Where No One Has Gone Before, Pt. 05

End of “Where No One Has Gone Before, Pt. 04”

“Starbase One, this is Enterprise. We have completed docking and are on station power,” she announced.

“Roger that,” a female voice replied. “Welcome home, Enterprise.” After five years of traveling faster than light, it felt somewhat strange to be standing still. Leesa punched another button on her console.

“All hands, this is the Captain. Stand down all stations. Prepare to disembark. Ship’s formation in one hour.” She turned to me with a wistful look on her face. “Well, Bill, I guess this is it.”

“Yes, ma’am, I guess so.”

“It’s been a pleasure serving with you. And an honor,” Leesa said, giving me another sisterly hug, and I returned her hug.

“The pleasure, and the honor, are mine, Captain,” I told her. She looked around the bridge one last time and sighed.

“I’m going to miss this ship, Bill. It’s been my home for more than ten years. Take good care of her for me, please.”

“I will, Leesa. I promise,” I told her. After bringing our stations down and securing the bridge, I made one final check to ensure everything was ready, then headed for the hatch to join the crew in our final formation of the voyage.

…

And now, “Where No One Has Gone Before, Pt. 05”

For the first time in five years, I stepped through the main hatch and found myself outside the hull of the Enterprise. Leesa was right behind me. Being the ship’s master and commander, she was, by tradition, the last to leave the vessel. Everyone else was already on the large platform standing in formation.

Leesa took her place at the head of the formation, and I took my place one step behind her. The Chief of the Boat, Command Master Chief Swanson, smartly saluted her after calling the rest of the crew to attention.

“Posts!” Leesa commanded, prompting Master Chief Swanson to take his position toward the back of the formation. Officers and enlisted chiefs followed suit in the formation. Leesa and I turned as Alan came forward, resplendent in his uniform, his four stars gleaming. Leesa saluted smartly as she reported to him.

“USS Enterprise reporting as ordered, sir,” she barked. “All personnel present and accounted for.” Alan returned her salute, then softened a bit.

“Welcome home, Captain,” he said. “It’s been a long time.”

“Yes, sir, it has,” Leesa replied. We spent the next 45 minutes presenting promotions, commendations, and medals to crew members, including Kyra. I proudly pinned the commander’s silver oak leaves on her uniform. It was difficult, but I resisted the urge to take her in my arms.

I couldn’t help but notice Kyra’s parents, Tom and Gloria, watching the ceremony. They smiled and applauded when Kyra received her commendation and her promotion. I also saw my parents standing close by. For some reason, Dad chose to wear his old Corps uniform. They also smiled and applauded when Kyra was recognized.

After the crew had received their accolades and promotions, Alan motioned for Leesa, Jim, and me to form up in front of him. He took an ornate folder from his aide and turned to everyone assembled.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I have the distinct pleasure of promoting three very deserving individuals today. Not only are they being promoted — they each will be starting their new jobs as of today. Captain Leesa Hawkins, it is my distinct pleasure to promote you to the rank of Commodore. You are also hereby directed to report to the newly-formed Star Fleet Academy in San Francisco, California, where you will serve as the Academy’s first Commandant of Cadets. Congratulations.”

Alan pinned Leesa’s new rank insignia — a single silver star — on her shoulders. He shook her hand when he finished and congratulated her on her new rank and assignment. Then he turned to me.

“Commander William Jones — I remember the day you first reported to me on the USS Armstrong. You were a Senior Lieutenant at the time and served as my weapons officer. That is a mission I will never forget. I have followed your career closely, and I take great pride in promoting you to the rank of Captain. I am also pleased to announce that you will take the center chair as master and commander of the USS Enterprise. Congratulations, Bill. You’ve earned it.”

“Thank you, sir,” I said in response as he pinned the eagles on my shoulders. I heard applause behind me as Alan shook my hand. Then he turned to Jim.

“Lt. Commander James Decker — Believe it or not, son, no one has yet to match your scores at the Academy or at Advanced Operations School. I’ve kept my eye on you ever since I saw you at the Academy. I take a great deal of pride in promoting you to full Commander, to serve as the Executive Officer of the USS Enterprise. Congratulations, Commander.”

“Thank you, sir,” Jim said as Alan pinned the silver oak leaves on his shoulders. They shook hands, and Alan turned to the assembled group.

“We have one small bit of business yet,” he said, motioning to Master Chief Swanson, who smartly marched to the flagpole in front of the formation. He lifted the colors and stood at attention behind Alan.

“Attention to Orders,” Alan declared, prompting the formation to snap to attention. “By order of Star Fleet Command, Commodore Leesa Hawkins is relieved of her post as Commanding Officer of the Enterprise.” Swanson marched forward, presenting the ship’s colors to Leesa, who accepted them. She turned to face me.

“I stand relieved, sir,” she announced.

“From this moment forward, Captain William Jones is directed to assume his new post as Commanding Officer of the USS Enterprise,” Alan announced. I turned to face Leesa and accepted the colors from her.

“I accept my post, and the responsibility that goes with it, sir,” I stated. After taking the colors, I faced Master Chief Swanson, who took them from me and replaced them in the holder, returning to his post.

“Captain Jones,” Alan said, handing me a small envelope. “Your first mission as master and commander of this vessel is something a bit unorthodox. I would like you to give myself and a select group of individuals a short trip aboard Enterprise to help us appreciate what you and your fine crew do on a daily basis. When can you be ready for launch?”

“The engines are still warm, sir. We can be ready in an hour,” I replied.

“Very well, Captain,” Alan smiled. “Prepare to launch in one hour.”

“Aye aye, sir,” I responded. “Master Chief Swanson. First shift on station. Everyone else at their posts. We launch in one hour.” Swanson snapped to attention.

“Aye aye, Captain,” he barked before turning to the crew. “First shift to stations. All personnel report to your posts. Launch in one hour. MOVE!” The crew bolted from the formation and ran back into the safety of the giant vessel. I turned and saw my parents approach. Tom and Gloria were close by.

“Congratulations, son,” Dad exclaimed, giving me a manly hug. “Captain of the Enterprise. Damn. I’m so proud of you boy.”

“Thanks, Dad,” I told him. He turned to Kyra and gave her a hug as well.

“And how’s my lovely daughter-in-law?”

“I’m doing great, Pop,” she said. “You’re looking good!”

“Well, it’s that mountain air, you know. Nothing like it!” He turned to Alan. “Admiral, it’s good to see you again,” he boomed, shaking hands.

“It’s good to see you as well, Master Chief,” Alan said. “You ready for the ride of your life?”

“Wait,” I interjected. “You’re on this exhibition?”

“Hell yeah,” Dad said. “Why do you think I got all dressed up? I wanna see my boy in action!”

“Mom, are you coming as well?” I asked.

“Of course,” Mom said. “So are Tom and Gloria. And a few others. Bob and Carol Decker are here as well.” I know they were Jim’s parents and saw the surprise on my new first officer’s face.

“Well, Jim, I guess we’d better give our guests a smooth ride,” I said. “Better get to it.”

“Aye aye, sir,” Jim said with a smile. He hugged his parents and headed into the ship.

“Who else is coming?” I asked Alan.

“No one important. Just the Senator who provides our funding,” Alan said with a wry smile. “Of course, I’ll be there as well as Commodore Hawkins. I’d like to see how well she trained you.”

“Well, I guess we’d better make this a good run, then,” I joked. Alan chuckled at that.

“Please do. It’s nothing fancy, just a quick run around the block,” Alan said. “We should be back in a couple hours. And before you ask, I’ve already had our guests cleared by medical.” That took a load off my mind.

“Well, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do,” I said.

“We’ll come with you, if you don’t mind,” Dad said. Tom and Gloria stood next to my parents.

“Of course,” I said. We turned and headed back to the ship. I saw Tom look up at the giant vessel in amazement before entering.

“My God, that’s a big ass ship,” he declared.

“Not nearly as big as the man commanding her,” Dad proudly remarked. At that moment, I felt ten feet tall. Dad had always supported my career, but hearing him say that in public meant more to me than all the medals and commendations I had earned over the years.

We entered the vessel and made our way to the bridge. Our guests looked around in awe, taking in the highly advanced stations.

“Senator John Jacoby, Captain,” one of the guests said, extending his hand. “This is quite a ship.”

“Yes, Senator, it is,” I said. “And worth every penny it took to build her.”

“I’m sure it is,” he said with a smile.

“If you’ll excuse me, Senator,” I said before turning to the crew. I motioned for Jim to take my old seat. He looked at me a bit funny, then sat down and began his countdown, receiving status reports from the other stations. I looked at the center console — Leesa’s old chair.

“Go ahead, Captain. It doesn’t bite,” I heard Leesa say from behind me.

“It just feels… strange, not having you at the conn,” I told her.

“Get used to it, Bill. This is your ship now.” She smiled, then left to join the other guests along the back bulkhead where temporary seating had been secured. I looked at the center chair for a moment, then sat down and looked at the envelope Alan had given me.

Opening it, I found that he had already filed our flight plan. The trip would take us around Jupiter, then return to Starbase One. A short flight, but enough to give our guests some good memories. I handed it to the navigator, who encoded the plan into the system. I looked around and saw the bridge was a flurry of activity as everyone worked to prepare for the launch.

“Status, Number One?” I asked Jim after about a half-hour. He smiled when he looked at me, then gave his report.

“All stations report ready for launch, Captain,” he said. “Outer hatches sealed, bay depressurized. Star Base Command is ready to retract umbilicals and gangplanks.”

“Give the word,” I told him.

“Aye aye, sir,” Jim responded as he gave the directions. I felt the umbilicals retract and noticed the slight flicker indicating the ship was now on its own power. I heard a ping from the console attached to my chair and looked to find a message from Base Flight Control.

“We are under our own power now,” I heard Leesa inform our guests.

“Opening outer launch doors,” the tinny voice said from my chair

speaker. I saw the giant doors in front of us slowly slide open. I pressed the intercom button and made my first announcement to the crew as Captain.

“All hands, this is the Captain. Stand by for launch.” I began the now-familiar rundown.

“Ops,” I called out.

“All systems go for launch,” Lt. Rios replied.

“Engineering!”

“All systems nominal and within normal parameters. Go for launch, Captain,” said Lt. Commander Michaels from the engineering station.

“Weapons!”

“All systems calibrated and locked, sir. All weapons accounted for,” the Weapons Officer said.

“Comm!”

“Communications five by five, Captain,” the senior communications officer replied.

“Navigation!”

“Course laid in and locked, Captain. ETA to Q-Point 15 minutes,” said Lt. Trujillo, the senior navigator.

