Stories of Samuel Bishop

[Sam]

Spoiler: Stardate 93818.6Show

Stardate 93818.6 (26 October 2416 - afternoon)

"Where is Keelah?" Sam asked Rachael as he followed his brother into the house.
"I left her in your room to get ready Sam." Rachael replied. "She looks like a fine young lady Sam, very smart and very beautiful. You both look lovely together." Rachael smiled and hugged Sam. Seb watched the pair with a look of irritation but did not say anything. He turned and marched off with a huff. Rachael looked at the back of her husband with slight dismay. "Forget him Samuel. I've not seen you look at anyone like that since Jenny. When you're with her, you look happy, you are happy. Don't let anyone else dictate who you are meant to love." Rachael grabbed Sam's face gently and turned it to look at her. "You should ask her." Rachael took Sam's hand and placed her own hand in it. On her finger, was a ring, exactly like the ring Sam had given Keelah. "When your brother gave me this, I was speechless," she gave a small chuckle. "I have not regretted a single moment since. This ring is a powerful symbol, Sam. Whoever you give it to, becomes a Bishop. Becomes part of the family." Rachael dropped Sam's hand. "Go now Samuel. Go get ready. We'll talk again after." She smiled and turned to follow her husband. Sam stood for a second before he jogged up the steps to his room.

As he opened the door, Keelah spun round. "Oh, it's you!" she smiled and stood up. She was wearing a newly replicated dress uniform.
"You look beautiful," Sam commented with a smile. "I hope you didn't find the shower too archaic; we don't have sonic showers in the house!"
Keelah chuckled and looked at Sam sternly. "Captain Bishop, you seem to forget that I am, in fact, an engineer."
"You are indeed. But I still think Timo's a better one! Right, time to get ready!" Sam quickly ducked through the door as Keelah stood, a shocked look on her face.
"If you weren't playing around with the stupid lift that day, you'd know that I'm the better engineer..." she muttered.

Keelah was still in the room, fixing her hair when Sam walked in again. He too was wearing a dress uniform. He smiled gently. "Let's go Keelah," he said, his voice soft and quiet. Keelah could see a sadness in his eyes, something that was so different from the warmth that was normally there. It was eerie to see him like this; he was almost a different man. She gently held his hand.
"I am here for you Sam," her voice was comforting. Sam nodded, moved Keelah's hand to his arm and led her down the steps.

The entrance had begun to fill with people, coming in to pay their respects. Sam led Keelah back into the Grand Hall and pulled her closer to him. "We're going to carry the coffin," he whispered as he led her towards the casket. There were to be four pallbearers, each on one end. Keelah and Rachael took up the back, whilst Sam and Seb took the back. At the signal, the four of them lifted the casket up and carried it slowly, out of the door and to the hearse. As they slid it in, Sam stepped back beside Keelah.
"Mother's leaving home for the last time," he stated simply.

When everything was set, the procession worked its way through Lancaster's old streets, streets which had been cordoned off, towards the Priory Church by the castle. Once again, the four of them unloaded the coffin and carried it to the front of the church. Rachael then took Keelah to sit with her in one of the pews as the service began.

Spoiler: Hymn 1: JerusalemShow

After the first hymn, the vicar gave a short speech about death, about God's grace and about Jesus' sacrifice. He reminded the gathering that death was the only certainty in life and that, despite our wealth or health, we would all eventually go to the grave. He told the congregation to enjoy life, to live each day to the full and to always remember your loved ones.

Spoiler: Hymn 2: Abide with MeShow

Next, Seb came up and gave a eulogy about family, traditions and honour, and about how Mother was the matriarch of the Bishop family for a long, how she embodied what it was to be a Bishop.

Spoiler: Hymn 3: Praise, My Soul, The King of HeavenShow

Lastly, Sam stood and gave a eulogy about Mother herself. Her kindness, compassion, and love. He finished with a poem and led the prayer before the final hymn was played. This was the Bishop's family song, sung at every event they hosted.

Spoiler: Hymn 4: Nearer, My God, to TheeShow

As the hymn played, Rachael gently placed a hand on Keelah's arm and told her to follow. The two of them walked towards the coffin as Sam and Seb draped it with a Union Jack. Then, with the church singing the last verse, they carried the coffin out on its final journey to the family cemetery, located on a hill a short way out of Lancaster. There were a handful of close family members here but even these stood respectfully outside the cemetery as the coffin was carried out. They worked their way through a field of headstones and shrines, each denoting a member of the Bishop line. The procession finally ended and Keelah saw the grave that had been freshly dug earlier. It was next to another grave, and Keelah quickly read the name on it.

Alexander Michael Bishop

Admiral and Father

(2324 - 2380)

Ashes to Ashes. Dust to Dust.

As the coffin was slowly lowered down, Keelah looked up to Sam. His face was devoid of all emotion. Keelah herself was confused, not sure of whether to cry or to remain emotionless like him. She decided that she should follow his lead; she did not want to look out of place in this culture. Already she had noticed people staring at her, and she also noticed, that she was the only non-human there. Furthermore, she had not missed Seb's glares at her whenever she stepped up to carry the coffin.

When the coffin was gently placed in the grave, she quickly went to stand beside Sam, her only anchor in this alien world she found herself in. Sam, for his part, was glad she did; he put an arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

"Ashes to Ashes. Dust to Dust." Seb said as he picked up a clump of dirt and threw it in the grave.

Sam grimaced slightly as the clump bounced off the coffin with a dull thud. It was loud, he thought, but Mother would never hear it, or anything else, again. He let go of Keelah and bent down to pick up his own clump of dirt.

"Ashes to Ashes. Dust to Dust." he muttered as he threw his own handful into the grave.

"Ashes to Ashes. Dust to Dust." Rachael did the same. She then turned to Keelah expectantly. Keelah froze. She wasn't part of the family. What was she to do? She looked up at Sam who smiled at her kindly and gently nodded his assent. Her eyes then flickered over to Seb who, as always, glaring at her, daring her to participate in what was an exclusive family occasion. Looking back into Sam's eyes, she made her decision.

"Ashes to Ashes. Dust to Dust." she threw a handful of dirt into the grave and went to stand by Sam, not looking up at his brother.

Slowly, the few people that had come into the cemetery started to leave and soon it was just the four of them standing around the grave. Keelah looked up as Sam took off his dress shirt. Seb was doing the same. Grabbing a shovel for both of them, Sam handed one to Seb and the two of them rolled their sleeves up and gently started to fill in the grave, working without pause. Sweat rolled down their faces and backs and Keelah could see both men tire, and yet, neither of them stopped until the grave was filled.

