—| captain |—

"Lieutenant Merlin," Paris said, setting aside her datapad. She got up from her glass desk, a coffee mug stain now on the table covered by a coaster. She tucked a few loose strands of her raven hair behind her ear.

Working exhausting hours over reports and missions, she had been assigned to. She couldn't remember the last time she had slept for more than 4 hours. While the rest of her family loved lives and didn't work constantly like her.

She had a kid and wife at home, but she was busy with so much work it bothered them so much. She had decided she'd go home more often, especially after her last mission this year. So she could spend time with her family and friends.

The lieutenant returned her greeting with a smile, "Captain Paris. That's a title I'm going to have to get used to."

Lieutenant Merlin had long brown hair that reached to his neck. He was a few years older than her, ranking below her though. He was always a man girls fawned over in her academy days, a clear annoyance to many.

That was something the new captain could've rolled her eyes at. It was true that they had entered Starfleet the same year, both were assigned in science. She was recently given the rank of captain because of 

"Come off it. I called you in here because of an important matter," Paris pulled up a screen image of a few people, "Oh, and how's Issac and Adeline doing?"

She had to ask about her godchildren. Issac's children were bound to have his quick wit and their mothers smart brain. Knowing she'd may have to look over them sometimes when they come to their academy days at Starfleet.

"They're doing quite fine. Adeline is getting a hang of multiplication and Issac is learning how to read.," Merlin smiled, proud of his children like any proud parent would be.

"Good to hear,"  Paris said before swiping the screen to a kingdom on fire, "You remeber the S'keerans and Skylers right?"

"Skylers are the royalty and dynasties of the planet, Vestrea. They've always had trouble with the second species the S'keerans. Do I have to go into detail on how they look?" Merlin explained before questioning Paris, she held back an urge of an annoyed sigh.

"Yes. I'd like you to explain the S'keeran species," Paris told him.

"The S'keerans are an alien species with a blue skin tone. They are vicious warriors, very skilled with spears and guns. If I'm not mistaken one of their species helped build some of Starfleet's torpedos."

"Correct, Lieutenant,"  Paris nods, "We have a Skyler now in town."

"Really?" Alastor asked.

"His name is Samuel Hawkins, at lets for his earth name. He came here after running away from an attack that was made on his castle manor on the Skyler's side of the planet. His wife died in the escape, but he has a little girl, around the same age as your son," Paris told him.

"Your point?" Alastor ventured.

"Since he asked for Starfleet's help, we must oblige him," Paris continued, flipping to a picture of Samuel Hawkins, "He requested something small, but we can give it to him. He asked for a place to stay, a new identity, and a good job to support his daughter."

"I can help with that," Issac said, catching Paris off guard.

"I just wanted to give you the information....you don't have to...." Paris started only to be cut off by Alastor.

"I know what it's like to care for a child like that. I'm always afraid that one day I might die and they will need the support they won't get anymore from me. I'm going to give this man the life he needs in order to help his daughter."

Paris sighed looking at another report, running her hands through her raven hair. She was extremely frustrated and bored out of her mind. Another form and report she had to go over every time. 

She had been working so hard to get the position of Admiral, sometimes it drove her insane on how hard she worked. She stayed up countless hours, losing sleep was something she was used to. Being loyal to Starfleet for her whole life came with its consequence.

She had been too busy to have even noticed the few calls she had missed from her son. The son who had deeply wanted to know what his other mother was like. She always tried her best to get to know him, but she never seemed to have the time.

The door of her office slid open, causing her to look up, quickly and startled. She came face to face with a young cadet wearing a baggy red Starfleet suit. The cadets light brown hair pulled into a pony with strands of her hair laying flat on her shoulders.

"Cadet Merlin, I wants expecting you for another hour or so. Your supposed to be in astrology right now," Parsi started off instead of greeting her pleasantly like she had always done for Alastor.

"I'm sorry Captain, I was told to report to  you immediately. I was instructed to do so from Chief Engineer Caius Lemuria," Adeline explained to Paris, "I understand the matter is quite important."

"Very important. This has to do with your family and the Hawkins family," Paris told her, eyes finally making eye contact with Adeline's. 

Adeline's eyebrows rose a little in shock and nervousness. She hadn't been expecting the Admiral to have called her because of her family. She wanted or mostly expected it to be about something else.

She hadn't been really in contact with her family since she left a few months ago. She didn't know how either her mother or Issac were doing. Being caught up in her studies and making sure she passed every test, being 16 was the youngest to take these classes.

"What about them?"

"Callius told Issac about Lyris and Samuel Hawkins true identity," Paris informed her. Adeline's eyes widened at the mention of the secret, she'd been told to keep. Now only for a few months later, to not even keep the secret any longer.

The shock of first hearing the truth shocked her, but she had to keep her trust. Keeping her family safe, especially her little brother. Knowing that he must have been in more shock than anybody.

"We also had an unidentified shuttle enter the atmosphere just days ago. The individual has activated a tracking beacon. It's looking for something," Paris told Adeline.

"Why are you telling me this?" Adeline asked, her voice sounding muddled.

"The tracking beacon is set to look for the Hawkins," Paris told Adeline.

Adeline's stomach dropped as well as her heart. Her throat suddenly dried up to sand, and her body became a series of knots. Sweat threatened to fall from head, caused by this nervousness she was suddenly feeling.

"How did they know their location..." Adeline began.

"They didn't. They have it tracked on their energy source," Paris explained.

"What are you going to do about it?" Adeline asked, a string of hope rose in her voice. Maybe this could change the whole situation in finding the mysterious individual. 

"I've sent a team to extract the individual..." 

S'Tarlyea huffed. Her breaths coming out sharp and shallow. Dark blue blood curled down the crack of her bottom lip.

She crushed herself for not keeping a low profile underneath Starfleet's eye. She hadn't been as stealth as she thought she was going to be. Especially with half of the dozen security mebers dead at her feet.

She lifted her katana over her head, doing a series of circles in her right hand. Stepping over the snapping and crackling flames below her. Damaging a few vehicles with clipping bombs always did the charm.

The red uniformed members backed away from her. Their bodies covered in various scars and bruises from her katana. They'd already faced her wrath.

She smirked, cunningly planning out her next move. It was vital for her to be able to survive this round of fighting if she were to find the Skyler's who hid on Earth. She had to have everything carefully played out like a game of Yahtzee.

"Cowards," S'Tarleya muttered under her breath.

Swinging her sword around one last time before, firing her phaser in her left hand. A guard fell to the floor, his grip letting go of the phaser in his hand. She plunged her sword into the last guards heart, hearing him squirm as he gasped for life.

She knew if she pulled it out he'd die right away......but it was fun to watch them suffer even more. She always followed rules, and admired her handwork on this man. 

A/N: the next chapter is set at least two weeks after these events