“Number One!”

“All personnel present and accounted for, Captain. All systems and stations report go for launch,” Jim said. I punched a button on my console.

“Starbase One, this is Enterprise. Request clearance for launch.”

“Clearance for launch approved, Enterprise,” said a voice from the communications speaker overhead.

“Maneuvering thrusters only. Ahead one quarter, helm. Take us out,” I said.

“Aye aye sir,” the helmsman replied, gently pushing her controls forward. I felt the ship slowly move forward and heard slight gasps from the guests behind us. This was nothing, I thought, but I could understand their reactions. I saw the doors get larger as we inched forward, and then we were clear of the bay and in open space.

“Oh my,” I heard Gloria gasp as Earth appeared before us. We slipped past our home planet, and I knew we were on our way.

“We are clear and free to navigate,” Lt. Trujillo said.

“Ahead full,” I ordered.

“Ahead full. Aye aye, sir,” the helmsman repeated. I felt the extra g-forces as the ship’s speed increased.

“Engineering… status,” I remarked.

“All systems go, warp bubble forming,” the engineer said.

“Set vector for Q-point,” I said.

“Aye aye, sir,” Lt. Trujillo responded, as his hands flew over the console in front of him.

“Q-point is where the Captain or whomever he designates gives the word to engage the faster-than-light engines,” I heard Leesa inform our guests. I was glad she was there as I didn’t want to explain all this. I had enough to do just keeping my nerves under control, knowing that every move was being evaluated by two seasoned ship commanders, a powerful Senator… and my Dad. I felt the g-forces increase as the ship gained speed.

“Now at max-Q,” the helmsman said.

“Very well,” I said. Once again, I heard Leesa patiently explain the statement to our guests.

“ETA to Q-point one minute, sir,” Lt. Trujillo said. I pressed the ship-wide comm button on my panel.

“All hands, this is the Captain. Stand by for light speed,” I announced. Afterward, I glanced at Jim, who gave a knowing smile and a slight nod. Unlocking my chair, I swiveled around to face our guests.

“Master Chief Jones,” I said, causing the guests to look at me in anticipation of my next statement. “Would you care to give the word, sir?” Dad’s eyes grew wide as he understood the meaning of my question.

“Uh, yes, sir. I’d be honored,” he said with a smile.

“Very well, Master Chief. Make it so,” I replied, returning his smile. I saw the looks of approval on Leesa’s and Alan’s faces and knew I had done the right thing. I swiveled back around and took a deep breath. Pucker time.

“Helm, at my command,” Dad said with an authority I knew all too well. “Stand by to engage light speed.”

“Aye aye, Master Chief,” the helmsman replied. I looked at the countdown clock.

10…9…8…7…

“Stand by,” Dad announced.

4…3…2…1…

“Engage!” I had experienced this many times, but it never failed to excite me. The transition to light speed and beyond is unlike anything one can imagine. For a brief millisecond, everything seems to stand still, and then…

“Now at Warp 1.03,” the helmsman announced.

“Roger that, helm. Steady as she goes.”

After I caught my breath and saw the familiar rainbow effect as the ship accelerated to a speed just a bit faster than light, I unlocked my chair. I swiveled around to check on our guests. Except for Dad, Leesa, Alan, and Kyra, the faces of our guests seemed frozen in a state of… shock? Awe? Wonder? Perhaps a bit of all those emotions.

“How is everyone holding up?” I asked.

“You… you do this all the time?” Gloria finally stammered, looking at Kyra, who smiled back before responding.

“All the time, Mother,” she said. Gloria looked at her daughter with an expression I couldn’t read, and it seemed to fall between pride and amazement.

“How do you manage it?” the older woman finally asked.

“Oh, it grows on you after a while,” Kyra said.

“What do you think of her, Master Chief?” Alan asked Dad. “After all, you helped design her.”

“This is a kick-ass ride, Admiral,” Dad exclaimed, drawing laughter from the rest of the bridge crew, myself included. I looked at our official guests and wondered how they fared.

“What do you think, Senator Jacoby?” I asked.

“I have to agree with the Master Chief, Admiral,” the older man said. “That was a kick-ass ride. And I flew hypersonic jets when I was in the Air Force. I’m very impressed.” He looked at my father before continuing. “Did you really help design this?”

“Sure did, Senator. But these engines are far beyond what I helped design,” Dad said.

“Master Chief Jones helped design the original frame for this craft and some of the original systems you see here, Senator,” Alan interjected.

“Wait… Master Chief Jones… Captain Jones… Are you two related?” the Senator asked.

“Yes sir, we are,” I answered. “The Master Chief is my father.” The Senator smiled as he nodded his head.

“Well, Master Chief, you must be proud of your son, commanding the ship you helped design.”

“I am, Senator,” Dad said. “I couldn’t be more proud of my boy.”

“Listen, we have some time before we reach Jupiter. Why don’t I give you a nickel tour of the place?” I asked.

“That sounds like a splendid idea, Captain,” the Senator said. “I’d love to see more of this ship.”

“Consider it done,” I said. “Number One, ping me when we reach Jupiter if you would please.”

“Yes, sir,” Jim said. I got up and led our guests off the bridge and took them around the vessel, introducing them to the available section heads. Kyra, Leesa, and Alan had already seen all this, but the others enjoyed the tour immensely. I felt the ship drop out of light speed as my wrist communicator beeped, and I knew we were approaching Jupiter.

“Yes, Number One?” I asked.

“We are approaching Jupiter, Captain,” Jim’s voice said from my communication device.

“Thank you, Number One, I’ll take our guests to the observation lounge,” I told him before signing off. I escorted them all to the observation lounge so they could get a good look at the gas giant below. Gloria and Mom gasped when they saw the huge planet below, the Red Spot swirling.

“It almost looks like you could just reach out and touch it,” Gloria said.

“Except it’s a long way down,” Kyra quipped.

“Go ahead and take a couple pictures if you want,” Alan said. “Not many people get a view like this.” They all pulled out their camera phones and took pictures of the planet. Dad asked me to take a picture of him and Mom, then another of him, Mom, and Kyra’s parents with the planet in the background.

“Don’t you want a picture of me?” Senator Jacoby asked.

“Sure, why not?” Dad said, taking photos of the Senator with the other three. I was reminded of that old 20th-century saw about the most dangerous place is between a politician and a camera.

“We’d better head back to the bridge,” I said. “We’ll be entering light speed again, and it’s best if we’re not here, standing when that happens.”

After returning to the bridge, we secured ourselves in our seats and made the jump to light speed. I made sure our guests were doing okay, then turned to Jim.

“Status, Number One?” I asked.

“All systems go, Captain,” he responded. We pulled back into Starbase One and shut everything down. When all stations reported secure, I addressed Jim one more time.

“Go ahead and release the crew for leave, Number One.”

“Aye aye, sir,” Jim said. “I know they’re looking forward to it. As am I.” I stood and faced our guests.

“I hope you’ve enjoyed your little trip,” I told them.

“It was a memorable and rewarding experience, Captain,” Senator Jacoby said, shaking my hand. “Thank you very much. I know you’d much rather be at home with your family after spending five years in deep space, and I appreciate you taking the time to humor us. I feel comfortable knowing Enterprise is in such capable hands.”

“My pleasure, Senator,” I responded. “I had two very good teachers,” I added, looking at Alan and Leesa, who smiled with appreciation.

“So I understand, Captain,” the Senator said. “Well, I’d best be going. Good day.”

“Listen, I need to speak with Captain Jones and Commander Decker for a few minutes, if you don’t mind,” Alan told Kyra and our parents after the Senator left.

“That’s quite alright, Admiral,” Kyra said. “Ping me when you’re finished and we’ll catch up. I’m going to change into something a bit less formal, then we’re going to find a restaurant, grab a bite to eat and catch up,” she told me.

“Sounds good,” I acknowledged. “I’ll see you all later.” Mom approached me after Kyra, her parents, and my father left the bridge.

“Bill, I want to thank you for what you did for your father. You have no idea how much that meant to him,” she said with a tear in her eye.

“I think I do, Mom. After all, he did help design this ship. And I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him, in more ways than one. I just wanted to show my appreciation in some small way,” I told her.

“You did, son. And thank you again. I haven’t seen him so happy in quite a while,” she said before kissing my cheek. “I love

you, son, and I know your father does as well.”

“I love you, too, Mom,” I said. “You’d better go catch up before they get too far. I’ll be done here shortly.”

“Alright. We’ll see you on the base.” After she left, I turned to Alan.

“Why don’t we go into my ready room, Admiral,” I said. Alan nodded his head and motioned for his aide to join him. Jim followed us into the room, closed and secured the hatch after we were all inside. I took my seat, invited the others to join me, and offered them a cup of coffee or tea. They all accepted the offer of coffee, so I poured each a cup from the dispenser.

“I wanted to speak with you about your upcoming mission, Bill,” Alan said.

“Alright. So, where are we going, Admiral?” I asked.

“No place specific, at least not at the moment,” Alan said, taking the case from his aide, who also happened to be a Captain. Alan opened the case, pulled out a tablet, and turned it on.

“I don’t understand, Admiral,” I responded, more than a bit confused.

“It seems we have a bit of a mystery that needs to be solved, Bill,” Alan said. “Three and a half years ago, we began receiving reports from other interstellar missions of what they initially thought were ‘sensor shadows.’ Basically, they reported seeing something right on the edge of their trackers that mimics and echoes their movements.

“At first, we believed there was maybe something wrong with the calibration of the sensors, but multiple teams of engineers and analysts reported no issues.”

“So, we’re chasing sensor ghosts now, Admiral?” Jim asked.

“I understand and appreciate your skepticism, Commander,” Alan said. “If they were sensor ghosts, as you surmise, then it would stand to reason we would see this phenomenon with all of our missions. But we don’t.” He pulled up a map on his tablet and showed it to us. It was a standard 3D star map, but an oblong area was depicted in a different color. “All of the reports came from within this specific area of space.”

I looked and saw the forward edge of the area was about nine light years out. The back end of the oblong did not appear to be delineated.

“All of the reports came from this sector of space?” I asked. “And nowhere else?”

“Yes,” Alan said. “And there’s more.” He pulled up an audio file and played it for us. Listening closely, I heard a series of beeps, chirps, and what sounded like leaves or trees rustling in the wind.

“Sounds like background noise to me, Admiral,” I said.

“And it did to me as well, at first,” Alan said. “We’ve picked this up periodically over the last ten to fifteen years and thought nothing of it. But as our tempo of interstellar operations increased, so did the frequency of… this.”

