DrDMatthews

Jontiles Shamor had something of a reputation and it wasn't for his geniality. He was quite capable of behaving in a polite and respectful manner. But the ancient, double hearted Zemun wasn't one to mince words. He was known for his bluntness. And blunt pretty much described how he was talking as Deb Matthews attempted to treat the security officer's wounds. Shamor was furious and he didn't care who knew it. Any other time, Deb would have insisted he keep it down. But today, she was grateful for his grumbling. His grousing helped keep her focused on what she was supposed to be doing. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the bizarre events of the past few hours. She'd worked on starships since graduating from the Academy....and for most of that time, she'd been assigned to this particular ship. Since joining the Reaent, she had witnessed and actively participated in so many hair raising episodes, she had lost count of them. But nothing this bizarre had ever happened before....this bizarre or tragic. The Captain was dead. Jontiles' injuries were relatively minor. But it took Deb twice as long as it should have to treat them. Along with his grumbling, Deb was aware of another sound close by. Merina had also been wounded in the phaser battle that killed the Captain and the saboteur. She was sitting on a near by biobed while Simon worked on her shoulder. The steady thump, thump, thump of Merina's lithe tail beating against the side of the bed warned one and all the Caitian was anything but pleased. Deb cast a quick glance in her direction. The felinoid's eyes were narrowed to mere slits. She looked like a hunter waiting patiently for her prey. Deb could identify with those feelings. It was all she could do to keep from screaming. She wanted someone held accountable...she wanted justice. The Captain was dead. The ship was on red alert. That meant Sickbay was on Alpha/Bravo....two shifts, twelve hours each. Most of the staff assigned to the Alpha shift were already present and accounted for. Deb insisted a few of the security personnel sent to Sickbay during the fire fight escort the remainder of the staff to the medical facility. She didn't want any of her people wandering around the ship alone. The Captain was dead. Deb couldn't help feeling a little paranoid. She'd been implicated in the CO's stabbing. If it hadn't been for the attack on Sickbay, she might still be under suspicion. Did the assailant target the senior staff? Did he or she hope to eliminate both the CO and the CMO at the same time? If they were targeting the command staff, who would be next? She hoped Aidan would be cautious. At least on the bridge, he was surrounded by trustworthy officers. Shamor continued grumbling as Deb walked away. Simon had finished up with Merina but the Caitian physician was still sitting on the biobed, her tail still swishing wildly. Deb wanted to say something to her.... something to ease her frustration and assure her everything would be okay. But she wasn't sure everything would be okay. The Captain was dead.

Deb was still sitting at the science station when Aidan Ridire bolted onto the bridge. She glanced at him for a moment but then looked away, afraid someone might believe she was expecting preferential treatment. She wasn't. All she wanted was a fair and impartial investigation. She needed to know what really happened in that Ready Room.....who was responsible for assaulting the Captain....and why. At the same time, she could almost hear what everyone was thinking. Her husband was now in command of the ship. Would he be able to act without prejudice? Or would his relationship with the prime suspect cloud his judgement? The CMO stared straight ahead but she knew what was going on. Commander Ridire was just steps beyond the turbolift when Brian Smith started briefing him on the situation. She could feel Aidan looking at her but she dared not meet his gaze. Although they'd known each other for years, they had only been married for about three months. She trusted him implicitly but still, how must he feel knowing his wife was now a suspect in a vicious attack on their commanding officer. Would he even consider the possibility she was guilty of such a thing? And what would he think after reviewing the logs? She shook her head and forced her thoughts back to the present. She was confident Aidan would push for a thorough investigation that would eventually lead to the capture of the unknown assailant. She firmly believed he would never doubt her innocence. But they were both in difficult positions. He was now between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Deb was determined to make this as easy as possible for him. The only question was, how would he react to her plan? As Aidan steps onto the bridge he's still trying to wrap his mind around what had been reported to him. He had been in his quarters trying to get some rest but still, even the fog of sleep wouldn't explain the difficulty he was having in contemplating the sheer lunacy that his wife was suspected of attacking the Captain. His gaze immediately falls on Deb just as she shifts her eyes away from him. He frowns slightly, resisting the very strong urge to go to her and take care of her as her husband rather then deal with this situation as the First Officer of the ship. Thankfully, that's when Smith decided to intervene by beginning to brief him further on the situation. The only visible sign of agitation at this situation Aidan allows himself is the steady digging of his nails into the palms of his hands. When Smith finishes, Aidan taps his commbadge and says, with as much calmness as he can manage, "Schawnsee, report to me immediately. I will be in the observation lounge." With that done he sweeps his gaze around the bridge, finally alighting it upon Deb again. "Everyone who was on the bridge at the time of the...incident is to remain on the bridge until told otherwise by either Lieutenant Schawnsee or myself." For the first time since he arrived on the bridge, Deb allowed herself to meet her husband's gaze. She smiled sadly as he ordered Kat Schawnsee to report to the Observation Lounge. She'd already made up her mind what she had to do. She was unwilling to be alone with him, even for a few minutes. From now until this mess was cleared up, Deb would insist that someone be present whenever she and Aidan were together. But it wasn't until that moment, when their eyes met, that she fully realized how painful that would be. Aidan tries to put as much reassurance into his expression as possible when his and Deb's gaze meet. He steps into the observation lounge and within a few minutes Lt. Schawnsee arrives on the bridge and also steps into the observation lounge. After a little while Schawnsee emerges back onto the bridge and that's when Aidan's voice says over the intercom "Dr. Matthews to the observation lounge." The order to report to the Observation Lounge came earlier than she expected. The meeting between Ridire and Lieutenant Schawnsee didn't take as long as she thought it would. Deb looked straight ahead and said nothing as she walked to the Lounge door and rang the chime. A moment later, the door swished open and she stepped inside. Aidan was standing near the windows, arms folded, staring into the black void beyond. He turned slightly as she entered the room. His expression was warm....loving.....what one would expect from a husband contemplating his new wife. More than anything, Deb wanted to run to him....to embrace him....to feel his arms around her and hear him whisper in her ear that everything would be okay. But she forced herself to stay where she was. "I had nothing to do with the this," she said in a low yet firm voice. "And I'm sorry.....about the position this has put you in." Deb took a deep breath and plunged ahead. "You are the love of my life. But until this mess has been sorted out, I don't think we should be alone together...not even for a few minutes." He blinks and if she had physically slapped him, she couldn't have created more shock in him. He frowns and narrows his eyes as he silently regards her. After a minute, he steps up to her and slipping a hand around the back of her neck, kisses her, ignoring whatever resistance she gives. Breaking off the kiss, he brings his left hand up between them, with his ring facing her. "I am your husband and nothing...certainly not this....mess, as you say, changes that fact. You are not to worry about the...position this has put me in because if you think my career is more important to me then you are, you don't know me half as well as you should by now, especially if you think you had to tell me that you had nothing to do with what happened." He closes his eyes briefly and his tone softens a little when he says, "We will get to the bottom of this, we will find out who really attacked the Captain, Schawnsee will see to that. So you just sit tight and trust those around you...especially me." She stood in startled silence as Aidan dressed her down. From the moment she decided they should keep their distance during the investigation, she'd known he probably wouldn't approve. But she thought he might understand her reasoning....see the wisdom in her suggestion. It was obvious she'd been wrong on both counts. Instead of considering her idea a viable option, he was....hurt and a little more than annoyed. Deb closed her eyes and allowed her head to fall forward. "Could anything else go wrong today?" she wondered quietly. The last thing she wanted to do was disappoint the man standing in front of her. But she didn't want to compromise his integrity either. Couldn't he see that she was trying to protect him? For several seconds, she struggled valiantly to come up with an argument to bolster her idea. She finally looked up at him, fully prepared to continue the debate although she had no idea what she should say. But as their eyes met, she knew it was pointless. He was having none of it and deep down, she couldn't have been more relieved. He takes a step back, "In the meantime I would suggest that you keep in mind that part of being married is relying on each other in times of need..and not trying to push each other away. Perhaps you should think of a way to make that up to me when this mess is cleaned up." His words stung....primarily because they were so true. In the past, they'd both been guilty of closing themselves off from the world during difficult times. How often had they promised they would stop that...they would lean each other....they wouldn't allow themselves to fall back into their old habits. This was the first real crisis they'd faced since their wedding. And here she was, ignoring the promises she'd made to her husband and herself. Rather than leaning on him, she was trying to push him away. She rationalized it by telling herself she wanted to protect him. But there was more to it than that. She was accustomed to the old way. Trusting someone other than herself, even her own husband, was new and unsettling. She was more comfortable being alone in times of trouble. But Aidan wasn't going to allow her to get away with it. Deb Matthews stared at her husband for several seconds."You're right," she finally whispered, reaching for his hand. "I'm sorry. I should have known better." She smiled weakly, determined to maintain her self control. "And I promise....I'll find a way to make this up to you. I'm not sure how, but I guarantee you...you'll be...pleased." He squeezes her hand gently and murmurs, "I think a day or two off when this situation is resolved and over with will do for a start on the making it up to me department." His smile fades as he lets go of her hand as he murmurs, "And this I'll need to make up to you but consider yourself relieved of duty temporarily and either you'll be confined to quarters or to the brig. I'd just as soon keep it to the former but Schawnsee will need to make that decision." He reaches his hand up to brush his fingers against the side of her face before adding, "For what little it's worth, I am sorry." She'd known this was coming but it was difficult hearing the actual words, especially from Aidan. "You have nothing to apologize for," she replied quietly. "I'll go wherever is deemed appropriate." Deb shook her head and sighed. "My biggest concern right now is the Captain. He's fighting for his life." She paused and drew another deep breath, trying not to lose control of her emotions. "And where am I? Locked out of Sickbay.....when I should be down there helping him fight that battle." Deb looked up at Aidan and shrugged. "I can't believe this has happened," she grumbled. "The sooner the investigation is over, the better. So, where is Schawnsee? When do we get started with this?" His frown deepens as he murmurs "The Captain will be fine. You know very well how capable your staff is so try not to worry, love. Things will all work out as they should." He hugs her briefly before murmuring, "I'll go get Schawnsee now." With that he turns and steps towards the door. She nodded silently as he stepped away, resisting the urge to cling to him for a few seconds longer. Drawing a deep breath, Deb smoothed her uniform blouse, threw back her shoulders and stepping further into the room to wait for the Chief of Security.

