The Sato Series, Episode 3: a new Frontier

“I just love you. And I’m glad you wanted to be with me today.”
“Honey,” Naomi said softly, “don’t think for a second that there’s ever going to be exclusivity in our marriage just because Lenara is carrying my child. You are every bit as much my wife as she is,” she vowed.
Robin held Naomi’s face in her hands. “I’m holding you to that, Naomi Wildman,” she replied.
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Kathryn Janeway settled her uniform tunic as she awaited the guests transporting aboard Sato. In a swirling tornado of blue molecular particles, Jean-Luc Picard and his first officer, Stephanie Moss, materialized on the transporter dais. Kieran Wildman stood beside her Captain, trying not to throw herself at Mossy the second she was a cohesive form again. Kathryn smirked as she saw Kieran lose the battle for her dignity as the lanky first officer leapt up on the dais to hug her old teammate.
Jean-Luc Picard winked at Kathryn Janeway, shaking her hand. “Kathryn,” he said warmly, “so good to see you again.”
Kathryn glowed, satisfied once again that she had usurped his prime choice for first officer of his ship. “Jean-Luc,” she echoed the greeting, auburn hair framing her porcelain face. “Welcome aboard.” She glanced sideways at her first officer. “You know Kieran,” she chuckled, shaking her head. “I can’t believe they’re making those two captains,” she said playfully.
Picard nodded. “Absolutely no respect for protocol,” he agreed, grinning at the two tall women.
“Mossy, you look great,” Kieran was saying, holding the smaller woman’s face in her hands. Stephanie Moss was the sort of woman who started out attractive, but grew more beautiful with age. “I am so happy I’m going to be there when you get your promotion,” she said happily.
Stephanie regarded her with a familiar smile, her cheeks flushed with excitement and her pale green eyes alight with mirth. “KT, you never change,” she laughed. “And I get to be there for your fourth pip, too,” she allowed.
Picard cleared his throat. “Kieran, congratulations on your promotion. It’s long overdue,” he said with a hint of pride.
Kathryn studied Stephanie Moss momentarily, remembering their first meeting, which had not left either woman with a good impression of the other. Kathryn decided to make amends. “Commander Moss,” she extended her hand. “It’s good to see you again. I’m so glad it’s under far more favorable circumstances than the last time,” she added in a conciliatory tone. “And I would like to offer my sincerest apologies for my behavior, then. I was not myself,” she admitted.
Stephanie smiled easily. “No need to apologize, Captain Janeway,” she assured the older woman. “I’m just so glad Naomi recovered, and everyone is over the Restidian bacterial infection,” she replied, taking Kathryn’s hand.
“Will you come by my quarters this afternoon for a drink?” Kathryn asked the taller woman, much more at ease with her than when Mossy had chastised Kieran for her weakness in the face of Naomi’s illness. Kathryn had thought Kieran’s old friend was brutal and cruel with Kieran, and it had offended the captain deeply.
“I’d like that, provided my Captain has no objections or designs on my time,” she agreed.
“Jean-Luc,” Kathryn turned to him, “You and Beverly must come to dinner tonight. Seven is a stellar cook and she insists on your being there,” she advised him.
Picard laughed brightly. “I’ve been assimilated once, Kathryn. I have no desire to be Locutus again. I will comply,” he capitulated.
“Won’t you come, too?” Kathryn turned back to Stephanie. “Kieran and her harem will all be there,” she teased her first officer.
Stephanie laughed heartily. “I always knew she’d end up with one,” she needled her old friend.
Picard hugged Kieran and kissed her cheek. “I understand congratulations of another nature are in order,” he said to his former crewmember. “I cannot believe you married Robin Lefler,” he laughed ruefully.
Kieran nodded. “I know, it’s a bit much to get your head around,” she agreed, “but Robbie is the model wife, and runs our counseling department without a hitch. She’s not the woman you knew, Sir,” she assured him. “And we have a child together. I’d love for you to come by, Captain. Lenara will never forgive me if she doesn’t see you,” she added, knowing the older man had a soft spot for her Trill Be’thal.
“I wouldn’t miss it,” he promised. “Now, ladies, shall we find a conference room and discuss our mission?”
Kathryn inclined her head toward the exit. “Right this way. We’ll go to my ready room. Is Commander Worf going to join us?” she asked.
