Title: Star Trek-Infinity: Ghosts of the Past (MISC)

Author: Charles Rando (trando@worldnet.att.net)

Series: MISC

Rating: [PG]

Part: NEW 2/2

Disclaimer: Star Trek and all related characters are property of Paramount Pictures. Peter David owns the Selelvian race (see his book "Strike Zone") I'd like to think that the characters I've created and the story are mine! :-)

Summary: With Captain Rando off the ship, Commander Witherell returns home to visit family on Betazed. Meanwhile, Lorin tries to figure out once and for all what's been bothering Lieutenant Williams.

Go to part one

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CHAPTER FOUR

A cool breeze swept through the leaves of trees that had stood for hundreds of years. The red glowing sun hung high in the afternoon sky, a testament to the differences between the concept of day and night on a starship and on an actual planet on the Infinity, it was nearly midnight. High pitched singing rang from birds hidden somewhere in the trees their songs suggested that they had no worries in their lives at all and could devote their time to joyously celebrating that idea through music. It was the kind of image that a painter would love to capture on a canvas, knowing full well that he could never recreate the moment to be as perfect as now.

Witherell took in the scene before him. It had been years since the last time he had seen the house right before he had left last time to return to Starfleet right after the death of his brother.

Shaking his head to clear his mind, Witherell found himself taking a deep, cleansing breath. There was something about the air on Betazed perhaps since the entire population was telepathic, since there could be no misunderstanding or confusion it was almost as if that made the air clearer. And that state of relaxation made the green grass and blue sky look even more vibrant than any other planet Witherell had seen.

The calm was swept away as the door to the house slid open and a familiar pair came out of the house. Even though they were still quite a distance away shouting distance by the standards of non-telepathic races, Witherell found he could reach out and communicate with them as if they were inches apart.

"Hello, Mother. Hello, Father," Witherell projected in their direction.

"Kevin!" the voice of his mother filled his mind. "My special one has returned!"

Witherell smiled, feeling not only the happiness of his mother but also the rest of his family at the reunion, even though he couldn't see them. "It is good to see you again, Mother and it is good to hear you as well. It is good to hear all of you again."

Witherell's parents exuded joy and welcome and accepted their son with telepathic open arms. On the surface, however, they were both placid and composed. They waited patiently for him to approach

"We have much to catch up on," his mother, a short, dark haired woman named Carralin, said. Witherell's father and his father's sister stepped up beside the aged woman and smiled warmly.

"Luckily, we have as much time as we need for that," Witherell's father replied.

"Very true," Witherell's mother said. "Feredon, why don't you take Kevin's bags to his room so he can start greeting everyone who came to see him."

"Of course," Feredon told her, taking Witherell's duffel. "You're traveling light today, son. I expect that the rest shall be following shortly."

Witherell didn't even catch his father's last words before the older man had disappeared into the house. His mother placed her hand on his shoulder and led him through the door, saying, "Everyone is looking forward to seeing you, my son."

Witherell allowed himself an outward smile, even though he knew he couldn't hide his true feelings from his mother. Something wasn't right here but until he could figure it out, Witherell figured it would best to just forget so he could focus on seeing his relatives again.

He could sort things out with his parents later on.

**********

Lieutenant Marianne V'gel strode into the Middle Ground and stopped in mid-step for once, for the very first time Lorin was nowhere to be seen.

V'gel was surprised. Usually the hostess was behind the bar, or else she was out among her customers socializing. But there was only a handful of people in the lounge right now and no one was tending the bar but the computer had SAID Lorin was in the Middle Ground.

Out of the corner of her eye, V'gel saw the holographic partition that split the Middle Ground in two one of the features of the lounge that had given it its name. While one half served as a bar and a place for the crew to relax, the other half was used primarily for receptions, concerts and parties. Usually the reception area, equipped with holographic technology, was kept empty Lorin preferred having a real bar around her rather than a holographic one, and there was no middle ground dealing with the hostess in her lounge. But V'gel couldn't help but wonder the half-Trill turned and walked up to the holographic wall, which shimmered and opened up a doorway for her as she approached. V'gel peaked her head inside. "Lorin?" she called.

"Yes?" a voice behind her asked.

V'gel jumped. "Lorin I didn't see you in the main lounge I thought you might be in here," she said as she turned. "I guess I was wrong."

Lorin shrugged. "When nature hails, you don't want to keep it waiting," she said. "But I'm here now."