By the time Deb Matthews stepped off the turbolift, the knot in her stomach had doubled in size. She quickly walked across the corridor and into Sickbay. Merina met her at the door, her dark eyes glaring. If they eyes hadn't been enough, the long brown tail whipping back and forth was a dead give away. The Caitian medical officer was livid. In all the years Deb had worked with her, she had never seen Merina this worked up over anything. "I know," said Deb firmly, holding up both hands to stop Merina's tirade before it began. "Be sure to lodge a formal protest. But in the meantime, take whoever and whatever you need and get down to the brig," She paused to face her feline associate. "Don't allow that man to die, " she whispered urgently. "It's very important you keep him alive." "I'll be down there shortly," she added, searching for a particular face as she moved deeper into the mammoth room. "I need to speak to Aaron first." She turned again and made eye contact with Merina. "And I meant what I said about that formal protest." She watched for a moment as Merina and her team, loaded down with their equipment, headed off to the brig. Then she quickly proceeded toward Aaron Scherer, the ship's Chief Engineer and the man of the hour. It was Aaron who first suspected there was a saboteur aboard. He was also the mastermind behind the plan to trap the culprit. It seemed only right that he was the one who eventually captured the traitor. Aaron sat on the edge of a biobed while Grace Allen doctored his bruised knuckles. From the look on his face, the CMO could tell he never meant to seriously injure the man. Such things happen when the adrenaline starts pumping. "Nice job," offered Deb with a grin. She glanced at the engineer's hands and nodded. "You single handedly captured the bad guy and walked away with nothing more than a few cuts and bruises." "I went too far," grumbled Aaron, his expression dour. "I guess I let my anger get the best of me." "He'll be okay," replied Deb, knowing all the while she couldn't guarantee such a thing. The engineer shook his head sadly. "I don't know about that. Merina said he was bad....real bad. Then the Captain ordered him moved to the brig." He shrugged his shoulders as he studied the dermagel Gracie had just applied to his knuckles. "If he dies, we may never find out who was working with him." Aaron had just hit the nail on the head and there was no reason to argue the point. In his current condition, there was a good chance the saboteur wouldn't survive. And that was what bothered Deb about the Captain's order to move the prisoner to the brig before he'd received proper medical care. Exactly what were the CO's motives? Was it nothing more than an angry reaction. If so, it was very uncharacteristic for him to behave that way. Or was there something more sinister going on? Was he hoping the prisoner would die? Deb could scarcely believe such a thing was possible. But a lot of supposedly impossible things had occurred during the past few hours. There was another troubling aspect of the situation. The saboteur tried to comm someone when he realized he'd been caught. That comm was traced to the shuttle Taurus. The Captain had been awfully quick to shoot down the possibility the traitor could have been trying to communicate with anyone on the shuttle. Why? There were several people aboard at the time....including the Captain. "One step at a time," though Deb silently. "Don't jump to conclusions." The CMO smiled sadly at Aaron. "We'll do all we can to insure he survives. Try not to beat yourself up too much over it. We'll sit down when this is all over and talk about it some more....maybe find out why you went off on him like that." "I need a complete copy of the Captain's medical file," she continued, turning her attention to Grace Allen. "Download two sets onto PADDs. Leave one on my desk and you keep the other one you at all times." The Chief Nurse was still cleaning up after treating Aaron. She stared at Deb for a long moment before nodding slightly. "I'll take care of that immediately," she replied as she hurried off. Deb looked at Aaron to find him staring a hole through her. "Do you think the Captain has something to do with this?" he asked incredulously. "Don't jump to conclusions," said Deb with a quick smile. "There have been a lot of strange goings on around here since we entered Organian space." She patted Aaron on the shoulder as she slipped off the biobed. "But what you can do is help Brian Smith track that comm our evil friend tried to place. We know it was directed to the Taurus. What we haven't figured out yet is exactly who on the Taurus was the intended recipient." "Okay," replied the Chief Engineer. "I can do that." "One thing though," added Deb as the two officers walked toward the main exit. "This is an....unofficial inquiry. So please be discreet." Aaron nodded in understanding and quickly left Sickbay. Deb stepped back toward the main ward and stopped by the small console Dr. Studly was using to update medical records. "I'm going down to the brig," said Deb quietly. "You're in charge but call me if anything even slightly unusual happens." "Slightly unusual," echoed Rocko, clearly puzzled. "Such as?" "Such as the Captain showing up," answered Deb as she turned to walk away. She grinned at her long time associate. "Like he did a few hours ago...requesting a physical." "Oh yeah," chuckled Studly. "But that wasn't slightly unusual. That was downright bizarre." Rocko had no way of knowing just how bizarre Deb thought the Captain's behavior was. She was tempted to let him know she agreed with his interpretation of the event but decided that might not be prudent. "Just keep your eyes open and call me if anything comes up," she declared with a wave and immediately left Sickbay for the far less comforting environment of the brig.

You could have heard a pin drop as the Captain stormed off the bridge and disappeared into his Ready Room. Deb was grateful he'd chosen to leave when he did. Otherwise, she might have said something that would have resulted in a court martial. And there would have been too many witnesses for her to deny it. Planting her hands firmly on both hips, Deb Matthews stared at the forward view screen, the image of Organia taking center stage. She was puzzled by the Captain's reaction when he learned the alleged saboteur was in Sickbay. Over the years, there had been countless incidents when hostiles were treated in the medical facility before transferring them to the brig. Some of them had been far more dangerous than this guy. The Captain seemed to have forgotten that Sickbay was well equipped to deal with these types of patients and the staff received extensive training on how to handle them. As with all such cases, the security protocols had been carefully followed. There was no logical reason to transfer this patient until he'd received medical clearance. She'd lodged a formal objection to the Captain's orders, for all the good it did. The prisoner was probably on his way to the brig right now. Merina had also protested the move. She made it clear the as yet unidentified saboteur was in extremely critical condition. But Captain Michaels was determined to have the captive locked up in the brig immediately, even though there was no possibility of him escaping from Sickbay. It was almost as though the Captain didn't want the prisoner to receive medical attention. He could have cared less if the man lived or died. Deb slowly glanced toward the Ready Room, her thoughts racing. She recalled another of the Captain's remarks having to do with the saboteur's comm. Instead of ordering a more thorough investigation, he insisted that made no sense....there was no one on the shuttle for the saboteur to speak to. But the comm went out while the Taurus was on its way back to the Reaent. There were half a dozen people on that shuttle....including the Captain. Something was wrong. She swallowed hard and made a decision that could have troubling consequences. Slowly but deliberately, the CMO stepped up to the science station and rested one hand on Brian Smith's shoulder. He looked up at her curiously as she leaned down toward him. "The saboteur's comm to the Taurus went out when the shuttle was just a few minutes from the Reaent," whispered Deb. "If you have any time, it might be a good idea to dig a little deeper. See if you can determine exactly who the intended recipient was." Without another word, Deb quickly made her way to the turbolift, the knot in her stomach growing larger by the moment.

Congratulations you two! And enjoy the honeymoon.....while you can. :lol:

Hi Jerry! Welcome back! Hope to see you on an advanced sim real soon!

The sound of her heart pounding was all Deb could hear as the turbo lift silently carried her to Deck 19. "I should have been there," she thought, impatiently tapping her fingers against her thighs. "Why didn't I leave the Bridge when Aidan first arrived?" She glanced at her watch as the turbolift came to a stop. The trip to Sickbay seemed to take forever but, in reality, it was less than thirty seconds. "Come on....come on," she grumbled, urging the doors to open. A moment later, they parted and she bolted from the lift, running the short distance to the ship's primary Sickbay. A dozen security officers were standing in the corridor. They noticed her the moment she exited the lift and quickly stepped away from the door, allowing her to enter. There were more security officers inside but Deb paid little attention to them. She needed to find out which of the nurses were wounded and how serious the injuries were. As she surveyed the crowded Sickbay, Deb noticed a peculiar odor. She immediately recognized it as the stench of burned flesh. She'd smelled the distasteful aroma in Sickbay before, but this time, it originated here... and that had never happened before.....at least, not since she took over as CMO. Deb moved toward the surgical units, assuming the wounded nurse had been taken into surgery. "I'm going to wring the Captain's neck," she groused, hurrying across the expansive room. "This might not have happened if I'd been here." She finally spotted Merina coming out of one of the surgical suites. The Caitian physician saw Deb coming toward her and rushed to meet her. When they were finally standing side by side, Deb asked the dreaded questions. "Who was it? And how bad?"

Just wanted to say how much I've enjoyed this series of logs...I may be able to stop laughing by this time next week. :wub: Congratulations to Sky Harbor Aegis on the return of both Sorehl and Drankum, two of the most illustrious characters the sim has ever known. I suspect your life on Aegis will never be the same. :rolleyes:

"Doctor, the ship is yours." You could have heard a pin drop as the Captain took his leave, a mischievous smirk plastered on his face. His words hung in the air like.....like what.....a foul odor? Deb finally closed her mouth, glancing surreptitiously at the floor to make sure none of her teeth had fallen out. The fact the Captain had decided to personally lead the away team had been a huge surprise. Him leaving the CMO in charge of the ship went far beyond that. It was a heart stopping shock....especially to the CMO. She glanced around to find the bridge crew gawking at her. Most were grinning. Some appeared to think it was funny but there were a couple who were clearly nervous about this unexpected development. Then there was Lieutenant Commander Brian Smith. His expression was a combination of both...mixed in with a little disappointment. Clearly surprised by the Captain's decision to leave Deb in charge, she had no doubt Brian would have been more than pleased to assume command, even if was only temporary. Deb slowly moved toward the center seat. The Reaent had just undergone an extensive refit so this was a new bridge. Even the Captain hadn't spent a lot of time in this particular chair. As she moved closer to it, she felt her mood darkening. She should have suspected Michaels was up to something when he unexpectedly appeared in Sickbay requesting an exam. She'd been his doctor for years and that was the first time he'd ever willingly showed up for a physical. She was usually forced to threaten to declare him unfit for duty before he would begrudgingly drag himself into Sickbay. "I must have missed something," she mumbled, drawing closer to the troublesome chair. "Obviously, he's not well." Adding to her disagreeable mood was the attitude of some of the bridge crew. More than one seemed to consider her incapable of handling the responsibility. Granted, she rarely had such an opportunity, nor did she desire it. But she had no doubt she could handle it....up to a point. The Captain must have considered the risks before giving her the assignment...and they must have been negligible. Then again, she suspected their esteemed leader was suffering from a mysterious malady that she had somehow overlooked during his recent physical...a malady that might have affected his mental acuity. Dr. Deborah Matthews stood directly in front of the illustrious command chair and stared at it for a long moment. Drawing a deep breath, she gracefully sat down, impressed by how comfortable it was. Leaning back, she forced herself to relax, silently reviewing various command protocols. Around her, the bridge resumed to a somewhat normal state. Deb offered a prayer the situation would remain just that....normal. Casting a quick look to her left, it suddenly occurred to her the XO was missing. Of course he was! If he'd been on the bridge when the Captain left, she wouldn't be sitting in this oversized chair right now. Was he in on this as well....a willing participant in the CO's little joke? Considering the circumstances, she was mildly embarrassed she hadn't noticed this sooner. Looking straight ahead, she addressed the ops officer sitting at the station in front of her. "Maintain orbit and continue tracking the shuttle. And would you kindly locate the XO."

POO!

