This takes place after ”Babel”.

—- First Officer’s Office, USS Luna —

“We should talk,” Lambert said pacing around the large office, glancing out the windows at the stars moving past at warp five. 

Commander Olivia Carrillo sat at her desk, doing her best not to react to the Lieutenant’s rather reasonable request and busied herself with pointless busy work. She glanced up from a report on tribbles who had infested a Starbase and frowned, “Talk about what?”

Lambert signed, and said something under his breath. Carrillo was not dumb, she knew what he wanted to talk about, it was the part of her log and the resulting report that she had left unexplored about their last mission together. She’d grown up in a large family, and had often heard her parents say about an unruly child who was being a pest ‘if you ignore him/her she’ll get bored and stop’. Hopefully Lambert would drop it.

”Mademoiselle,” he said, “I know you are not foolish. We were taken captive and made to kiss. It is not how I wanted it to happen, being used for some child Queen’s amusement.”

Carrillo looked at him, “I am not Mademoiselle, I’m a Commander.”

”Commander Mademoiselle,” he said grinning.

Carrillo sighed, “Look Lieutenant. Lambert. Pierre, I like you a lot. What happened on the planet was a violation and not your fault or mine, but it was a mistake. We work together we can’t date.”

”Why not,” he asked.

”Regulations,” she said.

Pierre shook his head, “Even in this new age that it not true. I read about a Captain Riker who had a Luna-class ship and married the counselor.”

”I think they were married before,” Carrillo pointed out.

”Everyone I know died and I was sent hundreds of years into the future,” Lambert pointed out, “You do not want me, I will leave you alone. But I do not think that is true. I will also not wait for happiness, not after I lost everything.”

”What are you a Betazoid now?” Carrillo said, knowing he was right, at least about that.

Lambert laughed, “I can’t read minds, but I can read you like Les Miserables.”

”I’m not your Christine and you don’t live in an Opera House,” Carrillo shot back.

Lambert looked confused for a moment then nodded, “That is the Phantom of the Opera, not as good. Though the book was very good.”

Standing and moving from behind his desk Carrillo looked as if she was debating slapping Lambert, but eventually reached for his face and pulled it towards her own. The pair kissed, not the most romantic thing that had happened in the First Officer’s Office since the ship had originally launched, but certainly in the top ten. 

When they broke from the kiss Lambert smiled, “Our first kiss.”

”We kissed on the planet,” the Commander pointed out.

”Not willingly, without consent it does not count,” Lambert said, “Would you like dinner tonight?“

“I was going to dinner with our new Communications Chief and Crew woman Vanuoma Vedda,” Carrillo said, “but a fourth wheel is welcome.”

”I do not think that’s a saying,” Lambert said, “Cars have four wheels. I saw one in a museum. The point is that someone is a third wheel and, that is too many wheels. Or too few.”

”I’m dating my grandfather,” Carrillo moaned, but smiling anyway. 

“I am probably older than your grandfather,” Lambert pointed out.

—- Officer’s Dinning Room, USS Luna —-

“I have never met an Orion,” Lambert said, “I thought they were all pirates.”

”We’re not,” Vanuoma Vedda said.

”Apologies,“ Lambert said, “I’m from the past. What did you do before coming to the Luna.”

”I was a pirate,” Vedda said. 

Lambert glanced at Commander Carrillo to try to get some guidance for how to navigate this. While the Luna was not currently as multi-species as it had been at launch, or as the USS Titan had been it was much more diverse than the time tossed Lambert had experienced. Vulcans were still exotic when he’d served and now the ship had a Betazoid, several Vulcans, whales, a dolphin, an Orion, and more.

“Anyone from your life still alive?” Lieutenant Randolph McKenize, the ship’s new Chief Communications Officer asked. He added, “A joined Trill or a Vulcan?”

Lambert had recently read about Trills as he tried to keep up with the way the world had changed in the years that he had lost, while Trills had been around they were not as common and they had kept their joined nature a secret. He shook his head, “I don’t think so. I had a Vulcan professor at the Academy but he was old even back then.“

Carrillo tried to wrap up the discussion so they could talk about something other than Lambert’s having missed all the time since the first USS Enterprise had been in service. The story ended that they had looked and there was nobody left in Lambert’s life from when he had come from. It was best not to dwell on what had been lost more than he had to.

“How are you settling into life on the Luna Vanuoma?” Carrillo asked. 

“Difficultly,” the Orion answered, “On the last ship I travelled on my mother was the captain and I had no real responsibilities. Here I clean out your holographic decks.”

”Ah. I remember being an ensign and having to do that,” the Commander said, “My uncle would say it builds character.”

”My character is fully formed,” the woman shot back annoyed. Most of the people she had spoken with remembered doing jobs like that as Ensigns, yet she was a Crewman and would not be promoted to Ensign or beyond. Instead she would just remain one of the background people on the ship, endlessly working to allow the officers to go their way. Even dinner tonight was beyond her station, as instead of replicated food actual chefs worked in the senior officers lounge.

Carrillo stole a glance at Lambert who had similarly found no avenue for conversation and the pair exchanged a glance. Perhaps this had not been a good first date idea.

Sensing that things were getting tense due to his guest’s attitude Lieutenant McKenzie smiled, “So Lambert how are you finding the twenty-fifth century? What new devices or changes are most doing your head in?”

Lambert nodded, “Klingons being at peace with the Federation, or having been. The holodeck is quite, impressive. I mean just this whole ship, you know the USS Boston was a decent sized Reliant-class but it was nothing compared with the Luna. This is the size of a Starbase.”

Carrillo nodded, “It’s a medium sized ship. Ships of a thousand or more people are in service and Starbases can handle tens of thousands now. Not like the old K7 stations, which are still in service.”

”We were stationed out of a K7 station,” Lambert said, “Though it’s probably not there any more.”

”And the people?” McKenzie asked, “How are us future people?”

Lambert shrugged, “People are pretty much still people. Situations change but I don’t think we have. But thankfully I’ve had Olivia to show me around. She’s been my angel.”

”Nobody believes in angels any more,” Vedda said.

”I don’t either,” Lambert said, “I was being poetic.”

McKenzie pushed on, “Being from France, do you have a good sense of cooking?”

”Yes, I loved to cook,” Lambert said, “Obviously on the ship our replicators were kind of tasteless blocks of nutrition but when I went home, I’d cook. Your replicators now, our replicators,” he said remembering that he was not just here for a visit, “are better but still you having chefs on board is much better.“

A waiter came in and severed up the meals, including ‘steak frites’ for Lambert. He nodded, “Chefs are definitely better than replicated food.”

”More and more they’re replacing staff with holograms,” McKenizie said, “You have ships where whole bars are staffed just by holograms.”

Lambert shrugged, “I suppose it’s better than just replicated slop, but you lose something when you lose the human, or Orion, touch. Why not send holograms to do what we do on ships? How soon until there’s an all holographic fleet?”

