Stardate: 74557.23

Time: 2131 hours

Location: Gamma Quadrant

USS Heracles

Vausees sat in the Ready room, her focus on the image of Thý’ella as it was displayed on the holographic monitor that sat on her desk. Thoughts of the last thing that she had done on the bridge of the Heracles played over and over within Vausees mind as she sat there. Over and over she tried to piece together what had happened to cause the Prothypourgós to use Vausees kindness against her. 

A sigh left her lips as she leaned forward and laid her head on her arms; which were folded under her head. She closed her eyes as she lay there on her desk, continuing to try and piece the last week together.

The sound of her door opening and then closing caused her to open her eyes and glances at a woman wearing a yellow uniform that had walked in. A smile crept over her lips as she knew who it was.

“Debbie,” she said as she remained with her head down. “What did I do wrong to have Thý’ella betray us like she did?” Vausees asked Debrah as the woman moved around and behind her Captain and love.

Reaching down she rested her hands on Vausees back and began to rub the stiffness out. As she did she too tried to figure out what had caused a supposed friend to act as she had. When nothing came to mind she leaned down and kissed the only side of Vausees face that she could see and replied, “I wish I knew baby,” she said, “I wish I knew,” she repeated a second time as she squatted down and wrapped her arms around Vausees and the chair.

—

Cody sat in his quarters with his head propped up in his right hand. A pair of blue hands appeared on his chest coming from his shoulders. He looked up and smiled as his eyes came to rest on a smiling blue face, Zyvia. She leaned down and gently placed a kiss on his lips.

“Something troubling your mister?” Zyvia teased as she looked into his eyes.

Cody shook his head, “Not at this moment,” he stated as he returned the kiss.

“Then how about we go to bed and figure out whatever is not troubling you in the morning,” Zyvia said as she slowly stood up from the back of the couch and stepped over it as she moved around to stand in front of Cody.

He watched her movements and then reached up and took her hand to stand up when she offered it to him. The two then headed for a dim lit room of the smaller living room. As they entered Zyvia spun around and leapt up into his arms, her legs locking together at his lower back. Cody carried her to their shared bed and laid her down. His lips once more found her’s as he kissed her deeply. 

Breaking the kiss he looked into her eyes, “Zyvia,” he said softly.

Looking into his eyes she smiled as she placed a finger over his lips. “I know, I love you too,” she stated before dropping her hand away from his mouth and replacing it with her own.

—

Charles placed a hand against his lips as he kissed his fingers before placing them on the monitor that held a smiling woman. “I love you Karen,” he said before she returned the gesture back to him and the monitor turned to black and then to the Federation’s Seal.

He turned and slipped out of his uniform before entering into his rack. A series of clicks could be heard coming from the rack above him as Skirak spoke to him.

“Your wife is a beautiful woman,” the Xindi-insectoid said to Charles as he peaked over the edge of the rack. 

Charles smiled and nodded, “Thank you and that she is.”

“I wonder if I will ever meet someone like her.”

Charles looked into the insect eyes of his Assistant Chief Engineer, “I am sure there is someone out there saying the exact same thing, but about you.”

Skirak nodded his head and laid back in his rack, “I hope you’re right, Chief,” he said before falling to sleep.

Charles laid there smiling as he thought of Skirak and another embracing each other. In a soft whisper he said, “I know I am.”

—

Stardate: 74557.91

Time: 0400 hours

Location: Gamma Quadrant – Angelikós

USS Heracles

A soft chime echoed inside of the mind of Vausees as she lay wrapped around Debrah; the computer was informing her that it was time to wake up. A soft groan escaped Debrah’s lips as she turned over and buried her face into Vausees neck. The chime still echoed in the silence of the room, “Computer silence the alarm-clock,” Debrah said in a groggy voice as she laid tucked up under Vausees chin.

