Star Trek: The voyages of the USS Apollo

Chapter Fourteen: The Second Year

August 31st 2411

"Captain's Log: Star Date 388334.689. It has been just over a year since we got trapped here in the Gamma Quadrant and our journey home continues. We have made first contact with over two dozen species since our arrival and have managed to remain loyal to Starfleet guidelines and Federation principles during our time here. Despite the fact that the Apollo is a Nova Class vessel designed for short term planetary survey missions, we have managed to endure the first year of our thirty year long journey home and are one year away from a wormhole that will cut ten thousand lightyears off our journey. Upon crossing through the Veskanan Wormhole, we will be in communications range of the Federation colonies around the Gamma Quadrant end of the Bajoran Wormhole. Hopefully we will then be able to let Starfleet know that we are alive and they will begin doing everything they can to get us home. I of course fear that by now we have been declared lost with all hands and our families presume us dead. If that is the case, then I hope that we get home soon so that they can learn that we are alive."

As Ethan finished the Captain's Log he looked out the window to see the endless sea of stars stretching into the infinite, knowing that somewhere, among that endless abyss, was home. In all the time they had been stuck in the Gamma Quadrant Ethan had looked out at the stars and picturing Earth being one of them. Sometimes he did it just to feel at peace, but other times he did it to remind himself that the purpose of Starfleet was to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilisations and to boldly go where no one had gone before. It was a philosophy that Ethan had lived by ever since joining Starfleet and he had vowed to continue adhering to that policy.

As he continued to think about it, Lieutenant T'Vrell entered all of a sudden and Ethan said "T'Vrell, what brings you in here?" T'Vrell walked over to Ethan's desk and said "Captain. Ensign Sajiv has undergone the Ponn Farr." Ethan's smile disappeared and was replaced with shock as he said "What?" T'Vrell then explained "As you know Captain. Every seven years a Vulcan undergoes the Ponn Farr. In which they feel an unquenchable desire to mate. Sajiv took Ensign T'Ploth as his mate and the two have mated with each other. They used protection and have decided to mate again in order to have a child after we cross the Georgiou Wormhole." Ethan was a little disturbed as T'Vrell explained what had happened and stood up to say "You know T'Vrell, back at the Academy we once had a visit from Lieutenant Naomi Wildman of the U.S.S Voyager. She was the child born on that ship and told us about how just before her mother discovered her pregnancy Captain Janeway and Chakotay had a little debate about the possibility of ship wide fraternization." T'Vrell remembered that visit from Naomi herself and said "Yes I recall that session. Naomi said that she was grateful that Captain Janeway did not force her mother to terminate the pregnancy and said that weather or not a person had a child was up to them. However I find it both logical and illogical to establish a policy on shipwide fraternization."

Ethan thought for a moment about Ensign Sajiv and Ensign T'Ploth's new found marriage and said "You know T'Vrell, I think those two are just the first. The people on this ship have only each other for comfort. It was inevitable that people would start to pair off. I myself found two Ensign's from engineering kissing in the Turbolift just this morning. But the question is, can this ship accommodate a few little Cadets running around? After all, it can hold about one hudred and twenty people." T'Vrell considered the logic in that question. Could the Apollo really accommodate any children the Crew might have? And if so then how? T'Vrell then gave her answer as she said "I believe that a second ship would be needed if it came to that." Ethan looked shocked and confused after T'Vrell gave her answer. Ethan then considered it for a moment and said "Where could we even get another ship from anyway?" T'Vrell then answered "It would be logical that we purchase a freighter from a local power and use it as a second ship for ourselves. Any new families would live on the ship and work on the Apollo." Ethan considered the suggestion for a moment and said "Well. I suppose it's better than manning this one ship fleet." As T'Vrell was about to leave, Ethan said "By the way T'Vrell. I've been meaning to tell you..." T'Vrell looked back at Ethan and asked "Tell me what Captain?" Ethan mustered up his courage and said "Back at the Academy...I was more than a little in love with you." T'Vrell raised her eyebrows in surprise and said "You had affection for me?" Ethan then honestly answered "Yes. In fact I still do." T'Vrell looked surprised, but Ethan himself would be surprised as well as she said "I must confess that I have some...affection for you as well Captain and that I have been considering a potential future we might have together."