate the scanners. Confirm the identity first and then we'll proceed to cause of death." It only took fifteen minutes. The DNA confirmed the body was that of Brian Smith, the Reaent's Chief Science Officer. He hadn't started out in science. When he first joined Reaent, the MD behind his name put him in medical. He worked for Debbie for years before the move to science. She hated to admit it, but Sickbay had never been quite as interesting since Brian's departure. Cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. But his burns were so severe, he wouldn't have survived them even if his brain hadn't been so badly injured. Debbie thought of poor Anna O'Halloran lugging this body to an escape pod, refusing to leave her Chief behind as the Reaent struggled to survive long enough for a handful of the remaining crew to escape. Her efforts were valiant but futile. All that remained of that Brian Smith was a scorched corpse. "What now?" asked Merina as she pressed the button to close the body bag. "He's waiting outside," noted Studly. "He wants to see this body." Debbie shook her head. "No. He'll never see this. He can choose the disposition of the body but he'll never see it." "He's pretty adamant about it," replied Rocco. "He could go to the Commander." "I'm just as adamant," snapped Deb as she strode toward the door of the morgue. "And I know the Commander better than he does." She hesitated a moment as the portal silently opened. "Leave the body in the bag. Put the whole thing in a secure stasis unit and forward the key code to me. Nobody else is to have access to it. Brian will see that over my dead body."

A Joint Log by Commander Ridire and Dr. Matthews By the time Aidan gets back to his quarters from the meeting with the Captain he's sufficiently calm where he's not cursing the Admiralty...at least not audibly. He enters his quarters and notices Deb stretched out on the couch. She glances up at him as he enters. Nephtys, for her part, doesn't even open a eye, she's too busy enjoying the petting she's receiving. Deb was just about to doze off when her husband came through the door. "Welcome back." The greeting was subdued but nonetheless sincere. Deb silently congratulated herself for managing to stay awake until Aidan returned but she made no effort to move. To do so would have disturbed the sleeping Siamese curled up beside her. She watched Aidan as he walked directly to the replicator and order two glasses of wine. Something was wrong..... Aidan steps over to the replicator and retrieves two glasses of wine from it. Moving to the couch he sets them down on the low table in front of the couch. Gently lifting Deb's head, he sits down and moves sufficiently so he's cradling her against him. She adjusted her position enough to allow Aidan to sit down causing Nephyts to open one eye. But Deb was more concerned about what was bothering her husband. She looked up at him and smiled warmly but chose not to question him. He would tell her about it soon enough. Sighing, he brushes a finger against Deb's throat as he murmurs "So wish that I had remained here." Before Deb can ask what he means he adds "We're currently under warp for Federation space. And the Captain...the Admiralty has seen fit to temporarily relieve him of his command while they conduct an inquiry into how he let half the ship be destroyed and the loss of life. As well as what happened with the Proxima and the other Reaent." It took a few seconds for Adian's statement to sink in. As his words registered, Deb's muscles tensed and she could feel her blood pressure rising. "What?" she asked rhetorically, pulling herself into a sitting position. She stared at Aidan wide eyed for a long moment. "So what are they trying to do? Blame the Captain for this debacle? It wasn't his fault! They're darn lucky we only lost half the crew. If they want to investigate someone, it should be the idiot who sent one ship in to do a job that should have been handled by a full task force. That's where the inquiry should be centered." He reaches for his wine glass and takes a sip. "Well, it's at least partly standard operating procedure. The Captain is the ultimate authority on the ship and there needs to be an investigation into what went wrong." He frowns and adds "That being said, I quite intend to make it clear to the Admiralty that, in my expert opinion, there was a massive error committed when they sent one lone ship into the heart of Romulan space to deal with a situation they had to know was likely