"I see that," V'gel said, realizing then that they were having a conversation in a holographic doorway. "Perhaps we should sit down someplace?"

Lorin nodded and led the half-Trill to an empty table in the bar. "I'm guessing you're here for an update on Phil?" Lorin asked.

V'gel nodded. "Nothing against you, Lorin but I've just been so worried about him lately. I don't know how to act or what to say around him because I'm not sure what's wrong."

"Well," Lorin began, "I tried to find out what holodeck program he was running, but he had the doors locked and the readout scrambled. And when I tried unscrambling the readout, I was interrupted most rudely."

"By who?" V'gel asked. "I can see how anyone on this ship would question what you were doing not even Evan. He'd probably even help out if you just asked."

"That I don't doubt," Lorin agreed. "That man seems to like creating trouble just so he can get away from being security chief for a few seconds or something but unfortunately, it wasn't Evan. It was some admiral a young woman with dirty blonde hair. She acted like she was running the ship."

"Oh!" V'gel exclaimed. "That's Admiral Daubar she's an old friend of Charlie's. Scuttlebutt has it she's on the ship to pay her condolences when Charlie comes back she's usually pretty nice. She let Kevin take a few days of shoreleave on Betazed so he could visit his family maybe she just didn't know who you were or why you were trying to decrypt a holodeck display."

Lorin shook her head it was obvious that the experience had not set well with her. "She made me feel like I was back in the Academy and when I think of admirals I knew while I was at the Academy, I don't think happy thoughts."

V'gel laughed. "I think all of us felt that way at some time or another during our academy years." She patted her friend's hand. "Don't worry, I'll go talk to the Admiral and clear things up explain to her what's been going on and why you were checking up on Phil. I'm sure she'll be down here to apologize before the day is over."

"I don't care about that," Lorin told her. "I was THIS close to figuring out what was wrong with Phil or at least getting a hint when she showed up. It's just frustrating. But I guess I don't have to tell you that."

"No," V'gel said solemnly. "You don't."

Lorin regarded her friend. She found herself yet again wishing she could wave a magic wand and make everything happy between her and her cousin again but Lorin knew that was near impossible. Besides, where on Earth would she find a magic wand in space? she thought wryly. "Well, you may have an idea in talking to the Admiral I mean, I'm not in Starfleet, and being dressed down by her lowered my ego a few notches. Imagine what it might do for Phil."

V'gel looked up, a glint of hope in the half-Trill's clear blue eyes. "You think?" she asked. For someone who had memories centuries old, V'gel sounded like a nervous, uncertain child.

"It couldn't hurt," Lorin said honestly. Then, to reassure her friend, Lorin added, "We will get to the bottom of this, V'gel no matter how long it takes. I won't give up as long as you don't."

V'gel smiled at the hostess. "Thanks, Lorin I appreciate it." She sighed. "Well, I guess I should go talk to the Admiral."

Lorin nodded. "Good luck," she said. Then, after V'gel had stood and was about to walk away, Lorin added, "Oh by the way don't forget you said you'd have her down here apologizing before the day is over. I'm holding you to that."

V'gel chuckled all the way out of the lounge.

CHAPTER FIVE

Hours later, the Witherell family sat down to a quiet dinner. Carralin had replicated Witherell's favorite meal for the occasion, although the food didn't do much to ease Witherell's nerves. Something was off something wasn't exactly right. He'd been so focused on interacting with his relatives before that he'd tried not to worry but now that he and his parents were alone, Witherell couldn't help but wonder. On the Infinity, he would just simply ask what was going on but on Betazed, where secrets weren't supposed to be kept, asking would almost be an insult. And so Witherell decided he had no choice but to reach out and figure out what was wrong.

And seconds later, he knew it was that easy. The problem now would be dealing with it.

"Mother Father," Witherell began, "you are aware that I am only staying for a few days, right?"

Carralin glanced at Feredon with a mixture of sadness and agitation. "We were hoping differently," Witherell's father said. "Of course, your mental blocks were so rigid that we didn't want to push the issue we figured it would be best for you to tell us of your plans."

Witherell nodded in understanding. The confusion hadn't just come from him the mental blocks that he kept up around the Infinity crew had prevented his parents from knowing what was going on in his mind. He couldn't help but feel guilty if he'd been more open, his parents wouldn't have gotten their hopes up that he'd be staying longer.