Debbie Matthews leaned back in her chair and smiled. She'd called her senior staff together for a quick "mission briefing." They crowded around her desk anxiously awaiting the news on where Reaent was heading....and why. She decided not to keep them waiting any longer. "We're going to.....Organia," she announced calmly, looking at each of them, one by one. Their response was pretty much what she expected. She could tell from the blank expressions on their faces, most of them had never heard of the place. But of course, they had. Everyone of them graduated from the Academy...some longer ago than others. The Organian Peace Treaty was discussed in at least two of the mandated history courses every cadet was required to take. Unfortunately, her senior staff simply didn't remember. As head of the department, it was her responsibility to refresh their memories or, at the very least, order them to do a little research. "Where's that?" asked someone quietly. "Who knows." "That name is familiar but I don't know from where." "I know...it is familiar. I think it may be someplace important." "Is this a joke?" asked Lieutenant Grace Allen, somewhat alarmed. The CMO focused on her chief nurse, standing in the back row with her hands on her hips. It appeared at least one of her staff recognized the name of their current destination...and was none too pleased about it. Deb shook her head slightly. "No, it isn't a joke," she replied placidly. "We should arrive in a day or so." "To do what?" demanded the Lieutenant. "More importantly....were we invited?" Now everyone was looking at Gracie. "No," answered Deb. "We weren't invited." "Those folks don't like people dropping in unannounced," asserted Gracie, shaking her head. "This ship just underwent a major overhaul. Now they're sending us off to deal with a race of beings more powerful than the "Q." ...powerful enough to squash us like miserable insects. Who's hair brained idea was this anyway?" "Not necessarily more powerful," replied Deb, leaning forward and resting her elbows on the desk. She cradled her chin in her palms and smiled at Gracie. "There are many who believe the Organians were a faction of the "Q." They enjoyed a ......genuine corporeal existence.....living day to day by the sweat of their brow....whereas most of their brethren did not. Yet, in spite of their modest appearance, the Organians retained all of their....supernatural powers." By now, the others had figured it out. "Organia?" As in the Organian Peace Treaty?" queried Dr. Miles Linkowitz, one of Reaent's long time surgeons. "The same!" snapped Grace Allen before Deb had a chance to reply. The room went very quiet as many of the faces around her paled. You would have thought they'd been handed a death sentence. "What ever happened to them anyway?" asked Merina, more curious than anxious. The Caitian's tail swished back and forth slightly as one ear twitched. "I don't recall hearing anything about them in.....years." "Very good Merina! That, my friends, is why we're going to Organia," exclaimed Deb. She pushed away from the desk and stood up. "The planet has been off limits since 2267. The Organians maintained contact with the Federation until 2307 and the Klingons continued to hear from them until 2312. After that, nobody heard anything. About twenty years ago, several civilian ships tried to illegally enter the system. They had to turn back due to atmospheric distortations and other assorted complications. It was generally believed these unexplained phenomena were simply the Organians asserting their desire for continued privacy." She glanced around the room as she walked out from behind her desk. "One would think the Organians would have shown themselves when the second Klingon-Federation war began. But they didn't. Then came the Dominion War. Again, no sign of the Organians." Deb stepped to the front of the desk and leaned against it. "Come to find out, the Ferengi actually sent a delegation to Organia during the Dominion War." She paused and raised a brow. "Not only were they able to safely enter the system, once there, they claim they couldn't find anyone." "Can we believe them?" asked Rocco Studly, MD. The CMO shrugged her shoulders. "That's our mission. To find out what happened to the Organians. If we arrive and are unable to enter the system, we'll know they're still alive and well....and the Ferengi lied. But if we can access the planet and if Organia really is deserted, then our large eared friends were telling the truth. In that case, the question is ....where did the Organians go?" "They're very powerful," remarked Dr. Russ Eckerd, another of the Reaent's talented surgeons. "Maybe they're still on the planet but have assumed a different corporeal form, one we don't know to look for." "That's a possibility," replied Deb with a nod. "Or they may have simply packed it in. They got tired of the corporeal life and returned to their natural state. One way or the other, we have to be prepared for anything." "Like being tossed halfway across the galaxy," cracked Gracie. "Without warning." "That too," chuckled Deb. "But I was thinking more about preparing ourselves and our equipment to search for these beings. They're energy based entities. If they are still on the planet, we might be able to detect them if we re-calibrate our medical tricorders to look for their energy signals. I know the ship's sensors can do that as well, but those sensors may not be able to get close enough to the target. The Organians are extremely sophisticated. They could easily block our scans without us even knowing it, especially from a distance." She picked up a tricorder from her desk and held it in front of her. "But, if we're on the surface, running close range scans with our re-calibrated tricorders, maybe...just maybe...we'll be able to find a clue or two." Pushing away from the desk, she handed the tricorder to Merina, who happened to be standing right next to her. "So, your assignment is to research everything we know about the Organians. Pay close attention to any data on the energy wave lengths displayed when the Organians stopped hiding behind flesh and bones. And don't assume they're "Q." That's pure speculation. The truth is....we don't know what they are." As she finished the briefing, Deb started walking back around the desk. Halfway there, she looked up to find everyone still standing where they had been throughout the meeting. "Listen folks," she said, nodding toward the door. " We need this information before we arrive. You only have a day or so to complete the research and re-calibrate the tricorders. So....get going!" Deb returned to her seat as the senior staff filed out of her office. Merina was the last to leave. Debbie called to her as the Caitian was about to walk through the door. "There's not much going on in Sickbay right now," she said as Merina turned around to face her. "So get everyone involved in this research....the more the better...even if seems redundant You never know, somebody might pick up on something another person overlooked. And by all means, keep me posted on how things are going." "Sure thing, Deb," replied Merina who then quickly made her exit. As the door swished closed, Deb leaned back in her chair, looked up at the ceiling and shook her head all the while wondering if they would get tossed halfway across the galaxy.....with no warning. "Talk about a shot in the dark...."

Okay, I admit it! I'm a TOS gal and that's my Enterprise! Thanks for the pic Fred. I'm a happy camper!

Deb Matthews stood before the full length mirror and literally gasped. She closed her eyes for a moment, but when she reopened them, the image before her hadn't changed a bit. She watched with mild annoyance as a bright, pink blush crawled up her neck and completely covered her face. She was embarrassed...genuinely embarrassed! "But why?" she whispered to the woman looking back at her in the mirror....the woman wearing the skimpy black nightie designed and manufactured somewhere on Delta IV. "It's not like....he hasn't seen....more of you....than this!" Debbie drew a deep breath and shook her head. It was day twelve of her honeymoon. She had finally worked up the courage to put on the little...oh it was beyond little...nightie from box # 2. It left practically nothing to the imagination but, as Rose Matthews explained the day before the wedding, it wasn't meant to. This skimpy little thing was designed to accentuate one's attributes. And that was precisely what it did. Deb dropped her head and closed her eyes. The problem wasn't her body. She took great pride in her body. She'd just never packaged it this way before. She'd never even considered such a thing until her grandmother handed her that small box labled # 2. Wearing something like this was totally out of character for her. She glanced toward the closed door. Aidan was in the other room. He'd been reading when she slipped into the bedroom just a few minutes earlier. She desperately wanted to both surprise and please him. She was pretty sure he'd be surprised. But above all else, he was a man. How could he not be pleased. Deb looked at herself again in the mirror. The blush had faded. Her cheeks had returned to their normal color but she still felt awkward. At the same time, this was something she really wanted to do. Drawing another deep breath. she walked toward the door. Opening it, she took a couple of steps into the living area before Aidan saw her. The expression on his face was....priceless.

This log should have gone out for Christmas. But, as often happens around the holidays, we were running behind schedule. Aidan finishes clearing the table from the rather extravagant dinner he had made for Christmas. It was a week into their honeymoon and he wanted to arrange something special for their first Christmas as husband and wife. So dinner was a full turkey dinner with all the fixings including mashed potatoes, rolls and a choice of pumpkin or pecan pie. Deb had offered to help with the dishes but he insisted on taking care of it alone. He could feel her watching him from the couch in the main part of the room. Finishing with the dishes, he retrieves two glasses of wine and brings them over to her. He has her close her eyes then and after she's done so he steps into the bedroom for a minute. When he returns to the main room he steps over to the couch. Sitting down next to her, he places a fair sized box in her lap. He leans in and kisses her ear gently. He murmurs "Merry Christmas, my love." The box was beautifully wrapped in shimmering gold paper and topped with a big, red bow. Deb looked up at Aidan, clearly surprised. They'd been married for just a few days. In all the bedlam surrounding the engagement and the wedding, she'd almost forgotten about Christmas. Fortunately, she'd remembered they would be on their honeymoon during the holiday so she'd added it to her list of things to take care of before the wedding. She never talked about Christmas with Aidan. If it slipped his mind, she wasn't planning on mentioning it to him. Besides, the gorgeous ring and the wedding and just being married to him was all she wanted or needed. But Aidan didn't forget. Deb was a little blown away when he insisted on preparing a full turkey dinner in honor of the holiday. And he did it the old fashioned way....with raw ingredients and a stove. What's more, it was fabulous. Deb didn't realize what an asset he was until she took a few bites of his home cooking. But on top of the dinner, now he was presenting her with a gift.....and it was in a dress box. Deb waited until Aidan sat down beside her and then carefully unwrapped the gift. "You shouldn't have done this," she whispered as she lifted the top off the box. Dropping the lid onto the floor, she slowly pulled away the tissue paper, exposing a beautiful black silk dress. Debbie's mouth fell open as she gently removed the dress, holding it up in front of her. She had never owned anything quite like it. It was a soft silk dress with a shirred bodice and a tied charmeuse Empire waist, falling to a full, fluid skirt. The moment she saw it, Deb pictured herself wearing it as Aidan guided her around an elegant ballroom. She dropped the dress into her lap and leaned over to hug her new husband. "Like I said, you shouldn't have done this. But since you did, thank you. It's absolutely beautiful." He smiles and kisses her warmly. Breaking it off, he breathes, "It will be absolutely beautiful on you. And since one should be seen in such dresses, if it pleases you, I was thinking we'd go dancing tomorrow. There are a couple of clubs on the main island that we haven't been to after all." He tucks his head against hers and purrs, "And don't tell me I shouldn't have. It's Christmas and you're my wife, of course I'm going to get you a present. Wouldn't want you mad at me for forgetting such a thing." "I couldn't be angry with you," she whispered. "Not after this past week." Pulling away slightly, Deb smiled as she stood up. "If it's okay with you, I'd like to try this on. And yes, I would love to go dancing tomorrow." A few minutes later, she emerged from the bedroom wearing the latest addition to her wardrobe. It was a perfect fit and she had to admit, she looked stunning in it. She couldn't wait to wear it out the following evening. Crossing the room, she stood before Aidan, her hands behind her back. "So," she purred. "What do you think?" His gaze floats over her from head to toe and back again. In some back corner of his mind, it occurs to him that at least one of them would be blushing at such a display of open attention just a week earlier. He stands and steps into her, slipping his arms around her waist. He kisses her ear and purrs, "I'm not entirely sure I have the right words. Beautiful, gorgeous and delectable come to mind." He smiles mischievously as he adds, "Though I'm thinking maybe that it might not have been such a good idea for me to buy such a dress since it means you'll have more then your share of attention from other men when we go dancing." His smile softens, "And I'm glad you like the dress. Was a bit anxious about it." "I don't know that I'll attract that much attention," replied Deb with a soft smile. "But if I do, just think how jealous they'll be of you." She reached up and gently caressed his face. "Because I only have eyes for you." She took his hands in hers as she stepped away from him. "Now, come with me," she insisted, pulling him toward the front door and the veranda beyond. As he lets her lead him onto the porch, he says bemusedly, "Trust me, you'll get quite a bit of attention....especially in that dress. But I don't think I'm going to be noticing any jealousy on the part of the other men....as my attention will be entirely on my wife." As they stepped onto the porch, Deb couldn't resist a brief glance the magnificent view. The ocean was just a few meters away and they could hear the soft sounds of the waves breaking onto the beach. Leading Aidan to one of the wicker love seats on the veranda, she picked up a rather large box brightly wrapped in green foil paper with a gold bow. Picking it up, she proudly handed it to him. "Merry Christmas, Aidan," she whispered, kissing him on the cheek. He starts to tell her that she shouldn't have....but his words from a minute earlier echo in his mind. He takes the gift as he sits down in the love seat. He opens it carefully, not wanting to seem like a child opening presents at Christmas. Opening it, he brushes the tissue paper aside and finds a dark navy blue dress silk shirt and a pair of dress slacks contained within. He blinks and a slow smile forms on his face. He glances up at Deb. "It would appear we both had the same general idea. Thank you, love. This will go perfect tomorrow night." "I sneaked a look in your closet a couple of weeks ago. It was as barren as mine," laughed Deb. She shrugged her shoulders and grinned. "I assumed we would be going out a little during our honeymoon. I wanted you to have something sharp and stylish to wear." He puts the cover back on the box before standing. He leans into kiss her, "I suppose I should go try these on. I'll be right back." He guides her to the chair he just vacated before he steps inside. Returning a few minutes later, having changed, he steps in front of her and bows. Bemusedly he says, "I trust I meet m'lady's expectations?" "Oh," she breathed, smiling broadly. "You look fabulous." Deb got up and stepped toward him, slipping her arms around him while resting her cheek against his chest. "I'm not the only one who will draw a lot of attention tomorrow night," she whispered. He steps to the chair and sits down, pulling her gently down on his lap. He purrs contentedly and murmurs, "The only person's attention I want is yours. All others pale in comparison." He slips his arms around her and cradles her head against his shoulder. Hugging her gently, he breathes, "Thank you for making this the best Christmas I've had so far." Deb pulled away just far enough to look into Aidan's eyes. "I feel the same way," she whispered, kissing him lightly on the cheek. "As a matter of fact, these past few days have been the best of my life." She leaned against him, the soft fabric of his new shirt cool against her skin. They sat in silence for a couple of minutes before Deb slid off his lap and pulled him to his feet. "Come on," she murmured. "Let's go inside and continue our Christmas celebration" "Oh? What does my wife have in mind? Because I was rather liking the cuddling." He smiles as he says that. He slips his arm around her waist as he murmurs, "This has been the best week of my life so far as well. A lifetime's worth is what's ahead of us." He steps past her a little then turns, sweeping her into an impromptu dance as they step through the door.