“Any idea what it is?” I asked.

“None,” Alan said. “As you know, Bill, we’ve spent the last decade pre-positioning comm arrays in interstellar space to help facilitate operations. This has been picked up by several of those arrays. And our analysts say all those transmissions originated in the same area where the sensor anomalies were reported.”

“That is interesting,” I said.

“The analysts also say they believe there’s an intelligence behind these transmissions,” Alan added.

“What do you think, Admiral?” I asked.

“At first, I thought it was all a coincidence, Bill. But now, I simply don’t know. People are asking questions. Very important people.”

“Like Senator Jacoby?” I asked.

“Yes, like the good Senator. Who, by the way, chairs the Senate Intelligence, Defense, and Interstellar Operations Committees. He’s the guy who provides our funding. And he wants answers.”

“So his being here today was no coincidence,” I mused.

“He wanted to get a look at Enterprise, and at the man commanding her,” Alan said.

“I take it we passed inspection,” I said.

“Yes, otherwise you’d be out of a job right now,” Alan said. I let that sink in for a moment.

“What do you think, Admiral? What is your gut telling you?” I asked. I always respected Alan — his instincts always seemed to be spot on.

“You don’t really want to know what I think, Bill,” he said quietly. “Anyway,” he added after a pregnant pause, “this mission is going to be a bit different from anything else we’ve done. There’s a small contingent of mission specialists who will be assigned to you, along with a platoon of Marine Special Operators who are wrapping up their training.”

“Special Operators?” Jim asked, confused.

“Yes, Commander,” Alan said. “We don’t know what we’re going to encounter, and we want to be ready for any contingency.”

“You think there’s an intelligence behind all this, don’t you, Admiral?” I asked.

“At this point, I’m not dismissing any possibility, Bill,” Alan told me.

“What if it IS an extraterrestrial intelligence? What do we do then?” I asked.

“You’ll be given a great deal of latitude on this mission, Bill,” Alan said. “I trust your instincts. You do what you see fit based on the situation.” I understood what my old commanding officer was telling me.

At this distance, it would take some time for effective communications between Enterprise and Star Fleet Command. If all went well, it would be a feather in our caps. But if it went wrong, it would be my ass. And mine alone would pay the price. But I knew that was part of the job with my new rank.

“At this distance, it will take us a couple years to reach the forward edge of this space, Admiral. What time-frame are you looking at?” I asked.

“There’s been a number of breakthroughs since you were here. The new engines you’re getting can have you there in three months at top speed,” Alan said. “As for the time-frame, well, that’s open-ended. The mission will end when you find some answers.” He handed the tablet over to me.

“Everything you need to know is on that tablet,” Alan said. “I don’t need to remind you that it’s classified. We’ll be in touch before you depart. I figure the refit will take about seven to eight months, tops. In the meantime, why don’t you change and join your family.”

“I’ll do that, Admiral. Thanks,” I said, shaking his hand. After Alan and his aide left, I put the tablet in my safe, locked it, and turned to Jim. “What do you think, Jim?”

“I think we’re in for an adventure,” he responded.

“You may be right. I’m going to change and catch up with Kyra and the folks. Why don’t you go spend some time with your family? I think you’ve been approved for three months of leave, right?”

“Something like that.”

“What are your plans?”

“I thought I’d do some camping. Maybe go to Yellowstone and spend some time sleeping under the stars,” he said.

“Sounds like fun,” I said. “Have a good time, Jim. Stay safe out there. I’ll see you in three months.” We said our goodbyes and left the ready room.

…

“Well, it’s about time you showed up,” Kyra joked as I walked to the table where she and our parents were sitting with Leesa and George. I saw they had already been served, and a waitress came to the table as I sat down.

“What can I get for you, sir?” she asked.

“The beer here is quite good,” Dad said. “And the burgers are excellent.”

“That sounds good. I’ll have what the Chief had. That’s real meat, right?”

“Of course, sir. Unless you prefer the bean and soy-based or manufactured variety,” the pretty waitress said with a smile. I remembered what they said about the fake meat — it tastes like shit but fills you up — and opted for the real thing. I guess life on the Enterprise spoiled me.

“No, I prefer the real meat,” I told the waitress.

“Very well, sir. That will cost a bit extra — carbon taxes, you know.”

“That’s fine,” I said. The waitress left, and I turned to everyone at the table. “So, what did I miss?”

“Your father told me all about how you terrorized your poor parents as a kid,” Leesa said to laugh.

“I hope Mom didn’t show you her pictures,” I joked. Mom laughed as she pulled out her phone.

“Pictures?” Leesa asked. “You have pictures of Bill as a child?”

“Of course,” Mom bragged. “I just happen to have some of Bill taking a bath. He was such a cute little boy…”

“Oh, please. I’d love to see them,” Leesa exclaimed.

“Mom!” I protested as everyone laughed.

“Oh Bill, don’t be such a spoil sport,” Leesa cracked. “By the way, you never told me your father-in-law runs XNN Interplanetary.”

“It never came up. Sorry, Tom,” I said.

“Oh, that’s alright,” Tom said with a smile. “At least you didn’t disavow my existence.” More laughter. We ate, drank, and talked for the next half hour before Gloria got a serious — almost sad — expression on her face. She looked at Kyra before speaking; by then, the table had gotten quiet.

“Mom? Are you alright?” Kyra asked Gloria.

“Yes. It’s just… You’ve grown so much since we saw you last. I’ve been following your career and I must say, I am very impressed with what you’ve done. Leesa tells me she’s asked you to form the curricula for the Academy’s counselor program. That’s quite an accomplishment. I know I haven’t told you this very often but… I’m proud of you, sweetheart,” Gloria said as she wiped a tear from her eye.

“Thank you, Mom,” Kyra said. “That means so much to me.”

“That goes double for me,” Tom said as he looked at his daughter with pride. “And you, Bill. I could not have asked for a better son-in-law. We’re both very proud of you kids. Aren’t we, Gloria?”

“Yes,” Gloria agreed. “I know I was a… bitch… to you when we first met, Bill. But I see how you treat our daughter, the way you love her. And I watched you on that ship of yours. I honestly don’t know how you two do what you do — living on the edge, cooped up in that thing all the time. God knows I couldn’t do that, even when I was a young girl. But I am so very proud of both of you.”

“Thank you, Gloria. That means a lot to me. More than you know,” I said. I appreciated what Gloria said, and I knew it was hard for her to admit she was wrong — about anything. But I wanted to change the subject before things got too

maudlin. I looked over at Leesa.

“So, Leesa, what are your plans?” I asked.

“Well, George and I are going to visit his folks in Maine. They have a nice country estate there. We’ll be married in their back yard, just a quiet ceremony with family and a few friends, and then we’re off to Hawaii for a month,” she said. “Isn’t that where you and Kyra went for your honeymoon?”

“Yes, it is,” Kyra gushed. “We had a wonderful time. Didn’t we, sweetheart?”

“We did. The beaches there are wonderful. Especially at night,” I added, recalling the night we made love on the beach.

“By the way, Bill,” George piped in. “I know you’ve been busy these last few weeks, but I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind being my best man.”

“And I’d love it if you would be my maid of honor,” Leesa told Kyra. “After all, we’ve been shipmates for the last ten years, and if it weren’t for your profiling, I would never have met George.”

“I’d be honored,” Kyra said. “Thank you!”

“You’re welcome,” Leesa responded. “Bill?”

“Of course we’ll be there, and yes, I’d be honored to stand as your best man, George,” I told him. “When is the wedding?”

“It won’t be for another month yet,” Leesa said. “I have to report to the Academy first, get settled in there, and arrange to have our things delivered from Enterprise. I can send you all the details if you’d like.”

“Please do. We’ll probably be in Idaho for that first month, then we’re going to Los Angeles,” I told her.

“Your folks didn’t tell you?” Tom interjected.

“Tell me what?” I asked.

“Well, I’ll be in New York meeting with network executives and Gloria will be on another book tour. So your parents invited us to join them in Idaho for a little bit. You kids are certainly welcome to stay in the house, but we won’t be there. Anyway, your father promised to take us out on his boat,” Tom said.

“I thought it might be nice to take everyone out on Pend Oreille, maybe do a little fishing,” Dad said, referring to the large lake in the North Idaho panhandle close to the house.

“Sounds like fun,” I said. “It’s been a while since I’ve gotten any fishing in. So, Tom, how long are you going to stay up north with us?”

“We have a week before I have to be in New York, and Gloria starts her book tour there with some network appearances,” Tom explained.

“So, you wrote another book?” Kyra asked her mother.

“Yes, it’s about recognizing when you’re wrong and repairing broken relationships,” Gloria said. “Believe it or not, your last visit inspired me.”

“Wow. I don’t know what to say,” Kyra told her mother.

“You don’t need to say anything, dear,” Gloria responded.

“By the way, Bill, I wanted to ask you and Kyra something before we head out,” Leesa said.

“What’s that?” I responded.

“After George and I return from our honeymoon, would you two mind if Kyra works at the Academy for a couple months while she firms up the counselor curriculum? I know you’re going to be up to your armpits in alligators with the refit, and there is a regular shuttle from San Francisco to Starbase One. I just thought it might be easier for her to work at the Academy.”

“It does make sense, dear,” Kyra said. I thought about it for a moment before answering. Of course, I trusted Kyra with my life, so that wasn’t a problem, and Leesa was right about the refit. And Kyra was right — it did make sense.

“Well, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt. After all, the ship is going to be a mess for several months,” I said.

“And I promise I’ll be in touch every day, and I’ll come up every weekend,” Kyra said.

“Or I’ll come down and we can spend our weekends touring the area. Besides, I’d like to see this new Academy for myself,” I answered.

“That works even better,” Kyra said.

“Promise you’ll be good?” I jokingly asked.

“Of course,” Kyra said with a mischievous smile.

“Don’t worry, Bill. I’ll keep an eye on her,” Leesa joked.

“Why the hell not?” I asked. Kyra smiled, and we kissed.

“Thank you, sweetheart,” Kyra said. We visited for a bit longer, then Kyra checked the time.

“The shuttle is leaving in a half hour. We’d better get going,” she said. I knew she had already arranged for our luggage to be loaded on the shuttle, so there was no need to ask about it. We all got up and left the restaurant after paying our bills. Dad spoke to me quietly as we made our way to the shuttle deck.

“I just wanted to say thanks for what you did on the Enterprise,” he said. “That meant more to me than you know.”

“I was happy to do it, Dad,” I said.

“I’m proud of you, son,” he told me. “I’m proud of both of you.”