"It is not just about you staying for a few days, or a few weeks, or even a month," Witherell heard his mother's voice exclaim in his head. Her pain and confusion washed over him like a wave. Her eyes met his and she turned away, her eyes full with fury, and she stormed out of the room.

Witherell was in shock. He had been completely unprepared for his mother's outburst another side effect of keeping himself so insular on the Infinity. "I don't understand," Witherell thought towards his father. "What's wrong? Why is Mother so upset?"

Another wave rolled over the first officer this time compassion and disappointment. "Your mother wasn't expecting that you would come home for a few days she was hoping that you were home for good."

"Oh no," Witherell thought, realization setting in and bringing back many old memories of arguments had long ago. "Not that again can't I come home just once without Mother and I disagreeing about my career? I was hoping that just once it would be different that I'd do everything I could to make it better this time." He stood, feeling his own anger building within. His thoughts were running faster than he could keep up with them. "Apparently that is not to be. I don't see why it is I come home at all."

And swallowing his own frustration and anger as best he possibly could, Witherell stormed out of the dining area as well not stopping until he was outside where the air was clearer.

It was a small peace, but Witherell decided he would take what he could get.

*******

Admiral Daubar sat in her temporary quarters, relaxing as she often did: with one of her favorite books. She had decided purposely to avoid using Captain Rando's ready room just because she was temporarily in command of the Infinity, it didn't mean she had to flaunt it. She had told Lieutenant Remley where she would be, if needed, and had left him in control of the bridge Remley seemed a competent officer. More than competent, she had to admit. The man seemed to belong on the bridge she could picture him at tactical, in the command chair, at OPS, at CONN but he wasn't just one of those universal officers no, there was something about Remley that she just couldn't put her finger on. Perhaps with more time she would be able to she'd bring it up with Rando the next time they talked.

Daubar looked up as the door chime sounded. Finally, a little bit of action or at least a visitor. "Come in!" she called cheerfully.

The doors parted to reveal Lieutenant Marianne V'gel Daubar recognized her instantly. The first Trill/human hybrid ever to be joined was not someone you forgot. "Admiral," V'gel said with a nod. "I was hoping to talk to you for a few minutes."

"Of course, Lieutenant. Please, sit down," Daubar told her, indicating the chair across from her. "How have you been?"

V'gel sighed as she sat. "I've been fine it's Phil I'm worried about."

Daubar reviewed her memory of the Infinity crew V'gel was most likely talking about Phil Williams, her cousin and the chief science officer. "Oh go on what's wrong with your cousin?"

V'gel relaxed slightly apparently at the notion that Daubar knew who she was talking about. "He's been moody and depressive for a long time now we've tried to figure out what's bothering him help him out but nothing we do seems to work."

"Have you contacted Doctor Thakur about this?" Daubar asked.

"Yes ma'am," V'gel replied. "Every week or so, Doctor Thakur would try to set up a counseling session with Phil but he always has some excuse or another. I don't think he's talked to a counselor for at least three months maybe longer."

"And Captain Rando hasn't ordered Phil to speak to someone yet?" Daubar asked.

V'gel's eyes found the ground. "To be honest Doctor Thakur asked Captain Rando not to speak to Phil. She wanted him to come speak to her himself. But we've gotten nowhere with that Phil is grumpy all the time I constantly have people from the science department asking me what's wrong with him and I have no idea what to tell them. I think it's time for someone else to step in."

"So you came to me?" Daubar asked.

"Yes ma'am after all you're already involved. The woman you saw today outside the holodeck Lorin she's been helping me figure out what's wrong with Phil. It was her idea for me to come to you ask you for help. Until Captain Rando or Commander Witherell come back and to be honest, we can take much more of this."

Daubar nodded she could understand the situation well, but was it her place to get involved? Starfleet officers did have the right to privacy as long as their personal problems did not interfere with their duties. Were Williams' duties being disrupted? His cousin seemed to feel that way or at least she thought there was potential for them to be. Besides, what could one counseling session hurt?

"Very well, Lieutenant," Daubar said finally. "I will contact Lieutenant Williams and suggest very firmly to him that he talk with Doctor Thakur."

V'gel met Daubar's blue eyes with her gray ones. "And if that doesn't work?" she asked.

"Then I'll order him to speak with her," Daubar said. "If it gets that far hopefully it won't."

V'gel nodded. "I hope so too," she agreed softly.

