Siadra had just settled down in her office on the USS Four Winds after dropping her daughter off at school when an unexpected call from Starfleet Command came through. “Good morning Admiral,” she greeted the dark skinned Vulcan man. “How can I be of assistance?” She wondered what this call might be about. After all, it wasn’t every day that an Admiral called a ship’s counsellor and it made her wonder if it had to do with her passing the Command test.

=/\= Commander, we have a new assignment for you as the new Executive Officer on the USS Asimov, =/\= Admiral Serek replied by way of a greeting.

For a moment or two Siadra looked in surprise at the screen. “Thank you, Sir. I didn’t expect this so soon,” she eventually replied and then asked, “What can you tell me about the Asimov? Is there anything I should be aware of? Can you give me a little time to consider?”

=/\= You’ll have twenty-four hours to decide. The Asimov is a Brazen-Class starship with a focus on exploration and science missions. Currently the ship is considered missing in action and your first responsibility will be a rescue mission. You will take a transport ship to the last position and rendezvous there with the USS Novak, =/\= Serek replied.

Frowning slightly Siadra asked, “If there is already a vessel out there searching for them, how can I be of additional help, Sir?”

=/\= The Asimov and later a shuttle encountered an unknown anomaly in space. We know from the shuttle’s telemetry that there is a planet inside the anomaly and also a plasma storm. Both vessels most likely crashed on the surface. It will be your duty to board a heavily armoured custom runabout and to fly into the anomaly. If our calculations are correct, you will arrive on the other side and assist the Asimov in her return, =/\= the Admiral replied evenly, as if he had announced nothing more exciting than tomorrow’s weather instead of asking her to go on a highly dangerous mission.

For what felt like an eternity to her, but really was only a few moments, Siadra stared blankly at the Admiral. When she finally found her voice she asked incredulously, “I am a single mother, Admiral. Are you honestly asking me to go on a potential suicid mission?”

=/\= Commander, do I have to remind you of the oath you swore when you joined Starfleet or that the need of the many outweighs the need of the few? =/\= Serek asked evenly, one eyebrow raised. =/\= Though as I said at the beginning, you have twenty-four hours to make your decision. Just be aware that it might be months, if not years till the next position as a First Officer will be available for you should you decline this one. I will send you some additional info about the ship and your mission. Good day to you. =/\= And with that he simply ended the call, leaving Siadra alone in her office.

Siadra had taken as much time as she could to think about the assignment Command had offered her. Allowing herself to really think things through and to also talk with her best friend and her therapist about it. After weighing the pros and cons and reviewing the data and information Admiral Serek had sent her, she had eventually decided to accept. With the plan Command had come up for the rescue mission, the odds weren’t as dire as they had seemed at first. Though they still weren’t good. But someone had to do it and she wanted to be able to still look at herself in the mirror.

And now she was left with a problem that seemed equally as difficult: How to tell her daughter Liara that they were going to leave the USS Four Winds, the only home the child remembered, in two days?

Sitting down next to her on the floor, Siadra pulled Liara towards her and kissed the top of her curly head. “How would you like going onto an adventure?” she asked softly.

Liara looked up from the puzzle she was doing and asked, “What kind of adventure?”

“One where we move to a new place and get to know a lot of new people,” Siadra replied.

“Like on a vacation?” Liara asked, a deep frown on her face.

Shaking her head slightly, Siadra answered, “No, we will be living on that new ship and I’ll be the First Officer.”

“No!” Liara exclaimed and shook her head vigorously as tears started to roll down her cheeks. “I don’t want to go!”

Holding her close, Siadra felt tears well up in her own eyes as she tried to comfort her daughter and convince her that everything would be alright. That she’d like the new ship and make new friends.

A few days later:

Sitting in the runabouts cockpit, Siadra finished the pre-flight check up and then opened a com-channel. =/\= Commander Enai to the bridge. I’m ready for take off. =/\=

=/\= Understood Commander and good luck. Just focus on your mission while we take care of your daughter, =/\= came the Captain’s voice through the speakers.

=/\= Thank you, Sir. See you soon. Enai out. =/\= And with that she manoeuvred the runabout out of the hangar bay and flew straight towards the anomaly; not knowing that Liara had somehow managed to sneak into the runabout as well and was now hiding behind the boxes full of equipment.

~Cmdr. Enai, XO