”Or all Borg fleet,” Vedda said rather cruelly. 

Carrillo shot a glare at her and then McKenzie, bringing a pirate onboard had not been Carrillo’s call but rather Captain Cruz and while the Captain obviously had had good reasons for it, clearly the woman was not interested in settling into life aboard the Luna.

”That’s not funny,” Carrillo said her voice becoming terse.

Lambert who had just read about the Borg but never seen them, or encountered them looked between the women. He had read in reports about the events of Fleet Day but did not know what it was like, and had no contact with the Borg who had not been discovered until centuries after he had been sent forward through time.

“Mes femmes,” he said, “relax there is no reason to fight.”

Carrillo though having decided either she deck the Orion crewman or leave, got to her feet and stomped out of the lounge toward the turbolift. Lambert watched her go, grabbed a fry from his plate and followed.

The turbolift was open when he caught up to her. She gave the computer her floor number and Lambert sighed, not quite sure what to say but knowing something was wrong. Carrillo was visibly shaking now, so tentatively he wrapped his arms around her and held her.

”It’s okay,” he said softly.

”No it’s not,” Carrillo said, “I killed my brother.”

Lambert was confused, he did not know of her brother serving aboard the USS Luna, nor Carrillo killing anyone. Still he held her against him.

”What do you mean?” he asked.

”We were both assigned to the USS Liverpool. I was the head of Operations and he was a lieutenant junior grade in security,” she said, “We were celebrating Fleet Day in the lounge when most of the crew turned into Borg. I was next to my brother, he changed and attacked.”

Lambert had the vague notion that he was grasping the story.

”He began to choke me. I pushed him back but he kept coming. Those of us left were able to get phasers, I shot him rather than…” she broke down sobbing.

”Rather than let him be a Borg,” Lambert said understanding, “Then they reversed it.”

”I didn’t know they’d do that, I just knew he didn’t want to be lost like that,” she said.

”Computer pause turbolift,” Lambert said, “Olivia, I found my girlfriend. With pictures I watched her grow old, get married to someone else and die. I know where on Jupiter her kids live, and grandkids. We go on, no matter what. You did what you thought was best for your brother. You saved him from a life in the Borg Conglomerate.”

”Collective,” Olivia corrected him.

”So many officers died, you couldn’t have known,“ Lambert said, “I assume it was chaotic, seconds to make a decision. In one moment you made a heroic decision, you can’t have known it would turn out like it did.”

Carrillo nodded still sobbing. She straighten out and tugged on her uniform to straighten it. She resumed the turbolift. Looking at Lambert she said, “I don’t want to be alone, can you come with me.”

Pierre took her hand, “Toujours mon cher.”

—- Captain’s Dining Room, USS Luna —-

Captain Adriana Cruz and her First Officer Olivia Carrillo relaxed, a bottle of wine on the table and a pile of tacos on a plate as well. These were the kind in small soft corn tortillas with meat that might have been bought from a local vendor in Mexico City were Cruz was from. The two women were from different parts of the Earth but had faced many of the same challenges up the ladder of rank. Cruz had spotted herself in Carrillo which was why she had picked her for her First Officer, having fought her way into a position to pay it forward as she said.

”I’ll be done on the planet this mission,” Cruz said grabbing a taco in a kind of pinch between her two fingers and then putting it in her mouth. She chewed it, knowing the news would be both a surprise and a relief to her First Officer. The woman’s last outing had not gone well, and a relaxing few days back on the ship was in order.

”Are you sure that’s safe?” Carrillo asked.

”Federation colony, it’ll be some heavy diplomating,” Cruz said, “Take the break, have a few days off on the Holodeck.“

Carrillo frowned, “You talked to Kolem.”

It was not a question. The Second Officer and ship’s Chief Counselor was half Betazoid, and as much as Carrillo appreciated Cruz’s support she knew that the woman was closest to the Captain on the ship. She’d been on the USS Seattle the ship that Cruz had first captained.

”No, but I can tell you’re stressed,” Cruz said, “And the Counselors don’t tell me anything unless someone’s a danger to the ship or crew. But you can talk to me.”

”I was arguing with someone about Fleet Day, it brought up some memories,” Carrillo said.

Cruz nodded, “Obviously I’ve read your file. If you need to talk I’m here, if you need time, let me know.”

”Who are you taking to the planted?” Carrillo asked.

Cruz held up a hand, “Kolem, Acharya, Jara, Dornall, Winfield and some historian in the science department. You’ll be captain with Pr’Nor and Tashai to hold down the fort with. Miller’s off to a conference somewhere. She’ll take a Runabout and we’ll take the Captain’s Yacht.”

Carrillo did the mental math, that meant that Lambert as the away team had Winfield to pilot them, and that meant he would be staying behind, which was good for her. He had proven to be a calming presence for her, and a rest would not be the same without him. Remembering breaking down in the turbolift she said, “Do you have any advice, for dealing with the terrible things that happen?”

Cruz sighed, “I don’t have a story quite life yours. But I just remember how lucky I am to be where I am, and how I could be dead instead. Even the days that hurt make us stronger.”

Carrillo smiled, “Well I guess I’ll be the strongest one on the ship soon.”

Cruz nodded, “I have no doubt. I picked you because another officer would have broken. You kept going, and you’ll keep going because this is your life.”

—- Four Days Later, Bridge, USS Luna —-

“Captain’s Yacht away ma’am,” Pr’Nor said in her flat Vulcan tone. 

The small ship streaked towards the planet’s surface, leaving Commander Olivia Carrillo in charge of the USS Luna, and the crew that remained. Carrillo nodded, there was not much to do, scans would be run constantly but dedicated science ships had already studied the area and the Luna’s remaining science team’s had studies to do. Studies that did not need a commander butting into.

“I’ll be in the Holodeck if you need me,” Carrillo said, deciding to take Captain Cruz up on her orders to try to relax. She called Lambert who was finishing his duty shift to meet her there.

— Holodeck 3, USS Luna —-

Pierre Lambert looked impressed at the green water, “I still can’t get over the fact that we’re actually just in a room in the ship.”

Carrillo smiled, knowing that Lambert had come from a time before Holodecks. So the fact that he had the same reaction to the Holodeck as Carrillo’s grandpa had had was endearing. She had joked that he was like her grandfather, and in fact older if you didn’t account for the fact that he’d been thrown forward in time for so many years. He was wearing tight swimming trunks and though he seemed doubtful about it he dove into the ocean that had laid before him. He surfaced and spit a stream of water out, waved at her as she stuck a foot into the ocean.

”I’ve never been, Hawaii?” he asked.

”Maui, yes,” Carrillo said, “My father was in Starfleet there’s a base in Hawaii, used to be an old US Naval base.”

Lambert thought, “The one at Pearl Harbor?”

Carrillo nodded. There were still monuments up to the USS Arizona and site of the surprise attack. Lambert treaded water, backing up allowing her to jump in like a cannonball. She surfaced, spit out the water she had swallowed and swam to him.