[Sam]

Spoiler: Stardate 93820.8Show

Stardate 93820.8 (27 October 2416)

Keelah turned around in the bed and moved to put an arm around Sam. The arm hit the bed and she opened her eyes. Sam wasn't there. Keelah lifted her head slightly to look around for him but the room was empty, the curtains billowing slightly with the fresh autumn air. Keelah's head hit the bed again and she rolled over onto Sam's side, lying there as she contemplated whether or not she wanted to get up. The bed was so warm and comfy. Her eyes fell to an old alarm clock on the bedstand. 1000 hours. With a small groan, she slowly got out of bed, pulled some clothes on, and wandered down to the kitchen after washing her face with cold water.
Sam was there, dressed, and cooking something, the smell wafting out of the open window. He was whistling a tune that sounded like "Nearer, My God, to Thee." Keelah smiled as he turned around to see her.
"Good morning," he grinned. "Would you like some breakfast? I made an omelette." Keelah nodded gently and sat at the small family table as Sam slid a sizzling, fragrant omelette in her plate. He poured her in some orange juice, and then did the same himself, sitting opposite her.
"I didn't know you cooked," Keelah said as she picked up her fork and tentatively tasted her food. It was nice.
"Only a little," he chuckled as took a sip of his own juice. The pair talked as they ate and they had soon finished.
"Where's Seb and Rachael?"
"They stay in the East Wing," Sam replied casually as if implying that this was a norm and all houses had wings.
"Sam we need to talk about your brother..." Keelah said, setting down her fork and looking at Sam who had moved to wash his plate.
"Don't mind him Keelah," Sam said as he dried his hands and gave Keelah a gentle kiss on her head. "We'll talk later, I just need to do a couple of things around the house. We'll meet at around 1300 and I'll take you around Lancaster." Sam walked over to the door. "Leave your stuff in the sink, one of the maids will wash it later," he said as he walked out, leaving Keelah alone. She sighed and finished her drink. Disregarding Sam, she washed her plate and then decided she'd explore the vast house she was in.
Wondering out of the kitchen, she found herself in a long hallway after walking a short distance. The hallway was wide and bare, but light and airy; a long red carpet was extended the entire length and portraits and tapestries hung from the walls. Trophies and busts of various sizes and materials were standing on pedestals on the side. Keelah walked down the hallway, looking at these peculiarities. At first, the images shown were mostly of men, in richly decorated armour or clothing. These changed into men wearing more grand military uniforms, adorned with rows and rows of medals. Eventually, the uniforms gave way to Victorian style suits and then to twentieth-century military uniform. Then Keelah saw the gender change, well towards the end of the twenty-second century, to a woman. She was wearing early Federation military uniform. The dedication plaque read;

Amelia Hart Bishop

Keelah paused and looked at the woman with admiration. She had overturned centuries of backwards thinking. Keelah looked back down the hallway. She was more than four-fifths of the way down. That was a long time to be backwards. Carrying on down the hallway, she saw the gender balance addressed, an equal number of men and woman lining the halls. Eventually, she got to a name she had recognised; Alexander Michael Bishop.

Keelah looked up at Sam's father. Like his two sons, he was a tall man, straight-backed, black-haired and green-eyed. His face was sharp and authoritarian, and yet, Keelah could see, even from the picture, the same warmth that Sam had. The next picture was Sebastian Alexander Bishop. Seb too was majestic. Keelah didn't know if it was her bias, or whether it was a trick of the light but she could not detect the slightest trace of warmth in Seb's picture as she could in his father's. The last image was smaller and the nameplate was temporary. It was Sam, in his Captain's uniform. Keelah smiled and gently touched the picture. Sam was standing in near identical posture to the rest of the Bishop's, but there was something different, something that was in his picture that Keelah didn't feel with the other pictures. She put it down to the fact that whilst all in every other picture, the Bishop in question was dressed and ranked in the highest office, Sam was only dressed as a Captain. Perhaps that was why the picture was so small and temporary. Keelah sighed as she left the hall to continue exploring. Eventually, she found herself on a higher floor, down a small corridor. At the end of the corridor was a door with a nameplate saying "Sam's Room."

Keelah narrowed her eyes. This wasn't where she was staying. This can't have been Sam's room. Gently she walked up to it and opened the door. On the other side was a brightly decorated room, in stark contrast to the wooden, manor type furnishings that adorned nearly every other room in the house. Her eyes widened as she realised where she was. This was Sam's room when he was younger. The room was brightly painted, toys were neatly stacked in chests and shelves. The bed was small and neatly made up. In the corner was a large teddy bear. The walls were full of trophies, certificates, pictures and even more toys. Keelah wondered in and imagined a younger Sam staying here. She chuckled as he eyes caught a picture of the younger, five-year-old Sam, on the dressing table. She picked it up. His cheeks were chubby, his hair looked like it had been neatly combed and his green eyes were brighter, full of youthful innocence. He was grinning. Keelah couldn't help returning the grin as she put down the picture and looked at the walls.

"Best performing player in the U7 football squad", "Highest scoring player in the U12 league", "Golden Boot winner U15s", "Captain 1st XI Rugby", "Grade 8 piano"

These were just a number of awards that adorned the walls. Others were for athletics, cricket, swimming to name a few. Keelah noticed though, that there was nothing academic, no awards or certificates apart from one or two for debating. Before she turned to leave, something else caught her eye.
"No way..." she walked up to the shelf and chuckled. "It is..."
On a shelf, were hand carved figures of the 1701 crew. She picked up the figure of Captain Kirk. It was precisely cut and detailed, as though someone had taken the original James Kirk and shrunk him down. "Talk about hero worship..." Keelah laughed as she put the figure down and picked up a carved model of the 1701 Enterprise. She could imagine the young Sam running around the house with this in his hand, pretending to go to warp. Turning it over, she saw that it had been engraved.
For my son, Samuel"
Keelah's eyes teared up as she realised that this had been a present for the young Sam, gifted when he was a baby, by a father that Sam never really knew. In those four words, Keelah could feel the fatherly love. She gently pulled out her own necklace and the ring Sam had given her. Turning it over, she saw the words engraved on it.
Samuel Alexander Bishop
Both were engraved by the same man, for the same person; a son who he'd never get to see grow old.
Another thought then hit her and her smile turned to a frown. His entire life, Sam had been exposed to nothing but Starfleet. Before he was even born, Sam’s life had been decided for him. He had no choice in what he was going to do. Keelah couldn’t even begin to imagine how many times Sam had walked down the same hallway, looking up at the same pictures. After a while, Sam would not have been able to distinguish the Bishop name from Starfleet. He had been conditioned into his role of wealth and privilege, his heritage. Sam did not choose his life. His life was chosen for him, by his last name. Keelah sighed. Vulcans did the same. Forced their young into a determined path, one of suppressed emotion, with logic and reason. Her eyes fell back to the picture of the young Sam. His youthful innocence seemed to burn even brighter.
Keelah was brought out of her thoughts when she heard raised voices. Turning around and expecting to see Seb behind her, she was relieved to find that there was nobody there. Still, the shouting continued. Keelah gently stepped out of the room and followed the source of the shouting. It was coming from a door that was slightly ajar, and Keelah recognised Sam and Seb's voices.

"This is an insult to the family name! Do you know how many, centuries-old traditions you broke by bringing that Vulcan here?"
"That Vulcan has a name and to hell with tradition. She has been by my side ever since I heard news of Mother's death. She volunteered to bring me back home.
"And for that, I thank her deeply, but to let her set foot inside the family mansion? A non-human?
That goes against everything this family has stood for. And not only that. She carried Mother's coffin! She stepped foot in the cemetery! She..." Seb sputtered slightly. "She threw dirt on her grave and said our family words! A Vulcan!"
A chair scraped back and Sam jumped up. "Seb this is totally absurd. There's no rule against any of those!"
"They are tradition Samuel. They are what make this family!"
Sam's reply was slightly softer and gentler. "Seb, what's wrong? You've never cared about these traditions. It was you who told me that they were backwards and needed to be changed. What's changed your mind?"
There was a pause and a sigh. "I am head of this family now, and the responsibilities that come with that." Seb replied softly. "That means I have to be a custodian of what it means to be a Bishop. And to ensure the legacy. You know that Rachael and I can't have children. So it's down to you to continue our family line."
"I know that Seb..."
"You can't marry her." Seb said after a pause.
"Pardon?"
"The Vulcan. You can't marry her. You must marry a human, have a human child, and carry on the Bishop line."
"Seb who said anything about marriage?" Sam replied angrily.
"I've seen the way you look at her. I know what Rachael's told you. You both share the same room. Why couldn't you have married Jenny..."
"What did you say..." Sam seethed. "Who the hell do you think you are Sebastian? How dare you talk about Jenny, about Keelah like that."
"Listen here Samuel. I am the leader of the family. I want the Vulcan out of the house. I cannot stop you from being with her, but I can promise you that if you do take her hand in marriage, I will not give my blessing."
"Seb you are a fool!"
"No Sam. You are the fool. I have to put the interests of this family first, not yours, not mine. The family's."
"I am family."
"Not if you stay with the Vulcan you're not."