Aidan steps out of the small bungalow that he and Deb were staying in during their honeymoon. He walks down to the water's edge and kneels, silently watching the ocean. As a warm breeze washes over him, he glances up at the stars just starting to show in the twilight just before night. He closes his eyes and listens to the sounds around him for a few minutes. It was going to take a bit of time, he decides, for him to get used to the idea of being married and maybe that was what was making him feel a bit out of place. Not that he'd change anything and go back to being single for anything in the world. His marriage with Deb felt more natural to him then anything he could think of. And he's found he's slept far more peacefully since they got married and started sharing the same bed. He smirks briefly as a thought occurs to him as he muses over that. He shakes his head briefly, thinking that it was going to take a little time to get used to all the changes that have been taking place. Even if those changes brought him a peace and contentment that he hadn't been aware that he could have. Debbie stepped out of the bedroom to find she was alone in the small, waterfront cottage. There was only one place Aidan could have gone. She walked onto the back veranda overlooking the beach. Sure enough, he was at the water's edge, kneeling in the pristine white sand. She was tempted to call to him but quickly decided against that. Instead, she leaned against the railing and watched him as he gazed out over the sea, wondering what thoughts were running through his head. Probably the same thoughts she was having. So much had changed in her life over the past few days. She was now a married woman. Most importantly, she was married to a man she adored. She'd never felt so content and complete as she did now that she and Aidan were finally man and wife. But, as with most changes, living with another person would take some getting used to. So far, most things had proven to be quite pleasant. Deb could only hope they would remain that way indefinitely. Deb looked around and spotted the red beach blanket neatly folded on one of the chairs. Picking it up, she walked down the steps from the veranda to the little trail leading from the bungalow to the beach beyond. As she quietly approached her new husband, she glanced around, grateful they'd been able to find such a beautiful and secluded area for their honeymoon. Tired after a day of sailing, they'd decided to stay close to home this evening. What better way to spend it than lounging on the beach. Her presence draws him out of his musings but it takes him a few seconds to turn from watching the sun set over the horizon. He glances over his shoulder and smiles as he looks her over. Reaching a hand towards her he says, "Sorry, didn't mean to leave you alone back there, lainn. Found myself in an....introspective mood I guess." "No apologies necessary, she replied softly, taking his hand and sitting down beside him. It would soon be dark and she could feel the temperature falling. But that was one of the advantages to a tropical climate. Shorts and a tank top worked just as well at night as during a day spent sailing. Deb dropped the blanket on the ground, took off her deck shoes and proceeded to dump the sand out of them. "Care to share what you were thinking about?" she asked nonchalantly. He smiles in amusement as he watches her remove the sand from her shoes. He stretches for a moment before saying, "Just thinking over the changes in my life over the last few days, changes over the last two years really." He glances up at the stars and adds, "And just watching the sun set and the stars come out. I don't think I've felt as....settled and content planetside as I do right now. At least not in memory." He leans over and kisses her on the shoulder, "Thanks to you." "I know what you mean," said Debbie, burrowing her feet into the sand. "I keep thinking I'm going to wake up and find this was all a dream." She reached over and clasped his hand, squeezing it tightly. "Does it sometimes feel a little.... overwhelming? she asked, turning toward him. "Are you disappointed in any way?" He turns to face her as she asks that last question. He murmurs, "Overwhelming? A little perhaps but only because this is a big change for both of us. It will take a little time to adjust to it all." He pauses as the breeze picks up a little, savoring for a moment the feel of it against him. He smiles faintly, "What would I have to be disappointed about? I'm on my honeymoon with my most loving and beautiful wife, we're alone on a warm tropical beach and we have several weeks ahead of us to spend...alone. I think the only thing I could possibly be disappointed about is that we can't stay here the rest of our lives. Living in a world no bigger then this would be fine with me." He arches an eyebrow, "Or are you disappointed at something?" Debbie smiled warmly and shook her head. "No," she replied resolutely, pushing herself to her feet. She picked up the blanket, shook it out and spread it on the sand beside Aidan. "I'm not at all disappointed." She sat down on the far side of the blanket and patted the spot beside her, encouraging him to sit there. "The wedding, this honeymoon.....everything has lived up to my expectations." She paused and grinned knowingly. "That's especially true of you. But then, you're more experienced with certain things than I am." He moves to sit next to her and he stretches his legs out as she speaks. At the last thing she says, he glances at her in momentary confusion. "Hm? Oh...." He frowns momentarily as he shrugs and says "Perhaps." This isn't quite what he had in mind that would come up in a conversation as there were parts of his past he had kept from her. His mind whirls as he tries to find someway to move this conversation to safer ground. She glanced at Aidan just in time to catch him grasping for words. He seemed a little uncomfortable with her remark. They had talked about so many things, there was very little she didn't know about him. But he'd always remained quiet about the women in his past, other than Fiona and that was just a friendship. Debbie stretched out on her side and cozied up to Aidan, her curiosity peaked. Propping her head up with one hand, she studied him for a moment before resting her other hand on his chest. She decided to ask him outright. "Would you mind telling me about them?" He sighs inwardly as he lets himself stretch out completely on the blanket. He brings a hand up and settles it over hers. Watching her he asks, "Not that I'm opposed to telling you....but I am a bit curious as to why you want to know...." Deb drew a deep breath and pondered the question. She should have known he would ask. After a moment or two, she shrugged her shoulders slightly and met his gaze. "I was just curious, that's all," she replied with a slight smile. It was the truth. She really was curious about the women in his past. On more than one occasion, he'd said there hadn't been very many but he never provided any details. As she considered his question and her answer, she became aware of something else. Her curiosity extended beyond a list of names and dates. She found herself feeling a little uncomfortable about that and quickly tried to put it out of her mind. He tips partially on his side and studies her for a few moments. It occurs to him that this would be about the first time he's ever wished he was telepathic, then he could just show her. "Deidre was the girl I was involved with in the last few years I was in school before the Academy. She's from Castlebar, Ireland which isn't too far from my family's home at Longford. She was the first girl I was in love with....or thought it was love. It kind of ended because of my going to the Academy. As I recall, she's married now with a few kids. Never met her husband as I haven't seen her in a long time." He closes his eyes for a few seconds then says "And Amadee was who I was involved with the last two years in the Academy. She was from Trill and was studying to be a science officer, same as I was. The relationship lasted until graduation. It didn't end badly, just ended as we were both being assigned to different ships and relationships covering the distances involved tend to be hard to maintain. Anyway, did you want to know anything else about them?" "No," said Debbie, rolling onto her back and dropping her head onto the blanket. It was dark now. They sky was a mass of twinkling lights winking at them from afar. "You were right when you said there weren't that many." She turned her head toward him, still able to see him clearly in spite of the darkness quickly enveloping them. "But It wouldn't matter if there were a dozen or more," she continued quietly. "None of them could have loved you as much as I do." He leans over her and kisses her for a few moments. He smiles as her scent washes over him and he stares down into her eyes. He murmurs "And you mean far more to me then they ever came close to." He brushes a finger gently against her neck as he smiles. "So...care to answer the question in return? I mean it would only be fair if you told me about your prior involvements." He settles next to her as he waits for her answer. After a second though, he says "Thank you for not being upset at my...experience. Was a bit..concerned you would be." "There's nothing to be upset about," whispered Debbie with a smile. "It was a long time ago." He frowns slightly then asks "And is that what you thought I'd be disappointed at? That you hadn't..." Debbie smiled shyly and focused on a cluster of stars about twenty degrees above the horizon. "I wasn't that concerned about it....but the thought did cross my mind." He chuckles "If the situation had been reversed, love, we both know you wouldn't have held it against me." He pauses slightly then purrs "There is something very....pleasing in the knowledge that I'm the one who gets to show you and, with a little luck, be the only one. You're hardly a disappointment in any regards. You're my wife, that's all that matters to me." He kisses her briefly and murmurs, "My one and only wife, the last woman I will love and be intimate with." Aidan's words touched her deeply, far more deeply than she than she ever expected. She had always hoped there would be "only one." As recently as two years ago, she had pretty much given up on ever finding him. She turned to look at him, lying beside her in this tropical paradise, still amazed at the turn of events that brought them to this place and time. "You are the one, Aidan," she whispered. "There were none before you and there will never be anyone else." She glanced over at him to find him watching her closely. She smiled mischievously. "There is something you should know," she continued, lightly patting his arm. "If it's something I'm interested in, I'm a very quick study." Then she paused for a moment to recollect. "As far as your previous question is concerned, I had two boyfriends for about two months each," she finally replied, pushing herself up on her elbows. "The first was in college. I think it was my third year. As I recall, his name was Paul." She cast a quick glance at her husband, stretched out beside her. "He was a jock. We had little in common and quickly lost interest in each other." She sat up and turned to face Aidan, crossing her legs at the same time. "The second was Frank. We dated for a couple of months during my second year in medical school. We had a few things in common....we were both following the same career tract. But there was a lot going on back then. Medical school is no walk in the park. So, we broke up." Deb shrugged her shoulders and smiled. "And those two constitute all of my prior involvements." He smiles and leans up and brushes a hand across her face. He lets the hand trail down her arm as he kisses her briefly. He murmurs "Well, I suppose it's selfish of me...but I'm most pleased that those relationships didn't last. And I think they were definitely fools. And I hope I far exceed those two." He pauses slightly "But enough of the past, I think. What did you wish to do this evening? Or did you just want to talk while watching the stars?" "I agree," laughed Debbie. "They were both fools. But, what is it that old expression says? "Good things come to those who wait! She smiled lovingly at him as she stretched out beside him, again propping her head up with one hand. "And there is no comparing you to those guys." She gently cupped his face with her free hand. "You're more than either of them ever could hope to be." She started tracing his lips with her finger as she continued. "By the way, what exactly does lainn mean?" He kisses her finger before murmuring "It's Irish for 'beautiful.'" He chuckles then adds "I suppose I should have said it in English, probably loses some of it's charm if I have to translate it." He traces his free hand down her side, enjoying the touch of her. He closes his eyes briefly and slowly exhales. "I wouldn't trade this for anything in the universe." She leaned over and kissed her husband lightly on the cheek but didn't bother pulling away afterward. "About tonight," she purred softly. "I can't think of a better place to spend the evening." She brushed her lips against his and gently kissed him, lingering a little longer than usual. Moving back just a bit, she smiled knowingly. "But I was wondering if I could interest you in something more than just ....talk." He smiles at the look in her eyes as he had been a bit curious as to why she brought the blanket with her. He kisses her warmly as he gently bears her down so that he ends up leaning over her. After a few moments he breaks off the kiss and stares down into her face. He purrs, "So....what exactly did you have in mind?" His smile turns mischievous before adding, "Or should I guess...." He brushes his lips against hers before kissing her deeply. She responded eagerly to his kiss, slipping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer to her. When their lips finally parted, Debbie offered him a sensual smile and purred, "Excellent guess, my love.....excellent indeed."

