The battered ship, USS Carlsbad, is docked deep in the bowels of Starbase 72. She looks dead, as the once powerful warp nacelles that propel the ship into warp speed, are now lifeless. The plasma energy that feeds the nacelles has been turned off. Most of the areas of the outer hull are either heavily burned from weapons fire or completely destroyed. Those sections of the ship where the outer and inner hills have been blasted to atoms, only has jagged, rough shaped shards, bent inward from Vaadwaur weapons fire hitting and penetrating into the once beautiful looking ship. Other areas look like an interior explosion pushed outward through the hill, as jagged pieces of the duranium and tritanium alloy hull.

Construction worker bees, small one man craft are buzzing around the blackened hull of the USS Carlsbad. Starbase engineering crew are doing a full visual inspection of the hull to formulate a full repair plan and schedule. Most of the lights that are usually seen through the viewports of the various crew quarters, science labs, recreation rooms, and other public spaces in the ship, are now dark. The only lights that are visible from outside the ship is in the front, or bow, area of the ship’s saucer section. Those lights are from the ship’s lounge, called ‘The Watering Hole’. The remaining crew members, those who are able to, have gathered there for a ship-wide memorial service, to pay honor and respect to the honored dead.

Captain Kirok Skyrunner stood in front of the viewport in The Watering Hole, the ship’s once nicely decorated lounge, now a mess. Half the tables look smashed and tossed about. Some were moved to the side to open the middle of the room for the memorial ceremony. Half of the room’s lights were not working, the plasma conducts sparking. Kirok stood looking out the viewport, watching the worker bees zoom by. He held a PADD in his hand. He heard the whispered murmurs from the assembled crew, as they patiently waited for their Captain. Captain Sophia Rodriguez stood next to him, also looking out the viewport. She turned her head as she saw the crew file into the room. The lounge staff were offering drinks to the crew members. Sophia leaned over and spoke to Kirok in a low voice, her hand gently grabbing his arm, letting him know she was there with him.

“Babe, it’s time.”

He snapped back to himself as he left his own thoughts. He turned to look at her, giving her a slight smile.

“Thanks love,” he replied to her.

Captain Skyrunner turned around to face his brave crew. Many of them looked worse for wear. Some bad bruises and cuts, several were in hover chairs, not wanting to be in a mobile biobed. Some wore makeshift casts on arms and legs. Kirok spent several seconds looking each surviving crew member in their eyes, his way to acknowledge their courage and the pain they were feeling. Friends and crewmates were missing, home forever…lost to the depths of space from the numerous hull breaches their home, the USS Carlsbad, had experienced. Captain Skyrunner took a step forward to a makeshift podium. It was the only unbroken table with an unopened case of Saurian Brandy on it. First Officer, Captain Sophia Rodriguez addressed the assembled crew.

“Attention on deck!”

The crew stood at attention. Then they saw the Captain step forward, their faces etched with grief and respect. The silence was palpable, punctuated only by the soft hum of the ship’s life support systems. When Kirok spotted everyone was looking at him and at attention, he glanced to his right and saw his Executive Officer standing next to him. Captain Skyrunner addressed his beloved crew, in a steady, strong tone of voice.

“Today, we gather to remember and honor the forty-five brave crew members who gave their lives in the line of duty and service to their ship. Their sacrifice will not be forgotten. We will carry their memories with us always, and strive to continue their work in exploring the galaxy and seeking out new life and alien civilizations.”

As Captain Skyrunner spoke, the crew nodded in agreement, their eyes moist with tears and raising their glasses. The air was thick with emotion, and the weight of their loss hung heavy over the ship. Kirok continued his speech, his voice barely holding together, as he was fighting back his own tears. Sophia gently touched his right arm. He reached over with his left hand, placing it on her hand, a silent acknowledgement.

“We will remember their courage, their dedication, and their unwavering commitment to our mission and to this ship. We will also honor the brave crew of the Federation starship, the USS Thunderdragon. Her brave crew gave their lives in the service of their ship and the Federation. We will strive to make them proud, and to carry on their legacy. We will honor their sacrifice with a second of silence for each lost crew member…not crew members, but family members.”

Captain Skyrunner raised his glass in a joint toast, in honor of both lost crews. He looked down in silent reflection of them. The crew followed the Captain’s lead, observing a moment of silence, paying their respects to the fallen fellow crew members. The captain’s words hung in the air, a testament to the bravery and sacrifice of those who had given their lives.

As the ceremony concluded, the crew began to disperse, each member lost in their own thoughts and reflections. The captain remained, his eyes fixed on the image of his ship posted on the wall on the lounge, behind the bar. His heart felt heavy with the weight of this responsibility. He turned around, facing the viewport again and stepped up to the window. Sophia watched the crew file out of the room.

When just the two of them were left, she turned around and joined her husband at the window. She took his hand in hers, fingers intertwined. She stood next to him, shoulder to shoulder. She rested her head on his shoulder. He felt her presence, he leaned down and gave her a small kiss on her head. In the silence, they whispered a final farewell to the crew members who had been lost, their voice barely audible over the hum of the ship’s systems.

They both stood there in silence for several minutes. They both silently cried for their losses, releasing the pent up emotions that they had to keep bottled up deep inside. When they felt like they had expelled all that raw sadness and sorrow, they looked at each other, eyes locked with the other. They looked as if they were having a silent conversation with the other. Sophia gave her husband a small kiss, then while still holding his hand, she spoke softly to him.

“It’s time to go love. Let’s get some dinner on the Starbase. I know a good Bolian restaurant that has my favorite Risian dish. Trust me, you will love it.”

Kirok looked at her, a slow smile growing on his face. He nodded and let her lead him. He gave his last command to his ship until the refit was completed.

“Computer, power down.”

The lights and secondary systems that were left online for the ceremony powered down, turning the once dimly lit room into pitch blackness, except for the low lighting coming through the viewports from the Starbase’s drydock structure. The couple walked down the corridor to the airlock and left the ship.