to involve the full brunt of the Romulan military. Even if the fighters do give us added combat capability we're still just one ship. God knows they could have at least given us a cloaking device." He reaches down and gently pets one of Nephtys' ears eliciting a pleased purr from the cat. Darkly he murmurs "Think I'll check into who exactly it was that sent us off on this bloody jaunt." "Can you do that?" asked Deb earnestly. "Without causing all sorts of problems for yourself. It's bad enough the Captain is in trouble. We don't need to have our XO relieved of duty as well." "I won't do too much digging quite yet. I'll just find out who gave the orders is all. Not like they can punish me for merely being curious, love. Besides, I'm not going to risk bringing more wrath down on the Captain. Once he's cleared then we'll see where we're at." He frowns darkly. "But anyone with an ounce of common sense should have seen the problem with the mission as it was given...that we were going to be in way over our heads from the start." "Everyone on this ship knew it," replied Debbie, her tone of voice reflecting her annoyance. "I need some chocolate!" She quickly stood up and marched to the replicator. Without hesitation, she ordered a large piece of triple layer double fudge devils food cake with chocolate icing.....and two forks. She held up the plate as she returned to the couch and reclaimed her spot beside her husband. "I brought two forks, just in case you want some of this. If you do, you'd better speak now or forget it." She immediately took a bite of the chocolate monster she balanced carefully in her lap. "I'll be honest with you, Aidan," she said, waving her fork at him. "Those desk bound imbeciles had better clear the Captain. Because if they don't." She paused a moment and met his gaze before continuing, her voice barely above a whisper. "Well, if they don't, I might be sorely tempted to leave this organization." With that, she quickly pushed another piece of cake into her mouth. He takes one of the forks and takes a couple bites from the rather imposing chocolate monstrosity that Deb had created for herself. A brief smile appears on his lips as it occurs to him that if being a chocoholic was genetic that their children would be bouncing off the walls thanks to a constant sugar rush. The smile disappears, however, as his thoughts return to the current situation. Quietly he says "Well, I'm not going to be inclined to remain either if I have to break in a new Captain at this stage of my career or if they try and promote me. And the orders were extremely...well..brainless." "Brainless," she spoke the word with disdain. "I've come to believe that's one of the requirements for their job." In spite of her irritation, the physical, emotional and mental stresses of the previous few hours were taking a toll on Debbie. "I'm assuming somebody had pulled the sensor logs from the escape pods," she continued wearily. "Did we locate the sensor log from the....ship I saw blown to pieces?" "I believe Shamor and Schawnsee had seen to both as I recall. Well we for sure got the sensor logs from the escape pods." He takes one last bite from the dessert then sets his fork down on the plate. Sighing he says "Sorry, been a brain-numbing day with everything that happened." "Yeah," she breathed. "It sure has." She lifted the plate from her lap and slid it onto the coffee table placing her fork beside it. Then she leaned back against the sofa cushion and closed her eyes. "I'm so tired. I can't think straight. Maybe that's a good thing. Because if I was thinking straight, I might contact the Admiralty and tell them off." He smiles before leaning over and kissing her gently. "Probably best that you don't do that. I doubt it would help the Captain anyway and I don't need you thrown in some Starbase's brig for being insubordinate." He stands and steps towards the bedroom door as he says "I'm going to take a shower and get ready for bed. You're not the only one who is tired. Anyway, come to bed." "Sounds like a plan," she groaned as she forced herself to her feet. Her body was starting to ache and her head throb from sheer exhaustion. "I could probably sleep for a week." Aidan turned and entered the bedroom with Deb right behind him. She ordered the lights off in the main room and then nearly tripped over Nephyts as the cat scooted between her legs and hopped up on the bed. "Move over," ordered Deb, pulling back the covers. "And don't wake me up early. I've had a bad day."

