The first welcome they received when Miral and Joaquin returned to the colonists was Erin Kotay's piercing scream. The girl had broken free from a group of adults and charged toward them across the cavern's pebbly floor.

"That girl has lungs," Joaquin quipped.

"Joaquin! Miral!"

Joaquin braced for impact, but Erin slowed, apparently grasping the condition they were both in. She turned and with a sob, shouted, "Papa! Oh, Papa!" She took Joaquin's hand, sobbing the whole time, leading him to the main area.

"It's okay, Erin," he said. "We're back. We're safe."

Miral slung the rifle over her shoulder and held him now with both arms. "We are back."

For Joaquin, if it weren't for his troublesome injury, this would have been a perfect moment. Miral held him as if he were her only lifeline and Erin, who might not be with him if it weren't for Miral, clung to him on the other side. Any price he had to pay was worth this one precious moment. He squeezed Erin's hand and focused on putting one foot in front of the other.

Chakotay and Dr. Torres led the group of colonists now rushing to them. When Chakotay reached him, Joaquin felt a burden suddenly lifted. His father appeared unhurt by the grenade Joaquin had thrown. "Dad, I'm sorry I—" He stumbled, but Chakotay caught him.

"Later," Chakotay said. "We'll have a lot to talk about."

Joaquin leaned into him, not realizing how much burden he had been under. He felt Miral leave his side and thinking she had fallen, he reached out for her.

"She's alright," Chakotay said. "B'Elanna has her. Erin, run get the doctor. He's with Mama."

"Yes, Papa." Erin kicked up pebbles in her rush.

Chakotay's words though heavy with emotion, were calm and reassuring. "Everything will be alright now."

When Tom awoke in sickbay everything that happened in the past 24 hours was like a haze to him. B-4 stood over the biobed adjusting a hypo.

"What happened?" Tom asked. His voice was sluggish and he had a bit of trouble forming the words.

"Adrenalin flooded your bloodstream which reacted to the stimulant I gave you earlier. The resulting overload caused a sudden rejection of your implants. It is a rare condition but we have it under control."

"Will I always have this problem?"

"No. I am changing your medication. You will be fine." B-4 injected the hypo into his shoulder.

"I can't feel that," Tom said. "I can't feel much of anything."

"Sedatives," said B-4. "Stress, in your case, can kill you. Immediately. Like this." B-4 snapped his fingers.

"I get it."

"I have requested six months leave for you. You will take it this time if I have to go all the way up to Admiral Janeway to ensure compliance."

"I'm going to get more than six months B-4. In Federation chains," Tom said. He'd be back in Auckland for thirty years or more. Therapy for his arm would take the form of welding useless sheets of metal day in and day out.

He tried to remember the events of the last 24 hours. Something major had happened and he couldn't latch on to the details.

"Crevlin is dead." He knew that much.

"Yes."

"But there's something else." It was as if the memory resided on the other side of a thick wall.

"Thomas, for the sake of your health, I will say no more."

"Did Solek have anything to do with this? A mind meld? You can't deliberately keep my memories hostage."

B-4 closed his mouth and pretended to lock it.

"You need a tune up."

B-4 shrugged and moved on to another patient.

It wasn't right, B-4 knew something Tom didn't, and he was deliberately keeping it from him.

The communicator next to the biobed chirped. Tom picked it up, but his fingers were clumsy and he nearly dropped it. "Damn it," he muttered. "Paris here."

"Sir," Solek said. "We have re-established orbit around Aristarchus. Shields are up to deflect debris."

"Understood."

"Dr. Torres wished to beam up, but that required a lowering of the shields. She is, however, waiting to speak with you on another channel."

"Patch her through."

"I am awaiting B-4's consent."

"But he's—"

Tom looked up. B-4 was nodding and listening through an earpiece. He scanned Tom for a moment as if studying him under a microscope. Logically, Tom knew should be indignant about this, but he couldn't muster up the emotion to fight it.