”I like your swimwear,” he said, his skin brushing her shoulder as he reached for her.

”You like my cleavage,” she teased. 

Lambert smiled, “Man or woman, we all like a little of that. But you are, exquisite.”

Carrillo smiled, “You’re a smooth talker.”

”I’m French I had better be,” Lambert joked.

The pair was paddling water and in the middle of a kiss when a chime rang through the Holodeck. Commander Carrillo swam to the shore and with a word a console appeared allowing her to answer the communication. It was Captain Cruz.

”Nice swim suit,” Cruz said grinning at her First Officer.

”What can I do for you ma’am?“ Carrillo said.

”Starfleet is sending the Luna to border defense, a California-class was attacked and both it and the station it was checking in with are having technical issues,” Cruz said, “We’ll take care of the diplomating, you go and give them a hand. Pr’Nor will set course, she’s already got the coordinates.”

”I’ll go supervise,” Carrillo said.

”No, you’ll go back to swimming with Lieutenant Lambert, that’s as close to an order as I can make it without using my authority in your dating life Commander,” Cruz said, “Just come and get us when you’re done. And bring my ship back in one piece.”

”Yes ma’am,” Carrillo said nodding.

Cruz nodded and ended the transmission from the Captain’s Yacht. Lambert swam on his back for a bit, then floated as Carrillo checked in with the department heads still on board and then with Pr’Nor to ensure they were on their way and got an estimate on their arrival time.

“Three days,” she said as she swam towards Lambert.

”I heard, and I heard your orders,” he teased, “The Captain said you had to let me take you to dinner.”

”She said nothing of the sort,” Carrillo said, “but you can cook if you want.”

—- Kradashian City, Kradashian IV —-

The Captain’s Yacht from the USS Luna touched down on the landing pad at the Federation embassy. In reality it was not much, just a few scattered buildings surrounding a hanger with some shuttlecrafts and a landing pad. In the ship Lieutenant Junior Grade Thomas Winfield maneuvered the craft expertly, setting it down with no problem. 

The planet’s capital city was old, almost as old as the Federation.

As the crew disembarked the head of the consulate ran up to meet them. He was a harried looking human Lieutenant, and Captain Cruz observed there was no diplomatic staff nor was there anyone more senior. Most facilities tended to have a command level staff member at Commander or higher. 

“Captain Cruz, welcome,” the man said, “I’m Lieutenant Haus, head of the Starfleet delegation here. Welcome to Kradashian City.”

Cruz nodded, “Thank you Lieutenant. Can I ask if there’s an Ambassador here or anything?”

He shook his head, “No ma’am, the population is heavily anti-Starfleet. They consider just having us here to be an intrusion into their sovereignty, and all regular Ambassadorial staff have left over the years. It’s just myself and a few Ensigns now.”

Lieutenant Diya Acharya sighed, “That’s going to make our jobs here hard.”

The head of the Embassy nodded, “I’ve tried, but the local population moved here specifically to get away from the Federation upon its founding. They moved out this far thinking we’d never grow out territory this far out, and then they sort of just got caught between us and the Cardassians.“

Cruz nodded, “Okay Lieutenant Acharya work with Lieutenant Haus and get me a meeting with the Prime Minister of the largest nation, and possibly any other influential leaders. The rest of us will change into civilian clothes and look around.”

Haus nodded, “Changing clothing is a good idea. People tend to get cold to Starfleet around here, I’m a known person so I get it whatever I’m wearing, but your staff will be okay. I’ll have the staff assemble some clothing options for you.”

—- Beyond the Embassy —-

Jake Dornall glanced at Lieutenant Junior Grade Winfield and said quietly, “Notice anything.”

“It’s air conditioned under the city shield?” Winfield said.

Dornall nodded, but added, “And everyone’s staring at us.”

”We’re pretty attractive,” Winfield joked, noticing it and knowing it was probably not that he was a fine specimen of man.

”Everyone is white,“ Dornall pointed out, “Except us.”

”Happens,” Winfield shrugged.

”No, not like this,” Dornall said.

Just then they heard a familiar voice as Chief Counselor Kolem caught up to them, she was wearing a light weight summer dress with a floral patten, “Hold up, I’m coming.”

”Your boyfriend was just pointing out we’re the only attractive men around here,” Winfield said, half teasing.

Dornall frowned, “That’s not quite what I said.”

Kolem nodded, her half Betazoid half tingling like a danger sense. The two men were certainly attracting attention and that had only increased since she had arrived. She glanced at Dornall and frowned, “Locals are getting anxious, we should head back.”

Dornall nodded, while he did not much like retreating because of his skin color the fact was that their mission was not going to be made easier due to the nature of who these settlers were. He and Winfield stuck out like sore thumbs and trying to get anyone to talk was going to prove impossible given the nature of the looks they had been getting. 

A uniformed man, clearly a peacekeeping officer given that he was armed with a side arm stopped by them, “These two men giving you trouble miss?”

Kolem shook her head, “No sir, they’re with me.”

The officer scowled at the lot of them, clearly not happy about that. Winfield stepped back, raising his hands, “No need to worry we’ll be on our way.”

The man grabbed at Winfield, “Not until I say so.”

Reached for Winfield’s jacket the pilot knocked his hand away and stepped back.

”That’s assaulting an officer of the law, both you are coming in for detainment,” the officer scowled. Overhead, he used a communicator on his uniform and six uniformed and armed men suddenly beamed onto the scene. Out numbered Winfield and Dornall did not resist as they were beamed up.

”If they’re with you you can get them at the station, though I’d advise you to choose your friends more carefully ma’am,” the original officer said, tipping his cap to Kolem who was left alone on the side of the street.

—- Starfleet Embassy —-

Lieutenant Haus let out a sigh as Kolem related the incident. It was clear that the German man was not surprised by it, though it made him tired and upset. 

“I should have been, explicit in saying that to blend in here you need to be,” he searched for a word, “Less diverse.”

He looked awkwardly around the room, “The colonists here were from a specific fondementalist religious sect back on Earth. Vulcans, Andorians, life with even the staunchest allies of the human race was unthinkable, so they struck out in large generational ships, ships that several generations would live on, back in the warp three days. If they have issues with Vulcans, well they also have issues with various groups from Earth as well.“

”I’m not white,” Cruz pointed out.

”And your rank will protect you, they know better than to mess with a Captain in Starfleet,” Haus said, “but if you removed it, you’d be a target. Your men were because they were incognito.“

”So if it’s been generations since they’ve seen a minority why do they react so strongly?” asked Acharya.

”Some cities allow trading with ships and that’s where they interact with non-European humans,” Haus said, “Our small staff is all human, and European, and to avoid issues like this we keep the staff more uniform than other facilities.”

Cruz sighed, “Damn, this seems like a job for Captain Hawthorne.”

Kolem smiled, “To your credit your crew is diverse. It’ll be an obstacle here but I don’t think it’s a mistake.”

