With most of the crew off duty and enjoying their time on the planet below, Court had decided to indulge himself in his weekly game of velocity with his son, William. He cherished his off-duty moments with William, and over the last few months, William was becoming a good player at it. Spending this time together, just the two of them had been an excellent way for them to always catch up with how things were going for William, and lately, Court felt like he needed to give William a bit more time, especially as it felt like recently everyone was more focussed on Jordan. 

His husband had commented on how adorable it was that Court would take William to the holodeck to do these things. Duncan remarked that William wasn’t like every other teenager on the ship who would have thought such activity was too embarrassing or uncool to do with one of their parents. 

Being the godfather to Fleet Captain McCallister’s sons had meant that over the years, Court had developed his paternal instincts, and now that two of them were no longer on the ship and Alfie was engrossed with his cadet studies, Court found himself wanting to spend more time with his sons when he could. He wished he had spent more time with his parents growing up. If neither of them were working, then they would be spending time doing their own research in their respective fields. Court had made that conscious decision that he wouldn’t be like that as a parent. He wanted to be there for his sons, whom he and Duncan had adopted over a year ago. William was starting to show an interest in a range of hobbies, especially the more physical ones, so Court was pleased to share his with his son when he could. 

Today, they found themselves in the holodeck where the room was configured to resemble a standard court for velocity. The air was alive with the hum of energy as the velocity disc zipped around, bouncing off holographic barriers with a faint crackle of excitement.

With his father’s unyielding spirit evident in every step, William dashed across the grid with agility and grace. His eyes were fixed on the disc, his movements fluid as he lunged and dodged, doing his utmost to outmanoeuvre his father. Seeing the determination in William’s eyes made Court chuckle at how much he reminded him of himself when he started playing velocity just over fifteen years ago with Fleet Captain McCallister. 

Court, clad in his off-duty sweats, matched William’s enthusiasm with a sense of paternal pride. His brow glistened with sweat, his heart pounding with the thrill of the game. Despite the pressure, he maintained a slight lead over his son, his focus unbroken.

“Come on, Dad, you can’t keep up forever!” William exclaimed, his voice echoing with both competitiveness and admiration for his father’s skill.

Court grinned, his heart swelling with pride at his son’s spirited challenge. “I’ve still got a few tricks up my sleeve, Will,” he replied, his tone playful yet determined not to let his son get anything past him.

Their phasers crackled with energy as they exchanged shots, the velocity disc ricocheting off the holographic walls with increasing velocity in their final round. Court could feel the intensity of the game mounting, each moment bringing them closer to the thrilling conclusion.

In a split-second decision, Court aimed his phaser with precision, sending a powerful blast towards the disc. William reacted swiftly, his reflexes honed by hours of practice, darting to the side just in time as the disc collided with the hologrid, rebounding off in a dazzling display of light and then smacking into the side of William.

“Full impact. Final round to Court. Winner Court.” The computer announced. 

William’s shoulders slumped in defeat, frustration evident on his face. “Damn it,” He cursed under his breath.

“Nice try, son,” Court said, his voice filled with warmth and his attempt to catch his breath. As he approached William, he placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “You almost had me there.”

William sighed, but a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “Yeah, almost,” he conceded.

Court chuckled, ruffling William’s hair affectionately. “Tell you what, how about we head to the Auditorium, and I’ll treat you to a milkshake? My treat.”

William’s eyes lit up at the suggestion, his disappointment fading as he nodded eagerly. “Sounds good, Dad. But next time, I’ll definitely beat you. You’re getting too old for this!”

Court grinned, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. “I look forward to the challenge, Will. But for now, let’s go enjoy that milkshake together.”

With laughter echoing in the holodeck, father and son left the game’s intensity behind, relishing the simple joy of spending time together. As they exited the holodeck, Court put an arm around William’s shoulder as they continued to banter about their match. 

After ordering two chocolate milkshakes at the bar, Court and his son settled down at an empty table in the Auditorium. The atmosphere was relaxed, with the gentle hum of conversation and the clinking of glasses providing a soothing backdrop.

The dim lighting of the Auditorium created an ambience of calmness as Court and William sat across from each other, sipping their milkshakes. Court watched his son closely, noting the furrow in his brow and the thoughtful expression on his face.

“Dad, do you know why Jordan’s been so moody lately?” William’s voice broke the comfortable silence, his concern evident in his tone.

Court paused, considering his son’s question. “Hmm, I think he’s just stressed with his work as a cadet on the ship,” he replied with a shrug, masking his own worries.