"Yes Solek," said B-4 cooly. "The commodore is ready."

Everyone was in on it. Tom kneaded his temple to prevent the beginnings of a headache from taking hold. Why did he get the feeling this had something to do with his daughter? What had she done that required sedatives and secrecy? Right now, he was relieved that strong sedatives coursed through his veins. Though a shot of whiskey would have worked just as well, wouldn't it?

He heard a click and B'Elanna's voice came through. "Tom, I'm so glad you're awake," her voice sounded careful, but at the same time, urgent, as if she were weaving it through a mind field.

"Are you alright?" He asked, not quite able to get concern in his voice. The sedatives worked too well. "Did the shield hold? How are the colonists?"

"We're alright. The shield and everything worked perfectly. The invaders are gone, Tom. I'll tell you all about it when I see you."

"Tell me about my daughter."

B'Elanna was silent for a moment, she must have covered the mouth piece because he heard muffled talking.

Miral came on the com. "Dad?"

Something somewhere far away clicked in his brain. An idea that made it past that thick wall Solek had erected. Miral was an angel and nothing mattered but the sound of her voice. "Are you okay, Miral? I know you must have been scared."

"I was, but I'm okay now." She sniffled.

Tom frowned. Her distress concerned him if nothing else. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm just happy, that's all."

Happy. Tom rubbed his face. He couldn't fathom that emotion right now.

"The doctor says Joaquin is going to be okay. So, I'm happy."

"He was hurt?"

"He was a hero, Dad. My hero."

"Ah." Tom's hand began to tingle. His brain was still working on that wall, searching for the memory concerning his daughter, but perhaps later when he was more stable, he could ask Miral directly about it. Sometimes, he supposed, there was good reason for letting things go. His enemy was gone for good, his family was safe. The biggest problem that remained was answering to Starfleet. That was a cinch compared to everything else.

"It's over now, honey."

"I know," she said. "I love you, Dad."

~Three Weeks Later ~

The charred remains of the compound still left a scar on the orange sands of Aristarchus. But the planet had it's plans and had already begun the healing process. Small dunes and desert plants covered large portions that had been leveled, and it wouldn't be long before the rest of the damage was permanently erased.

The season had not changed. It was still unbearably hot at midday and chilly at midnight. It was fortunately mid-afternoon and the colonists were getting back to work, salvaging what they could and rebuilding foundations. They would not rebuild in the same location, but closer to the caverns as most of their supplies were still stored there.

Tom had grown accustomed to this place, shuttling back and forth from Venture to the surface throughout the weeks. He hated to go so soon. He and Chakotay stood in the shadow of the cavern wall near the entrance surveying the work that had been done.

Temporary housing cropped up around the caverns. Small metal domiciles and labs gleamed in the sunlight. They were from Venture's storerooms and were used to service long away missions. They were strong but simple structures. Tom was satisfied the homes would be suitable for the time it took to rebuild.

"It's good Starfleet sees the advantage to having an outpost in this system." Tom said. "At least now you'll have the patrols and the supplies you always needed."

"I hear we have you to thank for that as well."

"Janeway was an easy sell. It's the rest of the fleet admirals I'm worried about."

"As soon as we're set up here, I'll follow you earthside. I'll testify until they boot me off that planet. Until they see you had no other choice. We wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you."

Tom drew a deep breath, slowly let it out. "They just might boot you, Chakotay, but I'd sure like to see you there. If at least to give me the old Auckland send-off."

Chakotay laughed and shook his head. "I'll be there."

In the past few weeks, Miral spend almost every waking hour in Joaquin's company. She was leaving today and the best-worst chapter of her life was coming to a close.

Of course, she was miserable.

She had hoped to spend the last few moments with Joaquin unencumbered, but Erin, sensing she wouldn't see Miral for a long time, latched onto them. They sat at the top of a small dune overlooking the developing new colony.