Vausees could not help but smile as she laid in the warmth of the bed; warmed by a pair of bodies that did not want to move from it. Moving her head she leaned down and kissed the platinum colored hair of Debrah as she slowly unwrapped her arms from about her. 

“I don’t want to move either, baby,” she said into the woman’s hair as she kissed it, “but duty is calling for me.”

Debrah knew that Vausees was right, but that didn’t make getting out of bed any easier. Turning her head up she pressed her lips hard into Vausees as she slipped the covers off of both of their nude bodies and headed slowly toward the bathroom and ultimately the sonic shower, knowing all too well that Vausees would be right behind her. As the water began to cascade over her body she smiled as she felt a pair of soft, yet firm, hands slip around her. 

“You sure do know how to tease a woman in the morning don’t you baby,” Vausees said as she placed kisses on Debrah’s back. 

—

–Half an hour later–

Vausees stood in the bathroom, still warm from the shared shower, and looked in the mirror as Debrah walked up behind her in a crisp yellow uniform. A smile crossed her lips as she turned around and ever so carefully adjusted a single pip into place on her loves chest. “There you go, immaculate as always,” she commented as she turned back to adjust her ComBadge into place. 

Turning she followed Debrah out of the Cabin and across the corridor into the main lift that would take them up to deck one and the bridge. After a very short ride the two women exited out of the lift and onto the bridge.

“Captain on deck!” Yelled out a woman dressed in blue as she came to attention.

Vausees looked at Debrah and smiled, “Take your console, Commander,” she said to Debrah before looking at the bridge crew, “As you were,” she ordered as she moved to her seat.

Cody stood up from the Command Chair as Vausees took it. He handed her the Night shifts report.

“Appears that we are in orbit of Angelikós, Captain,” Cody said as he looked at the planet that filled the main viewscreen.

Vausees nodded as she read over the report from the Night shift. She then looked up at the viewscreen.

“Hail them.”

Debrah did as she was ordered and a soft beep replied that the hail had been sent. A moment later Thý’ella appeared on the screen. Vausees eyes narrowed as she saw her.

“Thý’ella,” she said in a slightly lowered tone then one that she had used before with her supposed ally.

Thý’ella could see and hear the anger coming from Vausees, and she closed her white shimmering eyes. “Captain,” is all that she said as she looked at Vausees.

“What did I do to deserve such betrayal, Thý’ella?” Vausees asked as she looked at the Angelikós Zilotís leader.

Thý’ella knew that this conversation was coming and had for the past week thought about what she had done to Vausees and her crew. And how she had hidden the truth from them all, a truth that she wasn’t entirely sure that she was comfortable speaking about; how she and her people were direct descendants of the lost and destroyed ancient civilization called Tkon.

“Vausees, it was not personal, not in the least,” Thý’ella stated as her image looked into the light blue eyes of the Captains. She remained silent for a few moments as she waited for a rebuttal of some sort. When it did not come she spoke up once more, “I think this would be a conversation best held here on Angelikós,” Thý’ella said in a softer tone.

Vausees thought about Thý’ella’s offer and turned to look at Cody and Debrah. Debrah muted the comm system.

“Captain?” Debrah said as she knew that look all too well.

Cody turned to look at Debrah before he returned his attention back to Vausees, “You are not actually thinking about going over there are you?” he asked as he looked between the two women. “I have a bad feeling about it, if in fact you are considering it,” he stated as his eyes stopped on Vausees.

Vausees looked at her love and nodded, as she turned back to the main viewscreen. The comm’s were unmuted, “I will be down shortly,” she stated and then turned away to head toward her ready room. The viewscreen then changed from the image of Thý’ella to the image of the planet. “Commander’s, join me in my ready room,” Vausees ordered as the door to her ready room parted as she neared.

Cody looked at Trever, “The conn is yours Lieutenant,” he said as he followed Vausees and Debrah.