Cruz nodded, “Okay, setting this aside what’s the situation.”

Haus nodded, “As you know there’s a force field around all human habitants on the planet. Those were built about a century ago at the start of this, event. Essentially the sun is going supernova. In another hundred years it’ll be gone, Starfleet wants to relocate the population but to do that they’ll need to start the process of finding a new world, and moving within the next decade.”

”And being super racist is an issue,” Cruz guessed.

”That, yes, it means no cohabitation with other settlers. But also an issue is that despite the scientific evidence and the difficulty in growing crops that have started to happen, the population doesn’t believe there’s an issue,” Haus said.

”We have a historian with us who wrote a few papers on twenty-first century Earth’s environmental denialism,” Cruz said.

”We need you Captain Cruz to at least get the leadership looking at moving,” Haus said, “otherwise it’ll be a mad scramble when it gets worse, and it will get worse.”

“So free my officers, save the planet’s population,” Cruz said, “Be whiter. Great, shouldn’t be any issue.”

Haus shrugged, “If it was easy I could have done it. They sent a starship, you’ve got this Captain.”

Cruz nodded, not feeling confident that she indeed have this.

—- Kradashian City, Kradashian IV —-

Lieutenant Jacob Siegel put on his tie, a device invented centuries ago that had fallen out of favor with humans back on Earth. The Starfleet staff of Kradashian City had replicated it for him, as the world was attempting to hold onto what to him even as a lover of history was out of date traditions. Satisfied that he had tied it correctly he headed to the Embassy’s small briefing room where Lieutenant Acharya the USS Luna’s Chief Diplomatic Officer and Captain Adriana Cruz were both in dresses of Earth late 1800s. 

The head of the Embassy the overworked and undermanned Lieutenant Haus nodded in welcome and then began the briefing.

”After World War III and our meeting with the Vulcans, a religious sect on Earth briefly became popular. They disliked the Vulcans, distrusted other races that humans met in the galaxy and were not in favor of the progress that we were making coming out of the War,” Haus said, “Women’s rights, racial equality. The end of the class system of the 21st century, the end of economic inequality. So they invested what they had in war capable ships, about six craft which we’d call generational ships.”

Siegel nodded, “They were a bit slower than the original Enterprise NX01. Warp three in a pinch.”

”They settled on Kradashian IV, far away from where we were setting up the Federation, Starfleet, and everything that followed. We came to them, expanding, and then there was the Cardassians,” Haus said, “They need our protection from the Cardassians, but other than that they don’t like the Federation or Starfleet. The problem being about five years ago we detected the fact that sun is in the stages of supernova. It has maybe two centuries before it explodes.”

They had been briefed on this, so Siegel who was not the science guy, let his mind wander. Essentially they needed to begin relocation of the population of Kradashian IV in the next few years as there were millions of people and even without being constrained for resources or having to worry about Cardassians or The True Way it would not be easy. The trouble was the rocky relationship with Starfleet and the Federation meant that the leadership was not willing to listen. Perhaps rightfully any leader felt that admitting what was needed to be admitted would be unpopular, so better to not admit it and then let someone else worry about it down the road.

Cruz looked at Haus, ”So two brown women and a white guy are going to sell a bunch of sexist racists on this?”

Haus shrugged, “It’s not ideal, but rank hopefully has pull. The only other ship I was offered was a Vulcan only ship, and that wouldn’t have gone well. I know it’s a tricky, terrible situation you’re in but I’ve been pushing them for years to no avail. Starfleet bends over backwards for them, staffing the embassy with people they’ll accept but they don’t get to dictate who are captains and who aren’t.”

Siegel knew that Haus seemed to be trying everything he could. It was not by his design that this world was how it was, no more than you could blame the people at the original Khittomer Accords for the current tensions between the Klingons and the Federation.

Beaming over to the Presidential Palace, as it was called, the group of three split up. Cruz went to meet with the President and some other national leaders while Acharya attempted to talk with the Justice Minister about the two Luna officers who had been arrested. Siegel made polite conversation and then was pulled into a conversation with Captain Cruz and the President. 

“Lieutenant Siegel,” Cruz said smiling a smile he could tell was taking her some effort to keep on her face, “You were telling me about late 20th century environmental denialism.”

Siegel nodded, “I wrote a paper on it, it’s quite interesting. The temperatures of late 20th century and early 21st century Earth kept rising due to carbon usage. But because of economic models of the scarcity period, the money was in arguing that this was only a cyclical change and not a fundamental reshaping of the planet’s ecology. Big oil companies paid to lobby governments to essentially poison their citizens.”

The President, a tall large man in a ill fitting suit nodded, his eyes never really leaving the Captain to acknowledge the Historian. The height difference between him and Captain Cruz was clearly making this an awkward and unpleasant meeting for her in her current dress.

Siegel tried to press on, “You’re seeing a few of the same things here. Crops are changing, your growing season is earlier and certain kinds of crops don’t survive the heat. Given that you have shielding for cities you don’t have it for crops.”

”We don’t use carbon,” the President said waving him off.

”No but the sun is getting hotter, you’ll see some of the same effects as your ozone no longer works as effectively,” Siegel said. He pressed the point, “I was reading your former arctic cities are now dealing with flooding and becoming summer getaways. Cities on the equator are becoming too hot for fourteen months of the year. This is not cyclical change, this is the result of your sun heating up and expanding. Yes there are deviations in temperature year over year, but nothing like what you’re seeing.“

The President made a ‘humph‘ sound and looked at Siegel for a moment then smiled at Cruz. It was clear that he felt he was turning on the charm, “You remind me of my fourth wife.”

Cruz smiled, “Well she must be an interesting woman. Is she here tonight?”

”No, I currently only have the three, but I’m always happy to add to my collection someone as lovely as you,” Cruz‘s smile faltered and then reappeared, “Well I’d best circulate, but I’m sure we’ll have more to discuss at dinner.”

She grabbed Siegel’s arm and pulled him away, “This isn’t working. These people are partying while Rome burns.”

Siegel frowned, “While that’s not quite a perfect analogy, but I understand the point. The problem is environmentalism isn’t a vote getter, and these leaders are voted for. So even if we get someone to support us, they’ll be turfed out.”

”So we take this to the people, not the leaders,” Cruz said, “create the desire for change, and then the population pushes on the leadership not the leadership pulling along the population.”

Siegel nodded, “That could work, but Starfleet we’re dealing with generations, centuries of distrust. This isn’t going to be one stirring speech and the work is done.”

Cruz sighed, “That’s really all we can do Lieutenant. Already the Luna is off on another mission. They get back and we’re gone, so we need to sort this out. Starfleet is stretched thin saving the people who want to be saved, those that are dancing while the world burns. We don’t have time for that.”

Lieutenant Jacob Siegel nodded, things were looking bleak for the world. There was no saving it, but the people could be saved if only they reached out for the life preserver the Luna was offering.