“Thanks, Dad. That means a lot to me.” Turning to Kyra, I asked, “By the way, did you ever get with Jim’s parents?”

“Yes, I had a chance to speak with them,” she told me.

“And?”

“They’re open to the testing. They live near San Francisco, so it should be easy to get it done,” Kyra told me.

“Good,” I responded. We got to the shuttle bay, checked in, and climbed aboard. I looked at Gloria, who seemed a bit nervous. “Don’t worry. They’ll minimize the turbulence as much as possible, and it’s normal to see heat buildup during re-entry. Nothing to get alarmed over.”

I hoped my words put her to ease, but I knew how dangerous re-entry could be. Even with all the systems and the best pilots, there was always the possibility of catastrophic failure. Soon, everyone was on board, and the hatches were closed. I could feel the pressure build-up, and the craft finally disconnected from the station.

The ride down was much smoother than I thought it would be, and there was less friction than I expected. Nevertheless, Gloria looked frightened as she gazed out the window at the bright yellow heat and the glowing forward edges of the shuttle’s wings.

“That’s normal. We’re re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere, so there will be friction as we go down. Once we get through this, it’ll taper off,” I told her. Of course, I didn’t tell her that a slight change in the shuttle’s attitude could destroy the vessel in a blaze of fire. I didn’t want to freak her out more than she already was.

“My God, this is even more dangerous than I thought,” she cried. “How do you and Kyra deal with this all the time? Living and working so close to death’s door day in and day out?”

“It’s part of our training,” I said. “Knowing the potential dangers we face helps keep us alert and on our toes.” Gloria looked at Kyra and saw her daughter had fallen asleep in her chair and was oblivious to the turbulence and fire outside the window.

“I’ll never say another bad word about what you do, ever again. I promise,” Gloria responded as she shook her head in disbelief at her daughter’s apparent lack of fear. Giving me a knowing smile and a nod of approval, Tom took his wife’s hand and held it as the shuttle went deeper into the Earth’s upper atmosphere.

Gloria relaxed when the shuttle entered the lower atmosphere, and the sky outside became blue. A couple of hours later, we landed at SeaTac Spaceport and stopped at the terminal. Leaving the craft, we collected our luggage. We said farewell to Leesa and George, who were heading for a connecting flight to San Francisco. The rest of us went to another, smaller, craft that would fly us to Spokane.

Upon arrival, Dad led us to his SUV, where we loaded our luggage and piled inside. Fortunately, it was large enough to seat six people comfortably.

“I almost feel like kissing the ground,” Gloria exclaimed when we were seated comfortably. The rest of us chuckled at that.

“How far is Jupiter from Earth, anyway?” Tom asked.

“About 357.5 million miles,” I said. Tom whistled at that.

“And to think it took us longer to get from SeaTac to Spokane than it did to go from Earth to Jupiter,” he mused.

“When you do the math, it makes sense. It takes light anywhere from 35 to 50 minutes to travel from Jupiter to Earth, and we were traveling just a bit faster than light, so it all adds up,” I explained.

“That’s amazing,” Tom said.

“Trust me, even after ten years, I still struggle to wrap my head around it all sometimes,” I told him. We watched the scenery as Dad drove through Spokane and then to Coeur d’Alene in north Idaho. We got off the Interstate and took US Hwy 95 north to Sandpoint before jumping off the highway. We finally ended up at the family home, a log house built nearly 100 years earlier by a retired federal agent.

“This is beautiful,” Tom exclaimed when he got out of the SUV. “And the air is so clean and crisp. Maybe we’ll move up here after we retire. What do you think, Gloria?”

“It is very nice,” Kyra’s mother responded as she looked around.

“What’s that?” Tom asked, pointing at a round building with a dome.

“That’s my observatory,” Dad said.

“You have an observatory? With a telescope?” Tom asked, shocked.

“Yeah. Built it myself. Get some pretty good views from up here. Not too much light pollution, so I get some excellent pictures. Maybe if we have a clear night, I’ll fire it up,” Dad promised.

“I’d like that very much,” Tom said. We heard something in the trees not far from us and turned to see a deer poke its head into the clearing. It didn’t move but stood there looking at us carefully.

“Oh my God. What is that? Is that a wild animal? Is it going to hurt us?” Gloria asked, frightened.

“Oh no, that’s just a deer,” Dad explained. “There’s a bunch of them up here. I put out some corn and stuff for them and they just come out and help themselves. I’ve seen as many as 15 or 20 of them out here at one time.” We settled down and enjoyed a hearty meal, then Dad pulled out his banjo.

“Think you can still keep up with the old man?” he asked.

“Any time,” I said, picking up my acoustic guitar. Dad played the first five chords, and I knew what he had in mind. I tuned up the strings and played the same chords on the guitar. Dad started picking, and I joined in as we played “Dueling Banjos.” By the time we finished, everyone was clapping in time to

the music, having a good time.

“That was wonderful,” Tom exclaimed. “You guys do that a lot?”

“Oh yeah,” Dad said. “I’m sure you’ve heard the family that plays together, stays together. Music, that is. We’ve done this as long as Bill’s been alive, haven’t we, son?”

“Sure have,” I confirmed.

“Kyra took flute and violin lessons when she was a little girl,” Gloria chipped in.

“Yes, we know,” Mom said. “She played a bit for us the last time they were here.”

“She did? It’s been years since I’ve heard her play anything,” Gloria exclaimed. “Come on, sweetheart, would you mind playing something for us? Please?” I looked at my wife, who seemed a bit nervous.

“Well?” I asked. “Did you bring your flute?”

“Are you really sure you want to do this?” Kyra asked in a small voice. “What if I make a mistake?”

“So what?” Dad asked. “We probably wouldn’t notice anyway. Besides, we’re family.”

“Well, alright,” Kyra said as she grabbed her flute from her bag. “You wanna do that old Tull song we’ve been practicing?”

“Sure, why not?” I asked in response. Kyra found an online version of an old Jethro Tull songbook for the “Living In The Past” album. We practiced several of the acoustic pieces from that book. “Are you ready?”

“I guess so,” she said.

“Here goes nothing,” I said as I played the guitar intro.

“When you’re falling awake
And you take stock of the new day
And you hear your voice croak
As you choke on what you need to say
Well, don’t you fret, don’t you fear
I will give you good cheer
Life’s a long song
Life’s a long song
Life’s a long song
If you wait then your plate I will fill…”

Kyra jumped in with her flute and played her part to perfection. No, she didn’t sound like Ian Anderson, but to my knowledge, no one could. We had spent many hours practicing this song, and I enjoyed hearing her play. We finished the music, and our parents happily applauded.

“That was beautiful,” Gloria said. “What was that, anyway? I’ve never heard that before.”

“That’s an old Jethro Tull song, from way back in the 1970s,” I told her.

“1970s? Wow, that is old,” Gloria said. “Well, I enjoyed it. Thank you for playing, sweetheart. That’s the best I’ve ever heard you play.”

“You’re welcome, Mom,” Kyra said. That night in bed, I held my wife as she shed tears on my shoulder.

“What’s the matter, sweetheart?” I asked.

“That’s the first time in my whole life my mother said she liked hearing me play,” Kyra sobbed.

“Well, maybe tomorrow we can start our investigation,” I said.

“Into what?” Kyra asked, confused.

“Into finding the alien pod that replaced your mother,” I joked. Kyra giggled at that and kissed me deeply before climbing on top of me. We made sweet love to each other for what seemed like forever before drifting off to sleep.

As promised, Dad took us all out on his boat the following day. The women sat under the cover, sipped drinks, and gossiped while Dad, Tom, and I manned the fishing poles. We caught quite a few trout, which Dad put on a stringer and stored in his catch bucket. It was a very relaxing day, and we had quite a feast that night.

We had a pleasant visit with Tom and Gloria that week. I took them on a tour of Coeur d’Alene and the surrounding area, and they seemed to enjoy themselves immensely. Still, I could tell this was definitely outside their comfort zone.

“Now you’re talking,” Tom said when I took him to the country club and golf course in Hayden, a somewhat more affluent area just north of Coeur d’Alene. “Do you play golf, Bill?” he asked.

“I tried it once when I was just a kid. Never could get the hang of it,” I told him.

“Tell you what… Next time we’re together, I’ll show you how it’s done. Deal?” Golf wasn’t my thing, but I realized Tom was trying to connect in a comfortable zone, so I accepted.

“You got it,” I said. “Might be a few years, though.”

“That’s okay. I’ll be here,” he said with a smile. Their visit ended that week, so Dad, Mom, Kyra, and I took them to the Spokane Airport and saw them off. I could tell their short visit to north Idaho had relaxed them considerably, and I was sad to see them leave. To my surprise, Gloria actually had a tear in her eye when she hugged me.

“It was so good to see you kids,” she said. “I know I’m not the best at this stuff, but I do love you.”

“We love you too,” I told her. This was definitely not the same woman Kyra introduced me to five years ago. She was actually warm and caring, not overbearing and demanding.

“I meant what I said, Bill,” Tom said as we shook hands. “Next time you’re home, I’m teaching you how to play golf.”

“I look forward to that,” I said.

“Thank you for putting up with us this week,” Gloria told Mom. “I know it wasn’t easy.”

“Nonsense,” Mom said. “We loved having you guys up. Come on back, any time you want.”

“Thank you again,” Gloria said. We watched them board their flight before leaving. We spent the rest of the month with Mom and Dad and had a terrific time. Before we left, Dad cornered me and handed me a small box and a book.

“What’s this?” I asked.

“It’s a family heirloom,” Dad said quietly. I opened the box and saw a small crucifix. “Supposedly given to your Grandfather Greg right before the Second World War. It’s been handed down from father to son ever since. Given your new job, I thought I’d give it to you while I still can.”

“Well, thank you. I never knew about this.” Looking on the back, I saw the initials “EJ.” I looked at Dad before asking, “Who is EJ?”

“Supposedly one of your ancestors, Elijah Jones. He was killed in the Civil War during Sherman’s March to the Sea. His wife wrote about that time, and her journal was later published. There’s an old adobe down in south Texas they supposedly lived in back in the 1850s,” Dad said. “State made it a historic landmark, believe it or not.”

“We’ll have to check it out,” I said.

“You should. It’s eye-opening.” Our time there ended too soon, as far as I was concerned, and we headed east to attend Leesa’s wedding.

A limo driver met us at the Portland airport and, after stowing our luggage in the trunk, drove us the 29 miles to Kennebunkport. Neither of us had ever been to this part of the country, and we enjoyed the scenery along the way. We pulled up in front of a large old wooden house.