Picard matched her diminutive stride, keeping pace beside her as they made their way to the turbo lift at the end of the corridor. “Worf is actually acting more as an intermediary, and won’t be privy to our internal workings. You are to represent the interests of Starfleet, Captain, and Mr. Worf is acting as the Federation ambassador to the Klingon Empire. He is in a rather unique position, since the Klingons trust him, and so does Starfleet. I’m afraid the High Council is in a bit of an uproar over the decision to open the wormhole in Romulan space.” He sighed. “Starfleet intelligence only gets half the story. Worf hears it all. Martok keeps him up to speed on all the political maneuvering and protesting. I’m concerned, as is Starfleet Command, that the Klingons might secede from the Federation. This issue could start a war in the Beta Quadrant, if it isn’t handled delicately. You have your work cut out for you,” he opined.
Kathryn nodded resolutely. “Where does Worf stand on the conflict?”
“Like any good Klingon, he feels insulted by the decision. After all, the Klingon Empire has been an ally far longer than the Romulans, and truth be told, it’s always been an uneasy alliance with the Romulans. As closely as the Klingons have aligned themselves with us, especially during the war, they expected more consideration. However, he does understand that the aperture will be closer to the Delta Quadrant as well, and a stable wormhole could be the saving grace of the Beta Quadrant if the Borg have managed to regain any prominent foothold in the border area.”
“It would be to everyone’s benefit if we could move troops quickly in a crisis,” Kathryn agreed. “And perhaps this is the best method of making our alliance with Romulus less uneasy,” she offered.
Picard looked back over his shoulder. “Commander, where does Doctor Kahn fall on the spectrum of opinion?” he asked.
Kieran smiled. “My wife is a scientist, Captain. She couldn’t care less about the politics, as long as the wormhole is a success. She is aware of the volatile nature of the topic, certainly, but she is absorbed in the final preparations for the project’s implementation. She doesn’t have time to fret over the political ramifications,” Kieran explained. “We can barely get her to eat and sleep, she is so consumed by it.”
Mossy laid her hand on Kieran’s shoulder as the foursome entered Janeway’s ready room. “Do you blame her, KT? This is the culmination of her entire life’s work. Honestly, I never thought she’d be able to do it.”
Picard and Kieran simultaneously said “I did,” and then smiled at one another.
“I always believed in Lenara’s genius,” Kieran said sincerely. “Even before she was a friend, from what I had read of her work, I knew she was destined for this. There’s simply no one in the known Quadrants who understands the concepts like she does.”
Picard pulled out a chair for Kathryn Janeway, nodding vigorously. “She is light years beyond the greatest minds of our history, if you ask me,” he added.
“And yet she is so unassuming,” Kathryn said absently, thinking of the gentle Trill. “She is so—human,” she decided.
Kieran chuckled. “She might be insulted by that assessment, Kat,” she teased. “But you’re right, there’s not an iota of conceit in her. And I know from watching her work with Kit and Naomi that she really, truly doesn’t care one bit about the credit for the work, so much as seeing the work itself come to fruition,” she detailed for her friends.
“Which is the hallmark of any true scientist,” Kathryn chimed in. “Truly, it has been a fascinating experience having her on my ship,” she advised her colleagues. “It’s been an honor, and I don’t say that lightly.” She smiled at her daughter-in-law. “And you have the privilege of being her fanua’thal,” she said to Kieran.
Kieran bowed her head slightly. “It is a privilege, and I never forget that for a second,” she confessed. She glanced at the assembled officers. “I really think Ro Laren should be here for these discussions, don’t you Captain?”
Kathryn inclined her head. “She probably should, since security is going to have to be on high alert during these proceedings,” she said fretfully.
Picard’s face hardened slightly. He had trusted Ro Laren when no one else believed she was redeemable, and she had rewarded his trust by joining the Maquis rebellion. The mention of her name left a foul taste in his mouth.
Kathryn saw his reaction, and understood immediately how he felt. “She’s doing a marvelous job,” she said to Picard.
“Glad to hear it,” he replied, but his face looked anything but glad.
_____________
Stephanie Moss walked companionably with her former teammate, Kieran Wildman, reminiscing about old times. Dinner at Kathryn’s had gone off well, and Stephanie had managed to mend her differences with Kathryn Janeway.
“When did you go command track, anyway, Mossy?” Kieran asked, squeezing the brunette’s shoulders. “I thought you were going to be a fighter squadron leader,” she recalled from their Academy days. Most of their peers had advanced up the ranks long ago, due to the shortage of qualified officers, and it was a rarity for women in their thirties to be ranked below Captain if they were on a command track.
