“And it is done!” Said the Caitian. K’Roll set the tools down on the cart as he stared proudly at the device before him and the three other engineers. All of them had worked together to assemble this piece of hardware that would be used to propel the ship at incredible speeds. On top of that, there were other engineers that had just finished the implementation of a program that would properly calibrate in case there is a phase variance. Grak had also made certain that the Sovereign had been built or received the upgrades required to use the drive as well.

Grak stepped over and gave K’Roll a pat on his forearm. Couldn’t really reach the Caitian’s shoulders. “Good work, Lieutenant.” Grak then raised his voice. “Everyone! Gather around the pool.” He gestured to the large table and he stood at one end of it. “I want to congratulate everyone on their fine work. Because of you all, we will get to enjoy our shore-leave much earlier and for however long, depending on how long it takes for the yard engineers to piece this ship back together. With that said, I know that my position is only temporary and certainly will be very short but I am proud of you all.” Grak smiled at them. “Once we have a status on the crystals, we will get underway shortly.” Speak of the devil, the engineer Grak sent had return with the encased container.

“We have a problem, sir.” Said the Engineer.

Grak let out a low grumble and began to stroke his beard. “What would that be, Ensign?”

“I think they were synthesized too early. The crystals have already decayed quite a bit.” She said as she brought the hover trolley over to the table.

Grak went over to the container and pressed a button to reveal the data. The data would tell him the current state of the crystals inside. He began to stroke his beard as he did the math in his head. With yet another low grumble, he turned to look at everyone. “We will need to put them in the drive immediately. But do it carefully! In their current state, we will only get one use out of them.”

“Won’t we only need one use?” K’Roll asked Grak.

The Tellarite continued to stroke his beard and then looked at K’Roll as the others began to follow procedure on the crystal insertion into the drive. “Something my chief engineer once told me. Murphy’s law. Anything that can go wrong, will. I do not know why humans come up with these things, but they appear to have a reputable history of it.” Grak sighed. “I better go inform the Captain.”

K’Roll thought about it for a moment before he stepped in front of Grak. “Your place is here, sir. You best let me tell the Captain.”

Grak smiled and let go of his beard. “Way to take initiative, Lieutenant! You go do that and get back here as soon as possible. I would like to teach you more about the workings of main engineering.”

“Yes, sir!” K’Roll smiled and then made his way out and headed for the nearest turbolift.

Rubi leaned back into his seat as he smacked his belly a couple of times with both of his hands. “Oohhh—man…”

Both Mizu and Elidia shook their heads at him. “You know, you didn’t have to finish everything on the table.” Said Mizu.

“Rather insane and disturbing to watch you do it,” said Elidia.

Rubi chuckled and then shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t like to waste food. We ordered all that and I fully intended on eating it. I’ll probably binge eat again next week.” He laughed.

“You do realize we can easily return the food to the replicator, right?” Mizu told him. “Also, how the heck does your metabolism keep up with the food you eat is beyond me.”

Rubi shrugged again. “Oh well. What’s done is done.”

Suddenly a new individual stepped up to the table. It was Commander Pearson. “Lieutenants.” She announced herself before she looked at Rubi. “I see you have been binge eating again, Mr. Ortiz.”

Rubi looked up to Pearson and smiled weakly. “Yeah. Yeah I have. I can’t help it though! The food was delicious and I just didn’t feel full…until now. Oofta.” He groaned as he rubbed his belly.

Pearson nodded her head as she pursed her lips. “And now you have yet another food baby.”

Rubi blushed for a moment and both Mizu and Elidia giggled at him.

“Come with me. I wanted to have a quick word with you in private.” She asked him as she stepped over to a corner away from everyone.

“Ain’t she part of the senior staff? Why would she be here, in the junior officer lounge?” Elidia asked.

Rubi sighed as he slowly rose up from his seat. “Don’t worry about it.” He told her as he slowly followed Pearson to the cornor.

But once they were out of ear shot range, Mizu quietly told Elidia. “Commander Pearson would be part of the senior staff, considering she is the Chief Counselor on board this ship. You see, ever since Theo Lane was killed on Starbase 415 and Rubi found out about it, he only recently started to visit her for sessions.” Mizu explained.