There had been no time to get nervous. There were only six weeks to plan a wedding and reception. Deb had been busier than ever and was actually grateful the ship was in a drydock undergoing repairs. That meant nothing much was going on in Sickbay so she had a little more time to devote to the wedding plans. Even as a girl, Debbie Matthews had never dreamed about her wedding day. It just wasn't an event she'd ever been all that concerned about. As the years passed, she resigned herself she probably wouldn't marry so why waste time thinking about a wedding. Then she got engaged. She and Aidan agreed to share responsibilities. He was in charge of the honeymoon and she would handle the wedding and reception. Deb's only problem was....she didn't have a clue what was involved with planning a wedding, even a small one. Thank heaven for Gracie. Once again, she came to the rescue. Without Gracie's assistance, Deb wasn't sure what she would have done. And all of the hard work led to this moment.....the big day had finally arrived. As the great doors opened and Deb and her grandfather stepped into the entrance way, she found herself a bit overwhelmed by the beautiful setting. Even if she had dreamed of her wedding as a child, Deb couldn't have imagined anything as wonderful as this. She was getting married in an ancient Irish castle that had been in Aidan's family for hundreds of years. The actual ceremony would be in the Grand Foyer, a large entrance hall that was bigger than the entire house Deb had grown up in. Two magnificent, stone staircases were located on either side of the Foyer. Both were draped in beautiful garlands of light pink roses with giant antique white and green hydrangea and Casa Blanca lilies. Six pedestals, all ten feet tall, defined the altar area. Twelve candles sat atop each pedestal surrounded by arrangements of roses, hydrangea and lilies. These were "real" flowers too! She had the Captain to thank of that....and Brian Smith....and Jontilles Shamor. The memory of how that came about brought an immediate smile to her lips. Directly behind the altar, a large archway led into the Ballroom where the reception would be held. Deb could just barely see the tables with their elegant centerpieces. But her attention was quickly redirected as the orchestra began to play the entrance hymn. It was their cue to begin the long walk down the aisle. At the same moment, Deb's calm facade nearly crumbled. Now, she was nervous. As though sensing the change in her mood, her grandfather gently patted her hand. "Don't worry," he whispered. "I won't let you fall." The bride couldn't help but chuckle. She didn't bother pointing out to her grandfather that it was his hand shaking, not hers. "Shall we go?" the retired engineer asked quietly. Debbie nodded slightly and the two began their slow march to the altar and the beginning of her new life. She smiled at their guests as she walked past, impressed by how dashing everyone looked. Some were in dress uniforms while others wore formal civilian attire. As they drew closer to the altar, Deb smiled warmly at her maid of honor. She'd asked Ciara Ridire, Aidan's younger sister, to stand with her today. The young woman looked stunning in her emerald green gown. Then she turned her attention to Aidan, waiting for her at the altar. He looked wonderful in his formal tux. She wondered what he thought of her simple yet elegant wedding dress. The A-line gown was traditional white, lace over satin and featured a bodice with a soft, beaded sweetheart neckline, sheer back yoke with covered buttons and cap sleeves. It had a beaded empire waistline and the delicate beading continued onto the lace skirt that extended into a chapel length train. Deb wore a diamond and pearl necklace and matching pearl drop earrings. Both were gifts from her grandmother. They'd been a wedding gift from her grandfather and Rose had worn them on her wedding day nearly sixty years earlier. Deb had chosen to forgo a veil. Instead, she wore her hair swept up in curls with wispy bangs barely covering either side of her forehead. Delicate white flowers peeked out from among the curls. As she and her grandfather approached, Aidan stepped toward them and prepared to take her hand. Aidan keeps from fidgeting with his tuxedo only through force of will. It really isn't that uncomfortable but the nervousness inherent in the occasion is making him more then a little aware that tuxedos, like dress uniforms, weren't exactly made with comfort of the wearer first and foremost in mind. And he would admit that it's not like he looks bad wearing it, it was hard to not look good in a tux. Fortunately he had chosen something relatively simple, a classic black tuxedo as it were. Still, if this was the last time he had to deal with a bow tie in his life, he would be eternally grateful. He hears a soft chuckle behind him to the left causing him to glance over at Nick. Not for the first time he wishes the young El Aurian wasn't quite so good when it came to reading him. And not for the first time Aidan wonders if he and Deb should have eloped as Nick and his wife did. Before he can further himself along that mental path he hears the entrance music start up. He glances around the grand hall, once again impressed with the job that Deb did in altering the program so that it was properly decorated. He doubts a better job could have been done with the actual castle back home. He closes his eyes briefly and lets himself savor the smell and sounds of the grand hall. A murmur running through the guests causes him to open his eyes and his gaze falls on Deb and her grandfather approaching up the center aisle. His breath catches as he takes in Deb and the way she looks in her dress. But it's her eyes that hold his attention, the smile and promise clear in them. As they reach the bottom of the two steps that lead up to the dais the altar is set on he steps forward and waits to take her hand. He knows no matter what this was going to be something he'll remember until the day he dies. Virgil Matthews shook hands with Aidan and patted him on the forearm. He turned to Deb and kissed her lightly on the cheek. For a moment, she thought he was going to say something. At the last moment, he simply smiled and turned toward her future husband. "Here you go, son," he said quietly as he placed Debbie's hand in Aidan's. "You best take care of her," he added with a wink as he stepped back and allowed his granddaughter and her fiance to continue on their way to the altar where the Captain waited to conduct the marriage ceremony. Deb blinked back tears, determined not to cry. Gracie spent over an hour on Deb's makeup. She'd also threatened to kill Deb should she cry and ruin it. Aidan squeezed her hand slightly as they proceeded to the altar. Deb couldn't help grinning at Captain Michaels, all decked out in his dress whites. He was even wearing his medals. The Captain had a silly smirk on his face and suddenly, Deb was a bit concerned about what Michaels would say. He was well known for his dry humor and he'd known Deb for many years....Aidan too. She could only hope he wouldn't choose this moment to expose some of those unfortunate missteps that every officer takes while learning how things operate on a starship. She silently prayed he would hold onto those until the reception. Aidan smirks faintly when Deb's grandfather instructs him "You best take care of her." He's half tempted to reply that was going without saying. As Aidan turns to guide Deb towards where the Captain is waiting he squeezes her hand gently and murmurs, "You look radiant, love." As they approach the Captain, Aidan closes his eyes for a few moments and forces himself to relax. Suffice it to say this is probably the most nervous he's felt in years, if not his lifetime. When he opens his eyes, his gaze immediately falls on the Captain's silly little smirk. He feels something settle in the pit of his stomach. Usually, when the Captain had that expression it was not going to be anything good.

That's because everyone is still hung over from last night's festivities. ^_^ But echoing Mr. GromVik's sentiments, Happy New Year! May we all live long and prosper in 2008!

Debbie followed her grandmother into the bedroom and waited as Rose Matthews closed the door. She was intrigued by the older woman's sudden desire for a private meeting with her granddaughter. "I know we don't have much time," said Rose, quickly walking toward the closet. "Aidan and your future in-laws will be here shortly. So, I'll hurry up with this." "Hurry up with what?" asked Deb as her grandmother pulled out two medium sized gift boxes. Neither were decorated but there were small notes attached to each box. "I have a couple of gifts for you," replied Rose. "I wanted to make sure I gave them to you tonight. I know there won't be time tomorrow, what with the wedding and all." As her grandmother crossed the room toward her, Debbie was a little taken aback by the expression on the older woman's face. She was more animated than Deb had seen her in quite awhile....more alert and spirited. It had been almost four years since Debbie visited her grandparents. She was absolutely certain Rose looked younger now than she did back then. "Come," continued the elder Matthews, taking Debbie by the hand and leading her to the bed. "Sit down and open this one first." With that, she handed her granddaughter one of the boxes. The note on top said simply # 1. Debbie did as she was told. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she cautiously opened the box, casting an occasional glance at Rose. Whatever was inside, was carefully wrapped in tissue paper. As Deb parted the tissue, her mouth fell open. Inside the box was a white night gown made of the most beautiful fabric Debbie had ever seen. "It's Denovian silk," offered Rose. "The finest in the known universe." Deb glanced up. Her grandmother stood beside her, hands folded underneath her chin, her eyes dancing. She reminded Debbie of a little girl at Christmas time. Debbie carefully lifted the elegant gown out of the box. It was floor length with spaghetti straps and the silk was the most exquisite Debbie had ever held in her hands. It was, without a doubt, the most gorgeous piece of lingerie she'd ever seen in her life...not that she had much experience in that area. One thing was for sure. It must have cost a bloody fortune. "Grandma," she whispered, not quite sure what to say. "Perhaps you can pack that for your honeymoon," suggested Rose, sitting down beside her granddaughter. Debbie leaned over and kissed Rose lightly on the cheek. "This is definitely coming with me on the honeymoon," she said, still admiring the lovely gift. "As a matter of fact...." She glanced at her grandmother and grinned knowingly. "This will be perfect....." "I thought so too," quipped Rose, handing Deb the second box. "Now, open this one." Debbie carefully placed the white silk gown back into its box and put it aside. Taking the second box from her grandmother, she glanced at the note attached. All it said was # 2. As with the first gift, the contents of box # 2 were carefully wrapped in tissue paper. After folding back the paper, Debbie looked up at her grandmother, somewhat puzzled. "What is it?" she asked. "Take it out," suggested Rose. Again, Deb did as she was told. As she held up the skimpy, black garment, her eyes nearly fell out of her head. "It's a nightie," said her grandmother proudly. Debbie had figured that out. "I know," she replied. "It's Deltan," added Rose. "Deltan!" Debbie jumped up off the bed. "Where did you get a Deltan....nightie?" "At a specialty boutique, of course," replied the older woman, clearly amused. The thought of her eighty-two year old grandmother shopping for lingerie in a Deltan specialty boutique was just about more than Debbie could bear. She stared at Rose as though she'd never seen the woman before. For her part, Rose Matthews took it all in stride. She slipped off the bed and calmly stood before her shell-shocked granddaughter. "Deborah," she said quietly. "I know it may be difficult for you to believe this, but your grandfather and I were not....born old." She grinned mischievously. "We were young once. And even now... well...look at your granddad....he's still a bit of rascal." Debbie locked her knees to keep from collapsing in a heap at her grandmother's feet. Of course she knew that Virgil and Rose "were not born old." She was a board certified MD, for crying out loud! But the fact her grandma even knew about such things as Deltan lingerie, much less where to buy it... well...that was downright... disturbing. And it told Debbie a whole lot more about grandma and grandpa than she ever wanted to know. And what was this about Virgil being a rascal? Rose said even now he was still a bit of rascal? That couldn't possibly mean what she thought it meant. As she stood there, speechless, she was forced to admit there was a side to her grandparents that...well....never mind....she didn't care to think about that either. Rose took the skimpy garment from her granddaughter and held it up. "There isn't much to it," observed Debbie, still trying to catch her breath. "There isn't supposed to be," explained the older woman. "This is designed to accentuate your....attributes.....not to hide them." "Grandma," she stuttered. "I can't even tell where the front is!" "Right here," replied Rose patiently. "See these pretty little beads. They're on the front." Suddenly both women looked toward the door as the sound of voices came from the other room. Aidan and his family had arrived. Debbie glanced at the chronometer on the bedside table. They were right on time. Rose folded the nightie in half and handed it back to Debbie. "We'd better go....don't want to be rude and keep our guests waiting." "No," replied Debbie, still gawking at the black lace she was holding in her hand. "We don't want to do that." "Be sure to take that one with you too," said Rose while heading toward the door. "But don't wear it right away. Wait a few days." She turned and grinned at Debbie. "Your new husband won't know what hit him when he sees you in that. He won't stand a chance." Debbie watched in stunned silence as her grandmother opened the door and walked out of the room. She quickly turned and dropped gift number two back into its box, closed the lid and prepared to join her guests. As she was about to exit the room, she glanced back at the unmarked box sitting on her bed and mumbled. "If I put that on, Aidan may not know what him. But I'm the one who won't stand a chance."

