Starfleet Headquarters, Earth:
The date is June 6th, 2401, and the time is 12:30 in the afternoon. Damian Decker, still wearing his filthy red and black tactical uniform with his arms crossed, sits on a chrome metal bench looking at the horizon with his piercing blue and hazel eyes. The Earth's ocean with a couple of humpback whales swimming. Damian smiles at the sight of the magnificent creatures living in the water. Despite being mammals, whales need to stay in the water to survive. Something Damian was always fascinated about since he was a small boy. To his right, was the sight of San Francisco City, and the Golden Gate Bridge. Despite their age, they were both magnificent sights to behold. Damian Decker sighs while bowing his head, as his thoughts turn to the events that have transpired. With Captain Jack Ransom in custody awaiting his trial, Decker ponders what he will say when he and his shipmates attend to testify. Since Decker and his friends are the senior officers of the USS Bonaventure, they don't have a choice. As Damian looks out at the horizon, he spots a shadow approaching him. He looks to his left to find Teresa Sanchez the chief engineer of the Bonaventure; Easily recognizable by her wavy black hair and astounding brown eyes. Damian smiles at his comrade, who smiles back at him.
"Hi Damian," Teresa greeted. "Mind if I sit down?" Damian scooches over to the right, allowing Teresa to sit next to him.
"Not at all," Teresa takes a seat next to Damian, crossing her legs. She looks at Damian and sees the reluctant expression on his face. She's worried for her friend and wonders what's bothering him.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Damian looks over at Teresa, wondering what to tell her. He wants to be honest with her, but he doesn't know how to do that; Or, if he wants to. Then again, Damian was always a bad liar, and Teresa could easily see right through him.
"It's about what happened on the ship," Damian said candidly. "I know we're supposed to testify, but I'm not sure the court will believe us," Teresa feels as Damian does, but is quick to try and persuade Damian to see things from a different perspective.
"They will," Teresa reassured. "Our ship logs will confirm what happened," Damian looks to Teresa, nodding in acknowledgment.
"I'm aware of that, but you and I both know that those in the higher chain of command are pig-headed and stubborn morons," Damian's words are heard by two high-ranking officers, a Tellarite and a Vulcan who look at Damian with disgust. For a subordinate to say such truthful yet disrespectful things is an obscenity from their point of view. They walk past Damian, who looks up at them whispering to each other.
"Who is to say that they won't just pardon Captain Ransom instead of punishing him?!" Teresa listens to Damian vent, understanding his frustrations which she shares.
"More so, since people who've broken the law in the past usually just get a free pass instead of getting what they deserve," Damian Decker's hatred for Jack Ransom boiled in his heart. Teresa places her hand on Damian's shoulder to calm him down.
"It won't come to that," Teresa said sharply. "Jack Ransom will face the consequences for his actions, but it's up to us to ensure that happens,"
"Besides, you were the one who relieved him of his command and took charge when that Doomsday Machine threatened to destroy Vashti,"
"Nobody else would've done it, save for Commander Mariner," Damian turns to face Teresa, giving her a warm smile.
"That's true. I always wanted to kick that bastard out of the command chair ever since we left Spacedock," Justin commented. The amount of satisfaction Damian felt when he relieved Captain Ransom was insatiable. If he had to do it all over again, he'd do it in a heartbeat. Teresa takes Damian's hand. With him feeling her soft skin which was appealing.
"Whatever happens, just know that I'm proud of you," Teresa smiles. "You've come a long way since we first met at the Academy," Damian nods at Teresa, feeling the same amount of pride in her.
"And it would be negligent of me not to say, that I'm glad that our friendship's been rekindled," Teresa may have given Damian Decker a hard time when he first came aboard,
"Me too, Damian, me too," Teresa's smile quickly fades, as she sports a saddened expression.
"But I think it's important for me to say, that I'm sorry for the way I treated you when you first came aboard," Teresa pulled her hand away from Damian.
"I was just blaming you for everything that happened with Talia, and that wasn't fair of me," Damian sighs, looking down at the concrete floor before looking up at Teresa.
"You were angry, and still grieving. Besides, I can't hold a grudge even if I wanted to," Damian reassures. Teresa looks back at Damian and chuckles at him. The fact that he can be so understanding after everything they went through amazes her.
"You're such a saint, you know that?" Teresa jokes. Damian shakes his head at Teresa, thinking he's no saint; Instead, a guy who's trying to be better than those who he grew up with or looked up to in times past.
"Not entirely, but I try to be," Damian replies. Teresa's thoughts turn to Beckett Mariner, the first officer of the Bonaventure.
"Have you heard anything new about Commander Mariner?" Teresa wonders fearfully.
"She's still at Starfleet Medical," Damian replies. He too is scared for Mariner, and wonders if he should visit her.
"Doctor Goldsmith assured me that he's doing everything he can to help her, and he'll contact us after he's done," Teresa shakes her head in doubt. She prays that Beckett Mariner will recover.
"Do you think she'll pull through?" Damian doesn't know how to answer Teresa's question truthfully. Instead, he sighs while crossing his arms for a second time.
"I hope so," Damian said sadly. Just then, the two are approached by an eager young cadet with long hair and pointed ears. Damian looks up and smiles when he's greeted by the Romulan Cadet, Elnor. Still a cadet, dressed in the standard grey and red uniform that all cadets wore.
"Elnor, what a nice surprise," said Damian, as he stood up to embrace Elnor. "It's good to see you," Elnor chuckles at Damian, more than happy to be in the young human's presence.
"It's good to see you too, Damian," smiled Elnor. "I'm glad you and your shipmates are alright. I've been worried sick about you all ever since you left," Damian tries his best to reassure Elnor that all is well.