William shook his head, his expression serious. “It’s more than that, Dad. I found out something.”

Intrigued, Court leaned in, his interest piqued. “Oh? What did you find out?”

William hesitated for a moment before speaking, his voice lowered conspiratorially. “Jordan is romantically involved with someone.”

Court chuckled. “Yeah, we all know he is dating with Beatrice.”

William shook his head furiously between sips and told his father he was wrong. “No, he is secretly dating Alfie now.”

Court’s eyes widened in surprise at the revelation. He knew that Jordan and Alfie were best friends, but recently, they had not seemed as close. They had all heard that both boys had a falling out recently and needed some time to get over it. 

“Are you sure?” Court checked with his son opposite to him.

William nodded, his gaze unwavering. “Yeah, apparently, they got together during the recent cadet training excursion. They were on a survival training exercise in some alien forest, and they kissed each other.”

Court felt a pang of concern gnawing at his chest. “I see,” he murmured, his mind racing with questions and uncertainties. Curious about how his son came across such sensitive information, Court asked, “Where did you hear this, Will?”

William shifted uncomfortably in his seat, a hint of guilt flickering across his features. “Uh, from a few sources,” he admitted reluctantly. “But it also explains why Jordan and Alfie have been avoiding each other during their off-duty time.”

Court placed a hand on William’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Listen, Will, it’s not our place to pry into your brother’s private affairs. If Jordan wants to tell us about his romantic feelings for Alfie, he’ll do it when he’s ready. Or if something else is bothering him, we can only reassure him we are here for him. You do not get involved in gossiping about his love life or any other part. Do you get that?”

William frowned, struggling to understand. “But what have I done wrong, Dad? I was just trying to understand what’s been bothering Jordan.”

Court offered his son a gentle smile. Sometimes, he had to remind himself of how naive William and Jordan were in certain social situations based on their backgrounds.  “You haven’t done anything wrong, Will. But sometimes, respecting someone’s privacy is the best thing we can do for them.”

“Fine,” William said, sounding deflated. “All I was going to say was if Jordan was dating Alfie, then I’m cool with that as I like Alfie and having him as another big brother is okay with me. Plus, I don’t like Beatrice; she makes Jordan look stupid.”

“Calm down, Will; we’re not preparing Jordan and Alfie’s marriage just yet,” Court remarked with a chuckle. Changing the subject, Court asked, “Do you have any homework from school?”

William nodded, grateful for the shift in conversation. “Yeah, I have revision for my upcoming exam on Earth literature.”

“Ah, literature. One of my favourites,” Court said with a smile. “How about I help you with your revision later? We can make it a father-son study session.”

A grin spread across William’s face. “Thanks, Dad. I’d like that.”

They returned to their drinks; however, Court couldn’t shake off the nagging feeling of concern. He couldn’t ignore the possibility that William’s words held the truth about Jordan and Alfie. His mind raced with worries and uncertainties about his son’s well-being. William’s logic made sense in explaining why Jordan was the way he was lately. Deep in thought, Court made a silent resolution. He would share what he knew with his husband when they saw each other. Together, they would find a way to support Jordan, whether it be in navigating his newfound relationship or addressing any underlying issues he may be facing.

“Bridge to Commander Court,” spoke Lieutenant Jisaraa over the intercom.

Court tapped his combadge that was attached to his t-shirt. “Go ahead, Lieutenant.”

“Sorry to disturb you, sir, but we think we are picking up a distress call.”

Intrigued by that, Court asked her to clarify from where.

“It’s coming from the Entharan research outpost that Doctor Slyvexs and her husband are visiting,” Jisaraa answered, her worry evident. “The Entharans are reporting that they are under attack by the Hirogen.”

“Take us to red alert; I’m on my way, and get a message to Fleet Captain McCallister and Captains Duncan and Banfield to return to the ship immediately,” Court said as he got out of his chair. He knew he could take the ship into battle with its captain, first officer and second officer, but with over half the senior staff on R&R, Court wasn’t prepared to take that risk. 

“Understood, sir,” 

Court turned to William, and straight away, he could see that William was frustrated that this new emergency had stopped their time.

“I’ve got to go, Will, but once this is all over, you and I are hitting those revision notes,” Court said with an assuring smile.

“Thanks, Dad,” William said as the ship went to red alert.

Court, the only senior officer on the ship at the time, rushed out of the Auditorium and took the nearest turbolift to the bridge.