Time to Head Home

Posted on Sat Mar 28th, 2026 @ 9:45am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Commander Jennifer Baldric

609 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Beholder
Location: Sunfire
Timeline: After the Beholder dies

Captain Captain Rhenora was subdued, as she often was when someone close had passed. The Sunfire had increase speed to warp 6 and was heading back to Earth to return Batel's body to her home. It raised the question of family, and did she have any? Sequestered in her Ready Room, she came across the Death Notice for the young securuty crewman that required some words and approval to be sent. Another knife twisted in her gut. She had been ariting the report for Command on the last mission, with all it's ups and downs and inbetweens. It hurt to write, reopening wounds that had just begun to heal.


Meanwhile on the bridge, Commander Jennifer Baldric sat to the left of thr command chair where Savar currently resided. The stars streaked by as they headed towards Earth. There was the usual chatter around the bridge, a tad muted than the usual banter. They all felt the loss and mixed with the immense achievement of containing the Vezda, it was an interesting juxtaposition to experience.


It would be two days at warp 6, no stops, no diversions, straight back to Earth where Command was elbows deep organising a memorial service for Batel.

Captain Kaylen found herself in the cargo bay, where the medical staff had stripped out a torpedo casing as a casket for Captain Batel. The casing itself was embedded with a cold unit for obvious reasons, allowing the crew to say the words during the journey home. A second torpedo casing in the room was empty, but provided a space for those close to grieve for the young security officer. It was a quiet solomn space, cleared of cargo, just two jet black torpedo casings on stands draped in Starfleet flags, and a handful of gathered people.

She laid a hand on the empty casket first, whispering apologies for not keeping him safe and thanking him for his sacrifice and diligent service. A promise to personally deliver his belongings to his family on Earth, then silence.

She had no words for the second torpedo, just feelings. Of anger, grief, shame amd gratitude all at once. She was grateful to have known this legendary Captain, and to honour her last wishes caused great grief and sorrow. She was angry at the Prophets, and shamed that she couldn't do more. A hand was laid on top, tears glistened silently, restrained as much as possible in this public place, but they were there. She wanted to show her crew that they could grieve, that it was 100% okay to show feelings, but in a respectful way. Always the Captain.

She hoped she would have to opportunity to say a few words at Batel's memorial, the young crewman's family had requested a private family only celebrarion of life. She would write a letter and deliver it to them on Earth, however their anger at Starfleet costing their son his young life was still strong. Words would no doubt be hurled at her as the commanding officer, and part of her accepted that was her lot in life. She held the cards, she played them, and now she had two dead officers. It was her responsibility, she would face the consequences, and fall apart later.

She stood between the coffins, at parade rest, an honour guard almost as the Sunfire headed for home, and these two to their final reating place. She planned for an hour or two, and ended up staying for the rest of the shift, using the opportunity to observe her crew as they came and went. She was gauging their response, their emotion, their resiience. They appeared to be coping. Just.


TBC

 

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