Lieutenant Commander Brian Smith stared at his office computer. It had been five hours since he started the search for "floral arrangements." So far, he didn't think he'd come quite close to what the captain had asked for. Obviously, Smith understood that the Captain meant well when he assigned Brian the task, albeit the unorthodox delivery. Debbie hurried along the corridor toward Brian's office. She'd wanted to touch base with him right after leaving the bridge but, as usual, things didn't work out. She was still in shock over the Captain ordering Brian and his lone botanist to provide all the flowers for the wedding. Of all the people..... There was no way Deb would interfere with the Captain's orders. On the other hand, he'd assumed the wedding would take place in one of the ship's lounges. Debbie wanted to let Brian know she and Aidan would marry in the Ridire ancestral castle courtesy of the holodeck. She arrived at the office, knocked once and then walked in. "Well, Brian," she said, shaking her head. "There is one thing I'll give you. Your timing is impeccable." Brian smiled. "I was just going to ask him if he wanted to split the cost of a wedding gift. You know how expensive quality gifts are these days." "Split the cost of a gift?" chuckled Debbie as she sat down across from the Chief Science Officer. "So, not only do you have impeccable timing, you're cheap too!" "It's okay, I'd rather use what's left to pay for the flowers." He handed her a PADD. "I hope you like red. These flowers from Vulcan are the best thing I can get you on such short notice. Of course, I hope you-know-who is happy with them." The T'linn flower from Vulcan was Smith's best option. It was a small, but beautiful plant. It also had an extremely fast gestation rate. Using the facilities in Reaent's botany lab, the whole observation lounge would be filled with bright red flowers in no time. "I've already got what's left of Engineering working on the observation lounge," he continued. "It'll be nice." The CMO glanced at the PADD and then grinned at Brian. "You can pull those engineers out of the observation lounge. When the Captain issued his orders, he didn't know Aidan and I had already made arrangements to use one of the holodecks for the wedding and the reception." She paused for a moment to allow Brian to digest this new information. "The Ridire family holds title to an ancient castle in Ireland. We're hoping to re-create the castle for both the wedding and the reception." She smiled coyly. "Of course, that means we'll need a stable power supply to the holodeck...for at least twelve hours, preferably twenty-four. Perhaps you could arrange for the engineers to work on that little problem." Brian was surprised and intrigued at the same time. "A castle? Wow. That sounds exciting. And it's perfect! Red goes great with the colors of a castle. Well...I guess. I've had people tell me before that I'm slightly color blind. It runs in the family." Deb again looked at the PADD, paying close attention to the small picture of a lovely red flower from Vulcan. Although it was beautiful, it wasn't quite what Debbie envisioned for her wedding. She grinned mischievously as she sat the PADD back on Brian's desk. "About those flowers.....I was thinking more along these lines." With that, she pulled a photo out of her pocket and slid it across the desk. She watched, somewhat bemused, as Brian looked at the elaborate garlands and dazzling arrangements featured in the picture. The flowers were light pink roses with giant antique white and green hydrangea and Casa Blanca lilies. There wasn't a single "red" petal among them. She couldn't help laughing at Brian's expression. The poor man looked like he'd been sentenced to death by firing squad. "Don't look so glum," she teased. Glancing around the room as though someone might be eavesdropping, Deb leaned forward slightly and whispered. "I know exactly where to get them. What's more, these guys will not only deliver them, they'll arrange them and set up everything." She leaned back in her chair and smiled. "It's all set up. But you have to place the order. Wouldn't want to get you into trouble with the Captain. The thing is, you need to contact them today. Otherwise, they won't be able to get out here in time." "Sounds easy enough. Just let me have the details and I'll get right on it," Brian replied. "There's not exactly a whole lot on my to do list. Now that Ensign Batami doesn't have to worry about flowers she can take care of recalibrating what's left of the sensors. That wipes the whole day clean. Now...about the chef..." Deb took on a more serious expression. "Hmm...the chef....yes, our good Captain ordered you to find the best chef in the quadrant...or something like that." She looked at Brian intently. "Have you had any luck?" "Are you kidding?" he snapped back. "I haven't had a second to breate, let alone worry about the chef. I figured the flowers were atleast a little mre important. But now that you're taking care of that...Unless you want some replicated Andorian cheese puffs...No." "I didn't think so," laughed Deb. "But I may have a name for you." She pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and carefully unfolded it before handing it to Brian. "The chef is David Levesque. He specializes in classical but unique events. He agrees that a wedding aboard a badly damaged starship docked at a shipyard in the middle of nowhere qualifies as....unique." She smiled proudly. "Actually, I think it was the castle that intrigued him. At any rate, he's already on his way." She again leaned back in the chair, her smile broadening. "His references are there and the menu is on the back. Just show that to the Captain, tell him you've cleared it with the bride and groom and you should be off the hook." Deb's expression sobered considerably as she broached the next subject. "David is bringing his own team along with him. However, they'll need adequate facilities to prepare everything on that menu. And this is real food so they'll need a real kitchen....a big kitchen. Maybe those engineers could help out with that as well." "Hmm..." Brian chuckled at what was about to come next. "Maybe we should use the Captain's quarters for that." He laughed. "I guess not. I can probably have engineering convert a science lab or two." Deb laughed in spite of herself. "Oh you do that, Brian. And you'll be right there with Aaron's rookies scrubbing out the dueterium tanks." "You're going to owe Aaron a lot after this wedding is over. We've now got his department searching for power for a holodeck AND converting a science lab into a makeshift kitchen. But...I'll see what I can do." "It's just one day," replied Debbie with an innocent smirk. "We all know how resourceful you are. Why else would the Captain put you in charge of the flowers and the food." The CMO smiled at Brian. "I, for one, will be very grateful for your assistance. And I think it's safe to say the Commander will be grateful as well." Ever since coming aboard, Matthews had been Smith's mentor. Even though she was marrying quite possibly the one person Smith felt distant with on the crew, Brian wanted to help make the day special. If nothing else, he hoped that it would help him get to know the softer side of Reaent's second-in-command. Brian's expression changed when Deb brought up Aidan's name. She knew all to well he and Aidan had butted heads on more than one occasion. She'd never discussed Ridire with Brian. Under the circumstances, she doubted the CSCI would feel very comfortable expressing his "true" feelings about the Commander. But she and Aidan had talked about Brian several times over the past couple of years. Deb was quite proud of Smith. She considered him a bright young man who had a great future in Starfleet. There was only oneproblem with Brian. He suffered periodic bouts of "foot in mouth" disease. That "condition" drove Aidan crazy. At the same time, Ridire knew how valuable the CSCI was and he was determined to push Brian...to keep him moving toward his full potential...and the Commander was prepared to push hard. Debbie canted her head to one side and stared at Brian. "You haven't figured him out yet, have you?" she asked. Brian sighed. "Honestly, I don't know. Before I took the job upstairs, we didn't really interact much, but now that I've spent most of my duty hours around him, I've realized how much he contributes to the crew. You picked a good one." "But as for 'figuring him out'...I don't know. I think having the shared experience of the Cairo mission might have helped us move a little bit closer as of late, but I don't know if we'll ever be best friends. Sometimes we just don't...click. But, I'm beginning to figure him out. I sensed that he was going to pop the question soon." "Lets just say this. I don't think your first child is going to be named Brian, but then again, on this ship...anything is possible." Deb stared at the CSCI and then burst into laughter. "Do us both a favor," she said. "Don't say that to Aidan." She stood up and shook her heard. "I have great confidence in you, she continued more seriously. "I'm sure one day, you'll be the XO all the junior officers are trying to impress. But you have to get past the Commander first. Keep trying," she added with a grin. "sooner or later, you'll figure him out." The CMO walked to the door then turned slightly and grinned at Brian as she took her leave. "And please keep me posted on the flowers and the food."