“After the war,” Mossy replied. “I got shot down over Cardassia Prime, and spent a long time in a Cardassian field hospital, before they put me in a POW camp,” she replied. “Flying lost it’s shine, after that,” she admitted. “In fact, I need to pay a visit to your CMO, while I’m here. Joely Winfield and I were in the same camp.”
Kieran’s soft brown eyes registered sympathy. “I had no idea, Steph. When I saw you on Earth, the week of the court dedication, you never said a word.”
“Your wife was dying, KT. You were getting married. When would have been appropriate, Kelsey?” she smirked. “Besides, I don’t like to talk about it. After the camps were liberated, I went command track. And now my modus operandi seems to be following your trail of scraps. You turned down the first officer slot on the Enterprise and I got it. You turned down the captaincy of the Sagan, and now she’s my ship. Got any men you could throw my way?” she teased.
“Sorry, the only one I had I threw to my ex-wife, B'Elanna,” she joked. “Why haven’t you ever settled down, Mossy? You’re smart, gorgeous, funny—didn’t you ever want kids?”
Stephanie shook her head. “I saw things, KT. In the camps. I wouldn’t bring a child into this world, not after that experience,” she confided, shuddering. “But then, you know how the former POW’s are—you married Robin Lefler,” she said with a sigh. “You never get over it, KT. It never leaves your psyche for a moment. There are still nights I can’t sleep for the images in my head. And the war made me very wary of having children on star ships,” she added. “You’re braver than I am.”
Kieran looked up as she heard footfalls heading their way in a jogging rhythm. Kit Wildman was heading them off before they could enter the bar of Decked to the Nines, a classy establishment on Main Street that catered to the officers. Kit smiled hesitantly, not wanting to intrude on her mother’s reunion, but unable to quell her curiosity.
“I wondered how long she’d hold out before she tracked you down,” Kieran nudged Stephanie. “That’s my daughter. She’s seen every game we ever played together, and she’s pretty well convinced you crap latinum,” she chuckled.
Kit stopped before them. “Mom? Would you—introduce me to the Commander, please?” she asked in a retreating voice.
Kit was rarely so awed by anyone that she was less than forward in her manner, and Kieran was mightily amused. She decided not to bust Kit’s chops, though, remembering her own hero-worship of Lenara Kahn.
“Stephanie Moss, Commander and first Officer of the Enterprise, this is my daughter, and my favorite person in the whole dimension, Lieutenant Kit Wildman, our helmsman.”
Stephanie grinned at Kit, shaking her hand. “Hi, Kit. I’ve heard so much about you, I’m pleased to finally get to meet you. Kelsey, she does look like Cassidy,” she nodded approvingly. “You weren’t kidding.”
Kit held out a large holoimage of the championship Academy team with a permanent marker. “Commander, could you please sign this for me? Yours is the last autograph to complete it, except for Erika Jones,” she amended. Erika had died in the war, and Kit would never get to meet her.
Stephanie laughed uproariously. “God, look at us, KT,” she howled, pointing to their side-by-side images. “Could we look any cockier or any younger?”
Kieran studied the old picture. “Damn, Mossy, nice hair,” she teased her. “I can’t believe that was the style,” she giggled.
“Kit,” Stephanie shook her head, laughing, “what in God’s name do you want this for?”
Kit’s golden eyes were pure seriousness. “You guys were phenomenal players,” she murmured. “I have holovid of the court dedication game, if you want a copy,” she added, handing the pen to the Commander.
Stephanie hadn’t signed an autograph in years, she realized, and Kit looked so earnest it tugged at the older woman’s heart. She signed her own chest, wordlessly handing the memorabilia back to Kit. She knew immediately why Kieran had bonded with the younger woman. “Why don’t you come and have a drink with us, Kit? We were just reliving the glory days,” she chuckled. “Such as they were,” she added.
Kit considered, but shook her head. “I don’t want to intrude. Mom never gets to see you. But I’m thrilled to finally meet you,” she said sincerely. “I have a ton of memorabilia from your Academy days,” she admitted.
Stephanie’s pale green eyes sparkled with amusement. “I’d love to see it sometime. Would you show it to me?”
Kit nodded eagerly. “Anytime you like,” she agreed. “Just hail me.” She shook Stephanie’s hand again, and said her goodbyes.
“Great kid, KT,” Stephanie said softly, watching as Kit trotted away.