Keelah slowly backed away. Confused, she turned and ran back to her room. She paced anxiously as tears had already begun to stream down her cheeks. Pulling her necklace out, she toyed with the ring between her fingertips. Finally shaking herself back to the moment, Keelah hastily perched at the desk; taking a pen and paper. She sniffled frequently as she wrote with a shaky hand and often had to pause to dry her eyes on the back of her sleeve, but once she was done she folded the note neatly in half and stood in next to the alarm clock beside their bed - Sam’s name written across the visible face. On it, and slightly blurred in part by a wet teardrop, was written;

“My dearest Sam; I am truly sorry for this, but I overheard you and Seb. I can not shoulder the burden of tearing another loved one’s family apart.
Keelah”

Finally, she unclipped the chain from around her neck and pulled Sam’s ring from it - grasping it tightly as she held it to her lips a moment before setting it down in front of the note. A sharp exhale heralded her resolve to finish what she had started and she wasted no time in bundling together the few items she had brought along back into her case. She was still fastening up the tunic of her uniform when she tapped the combadge.
“Se’Lai to Valley Forge… One to beam up…" Keelah grabbed her case and stood straight, just in time for the energy to begin swirling around her. As she began to dematerialize, with tears still staining her cheeks, she whispered softly to the air, “I’m sorry Sam.”

Huge shout out to Kee for helping write this!

[Sam]

Spoiler: Stardate 93823.8Show

Stardate 93823.8 (28 October 2416)

Sam had never been happier to see the Endeavour as the Valley Forge moored in alongside her. Her hull shimmered in the light of the stars and Sam looked at her with pride. She was beautiful. USS ENDEAVOUR NCC 1777 the words were emblazoned on the hull. Sam had wanted to take Keelah to the Bishop Air and Space Museum in Manchester where there was a full-sized replica of HMS Endeavour and the actual SS Endeavour, but events did not transpire as he wanted them to. Sam stood, marvelling at his ship for a long time; it wasn't so often that he was able to do so.
"Bishop to Se'Lai" he suddenly picked up his combadge.
"Se'Lai here, what is it, Sam?"
"Can you beam me aboard my ship?"
"Sure..." came the slightly confused response. "Standby."
Almost immediately Sam was engulfed by a transporter beam and he soon found himself on the Endeavour bridge. It was empty.

Sam looked around. Everything looked so peaceful. So familiar. A smile crept up on him and he walked towards his chair, sitting on it. "I'm home," he sighed. As if on cue, the Endeavour responded.
"Welcome back Captain Bishop."
Sam chuckled lightly as he stroked the armrest of his chair. "Did you miss me?" he asked gently. The Endeavour replied by gently rumbling, a system turning on a loop somewhere, that sounded like a gentle purr. Sam stood and trailed his fingers across the tops of the consoles. This ship was more family to him than Seb was, he thought. The ship, which had been with him through thick and thin. Both of them had seen war, been injured, had explored and had discovered. They had both done it together. As Sam walked towards the viewscreen he could see the Attar in drydock, probably undergoing the last of her repairs from the engagement before. His heart went out to Timo, who was most likely sitting on the bridge. He had the same love for the Ananke, and to see her taken from him and given a new ship...it was cruel. Inhuman. But such was Starfleet. Sam felt ashamed slightly. He wouldn't have to go through that. The Endeavour was his ship, by birth and by right. He would choose when to leave it. Unless he was deemed unfit for duty...

Sam turned and looked at the empty bridge. It was probably being run by a skeleton crew; the majority of the crew were probably on the Attar to help with repairs. Thus, they were probably using the secondary bridge; what was the point of coming all the way up here and messing with the set configuration of the bridge officers?
He had fled his post so readily, into the safe arms of Keelah last week. He had been so quick to abandon his ship when she had needed him the most. Sam sighed reluctantly. He was unfit for duty. But he was not leaving the Endeavour again. With Mother gone and Seb's actions on Earth, the Endeavour was his only family left. Not your only family... the voice in his head piped up. It was right. Keelah was a Bishop too now. The ring he had placed on the ring finger of her left hand was proof. Sam smiled inadvertently when he thought back to her reaction when he had gone down on one knee in front of her. Four words. That was all it took to change their lives.

As he looked around the bridge again, Sam found a new resolve. He had a duty to his ship, to Keelah, to Timo. There was to be no running away. He strode into his ready room, vaulted over the desk and booted up his console.
"Computer, scan for the chemical composition of the black goo, security clearance Bishop Pi Upsilon. Then scan the following locations for any trace of the same chemical structure." Sam tapped in the locations.
"Clearance level accepted. Scanning. Scans indicate that there are similarities in 15 of the locations."
Sam scanned the results and then vaulted back over the desk, leaving the bridge. Two hours later he walked back into his ready room with three small black blobs in his hands. Since Jenny had placed them, he had an idea where they could be. He had then manually searched all fifteen locations for the devices. His search was successful. He dumped them on his desk and leaned back in his chair. These were the devices that people had died over. These were the devices that had hacked into the Endeavour's communications. Sam looked up to the spot hologram Jenny had disappeared.
"I'm sorry Jenny. But I have a family to protect now," he said quietly, but determined. "I will get to the bottom of this."

[Sam]

Spoiler: Stardate 93840.5Show

Stardate 93840.5 (3 November 2416)

Sam's calm and relaxed exterior masked the inferno of emotion that was raging on inside. Last night had descended rapidly into chaos.

What the hell was Aivala doing? Risking a career? For what? Sam mentally chastised himself. Why the hell did he not realise that Aivala was armed? He still didn't know why she was on edge. What had pushed her over the line? Sam's eyes darted towards her cell.

He was risking his career on this woman. Someone who he had barely had time to know. And yet she was so familiar to him. He knew her well enough to know what was normal and what was not. But what had Aurelia said to him yesterday? He couldn't recall.

He was stupid. He could have let Chance arrest the Romulan. Could have let her take the blame. It was the sensible thing to do. He was risking the life he had built for himself, all for a stranger. But something compelled him to act; to take the fall. Something told him that it was "The Right Thing To Do." He wasn't going to let Aivala throw away a promising career just because she had not been thinking straight. He had to step in. Sam knew it in his heart that Aivala would have killed someone had he not...

DAMN SECURITY! They had surrounded everyone in a heartbeat. Armed. What else was a Romulan going to do? He had the whole thing under control. And yet Chance did the right thing too. If the roles were reversed, would he have not done the same? And security... that was another hell he had stumbled into. Chance. Giving up his badge over something so trivial. Almost.

But it wasn't trivial, was it? Sam had heard the rumours and read the reports. He was in the room. The department needed a complete overhaul. There were too many mistakes. Too many lost and disobeyed orders. If anyone could do it, it was Chance. But was he missing something key? It had been a long time since he had served alongside Chance. And time changes men. Could it be that he was wrong about a man who had been a close ally?

Sam's eyes flickered towards Aivala again. He was in the wrong, he knew that. He had broken the law and had to pay for it. That was clear. But things were not simple. Things had to change. The buck was to stop with him, right here, right as soon as he walked free.

Have you noticed you are the trouble?

He had indeed. Everywhere he had been, trouble had ensued. He had disrupted the entire Libra Squadron, Security, Law Enforcement...even command. His actions had thrown a spanner in the works of everything. And yet he was convinced that he had done the right thing. But if so had everyone else...then what was the right thing?