The door opened a few seconds after Grace rang the chime. She resisted the urge to again survey the corridor. Instead, she looked directly at the ship's XO and nodded. "Commander Ridire," she said calmly. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me." Aidan still isn't quite sure what's going on which is why he had agreed to this little appointment that Lt. Allen wanted. Though he can take some reasonable guesses. Lt. Allen...Gracie was part of Deb's department so obviously it doesn't have anything to do with Sickbay. If something was wrong with Sickbay, Gracie would have gone to Deb. And Deb thought the world of Gracie so he doesn't think it's some sort of personal conflict between the two women. Besides, Deb had indicated that Gracie knew of Deb and Aidan's relationship so he rather doubts that Gracie would come to him if she was having a problem with Deb. Which left...well..frankly his relationship with Deb as the reason why. Frankly, he isn't quite sure whether to be concerned or possibly bemused. It's not like Deb had given any indication that Gracie somehow had a problem with their relationship. Still..... Aidan steps aside to let her in. As he does so he asks "Can I get you something to drink, Lieutenant?" The chief nurse stepped inside, nodding to the Commander as she walked past him. "No thank you, sir," she replied to his inquiry about something to drink. Gracie made her way into the living area of the Commander's quarters and then turned to face him. "I'll try to be brief. I know your time is valuable. So is mine," she stated flatly. "But before I go any further, I respectfully request permission to speak.....freely." He shrugs, "I don't hold to much formality when I'm off duty so you don't even need to ask permission to speak freely." He guides her to the couch before moving to one of the chairs where he sits down. Gracie raised a brow at the Commander's remark. She doubted he understood her definition of freely but he would soon find out. "Very well," she replied, sitting down on the couch. "I would like to talk to you about Dr. Matthews." She studied Mr. Ridire's expression but he never blinked an eye. "Dr. Matthews is my commanding officer," continued Gracie in a monotone. "She's an excellent physician and administrator. I enjoy working with her." Again, she scrutinized Ridire's face but he remained unreadable. "But Debbie....well....Debbie is my friend," added Gracie, her voice softening a bit. "The truth is, I think of her as a....younger sister. She's always on top of her game when it concerns to her profession. But when it comes to certain types of relationships, she's woefully inexperienced...not to mention naive." Gracie leaned forward on the couch and looked directly at the Commander. "I know the two of you have been dating for a long time," she continued in a serious tone of voice. "And there's nothing wrong with that. I thought it was probably a good thing, especially for Debbie. Then all of a sudden, you propose and she accepts." Lieutenant Allen shrugged her shoulders. "She was so happy and I was pleased for her. But then she let something slip and I started wondering." "Deb insisted, " continued Gracie, choosing her words carefully, "the two of you have never been.... physically intimate. Not even on the night you got engaged. She also claimed it was her idea to wait." Allen held up her hands and shrugged her shoulders. "I was surprised. I've always known she was....reserved and it didn't help that she was raised by her grandparents. But I never suspected she was that conservative. Not that it's wrong. It's just that her values aren't exactly....in vogue these days." "I guess my question is this," she added quickly. "After taking your time all these months, is this why you proposed? Are you rushing to marry her because of the....sex?" It was a good thing he isn't drinking something when Gracie asked that as he's sure he would have choked on it. As it is, his expression shows clear surprise for a moment before he narrows his eyes as his expression goes decidedly cold. "Meaning, you think I might be marrying her just to get her into bed. It's a good thing I know what is motivating you to ask that question because if you had done it from anything short of concern for her, I might have forgotten that I gave you permission to speak freely." He closes his eyes for a few moments, giving himself the time necessary to make sure he's not letting his anger at the affront of what she said guide him. "Yes, we've never been physically intimate. Well...I should be a bit more specific....we're not lovers and yes it was her idea to wait. Now I'll admit to momentary surprise and a little frustration given the situation at the time...but I respect her choice and it was hers to make. And I am no cad, Gracie. As she'll tell you if you ask her, I have not pushed for us to take that step in all the time we've been dating and I would not let us cross that line now that I know what she expects. I do not wish to render the act meaningless by pushing her into it before she's ready and I don't wish to push her away from me like that." Gracie studied him skeptically, her curiosity aroused. "I would never accuse Dr. Matthews of lying," she said, a small frown tugging on her lips. "I resisted the temptation to examine her medical file. That would be unethical." She paused a moment and looked into Ridire's eyes. "But there is something I'd like to know. If you and Debbie have never been physically intimate, what was she doing leaving your quarters early one morning?" She canted her head to one side and continued in a low voice. "That is no rumor. I saw her with my own eyes and it was obvious she'd spent the night here." Aidan arches an eyebrow as he considers Gracie for a few seconds. "She left my quarters early that morning because she spent the night sleeping in my bed." He holds up a hand to forestall Gracie's reply before continuing, "We were having dinner that night or rather we were supposed to. Then the Captain called me away to tend to some things. Deb said she'd wait until I got back. By the time I got back it was extremely late and she had fallen asleep. I let her spend the rest of the night as opposed to making her try and get back to her quarters in a completely exhausted state. Nothing happened, I assure you, and certainly not what you're thinking." "You can believe this or not as you choose....but I proposed to her because I love her beyond my own life. It has nothing to do with removing her restriction on becoming lovers and in fact if she wanted to keep that restriction after our marriage, I would be fine with that. I did not get into this relationship with her thinking that even if things worked out I wouldn't propose to her." He frowns slightly "The only thing that has affected this, Gracie, has been the mission we've been on the last few weeks. And only in so far as it made us aware that the fates may conspire to end one of our lives." "Well," thought Lieutenant Allen silently, "at least he now understands what I meant by speaking freely." She had been around a long time and she was proud of her ability to 'read' people. In short, she knew a con when she saw one. She watched Mr. Ridire carefully as he spoke and paid very close attention to his eyes. When he finally stopped speaking, she continued to study him for several seconds and then leaned back on the couch. He seemed sincere although she seriously doubted he would willingly accept a sexless marriage.. "Debbie told me you have never been anything but a gentleman," she said softly. "I'm pleased to hear that you plan to continue behaving that way. As confounding as it is to me, waiting until marriage is important to her." Gracie glanced around the room and smiled slightly. "But she's struggling with it. That's not to say she's changed her mind. As of our last conversation, she was still determined to go the distance. But it's proving to be more difficult than she anticipated." Grace looked directly at the Commander. "Do you know why that is?" He leans back in his chair as he considers the question for a minute. "Because she has never been in a relationship that's gotten as serious as ours has. And sometimes there is some conflict between what the mind says, what the heart says and what one may physically desire." He shrugs slightly, "But waiting until marriage is what she's promised herself and I see no reason for her to be disappointed." "You're partially right," replied Grace with a slight shrug. "I think it's safe to say this is the most serious relationship she's ever had. And she's definitely conflicted. But the bottom line is.....she adores you. You've stirred up emotions she's kept buried for most of her adult life. She's finally gotten up the courage to take a chance but she's terrified of the very thing you believe has brought you to this point in the relationship. She's afraid something will happen to you and that would probably kill her." Mr. Ridire started to speak but Gracie put up a hand to stop him. "She isn't going to allow her fear to stand between the two of you getting married. I'm just wondering if you fully appreciate the risk she's taking. Because, with all due respect, as the XO of this particular ship, the odds favor something nasty will happen to you." "I think you misunderstood something. I did not say that I proposed to her because of what's been going on the last few weeks. All the events of the last few weeks did was make me realize that for however long I have in this life, I want it to be with her, as her husband. It did not cause me to decide to propose to her, I was already coming to that decision." "And as for the fear that something may happen to me, I'd be a bald faced liar if I said I didn't have that fear myself. I know my job entails risk....probably the most risk of anyone on this ship. But as the events of the last weeks also show....we are all at risk, Gracie. I am not going to withdraw from her because of it anymore then she has allowed it to control her. If I die, it will hurt her terribly, I'm well aware of that. But if I walk away from her because of that fear it's not going to be any less painful for her...any less painful then it would be if she walked away from me or if something happened to her. If she asked me to leave Starfleet for her, I'd do it in a heartbeat." "Life is risk, living life rather then merely surviving it entails risk. For quite a few years, I let fear of losing someone I loved and fear of loving keep me alone...solitary. It was Deb who cracked that shell I was creating around myself." He shrugs. "I love her, it's as simple as that." "Yes," replied Gracie with a slight smile. "I believe you do." She pushed herself to her feet and stood in front of the couch. "I trust you will keep her heart close to yours and handle it with care. She is....special to me. If you intentionally hurt her...." She stopped abruptly and shook her head. "Never mind," she said quickly. "Hopefully, you will ever intentionally hurt her." She started walking toward the door. "Thank you for your time, Commander. And thank you...for speaking freely." "Gracie, she may be, in your view, something of a little sister to you and I fully respect that. But she is my life to me. I would sooner rip out my own heart then intentionally hurt her. But I do have one question for you..." He pauses slightly, wondering quite how to phrase this. He chooses to be as direct as she had been. "What would you have done if you thought I was an improper match for her?" Lieutenant Allen chuckled. "I would have pointed that out to her long ago," she replied. "I'm confident I would have been able to persuade her to see things my way." She shook her head and smiled. "Commander, I never thought of you as an improper match for Debbie. But now that the two of you are planning a wedding, I felt it necessary to....make sure my initial impression was accurate." The chief nurse drew a deep breath and looked Mr. Ridire in the eye. "Now I have a question for you. You weren't serious about a sexless marriage, were you?" She canted her head to the left and raised a brow. "Because if you were, I know for a fact Debbie has other plans." He stifles a chuckle but it takes him a few seconds. "As I said....if she wanted to. And yes, I was fully serious in what I said...in the exact manner I said it in." He smirks then adds, "You think you're the only one who knows her intentions? I'm not that naive." Again, Grace Allen chuckled. "No, I doubt you are," she quipped. "Again, thank you for allowing me to talk to you about this. I realize it's a very personal matter." She drew a deep breath and sighed. "Now I have to figure out a way to tell Debbie that I took it upon myself to discuss this with you." He says bemusedly, "I'm afraid, Ms. Allen, that's your burden to bear. I'm not intending to talk to her about it..at least not until I know you have first. I have enough on my plate to discuss with her as is." She stared at the Commander for a long moment. "Perhaps you wouldn't mind not mentioning at all," suggested Gracie. "For the time being at least." He shrugs and smirks, "She won't hear it from me. You get to have that fun, like I said. While I get the fun of informing the Captain." Lieutenant Allen frowned. "My condolences, Commander. I wish you the best of luck with that one. As for me telling Debbie about this conversation, I would prefer to wait until after.....the wedding." She took a step closer to the door. It swished open and Gracie stepped into the corridor. She turned once again to face her reluctant host. "Thank you, again," she said with a slight nod. "And thank you for your....discretion."

She found herself in an unusual position. Not that it hadn't happened before. She'd had her fair share of "private chats" with higher ranking officers. But those conversations were usually about health related issues. This was the first time she'd ever felt it necessary to discuss such a personal matter with an officer so far up the chain of command. Lieutenant Grace Allen was the Reaent's Chief Nurse, a role she was well suited for. She loved the job. She was just a step or two below the CMO but she had less than a third of the paper work to deal with. Grace was quite content with her position on the Reaent. She could only hope she would still have both her rank and her job once she finished talking with Commander Ridire. Grace wasn't the least bit intimidated by those extra pips on the Commander's collar. But even she had to admit she was stepping out onto thin ice. She wasn't meeting Mr. Ridire to discuss his health. She was planning to ask him a few questions and point out a few facts about something he might consider "none of her business." If that was his reaction, she was prepared to "help him understand" that anything having to do with Debbie Matthews was most definitely "her business." Not only was Deb her commanding officer, she was also a close, personal friend. And less than 48 hours earlier, Debbie had agreed to marry Aidan Ridire. Therefore, Gracie was compelled to sit down with this man and decide for herself if he was the knight in shining armor her friend thought he was. Grace knew the two were in love. That was especially true for Debbie and it seemed to be the case with Ridire as well. Although Lieutenant Allen had little contact with the Commander, she was keenly aware of his demeanor whenever he stopped by Sickbay for an unannounced visit with the CMO. She saw the way he looked at Deb....the way he talked to her. There were even a few occasions when he actually touched her. Those touches were nothing more than a pat on the shoulder or a quick squeeze of the arm but the fact he made any physical contact at all was remarkable...and it spoke volumes. She wasn't going to bring up any of that during her chat with the Commander. She doubted he was even aware of it and she didn't want to burst his bubble. She knew both Ridire and Matthews had bent over backwards to be discreet about their relationship. Grace was fairly certain not many people on the ship suspected anything was going on....at least not until very recently. Both the Commander and Deb had become less secretive during recent weeks. But even then, Grace had always known about the blossoming relationship between them. She knew when and what to look for. Others didn't. Lieutenant Allen stopped in front of Mr. Ridire's door and casually glanced up and down the corridor. Nobody was around so she rang the chime, hoping he would answer quickly. She didn't want her commanding officer to know about her appointment with the Commander,at least, not yet anyway.

