“Orders that might take us away from Hathaway.”

Keziah had been replaying Noli’s words over and over again for the last two hours, from the moment her XO had left the conference lounge on Hathaway, to the moment they had been summoned to attend a meeting aboard Brahms Station. They hadn’t been given much notice, nor much of a hint, regarding what these orders might entail, only that they were to report to the station and meet with Admiral Grayson to go over the finer details. The fact that Admiral Grayson was in command of Task Force 47, and not their immediate superior, gave them both pause. Were they being transferred to a new unit? Was that the change being hinted at? Joining the pathfinders would be an interesting opportunity for them, not too dissimilar from their role in Task Force 17, but Keziah still found the whole thing somewhat peculiar.

“Why all the secrecy?” She finally asked, glancing across at her XO as they strolled towards the Conference Lounge on the command deck, led by the officer assigned as their escort. “Why keep us in the dark like this?” she elaborated further.

Noli shrugged. She’d been just as perplexed since she had first received the transmission hinting at new orders. “Has anything made sense in the last few months?” she asked, smirking as she shook her head.

“They know it’s something we won’t like…”

A third voice chimed in from behind, causing the two women in command red to look over their shoulders at the owner of the voice. Both smiled when they realised that it was their good friend, forgetting for a moment the seriousness they were facing.

“When did you get back?” Noli queried, moving aside slightly so Giarvar could walk between the two women, as his senior rank dictated.

“We arrived last night,” Giarvar told, patting Noli gently on the back and giving her a smile, “got some significant repairs following our escapade and received some shady orders from Commodore Ekwueme.”

“There’s a lot of that going around,” Nazir chimed in, looking across at Giarvar, only to catch a glimpse of a fourth figure walking a little way behind. He was a tall man, with a large, brown cranium and two deep-set brown eyes.

“Woah, you’re massive…” Noli blurted out, her cheeks quickly turning red as a result of her embarrassment.

“Umm, thanks?” the brutish man smiled as best he could.

“Xelliat, right?” Keziah smiled as she brought the group to a halt, nodding at the fourth officer.

“Most observant Captain. I’m impressed,” the deep voice of the officer in science blue surprised the Trill woman and drew Noli’s focus to him. “Most people have never met my species before,” he added with a smirk.

“I met another once,” Nazir revealed, “Quark’s bar on DS9. I lost eighteen bars to him at Dabo.”

“I’m sorry,” the Xelliat boomed, much to the curiosity of the three command-level officers, their expressions suggesting he needed to clarify the reasoning for his pity. “Sorry you had to go to Quarks at all, let alone lose 18 bars. That little troll owes me three cases of Saurian brandy…,” he added.

His response drew a laugh from the three, and Noli offered a hand out to the man. “Noli Auru, XO on Hathaway,” she introduced herself.

“Lieutenant Commander Onsas D’orr,” he returned the shake and then exchanged a second with the elder Trill. “I’m not exactly sure why I’m here. Until now, I’ve been a science advisor overseeing the new transporter protocols on the Arimathea,” he nodded at Giarvar respectfully as the group began walking once more.

“Don’t be modest Onsas,” the younger Trill male smiled, “Onsas here just helped Akaria guide Arimathea to safety after a near-death experience in a nebula.” His words drew a massive grin from Noli, a disapproving shake of the head from Nazir and the Xelliat to sheepishly bow his head.

“You’ve waited all this time to get your first command, and you try to destroy her on your first mission?” Nazir scoffed, mocking her friend as she playfully slapped him on the shoulder. “Impressive.”

“And I didn’t need the Dominion, Changelings or the Borg to do it either…” he grinned, only for his serious expression to return once he caught a glimpse of the looming entrance to the conference lounge. For a short time, they had forgotten the reason for their presence at the station, but the door to the unknown just several feet ahead was enough to refocus their attention.

“Maybe Giarvar is right? Whatever is to come, we probably won’t like…” Keziah pondered as they drew closer. Maybe the secrecy was because Starfleet knew they wouldn’t like whatever it was they had to say. Or maybe it was a top-secret mission. Whatever it was, they wouldn’t have long to wait in order to find out.

Their guide stepped across the threshold of the doorway and gestured for the officers to enter the large meeting space. Nazir, as the senior officer in the group, took the initiative and led the small group into the room.

Stopping in her tracks several steps in, the Trill took in her surroundings. Off to the right, a large rectangular table surrounded a holographic generator, and two officers were already seated, waiting. Elsewhere in the room, there were a dozen or so chairs in front of a lectern and another large table surrounded by chairs. There was a small group of far comfier chairs surrounding a coffee table and near a lift that, perhaps, led to Station Ops just one level up. Taking a deep breath, she turned back to the initial table she had spotted, and the faces sat around it. Both were surprisingly familiar.

“Commander sh’Elas,” she smiled, stepping forth and thrusting a hand at the white-haired Andorian. “You’re looking well,” she added.

“All thanks to you two,” Tharia grinned, quickly sharing a warm embrace with Noli.

“Romaes,” Nazir nodded to the elder Bajoran Captain in the room and extended the pleasantries to him whilst her XO and the Andorian engaged in a hushed conversation and introductions with the rest of the group.

“Keziah,” Romaes smiled and shook the offered hand before gesturing to the table he’d been sitting at with Tharia. “We were beginning to wonder if anyone else was showing up,” he laughed nervously as the newcomers took several seats around the table, leaving the one at the head free for whoever was leading this little gathering.

Once the doors to the lounge eventually parted again, they didn’t have long to wait in order to find out.