He was meant to report to Timo to help talk to the Cadet. He had not sent, nor received, any word other than the testimonial he had written this morning. What was Keelah thinking? He had not even considered what his actions meant to her. Sam sighed internally as his green eyes surveyed Aivala again.

The buck stops here.

[Sam]

Spoiler: Stardate 93849.4Show

Stardate 93849.4 (6 November 2416)

He did not deserve her.

Keelah lay on Sam's lap and he was gently stroking her hair. It had been a long shift and she had wanted to lay down for a while. That while was all she needed to drift off to sleep and Sam could not bring himself to wake her up. As he looked down at her peaceful face, he realised that he did not deserve her.
Sam deserved many things. He deserved to have the Endeavour. He deserved his suspension. But the one thing he did not deserve was the woman who was lying on his lap. Sam had expected her to be angry, furious for having harmed his career. Furious for having put his life on the line. Furious for not having contacted her to tell her he was okay.
But she wasn't. She was kind, considerate and understanding. Just like always. Sam looked back down at her face. Smiling, he gently unzipped her jacket and took it off her. Then he lifted her up and carried her to the bed, pulling the covers around her and kissing her as he stood up. She was a fine Captain, a better Captain than he was. Almost a month living on the Valley Forge had told him as much. But he was getting restless. The Valley Forge was Keelah's ship. Not his. And although he felt at home in her arms, he did not feel the same about the ship. She was a beautiful ship, that much was sure. But she was no Endeavour. Sam looked out of the windows to the stars that whizzed on by and suddenly felt lost. Lost in a strange world, surrounded by strange people, left to drift amongst the stars. Stars which had seemed so familiar from his position on the bridge on the Endeavour.
Sam sat back down on the sofa and looked at Keelah sleeping soundly. He felt trapped, trapped by his suspension, trapped by the confines of the ship. He wanted nothing more than to stride onto the bridge and order the Valley Forge to rendezvous with the Endeavour so he could command his own ship again. Space would be his oyster again and he would be able to go where his heart desired, explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilisations, to boldly go where nobody had gone before.

Sam had to leave. He had to get off the damnable ship before he was driven insane. He was a Captain, a leader, not just some passenger, a follower. He had to regain control of the life he felt was slipping away before his very eyes.

Keelah turned in her sleep and Sam looked back up at her. He could not leave her, but she could not follow him. She had a duty to her crew, to her ship. As she had understood and respected his decisions, he had to do the same. He could just act, to just leave without any consultation. But that was what Jenny had done. She had tried to protect him but he had not asked her for her protection. That's what led them into this mess. No. He was not Jenny. He loved and respected Keelah far more than he had Jenny. He would sit down with her, talk to her. They would do this together, not apart.

Sam stood and paced the room. He was full of energy and frustration. It was Aivala's fault. She had dragged him down with her. Just as he had managed to climb out of the hole of despair that he had found himself in, she had grabbed his leg and pulled him down. He had been free. And now, he was still trapped in the brig with her.
And yet, it was the right thing to do. Sam turned back to look at Keelah again. She had believed in his conviction, believed that he had acted justly as his moral code had dictated. She had loved him for it. Could it be that she was right? Sam had relived the moment over and over again. The glass. The dagger. The lies and the yelling. The phaser. The Chief, the Captain, the Admiral. Sam admitted to himself he had been stupid and made mistakes. But would he do it again? He would. "You took it upon yourself to make several groundless assumptions," the suspension notice had said. Groundless assumptions. If Sam could rewind time, would he have stood back and let the incident go on, as so many others had done? Could he, with what he knew about Aivala, that she had confided in him in confidence, let her go? They may have been groundless now, but then? Then they were real. And Sam had felt he had a duty to -
No. It's done. It's over. Sam sat with his head in his hands. It was a permanent mark on his record. And as Seb quite nicely pointed out, his family. Seb. He was the other pain in his life. Ever since Mother's death, he had been different somehow. He was not the same brother he had once had, the brother who he trusted before all other things. This Seb was different. And Keelah wanted to meet him. Sam took a deep breath. He was scared. Seb was a powerful and clever man. Keelah would be brushed aside without a second thought. She knew that. So she had played her trump card; her mother. The clash between Admiral Bishop and Admiral Se'Lai would've been amusing to watch had he not been intrinsically connected to it. Sam looked out of the window to the outer plating of the Valley Forge. The ship that would be the battleground. This ship that he had inadvertently become a part of.

Sam could take it no more. He stood up and strode out of the room towards the holodeck. Pulling a small device out of his pocket, he placed it in the console and activated the program, telling the computer to wipe the program from the logs when it ended. He didn't want Keelah, or anyone else for that matter, know what he was running.

The Endeavour bridge was replicated to perfection. Sam gently walked in, sealed the doors, and took his seat in the Captain's chair. It wasn't home, but it was as close as he was allowed to get for the next two months. As Sam stared out of the Endeavour viewscreen, his mind was made up. He was going to leave the Valley Forge and explore the galaxy. He had errands to run, people to meet and graves to visit. And when his time was up, he would come back and retake his position as head of his own ship.

[Sam]

Spoiler: Stardate 93873.1Show

Stardate 93873.1 (15 November 2416)

Sam stood on the edge of a partially filled trench and looked over the landscape. A few years back it had been a war zone; lines of trenches cut into the ground, the air heavy with smoke and blood, sounds of weapons fire, screams of the dying and commands of the living. It was silent now, save for the lone chirping of a bird, circling overhead. The air was soft and gentle, a light breeze playing on Sam's face. This was it. Kobali Prime.

Sam jumped into the trench. The walls had caved in and they barely reached his waist. In other places, they had been completely filled in, crops growing over what had been fields of death. Sam walked down the trench line. Every now and then, he bent to pick up fragments of a long gone war. Empty phaser banks. Communication wires. A box which contained rations. A Starfleet badge. Sam bent and picked it up, looking at it with his green eyes and running his expert fingers over it. How could civilisations, so advanced as they were, give in to barbaric instincts? Why was there such a deficit of empathy in the universe, where civilisations were technically superior, and yet morally inferior? A quote popped into Sam's mind;
"There lies before us, if we choose, continued progress in happiness, knowledge, and wisdom. Shall we, instead, choose death, because we cannot forget our quarrels? We appeal, as human beings, to human beings: Remember your humanity and forget the rest."
It was by Albert Einstein urging world leaders to give up war and embrace peace during the Second War War. Did humans really ever get past that stage in evolution? Sam stared long and hard at the Starfleet symbol. There were ideals that Starfleet stood for. One that was born out of the need to forget quarrels and reject death. Starfleet ideals were what Einstein had wanted. And yet, as Sam stood in the trench where so recently there had been countless deaths, was that an ideal that was destined for failure? Sam turned to look at the name; Jiàng, Mingzhu. Closing his hand on the badge, Sam looked up. A few days ago was Remembrance Day and Sam had done the same ritual he had done since he was younger. On the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day, on the eleventh month, he had stood and bent his head in remembrance, in silence, for two whole minutes. He stood here now and wondered if anyone had remembered Mingzhu. If anyone remembered her sacrifice, whether she had given her life in the line of duty, or whether she had survived and lived. It didn't matter. He would remember. He would remember every name that had fought, perished or survived here. He didn't have to imagine the horrors they faced because he had been right there too. He had faced them and survived.

