..2369...

...USS Twister...

I sat in the Captain's chair feeling angered. So much anger. Had we been that stupid to realize the Karjizans were not harmless? They had vaporized Captain Tonya ten minutes ago before our eyes on their ship. Now I am the acting Captain of this ship. I had the bridge a couple times when the Captain went on away missions and other sorts that I bother not know about.

"Captain?" Audri asked.

"We will hail the Karjizans," I said. "I am not sure if they vaporized our Captain."

"But we saw her...." Karzine said.

"For all we know they let us see what we wanted to see!" I said. "I am not leaving this post until we get our Captain back!"

"Hailing the Karjizans," Karzine said. Karzine is a tactical officer and head of security as there was a merging conducted in Star Fleet shortly after Tasha's death in the line of duty. "Hailing channel established."

I stood up, then straighten my uniform.

The screen showed a unruly hog like man with two tusks, nicely combed hair, and the armor was horrible! But they were at least technologically savvy. It is one of the perks to having a tin foil machine resembling a turtle with a long tail. They had 'decreeded' that their turtle ships were superior to the modern day ships the federation used. My arms went behind my back. I frowned back at Captain Delly.

"This is acting Captain Quarty of the USS Twister," I said. "I would like the body of former captain Tonya to be returned."

"You saw her vaporized," Captain Delly replied.

I stare right back at Captain Delly.

"We will not leave your ship alone without mon capitaine," I said.

"Oh, is that a little french I hear?" Captain Delly asks.

I pause.

Was that my words slipping? I haven't used the word 'Mon capitaine' for so long it finally slipped out. I had only used it around Jean Luc. Now how in the many planes of existence did it come out? My eyes dart from the screen towards the floor numerous times contemplating the best response.

"I am awaiting your answer," Captain Delly said. "Capitaine Quarty."

He just did not mock me.

I frowned.

"Yes, you did," I said. "You idiot. Give us our Capitaine back before I disable your warp flight gear!"

"You can't do that," Captain Delly said.

I step forwards with a grim look.

"What makes you think I am bluffing?" I asked. "I have the best engineers aboard this ship and if you dare not give our Capitaine back....You will be responsible for the endless numbers of causalities, the loss of ships, and the war with the Federation because you wouldn't give us OUR Capitaine!"

Captain Delly growls.

"I will contemplate this," Captain Delly said.

"I give you twenty four hours," I said. "And I will, mark my word, send the most lethal away team to get our captain back over your dead bodies."

I turn towards Karzine making the 'end communication' sign.

The screen shut off.

"We don't have any of that that, sir," Audri said.

I smile turning toward Audri.

"We got them moving," I said. "I will now make the report of what transpired today including my threats."

"Sir," Karzine said. "That is honorable you stay for your Captain."

"Audri, you have the bridge," I said.

I went into the Captain's ready room. A few hours later I found myself at ten forward eating a chocolate sundae. I hadn't eaten one in ages. Who knew one can get a brain freeze after eating too much? I never wanted to do that again. I got a brain freeze a couple years ago when celebrating the survival of a species with my crew members.

Now here I am, downing in my sorrow faced what to do.

What would Jean Luc do?

He would weigh the morals and attempt to figure a solution to this mess. Now, that is not how I would do it as a human. I had to keep my word in this mess. Killing other alien races just to get Captain Tonya back. The Bartender, a Vulcan, named Sahuk came over to me then sat down on a chair.

"Is something bothering you,Captain?" Sahuk asked.

I looked up.

"Yes," I said. "Being a Capitaine."

"Are you from France?" Sahuk asked.

I smiled.

"No," I said. "But I have researched the French language."

"Hm," Sahuk said. "Interesting."

I put down the spoon into the sundae.

"Can I tell you something?" I ask.

"Anything," Sahuk said.

"It is honestly weird to be the Captain of this ship," I said. "Usually I would be yelled off the bridge by a capitaine if I stepped foot on their ship."

30,025 years did it finally occur to me that I miss being lectured and shouted at by Jean Luc.

"Your feeling is quite founded," Sahuk said. "I found it odd to be a Bartender on my first day aboard the Twister. Usually the bartender would kick me out of the bar."

I laughed.

"Hah," I said. "A Vulcan being kicked out of a bar?"

"It is true," Sahuk said, with a nod.

"It is nice to know a Vulcan has a rebellious side," I said, taking a bite out of the sundae.

"We all have rebellious sides," Sahuk said. "We just hide them."

I put down the spoon on a napkin.

"Tell me," I said. "Has there been any other Vulcan-Human offspring as of late?"

"There is a few, but none as great as Spock," Sahuk said.

I laughed.

"Agreed," I said.

"You usually do not come to ten forward," Sahuk said. "Why is that?"

I smiled.

"It has old memories tied to it," I said. "Old memories."

Memories of the Enterprise.

One that I will be visiting in five years for the last time.

"Of the Calnahan?" Sahuk asked, raising his brows.

I nodded.

"Yes," I said.

I did visit ten forward there as well a couple of times with Doctor Voctor.

"What was Doctor Voctor like?" Sahuk asked.

"A great listener, full of stories, and a nice old man," I said. "You couldn't tell if he was blind or if he was ignoring you. But never-the-less he still had the ears to listen to his patients and give them some advice. One time I got an ear infection from jumping into the ocean of Kalafaia on Corner Three, Voctor advised I wear some ear 'water-blockers' next time I jumped in to have fun with the natives."

"You know that is infected with those insects," Sahuk said, his eyes widened.

'Those insects' are kincelamas. They get into the ear, dig in, and feed off the nutrition that is carried in the body. Eventually they fall out of the ear lope dead and just leave behind an open wound in the ear that can be infected. They were a pest to humans but not to the inhabitants of Corner Three since they were treated as a delicacy since they have really big ears and have host bodies for the insects to grow in. Some prefer to eat the insects when they are still squirming.

"At the time I didn't care," I said, with a shrug."The natives were pretty fun."

"Did they cut your fingers off?" Sahuk asked.

"No," I said,wiggling my ring finger. "I have all ten...Captain Stewart, however, lost his middle finger."

Sahuk gasped.

"He did not flip them off!" Sahuk said, in shock.

I nodded.

"He did," I said. "Stewart gloated for five weeks and joked about it for two months."

"You know, I almost pity you," Sahuk said.

"It is the truth," I said, taking another bite out of the sundae.

Sahuk didn't seem to believe me as he left my table.