Surefoot 31: Redpaw

C'Rash and the rest of her team caught up, carefully stepping around the bodies before stopping at the doorway to the Morgue, C'Rash muttering, "Seven Hells..."

Hrelle dragged the boy around his fallen comrades and handed him over to C'Rash. "Get him processed and locked up." He sniffed and added, "He'll need a change of underwear, too. What about the wounded crewman Bellamy saved?"

C'Rash nodded, passing the boy to one of her men. "Disruptor wound to the shoulder; Eydiir accompanied him to Sickbay. He should survive."

"Good." He looked down as he heard the sounds of Klingons not quite dead. He wiped the blood from his muzzle and tapped his combadge. "Sickbay: we have wounded in the Morgue, send an Emergency Team." After a second he annexed, "Someone with a strong stomach."

"On our way, Captain, Sickbay out." Masterson replied.

C'Rash moved deeper in, to a box on the floor with Klingon script. She opened it, and then closed it again. "Infernite grenades. If you hadn't moved in when you did, Sir, they would have taken out half the ship."

Hrelle looked to her, but said nothing, stepping out to the bodies, looking around the floor and finding Nathael's chanaer, kneeling down and carefully replacing it around her neck, before removing his jacket and covering her as best he could.

He lifted her up and returned her to the Morgue.

*

"Captain's Log, Stardate 49591.02, Captain Esek Hrelle, Commanding: the USS Diamondback has rendezvoused with us to collect the survivors of the Tsukuba, our surviving prisoners... and our fallen comrades. I have recommended a posthumous James T Kirk Award of Exceptional Valour for Lieutenant Tosa Nathael, for her sacrifice in saving her fellow crewmembers. For all the comfort this will bring her family.

Special commendation is also recommended for Commander Emil Bellamy, for his sacrifice. I wanted to contact his family... but he had none. No partners, no parents, no children, no family. The next of kin on his personnel record lists his previous commander.

I'm dismayed that he had no one to mourn for him. I could have been him, had I never met Sasha's mother, and taken the consequent path I took. And I am disheartened that I let things go on as long as I did without making some connection to someone serving under me. I won't let that happen again."

*

Deck 2 Fore, Captain's Quarters:

He looked into the recorder, swallowing before continuing. "I was with Tosa in the end. She talked of both of you, and of her faith, which had given her the strength to save so many lives on her ship. She had her chanaer with her, she talked of the All-Mother and how she would be on the Shores, and would await you."

His eyes welled with tears. "Mr and Mrs Nathael, I am a parent of a daughter Tosa's age, so I can imagine what you might be feeling now. So I am telling you what I would want to hear at such a time. She was not alone. She was not in pain. She was at peace... and her body remained undisturbed. I hope this brings some comfort to you-"

His door buzzed; he switched off the recorder, leaned back in his desk chair, wiping his face. "Come."

The door slid open; C'Rash entered, along with a tall, smiling human female with dark skin and colourfully-braided hair and pips on her uniform. His niece drew up beside her. "Captain, this is Lieutenant Commander Olivia Zawati, en route to the USS Pierce at the Antares Maelstrom-"

"And willing to pay my way by acting as a temporary First Officer for your ship, Sir," Zawati added, "At least until you reach the Sherman Sector."

Hrelle rose, stepped around his desk and approached the woman, holding out his hand. "Welcome aboard, Lieutenant Commander. And thank you." He tilted his head. "Your accent... Wakandan, is it?"

She beamed as she dropped her hand again. "Very good, Sir. I've never known anyone who could recognise it."

He tapped at the side of his head, just below his left ear. "Caitians are skilled with languages, though the Universal Translator doesn't often allow us to appreciate the finer points."

Zawati nodded, her expression sobering. "Captain, I'm aware that I'm replacing a member of your crew that you've lost, and that feelings will be raw at this time. I promise to do my duty, and stay out of everyone's way-"

"No." He shook his head, offering a smile. "That's not how we do things on the Surefoot. I want to get to know you better while you're with us. Ship's Time is 1630 Hours; would you like to meet for dinner at 2000?"

The human woman hesitated with her reply, prompting C'Rash to speak up. "I should point out that Captain Hrelle is not making any romantic or sexual overtures."

Hrelle frowned at the Caitian female - before realising how his invitation might have been misinterpreted, and felt himself blush under his fur as he spoke rapidly. "Uh, the Lieutenant is quite right! Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression! I'm happily married, with a wife and cubs! Well, one grown-up cub and one toddler cub! Not that he toddles much, he's a sprinter, I can barely catch him! Anyway, I promise you, if your pants come off because of me, it'll be because of boredom, not because I'm flirting with you!" He stopped, his face feeling like it was on fire. "Please say something before my foot gets permanently lodged in my mouth."