Both Cody and Debrah took a seat across from Vausees as she sat behind her desk. The room was silent as both commanders looked at their Captain. Neither wanted to break the silence as they could see that Vausees was in deep thought, “Babe,” Debrah said as she could not stand the silence any longer.

Vausees moved only her light blue eyes to look at Debrah, however, she still remained silent.

“Talk to us. Tell us what you want,” Debrah said as she looked into the light blue eyes of her lover wanting to confirm what she already knew.

Cody sat there in silence for a moment before he steepled his fingers, “You’re going to go aren’t you,” he stated as he sat there.

Vausees moved just her eyes again as she looked from Debrah to her XO. She nodded, “The only thing is I don’t know if I should,” she stated as she shook her head in frustration. “Part of me needs to know why she did what she did, while another part is telling me that it could be a trap.”

Both Cody and Debrah nodded in agreement. “I think that if you do go that you take a security team with you,” Cody stated as he looked at her.

Debrah nodded with his statement, “I can have a team ready to go in minutes.”

Vausees shook her head, “That won’t be necessary. As I will only be taking Debrah if I must take security with me,” she said as she looked at both of them, “The less that is with me the less of a chance of seeming like a threat or anything like that.”

Cody sighed but understood where she was coming from, “If there is nothing else I will return to the bridge and take command while the two of you are off ship.”

Vausees nodded and stood up. The three of them left the ready room and Cody took the command seat from Trever who had stood up when the door to the room opened.

Vausees and Debrah stood on the transporter pad as they readied themselves for the transport down to the surface of Angelikós. A moment later their bodies were engulfed in light blue and white lights and dematerialized off the pads.

Stardate: 74557.93

Time: 0410 hours

Location: Gamma Quadrant – Angelikós

Planetside

As both Vausees and Debrah stood on a transporter pad, their bodies having fully rematerialized from the data stream that they had just moments ago been in, they looked about and suddenly realized that they were in an underground chamber or what appeared to be an underground chamber. Suddenly the door nearest to them opened; to the sound of steel on stone. Their attention was drawn toward the sound as someone wearing a white leather jacket on top of white robes entered the room that they were in. Their face was hidden behind shadows inside of a cowl as they approached Vausees and Debrah. 

As they came to a halt in front of the two women they reached up and lowered the cowl and a strong face could be seen as they looked up at them. Vausees then realized that this person had masculine features on his face. 

In a deep demonic voice the man spoke to them, “Please, follow me.”

Vausees nodded and followed the man, with Debrah in tow, as he turned about and headed back toward the door that he had moments ago opened. As they left the room the scenery changed from what they had perceived as an underground chamber to a bright greenish blue sky. Turning her head back toward where they had just been it was then that Vausees realized that they had been inside of a circular pyramid; its peak pointed toward the skies above them, but had the appearance that it could move along the rounded base below it.

—a few moments later—

Vausees looked at Debrah as they sat silently in an antechamber as they waited for their host to appear, Thý’ella.

As if they had called for her, their host appeared as the door opened and Thý’ella walked in. She looked at the two women and then moved over to an open window. Placing her hands on the side of the windowsill she looked out on the vastness of this city; only one of a few cities on this side of the planet.

Closing her eyes she spoke, “Vausees, I know that you think that I betrayed you, but that is far from the truth,” she said as she turned around and looked at her with shimmering white eyes. “I…no my.” Vausees cut her off as she lifted a hand to her.

“I know who or rather what you are,” Vausees said as she looked at Thý’ella, coldness emanates from her eyes as she looked. “You and your people are Tkon, or rather are descendants of that ancient race.”

The shocked look in Thý’ella’s eyes confirmed what Vausees had suspected after that analyst of the residual energy residue on the Romulan warship that she and her crew, along with Thý’ella had encountered almost a month ago. Thý’ella opened her mouth to speak but no words came forth as she tried. 

Vausees glared as she stood up and moved over to the woman, Debrah could not believe what she had just witnessed or heard.