We followed the driver, who took our luggage into the house and to the room where we would be staying. Leesa met us outside our room, greeted us with warm hugs, then took us on a quick tour of the place. George caught up with us and took over the tour before introducing us to his parents.

“So, you’re the fella who kicked that asshole out of an airlock into open space, ain’t ye?” George’s father, Abner, asked after our introduction. I noticed he sat in an electric chair that doubled as a scooter.

“Yes, sir, I am,” I told him. “But it’s not something I like to think about.”

“Bullshit,” Abner said as he puffed on his pipe. “From what I hear, he had it coming. You did mankind a favor, son, whether you know it or not. I don’t care what those pansy-asses on television say.” I hadn’t heard what any of the pundits had said and, for that matter, didn’t know the incident with Travers had been a topic for discussion. I looked at George, hoping to find a clue.

“Dad’s pretty opinionated about some things,” George finally said.

“Damn right,” Abner said. “You don’t get to be my age without forming an opinion about something.”

“Well, to be honest, Mr. Herman, I haven’t had much time to pay attention to those pundits. All I did was defend myself. It was either him or me.”

“Of course. And my name’s Abner, by the way. Mr. Herman was my father,” the old man said with a wry smile. I wanted to change the subject — fast.

“This is quite a place you have here, Abner,” I said. “I love your view.”

“Thank you, Captain. Or can I call you Bill?”

“Please, call me Bill. Not unless you just joined Star Fleet.” The old man laughed at that.

“I see you DO have a sense of humor, Bill,” he said. “My great-grandfather built this place. They say a former president once lived right over there,” Abner added, pointing to another estate in the distance. “Grandad didn’t care too much for him, though. Said this way, he could always look down on the man without saying a word.” I chuckled at that.

“And I hear your father runs XNN Interplanetary,” Abner told Kyra.

“That’s right, he does,” Kyra acknowledged. The old man grunted at that.

“Never cared for it, myself. But I guess someone has to do it.”

“My father is a good man, Abner. He always tries to do the right thing,” Kyra snapped.

“I’m sure he is,” Abner told her. “I just never cared for that channel. Although I do like that cute little gal they have on late in the evenings. You ever meet her?”

“No, I haven’t. I’m too busy with my own work.”

“Of course. I was just curious. But if you ever do meet her, tell her ol’ Abner Herman says hello,” he said with a knowing wink.

“Um, sure, I’ll do that,” Kyra said nervously.

“Well, George, why don’t you finish giving these good folks a tour of the place. I have to go get my daily dialysis. Pleasure meeting you folks,” he said as a woman in a white smock entered the room.

“Pleasure meeting you as well,” I said as he left. I looked at George, who shrugged his shoulders.

“Sorry about that,” George said quietly. “Dad hasn’t been himself since the accident.”

“That’s alright,” I told him. George finished showing us the estate, which was quite large and well-appointed. We had a large dinner that evening and spent some time listening to Abner pontificate about this or that. Andrea, George’s mother, listened quietly as her husband droned on. After the meal, I was ready for bed, and I could tell Kyra was also.

“Well, that was delicious, Abner, but I’m a bit tired, so if you will excuse me, I think I’ll hit the rack,” I said. “We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow.”

“Nonsense, Bill,” the old man declared. “Why don’t

you and George join me for a cigar and some brandy out on the veranda while the women talk about whatever it is women talk about when the men aren’t around.”

“Uh, sure, Dad,” George said nervously, glancing at Leesa, who didn’t look too pleased. “C’mon, Bill, let’s go have a nightcap and a cigar.”

“Okay,” I said, seeing the displeasure on the women’s faces. George and I followed Abner onto the veranda, where the older man handed each a cigar. One of Abner’s men lit it for us before venturing back inside. We made small talk for a while, then Abner hit me with something right out of left field.

“I get the feeling we’ve met before, Bill,” Abner said.

Shocked, I answered in the negative. “I don’t believe so, Abner. I’ve never been to Maine in my entire life.”

“Are you sure? You look an awful lot like someone I met several years ago.”

“Quite positive, Abner,” I told him.

“Well, maybe it’s just me, then. I swear you look just like someone I met years ago.” We finished our cigars and brandy, then headed back inside. I went to our room and saw Kyra looking at the book Dad had given me.

“Anything interesting?” I asked.

“Very,” Kyra said. “Have you ever read this book?”

“No, I haven’t. I know Dad kept it on one of his top bookshelves for years, but he never pulled it down and I never asked about it. Why?”

“Check this out,” Kyra said, turning to a picture inside the front cover. It was a black-and-white photo of a man and a woman in 19th-century clothing, and the date on the bottom read 1861. The woman was quite striking, but the man’s image caught my attention. “This could be you,” Kyra said quietly.

“Damn, you’re right,” I said. I took the book into the bathroom and compared the image with my reflection. We could easily have been twins. Looking at the information on the next page, I realized this was my great-grandfather Elijah, taken just before he left Indiana to fight in the Civil War. I handed the book back to Kyra, but my interest was definitely piqued.

“Any idea why your father never showed you this before?” Kyra asked.

“No, I have no idea. I’ll have to ask him about that.”

“This book was published by the Texas Historical Society years ago, but the journal inside was written by your great-grandmother Elizabeth. It’s a very interesting look at how people lived back in those days. Do you think we could stop in Hard Rock and check out this place?”

“Sure, if it’s still standing,” I told her. The truth was, I was interested in seeing it myself.

“I checked, and it’s still there,” Kyra told me.

“Well, we’ll add it to our itinerary, then,” I said. “But first things first.” I undressed and took my lovely wife in my arms. She melted into me, and we shared a hot, wet kiss before making love. We fell asleep in each other’s arms after a very satisfying mutual orgasm.

The house was a flurry of activity the following day as everyone prepared for the outdoor wedding. Caterers and other workers were busy preparing the food and setting up the chairs and the decorations outside. George and Leesa were busy getting dressed for the ceremony.

With all this going on, Kyra and I felt like we were just in the way, so we hung out in one of the rooms in the seaside mansion until it was time for us to get dressed. About mid-day, we went to our room and donned our dress uniforms, as George requested, then went back for the ceremony.

I stood next to George, who looked good in his tuxedo, and stole a glance at my wife, who smiled as she looked back. The music began, and we saw Leesa in her wedding dress, accompanied by her father. He made it into town early that morning. I had to admit, she looked beautiful, and I smiled as I glanced at George.

“You’re a very lucky man,” I whispered.

“Don’t I know it,” George whispered back. The ceremony was charming, and I was genuinely happy for my former commanding officer. Afterward, we all retreated inside for the reception, where I shared a dance with Leesa.

“You make a very lovely bride, Leesa,” I told her.

“Thank you, Bill,” she answered as we finished our dance. George came up to us, and I handed her over to her new husband.

“She’s all yours, George,” I said with a smile. He took her hand and led her to the dance floor as I stood next to my wife.

“They make a very handsome couple,” Kyra told me.

“Yes, they do,” I responded. “Not as handsome as us, though,” I quipped quietly. Kyra chuckled at that. “Would you care to have this dance with me,” I asked.

“Of course,” Kyra said. “You know I love a man in uniform.” We swept across the floor as others joined us. Eventually, the ceremony died down, and the happy couple ran the gauntlet of rice-throwing guests as they happily scrambled to the limo that would take them to the airport.

“I have to admit, George did well for himself,” Abner said as we watched the limo take off.

“Yes, he did,” I replied.

“So, what do you two have planned?”

“We plan to take a nice leisurely drive, go south to see Boston and Washington, then head west to Houston and beyond. We have a month to see the sights and play tourist, so we intend to milk it as much as we can,” I said. “Kyra’s already arranged a rental and we’ll be leaving in a bit.”

“Well, I hope you have a safe trip, son. It was a real pleasure meeting you folks.”

“And you as well, Abner,” I said. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get out of this uniform.”

“I don’t blame you,” Abner said. We changed into something much more comfortable, packed our belongings, and said our goodbyes. Pulling our bags, we left when the rental company’s shuttle arrived at the house.

From there, we drove south toward Boston. Kyra had always wanted to see the city, and I had wanted to see the old USS Constitution — Old Ironsides. My lovely wife also had another goal — to have sex in as many states as possible. I was happy to help her meet her goal, and we frequently stopped at quaint little motels along the way.

We got to Boston and checked out as many sights as possible. I was surprised at how small the Constitution was — I expected the old wooden ship to be much bigger. But it was an exciting tour, and we ended the day with a small meal at the Faneuil Hall marketplace.

From there, we drove south through New York City and ended up in Washington, D.C. We did the tourist routine, visiting the Capitol and the White House. Of course, we stopped at the Smithsonian and went through the aerospace museum. We were especially interested in the section that housed some old spacecraft.

“I can’t believe people actually went up in these things,” Kyra said as we looked at the tiny Mercury capsule. “It’s a wonder anyone survived.”

“Yes, it is,” I said.

“Thing is, I can just picture you climbing into one of those things,” my wife said.

“You’re probably right,” I said. From Washington, we drove south along the coastline, stopping to look at some of the old Civil War battlefields. We also stopped several times to advance Kyra’s goal.

We headed west and spent a day in New Orleans, walking along old Bourbon Street. From there, we went to Houston, stopping at the Corps Academy to see my old Grav Tac sensei, Don Jacobs. I knew he was set to retire soon and wanted to see him one last time. I also wanted to test out for my red belt.

We caught up with Don over a light lunch, then went through our tests. Kyra did well enough to earn her fifth-degree black belt, and I got certified as a Grav Tac master. We finished the day, then drove west to the small town of Hard Rock, where the old Jones adobe sat.

We stopped at an old store on the town’s main street to get a map and a few things to munch on. I couldn’t help but notice that some of the locals looked at me rather oddly.

“What’s that all about?” I asked Kyra as we got back into the car.

“I don’t know,” she responded. We followed the signs and finally got to the tiny adobe house where my ancestors had lived so long ago. We walked around the property and finally went inside. I saw the large photo of my great-grandfather Elijah on the wall. He wore the uniform of a Union cavalry sergeant, and I was amazed at how much we looked alike.

“That is just too uncanny,” I told Kyra, as chills went up and down my spine.

“Yes, it is,” Kyra agreed. “It almost makes me want to run that genetic memory test on you to see what shows up.” We looked around the tiny house’s interior, amazed that so many people lived here in such close quarters without the benefit of electricity or hot and cold running water. How did they do it?

We took many pictures before leaving, but I felt… strange. I’m not a person who believes in the paranormal, but there was something about this place and the man in that uniform that I couldn’t shake. We left the adobe and stopped for a steak dinner before leaving the town. Again, I noticed people looking at me strangely, and it irritated me enough to ask the waitress about it.