—- Flight Control Office, USS Luna —-

Lieutenant Pierre Lambert looked at the Vulcan, not sure what was on her mind. That was, he had always thought, the issue with Vulcans they played their cards close to their chest. Not that Pr’Nor would accept that analogy, she would simply point out that games of chance were illogical and that Vulcans were merely more refined and elevated than the base emotional species. 

Given that there was no longer a Navigation Officer position in Starfleet, he was being shunted from one department to another as they tried to find where he fit into a twenty-fifth century starship like the USS Luna. His current status as a Stellar Cartographer was proving to be a disappointing career choice, and more theoretical than he had hoped for. This was, at least as far as Lambert understood more hands on and like a pilot. Lieutenant Pr’Nor however seemed to have her doubts about him still, though he was not sure if that just her Vulcan nature.

”I’ve never had a superior officer who was a Vulcan before,” he said trying to make conversation. 

“We are the second most populous species within Starfleet after humans,” she noted, “Your previous interactions are not indicative of a more diverse modern Starfleet.”

He nodded, “I see.”

”Your simulator scores are acceptable, but your test scores need improvement. For example here where it asks ‘What class of ship is 1,062 meters in length?’ you wrote, ‘Impossible. Trick question.’ The correct answer is Odyssey-class.“

Lambert whistled, “Wow, that’s big.”

”Indded. It also does not require a musical interlude,” Pr’Nor said then continued, “I am putting you in the duty roster and informing Commander Carrillo. However I will be testing you again and I will wish to see improvement in your scores.”

Lambert nodded, “Yes ma’am, thank you ma’am.”

”Report for bridge duty at 18:00 hours.”

—- Sickbay——

Lieutenant Pierre Lambert walked into sickbay for something to help him sleep. His duty shift had ended not too long before but his attempt to sleep had been short lived and fitful. The ship was quiet, warping at warp seven from one point to another, most of the crew was in their quarters save for the last shift of the night putting in the final few hours until the main crew awoke.

A blonde man with no rank pips nodded as he entered, “Please state the nature of your medical emergency.”

Lambert smiled, “Hello, I am looking for something to help me sleep.”

The doctor, or who Lambert assumed was a doctor, looked annoyed, “I was activated and all you have for me is you need a sedative? I’m a walking medical encyclopedia and this is what I’m given to do? I’m not a pharmacist.”

“Sorry doctor,“ Lambert felt he should apologize.

”Is it because I’m a hologram?” the doctor asked.

”You’re a hologram?” Lambert said, not quite understanding that. He’d been impressed with the Luna’s holodeck technology. It was clear how that would help crew who were feeling cramped and short of entertainment options while off-duty, but he had not understood that the technology extended to the entire ship. Unlike most in Starfleet he had not grown up knowing the tale of Voyager and the ship’s reliance on a medical hologram who had become a member of the crew. 

The hologram seemed visibly annoyed at the question, rolling his eyes, “I just said that, keep up. Unless you’ve suffered a head injury. I should scan for that.”

Lambert held up his hands as the hologram came at him with a medical tricorder, dissuading the robot or whatever you’d classify him as from doing a scan. He was not suffering from a concussion, he just was not fully aware of all the modern technology that was used by ships in Starfleet these days.

”So the previous doctor I saw was also a hologram?” Lambert asked, meaning Doctor Elordi the Acting Chief Medical Officer.

”No, we are just short staffed as our CMO traipses around with Romulans,” the hologram said, “So they utilize me to cover this shift. I’m really only meant for medical emergencies.”

”Well I just want a sedative, no brain scan or anything,” Lambert insisted.

There was a sense of ennui that had gone with being posted on a long term deep space assignment. Lambert had not experienced it as he’d been well within Federation space but clearly the Luna was meant to boldly go where no man (or woman) had gone before. He was light years away from where the USS Boston had gone missing, and centuries away from his old life. He felt he had done fairly well rolling with the punches, as it were, but every now and then it weighed on him. The heavy burden of being alive long past when you were meant to.

His room was large, much larger than the bunk rooms that he’d shared back on the Boston. He had his own bed, and wash closet, and even a small living room area. Taking the sedative he read a bit, studying up on the ship classes that Pr’Nor had lectured him on. There was a new Constitution-class, perhaps because clearly the Enterprise had won a lot of affection that they’d made it up to ‘F’. He then tucked himself into bed, knowing that they’d reach their destination in the morning while he slept.

—- Hours Later, Bridge, USS Luna —-

“Fire a probe, letting Starfleet know we’ve reached the quardenets Miss Jara,” Commander Olivia Carrillo said. The action was perhaps overly cautious but they’d lost contact with both a Starbase and a California-class ship which had required the USS Luna leaving behind its captain and some senior staff to investigate.

“Shields up,” Carrillo said as they dropped out of warp. The ship’s view screen showed the system, including both a floating husk of a California-class ship, the USS Del Rey Oaks, and a powerless Starbase. 

Lieutenant Jara at tactical scanned both, “The Del Rey Oaks has no atmosphere, several hull punctures. No like signs, the station has pockets of atmosphere, we’re getting life signs.”

Carrillo nodded and tapped a button on the arm rest of the captain’s chair, “Rebecca Avila assemble the Hazard Team, beam half onto the Del Rey Oaks and lead the other half onto the station. Bring engineering support to restore systems.”

Turning to the science office on the bridge the Commander said, “Launch another probe, scanning towards the border. If anyone approaches I want to know early.”

The science officer nodded and began to work. The Commander opened another internal channel, this time to sickbay, “Doctor Eldori please join the Hazard Team aboard the station, provide whatever medical assistance you can.”

The request like the one of Avila was met in the affirmative. After directing the ship to come along side the California-class vessel Carrillo sat back down in the captain’s chair and watched, listening as the crew carried out her orders.

—- USS USS Del Rey Oaks —

The Starfleet officers moved in unison. Protected by the hard environment of space by skin hugging environmental suits and helmets they held at the ready phaser rifles as the swept through the USS Del Rey Oaks, a California-class ship that had clearly been destroyed.

Lieutenant Junior Grade William Hume lead the team, with the more senior officers on either the USS Luna or the starbase he had a complement of the junior officers on the Hazard Team. Their first destination was engineering where they made a discovery, the warp core was missing.

”Looks like they ejected it,” Aasus Breasi from engineering said, examining it. He was not usually on the Hazard Team but they had brought engineering support to try to get the ship back online. With a missing warp core it was likely to be towed to a nearby ship yards and rebuilt. He looked at where the warp core once was, and while an expert in warp field technology he had no idea what would have caused them to do it. A core breach would have explained some of the external damage to the ship however, but they’d still have been able to move away from the explosion at sub-light speeds.

”Can you get a computer on?” Hume asked, “Find out more about what happened?”

Breasi shook his head, “Maybe with a few hours we might get computers working but the damage in here is pretty extensive. Aside from the missing core someone kicked this ship while it was down.”

