Captain’s Personal Log, Stardate 06.08.2402

Captain Kirok Skyrunner recording…

The USS Carlsbad has just docked inside Starbase 72 for much needed R & R, but also serious repairs and construction. My Chief Engineer, Lieutenant Commander Catersha, has informed me that it could take about eight weeks to finish the repairs and construction work, but she told me she can have it done for me in two. Reminds me of a legendary Chief Engineer from the old days who made himself into a miracle worker. Assistant Chief Engineer Flummox has already gotten a head start on the construction for the area around where Sickbay used to be. He had spent the last three weeks working on that and the Engineering teams have made that two weeks a real possible goal.

I told them to not rush. The crew has been officially taken out of service and put on administrative leave pending mandatory psychological evaluations and a debrief with Starfleet Command. My wife, Captain Sophia Rodriguez, also has been ordered to show up for a General Inquiry for the loss of her ship and crew. She has been a nervous wreck since she got those orders, but I have been very supportive of her and always will. My wife and I have made plans after this General Inquiry and if she successfully passes this mandatory psychological evaluation, we will spend our R&R on Earth. She suggested we spend some time together in Hawaii. I agreed with her. We are preparing for this General Inquiry in the morning.

End Log Entry.

Captain’s Kirok Skyrunner and Sophia Rodriguez were in their quarters on the USS Carlsbad, filling out final reports covering the attempted Vaadwaur invasion and what the ship had done since it left Starbase 72. Kirok and Sophia were having dinner together as they were going over the reports. Sophia handed her PADD over to Kirok.

“Can you look this over for me and see if it makes sense please,” Sophia asked her husband, taking a bite of her salad.

Kirok took the PADD and read it over. It was her official testimony for her hearing in the morning. After he finished reading it over, he set it to the side.

“It looks good enough to me.”

He looked at her. She had her face down, staring into her salad. She stabbed a piece of the grilled chicken breast she has on her Caesar salad. The force of her action caused half of her salad to half slide/half fly off her plate. She looked up and into his eyes. Her stare could have melted dilithium. Kirok sat straighter in his chair. He has never seen his wife this upset before.

“This is my career, we are talking about Kirok,” she nearly shouted at him.

She stood up and stormed away from the table, towards the bedroom. Kirok was stunned at her sudden outburst. He slowly stood up and walked to the bedroom. He stopped in the doorway. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, her face buried in her hands. She was crying. He slowly moved towards her and sat next to her. He put his arm around her, gently embracing her. He started trying to sooth her. She turned to him and was sobbing into his chest.

“Everything is going to be ok sweetheart,” Kirok said softly.

Sophia’s sobbing started to let up. She looked up, into his eyes. He softly kissed her forehead.

“I’ve…I’ve never…never lost a command before,” she mumbled out, between sobs. “I’ve…I’ve lost crew members…on away missions, but…not on this magnitude,” she said softly, her sobbing ending as she fought to regain control.

“I know baby,” Kirok replied softly. “Cry it out love.”

She cried her heart out for several minutes. He sat there, hugging her close, being supportive to her. After several minutes of crying and sobbing, she looked up at him, her eyes red from crying. She searched his face for the support that she knew was there. Her eyes locked onto his, finding that support. She felt his love for her, and allowed his love to help build her confidence up. She found a way to stop crying and she sat up straighter. She slowly nodded at him.

“Thank…thank you sugar. I needed that. My heart hurts from the losses I took. I don’t know what to do or how to deal with it,” Sophia softly said as she buried her face in his shoulder.

Kirok sat there, softly stroking her cheek. His presence next to her was helping her heal a little, especially after that outburst she needed to do. Kirok gave her a soft kiss on the top of her head.

“I’m not sure what to say sweetie,” Kirok replied softly to her. “This is my first command. I’ve commanded away missions and lost people, but never a ship or crew, although the losses of my crew are eating me up too.”

She looked up into his eyes, searching for an answer.

“How…how are you…handling your losses,” Sophia asked, a big tear slowly running down her cheek.

Kirok looked into her eyes. He slowly reached up, gently caressing her cheek and using his thumb to wipe away that big tear. He answered her question.

“I do not know babe. I have not processed my emotions. I just bottle it up. That is what I always do. You know that. You helped me process the feelings I bottled up from my parents’ death. Now it is my turn to help you. I read your report. What happened to your ship is the same thing that happened to mine, falling into that underspace tunnel. You did nothing wrong baby. You did what you could. You survived.”