“Well, we don’t get a lot of visitors out here,” the young woman said. “Plus, you look an awful lot like… him,” she added, looking at something on a far wall. We turned to look and saw a larger version of the picture at the adobe. So, that was it. “I mean, you could be twin brothers or something.”

“What if I told you he was my great-grandfather?” I asked. The woman looked at me, then back at the picture, then nodded.

“I can believe it,” she finally said. “So, are you two looking to settle down here?”

“No, we just stopped to see the old adobe. We’re on our way west,” I told her.

“You were at the adobe?” she asked, sounding as if she had left something unasked.

“Yes, we spent the day out there,” Kyra said.

“Did you… see… anything odd out there?” the waitress asked.

“No, I didn’t,” I said. “Did you?” I asked my wife, sitting across the table from me, and she shook her head.

“Other than a picture of a man who’s the spitting image of my husband, no,” Kyra said. “Have you ever been out

there?” my wife asked the waitress.

“Yes, ma’am. A few times. Creeped me out. I always felt like someone was watching me,” the young woman said.

“Well, that place has been there for over 250 years. I’m sure it has quite a history. That’s perfectly normal,” Kyra told her.

“Maybe,” the girl said. “So, what can I get for you folks?” she asked, changing the subject.

“This is real meat, right?” I asked. The girl chuckled at that.

“This is west Texas, sir. That’s all we served here. None of that fake New York stuff in this restaurant.” Kyra and I both laughed.

“Outstanding,” I told her. We placed our order and watched as she left. I turned to my wife.

“Do you really believe what you told her?” I asked.

“Actually, I do. It’s funny what the mind can do sometimes. She went out there, no doubt expecting to experience something. And she did. It might have been nothing more than the wind blowing tumbleweeds around, but that’s all it would have taken. After all, it is a very remote location with no electricity and it’s been there for over 250 years. Don’t tell me you felt something out there.”

“Actually, I did. Although I’m certain it’s just coming face-to-face with the image of an ancestor who looks like me and knowing he lived there with his family over 200 years ago.”

“So, nothing supernatural?”

“Hardly,” I said. “I deal with facts, not superstition. But I am curious to know why Dad never mentioned it to me before.”

“That is a good question. Maybe he was trying to spare you the feelings you’re having right now.”

“That could be,” I said. “Maybe I’ll read that journal and see what my great-grandmother had to say.”

“I think that would be a good idea,” Kyra confirmed. Our food arrived, and we savored the meal without another mention of the adobe house or the people who lived there so long ago. As we left, I glanced at the large photo on the wall and felt another chill. I noticed — and felt — the curious stares of more than one patron as we walked out of the place.

We put the town of Hard Rock behind us and headed north. On the way, we made love in New Mexico and Arizona before hitting the state line. We had plenty of time — and quite a bit of our back pay, so we made a detour and went to the Grand Canyon, then on up to Yellowstone before coming back to Las Vegas. So far, we had christened 19 states by my count and were enjoying ourselves to the fullest.

We thoroughly enjoyed the two days we spent in Las Vegas. Sure, we did some gambling and won a little money — not much, but enough to pay for our drinks and the shows. Then we turned west toward the Bay area.

We arrived at Star Fleet Academy just a day after Leesa and George returned from Hawaii. Leesa looked well-rested, tanned, and happier than I had ever seen her. She hugged us, then stood back and looked at us.

“Where have you two been?” she asked.

“We’ve been all over the place,” Kyra said, pulling out her camera to show off some photos she had taken of our trip. “How about you? Did you enjoy Hawaii?”

“You really have to ask? Who doesn’t enjoy a Hawaii honeymoon?” Leesa asked, her face turning a bit red.

“I know that look,” Kyra teased. “You obviously enjoyed yourself.”

“Oh yes, we did,” Leesa said with mischief. “George even tried surfing. That was a hoot!”

“So, where will I be working?” Kyra asked. Leesa escorted us to an office where Kyra would spend time putting together the counselor curriculum, then took us to the quarters she would use while here.

“So, when do I start?” Kyra asked Leesa.

“Well, I’d say the sooner the better. Go ahead and get your stuff situated, and I’ll introduce you to the staff you’ll be working with, okay? Bill, there’s a shuttle leaving for Starbase One in three hours. I suggest you be on it. Admiral Simmons has already been asking when you intend to return.”

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re trying to get rid of me,” I joked. Leesa laughed.

“No, it’s just that I’ve been through one or two of these refits, and I know how demanding they are. I’ll leave you two alone to say your farewells now.”

“Thanks, Leesa. And — it’s good to see you again,” I said. She smiled her acknowledgment and left. Kyra and I pulled her stuff from the rental and carried it to her temporary quarters. When we finished, I took her in my arms and kissed her deeply.

“Do you realize this will be the first time in ten years we’ve been apart?” I asked.

“I do,” Kyra said sadly. “And I’m already missing you.”

“I’m missing you too,” I told my wife.

“Call me when you get to the ship. I promise I’ll be up every weekend,” Kyra said.

“I’m holding you to that, Commander,” I said with a slight smile. “Well, I’d better get going. I still have to return the rental. And I don’t want to keep the Admiral waiting. I love you.”

“And I love you more, spaceman. Thank you for the last month. It was the best vacation I think I’ve ever had.” We kissed again, and I felt the pain of her absence when we separated. I got to the spaceport, returned the vehicle and paid the bill, then climbed into the shuttle that would take me back to Starbase One.

“About damn time you got back to work, Captain,” I heard Alan say when I stepped off the shuttle. We shook hands as he approached me.

“Good to be back, Admiral,” I said.

“I hope you enjoyed your sightseeing tour of the country,” Alan joked.

“Yes, we did. Very much.” We climbed into a motorized cart that would take me and my luggage back to the ship.

“They finished the stress-test on the Enterprise,” Alan said as we took off. “There were a few areas that needed to be addressed, but she’s held up well given that she’s been at light speed for the last ten years. Anyway, a lot of the interior work has been completed, and things are going according to plan. The old engines have been removed and they’re preparing everything for the new ones.”

We got to the bay where Enterprise sat, and I looked at the ship. Alan was right. It did look odd without the two faster-than-light engines, but I knew they would be replaced soon enough. I saw some work being done in the next bay and asked about it.

“They’re laying the keel for a new ship — the USS William Shatner,” Alan said.

“They’re naming a ship after an actor?” I asked. Granted, it was the 20th-century actor whose role as “Captain Kirk” helped make Enterprise a household name for an entire generation. Still, it was something else, knowing that an interstellar vessel would be named after him.

“Well, not just any actor,” Alan said.

“I guess you’re right,” I responded. We continued up the gangplank and entered the vessel. The place was a flurry of activity as crews worked to replace cabling and circuitry inside the walls. We dodged the workers as best we could and made it to the quarters Kyra and I would share — the quarters once occupied by Leesa and George. I put my things away and changed into my flight suit before heading out to my ready room.

When Alan and I arrived, we found more workers surrounding the stations. I saw Jim and motioned for him to join us in my ready room.

“You look good, Jim. I trust you had a good vacation,” I said.

“Yes sir, it was terrific,” he told me.

“So, where are we at with the refit?” I asked. Both Alan and I looked at Jim.

“We’re on schedule, sir. The stress test is complete, and all issues have been addressed. New cable is being laid throughout the vessel in preparation for the new engines. The IT infrastructure is being upgraded as we speak and new communications gear is being calibrated for installation.”

“Good,” I said, looking over the thick refit manual. This thing had over 300 pages, and right now, we were at page… 18. There was still a lot of work to do.

“I know you have a lot on your plate right now, Captain, but I wanted to update you. We received a message from the Independence.”

“That’s Captain Hurbi’s ship, isn’t it?” I asked. When I first reported aboard the Enterprise, Ryan Hurbi had been my superior officer and had been promoted to Captain when we returned from Alpha Centauri.

“Yes, it is,” Alan said. “He reported the same anomaly. In the same area of space the other reports originated from. After consulting with Command Staff, we designated that area of space as a no-fly zone until we get your final report. It put a crimp in his flight plan, but he’s adapted.”

“Interesting,” I said.

“We thought so as well. The anomaly disappeared after he left that sector of space. And we detected a transmission aimed at Earth almost immediately after Independence left.”

“Any idea who received the transmission?” I asked.

“No. None. It was a broadband transmission, and we were unable to determine its destination,” Alan said.

“So it’s looking more and more like there’s an intelligence behind it,” I mused.

“It would seem so, Bill,” Alan said. “At any rate, we’ve got some specialized comm gear set aside. It will be installed as part of your refit.”

“Understand, Admiral.”

“Well, that’s about it for now, Captain. I’ll be in touch,” Alan said.

“Thank you, sir,” I responded.

“I’d better get back to it, Captain,” Jim said.

“Alright, Jim,” I said. “I’ll see you in the morning, unless you need something.” Jim nodded, then left to carry out his duties.

The next four months were extremely busy ones as the refit of Enterprise took place. Every system on the interstellar ship was replaced, including all its infrastructure. Every wire, knob, switch, and console was taken apart and replaced.

The work seemed to never end. It was a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week process that included extensive testing, calibration, and more testing. I learned to master the art of the power nap during that time, as it seemed my communicator never stopped pinging.

I could take a few minutes now and then to read my great-grandmother’s journal. It was an exciting read that made me think of simpler times before the advent of the light bulb. I found Grandma’s

writing surprisingly easy to follow, which surprised me, given how people expressed themselves in the 19th century.

Her love for my great-grandfather Elijah was also quite evident, and reading between the lines was somewhat erotic at times. I’m sure she never expected her musings to be published for the whole world to read. I doubt she would have been so open about her feelings for her husband if she had.

She described their trip back to Indianapolis from Hard Rock, Texas, without getting into detail. She wrote about the evenings they shared their love under the stars. It was easy from her writing to picture a young couple next to a covered wagon, making love in the light of a roaring campfire.

She often described her husband as a “man of justice” who put his family first and demonstrated his willingness to defend his clan more than once. She wrote about an incident in which a man from New York had tried to pressure Elijah’s father to give up his tiny homestead. One day, the man shot Elijah’s brother and kidnapped her, Grandma wrote.

“But my Elijah came through, like a knight in shining armor, his square jaw firmly set as if in stone,” Grandma wrote. “He dispatched the three men who took me captive with the elan I have come to expect from him.”