Hume nodded, “Well hopefully they figure out more over on the station.”

—- Starbase 713 —-

Dressed in similar EV suits the main Hazard Team moved slowly towards engineering. In constant contact with the Luna they were being directed to one of the pockets of air and life signs that the Luna-class ship had detected. Since the power to the automated doors were out the team had to manually pull them apart from one and another, shinning their lights into the darkness. A hastily erected force shield kept in the environment, and protected it from the rest of the station. Modulating the shield with tricorders the team was able to step through it and into the engineering area of the station.

”Class M life support,” Lieutenant Sesi Oari reported, the security officer reported reading a tricorder.

Hazard Team lead Lieutenant Rebecca Avila removed her helmet with a hiss, and took a deep breath, “Okay environment here is good. Helmets off.”

The Hazard Team took off their helmets and looked around, slinging the phaser rifles behind their backs held on by straps. They saw movement and as one rifles were trained on a scared engineering officer who stammered out “Don’t shoot.”

Lieutenant Rebecca Avila lowered her rifle, and the rest of the Hazard Team followed suit. Slinging it over her back she tapped her commbadge, “Hazard Team reporting from the station, we’ve found a group of survivors. Send over engineering support.”

When he materialized Lieutenant Commander Young nodded at Avila and headed deeper into engineering, asking the engineering officer who they’d found, “What seems to be the trouble.”

”They feed on power,” the man said, “So we cut all power to the station. Or most of it, we left some pockets of life support hoping they’d leave us alone.”

Avila looked at him, “Sorry, what feeds on power.”

The man shook his head, “We don’t know it just came out of nowhere.“

Avila tapped her badge, “Commander we may have an answer what happened here, but you’re not going to like it.”

—- Three Days Later – USS Luna, Conference Room 1 —-

“The devices are unmanned drones,” the image of Lieutenant Commander James Young said from the space station where he was helping to oversee repairs. 

“We’ve seen similar devices on a smaller scale used for intelligence gathering,” Lieutenant Syvia Voosha said, she was on the Luna, and helping guide the briefing on what had attacked the USS Del Rey Oaks and the station. She gestured to a hazy image captured by the station’s cameras, a ship far off. “A large ship sets them loose, and they either are controlled remotely, or respond to a simple program. In this case go towards energy.“

”Thus they seem to ‘eat’ energy,” Young said, “In this case the station mistook them for living beings feeding off the energy of the Del Rey Oaks’ shields. They have limited capabilities, but in great enough volume can overwhelm a ship’s shields. When the Del Rey Oaks was disabled, they ejected their warp core but the swarm was too close, the core exploded right in the ship’s face.”

”The station shut down all non-essential systems, meaning the swarm couldn’t detect it anymore,” Voosha said, “They have limited sensors so they needed reprogramming or for the main ship to attack the station.”

“Why didn’t it then?” Carrillo asked.

”Likely our arrival. Or at least us showing up on long range scanners,” Voosha said, “This drone weapon is quite resource intensive. It works essentially by destroying the drones, having them overwhelm a shield. Taking out a California-class ship was likely a test, taking down a station, and also a Luna-class, that’s tougher.”

Carrillo nodded, “The USS Majestic is also in the area, so I imagine taking on a Sovereign-class is more daunting and from a distance we may have looked like that. Okay, well let’s get this information to Starfleet. I’ll report into Starfleet, the USS Majestic is arriving in two days to support and we’ll go pick up our captain and crew. This seems like a test, pirates using our focus on the Klingons and Cardassians to see what they can get away with. Young get the station going as much as you can. Alright thank you all, dismissed.”

—- USS Luna, Holodeck 2 —-

Lieutenant Junior Grade William Hume hit the Klingon boarder with the butt of a phaser rifle. He’d been running this scenario for the past few hours. By now he was drenched in sweat, his uniform had been pulled out of place and he looked a general wreck. Yet he was trying valiantly to shave off a few seconds of this training session. His muscles ached and he wanted to quit, but he wouldn’t let himself. 

He’d liked Klar, the ship’s former Klingon Defense Force exchange officer who had served as the XO. But then Klar had betrayed them, leading a Klingon attack force to kill a ship full of Romulan scientists. War with the Klingons was not there yet, but it felt like it was coming. While unthinkable even a few years ago, now it was better to be prepared. 

From the sidelines watched fellow security officer Lieutenant Junior Grade Rosa Flores, “You’re going to hurt yourself if you keep pushing like that.”

Hume ignored her. She had initially started the training exercise but after two hours had quit. Now she watched, ensuring that if he broke his neck or some fool thing then at least she could call the doctor. It was natural for him to be frustrated, she was angry too. They kept coming up on disasters that they could not prevent, or failed to prevent. But then life was like that, for all your best efforts it was easy to get away from you.

”Computer end program,” she finally said. The holodeck reverted to the yellow grid that it was in its default state.

”Why’d you do that?” panted Hume catching his breath.

”Because you’ve been at it for hours, come on let’s wash up and get a drink,” Flores said, “I didn’t join Starfleet to be angry all the time. Some days need to be good too, let’s go make what’s left of this a good one.”

Hume nodded and smiled, “Okay, I just want to be ready.”

”You’ll be as ready as you’ll be,” Flores said as they exited.

”That doesn’t mean anything,” Hume argued.

”Or it means everything,” Flores smirked.

”No, it means nothing,” Hume replied and the doors shut as they went into the hallway.

—- USS Luna, First Officer’s Office —-

Though she rightfully could use the Ready Room just off the bridge, Commander Olivia Carrillo found it easier to keep using her own office down the hall slightly. Her files were there, and everything felt a little more familiar. Her door chimed and the said, “Come.”

The door to her office slid open and a Captain was there, not Captain Cruz the ship’s commanding officer, but rather TaskForce XO Captain Nathanial Hawthorne, a bearded man who had arrived on the scene with the ship USS Majestic. He had also been most of the crew’s captain at some point, or at least those that had carried over from first the USS Anaheim to the USS Seattle. It was there that he had been Captain Adriana Cruz’s CO and she the first officer.

”Commander Carrillo,” he said nodding, “I’ve read your reports, it sounds like your and the Luna’s arrival is what prevented more deaths.”

Carrillo nodded, “We didn’t do anything just showed up where we were told to Sir.”

”Sometimes showing up is what makes the difference,” Hawthorne said. He sureyed the office, it was sparsely decorated. Most of Carrillo’s focus had been clearing out what previous XO’s had accumulated including for some reason a collection of ancient human plastic toys from a place called McDonald’s. Hawthorne gestured to the bare shelves, “Maybe put up some models of your past ships or something. Make this look like less of a flex room that just anyone can use. More personalized.”

 “I heard you were a fan of wood Sir,” Carrillo said.

Hawthorne nodded and smiled, “I’m sure Cruz told you that, I liked to feel like I was on a real sailing ship from Earth’s past. The kind that would sail from New York harbor. You’re from New York as well, I understand.”