A moment later, her grandfather's familiar face disappeared. For several seconds, Debbie continued staring at the blank screen, not quite sure what to make of all that had just happened. She didn't hear Aidan as he got up and came over to stand beside her. She only noticed him when he put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him and grinned impishly. "I told you they'd be thrilled." From: "Calling Home - Part Two He smiles, "That's one less thing I have to worry about. His smile turns into a mischievous smirk as he leans down to kiss her warmly before murmuring, "I'm not sure though, that your grandmother is the lady Matthews that I want to be seen as attractive by." Deb looked at him in mock surprise. "My grandmother has impeccable taste," she purred, slipping her arms around his neck. She smiled coyly. "I must have inherited those genes." Her lips met his in a quick kiss. He smirks, "I'm not saying anything about your grandmother's taste. Just a bit odd having such a complement, no offense to your grandmother but rather have that complement from you." He pulls her up from the chair gently. "Do you suppose you will have a similar reaction to hers if and when our grandchildren, if we're so blessed, get engaged." She smiled at her fiance as they held each other close. "If we do have a daughter or a granddaughter who announces her engagement, you had better believe I'll have an opinion on how good looking her young man is. I'll never be too old for that." Deb grinned at him knowingly. "And if it's a son or a grandson....well....you can't tell me you won't size up the bride to be." He adopts an expression of pure innocence. "Now Deb, you know that would be unfair of me. To do so, I'd have to compare them to their future mother or grandmother in law. Would be totally unfair." He shrugs and smiles "Besides, I'll be too busy being protective of any daughters and granddaughters." Deb rolled her eyes and laughed. "And I'll be too busy protecting them from you." Reaching for his hand, she pulls him toward the small dining table. "Come on," she said lightly. "We have to make a few decisions. Not the least of which is the exact day and time we're going to get married. The grandparents will be calling back in a couple of days. I'd like to be able to give them particulars so they can make their travel plans." He squeezes her hand gently. "As for the day, I would say Friday or Saturday. Would like to be off the ship and get at least several full weeks vacation. I think we're fast approaching the time we're going to have to inform the Captain, love." He glances at her sidelong before asking "Or did you have anything specific in mind? And we're agreed on Gedi Prime? " "I think a Saturday afternoon wedding would be nice," replied Deb, slipping into one of the dining chairs. The table in front of her was covered with notes about gowns and flowers and honeymoon venues. "That way, the reception will end at a half way reasonable hour and we'll be able to leave early Sunday morning." She picked up one of the tourist brochures from Gedi Prime and smiled. "I'm all for Gedi Prime," she continued, her eyes dancing. "They have three different chains of islands in their southern hemisphere offering perfect weather year round." She turned to a certain picture and handed it to Aidan. "And a couple of them have small ocean side bungalows. They guarantee you 10 km of private beach to insure your peace and quiet." She turned in her chair so she was facing Aidan and looked up at him as he stood beside her. "You're right about the Captain. It's about time he was told about our plans." She canted her head to the right and grinned. He looks over her shoulder at the notes about the gown before turning his attention to the brochure about Gedi Prime. He smiles and murmurs "Yes, a private beach does sound perfect to me. So lets just pick one of those islands." He reaches for the nearest note regarding her wedding gown and he examines it for a few seconds. "This reminds me, suppose I have my own decision regarding clothes to make here." "Yes, you do," mused Debbie, shuffling through the papers, brochures and padds on the table. "And I have a note here somewhere about that very thing." She smiled triumphantly as she finally located it. Picking it up, she turned to Aidan and handed it to him while reclaiming the note about her dress. "I'm sure you'll look stunning in whatever you choose to wear," she said with a grin. "But don't think you're going to outshine the bride." He takes a look at the piece of paper she handed to him. He smirks "Women look stunning. Guys look dashing. And I think I'll keep it to a simple tux. Suppose I could wear my dress uniform..but then I wear that for other things as well." He leans down to kiss her gently, murmuring "And I have no intention of outshining the bride..even if that was possible." He moves to sit down in the chair next to her. "I do have one minor question. I assume you're keeping your maiden name?" Deb studied him for a moment, wondering if it really was a simple question. "Yes," she answered truthfully. "Under the circumstances, I think it would be easier and less confusing if I keep my maiden name." She reached for his hand and squeezed it tightly. "But I am willing to add your name to mine if and when we become civilians. He brings her hand up and kisses it. He murmurs "It's completely up to you, Deb. You can keep your maiden name the rest of our lives if you so choose. I'm not so old fashioned that I think you need to take my last name." He smirks faintly and purrs "It's not like I need you to change your last name for me to know we're married. I was just curious is all. Was there anything else we needed to decide?" She shook her head and smiled. "Not tonight," she replied. "I've had enough excitement for one day." She leaned back in her chair and shook her head, a look of disbelief on her face. "I don't think I'll ever get over seeing my Grandmother behave that way." She started laughing at the thought of the eighty-two year old woman screaming yes and then dancing in circles like a school girl. Deb looked at Aidan and again shook her head. "I never knew she cared that much." He smiles and shrugs. "You should have known she cared despite everything between you two. Like I told you before, she wouldn't have been as mad at you choosing Starfleet if she didn't worry for you. And she wouldn't have worried if she didn't care. I can't imagine not caring as much for any grandchildren I'm blessed with." He squeezes her hand gently and murmurs, "I'm just glad that your grandparents think I'm worthy of their granddaughter." Debbie laughed again. "At least you witnessed it for yourself. So you don't have to worry about that." She leaned over and kissed him lightly. "And now, let's forget about weddings and families and all that stuff. I'm famished. What do you want for dinner?" He returns the kiss, holding it for a bit longer. Backing off just a bit he murmurs "I feel like pasta but lets make it something relatively quick."

The two women laughed for a moment before Rose Matthews gazed intently at her granddaughter. "On to other subjects....speaking of intelligent people, not to mention attractive, how is your Commander doing?" The question blind sided Debbie. She heard a sound from where Aidan was sitting on the sofa but didn't dare look. She was too busy trying to swallow without choking. Aidan coughs when he overhears the question. Clearly, Deb's grandmother was not prepared to be subtle when it came to trying to set up her granddaughter with someone. He decides it was probably a good thing that Deb had never told her grandparents they were dating. Somehow, he suspects Deb's grandmother would have been as equally overt regarding them getting married. "My Commander?" she asked weakly. Her grandmother nodded. "Yes, you know. That nice young man we met the last time you were home. Ridire....that's right....Aidan Ridire. He's still the executive officer of your ship, isn't he? Debbie nodded. "So how is he doing?" "He's....fine," replied Deb, swallowing hard. "Just fine." Rose smiled knowingly. "I could tell you liked him. You really should..." "Grandma," Debbie cut her off before she could finish her sentence. "That was over four years ago. How can you say I liked him. I barely knew Commander Ridire. We were...working on something when we visited you and granddad" "Well, I liked him...a lot. So did your grandfather." Debbie sat back and smiled. This was going to be very interesting. "I'm glad you and grandpa liked him," she quipped, smiling patiently. "You could do far worse," insisted Rose. "I know," agreed Deb with a slight nod. The older woman studied her granddaughter for a few moments then shrugged her shoulders. "Okay, I'll stop now." "Thank you," whispered Debbie. "I appreciate that." There was another short pause as Rose deliberately folded her hands and placed them atop her desk. "So, what shall we talk about now?" Debbie smiled brightly. "I was wondering what you and grandpa were doing in about.....six weeks." "We don't plan that far ahead," quipped Rose. "We're old....remember?" Debbie leaned a bit closer to the screen. "Are you too old to travel? "That depends on the destination." "How about....your granddaughter's wedding?" It took a good thirty seconds for the words to sink in. The expression on Rose Matthew's face was indescribable. "You're getting married?" she asked incredulously. "Yes," replied Debbie. "In six weeks?" "That's right." Deb watched as her grandmother tried to rein in her enthusiasm. A full minute later, Rose looked directly at her granddaughter and asked the all important question. "Do we happen to know the individual you're going to marry?" It was all Debbie could do to keep from laughing. She managed to maintain a well controlled smile as she nodded. "Yes, you happen to know him. That's why I was so glad you and grandpa liked him." What happened next came as a complete surprise. Debbie's eighty-two year old grandmother clenched her fists and waved them high above her head while bellowing a single word. "YEEEESSSS!!! Debbie's eyes went wide and her mouth fell open. She was so startled, she nearly fell out of the chair. She glanced at Aidan who was shaking his head and laughing...hard. She knew he must be wondering what kind of family he was getting mixed up with. In the background, she could hear her grandfather calling for Rose. It was obvious he thought something was terribly wrong. Deb watched in stunned silence as Virgil Matthews entered the room and rushed to his wife's side. Rose jumped up from her chair and flung her arms around him chanting "Deborah's getting married....Deborah's getting married." Virgil extricated himself from his wife's strangle hold and sat down in front of the view screen. "Is this true?" Debbie nodded. "Yes, sir. It's true.....in six weeks. We would like you to come to the wedding." "Guess who she's marrying?" asked Rose who then immediately answered the question. "Mr. Ridire! She marrying that wonderful young man she brought home a couple of years ago." "It's been over four years," said Debbie, feeling an irrational need to keep the record straight. She again looked at Aidan. Her future husband was grinning like a Cheshire cat. Virgil caught Deb looking at someone else in the room. It didn't take him long to figure out who it was. "Debbie darlin," he whispered. "Is your young man there with you?" She nodded. "Just explain to him that your grandmother is easily excitable." Debbie chuckled nervously. "I don't think that's necessary." Virgil glanced over his shoulder at Rose, who was literally dancing in circles. When he looked back at Deb, there was a bright twinkle in his eye. "You've made your grandma a happy woman. And I'm pleased for you too. But right now, I think I'd better get Rosie a drink, settle her down a bit before she has a stroke or something worse." "Sounds like a good idea," replied Debbie. "But before you go, do you think you'll be able to come to the wedding?" "We'll be there," answered Virgil with a firm nod. "We'll be in touch in a few days to work out the details. But don't you worry. This is one event we wouldn't miss for the world." "Thanks, Grandpa," beamed Debbie. "I love you. And tell Grandma I love her too." "And we love you, little girl," replied the retired engineer. "Give my best to your young man. We'll call you soon." A moment later, her grandfather's familiar face disappeared. For several seconds, Debbie continued staring at the blank screen, not quite sure what to make of all that had just happened. She didn't hear Aidan as he got up and came over to stand beside her. She only noticed him when he put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him and grinned impishly. "I told you they'd be thrilled."

"Their behavior is shameful," snapped the older woman, her pale cheeks turning a bright pink. "He's been here all this time and they haven't visited once....not once! These are people of means. They have the resources to come here every month....if they wanted to. But noooo....they haven't bothered to visit him one time. They don't even call on a regular basis. I tell you, it's shameful." She was clearly furious and her granddaughter knew from experience it was best to keep quiet, at least for now. "I mean to confront them, Deborah," ranted the elder Dr. Matthews. "I mean to give them a piece of my mind." Debbie drew a deep breath and nodded. "I know you're angry, Grandma," she said, forcing herself to remain calm. "And rightfully so. I don't have a problem with you talking to his parents." She leaned a bit closer to the small view screen. "But not behind his back," she added in a definitive tone. "You must ask his permission." "He'll say no," quipped Rose Matthews, shaking her head. Debbie agreed but wasn't about to admit it. "He might," she replied quickly. "You won't know for sure until you ask him." "I'm sure he'll say no." "Then you'll have to abide by his wishes." "Someone needs to set those people straight," hissed Rose. "The way they treat him is despicable." Debbie took another deep breath before replying. It was obvious her grandmother was very fond of her young patient. It was also apparent she was taking his family's disinterest quite personally. "Grandma," she said kindly. "Simon may be the one who needs to set his family straight....not you." Rose glared at her granddaughter but said nothing. "You know it's a touchy situation," continued Debbie. "If you confront his family, they could very well think he put you up to it. That would only make things worse for him....and for you if you went behind his back to do it." The senior Dr. Matthews looked away and Deb breathed a quiet sigh of relief. She could tell her grandmother was calming down now and starting to think more clearly. She shook her head and smiled sadly. "Talking to his parents without his permission could seriously damage the relationship you have with Simon. Right now, you and Granddad are all he has. I don't know what would happen to him if he felt like he couldn't trust you." Debbie had finally gotten through to her grandparents twenty minutes earlier. She hadn't contacted them to discuss Simon Ljungberg's dysfunctional family. Unfortunately, the Petty Officer had endured yet another snub by his parents a few hours earlier, infuriating his doctor. Debbie decided to let her vent, even if it meant calling back in a couple of days to tell her grandparents the good news. Deb leaned back in the chair and glanced to her right. Aidan was sitting quietly on the sofa, listening to the conversation. She frowned and shrugged her shoulders slightly before returning her attention to the screen. Rose Matthews was still examining her antique, mahogany desk, a deep frown etched on her face. A moment later, she looked up at her granddaughter and sighed. "You're right," she mumbled. "I have to do what is best for Simon. Confronting his parents is probably not in his best interest...at least, not right now." She shook head her firmly. "But one day...." "One day," said Debbie. "Simon will put them in their place." She grinned mischievously. "And if you're lucky, he'll invite you along for the show." The sound of the elder woman's laughter immediately lifted Debbie's spirits. She felt herself relaxing for the first time since their conversation began. Her grandmother smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, Deborah," she said with a sigh. "I'm sure you didn't call to listen to me rant and rave about young Simon." "Not exactly," replied Debbie. "But I am genuinely interested in how he's doing, both physically and emotionally. I'm glad you shared your concerns with me." She grinned at the meticulously groomed woman looking back at her from the other side of the galaxy. "It would seem Mr. Ljungberg has made quite an impression on you." Rose stared blankly at Debbie as though she hadn't a clue what her granddaughter was talking about. "Exactly what are you suggesting?" demanded the elder physician. "Nothing," replied Deb innocently, biting her lip to keep from laughing. "It's just...not all of your patients come to the house for dinner every weekend." "Simon isn't just one of my patients," replied Rose with a crooked grin. "He's....special. He thoroughly enjoys my cooking....even the meatloaf." Deb burst out laughing. "He may be special, but he's also very lucky to have you as his advocate." "He's aware of that....which is another reason why he's special. I've always enjoyed having intelligent people around." The two women laughed for a moment before Rose Matthews gazed intently at her granddaughter. "On to other subjects....speaking of intelligent people, not to mention attractive, how is your Commander doing?"