“I would have loved to see that,” I said to no one in particular as I sat in my quarters. Unfortunately, the demands of my job didn’t give me much time to read Grandma’s journal. I was lucky to get through a whole page before something required my attention. By the time the refit was complete, I still had not gotten through a quarter of the book.

The worst part of this time was not having Kyra with me daily. True to her word, she called me every night to fill me in on her day’s work. Leesa was thrilled with what she had put together, and Kyra expressed particular pride in the way the instructors accepted what she had done. She made it to Enterprise for the weekends, which made the whole ordeal bearable.

I was in my ready room one day about a month before launch day when Jim tapped on the open hatch. I set the mission briefing down and called him inside.

“Yes, Number One, what is it?” I asked.

“Our new Operations Officer has reported aboard, sir,” Jim said. “She wishes to see you if you have a minute or two.”

“Of course, Number One,” I said. “Who is she?”

“Lt. Commander Elizabeth… Travers, sir,” Jim said, handing me her service record. Shocked, I looked up at him and took the folder.

“I… see. Please send her in, Number One,” I said. Jim stepped aside and motioned to someone next to him. A reasonably petite brunette entered the ready room and stood at attention in front of me, her eyes staring straight ahead.

“Lt. Commander Elizabeth Travers, reporting as ordered, sir,” she barked.

“At ease, Commander,” I said. She put her hands behind her back and relaxed somewhat, but I could tell she was still on edge. I opened her service record and glanced through it. She got high marks from the Academy, graduated third in her class at Advanced Operations School, and served on the Independence under Captain Hurbi.

“You seem to have an exemplary record, Commander,” I said. “And I’m pleased to see you have some interstellar experience as well. Captain Hurbi speaks highly of you.”

“Thank you, sir,” she said.

“I wasn’t aware that Jason Travers had a child, Commander,” I told her. Elizabeth’s eyes flashed, and she looked down before speaking.

“Commander Travers was my uncle, sir,” she said.

“I see. Are we going to have a problem here, Commander?” I asked. The last thing I wanted was a relative seeking revenge.

“No, sir. None,” she replied. Her face softened, and I could tell she had something important on her mind. “Permission to speak freely, sir.” I detected an edge in her statement and drew her out a bit.

“Please,” I said. “Why don’t you have a seat first? Would you care for something to drink? Coffee? Tea?”

“Coffee would be perfect, sir, please. Black, if that’s alright,” the young woman replied. I poured a cup from the dispenser and handed it to her. She took a sip before speaking.

“What’s on your mind, Commander?” I asked.

“I was 15 when my uncle left to join the Armstrong, sir,” she said. “We didn’t exactly part on the best of terms. When I heard what happened, I was furious. At him, for what he did, and at you. But after I learned the whole truth of what happened, I was… glad that it happened. I was glad that he was dead.”

“That’s not exactly a healthy emotion to have for a job like this, Commander,” I stated.

“I know, sir. I spent years in therapy. I joined the Corps hoping to follow in my father’s footsteps and… I always wanted the opportunity to serve with the man who jettisoned Bull Travers into open space,” she explained. “I wanted to… thank him… thank you… for what you did. When this opening came up, I grabbed it as fast as I could.”

I let her words sink in before responding. This was a troubled young woman, but her service record indicated that she was more than up to the task. And I knew that if there was a problem, the psychological profiling at the Operations School would’ve spotted it. There was something more to this story, but I decided to let Kyra sort it out. I nodded my head in response to her words.

“That was a long time ago, Commander,” I said. “And there’s no need to thank me. What I did was self-defense.”

“I know, sir,” Elizabeth said. “But I still feel that I owe you a debt of gratitude.”

“I appreciate that, Commander,” I said, hoping to put her at ease. “And you can show that gratitude by continuing to do the kind of job you did for Captain Hurbi.” I looked at Jim before continuing. “Is her companion on board yet, Number One?”

“Not yet, sir,” Jim said. “She’s not due on board for a few days yet.”

“Very well,” I responded. “After things settle down a bit, I’d like to invite you and your companion to dinner with my wife and myself. I’d like to get to know you a bit better, as an officer and a person.”

“Thank you, sir,” Elizabeth said with a smile. “I know she would like to meet you and your wife as well.”

“Good. Then it’s settled. Anything else?”

“No, sir, that’s all. Just… Thank you for giving me an opportunity.”

“You’re welcome, Commander. It’s a pleasure meeting you. Welcome aboard,” I said, standing up to signal the end of the meeting. We shook hands, and I turned to Jim. “Would you please escort Commander Travers to her quarters, Number One?”

“Of course, sir,” Jim said. After they left the ready room, I sat down and looked through her service record. It was pretty impressive, but then again, so was her uncle’s. I was curious to know what her story was. I felt I knew what it was, but it left a knot in my stomach. I discussed my suspicions with Kyra that night.

“You might be right, sweetheart,” she said after I shared my thoughts with her. “That’s a very sensitive subject, for certain. I’ll have a talk with her, see what I can come up with, but you need to realize that whatever we discuss is confidential.”

“That’s fine with me. I invited her and her companion to join us for dinner sometime soon.”

“Good. That will help break the ice. I just hope having her on board doesn’t trigger your nightmares.”

“I’ve got those under control now, thanks to you,” I told my wife. We spoke for a bit longer, sharing loving endearments before signing off. A couple of days later, Jim rapped on my hatch again. I looked up and invited him inside.

“What can I do for you, Number One?” I asked.

“The Marine detachment has reported aboard, sir. Their CO would like to meet you, if you have the time.”

“Of course. Send him in, please,” I said. Jim motioned, and a man wearing a khaki shirt and dark green trousers entered the room.

“1st Lieutenant Marco Ruiz, United States Marine Corps, reporting as ordered, sir,” he stated as he snapped to attention.

“At ease, Lieutenant. Welcome aboard,” I said. “I trust you and your men found your quarters adequate.”

“We have, sir,” Marco said. “I was wondering if you could let us in on the nature of the mission, sir.”

“At this point, it’s a question of information-gathering, Lieutenant,” I said. “Once I have a better handle on the situation, I can give you a more intelligent answer.”

“I see, sir,” Marco said.

“In the meantime, you and your men are free to engage in whatever training you need, provided it doesn’t involve live fire. Commander Decker can show you around, and perhaps he can find some assignments for you.”

“That sounds good, Captain,” Marco said. “I do have one request, sir, if I may.”

“Of course,” I responded.

“I understand you have a red belt in Grav Tac,” he said. “I was wondering if you could show us a few moves when you have the time.” Grav Tac was a form of martial art designed explicitly for low-to-mid gravity and was something I picked up years ago.

“I’d be happy to, Lieutenant,” I told him. “Have you or any of your men had any experience with it?”

“We went through the standard low-gravity training, sir, but none of us have any experience with Grav Tac, even though most of us have training in other forms of martial arts. We’re all looking forward to whatever you can teach us,” Marco said.

“Well, I’d be happy to show you what I can,” I told him. “But you should know, it’s not like anything else you or your men have ever used. Once we get under way, we’ll set up a training schedule.”

“I look forward to that, sir,” Marco said with a big smile.

“As do I, Lieutenant.” We parted ways, and I got back to plotting our search pattern for the area of space where the anomalies had been reported.

I was in our quarters when Kyra returned from San Francisco. She was a sight for sore eyes, and we greeted each other with a tight hug and a kiss as hot as the sun. I helped carry her things into the bedroom, and we fell onto the bed, tearing each other’s clothes off.

We lay in bed

after our mutual orgasm and basked in each other’s warmth. I missed my wife terribly, and judging from her reaction, she missed me as much. I heard my communicator beep and saw a message from Leesa, thanking me for putting up with Kyra’s absence. I responded with a note thanking her for sending Kyra back.

“So, did you have a chance to test Jim’s parents?” I asked over dinner that evening.

“Yes,” Kyra said. “It was quite… illuminating. Jim’s father had the same genetic memories that we saw in Jim, only they were considerably stronger. We also found a few others that we didn’t see in Jim. Dr. Molinas suggested they might have been too weak to be passed down.”

“What were in these memories?” I asked.

“That’s where it gets a bit… dicey,” Kyra said nervously.

“What do you mean?” I asked, curious.

“This,” Kyra said as she fired up her tablet. My eyes nearly popped out of my head when I saw the image on the screen.

“What — and who — the hell is THAT?” I asked, looking at a picture of a beautiful blonde woman sitting unabashedly naked in an oversized chair that reminded me of a throne. Next to her was a large bushy plant in an equally large pot sitting on what appeared to be an electric cart. What captured my attention were the multiple stalks that looked just like male human genitalia, complete with “testicles.”

“I have no idea,” Kyra said. “I’ve never seen anything like it, anywhere. I couldn’t find anything on the Internet. I even spoke to a couple of botanists, but they had no idea what it is.”

“And the woman?”

“Again, no idea, and I found nothing. Do you think this is something you should report to Admiral Simmons?”

“And tell him what? That you found an embedded memory of a naked woman with a strange plant you can’t identify in the mind of my First Officer’s father? Using a technique that is still experimental? That would never fly, and you know it,” I said.

“I suppose you’re right,” Kyra said. “But I got to thinking about what Dr. Molinas said about Jim’s DNA. Do you think it’s possible that something like… that… may be in Jim’s bloodline?”

“Are you suggesting that one of Jim’s ancestors may be a… plant?”

“I’m just putting it out there,” Kyra said.

“Well, pull it back, or shelve that idea, at least for now. Do you still have the raw data?”

“I do,” Kyra said.

“Keep looking into it,” I said. I had a funny feeling about this — call it a gut instinct. Part of me thought the idea was ludicrous. But another part of me wondered if this could be related to the anomalies we were being sent to investigate. Right now, though, I had other priorities, namely, getting the ship ready for launch.

The refit was finally completed just a few days after Kyra returned from the Academy. I reviewed the full refit report to verify all steps had been checked, dated, and initialed, then performed a walk-through inspection with Jim. The ship looked entirely different from when I first stepped on board ten years ago. Still, fortunately, most of the layout remained the same.

All sections were now fully manned and prepared for the mission ahead of us. Three days before our scheduled launch, I handed the flight plan to Lt. Castle, the navigator. He looked at the coordinates, confirmed them on his computer, then back at me.

“Is there a problem, Lieutenant?” I asked.

“There’s nothing at these coordinates, sir,” he said, confused.

“I know,” I told him. “I’ll explain why when we get there. Plot the fastest course possible, at maximum warp.”

“Maximum?” I was beginning to get a bit irritated and hoped I wouldn’t have to repeat or explain every course maneuver to the young man.

“Do you have a hearing problem, Lieutenant?” I snapped.