"It takes more than a Doomsday Machine and an ignorant Captain to get rid of us," Teresa commented.
"Amen to that, Teresa," Damian chuckled.
"Either way, I'm pleased to see that you're alright," Elnor said with grace.
"Thanks, Elnor," Damian repricated. Elnor's smile quickly fades, transforming into an expression of stoicism.
"As much as I wish I could say I was here to catch up, the Court is asking for your presence. Captain Ransom's trial is about to begin," Damian nods in acknowledgment and Teresa
"They don't waste time, do they?" Teresa groans. She hoped to have more time with Damian, as he wished for the same.
"No, they don't," Damian turns to Elnor, encouraging him to lead the way.
USS Bonaventure, Earth Spacedock:
Engineers piloting yellow Worker Bees fly out to repair the Bonaventure's battle damage as best they can. Despite being a newly commissioned Neo-Constitution Class starship with the latest bit of technology from Starfleet R&D, a hit from a pure anti-proton beam was tremendously difficult to repair. The Engineers in Worker Bees patch up the scorched hull breaches using tritanium plates while grunting in frustration at the amount of work they'd have to do. On the Bridge of the Bonaventure, a Starfleet Veteran steps in through the turbolift wondering where to find Damian Decker. This man had assumed Decker was still onboard and turned to one of the technicians working at the Tactical Station. The Bolian technician turns to the Veteran and gasps in shock to see her idol in front of her.
"Captain Riker," the Bolian gasped. Even if William T. Riker (former first officer of the USS Enterprise, and Captain of the USS Titan) was old, he's still considered handsome among many of the young female officers. With his grey hair brushed back and his distinguished trimmed beard.
"Welcome aboard the USS Bonaventure," Will Riker smiles at the Bolian and nods at her.
"Thank you, Ensign," Will Riker replies. He looks around, wishing the Bridge wasn't the same one he saw on the Titan-A or the Stargazer. The designers often said that using the same module instead of having to design a new one from scratch was the best bet, but Will Riker preferred to have more diversity on a ship's bridge; Not just in personnel but design as well.
"Is there something we can help you with, Sir?" the Bolian wonders.
"Yes, I'm looking for Damian Decker. Is he here?" The Bolian shakes her head at Captain Riker.
"I'm sorry, Sir, but Lieutenant Decker is not aboard the ship. He beamed down to Starfleet Headquarters a few hours ago," Will Riker groans while placing his hand to his forehead, disappointed that he has to beam down to Earth when he spent the last hour searching for the young man. Why he is looking for Damian Decker? nobody knows.
"Thank you for letting me know, Ensign, as you were," the Bolian officer nods at Captain Riker.
"Yes, Sir," she resumes her work, and Captain Riker heads to the Turbolift.
San Francisco, Cetacean Institute 5 hours later:
With people walking around and those staring at the whales in the large transparent aluminum tank, Damian Decker (wearing a grey turtleneck and black pants) leans on the metal railings looking at the whales. The San Francisco Cetacean Institute is a place that Damian always held dear to his heart. Coming here every time he and his family traveled to San Francisco as a kid. Damian came to the Cetacean Institute hoping to find peace with his conflicting thoughts. Jack Ransom's trial had concluded, and Damian was glad to be done with it. Just when Damian thinks he is alone, Damian is approached by Captain Will Riker.
"Imagining what the whales are thinking?" Will Riker asked. Damian Decker turns to Will Riker, surprised to see the Veteran standing before him.
"Captain Riker, this is an unexpected pleasure," Damian Decker reaches out to shake Will Riker's hand.
"Pleasure's all mine, Mister Decker. I hope I'm not bothering you," Damian shakes his head at Captain Riker.
"Not at all, Sir. What can I do for you?" Riker looks around, hoping to find a secluded area where he and Damian can speak in private.
"Do you know of an area where we can talk alone?" Captain Riker inquires. Damian nods his head and directs Captain Riker to the food court. While it's a public area, it is the best place for Damian and Riker to have their little chat. Damian wonders what Captain Riker wants to talk about, and the Starfleet Veteran is reluctant to reveal anything until they sit down.
Food Court:
Captain Riker and Damian Decker sit at a table with a view of the Ocean and with two glasses of Iced Tea with lemon in their hands. Damian's curiosity gets the better of him, and presses Captain Riker to talk about something he wants to discuss.
"So, Captain, what is it you wish to discuss with me?" asked Damian.
"Now that you ask," Captain Riker sighed, placing his drink on the table and looking Damian in the eye. "I was hoping you could tell me about what happened on your mission to Vashti,"
Damian Decker's eyes widen with hesitation. He was under the impression that Captain Riker already read the reports surrounding what others called: "The Bonaventure Incident"
"Forgive me if I seem impudent, Captain, but why do you ask?" Damian asked.
"Because I prefer to hear things from your side. Besides, the Admirals back at Headquarters don't exactly tell you the whole story these days," Riker stated.
"No argument here," Damian agreed. Riker sighs, wondering if he's asking Damian Decker too much.
"I hope I'm not asking too much of you. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable," said Riker. Damian Decker takes a sip of his iced tea and places the glass on the table.
"Not at all, Sir," Damian reassured. "I'm just surprised that an esteemed veteran of your status wants to hear about our mission to Vashti," Riker smiles at Damian, finding his words both flattering and hilarious.
"No offense intended," Damian said.
"None taken," Riker replies.
"I just don't know where to begin," Captain Riker nods at Damian, understanding the young man's position.
"Why not just start at the beginning?" Riker suggested.
"I suppose it all started when I was aboard the USS Saratoga," Damian said, as he recounted the story to Captain Riker.