Posted by Captain John Tiberius Glen (Captain) in Station Deep Space K-5 - Glen’s Musings at Rue de Rivoli
[snip}

“That’s probably excellent advice,” Glen replied. “I could probably think of a hundred reasons why I can’t leave the ship to spend time on the station, but you are right, I do need to get out of this cabin, and none of those things can’t wait a while longer. it’s about time I had a little fun again!”

Joe chuckled then and said, “Yes it’s a great time to go now that you have a somewhat competent XO to watch things for you. Enjoy your time away sir.” Joe saluted quickly then and left. He had gotten a good feeling from that. He started to whistle a little ditty now as he walked down the corridor.

Once Joe had left, John decided to take up his idea. He changed into something less formal and took a wander over to Space Station DS K-5 with which they had docked shortly earlier.

John Glen wandered the promenade of the space station looking for some kind of café to sit down at. His mind wandered but he found it was difficult to get work completely off his mind, despite what Joe had advised. The arrival of the new XO bothered him the most and those redacted mission logs. Glen had no idea what he was going to tell Joe Milligan about their missions to the Ancients and Elders and Harvesters, all officially still kept under wraps with an ‘S’ Notice courtesy of Starfleet Command, and the more shadowy Section 31. With Miriam Cross back on board the Merri that made keeping all their little secrets even harder. Miriam has a habit of letting her mouth off, and then there was her health too. If Joe begins asking questions, the truth would eventually come out. Let’s face it, this whole crew still suffers from post traumatic stress syndrome, not only those who had been tortured. It was going to be hard to keep secrets from Joe that most of the deckhands and redshirts already knew about. The question was really how he broke to Joe. Did Glen slowly slip some hints? Did he just hand him the mission logs and say, ‘here, read these!’

Glen found a café eventually. It was called Rue de Rivoli, and he sat down outside. When a human waiter came he first ordered a Raktajino, but they hadn’t heard of Klingon coffee yet, not out this far from Earth and so he settled for a Flat White instead. Yes, he needed to brief Joe fairly soon. Those missions were an important part of what the Merri was. The feelings and attitudes that resulted from those missions informed the way decisions by other senior officers had, and were still, made. It was like a glue that kept them all together; a mutual bond no matter what divisions they were struggling with. It was a part of their psyche.

It was quiet on the promenade. Glen had thought to sit and watch the passing visitors and stall holders plying their trades, but when the coffee eventually arrived he was almost the only person around. At the next shop but one, there was a Vulcan wood carver being watched by two Starfleet officers but otherwise nothing stirred. If Glen didn’t brief Joe soon, that could drive a wedge between them. Joe might think that Glen didn’t trust him. The problem was, did Glen really trust him yet with this secret and utterly mind-blowing information? They had been to the past. They had been to the future. They had seen the USS Merrimack become a 100-year-old museum and the daughter of a Romulan commander become a Starfleet Captain. How much did Glen know yet about Joe? For all Glen knew, Joe could himself be a Section 31 officer? He had a very detailed cover story if he did. No one would go to the trouble of creating a fake personnel file that large. Stupid idea!

Glen drank the coffee. It was as good as one ever got this far from home. The café reminded him of Paris… and of Andromeda du Astra. More years have passed. His son Iain would be even older. He would barely remember John now. Stop! Stop! Stop with all the negative thoughts! Iain will still remember me and there are no spies aboard the Merrimack! Okay! There was that one spy, but we dealt with Dr. Kim and we will deal with any more!

-Glen, CO

Further up Cross had came down just to clear her mind from the two previous days,she did not see the Captain for she was lost looking at the shops.Just like a little child would glance at the display behind a glass window .The doctor kept on going from shop to shop but was never seen entering to buy anything,having just started working she had no credit to her name.

Just then two females who worked at the station K-5 came out with shopping bags in their hands ,one pointed at Miriam while her friend pretended to throw up and they started laughing and making fun of her.
The female doctor didn’t move she tried her best to hold back tears.......yet something inside her was stirring,something she had not felt for a long time....

Cross Dr.