Once she left the officer’s mess after Kalig’s departure, Zef returned to her quarters to contact Ganro Fleg, her friend and confidant. Equipped with a fresh cup of coffee, she sat down at the desk and began recording.

=/\=Hello, my friend. I hope you and yours are all well and happy. I have news and I need your help with something.

The Manhattan is now in the Delta quadrant, far, far from home. I tell you that so you will understand how odd the situation here is. The Kestra appeared on our port side today with Kalig Marrov and his crew. He demanded to come on board to talk to me. Ganro, he is trying to get me to go with him, citing some old law about marriage. He said since I was married to Broggs and we had no children, that I am now bound to him as wife.=/\=

Zef took a moment and sipped at the coffee while thinking. =/\=I’ve never heard of a law like that, have you? Can you research it for me? I don’t feel like I can just ignore what he’s saying because he’s been following me the last few years and now he’s come all the way to the Delta quadrant. Kalig never does anything that won’t benefit himself, so something’s up but I have no idea what it is. Captain Cochrane is very displeased with the situation and with me. I don’t want to be on his bad side, friend, I’ve told you the thoughts I’ve had about him. He’s given me, at most, a week to make a decision one way or the other, depending on what I find out. That’s why I’m counting on you.

Please be safe and well, my friend—and let me know as soon as you find out something. Thank you. My love to the children. Zef, out.=/\=

—Zef