He gently pressed the badge back into the soil where he found it and moved on. Eventually, he found himself in a familiar part of the trench, familiar because it was the part of the trench he had commanded, right on the front line. Sam gazed around. The trench had not been filled in and although there was now grass growing around it and the walls had started to collapse inwards, the trench looked the same as he had left it. There was the firing step, the holes that the soldiers had dug into the walls to take shelter from the explosive shells, the area they kept the ammunition for their weapons. In Sam's eye, he could imagine the trench filled with soldiers, pressing themselves against the walls as another wave of Vaadwaur infiltrators jumped over the trench and were trying to dislodge them. Sam could remember as he had run down the trench line towards the front, rallying his troops as they fought desperately to stay alive for another day. Sam could remember as the Lieutenant next to him had been gunned down as she tried to provide cover fire for her commanding officer. He could remember unclipping a grenade off his belt and lobbing it at the wall to bounce around the corner. And he could remember gunning down the retreating enemies as he readied his troops for a counterattack, which had ultimately led to failure.

Sam climbed out of the trench and looked around at the shell holes. With a slight smirk, he realised he had remembered when most of them were made. Suddenly, a scream captured Sam's attention. He looked around, but couldn't find the source. There it was again, and Sam turned and followed the noise. As he turned around a rocky feature, he could see a group of Kobali surrounding a motionless young Kobali boy, who was crying. Some of them were telling him to calm down, others were crying, and still, others were talking amongst themselves, hurriedly. Sam walked over to them.
"What's going on?" he asked. A Kobali turned to him.
"The boy stepped on a mine," he replied, worried and anxious. "It's not gone off yet so we think it's pressure activated. We don't know what to do!"
Sam glanced towards the shaky boy and his foot. In the light, he could see a glimpse of metal underneath the boy's boot. Sam pushed past the group and pulled out his trowel as he kneeled next to the boy. Very carefully, he brushed away the dirt from around the mine, uncovering it. It wasn't Starfleet issue but he recognised it.
"Keep the pressure on your foot," he commanded the boy without taking his eyes off the mine. Using the edge of his trowel, he gently prised open the casing and looked at the fuse. It had already been activated by the boy and should it be depressed, it would explode. However, it was fairly simple to disarm. "Someone give me a small rod, like a pin," he called back and held out his hand, without looking. A metal object was pressed something into his hand and he moved his hand forward to look at it. A small pin. Sam looked at the pressure pad the boy had activated. "I want you to keep the pressure on your foot. I'm going to move your foot." Sam looked at the boy, who was shaking and still crying. "Hey,
it's going to be fine. Just keep focus for a few more seconds." The boy nodded his head tearfully and Sam gently grabbed his boot. With extreme care, he moved the foot a couple of inches, enough to reveal a small hole in the activator. Sam jammed the pin in until he heard a click. This was the moment of truth. "Lift your leg up slowly," he commanded. The boy was hesitant but obliged. Sam was ready to jump on the mine as soon as he heard a click. The boy seemed to take forever to move his foot. Sam stared at the mine. Then he heard a yell behind him,
"My baby!" he looked up to see that the boy had been lifted up in a large embrace by a Kobali female and Sam sighed. The pin worked. As he heard the sobs of happiness behind him, he got to work disarming the mine and a few seconds later he pulled it up out of the soil.
"Thank you so much, Mister!" Sam heard someone say behind him. "He was just playing here with his friends and he must have stepped on it. We're so glad you came to save him, without you he would have been dead for sure!" Sam heard the voice but he did not listen. His mind was racing. The area was so close to his sector. The mine looked so familiar despite it not being Starfleet issue. With shaky hands, he turned it over, dreading what he was about to see. Engraved on the bottom were the words,
From Commander S.A. Bishop, with love.
Sam looked up at the boy and then strode away, mine in hand, not looking back.

[Sam]

Spoiler: Stardate 93878.5Show

Stardate 93878.5 (17 November 2416)

Sam's shuttle touched down on the grassy knoll of the planet. He sat alone at the helm and through the window, he could see his destination. A small hill. Wordlessly, he stood up and left, beginning the walk up. The planet was a Class M planet, but there were no traces of life beyond animals. It was a beautiful planet though. Sam took his time as he walked, feeling the gentle breeze against his skin and hair. There was a sweet scent of flowers in bloom. The sky was a myriad of reddish hues, oranges and yellows playing with each other on the atmospheric canvas. Like a sunset on Earth, only this sunset lasted millennia; the rotation of the planet was almost negligible. Sam reached the top of the hill and stood to admire the beautiful landscape that was laid out in front of him. In the distance, snow-capped mountains stood guard over the vast swathes of grassland where bison-like animals stood grazing. Deep in the turmoil of the Delta Quadrant, this was a place of tranquillity and harmony, untouched by the tumours of suffering that spread through the universe like cancer.

Sam finally turned to the lone tree that was growing on the hill. It was like a cherry blossom, only the usually pink leaves were a baby blue colour. Sam walked up to the tree and touched the soft bark, trailing his fingers around the trunk as he walked until he got to the other side. Here, was a headstone carved into the bark and a small mound, almost unnoticeable to anyone who did not know of its existence. Sam took a step back and looked at the carving;

Jennifer Amelia Cartwright
“Yours is the light by which my spirit's born: - you are my sun, my moon, and all my stars.”

Sam kneeled at Jenny's grave and placed a hand on the dirt. He stared at the ground for a long time, as if he could see through it, down at the grave, through the Federation flag and the torpedo casing. He remembered the last time he had seen her, on the medbay bed. She gave her life for the ship. For him.
"Maybe I do still love you, Jenny." Sam whispered. "There will always be a place in my heart for you. I cannot forget everything you did for me. But our path has now ended, and I must travel my own. I will always look back with fondness on the times you were mine. I cannot begin to know what you sacrificed for me. But you are not here anymore, and I must face the dangers of my road alone. If I have to undo what you did, then I must. Goodbye my dear Jenny. Rest now in peace. Your curtain has fallen. My show must go on."
Sam slowly stood and looked at the grave. Gently, he cleared it of any plants that had started to grow over it, and then cleared the carving. When the grave was tidy, he reached into his pocket for his combadge and looked at it. He then pressed it against his lips, before pressing it into the earth above the grave.
"I have been using your badge ever since I took command. But now it's time to make the Endeavour mine."
He stood silently looking at the badge for a time.

"But when ye come and all the roses falling
And I am dead as dead I well may be
Go out and find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an ave there for me"

"Ave Jenny." With those words, Sam silently turned and walked back to his shuttle.

[Sam]

Spoiler: Stardate 93914.4Show

Stardate 93914.4 (30 November 2416)

The snow lay on the ground like a soft white blanket, as if the ground itself was snuggling to protect herself from the cold. Sam stood under a naked tree, his hand on a snow-covered wall, looking into the graveyard. The darkening sky was hidden by the grey clouds but the surroundings were as bright as day. In the distance, on a nearby hill, Sam could see the lights go on in the Bishop mansion. As he stood looking at his house, Sam felt something stirring within him...something drawing him to his house. Drawing him home. Sam shook his head sadly. He would not be returning, at least not today. It was not his home now. His home was the Endeavour. His home was with Keelah. He shook his head again. He was here for one reason and one reason only. To visit his mother's grave. He vaulted over the wall, knocking a lump of snow off, and trudged across to the grave. Suddenly, he stopped and dived behind a crumbling mausoleum. Someone seems to have had the same idea as him; there was a figure trundling across the snow in the same direction. Sam ducked, not wanting to be recognised.

The figure was tall and wrapped up warm, with a beanie hat, a scarf, thick jacket and gloves. Sam watched the figure, trying to find out who it was. Although the land was private property, the cemetery sometimes had people come and visit for various reasons. He assumed that the visitor was one of these people but the figure was heading in the direction he was; towards the newer graves. Perhaps they were visiting his father's grave; Admiral Bishop was a very well known and influential figure. But the figure did not stop at his grave. It stopped at the one next to it. His mother's.