"Tell me about it again, Erin," Miral encouraged trying to sound cheerful. "The part when all the bad guys ran."

"I didn't see it," Erin said glumly, then her eyes lit up. "But Papa did. He said that when the battle ship exploded, they all showed what they were really made of. They ran to the transports to escape and Papa says a couple of them won't be forgetting him very soon." She pretended to shoot a rifle. "He shot them in the rear ends!" Her infectious giggle had them all laughing.

"Erin!" Cairo, who was down in the valley a few meters away, called to her from where she was digging. "Come here!"

Martin, who was kneeling by the hole, gestured to the girl. "Get over here, Shrimp, if you want to see a whole nest of baby Charley's"

Charley, Erin's pet lizard had perished in the attack. Martin had promised to capture one for her as soon as he came across one of the elusive creatures.

Erin stood. "Let me get my box!" She ran to the cavern for a moment and was soon joining Martin and Cairo near the pit.

Miral watched them for a moment. Cairo's demeanor had gradually changed over the weeks. She was more relaxed with Martin and seemed to genuinely enjoy his company. "They look good together. I guess I always thought so."

"Is that so?" asked Joaquin.

She laughed at the sound of that. "She is a nicer person now."

"People can change." He took her hand, rubbed his thumb over the back.

Miral bit her lip. "We won't. Will we?"

He looked at her, the sun glinted playfully in his dark eyes. "Miral, my love for you will never change. Never." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "I don't want to let you go. But we both know it's for the best. You have to straighten out your Academy record—like it or not—or it will follow you your whole life. And you have to be there for your dad. I'm needed here, but it won't be for long. I'll see you in a few weeks when I visit with Chakotay."

"Oh Joaquin!" she was crying—again. It seemed it was all she could do for the past few days.

He kissed her. His lips were so warm and inviting that she could hardly stand holding back. They were in view of everyone—her parents—his—oh to hell with propriety!—she dug her hands into his silky black hair and devoured him. He didn't seem to mind as his hands were solidly on the small of her back, pulling her closer.

How could she live for weeks without this?

She still clutched him when he came up for air. "We'll figure this out." His breaths were heavy. "If I have to get a job earthside in an office pushing papers. We'll—"

"—see if we can get you something better than that." She crushed her lips to his again.

"Not good," Seven said when she and B'Elanna stepped out of the small compartment Seven now called home and stood under the awning. "Look at them. Joaquin will be useless around here when you go. Perhaps I should send him to you early."

B'Elanna smiled. The couple on the hill reminded her so much of she and Tom when they were younger. She raised a brow. "Then again, a few weeks off will cool them down." She didn't want her daughter to be hurt, but she really needed them apart to help focus Miral on straightening out her classes. If she still had a slot at the academy, she thought.

She took Seven's hand. "I want to visit again soon. I want to see your new baby."

"Oh, B'Elanna. That is an excellent plan. Though it could get quite expensive, all this travelling between households."

"It would be easier if you lived down the street from us."

"We can erect a shelter here for you as well."

B'Elanna smiled and noted some growth in Seven's humor. Chakotay, this world, had been good for her. "I'll miss you very much," B'Elanna said "I'm glad we've become friends."

"I too, benefit from our friendship. We will stay in touch."

"I guarantee it."

Seven hugged her warmly.

"It's time, B'Elanna."

Tom stopped by with a puffy-eyed Miral and quiet Joaquin close behind.

"Good-bye, Seven," he said.

She hugged him too and even swiped a tear. "We are eternally grateful Tom, for all you've done."

Tom smiled and stepped away. He couldn't say anymore. All was done. He took B'Elanna's hand and led her into the bright sun. A new chapter was beginning for his little family. He was a lucky man to have them. And somehow he knew his luck would hold.

Miral joined them, hardly taking her eyes off a forlorn Joaquin. Tom sighed and tapped his communicator. "Three to beam up."

He held B'Elanna's hand as the transporter beam took them.

- The End -