“Yeah, she is,” Kieran agreed, “and you just made her year, I guarantee it. Mossy, her whole room is like a shrine to our team. She has a serious case of hero worship for anyone I ever played with. When she met Karen Weaver, she got an instant crush on her,” Kieran confided. “So could you—be careful with her?”
Stephanie gave her a reproachful look. “KT, do you even need to ask me that? This is ME,” she said emphatically.
“It’s just—she’s had a tough year, what with my disappearing and all,” she said regretfully, “and her marriage almost broke up, too. She’s so young, and sometimes, she’s just so damned vulnerable, it scares me.” Kieran bit her lip. “She’s an astounding officer, but I know how much of her veneer is a command façade,” she advised her old friend.
Stephanie envied the love between the mother and daughter. She wondered for a brief moment if her own stance on children was too rigid. She dismissed the thought. “So,” she tugged Kieran’s elbow, guiding her inside the bar. “Tell me about the jungle planet.”

_____________

The mission plans were solidified, and both Sato and Enterprise were headed back to Earth for the negotiations. Starfleet had scheduled the first meetings for January 5th, which meant that the crews would get to spend Christmas with their terran families. The only remaining order of business was to transfer command of the Sato to Kieran Wildman, to promote Ro Laren, and to move Kathryn Janeway into her role as ambassador. Once the two ships were home, Stephanie Moss was slated to take command of the Sagan, which was freshly out of the shipyards after its first 18 months of service. While they were in the vicinity, Picard wanted to check on the progress of his new ship, the next incarnation of the Enterprise, which would be a Supremacy class vessel.
Kieran Wildman decided not to argue with Kathryn Janeway when Kathryn insisted on bestowing Kieran’s promotion to captain in the gymnasium. She figured there must be a lot of crewmembers who wanted to be there for the passing of the torch. Whether moving from captain to admiral, or moving from captain to ambassador, either was tantamount to retirement, and there would be many who wanted to wish Kathryn well.
Kieran was disabused of that notion the moment she walked into the gym, which was completely empty, except for her statue, which was dressed in a Starfleet uniform, sporting captain’s pips.
Kieran grimaced. “And that will be my first order as captain. To remove that piece of crap,” she scowled at Kathryn, laughing. “Nice uni, Kat. It’s so much better than that god-awful Bo-Peep outfit you had me in,” she smirked.
“Yeah, but the sheep were cute,” Kathryn smarted. “It was Seven’s idea to make you an Andorian,” she advised. “I had nothing to do with that costume,” she defended herself.
“Well, hell, that explains why that one was my favorite,” Kieran nudged her friend.
Kathryn gave her a scathing look. “Are you ever going to let me forget you were lovers with my wife?” she implored.
Kieran laughed uproariously. “Probably not. She must have assimilated my sense of compassion and propriety. I can’t seem to find any in myself anymore.”
Kathryn stiffened. “Ahem. A modicum of dignity, please.” She straightened her shoulders. “Commander Kieran Wildman,” she began, “having performed the duties of—well I’ll be damned,” she stopped mid-promotion. “Admiral,” she grinned ear to ear. “How did you get here?”
Amanda Brand laughed at Kathryn’s surprised look as she sauntered into the gym. “I hitch hiked. Some Klingon thought I had nice gams,” she teased, hiking her pant leg to display said leggage. “Kieran, you look like a captain today,” she enthused, hugging her old friend. “Kathryn, I’m going to usurp the honors, if you don’t mind. I’ve claimed her,” she winked at the captain. Brand tapped her communicator badge. “Send them in,” she ordered.
The gymnasium doors opened and half the crew of the Sato poured in through them, including the entire Wildman and Thompson clan, the Lessings, and Kathryn’s family. Several of Kieran’s friends from Enterprise were in attendance, as well: the Picards, Guinan, Worf, Alyssa Ogawa, and Stephanie Moss.
Kate Pulaski brought up the rear, waving at Kieran and Kathryn. She was not in uniform, which was a rarity for the elderly physician.
“Kate!” Kieran grabbed her and hugged her. “You actually took a formal leave?”
“Hell, no,” Pulaski said, “I’m retired. Did you think I was going to wait for you to get your ass in the captain’s chair and make me your chief medical officer?” the crotchety old woman asked. “Oh, and Amanda and I brought some precious cargo.”