“Uh, no, sir. It’s just… I’ve never plotted a course at that speed, sir.”

“I’m sure you’re not the only one. Make it so, Lieutenant. And Lieutenant. I appreciate feedback when it’s necessary, but I’m not used to explaining every order I give. Understand?”

“Aye aye, sir. I understand,” he responded, turning back to his console. I wandered to the Operations station where Elizabeth sat.

“I trust everything meets your expectations, Commander,” I said.

“Yes, sir,” she said. “This is even more streamlined that what we had on the Independence.”

“And it’s a damn sight improved over what I used when I first came on board,” I told her. “By the way, Commander Jones and I would appreciate the pleasure of your company for dinner tonight. And please, bring your companion.”

“Yes, sir. We’d love to. I know Deanna has said she’d love to meet the two of you.”

“Good. 1800 hours, then. Dress uniform.”

“Aye aye, sir,” Elizabeth said with a smile. That evening, Elizabeth and her companion, Deanna Carson, arrived, and we had an excellent filet mignon with rice dinner. I complimented the new galley chief on his meal choice, and we all felt quite full when we finished.

“Do you always serve real meat for dinner?” Deanna asked when she finished.

“I prefer it, but there’s always the vegetarian option if you would rather have that.”

“No, I’m a meat and potatoes type of girl,” Deanna said.

“So, how long have you two known each other?” Kyra asked.

“We’ve been a committed couple for about four years now, I think,” Elizabeth said.

“We met on the Independence,” Deanna explained. “Liz got assigned to Ops school the same time my service ended, so I moved to Florida with her and worked for NASA flight operations. When she said I showed up as her top match and offered to let me join her here, I jumped on it.”

“We’re happy to have you on board,” I told her. We had a good visit, and I felt good when it was over. After they left, Kyra and I got out of our uniforms and sat in the central part of the stateroom with a cup of hot chocolate.

“What do you think?” I asked my wife.

“I think they fit well together,” Kyra responded.

“Come on. You know what I’m talking about,” I said.

“Yes, dear, I do. Elizabeth is definitely dealing with some unresolved issues. I know a little bit about them, and I can’t get into the details with you — confidentiality and all that. But I can tell you that your gut was right.”

“I guess Bull Travers really had it coming, then,” I said, recalling the day I jettisoned him out of that airlock over Mars.

“Yes, it would seem so. And to a young, angry, impressionable 15-year-old girl who experienced what she did, that could make you something of a hero. The knight who dispatched her dragon,” Kyra said, reminding me of what my grandmother wrote in her journal. “Of course, she’s grown and matured since then. She’s got her own identity and her own life. But I think a part of her still sees you as her savior.”

“Couldn’t that be a bit dangerous?” I asked.

“Maybe, if it weren’t for her training — and yours. Plus, I think both of you are far too professional to let anything like that get in the way of your job.”

“I think you’re right,” I told her.

“Of course, I’m right, my love,” Kyra responded, setting her cup of chocolate on the small coffee table. “I’m your wife. I’m always right. And right now, I need you in me.” She climbed into my lap and smothered me with a deep kiss which I happily returned. Soon, we were naked on the bed, making passionate love to each other.

The crew celebrated our departure the day before launch with a party in one of Starbase One’s large venues. Jim had managed to book a band for the evening, so I felt relieved to know I wouldn’t be on the hook for the entertainment.

That is until I saw the lead — Jason Roberts. He led the band that saw the Enterprise off over ten years ago. I was on my way to the table I shared with Kyra, Jim, and Alan, who set his stars aside long enough to celebrate with us. Jason also gave me an old Fender electric guitar that dates back to the 1950s.

“Is that Captain Bill Jones?” Jason asked over the sound system. “THE Captain Bill Jones?” I looked up at him, wondering where he was going with this. “Why, we need to get him up here to play for us. Whaddya say?”

I smiled and waved it off — it was about the crew, not me. But Jason wouldn’t hear of it.

“C’mon! Let’s hear it! Captain Bill! Captain Bill! Everybody join me!” Soon, the whole crew was chanting as Jason waved me to the stage. I looked at Kyra, who smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

“It’s your crew, Bill,” Alan said.

“The things I do for you people,” I sarcastically remarked as I resigned myself to my fate. I walked to the stage amid cheers and applause and climbed up. Jason shook my hand and handed me his electric guitar.

“You fellas remember ‘China Grove,’ don’t you?” I asked.

“Hell yeah,” they responded.

“Let’s do it, then,” I said. After making sure the guitar was tuned, I gave the band final directions and started the song. The crew whooped and applauded as we played and sang. I saw Kyra smiling as she clapped. Elizabeth seemed to enjoy my impromptu performance, bouncing in her seat as Deanne joined her.

We finished the song, and Jason asked the crew if they wanted to hear another. Of course, they did, so I began picking “House of the Rising Sun,” much to Jason’s delight. We got through the song, and I handed Jason the guitar as I thanked him.

“Give it up for Captain Bill, everyone!” Jason exclaimed as I walked off the stage. Everyone stood, clapping, as I headed for my table. Alan shook my hand, smiling when I got there.

“Now you know why I never learned to play anything,” he joked. After accepting everyone’s appreciation, Alan pulled me aside and spoke to me quietly. “How are things with Commander Travers?”

“You know about her being assigned to Enterprise?” I asked.

“Of course. Who do you think approved her request?” His tone changed as he spoke. “Look, Bill. I sponsored her appointment to the Academy when she was in high school. She confided in me a long time ago about what her uncle did to her. She’s been through a lot.”

“Did you have any idea what was going on?”

“No,

but there was some scuttlebutt at the time. Nothing verifiable. You know how that shit goes. As I’m sure you know, Bull wasn’t exactly picky about who he was with. Believe me, I would’ve shoved him out of an airlock myself a long time ago if I had known.

“You don’t know it, but she’s had you on a pedestal for years. I figured this would be a good way to help her see reality and maybe put some closure on all of this. Besides, she’s a damn good officer. You’ll need her on this mission.”

“And Kyra will be there to work with her,” I added.

“Exactly,” Alan said. “Just treat her as you would any other officer assigned to your crew.”

“Of course,” I said. Alan smiled as he shook my hand again.

“Well, I need to get over to Mission Control. Good hunting, Bill. And take care of yourself,” he said.

“I will, Admiral,” I responded. “Thanks.” I went back into the venue and, seeing the time, made my way to the front. Jason handed the microphone to me, and I turned to face the crew.

“It’s been quite an evening, everyone, and I know we’ve all had a good time, but we launch tomorrow morning at 0600 hours. I want to thank my good friend Jason for the entertainment and the good folks here at Starbase One for the venue, the drinks, and the food.

“And of course, I want to thank all of you for your hard work and dedication. You deserved this little blowout. But the real work starts tomorrow morning, and I want everyone rested and refreshed. So, let’s all call it a night and get some shut-eye. Thanks!”

I handed the microphone to Jason, said my goodbyes, and headed for my table. Elizabeth and Deanne met me on the way and complimented me on the two songs.

“I didn’t know you could play guitar like that,” Elizabeth said.

“Oh yes,” Kyra said as she walked up to us. “He’s played for years.”

“I really enjoyed it, Captain,” Elizabeth said. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure,” I told her before leaving. We returned to our quarters and spent the night passionately loving each other.

I got to the bridge at 4:00 am the following morning. I was met by my First Officer, who was going from station to station, making sure everything was ready for launch. I took my seat and consulted the monitor on my chair, happy to see that everything was on track for launch. I felt vibrations in the deck plates and knew the engines were warming up.

“Status, Number One?” I asked Jim after about a half-hour. He smiled when he looked at me, then gave his report.

“All personnel present and accounted for, Captain,” he said. “Outer hatches sealed, bay depressurized. Starbase Command is ready to retract umbilicals and gangplanks.”

“Give the word,” I told him.

“Aye aye, sir,” Jim responded as he gave the directions. I felt the umbilicals retract and noticed the slight flicker indicating the ship was now on its own power. I heard a ping from the console attached to my chair and saw the message from Base Flight Control.

“Opening outer launch doors,” the female voice said from the overhead speaker. I saw the giant doors in front of us slowly slide open, and I pressed the intercom button on my chair.

“All hands, this is the Captain. Stand by for launch,” I said, starting the now-familiar rundown.

“Ops,” I called out.

“All systems go for launch,” Elizabeth replied.

“Engineering!”

“All systems nominal and within normal parameters. Go for launch, Captain,” Lt. Commander Jenkins said from the engineering station.

“Weapons!”

“All systems calibrated and locked, sir. All weapons accounted for,” the Weapons Officer said.

“Comm!”

“Communications five by five, Captain,” the senior communications officer replied.

“Navigation!”

“Course laid in and locked, Captain. ETA to Q-Point 20 minutes,” the navigator said.

“Number One!”

“All systems and stations report go for launch,” Jim said. I punched a button on my console.

“Starbase One, this is Enterprise. Request clearance for launch.”

“Clearance for launch approved, Enterprise,” said a voice from the communications speaker overhead.

“Maneuvering thrusters only. Ahead one quarter, helm. Take us out,” I said.

“Aye aye, sir,” the helmsman replied, gently pushing her controls forward. I felt the ship slowly move forward and watched the space doors get larger as we inched along. Suddenly, we were clear of the bay and in open space.

“We are clear and free to navigate,” Lt. Castle said.

“Ahead full,” I ordered.

“Ahead full. Aye aye, sir,” the helmsman repeated. I felt the extra g-forces as the ship’s speed increased.

“Engineering… status,” I remarked.

“All systems go, warp bubble forming,” the engineer said.

“Set vector for Q-point,” I said.

“Aye aye, sir,” Lt. Castle replied, his hands flying over the console in front of him.

“Now at max-Q,” the helmsman said.

“Very well,” I said.

“Warp bubble formed, light speed at your command, sir,” the engineer stated.

“Very well.”

“ETA to Q-point one minute, sir,” Lt. Castle announced. I pressed the ship-wide comm button on my panel.

“All hands, this is the Captain. Stand by for light speed,” I announced. “Pucker time,” I said after turning off the ship-wide comm. I heard light laughter from the crew in response. I pressed another button and sent a message to Houston.

“Houston, this is Enterprise. Preparing transition to light speed.”

“Copy that, Enterprise. God speed.” I looked at the countdown.

10…9…8…7…

“Stand by…”

4…3…2…1…

“Engage!”

…

To be continued…

Notes: The crucifix given to Bill was first mentioned in my ebook, “Justice Rides.” The story Elizabeth told of Eli saving her was mentioned in “Justice 04: Old Scores.”