Zawati laughed with relief. "Okay, Captain: I'll see you in the Officer's Mess at 2000 Hours. As long as we stay in public I'll think I'll be safe." She looked to C'Rash. "I'll meet you in your office for the security briefing at 1900 Hours, Lieutenant."

C'Rash nodded. "See you there, Ma'am."

The woman smiled at Hrelle and departed.

C'Rash stared hard at Hrelle, who shrugged. "I thought I handled that well." At her expression he asked, "You didn't think I was flirting with her, did you?"

"No, Sir. May I speak freely, please?"

Her formal address caught his attention. "Go ahead, Lieutenant."

She straightened up. "I wasn't entirely truthful to my team in the Morgue. I made it seem that your assault on the Klingons was necessary to prevent an imminent disaster. It wasn't. We could have taken them out without the loss of life you inflicted-"

"I disagree," he said sharply. "They were ready to go to Sto-Vo-Kor and take as many of us with them as they could. My way actually saved lives."

"Maybe," she conceded. "But you didn't go in because you wanted to save lives. Did you?"

He stared hard at her, tense, ready to order her out... before relaxing again. "No. I saw what they were doing to the bodies of the Tsukuba crew. Treating them like that."

"'Them'? Don't you mean Lt Nathael? I know you were there when she died. I can guess how much she reminded you of Sasha. I understand what you might have been feeling at that time, letting the Beast out on them."

She drew closer, and he saw the fear and concern in her eyes, caught it in her scent and her voice. "Uncle Esek... I'll accept when your Beast is unleashed when lives are at stake and the odds are against us, like they were on Skaros, when we saved those children. But I won't accept it when you unleash him out of anger."

Hrelle frowned. "I didn't know you cared so much about the Klingons."

"I don't give a damn about the Klingons. You could have died. And what would Kami and Sasha and Misha, our clan - me - had thought if you died, not to save lives but because you lost your temper? You mean too much to all of us."

Hrelle let the tension of the confrontation seep out of him like air from balloon. "You're right. I'm sorry. Thank you."

She hugged him, their usual relationship momentarily set aside to reveal the naked truth.

Then she pulled back, wiping the tears from her face. "Well... I was going to the gym for a quick workout before the Security briefing with our new XO. Care to join me, Fat Boy? Not like you don't need it."

He offered a smile. "Thanks, Brat, but I need some time alone. Maybe tomorrow?"

She nodded - hugging him once more before leaving, offering an almost-imperceptible, "I love you, Uncle Esek."

He watched the door close, stood there a while longer, before returning to his desk - taking one of Kami's blouses with him, breathing in her scent, seeking to push aside the shame of his actions. But he couldn't. And he knew he shouldn't. Because C'Rash had been right. He gave the Beast too much freedom.

And he could have killed that Klingon boy, too. It didn't matter that the Klingons wouldn't have thought anything of it, because they considered anyone who could hold a blade an adult. It didn't matter that Starfleet wouldn't have thought twice about it, given how many had died at the Klingons' hands in this insane war.

It mattered to him.

He hated himself.

A notification beep from his display caught his attention, though for a moment he considered ignoring it. But then he accepted it- starting as the blank screen came to life with- "Kami! Misha!"

His heart raced as the image of his wife and son appeared, Misha sitting up in his mother's arms, the pair of them sitting in some colourful flowery garden. Kami smiled. "Hello, Beloved!" She looked to Misha. "Say Hi to Papa!"

The toddler beamed and waved his stubby hand at the camera. "Hi, Papa! Love you!"

He sat up. "It's you! But how- how can you-"

"This is a recorded message, Esek," Kami continued. "Made about a day after you left, with T'Varik's help, and planted in your computer. It's set to activate if you don't receive a message from us for more than a week because of the War. And it's here to help you, so you'd better pay attention."

The recorder drew in closer to his wife. "By now you'll be missing us, as much as we're missing you. But we have each other here. You don't. Our scents will be depleting in our quarters, and you'll be feeling a little lost. Not yourself.

So... we're here to remind you: you are Captain Esek Hrelle of the USS Surefoot. You are my husband and the father of this wonderful cub. You command. You lead. You defend. You comfort and support and forgive. And you save lives. You make a difference.

You are the Best.

Never forget that.

And never forget that we'll be with you again soon.

So behave yourself and remember who you are, or else..." She smiled at Misha. "What do we say?"

Misha put on the sternest face he could as he shook his finger at the camera and announced, "It's Trouble Time, Mister!"

Kami smiled and copied Misha's gesture. "It's Trouble Time, Mister!" She hugged her son, smiled at the camera and finished with, "Keep safe, Esek. Please. We love you."

The screen went blank.

He sat there, tears pouring down his face, his voice choked as he replied, "Love you, too..."

THE ADVENTURES OF THE SUREFOOT WILL CONTINUE IN... CRIMINAL ACTS