She moved aside and Gerry Thompson and Gretchen Janeway came into the huge auditorium. “Daddy!” Kieran squealed, running for the elder Thompson and hugging him so hard his poor bones creaked.
“Hey Starfish,” he laughed against her cheek. “I wanted to surprise you. Since you all are headed back to Earth, Gretchen and I figured we’d come visit.”
Kieran was truly overwhelmed. She hugged Gretchen, then let Kathryn have at her.
Amanda Brand called for attention. When everyone quieted down, she turned ceremoniously to the crowd. “I’ve known Kathryn Janeway and Kieran Thompson for their entire adult lives. I’ve been privileged to be associated with them both. And I’m honored to be here for this occasion,” she announced. She turned back to the women beside her. “Captain Kathryn Janeway, having performed the duties of captain with distinction and valor, and having achieved the status of the most decorated Starfleet captain to ever grace a bridge, I hereby transfer you to the honorary office of special ambassador to the Beta Quadrant. Congratulations,” she held out her hand, which Kathryn shook. Amanda turned to the crowd. “Lenara,” she said, laughing, “that means if your wormhole doesn’t work, she’s out of a job.”
The Admiral turned back to her comrades, waiting for the laughter to subside. “Commander Kieran Wildman,” she continued, “having performed the duties of first officer with distinction and valor, and having achieved the status of the most decorated Starfleet officer in the history of the fleet, I hereby promote you to captain, with all the attendant duties, responsibilities, and privileges engendered by that rank. Further, I assign you to the U.S.S. Sato as commanding officer.” Amanda fastened Kieran’s fourth pip to her uniform turtleneck, smiling at her. “Congratulations, Captain Wildman. Ambassador, will you transfer command, please?”
Kathryn took the data PADD and punched in her authorization. “Captain Wildman, I transfer command of the Sato to you, and with it I surrender my authorization codes. Please instate your first officer.”
Kieran turned to Ro Laren. “Commander Ro Laren, I instate you as first officer of this ship, and I surrender my authorization codes as first officer.”
Amanda Brand nodded. “Ladies, congratulations to you all. The first round is on me,” she added.
Everyone gathered the women in for congratulatory hugs, and the party was in full swing. Kieran’s father joined her and Cassidy, hugging his daughters. “Okay, Captain Starfish,” he said, “What’s all that hyperbole about authorization codes? What does it signify?”
Kieran laughed, kissing his cheek. “It means I have the authority to program the ship to self-destruct, for starters—if Ro Laren concurs. It also means I have the keys to the ship, basically. All systems are now under my direct command authority. But the big thing is the auto-destruct sequence,” she explained.
“Well, then, I’ll be sure not to piss you off,” Cassidy smarted, hugging her sister.
“Daddy, you need to meet your new grandchildren,” Kieran enthused. “Robin gave birth to my daughter Cami, who is eight months old. And Cassidy and Cameron have a girl who is nearly three months,” she informed him.
“Named?” Gerry asked, his eyes alight with pride.
“Kieran Chance,” Cassidy replied. “Come on, Cameron’s got her.”
The party stretched for hours, with everyone needing to say goodbye to Kathryn Janeway, to usher her into her new role on the ship. She assured everyone that she was ready for the change, ready to spend more time with her children and to be a model spouse. She informed everyone she had paintings to work on, books to read, and diapers to change. And Hannah was finally potty training age, so she had great ideas about how to accomplish that.
Seven glowed with pure joy, finally assured that Kathryn would be in a safer role on the ship, and fully confident that Kieran could handle anything the Beta Quadrant threw at them. She would remain the head of Astrometrics until Emily was ready to take over the department, which wouldn’t be much longer, and then she would serve as a consultant to Lenara Wildman. Once she left Astrometrics, she would no longer be eligible for away team missions, which suited Kathryn just fine.
Seven found Kieran with her father and sister and Kit, laughing and talking about recent events on the ship. She stood politely off to the side, not wanting to interrupt. Kieran caught a glimmer of familiar silver out of the corner of her eye, and turned to find Seven there.
“Your Borgness,” she smiled warmly, taking both of Seven’s hands, “how are you?”
Seven smiled up at her, wrapping her arms around Kieran’s neck. “Congratulations, Kieran. I am so proud of you,” she said softly.
Kieran cupped her cheek in one hand, returning her smile. “Thanks, Seven. I promise to do the pips justice, if I can. Your wife is a hard act to follow—apparently, not just in the captain’s chair, either,” she noted wryly.