Sam watched as his brother fell to his knees in front of their mother's grave. Was he...crying? Sam carefully crawled closer to him, careful to not make a sound.
"Mother...what a family you left behind. I was never ready for you to die. I was never ready to lead this family. And now...now, not even a day after your death we've become undone. Oh, my dear Mother. What am I to do?" There is a long pause. "What shall I do about Samuel? About his...his...his love. Can I let him marry someone who isn't human? It wouldn't be a crime, but then...if I do...the blood of this family would be tainted with that of a non human...the Bishop family...wouldn't be Bishop anymore. Times have changed, and traditions have passed. But the one thing that has remained true is that a Bishop has always been a Bishop. A human. We have had inter-species marriages before. That isn't new. But for us...for me and Sam...we can trace our line right back to the original Bishops. And if I let this happen...then that line would be broken...forever. All because..." Another pause. "...if only I could father children. Then we would never have been in this mess. Then my little brother could be free in what he wants to do. But I can't. And he has to realise that it's his duty to this family. Mother. I wish you could have told him that before you left. But it's up to me to do anything to make him understand. Anything. For this family. Just like you did." Seb slowly got to his feet and wiped the tears from his eyes. With another look at the graves of their parents, he slowly made his way back home.

Sam stayed hidden as his brother walked away, slumping against the nearest headstone. What did Seb mean by do anything. And did he really think he was doing this "for the family?" He sat in the snow and looked across at the headstones. Family. What did all these people give up for family? His thoughts went back to Keelah. Could he really leave her for "family?" He knew the answer at once. Standing up, he brushed the snow off and walked to where Seb had knelt down. He looked at the graves of his parents and wondered what it was like down there, in the ground. He had buried so many people, and had escaped the grave himself a number of times. But he wouldn't be able to escape it forever. One day, he'd be here, alongside the rest of these people. But it was not now. Now he was alive and as long as he was alive, he could do what he wanted. And whatever he did, he would do it "for the family." He was a Bishop. Nothing would change that. Not Keelah, not Seb, nobody.
"Father, Mother. I am going to marry her. I ask for your blessing to do so." Sam looked at the graves of his parents and tried to imagine what they would have looked like if they were alive. Whether it was coincidence or fate that parted the clouds to allow a few rays of the setting sun to shine over the graves, it did not matter. Sam took it as a sign that he had their blessing. With that, he walked back over to the wall and jumped over it, making his way back to the car.

[Sam]

Spoiler: Stardate 94008.2Show

Stardate 94008.2 (4 January 2417)

The applause started almost as soon as Sam materialised onto the transporter pad. He looked at the assembled crew; he recognised some faces but...was that officer new? Wait...no, that was Lieutenant Raleigh from Engineering. And was that Ensign Haas? No, Haas worked in the hydroponics bay...Sam blinked. He hadn't been away for that long.
Stepping off the transporter, he was aware that he was grinning. It felt...odd. As if he was detached from his body. The man walking through the corridor towards the turbolift did not feel like him. It was like he was watching the events through the eyes of another man. A man who had just stepped out of the lift to the bridge...the bridge! Sam blinked again. Was it real? He felt his hand glide across the surface of a console as it had done many times before on the Valley Forge holodeck. And yet. As he stood in front of his chair, something felt...right. Natural.
"Computer, transfer all command codes to Captain Samuel A. Bishop. Voice authorization: Alfred Delta Epsilon Four."
"Transfer complete.The Endeavour is now under command of Captain Samuel A. Bishop."
That was his name. The Endeavour...is under the command...of Samuel Bishop...
The same Samuel Bishop who would often be told off for bad behaviour at school. The same Samuel Bishop who often broke the law and was never caught. The same Samuel Bishop who was close to being expelled from the Academy. Who had been charged for not one but two counts of obstruction of justice. This deeply flawed man was now in command of one of the best ships in Starfleet.
"I relieve you sir,"
"I stand relieved. Welcome aboard Captain."
"Thank you Alfred." Sam looked around the bridge. "It's good to be back."
"Speech!" Henry yelled.
"That was it. Now. Set a course around the Aldebaran Sector, Warp 7. Engage." There was a pause as people stood slightly confused. "Well?"
The bridge was suddenly a flurry of activities as the officers scrambled to execute the order.
"Commander Alfred. Can you schedule a meeting with all the senior officers at 0700? Furthermore, any parties that have been arranged, please cancel them. We have an inspection in two days before going back to duty. I trust that the crew was well rested over the past few weeks?"
"Indeed sir."
"Very good. We need to get this crew ready for action within the week. The Endeavour has been out of commission for far too long and I will not abide any further delays. Understood?"
"Yes sir."
"Good man. Please oversee this tour, I will be in my ready room. Can you send me all the data from the last two months? I would like to review everything. I would also like a meeting with you at 0500 for a full briefing."
"Of course sir. And may I add, it's a pleasure to have you back." Alfred's tone was as stoic as ever.
"It's a pleasure to be back Alfred." He stood up and strode to his ready room. "You have the bridge Alfred," he called back as he stepped in. His commanding demenour slipped just before the door closed. This was it. He was back.
He walked towards his desk and sat down, looking at the paperwork that was already on his desk. Alfred had not moved a thing. He reached over to the picture of Keelah he had put on his desk. She was smiling, as always. He touched her cheek and couldn't help but smile. Which reminded him. He stood up and walked over to the replicator, typing something into the console. A box materialised and he took it out, taking it to his desk and opening it. It was Keelah's Christmas present to him, which he had just transported over. Inside the box was a ship in a bottle, the ship in question being the HMS Endeavour. As Sam took it out, his eyes fell to the scale model of the same ship on his desk and he grinned, taking the ship in a bottle over to compare it with the scale model. It was similar enough, he decided, before turning and deciding where to place it on his already very crowded shelf. He finally decided to place it next to the Union Jack. There. It was perfect. As he turned to sit down his eyes flickered over the pictures of his family. The pictures of Seb. Without even a second thought, he picked up the pictures of his brother, and placed them face down on the shelf. Now, finally, with all the alterations he needed to make in his ready room, Sam sat back down on his chair and turned on the console. A final thought flickered into his mind before he was able to work;
He was back. He was home.

[Sam]

Spoiler: Stardate 93930.5Show

Stardate 93930.5 (7 December 2416)