”Yes sir,“ Carrillo said, “But I’ve never been on a nautical vessel.”

Hawthorne looked out the window at the USS Majestic and the starbase, “Not a lot of people have these days. It was a time of exploration and adventure. Discovering new lands and new peoples.”

”Didn’t work out so well for the new peoples,” Carrillo pointed out, as with many Latin people she was a mixture of the old Earth and the new, the Europeans and who they’d conquered. 

Hawthorne nodded, “I see Cruz picked an XO who is at least aligned with her on that subject. But yes, we’re trying to be better, the Prime Directive and all.”

”I don’t mean to be argumentative at all Sir,” Carrillo said.

Hawthorne nodded, “Cruz was, but she was good at her job. The best XO I had and one of the best Captains we have in the Task Force. I don’t need you to agree with me, or anyone for that matter. You just need to do the job, and Cruz always does that job even if she’s yelling at me for being a dinosaur.”

”And stop calling me Sir,” Hawthorne said.

”Yes Sir,” Carrillo said deadpanned.

Hawthorne rolled his eyes, “Comedians. All XO’s are comedians. Did you wish to do dinner, on the station, the restaurant is open again.”

Carrillo nodded, “I would. May I take my boyfriend?”

Hawthorne nodded, “Bring him too. I’ll meet you both at the Japanese place on station at 19:00 hours.”

—- Starbase 713, ‘The Japanese Place’ —-

Lieutenant Pierre Lambert smiled, and tried not to look too distressed. Everyone in this modern time seemed to be obsessed with a Captain named Kirk who had commanded the Enterprise.  While Lambert had heard of him it was hard to grapple with the fact that for so many today the life he’d lived (and left behind) had been boiled down to simply the exploits of one starship and one captain. Lambert had heard of him, but until coming to the future he’d never been asked about him.

Captain Hawthorne however seemed to know quite a lot, which was slightly embarrassing for the Lieutenant. To Lambert Kirk was just one of the many captains in Starfleet that he did not know, but to Hawthorne it seemed he was much more. He kept asking Lambert for recollections of Kirk which not having served with him or even known him at the Academy Lambert did not have.

”I’m sorry, again I wasn’t there. I think the whale thing happened after the USS Boston was lost,” he said. He had read something about that, but that had come long after the crew of the Enterprise had lost NCC-1701. 

Hawthorne nodded, “But surely he was known at the Academy, he was the only student to beat the Kobiashi Maru.“

Lambert shrugged, “Years before I got there, but yes we were warned that anyone replicating his methods would not be allowed to pass.”

A young woman approached the table, a science officer judging from her uniform, “Captain Adriana Cruz? I’m so glad to meet you, I’m Lieutenant Commander Keyana Mason and I wanted to transfer to the Luna, after what you did to help us on the station.”

Carrillo gestured to her pips, “I’m Commander Carrillo, not Captain Cruz. I don’t control bringing on new staff, and unfortunately she’s not here but on a planet.”

The woman nodded disappointed, then Hawthorne held his hand up, “Well she may not staff up the Luna, but I have a hand in assignments. You have a Lieutenant as your Assistant Chief of Science? I think Miss Mason would fit right in. Lieutenant Commander, hand in your transfer request today and I’ll make sure it’s processed.”

Lambert was quiet, realizing that he was outranked by everyone at the table. It was clear that Carrillo was annoyed but also was not saying anything. It was not the new woman’s fault that she had been granted a post on the Luna by Hawthorne the TaskForce XO but clearly going over the First Officer’s head was not welcome.

As she departed Lambert pressed on, “Is there any particular books about Captain Kirk that you would recommend? You seem to have studied him a great deal.”

Under the table he squeezed Carrillo’s hand, wanting her to know it would be okay. Cruz knew Hawthorne and would know how to deal with surprise reassignments. Besides with the Chief Science Officer Gabriella Miller at a conference they could use some one high ranked in there for now.

She squeezed back.

”I like the one by Doctor Thaddeus Venture, the one that actually focuses on the life of Doctor McCoy,” Hawthorne said nodding, “It really captures the sense of adventure of the old days.”

Lambert was not sure about this ’sense of adventure’ he and his friends had been doing their jobs just like on the USS Luna now, and inferior shielding, sensors and other aspects of space travel was what had got them caught in the anomaly and throw across time and space. He would have traded any amount of that ‘adventure’ for safety protocols or a better rate of survival. Hell he’d have gone home if he had a home to go anywhere to, but everyone he knew was dead years ago. So he stayed out here, further away than anyone had ever gone in his day, because what little he had in his life these days was the woman sitting next to him.

”I don’t know him either,” Lambert said, then added to be diplomatic, “but it sounds like a book well worth reading.”

Carrillo smiled, also trying to be tactful around the Captain, “Pierre’s been learning about Picard and the Enterprise-D.”

”I am still trying to wrap my head around an android in Starfleet,” Lambert said. He had head of some pretty sophisticated robots but their heads usually fell off if you got them stuck in a logical loop. To let one in Starfleet and to reach the rank of Lieutenant Commander was surprising.

”Just one of the many things you’ll learn about the present,” Hawthorne said, “It’s a brave new world.”

—- USS Luna, First Officer’s Office —-

On the screen Captain Adriana Cruz pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, “That’s Hawthorne for you. I love him, but does he ever do whatever he feels in the moment. He’s in love with his own authority and it doesn’t surprise me that he threw an Assistant Chief Science Officer at you.”

”We’re departing tomorrow to get you, how is it going?” Carrillo asked.

”Not well, we managed to get Lieutenant Winfield and Lieutenant Commander Dornall out of prison,” Cruz said, “but we’re negotiating with people who are actively turning their backs on science. We can show them as many graphs as we want but as long as it’s my word against god’s they’ll back their god. I go on television tomorrow but I don’t have much hope. Maybe they’ll listen in ten years after a decade of their natural world burning down.”

”Well I hope you’re right. Good luck Ma’am,” Carrillo said ending the transmission.

—- Kradashian City, Kradashian IV —-

The Starfleet historian smiled reassuringly at the captain of the USS Luna, who was without her ship and was being thrust into an unfamiliar situation. He was unsure of how well she was going to do at this, press handling was not in her background and Adriana Cruz was going into a situation where things were stacked against her. She had bad news to present to people who had a history of not trusting the Federation, Starfleet, or any other authority. She also had news that was not immediately obvious. It would likely be easier to convince people to trust Starfleet to relocate them if their star was dying in the next month, not in a century. But massive relocations of societies did not happen in months, or even years and it was either start soon or things would get a lot more desperate.

”Thank you for coming with me Lieutenant Siegel,” Captain Cruz said.

Siegel nodded, “You will do great, you’re confident and from what I see you understand the science enough to be a good communicator and not over complicate it.”

Cruz nodded, “But as Lieutenant Haus pointed out, I’m a woman of colour and not the best messenger on this world.”

