Captain Taybar was sat on the sofa in her ready room, reading the latest reports from Commander Rashad. The Cardassian advisor Dukal was recovering nicely from his ordeal, but would be in sickbay for at least another week. Aki wondered whether the XO had put any pressure on the doctor to make Dukal's stay as long as possible.

The repairs to t'Rashad's ship were going well and the chief had decided that as well as a complete overhaul of the warp core systems, the impulse drive manifolds required a major overhaul. He had also suggested that the weapons and shield systems could easily be upgraded with the minimum of resources, but with the limited manpower he had they would take time. So far the delaying tactics appeared to have not put off the mirror universe advisor and she was glad of the offer to upgrade her ship.

The Leviathan was still hiding in the shadow of the large asteroid where the Par Maru had been found 'marooned'. There was no sense setting course for anywhere, so Aki had ordered that the ship should be worked on. Major Phanan had offered to put his Marines through their paces, incase the ISS Leviathan came back and the crew had been performing battle drills for the past two days.

Today, Commander Barker was finally hoping to make a breakthrough with the holo-emitter used by the mirror version of Ensign ASHER. They had been working on it for two days straight now and been frustrated by their own lack of progress. Chu had spoken briefly to the Captain before heading back to the lab and told her that he hoped all their problems would be solved today.

Aki hoped so too. As she switched off the Padd, the door chimed and she announced. "Enter."

The doors opened and the Nuan ambassador Opinger Mual stepped inside. The ambassador usually kept to herself onboard ship, but like the rest of the Nuan who were still aboard, they seemed to be enjoying their stay. Originally it had been decided that as soon as the Leviathan was repaired, they would return the Nuan to one of the remaining colonies. But events had overtaken both the Nuans and the Leviathan.

"What can I do for you ambassador ?" Aki enquired.

"Captain Taybar." Opinger stated. "It is not what you can do for me, but what we the Nuan's can do for you."

Intrigued by the ambassador's statement she asked her to sit down.

"I have just received a communication from the Nuan government." The ambassador stated to explain. "And they have a 'gift' for the Federation and more precisely the Leviathan. There is a transport vessel heading towards Chi Alpha nine, which it will reach in just over a day's time. It is carrying something that we believe will assist in your defeat of the ISS Leviathan."

Wanting to hear more, Aki sat and listened to the Ambassador as she went on to explain exactly what the cargo was. When she had finished, they both rose from the sofa and headed onto the Bridge.

Cadet Brayden McCaffee was at the helm, with the young Nuan Junora Loris crouched beside him. The two youngsters had become almost inseparable ever since the Nuan had come onboard. Brayden was explaining to Junora about the helm console and how he managed to navigate the quantum slipstream.

"Cadet McCaffee." Aki said, taking the command seat. "I need you to set a course for Chi Alpha nine."

Brayden gave Junora a quick kiss before returning his attention back to the helm console. Junora rose from her crouched position and headed over to the operation console that she had offered to man in the absence of Ensign ASHER.

"Course laid in Captain." Brayden announced. "We are ready to move on your mark."

"Helm, take us away from this system and prepare to enter the slipstream." Aki announced. "Bridge to all hands. We are departing this system and heading back towards Federation space. In thirty-three hours, we should be arriving in the Chi Alpha nine system, where we will be rendezvousing with a Nuan transport. The transport will be taking the Nuan back to one of their colonies, so if anyone wants to say goodbye to our Nuan friends, you have the length of this trip to do so."

Brayden looked back from the helm, first at the Captain and then at Junora.

"Helm, take us into the stream." Aki stated.

Brayden turned back towards his console and activated the quantum slipstream drive systems. Moments later, the familiar 'tug' of the ship entering a slipstream vortex rocked the ship and then settled down as the viewscreen showed the slipstream ahead of them.

Aki watched the young cadet at the helm, trying to second-guess what he would do about Junora. Would he make a request to the Nuan ambassador to leave with them on the transport or would he try and persuade Junora to say onboard the Leviathan. Aki didn't envy him in making a decision, because she knew that either way things were going to be tough.

If he left with the other Nuan, it might be years before he got to see his parents, both natural and adopted again. If he persuaded Junora to stay, she would be alone in an alien world, with no other Nuan to interact with, could Brayden allow her to suffer so much. But the hardest option would be to go their separate ways, Junora with the other Nuan, Brayden with the Leviathan.