Spoiler: Carol SingersShow

"...and heaven and angels sing, and heaven and angels sing!"
Sam weaved in and out of the hustle and bustle of the London markets. Choirs were singing, elderly men and women were collecting money, and everyone was generally merry; cheeks were red, fingers were cold and each breath frosted up as people went about their business. There was something about being back in England that comforted Sam; the air was different, the land was different, the accents were different. This tiny island, on this tiny planet, tucked away in the furthest corner of the galaxy...it just felt different. There was indeed no place like home. But along with this feeling, Sam felt something that he had never felt before. He felt alone. Despite being where he belonged, Sam could not be at ease. There was always something there, something bothering him. Sam wasn't sure what it was but in the deepest corners of his mind, a thought kept on flaring up; that this place would not be home as long as he was at odds with his family.
"Merry Christmas Sir!"
Sam looked up to see a stranger smiling at him and waving. He did not know who this man was, but he replied with a smile and wished him a merry Christmas too. It was only polite.
"Bishop?"
Sam turned to see who had called his name but in the mass of people walking, he could not see who the voice belonged to.
"I can't believe it! It is you!" The crowd suddenly parted and a man in a wheelchair rolled towards him.
"Matt?"
"Sam, how are you? I did not know you were in town!"
Matthew Cavanagh grasped Sam's hand tightly when he approached. He was a young man, with blond hair and caramel eyes.
"I am well Matt, and you?"
The man chuckled. "I am doing fine."
"How is your job? Still at Headquarters?"
"Of course, how could I leave? I have nowhere else to go!" he smiled as he looked down to where his legs should have been. "Besides, if I did leave, you'd be the first person I would have to tell, considering it was you who got me the job there in the first place!"
Sam waved the statement away. "I just heard there was a position open and it was the least I could do to pass on your details."
"Whatever it was Sam, you really helped. If it wasn't for you I'd be stuck in that apartment taking medication day in and day out. You gave me a purpose," he smiled up at Sam.
"My dear friend," Sam knelt to look him in the eye. "You are a hero. You deserved much better than to be in an apartment. I am here because of you."
"Thank you Sam...but I did what anyone would have done for you. You were, and still are I guess,
an inspiration to many!" his smile was warm and genuine. "What are you doing here? I heard you had command now; I am not surprised! How is that going? Are you here to visit your brother? Dispell some of those ugly rumours that have been flying around?"
"Rumours? What rumours?" Sam narrowed his eyes.
"The rumours about...surely you've heard?"
"Matthew, what rumours?"
Matthew motioned to Sam to come near and whispered something into his ear. "But surely that isn't true, your brother could never do that?" he looked at Sam. "Could he?"
Sam looked at him."No, no. Definitely not. Listen Matt. I need to go, but do stay in touch. I will send along some contact information soon,"
"I will do Sam, thank you," he looked sad that their conversation had been so brief. "Oh and I heard the news about your mother. My deepest condolences."
"Thank you," Sam said but the reply was automatic. He had already started to walk off. "Merry Christmas Matt,"
"Merry Christmas Sam!"
"...and wonders, wonders, of His love!"

[Sam]

Spoiler: Stardate 94038.3Show

Stardate 94038.3 (14 January 2417)

"When you're on duty, you are Starfleet..."

Captain Konieczko's words hung in the air like smoke; always there, but whenever Sam reached out to grab them, they disappeared, only to reappear moments later. Sam stared at the ceiling of his quarters and watched as the light of the dying star sent shadows dancing wildly. Keelah shifted slightly in her sleep and her arm reached over to pull him closer to her.
"...why can't the star die already and just let me sleep?" she groaned and buried her head in his body to try to block out the light.
Sam smiled slightly and reached over to a panel near his bed. Pressing a button, the shutters fell on the windows, plunging the room into total darkness.
"...that's better." He heard her say. This was quickly followed by the rhythmic sound of her breathing; she had fallen back to sleep. Sam envied how she could fall asleep that quickly. It's because she tires herself out every day working. She's a better captain that you are Bishop...

It was one of the rare times Keelah slept on the Endeavour; Sam had to literally peel her off the Valley Forge. This time, he had managed to convince Eunha to make up some excuse to get her off the ship. In return for whatever it was she had managed to tell Keelah, Sam owed Eunha a favour, something Sam was not looking forward to. Nevertheless, Eunha had succeeded and Sam got to spend a nice evening with Keelah, celebrating the success in the SAR and getting slightly too drunk. Well, Keelah had gotten drunk. Sam's thoughts had kept him sober and it was not something he was proud of. He wanted to spend one night free from the conundrum he had found himself in. But it was not his thoughts about Keelah that kept him awake that night. No, Keelah had sat him down and gave him a very long talking to about that problem. It was what Captain Konieczko had asked him about Timo.

Was it an accusation? Or was it the truth? Did Timo show him leniency because of their friendship? His mind raced to that day on the Valley Forge bridge. Sam had defied a direct order. And what did Timo do? Nothing...he did nothing...
Sam shook his head. No, that can't be right. Sam had not been privy to any information that Timo had reported to command following the mission. Maybe it was command's decision not to pursue the matter going forward. Timo was his superior officer, maybe he had deemed his own judgement impaired because of emotional stress. Or maybe he did not report it at all...because he was your friend...

Suddenly, like the clouds giving way to let in the sunlight, it all fell into place. "When you are on duty...you are Starfleet."

His PADD lit up, casting a bright light over the room and causing Keelah to stir again. Sam sat up and looked at it. It was a message from Matt.

Spoiler: To Sam BishopShow

Sam,
I have news...the project is completed. The Endeavour is finished...and my god...she is a beauty. I'm attaching an image.

Spoiler: Show

Admiral Bishop is over the moon. He is going to be commanding her for her maiden voyage. I'll try and get a hand on the flight plans for that. If you ask me Sam, it looks like money well spent.
Wishing you the best,
Matt

Sam opened up the image. Staring back at him were words that he had only seen emblazoned on one ship...his own. But the ship that bore the words now was alien to him, despite having spent his childhood playing with one that was so similar to it. Suddenly, Sam threw his PADD away. It hit the wall opposite and shattered into pieces. Keelah was up in an instant.
"Sam, what the hell was that? Sam?"
Sam did not reply, his eyes fixed on the dark wall, illuminated by flickers of sparks from the broken PADD.
"Sam?" Keelah took his hand and rest her head on his shoulder. "I'm here, don't worry. I'm here."
Sam let his head fall on hers. Though her words were comforting, to Sam, they just highlighted his troubles. It's because you're here Keelah, that this problem is happening. Sam wrapped his arm around her and pulled her tightly against him. As the two of them held each other in the dark, Sam wondered, as he often did nowadays, about what his Father would have done. He wondered if his Father ever had to make this decision. A tear formed, unbidden, in Sam's eye as he wished, not for the first time, nor would it be the last, that he had got to see his Father, to gain the wisdom that he had and to be able to confide in when times were rough.
"I know Keelah," was all Sam could manage as a reply. At the end of the day, she was the only family left to him now. "When you're on duty, you are Starfleet. When you're off duty, you can do whatever you want."
"I know."

[Sam]

Spoiler: Stardate 94058.9Show

Stardate 94058.9 (22 January 2417)

*Thwack!*

Sam's fist crashed into the side of his assailant's face sending him staggering backwards.
"Come on, I thought you were stronger than that? Or was it all a facade? Easy to call the shots when you don't have to say them to me, face to face!" he chided. The assailant growled and tried to swing back at him but Sam neatly dodged the attempt and retaliated with repeated kicks to the enemy's left knee. He collapsed and Sam stood over him. Drenched in sweat, Sam looked around at the floor that was littered with the bodies of the same person he had just been fighting. To some, the resemblance to a certain Starfleet captain was uncanny, but upon closer analysis, the differences could be seen. Maybe it was the length of beard or the slightly darker skin colour, or maybe even the eyes? It made no difference. To Sam, it was exactly who it needed to be and he had been pummelling away at the likeness for the best part of an hour. Roughly grabbing the fallen man by the collar, he hauled him to his feet. "Starfleet Regulations!"

*A right fist*

Zee and Rianni. That fiasco. That overblown fiasco. Why did Starfleet have to interfere with relationships? On duty he understood, but the two of them were obviously off duty.

*A stronger, harder right*

Love was something that built the Federation and now, in this case, it was suddenly a bad thing? Although maybe he wasn't angry at Command for that...maybe he was angry at himself for being stupid enough to encourage it in uniform. Although it was pretty clear he was off duty...
"Argh!" Sam roared as he swung again, this time the right hand sending the man flying across the room. If he could do anything, anything, to save that budding relationship, a pale winter flower that had peaked through the snow before he had crushed it in his hand, he would have. But he had made a mistake and he had a duty, whether he was right or wrong, to report that. Another surge of anger rushed through him and he picked up the stunned man.
"Was that not proof enough for you that I did my duty in spite of my personal beliefs?" he yelled into the man's face before delivering a vicious uppercut that saw the man crash back down onto the floor. Sam mounted him, fists held high and without wavering, began to pound the poor man's face.
"I do my duty...and you bar me?" he yelled as the man's face took beating after beating. "I put my life on the line every single day and you say that I cannot work alongside the one that makes all this bearable? What do you do eh? You sit at a desk and do nothing! If you're going to go down that route, then maybe I shouldn't work with anyone at all since apparently, my judgement is flawed!". The man had long since fallen unconscious under the blows. "Argh!" Sam let go and a frenzy grabbed hold of him. His thoughts flew everywhere. To war, to peace, to love, to loss, from Zee to Rianni, from Timo to Keelah, from Seb to Command. All the while Sam rained down blows upon the man. Finally Sam fell from exhaustion, his fists drenched in blood.