Elidia eyes grew and then she quickly lowered her voice to follow Mizu’s example. “Why?! I mean, sure he was our friend and I am going to miss him but I didn’t think Theo’s death would impact Rubi that badly.”

Mizu smirked, “Well you see. One of the parties we had back at the starbase, remember? Both Theo and Rubi got quite drunk off of the sake at that authentic Japanese restaurant and then things happened.”

Elidia blinked for a moment and then gave Mizu a confused look. She didn’t piece it together.

Mizu sighed and then leaned in to whisper. “Remember when we…and went to your quarters…and then…”

The more Mizu went on, the wider Elidia’s eyes got and the brighter her cheeks grew. “Oh my! Theo and Rubi?” When Mizu nodded her head, the pieces finally came together in Elidia’s head. She then looked at Rubi and let out a sad sigh. “Oh dear. Poor Rubi. Wait, I thought he had a thing for you?”

Mizu giggled softly and nodded her head. “I almost forgot I told you that when I figured it out myself. Yeah, he still does. I find it flattering and sweet but I like our friendship as it is. Besides, you and I have way too much fun.” Mizu winked, followed by a grin.

“Mizu!” Elidia did her best to not raise her voice before she playfully smacked Mizu’s shoulder. “We’re in public, you cruel woman.”

Meanwhile, Rubi sat there at one end of the table, where Pearson sat on the opposite side. “I’m not sure what you want me to say.”

Pearson shrugged her shoulders. “Whatever is on your mind, Ruben. I know you only found out as soon as the battle at Chin’toka was over. That was what, a few days ago?”

Rubi slowly nodded his head as he stared at his hands, where he hand fingertips from each hand touch the other. Index to index. Thumb to thumb. Pinky to pinky. He tried to focus on those, to not let his mind wander or dwell on the fact that his friend was dead. Or was it more than that?

“I know you had binge eat a lot of food when you found out that Theo Lane was dead. You told me when you came to see me, remember?” Pearson continued.

“Yeah.” He said as he continued to stare at his fingers. There was a long silence and then the sudden urge to continue the conversation became too much to hold back. “It’s just. I’ve always had a thing for someone else. I was…attracted to someone else for a long time. Ever since we were classmates at the academy, served together on different vessels. She’s my best friend and my closest friend. And yet…”

“You grew close to a different person. To Theo.” Pearson helped him, by a small nudge back on track.

“Yeah. At first I thought it was just a mistake. We got stupid drunk from some dumb party and then one thing led to another. But even though I was so drunk…I remember all of it. Every detail.” Rubi stopped himself from going too much into detail of the encounter with Theo. How the man was insatiable, how he would want more and when Theo was not on bottom, he’d be on top. “What I do know for a fact, that when we woke up and realized what happened, I didn’t care that it was him and not Mizu. All I thought about was how exhausted I was. I wasn’t sure if we actually got any sleep. I said things to him, told him it was a mistake and that I only wanted Mizu. I said those things because I was so physically exhausted. I didn’t mean what I said.”

Pearson thought about what he said and so she pieced it together and hoped that she got it right. “So, when this ship returned to the Alpha Quadrant and finished dealing with the Vaadwaur, you were hoping to talk to Theo again.”

Rubi nodded his head and then subconsciously, he rubbed his eyes and had not realized that they had swelled up and a tear or two had rolled down from them. He cleared his throat as he took a really deep full breath and then let out a long and heavy, shaky sigh. “I wanted to tell him how I felt. I wanted to tell him the truth, I wanted to take back all that I said, about it being a mistake, that I only wanted Mizu…” He cleared his throat again. “I wanted to tell him that I had a change of heart and that I wanted him.”

“Was this because of the se-”

“No!” Rubi interrupted her and had not realized it until he saw some of the other officers had looked over at them. He lowered his voice and repeated, “No. I don’t think so. I don’t know. I just know that, while we were in the Gamma Quadrant, all I thought about was seeing him again. But now that’s never going to happen. I’m never going to get the chance to tell him how I really feel.”