CHAPTER SIX

Witherell didn't hear his mother approaching he didn't have to he could sense her emotions and thoughts entering his telepathic radius.

"Your father said I should come talk to you," she said. "Although I'm not sure what there is to be said that hasn't already been said."

Witherell shook his head. "I don't know either but I'd like to try. I rarely get the chance to come home these days, Mother we should make the most of them."

"Yes," Carralin agreed, "before you end up dead like every other member of this family that has joined Starfleet."

Witherell tried to contain the anger he felt building up inside him. He didn't want to have this argument again it never went anywhere. "A Starfleet career is a dangerous one, yes I knew that when I signed up but it is also a great opportunity to explore and learn about the universe we live in."

"Your brother was killed during the Battle of Wolf 359!" Carralin exclaimed, as if Witherell hadn't said anything at all. "Your niece was lost in the Badlands on another Federation starship. This family has lost enough because of Starfleet! We will not lose any more!"

Witherell tried to direct the debate in a direction that might actually be winnable. "But Starfleet has offered so much to Betazed!" he protested. "Every single scientific discovery that's been made by cooperation with humans and Vulcans and Andorians it's helped to bring peace to the Alpha Quadrant."

"A year of war with the Klingons, a former ally?" his mother spat. "That is not what I define as 'peace.'"

"That war was started by the Dominion," Witherell attempted to explain. Why couldn't he get his mother to understand? Betazoids communicated literally at the speed of thought but then again, stubbornness was still a tough wall to get around even for a telepath.

"Do not think I am not aware of current events," Carralin chided him. "I know about the changeling that was discovered in the Klingon empire and I also know that when the Dominion and the Federation met for the very first time, the Dominion's only demand was that the Federation stay out of the Gamma Quadrant but did the Federation listen? No. And you wonder why the Dominion doesn't trust us? Why they're trying to turn the Alpha Quadrant against itself? The Dominion is just trying to protect itself from what it sees as a hostile force."

"The Federation is NOT hostile, Mother!" Witherell declared.

"How do you expect your enemies to believe that when you can't even abide a simple request?" his mother demanded. "Why was it necessary to acerbate the situation by continuing to send ships into the Bajoran wormhole, hmm? Why couldn't a negotiated truce be worked out the Federation should have stopped traffic to the Gamma Quadrant as a show of good faith."

"The Dominion is just one political force in the Gamma Quadrant, Mother for them to deny us use of the wormhole would be comparable to the Romulan Empire saying the same thing to the Dominion," Witherell explained. "They had no right to make such a demand."

"But they did, Kevin, and your Starfleet ignored it." Carralin sighed. "And there are going to be many people who will regret that such action was taken soon enough I just don't want our family to be among them when we hear that our last son has been killed in battle with Dominion forces!"

"If there is a war with the Dominion, I will serve Starfleet to the best of my ability and give my life if necessary," Witherell stated firmly. "It is my duty as a Starfleet officer."

"Does your duty include following the policies of Starfleet blindly?" Carralin demanded. "Starfleet is run by people and people make mistakes. You need to be careful that you do not end up paying for those mistakes."

"That is the price I'm willing to pay, Mother," Witherell told her.

"Then when you realize that that price is too high, you will have a place to return here," Carralin replied sadly. "This is your home you could be safe here but I see that you don't want that. One day you will though, and I just hope I live long enough to see it."

Witherell hadn't even noticed his mother mentally backing away from him during her last speech but he suddenly found himself alone. Whether she had walked away or had simply closed her mind to him was unimportant the conversation was over in her mind and yet again, nothing had been resolved.

There was nothing else for Witherell to do. Silently, he crept into the house and retrieved his duffel. Slinging it over his shoulder, he tapped his comm. badge and requested to be beamed back to the ship.

He would say his good-byes tomorrow over a comm. link and hope that the next time he returned home, it would be a pleasant affair.

*******

"Lieutenant," Doctor Thakur greeted Williams as he entered her office. "I was told to expect you."

"Yeah," Williams grumbled. "You can't really say no to an Admiral."

Thakur nodded. "I do wish we were meeting under different circumstances I was hoping you would decide to come meet with me yourself. I even asked Captain Rando not to do what Admiral Daubar just did."

"It doesn't really matter," Williams said, attempting to sound nonchalant. Instead, he came off irritated. "I've got nothing to hide and no problems that require counseling like everyone seems to think. If anything, I'm just wasting your time by being here."