I'm with Kansas on this one. Karl Urban as McCoy was positively fabulous! Better leave him alone, Grom. :) I also liked Bruce Greenwood's portrayal of Christopher Pike. I've always imagined Captain Pike to be exactly like Greenwood played him. To be honest with you, I liked them all. The character portrayals were far better than I ever hoped for so I'm a happy camper. I even like the bridge.....thought it was fabulous.

A Joint Log by Shane Tayjer, Russ Eckert and Gracie Allen If there had been any doubt about this young engineer's talents, they were laid to rest as Lieutenant Gracie Allen scrolled through Mr. Shane Tayjer's medical file. It wasn't the first time Gracie had dealt with a fabricated body part. But this particular patient had a very unique prosthetic right arm. This one was built by the patient himself. His real arm was lost years ago, a victim of Species 8472. Even with all of the lifelike prosthetics available today, many amputees dive headlong into deep depression over the loss of their body part. Not Shane Tayjer. He designed and fabricated a new, robotic arm complete with a neural implant and sensor pads on hand and fingers. It may not have looked like the real thing. But it was functional and much stronger. Most importantly, Shane Tayjer seemed quite fond of it. The arm itself seemed okay. But the shoulder frame it fitted into was bent. Gracie decided that was the least of Shane's problems. The engineer said he had the schematics in his quarters. The frame could be repaired or even replaced with an entirely new one. She would put in a request for an engineer to work with the medical team to resolve that problem. Right now, Gracie was far more concerned with the plasma burns covering Shane's face and left arm. A few were relatively minor but most were second and third degree. The presence of eschar surrounding many of the burns was most worrisome. That was a sure indication the subcutaneous tissues had been badly damaged. These were the types of burns that used to leave terrible scars. But such was not the case anymore. However, the sooner they were treated, the less likely these gruesome looking wounds would become infected. "You've suffered burns on your face and left arm," said Gracie softly. "Some of them are pretty serious. I'm assuming these are plasma burns." Shane turned his head toward Gracie, "Yes, my post at battle stations is next to a small plasma line, which overloaded and ruptured when the starboard nacelle exploded. How long will it take for them to heal?" "That depends," answered Gracie with a wry grin. "If you cooperate, we should be able to discharge you from Sickbay in about a week. If you don't.....well.....who knows how long you'll be stuck with us." She activated a sterile field and used a hand held tricorder to scan the worst of the burns. "Even after you're discharged, you'll have to take it easy for a while. But I don't see any reason why you won't be healed up enough to bug out of her in five to seven days." The chief nurse paused a moment to glance around the expansive room, obviously looking for someone. "We'll have one of our plastic surgeons do the actual work. There won't be any scarring so don't worry about that." She returned her attention to her patient and glanced at his prosthetic arm sitting on the nearby table. "In the meantime, you said you have the schematics for your arm in your quarters. Could you authorize someone to bring that to us. I'd like to get our prosthetics experts started on fabricating a new frame for it." "Uh, yeah I have a friend in Engineering who I think could help. He's actually the guy who got me off the ship.", Shane paused for a sec, "Um, by the way, I had a bit of a random question for you. Do you have family back home that you keep in communication with?" The question took her by surprise. "Not really," she replied nonchalantly. Grace Allen was born and raised in the hills of south central Kentucky. She'd left the area as soon as possible choosing Starfleet as her escape route. She'd been on this particular ship since the day it launched. Even though she still had a few relatives in Kentucky, she considered the Reaent her home and the crew her family. "I guess you do and that's a good thing," continued the nurse quickly. "Is there anyone in particular you would like to send a private message to? And....what's the name of that friend of yours in engineering?" "Oh, Wade Knight." replied Shane, " I was actually thinking about a message when I asked you that question. I've been trying to compose a message to my family back in the Sol System, but I can't think of what to tell them. I mean, I haven't spoken to them in weeks so what am I suppose to say? Hi Mom, Dad, I've been behind enemy lines, sucked into the Gamma quadrant, had my ship blown out from under me, burned by plasma and crushed by a bulkhead. What's going on with you? My poor mom would have a heart attack." Gracie dutifully noted Mr. Knight's name in the file as Shane explained his quandary. "Starfleet will notify your family that you've been injured," replied Gracie, genuinely touched by the young officer's concern for his parents. "But those notifications are very generic. It's a good idea for you to send a personal note letting them know you're okay." She looked up just in time to see Dr. Russ Eckert heading in their direction. Russ was the plastic surgeon she wanted to work on Shane. And the first thing he would do was put his patient to sleep. "Under the circumstances," continued Gracie hurriedly. "I wouldn't give your family any details beyond you were injured during an incident in engineering. You'll have time to fill in the blanks when you see them again." Dr. Eckert nodded to Gracie as he approached and immediately introduced himself to Shane. "Where's his right arm?'" asked the doctor. "On the table," answered Gracie. Russ glanced in the direction Gracie pointed and nodded. "I take that will be replaced." "Just the shoulder frame. Mr. Tayjer has the specs in his quarters. We'll get them up here and start the fabrication process in a few minutes." Eckert used a magnifying lamp to closely examine Shane's burns. "Okay," he announced, taking a step away from the biobed. "These can be repaired. Once we're finished, you'll never know they existed. But....it's a painful process so we're going to let you sleep through it." Shane sighed and laid back on his bed, "Alright, I'm ready." It only took a second for the engineer to fall into a deep, drug induced sleep. It took considerably longer to gently remove the charred skin from the most serious of the burns, insure they were properly sterilized and apply the base on which Shane's new skin would grow. Russ and Gracie worked silently for the most part, speaking only when necessary so as to remain focused on the delicate job at hand. Finally, an hour and sixteen minutes later, the last of the plasma burns were bandaged and Dr. Eckert stepped away from the biobed. "Make sure he gets plenty of painkillers when he wakes up," ordered Russ. "Don't worry, he'll be in happy land for a good while," assured Gracie. "In the meantime, we'll get started on his arm." "Good idea," remarked Eckert as the two walked away. "He should be ready to leave Sickbay in about a week. It would be a shame to send him off without his right arm. With all the repairs we have, I'm sure he's going to need it.

Welcome to our humble universe! I've been a Trekkie for 42 years and I promise.....you'll feel right at home here. ;)

I agree completely! JJ Abrams was blunt about it.....he made this movie for people who had never seen Star Trek. It was a complete reboot and it was necessary in order for Trek to survive. Let's hope this film generates an entirely new fan base. Along with those of us who have loved it for eons, these new fans should help propel Star Trek well into the future.

I got a big kick out of the Kobayashi Maru test. The way Kirk was was having so much fun and then he starts munching on that apple. Does anyone recall the scene from The Wrath of Kahn when Kirk, McCoy and Checkov were stuck on Regula I with Carol and David Marcus. They were sitting on the grass inside that planet waiting for rescue and the Kobayashi Maru came up. I think it was McCoy who said something like "Meet the only Starfleet cadet to ever beat the Kobayashi Maru scenario" and he pointed at Kirk. Then Kirk explained how he managed to outsmart the program and David Marcus said "He cheated." Kirk went on to say "I don't believe in the no win scenario." They were all sitting there munching on apples. I thought it was nice touch to have the young Kirk pull out an apple as he was cheating on his third attempt to beat the no win scenario.'