Stumbling on her words Thý’ella confirmed what Vausees had already stated. Debrah stood up and moved over next to them, “You mean to tell me that you are Tkon?”

Thý’ella shook her head, “No, well not directly,” she stated as she leaned back against the window. “I and my people, as your Captain has stated, are descendants of the Tkon.”

Vausees turned to Debrah, “Commander, step outside,” she ordered.

Debrah looked at her and opened her mouth to object but saw the look in her lover’s eyes and nodded. She moved away from the two women and headed for the door as it slid to the side and opened for her.

Now that Vausees and Thý’ella were alone, Vausees turned and looked at the woman, “Tell me why you did what you did, Thý’ella?” She demanded as she looked into the shimmering white eyes of the woman. 

Thý’ella lowered her eyes, “I had no idea where it was located, this much you already know,” she stated as she lifted her eyes to look into the angry ones of Vausees. “I did however know how to activate the beacon, as it was entrusted to my people and our leadership.”

Vausees wasn’t entirely sure about her explanation and stood her ground as she waited for Thý’ella to continue.

Thý’ella explained how she had been tasked with finding a way to reline the beacon as the leadership had received a message from an unknown person and location about the beacon becoming unstable. Thý’ella then continued how she was fortunate enough to have Vausees and her ship suddenly appear in her part of space and after scanning the ship realized that she now had a way to power the beacon.

Vausees took a seat as she realized that Thý’ella had done what was necessary to ensure that her people and her part of the quadrant were safe and secured, for now. She sat there in shock but mostly astounded at how Thý’ella and herself were more alike; she had been given orders from Starfleet to do all that was necessary under the Omega Directive to find a beacon and do anything to get it operational and relined with the facilities known as the Vanishing Point. As she continued to sit there and place the pieces of the puzzle together she also realized that Thý’ella had been given the same orders from her leadership of that time. 

Standing up she began to pace around the chamber, her mind wrapped around the total picture as she saw it. Stopping, she looked at Thý’ella. “You have given me much to ponder about,” she confessed as she moved over to the woman. She placed a hand on her shoulder. “In the meantime, I could use some help in finishing up our repairs.”

Thý’ella nodded. “Of course Captain,” she said as she looked at Vausees. “You and your crew are welcome to Angelikós and Daímonas, the two habitable planets in our system.”

Vausees nodded, “I am sure that my crew will take you up on that offer.

Thý’ella nodded in return and smiled as she turned to look at Vausees, “In the meantime, I would like you and Debrah to stay with me in my estate.”

Vausees thought about it for a moment as she looked at her. “I will pass along the message to Debrah.” 

Vausees then left the chamber and met up with Debrah outside of the room. Debrah stood up as Vausees approached, she could tell that something was on her lover’s mind as she approached.

“Thý’ella has offered for you and me to join her in her estate while the repairs to the Heracles are finished,” she said as she looked at her. “She has also given the crew the hospitality of the two planets in the system.

Debrah looked at Vausees, “What do you think we should do?”

“I think we should take advantage of this offer,” Vausees stated.

Debrah nodded as she moved toward Vausees, and she moved into her arms. Vausees wrapped her arms around her and smiled.

“Then it is settled,” Vausees said as she held Debrah.

Stardate: 74559.02

Time: 1439 hours

Location: Gamma Quadrant – Angelikós & Daímonas

Planetside

Placing her arms around Debrah, Vausees laid her head on Debrah’s back as she relished at the moment; moments that the two had plenty of since Debrah’s transfer onto the Heracles, but it still did not seem like enough either of them.

Debrah stood on their private balcony and looked out over the city that lay before them and the hazel skies that kissed the horizon. Her eyes then came to rest on the city’s ports, some of which were for the ships that imported and exported goods to and from Angelikós and Daímonas, while the others had ships which sailed over the waters of the planet. In many ways, Angelikós reminded her of Earth in this way. 