Pearson smiled, reached out and grasped both of his hands. She gave them a gentle squeeze. “It does not matter what caused the feelings for him.” Even though sometimes it does but she wasn’t going to push it. “What matters, is that you have come to realized the truth of the matter. It hurts, I know. For some people, that pain goes away. For others, they get used to it. But those who get used to the pain, don’t ever forget the people they have lost.”

Rubi sighed. “I don’t want to forget him.”

Pearson’s smile grew. “And that is okay.”

Maxwell stepped onto the bridge from his ready room and looked at those who were there with him. Tagg at where he belongs, the helm. Bates at tactical. Graves in his seat next to his own, while he glared at his console for some reason. One he would have to ask in a minute. Finally Bazial, at her station where she has access to the sensors and communications. There were a few random officers, those he has neglected to get to know but they change so often, it was hard for him to keep track of their names.

Maxwell stepped over to his chair and as he took a seat, he stared at Graves who continued to glare at his console. “Something the matter, Number One?”

Graves looked up from his screens and at Maxwell. “Captain. I was just going over the data on the benamite crystals.”

Maxwell smirked. “Trying to figure out where we went wrong?”

Graves rubbed the bridge of his nose with his index and thumb before he gestured at his screen and then swiped, where had removed the window that held the data completely from his terminal. “I have given up trying. We followed the instructions to the letter. Why we only have one use out of the crystals is beyond me. Perhaps the ore was tainted or something.”

Maxwell chuckled heavily. “Oh relax, Art! I’m just glad that we get to use them at all!” Maxwell chuckled again then sighed as he looked up at the ceiling. He let his tongue wet his lips before he resumed. “I don’t think the Sovereign has ever used the quantum slipstream drive in her years of service. Fact that we get even one use out of those crystals is a mark of history for this ship.”

“That’s if Command don’t get on the phone and start yelling at us for using the QSD,” said Graves as he pushed the console away from him on its swivel.

“I’m sure they will understand,” said Maxwell. “Well. Maybe a little bit. Besides, we have the crystals, they’re almost completely useless and we have the means to make it to Avalon for the kind of repairs that we need.”

Graves leaned forward in his seat as he clasped his hands together, then he looked over his shoulder at Maxwell. “You just don’t want anyone to see this ship be pulled in by another.”

Maxwell glared at the man. “I’m going to pretend I did not hear my first officer saying that. Look, what’s the worse that can happen? We use the drive, in a kind-a sort-a emergency situation. I’ll take all the responsibility and probably get a slap on the wrist.”

“Or demoted, and lose your command.” Graves added.

Maxwell paused for a moment as he dwelt on that thought for a moment. “That is a possibility. Perhaps the worst case.”

“Court Martial?” Tagg chipped in.

“Imprisonment.” Bates couldn’t resist.

“Oh oh oh! Shot for treason!” Bazial had her hand up in the air as if she waited for the teacher to call on her. Then she put her arm down when people stared at her. “What?” She then mumbled to herself. “Maybe it was a bit of an exaggeration.”

Maxwell shook his head. “Guys, the worst that could happen is a slap on the wrist. But I doubt it. My report will include the facts; that our encounter with the Vaadwaur at Chin’toka, we had sustained heavy damage to our engineering section and which caused serious damage to the magnetic interlocks. So, to avoid containment failure and possible warp core breach, we had the core shut down and the only other option to get to Avalon is by one that we have available right now. And again, the crystals are almost useless. Better to use them now than let them go to waste and make a ship come out to tow us to Starbase Seventy-Two, when that ship could have more important things to do. I’m sure command will understand.” Although, a part of him had hoped that command would understand. He would hate to have a visit from one of the Admirals. He shuttered at the thought.

“I saw that.” Said Graves.

“Oh can it, Art. Or should I say, Artie?” Maxwell smirked when he got a glare from Graves.

“Engineering to Bridge. The QSD is online and ready! Your helmsman should see a nice blue button on his console.” came the voice of Grak over the intercomm.

Tagg looked over his shoulder at Maxwell. “That I do, Captain.”