Sophia looked into his eyes again. She started feeling a little better. She stopped crying and stood up in front of him. She faced him and gently reached down and took hold of his hands. Kirok followed what she was doing with his eyes, like a phaser lock finding a target. She gazed into his eyes.

“Thank you baby, for coming after me and helping lift my spirits,” Sophia said softly. “I’m sorry for ruining our dinner. We should finish our meals you worked hard on making. I feel bad.”

Sophia pulled him up to his feet as Kirok rose on his own. He softly smiled at her. Still holding his hands, Kirok let her lead him back to the table. As they approached the table, she let go of his hands. He stood behind her chair and pushed it in when she sat down. Then he proceeded to sit in his seat at the finished dinner and had a heart to heart conversation about her emotions regarding the general inquiry hearing that was at 0900. They finished dinner then ended their evening with a hot romantic shower and then headed to bed.

***

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

“The time is 0600,” the computer alerted them.

Kirok and Sophia both started to stir in the messed up bed and the pillows on the floor.

“The time is 0600 and thirty seconds.”

Kirok growled at the computer, “alright, I’m awake!”

The computer beeped in acknowledgement. Kirok slowly looked over and saw Sophia asleep on her stomach. He patted her on her shoulder, rousing her awake.

“Baby, time to get up,” Kirok said.

Sophia didn’t stir. She was still sound asleep. Kirok slowly stood up and turned his head to look at her, then used his stern command tone of voice.

“Captain Sophia Rodriguez, can your butt out of that bed and to your duty station now!”

She instinctively jumped out of the bed and ran to the bathroom to take a quick shower and get dressed. Kirok stood there and watched her jump out of bed and go to the bathroom as fast as a photon torpedo getting launched. He lightly laughed to himself as he grabbed his robe, put it on and headed to the kitchen area.

“She is gonna kill me for that when she realizes what happened,” he said to himself.

He walked to the replicator and ordered her favorite breakfast, knowing that this breakfast would calm the beast. As he started making breakfast, he heard the sonic shower turn off.

“Kirok Skyrunner! I’m gonna kick your butt for that!”

Kirok looked up at his beautiful bride as she came at him like a plasma torpedo coming to incinerate him. He offered her an innocent smile as she slowly walked to him.

“Good morning honey,” Kirok said softly, his innocent smile still on his face.

She repeated what he said, “good morning honey,” in a mocking tone.

Sophia slowly walked up to Kirok, dressed in civilian clothes. She stopped right in front of him, staring in his eyes.

“Captain Skyrunner,” she said in her strictest tone of voice.

He stood there, frozen, wondering what she was gonna do to him. She saw that look in his eyes. Suddenly, her stern face melted into a smile. She gave him a soft kiss, then stepped back. Kirok had a completely stunned look on his face. She saw his face and laughed.

“I got you! I got you so good babe!” Kirok just looked at her. “That is what you get for that little stunt you did to wake me up.”

Kirok recovered from being stunned, then slowly smiled at her.

“You are such a tease, you know that,” he mentioned to her.

She had a big grin on her face, then replied, “yes, I know babe. That is why you married me.”

He lightly laughed at what she said.

“Yes, that is why I married you indeed,” he said, then finished saying in a playfully sarcastic tone of voice, “Can I finish making breakfast for us to start this long day, Captain?”

“Please do love,” Sophia said, sitting at the table. “Thank you for coming with me to the inquiry hearing. I need you at my side.”

Kirok started making breakfast, a simple omelette with Vulcan veggies.

“Baby, I will always be by your side,” he told her, finishing dishing up breakfast.

He sat two plates on the table, one in front of Sophia, the other where he is gonna sit. Then he got two cups of coffee and a bowl of strawberries. Sophia started eating as he brought the coffee cups and bowl over. He carefully placed her cup down, then the bowl of strawberries between them. Then he sat down and started to eat. Kirok started a conversation with her over breakfast.

“Sweetheart, I was thinking of taking our shore leave together back on Earth, when this inquiry and my debrief are over and we are cleared,” Kirok asked between bites.

Sophia took a sip of her coffee, then bit a strawberry before answering. She looked into his eyes, smiling.

“That is an excellent idea, sugar. Maybe go to the place where we got married, Maui?”

Kirok replied to her, with a loving smile on his face,” that is a very good idea baby.”

Sophia and Kirok finished their breakfast in each other’s company. After breakfast, they cleaned up, got dressed, and headed for Sophia’s Inquiry meeting at 0900.