A smile crossed her lips when she felt Vausees plant her lips on her bareback. Turning around in her lover’s arms Debrah looked up into her Vausees light blue eyes. “Tell me how much you love me, baby.”

“Debbie you mean the world to me,” she said as she kissed her lips, “and I do not know how I have ever been able to function since…” She went quiet as she remembered Klair and Trance. Her light blue eyes suddenly shimmered as tears threatened to spill from them. 

Debrah leaned down and kissed her eyes as she saw the tears in them. She knew about her tragic love life, and still loved this woman with all of her heart. She knew just how much Vausees loved her and how much she loved her in return. 

“I am so sorry for asking that. I know it is still a painful memory,” her voice was soft as she ran her hands up and down Vausees bareback. 

A soft chime from the door inside of their room. A soft voice of a woman could be heard announcing the arrival of Thý’ella. Vausees replied that she may enter, her voice was raspy as she spoke. Which caused Debrah to rub her back more.

As the door disappeared and Thý’ella entered she noticed the Vausees and her head on Debrah’s shoulder and that her face was flush as if she had been crying. Looking up into Debrah’s green eyes, her shimmering white eyes showed concern. She mouth out if everything was ok and Debrah nodded as she kept rubbing Vausees back.

Approaching the two women Thý’ella placed her hand on the stone and steel railing and looked out over her city before closing her eyes. She then turned her head to look at Debrah, “You sure she’s ok?”

Vausees then spoke having heard what Thý’ella had said. “It’s a bad memory,” she stated as she opened her bloodshot light blue eyes and looked at Thý’ella. “It’s still fresh and my love here accidentally triggered the memory.”

Thý’ella nodded as she understood how powerful those kinds of memories could be. “Well if you would like I can come back later.”

Vausees nodded but was overridden by Debrah. “Actually what did you have in mind, Thý’ella?” Debrah asked as she looked down and into the tear-stained eyes of Vausees.

“Are you sure?” Thý’ella asked the two women.

Debrah nodded, “Most definitely. I need to get this one out of her head and I think whatever you have in mind might do the trick,” she grinned as she continued to look at Vausees and the irritation in her eyes.

Vausees knew that her lover was correct that she needed to get out of this emotional roller coaster that she was currently riding. With a sigh, she looked over at Thý’ella and nodded. An excitement flowed over Thý’ella’s shimmering eyes as she grabbed the two women and headed for the doorway.

—Daímonas—

Cody and Syvia lay on a beach together, each in a bathing suit. Both have taken Thý’ella’s offer of shore leave on the two planets as a sign of finally being able to spend some much-needed time together. They had decided to venture to Daímonas as many of Thý’ella’s people had said that it held exquisite beaches and much to their surprise it did. Even though the sand was black and tan in hues it still felt, to the both of them, to be like the sands of both of their planets. 

Cody lay on his back and Zyvia laid on him, her light blue, toned skin contrasted heavily against his tanned muscular body. She was listening to his heartbeat as he had his eyes closed, a smile crossed her lips as she listened.

“Cody, I wish we didn’t have to leave here,” she stated as she looked up at him.

He opened his eyes and looked down at her. A smile crept over his mouth as he watched her antenna’s move about on their own. He had come to recognize that movement as her being content and or happy and he was glad that she was. “I know, but you and I both know that we have a duty to the Federation first.”

Zyvia nodded as she knew that he was right. “Still it would be nice to live here on Daímonas. Don’t you think so?”

Cody could not deny what she had just said and nodded. “Yes, it would be nice. Who knows, maybe someday we might be able to.”

Zyvia looked at him. “You and me?”

Cody nodded, “Of course, Zyvia. I wouldn’t want anyone else to spend the rest of my life with,” he confessed to her. 

This caused her antenna’s to move wildly as she sat up and straddled him. She leaned forward as she placed her hands on his chest and kissed him deeply. His hand moved up to her waist as he pressed his lips harder into hers.