"Now that, I think, is what we generally refer to, in the psychological arena, as pure B.S.," Thakur replied. "Everyone knows that there is something bothering you, Phil the sooner you admit it to yourself and to the people that care about you, the sooner you'll be able to deal with it."

"I have nothing to deal with," Williams grumbled at her, folding his arms across his chest.

"Then why are you becoming so defensive?" Thakur asked. Williams looked blankly at her. "You just crossed your arms you're trying to protect your personal space. You don't want me to get too close to you."

"What's the point?" Williams asked.

"The point of this session?" Thakur inquired. "It's to help you get beyond what is bothering you." Thakur stayed silent then, hoping that Williams would be the next to speak once the quiet became intolerable.

"No," Williams said after about half a minute of silence. "I mean, what's the sense of letting people get close to you? You just set yourself up to be hurt."

Thakur nodded. "Like you and Marianne?" she asked.

Williams eyes met hers in an instant. "What do you know about that?" he demanded.

"It's not hard to see, Phil," Thakur told him with a shrug. "Pretty much everyone on the ship has seen it at one point or another. You become very defensive and antagonistic when Marianne is around. The problem is: none of us can figure out WHY. What happened between the two of you, Phil?"

Williams shook his head and didn't answer.

"There's something about V'gel that bothers you, isn't there?" Thakur asked, watching Williams for a reaction one that came quickly. "I thought so you reacted differently when I called her Marianne this time when I called her V'gel, you became more uncomfortable." She studied Williams. "I am a trained professional, Phil given time, I will crack you like an egg. Either that, or you can tell me yourself what's going on I'm guessing that you know that I'm already on the right path so it's up to you. Do you want me to figure it all out? Or do you want to just save us both the time and energy and tell me why you feel like you don't know your cousin any more."

"I USED to know her!" Williams exclaimed, the words bursting out before he even realized they were gone. "When we were growing up, no one knew her better than I did! But then she goes away for years and the next thing I know, she has some slug in her belly and my cousin is no longer my cousin!"

Thakur nodded. "You're having problems adjusting to her being joined," she concluded. "And considering how long ago Marianne was joined to a symbiant, I'm guessing that this is something you never adjusted to in the first place."

Williams let out a hiss of air in frustration. "I TRY to pretend there's no difference that everything is the way it used to be. But each time it gets harder and harder."

"And then something happened that made it impossible, didn't it?" Thakur asked. "Some straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak."

Williams stared at her for a few seconds. "That's right," he finally said brusquely. "When I was joined joined to one of those damn slugs. It was like having another mind inside me a mind that wasn't mine. It spoke to me, it heard everything I said and worst of all, it tried to change me. It tried to integrate me into what it was. And I did not want to be integrated."

"But you were only joined for a short while, Phil and that was during an emergency situation," Thakur said. "I'm not saying that the joining had no effect on you, but perhaps you should re-examine just how major that effect was?"

"You know what scares me the most, Doc?" Williams asked. "Losing who I am. I don't like big crowds because I'm always afraid that I'm going to be swept away and never come back. I HATE the Borg. They take you and turn you into one of them. And the Founders and those creatures that tried to take over Starfleet years ago? This is a very dangerous universe, Doc and I don't react well to a person who LOOKS like my cousin, SOUNDS like my cousin, but ISN'T my cousin. It reminds me just how easy it would be for me to get lost."

Thakur considered this for a moment. "Serving on this ship because of personal reasons makes you afraid that you'll end up being lost. I think I understand and so you hide yourself from people in your quarters, in the science lab. You act in a manner that will drive others away and you make friends with a being that is, for all accounts and purposes, lost his way himself."

Williams nodded. "Sometimes I feel like J.W. is my only friend on this ship that he's the only person that understands."

"Listen, Phil fear is a very powerful emotion. Often times, it's useful in steering us away from danger but more often than not, it becomes dangerous because we give into it. I can understand your fear of being lost your fear of the Borg and the Founders and others that might try to take away who you are I often have those same fears myself. But you can't allow yourself to give into that fear, don't you see? If you give into that fear, you create an entirely different personality. You're more hostile more agitated more confrontational. In a way, you end up losing yourself that way as well."

Williams eyes opened wide, as if a bright light had been flashed in his face, showing him something he had been previously blind to. The realization that Thakur was right hit him like a slap in the face in all of his attempts to protect himself from becoming lost, he had lost himself along the way.

