Nicolas headed to Deck 8 and the Counselor’s office. He had been sleeping poorly, the coping mechanisms suggested by previous counselors had stopped being effective and he hoped for fresh insights from the Manhattan’s Counselor.

He had been married out of the Academy. He had a child from that marriage, but then his daughter, Leslie had disappeared and then his marriage fell apart and he had devoted himself to his career, wanting to put the past behind him and at a safe distance … and a ship in the Delta Quadrant seemed like a safe enough distance from the pain.

• Nicolas Dean, COS