—Angelikós—

Thý’ella laughed as the hazel waters splashed over the bow of her personal Waverunner. Vausees and Debrah both had grins on their faces as the three women were covered from head to toe in the water; soaking their borrowed attire that was nearly transparent from being wet. 

A chime suddenly came through over Vausees ComBadge and she reached up and tapped it. “Vausees here.”

“Sorry to bother you, Captain,” came the voice of Charles as he had elected to stay on board and assist with the repairs to the Heracles, “I have a message from Vice Admiral Seagraves,” he stated.

Vausees looked at Debrah and Thý’ella as she reached into one of the pockets on the bag that she had brought, and produced a PADD. “Send it to my PADD, Charles.”

A moment later the message was on the PADD

To: All Fourth Fleet Commands

From: VADM Aubrey Seagraves, Director of Fourth Fleet Operations

SUBJ: Operation Homestead

Until further notice, all Fourth Fleet assets are directed to immediately commence appropriate actions to benefit general fleet morale, relations with allies, and scientific priorities, as per the earlier communique from Fleet Command. Where appropriate, this should include repair, resupply, rest, and recuperation at Fourth Fleet starbases and space stations.

Local priorities including engineering and medical support, scientific surveys, and other bread-and-butter exploratory functions have been re-tasked from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd fleets. You’ve done well, Fourth Fleet. Focus on the home front for a while.

“Charles, contact all personnel on shore leave and tell them that we are going to be here for a while,” she said as she looked at Thý’ella. “Provided that our host is okay and accepting of this.”

A smile crossed Thý’ella’s lips as she nodded. “As long as your crew remains respectful and doesn’t misbehave too much I don’t see there being a problem with you and your crew staying for as long as is necessary.”

Charles had heard what Thý’ella had said and nodded as he closed the comm’s and relayed the captain’s wishes.

Debrah looked at Vausees with a cocked head and a confused look on her face. She had only thought that they would be here long enough for the Heracles to finish repairs and that they would be on to their next mission. Vausees saw the look on her lover’s face and handed over the PADD. Debrah looked at the PADD, which caused Thý’ella to look over her shoulder. 

Debrah’s eyes widened as she looked back to Vausees. “Are these genuine?” she asked her and Vausees placed her thumb on the display and the PADD chirped.

“Computer, verify the authenticity of the message on this PADD, and verify that it came from Vice Admiral Aubrey Seagraves”

A moment later a woman’s voice came back from the PADD, “Authenticity is genuine to the Vice Admiral. Location of the message source is verified to the Alpha Quadrant.”

“Alpha Quadrant?” Thý’ella asked as she looked at Debrah and Vausees.

“Yes, that is where we are from,” Vausees stated as she explained how they entered into the quadrant.

Thý’ella nodded the entire time, enthralled by the information that she was hearing from Vausees and Debrah as they explained how they arrived in the Gamma Quadrant. All the while the Waverunner kept on its path towards where Thý’ella had directed it to.

—Daímonas—

A pair of black shorts lay tangled around a black top and bottom of a bikini, while off in the distance a woman lay half on a man, sweat covers their bodies, as well as black and tan sand. Crimson waves lap at their legs as they breathe heavily. A soft chime is heard coming from the ComBadge that is attached to the discarded clothing and Zyvia turns her head to look at the ComBadge.

A groan escapes her mouth as her sore body yells out in sweet pain from the passion that both her and Cody had moments ago been enthralled in. Her bare body moves slowly over to the ComBadge and she removes it from the top and taps the device. 

“Lieutenant Zyvia here.”

A smile crosses her lips as she hears the orders that Vausees had given to Charles. A moment later the ComBadge was discarded back onto her black top as she crawled seductively back toward Cody, a mischievous grin on her lips as she moved.

Cody looked at her and raised an eyebrow at her. “Something on your mind sweetheart?” He asked as he lifted onto his elbows as she approached