[snip]

“Can I have status reports from the Sickbay and the Sleeper Ship, please?” Glen asked. Glen didn’t think that the Alstaireans were going to join the Federation anytime soon, but it wasn’t for the want of trying. They had done a gone job here; they had learned some great intelligence, and mapped a new system. Glen was sure that given some time, he could weave it all into some kind of positive sounding report for DS K-5. They also had this alien child who was a new puzzle to solve. Glen decided that he was going to call the child “Doctor Zee,” a name that no one except those that had attended his 20th Century 2-D movie nights from several years ago, would understand.

“I’m going to my Chartroom to write up my report,” Glen told the Bridge. “Send the reports to me there, please!”

Glen left the Main Bridge and retired to the ship’s Chart Room, located aft of the Bridge. He sat down at a console next to one of the main viewing displays and began to write up the mission report. After the disastrous Bolay mission, Captain Glen needed to spin the results of this mission. Everyone knew that a Star Fleet Captain was only as good as his last mission, and two failed First Contact missions in a row would not look too good at all.

Captain John Glen sat in the Chartroom writing his mission report, trying to shine the best light upon a mission that had ultimately failed. The Alstaireans had no wish to join the Federation within the near future, and given their longer lifespans, it could be a very long wait for any decision. However, the First Contact had been made, the invitation was there and they had got to know each other, and exchanged information. The Merrimack had also mapped out several new star systems, and been where no man had gone before to seek out new worlds, as was their mission. Then there was the package they had picked up and was still being investigated. Another puzzle to solve.

Glen was also very sorry to lose his long-time XO, the enigmatic Cheron native, Kord. However, Kord had never seemed comfortable serving amongst a ship of mortals, when he had lived for such a very long time. Glen hoped that his decision to stay behind with the Alstaireans would work for him, and that he would feel more at home there than within the Federation. An almost immortal man must tire of making friends, seeing them die, making new friends, and then there is also the cyclical repetition that comes with “new fashions, and “new” brooms sweeping clean, and “new” methods of doing old tasks. He could advise the Alstaireans and maybe help them towards UFP membership. His request for an ambassadorial role had been sent to the UFP for their approval.

Glen wondered who Starfleet would send him to replace Kord as XO. He had served with Kord for almost his entire Captaincy. It would be strange serving with anyone else. It was times like these that Glen reflected on the past and everything that had happened since he had taken over command of the Merrimack after the murder of Captain Bordeaux by Klingon assassins. As usual, his thoughts turned to Andromeda du Astra and his son, Iain, now both living in Paris, on Earth. How old would Iain be now, and would he remember John at all?

Cross knew if the Captain was in the Chartroom he must be busy but it was already her fourth day on the Merrimack and still had not reported her arrival. The CMO twitched her nose as memories of the past came tumbling one after another she took a deep breath clearing her mind. Cross reasoned that was now all in the past and she had changed....hadn’t she?.
The female doctor pressed the button and waited.

Glen’s musing interrupted, he quickly pressed on the “send” button to deliver the mission report and then answered the door chime with an “Enter please!”

Cross entered with her hands loosely behind her back and relaxed,her once pink rosy complexion was long gone and her skin pallor was more noticeable by the blush of her red lips.Her once blazing red eyes were more brownish now ,yes they looked different yet her expression was intense and Glen would obviously see how painfully thin the female doctor was.

And if that was not enough a scar ran down her left cheek.
‘’Captain, Miriam Cross CMO reporting for duty ‘’ she said with a strikingly clear voice.

“And very glad to see you back on duty here too! None of the other CMOs we’ve had since your departure could run Sickbay as tightly as you do,” said Glen. “But you didn’t have to come all the way up here to deliver that status report from Sickbay personally. A simple call by communicator would have done. So, tell me what have you discovered about ‘Doctor Zee’ and this alien capsule we have brought aboard?”

-Glen, CO