Maxwell clapped his hands together. “Splendid! Since this is the Sovereign‘s very first leap into the Quantum Slipstream, any recommendations on how we should launch?”

“Oh oh! Engage!” Bazial had her arm up in the air again.

Maxwell shook his head, “This is not the bald man’s Enterprise. Also that’s way too standard.”

“Did we ever learn what happened to her?” Asked Bates. “Also, why not ‘leap away’?”

Maxwell sighed, “That’s a Sovereign-class that I do not want to talk about and no!”

“I preferred your usual, ‘punch it’, to be honest.” Said Tagg.

“Yeah but this is the QSD. It needs to be unique.” Said Maxwell.

“Not that unique. But if you want my opinion, hold fast?” Graves chipped in.

“Well you’re disqualified,” Maxwell pointed at Graves then sighed. “Nothing?”

“Could we just go? I don’t know how much longer these crystals have left.” Said Grak over the intercomm.

Maxwell sighed again. “Fine!” Then it hit him. “Oh! Remember that movie we watched the other night?”

Graves thought about it for a minute and then had a look of shock and horror on his face. “No. No no no!”

Maxwell laughed and then pointed at the view screen. “Tagg!” He waited to make sure Tagg was ready to hit the button. And then Maxwell said, “Ludicrous speed! Go!” Yup. He chose probably the worst one from a great classic that they had watched on movie night.

Tagg just shook his head and pressed the button. In matter of seconds, the ship was propelled into the vortex thanks to the quantum slipstream drive and was sailing through space at speeds that the this ship had never gone before. It won’t be long until they reach Avalon Fleet Yards for much needed repairs, so certainly nothing can go wrong…right?

If there was a camera drone capable of following the ship in the slipstream, it would focus on the crystal shard embedded in the saucer, for the reason that there was a visible reaction. Apparently this particular crystal from that planet was affected by the slipstream vortex. Whether it be an allergic reaction or the crystal plainly hated going this fast, what mattered was that there were visible bolts of static that ran across the top and around the crystal shard. The shard itself even started to glow dimly and would gradually become brighter as there was some build-up of strange electrical charge. As the shard began to glow brighter, the more violent the bolts of static became as it would arc from the crystal and dance all over the hull.

The bridge was suddenly in chaos, as all kinds of alarms had gone off and filled the room in a constant state of alert. Consoles were flashing a message or two in red text, one being the same text on every display. The lights then dimmed as the ‘Red Alert’ klaxon began to blare and the room illuminated every few seconds with red light.

“What the hell is going on?!” Maxwell’s version of ‘report’ in this case, especially when it looked like every terminal had gone ballistic.

“It looks like the crystal shard embedded into the hull is having some sort of reaction to the slipstream!” Said Bazial as her station clearly had half of the Sovereign‘s saucer on screen, the side that showed where the crystal shard was. “I don’t know what will happen if we keep going!”

“Tagg! Shut it down!” Graves ordered.

“I’ve been trying!” Tagg told Graves as the man had crossed the distance and was now over Tagg’s shoulders. “Ever since the alarms went off, I been spamming the disengage button. I think I lost helm control!”

“Bridge to Engineering,” Maxwell began. “Can you disengage from there?”

“We, too, have been trying, Captain! The only thing left I can think of is pulling the plug but I have no idea-“

“Do it, Lieutenant!” Maxwell cut Grak off.

“But we don’t know where we will be when we come out of slipstream! What if we end up flying into a star or a black hole?!”

“I rather take that chance than losing the ship in the slipstream, Grak! Just-” Before Maxwell could finish, he no longer felt the deck under his feet. When he slammed into the deck, he then noticed that everyone else was tossed onto the deck as well. What happened next, was that the crystal shard had reached full tilt, as massive bolts of energy shot out from both flat ends of the shard and made contact with the walls of the slipstream vortex, just opposite of each other. The contact was brief as it caused a strange spectral shift, even the color of the vortex shifted from it’s normal mixture of blue and white to a more red and brown, almost like underspace.

Then the vortex collapsed and the Sovereign was shot out of it, in an unstable and uncontrollable drift in normal space.