Siegel shrugged, “Well we are all imperfect messengers, but the good news is that Earth finally was able to address their environmental issues, I’m sure you’ll be at least a step towards the future here.”

A young man who worked for the broadcast studio approached the historian, “Captain Cruz, it is your time now.”

Lieutenant Siegel shook his head, “No she’s Captain Cruz.“

”Ah, well if you’ll come with my Captain,” he said nodding and doing his best not to look surprised or distraught. Cruz followed after him and Lieutenant Siegel watched from back stage as the Captain took a seat next to a blonde woman. A man with light brown hair and a beard sat across from her, as if they were both guests. 

The blonde woman turned to a camera and smiled, “Welcome back. Today I am welcoming Starfleet and the Federation’s Captain Adriana Cruz to the Daily Chat and she is here to talk about something we all should be concerned about a supernova of our sun. Joining her is Doctor Pencival Adams to debate her on the science. Captain Cruz, can you begin what do you think is happening to our sun?”

Cruz looked between the two people on stage, “Sorry, I was not aware this was going to be a debate. There is no debate, the sun is in the later stages of a supernova. The temperature on the planet will continue to rise over the next century and then it will explode.”

”Scary stuff Doctor Adams, you’re a scientific advisor for the government care to respond?” the blonde woman asked her other guest.

He smiled as if a child had just done some incorrect math and he was there to correct them, “Well that is a novel theory but we have lived by the light of our sun since we came here from Earth so long ago. Yes we have seen some heating, but planets warm and cool naturally over time. Our environmental shields protect us from the heat.”

”They won’t once the sun goes supernova,” Cruz pointed out.

”This is just a non-violent way for the Federation and Starfleet to control us, so that we’re pawns of the Vulcans. They want to relocate us and then strip our planet for resources,” Doctor Adams said, “Why else did Captain Cruz bring a warship?”

“Did you bring a warship Captain,” the blonde woman asked.

”No, I came in a Luna-class starship made for exploration,” Cruz said.

”Could your ship flatten one or all of our cities from orbit?” Doctor Adams asked.

The Captain shook her head, “Our armaments are for defensive purposes only, not for anything else. There are tensions with rival powers that we need to be aware of though we strive for peace.”

”Not what we’d call back on my homeworld, gunboat diplomacy?” the doctor asked.

”I’m from Earth, so it’s my homeworld, and no we’re not here for gunboat diplomacy,” Cruz said.

”Do you admit though that your constant wars with the Cardassians have endangered our planet continually?” the host woman asked.

Cruz shook her head, “That was not the intention. The Cardassians were the aggressors, and all we have ever done is attempt to protect human colonies including this one.”

”But now you demand we move,” Doctor Adams said and smiled, “Typical Vulcans.”

”I’m not a Vulcan,” Cruz pointed out, “And this science has been verified by many of your planet’s own experts as well as the Daystrom Institute on Earth.”

”Scientists friendly to the Federation no doubt,” the man said.

”Look you have time to study this, and to relocate in an orderly fashion,” Cruz said, “But if we wait too long, it will be hard to get everyone moved. This isn’t your problem, but you have to think about the next generation, and their kids.”

”Science is how Vulcans have always tried to control us,” Doctor Adams said, “As I’m sure your viewers know.”

After the interview backstage Captain Cruz groaned and Lieutenant Siegel sighed, “I’m sorry Ma’am I should have prepared you for that. During the environmental crises on Earth the media always tried to play ‘both sides’ to a scientific fact. I did not think they’d try matching our evidence with rumor and innuendo.”

Cruz shook her head, “We failed, either way. We’ll have a ship come in a year or two and transport off Starfleet and its Embassy. We’ll give passage to anyone who wants off but at this point we can’t force them to relocate. Even if we wanted to we don’t have the resources. It was hard enough when there was a chance the majority would listen to us.”

Siegel nodded, “There’ll be some. Even on Earth in the old days there were some. Maybe it won’t be the billions we were hoping to reach but there’s going to be some people who heard you and listened.”

—- Arboretum, USS Luna —-

Commander Olivia Carrillo nodded sadly at her Captain as the other woman approached. Captain Adriana Cruz had just finished reporting to Starfleet and neither woman was particularly satisfied with the way their mission had gone even though they’d been sent on two completely different assignments. For Cruz trying to convince a population of an impending world ending disaster had gone badly enough that now Starfleet was looking at closing their embassy on the world, and simply leaving the population to their own devices.

”That was rough,” Cruz said, glad to be amoung the trees and natural world that had been cultivated on the ship’s expansive arboretum deck. Though she’d been planet side for her mission, the entirety of it had taken place within the environmental shields and away from anything natural. While the thick forest looked nothing like her home in Mexico City it was a natural antidote to what she had just experienced. A planet on its way towards dying, and a population that did not care or at least who refused to see the truth.

Carrillo nodded, “You missed seeing a California-class devastated, and its crew killed.”

Cruz nodded, “You did well, I got a note from Hawthorne, fleet is impressed with you and the crew.”

Carrillo nodded, “Well that’s something at least.”

Looking around Cruz sighed and sat down on the grass under a large elm tree from Earth. She did not know a lot about plants, her focus had always been on captaining or Starfleet and before that on simply keeping one step ahead of the authorities. While her singular focus had driven her to command of a starship, she knew that it was had left sizable gaps in her experience in other areas such as being friends with someone. Leaning against the bark of the tree’s trunk she glanced up at Carrillo. Her First Officer was more well rounded, was already forging better connections with the crew.

”We have some leave coming up when we get into Starbase. It’ll take about a month to overhaul some stuff and we’ll do a crew rotation of junior staff,” Cruz said, adding, “You have leave built up, take it with me we’ll go to my winery in Mexico City. Meet my brother, bring Lambert with you, he should see Earth and how it’s changed.”

Carrillo sat on the grass beside the captain, “And how about Navan? You’re not taking her?”

”She has to return to the Romulan Navy, since we’re most been handling border duties. So no, she’s not coming to Earth with me,” Cruz said, sighing at the prospect of another failed relationship. 

Carrillo nodded, “It’s easy to get caught up thinking that life is a zero sum equation. In Starfleet often you win, or you lose. But life is trickier. Sometimes you lose, but you did what you knew was best or you win even though you made mistakes. Sometimes you do everything right and you still lose.”

Cruz laughed, “You’re not talking just about Navan are you?”

”No, I didn’t do anything really but I got praised for saving the station by scaring away the attackers just for arriving,” Carrillo said, “Where as you did what you know is needed and a whole planet hates you. Did I do better than you? No, just got luckier.”

”I know,” Cruz said then paused, “That we’re not always going to win, but sometimes there’s something painful in the loosing.”

”Not even Vulcans are perfect,” Carrillo said.

”I won’t tell Pr’Nor you said that,” joked Cruz.

Carrillo smiled, “Thank you. I’m afraid of her.”