A ship never sleeps. There was always someone about. It had taken Bethany a long time to get used to that while on the Dresden. She had hoped to make a home there. It wasn’t meant to be. She was decommissioned now and Bethy’d never made much of a connection with anyone. She missed Issac though. She had thought, really hoped, she’d made a good friend in the slightly distrustful xenophobic security chief. Being only half human had always been the elephant in the room. In the end they had simply been good friends. It had been a long time since Bethany had been able to just sit back and talk with someone. But he had been, after all, the only one to meet her after her return to Dresden. Even Luna had been happy to see him, and he to see her. Of course Luna liked everyone and everyone liked the precocious little bunny.

She had thought to write to him. Try to keep in touch, but that wasn’t meant to be either. Not with the Asimov’s current mission. It was for the best. Her career path had kept her moving from place to place, team to team, and there wasn’t room for friends. Like Bethy had told Paddy, she never knew how long she would be in a place, so attachments of any kind were reckless and cruel to who she left behind. She had to smile over Paddy’s persistence and confidence.

Now she would be listed as dead. With Elias on board there was no way Bethy would ever be able to pass as a pirate. Even if people would believe she was disillusioned with Star Fleet they would never believe she had willingly sided with Elias. And he was far too recognizable and so was she. She kept hoping to be told he would remain on the station, jailed and forgotten, but that uncanny sixth sense she’d always shad about him told her it wasn’t so. how she wished her instincts about him hadn’t manifested years ago.

Those that mattered would never believe she defected and an investigation would ensue. No she would have to be among the dead. That reminded her, she had an encrypted message from D9. It had arrived when communications were open, but she hadn’t had time to read it. They knew she’d been assigned to a special mission for the Asimov so it wasn’t going to be new orders. Now, who knew how long it would be before she could reply.

Bethy pulled the data chip out of her pocket. When the communication had first arrived she’d transferred it to the chip and erased all record of its existence from the Asimov computer. She loaded it into a micro PaDD from her pocket. The encryption was one Bethy knew better than she knew herself. Less than 10 people knew of it and only 2 knew the cipher.

Dearest Artemis,

It is with regret that I inform you that Hyla fell from the sky. He was old, but it was sudden. Make what you will of this news. But be careful my dear Artemis. The moon illuminates most brightly because of the shadows that surround her. Remember your training, be careful of those you would trust, but trust someone if they are worthy, and above all else trust in your instincts.

End Transmission

Bethy read it twice and then deleted it. She walked from her office and into the armory. “Ridad, take over. I’m going to check a few things.” The Trill man nodded and stepped into the outer office after checking his weapon. “Sure thing, Boss.”

Bethy wandered the ship for awhile, eventually finding her way out the airlock. She gave the officers stationed there each a squeeze on he shoulder to let them know everything was fine. She walked the cat walk until she was out of sight of the ship. She stopped, leaning forearms, hand clasped, on the railing, one foot slightly behind the other, and she she stared into the abyss of the station, as she analyzed and considered what it all meant. And that soon they would consider Bethy among the fallen, and she wondered who would carve her name on the tree.

Gadi, CoS