"I don't know what to do, Doc," he said, the tough shell that had surrounded him just seconds ago beginning to crack. "I don't want to feel this way but every time I look at her she reminds me of what I could become how different I could be."

Thakur's eyes met his. "You just never had the chance to get used to it, did you? You came to this ship with high expectations of serving with someone you knew well, and those expectations weren't met."

"It was why I came to the Infinity," Williams admitted. "I had offers from three other ships to be their chief science officer. I chose the Infinity because Marianne was here."

"Then perhaps," Thakur began slowly, "you should consider re-evaluating that choice. If you came to the Infinity expecting things from your cousin that weren't met, and if that whole experience has interfered with your personal life and with your duties perhaps you should consider a transfer."

"Leave the Infinity?" Williams asked.

"You're not happy here," Thakur told him. "In fact, you're downright miserable. And it seems that just being here takes the fears and worries that you have and just amplifies them. Your relationship with Marianne isn't what you'd like it to be her presence even has a negative effect on you. You say yourself that you have only one friend aboard this ship one being that you feel close to you need to start anew, Phil. The problem is, I don't think you'd be able to do that here I think it would be easier, and more fulfilling, for you if you transferred to another ship."

Williams sighed. "Well, you've given me a lot to think about, Doc. Can I have some time before I decide?"

"Take all the time you need, Phil," Thakur said with a smile. "This is an important decision you don't want to rush it."

"Thanks, Doc." Williams stood and began to head out of the office. Then he stopped and said, "By the way what I said before about only having one person that understands? Make that two now." And with that, Williams stepped through the doorway and left with a slightly larger sense of himself than he had had when he had first come.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Twenty hours had passed since Williams had talked to Doctor Thakur. He knew that it was generally a smart idea to wait a day before making a major decision but he couldn't help himself. For the first time in months, he felt like he was under control again. He had made a choice for himself, and he was going to live with it all that was left was letting others know what he had decided starting with Marianne.

"Phil!" Marianne exclaimed with surprise when the doors to her quarters opened to reveal her cousin. "I can't I what are you doing here?"

Williams allowed himself a small smile. Marianne was so happy to see him which made him happy as well unfortunately, he knew she wouldn't be smiling once he told her the news. He tried to figure out the best way to say what he had to say his mind rapidly running though a string of opening statements in a process that seemed to take forever. Finally, he decided to just spit it out.

"Marianne I'm leaving the ship," Williams told her.

As he had suspected, Marianne's face fell. "You're leaving?" she asked. "I don't understand where are you going?"

"I'm not sure yet," Williams said honestly, feeling comfortable around his cousin for the first time in a long time. "All I know is I can't serve on the Infinity any more so I'm requesting a transfer as soon as the Captain gets back."

V'gel didn't know what to say nothing in her lives-long experience was making this news any easier Marianne was just too upset. "I I still don't understand," she said finally, softly. "Why are you leaving? Aren't you happy here?"

Williams shook his head. "I'm not, Marianne and I think if anyone could see that, it would be you. Don't take this the wrong way but serving on the Infinity just wasn't what I was expecting. Serving with you wasn't what I was suspecting Doctor Thakur says I have to watch out for myself first and in order to do that, I have to leave."

For the longest time, it had been Marianne who could talk freely and Phil who seemed like he didn't know what to say now the roles were reversed. Marianne was still confused and shocked by her cousin's news but she still found herself saying, "Good luck."

Williams smiled at her actually SMILED. "Thanks Marianne I was hoping you'd be okay with this and I had to tell you first." He sighed. "Now I just have to break the news to everyone else and recommend that Brent take over as chief science officer. I never expected to have so many loose ends to tie up."

"You get used to it after dying eight times or so," Marianne said softly.

"I'm sure you do," Williams replied. "I should get going I have a lot to take care of, like I said but I just wanted you to know first." He smiled at his cousin, and she weakly smiled back. "I'll see you around."

"Yeah," V'gel found herself saying seconds after Williams had already gone. "See ya."

**********

There's the picture again, frozen in time a happy memory.

A hand picks it up the picture is studied for a few seconds before being placed back on the shelf it came from.

Perhaps someday, there will be an actual happy memory, not just a false one created by a pause button on a holographic playback device.

But for now, Commander Kevin Witherell decided it was best to go back to duty.