“Thank you Lukiz, I think we’re done here.” Banfield said with an almost sigh of relief.

Somewhat surprised to hear that, the Trill operations manager looked at the commander for double assurance. “Are you sure, ma’am?” Jen asked.

Nodding, Banfield gestured for him to leave as she took her stylus and began writing her final notes on her PADD.

Jen got up and started to make his way towards the door. He got halfway and stopped. Turning around he looked back at her. “Are you sure? As I feel that this,” Jen said motioning towards the office around him and indicating about his debrief, “seem very short.”

Smirking, Banfield looked at Jen. “Your report was insightful and everything you’ve shared with me is everything I need to ask, Lukiz.” She paused. “Unless there’s anything else you want to say?”

Jen paused for a second and then finally spoke up. “There is.” He said with conviction. “I appreciate that you have rules to follow, guidelines that must be kept and having to comprehend our experience must be a lot to digest. However whatever we did, we did with the best intentions based on the training and experience we as a crew have received ever since we joined Starfleet. Though we saw instances of our past, our present and our future, not once did Captain McCallister or I try to use it to manipulate events. Maintaining the timeframes was the first thing we agreed upon when we were recruited by the future Captain Tomaz and Admiral Duncan. Every action we took was to preserve what we knew was the truth and to save this ship and its crew.”

“Great speech, lieutenant commander, but speeches like your intentions, however good they are, don’t always ensure that events that have taken place or will take place are maintained.” Banfield remarked in an almost cold manner. “My work is to assess that and make any suitable recommendations. You may have tried to do the best but you cannot be certain your actions or words changed something.”

Jen considered her words for a moment before he responded. “No, I can’t but I can’t also sit here and doubt every choice I make for the rest of my life.”

“Talking of which,” Banfield said, brushing that last sentiment to one side in quite a carefree manner, “did you ever discover your fate in the future? We know that in the alternate future you visit that Captain McCallister is to become an admiral, what about you?”

Jen froze as he considered the question for a moment.

Banfield shielded her sneer at how the optimistic Trill officer was now pondering over the one question she hadn’t been able to answer herself. “Well if you’re not aware then we have nothing to worry about.”

Frowning at her, Jen nodded. “Indeed.” He said before marching out of the room.

Once the door closed behind him, Banfield returned to her notes. Across them she had the same theme taking place in them and she was slightly annoyed that what Jen had said earlier was coming out true. There was nothing she could see from her investigation, so far, that made her consider there was any foul play at work here. The Odyssey crew, past, present and future versions had tried to do their best. However she hated to read that in both Jen and McCallister’s report about what they had been told in regards to the DTI’s response from the future versions of Duncan, Tomaz and the captain’s son..

The intercom going off disturbed her thoughts. “Styles to Banfield, I’m back and have Captain Cambil with me.”

Tapping her combadge, she acknowledged her colleague’s response and got herself up from the armchair she had been occupying.

After being escorted to guest quarters by Styles and T’Rani, Cambil looked around and smirked as she realised she was assigned one the most luxury VIP rooms on the Odyssey. Knowing that McCallister was going out of his way to make it up to her, Cambil placed her bags in the bedroom before returning to the main living space. Grabbing a glass of water from the replicator, she walked over to the large windows and looked at the view before her. The cage-like structure that was around the Odyssey while it was in drydock took up most of the scene, but behind it sat the view of Mellstoxx Three. Though beautiful, Cambil always enjoyed the view of Olbari or Bajor the most. Sipping on the water lightly, Cambil placed the glass down on the sideboard before ordering the computer to send a message to her husband back home on Olbari. In her communique to him she told him she had arrived safely and noted what type of room she was using for her short stay. After asking him to send love to their sons, she sent the message.

Moments later and after making herself comfortable in one of the large sofas, the door chime went off. She had been told by Agent Styles she would not receive any visitors until she was called for her debrief by the lead investigator, so she wondered who it was. “Enter.” She commanded.

Looking up at the doorway as it parted away from each other, she was surprised by her visitor.

“Captain Cambil,” Commander Banfield said as she walked in with her hands behind her back, “I’m Commander Corella Banfield, the lead agent for the Department of Temporal Investigations.”

“Your reputation precedes you commander.” Cambil said instantly, not bothering to stand up to greet her guest. “When I had heard you were leading the investigation, I looked your service record up. An impressive career.”

“Thank you.” Banfield said in a diplomatic tone, sounding almost pleased with herself. “Congratulations on your recent promotion.”

“Thank you.” Cambil said, echoing Banfield’s tone almost. “I was told by Mister Styles that I would be escorted to you.”

Smirking as she looked at her feet before pacing the small spot she occupied away from Cambil, Banfield cleared up the misunderstanding. “I felt it was best I saw you first, before Captain McCallister pulled rank and saw you.”

Chuckling at the fact that Banfield had predicted what McCallister may do, Cambil shook her head. “Very clever, commander.” She added. “However I’ve known James Preston McCallister for a long time, he would never do anything to jeopardise something so important like this investigation.”

“I’m surprised to hear your full support of the captain.” Banfield countered as she stood still and faced Cambil with her hands firmly clasped behind her back. “From what I’m aware you initially left Starfleet last year because of actions that Captain McCallister took,” she paused as she tried to read the former first officer, “well that’s what I heard anyway.”

Now Cambil grinned. “Oh you’re good.” She said with an approving nod. “I think we’ll get along nicely, but to set the record straight, I left under my own choice. The only thing I didn’t have a choice in was my return to the service and the promotion I received. I have until the end of the year before I return to my previous civilian life that I was enjoying.”

“So you won’t be returning to the Odyssey anytime soon?” Banfield checked as she took the PADD she had behind her back out in front of her.

“I hope not to, but we never know what the Prophets send our way.” Cambil replied. “However, we both know you’re not here to have small talk with me. So can I suggest we cut the crap and get straight to the point as to the real reason I was ordered here.”

Banfield held her PADD up, “Well I’m sorry ma’am but with what happened Starfleet knew that at some point you will feel the need to return to the Odyssey after the paradox was ended in the correct time frame. From what my superiors tell me, we needed to avoid a breach of the temporal prime directive.”

Realising what had happened (or was now happening), Cambil gave a stunned appearance for a second. “My reactivation orders were based on all of this.” She gestured to the room around her but knew she meant the Odyssey.

“To a certain degree, yes ma’am.” Banfield admitted. “However, from what I’ve been told your absence from the service was something that Starfleet wanted to rectify.”

“It’s a bit of a calculated way of going about it.” Cambil moaned. She stood up and headed towards the replicator, filling up her glass with more water and she took it out. Purposely she didn’t offer a beverage to her guest. “I’m not surprised though, so why am I really here when we both know I have been fully debriefed by DTI?”

Appreciating her candour, Banfield stepped forward. “It’s simple ma’am, we need your help to convince Captain McCallister to ensure the time frame remains the way it should go.”

“And how do I do that?” Cambil asked for clarity.

“By simply telling him that he needs to prepare this ship and its crew for what will happen.” Banfield admitted.