"Computer, end program," he said breathlessly and the Endeavour holodeck finally shimmered into view. Sam dragged himself to the corner and exhaled. All he wanted right now was to be in Keelah's arms, to ask her for help...she always knew what to do. But out here, in the void of deep space, where the Endeavour was out on patrol, he was on his own. All the thoughts he had been seeking to expel hit him, stronger than any of the punches he had been able to throw. Exhausted, physically and mentally, all Sam could do at that point, was sit in the corner and weep.

[Sam]

Spoiler: Stardate 93943.6Show

Stardate 93943.6 (11 December 2416)

The markets of Bajor were bustling as Sam weaved in and out. Risa be damned, it was this gorgeous planet where Sam felt the most relaxed. So much so, Sam had bought a house here and whenever he had a break from work, he would spend a few days here, surrounded by old friends. Despite the horrors of the last century, Bajor was what Sam imagined heaven would be like. The friendly people, the laughing children, the weather, the history, the scenery...the peacefulness. It was what Sam needed, away from the mess of his suspension and his family problems. He wasn't the only one who thought that; Keelah had beamed with joy when he told her he was visiting.

"It is just what you need!" she had said, kissing him. "It's so peaceful and relaxing, and you can just let go and think...it's perfect for you!"
"And how would you know?"
"Because I went there myself...after..."
"After what, my love?"
"I'll tell you about it when you come back. I don't want to put any more on your shoulders..."

Sam had extensively looked over Keelah's dossier, a long time ago. He knew her service record like the back of his hand and knew the fact she had taken time away for personal reasons. Was that what she needed to tell him? Was that the reason she had run from the house? I can not shoulder the burden of tearing another loved one’s family apart. Those were her own words that day. And yet that night, he had proposed and she accepted.

"Uncle Sam!", a voice yelled and Sam re-entered reality. Spinning around, he was knocked onto the grass by something. A young Bajoran girl stood over him, and Sam looked down and saw to Bajoran boys holding onto him.
"Rumi! Ren, Jayr? Is that you?" Sam chuckled as he ruffled the boys' hair and stood up.
"Oh Uncle Sam, I thought it was you! Oh, I've missed you so!" Rumi jumped on him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I've missed you too sweetheart!" Sam hugged her back. "My word, how you've grown Rumi! And the boys, I can't even recognise you!" Sam chuckled as he looked at all three of them. "I bet you don't even remember me do you?" he asked the two boys who both sheepishly shook their heads and looked up at their sister. "I don't blame you, the last time I saw you, Ren, you were three and Jayr..." he bent down to look at the smallest boy. "I still remember the day you were born...that was the longest day of my life!" Sam stood to look at Rumi. "Where's Lara?"
Rumi looked at him and tilted her head slightly. "Oh, we thought you'd tell us...she graduated from the academy and was here a few months ago before her posting."
"Lara...graduated? You mean, she did it?" Sam was overcome with joy. "My Lara joined Starfleet?"
Rumi grinned enthusiastically and then hugged him again. Sam hugged the young girl back. "Come Rumi, let's go home, I would love to meet your parents!" Rumi nodded and then took Sam's hand.
"Jayr, hold Ren's hand. Ren, hold Uncle Sam's hand!" she commanded and the boys did as they were told. Sam smiled and offered his other hand to Ren, who took it with a smile. "Come on Uncle Sam, Dr Anjar told Father that you'd be coming and so we've set up a room for you...Lara's room." she looked up to him. "Oh please say you'll stay with us and not at your dusty old house!" The happiness on Rumi's face took Sam's breath away. "Of course my dearest, I will stay at your house, just the one night. I do not wish to intrude for long."
"Oh, I love you so, Uncle Sam!" came the reply and another hug.
"I love you too, Rumi," Sam laughed. Suddenly, something caught his attention. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw two hooded figures. This wasn't usually a cause for concern but Sam's interest had been piqued when he heard one of them mention "Dr Anjar" and "Arcturus". Then, one of the hooded figures turned to see Sam, and then the two of them started to walk away, fairly quickly. "Rumi, can you take Ren and Jayr home to tell your mother I'm coming?" he said, letting go of the children's hands.
"Uncle Sam..."
"I won't be long my dear," Sam turned and smiled at the girl. "Then you can tell me everything I've missed!" Rumi nodded happily and then took the boys' hands.
"Come along now boys, let's go tell Mother and Father the news!" Sam watched the three of them skip away and smiled, before turning to the hooded figures. They had turned down an alley and Sam ran after them, dodging people as he made his way to the alleyway. Just as he rounded the corner, he found that they had disappeared.
"Damn!" he cursed and turned to leave. His exit was blocked, however, by the two hooded figures.
"You Bishop?" one of them asked.
"Depends on who's asking," Sam said, taking a defensive stance.
"The Sacred Band," came the reply and the two hooded figures pulled phasers, pointing them at him.
"Let me guess, they send their regards?" Sam said and was met by phaser fire. Instinct took over as he flung himself to the ground and rolled behind some boxes. Peering over, he could see them advancing on his position.
"Dr Bishop? Long time no see!" Sam saw a figure behind the hooded duo and heard someone fire a phaser. One of the hooded figures fell and Sam took the distraction to leap onto the box and then jump onto the other figure, bringing his forearm around to knock the other person to the ground. "Sam!" Sam looked up to see Dr Anjar throw him a phaser. Sam caught it and trained it on the figure.
"How are you, Kala?"
"Exhausted, I had to run to catch up with you!" Dr Anjar wheezed.
Sam looked at the hooded figure who was scrambling to get up, and kicked him back over. "Stay down. You're going to give me some answers!" Sam growled. The hooded figure just laughed, the same laugh he had heard over the coms countless times.
"Your time is growing short Bishop. And yours too Anjar..." the figure said before dissolving into black goo.
"No, no, no!" Sam ran to try and stop him but before he knew it he was surrounded by the same black goo that had covered the Valley Forge bridge. "For crying out loud!" Sam yelled, flicking the goo from his hands. Dr Anjar watched all this patiently.
"You've seen this before too?" he asked Sam as he turned to investigate the other figure who had also turned into goo.
"I have...you?"
"Ever since we discovered the artefact." Dr Anjar replied. "Come, we have much to discuss."
Sam nodded as he stood up. "We do indeed. What about these?" he looked at the piles of goo.
"Oh they'll evaporate...see?" he nodded as the black goo started to disappear. "Come along Sam." With a final look, Sam got up and followed Dr Anjar out of the alley.

[Sam]

Spoiler: Stardate 94086.0Show

Stardate 94086.0 (1 February 2417)

"Sir, the star is not far from here, it is on course to DS13." Lucy turned to Sam.
Sam sighed "Well Number One?"
"I am not sure what you are enquiring about Captain," Alfred responded, even though he knew full well what Sam wanted.
"Shall we divert course? Measure up the star?"
Alfred turned to Sam and raised his eyebrow. "Captain, the data we have sent the USS al-Haytham is more than sufficient for all of Lieutenant Commander al Firawn's studies."
Sam turned to look at Alfred curiously. "Alfred! Are you...jealous?" he sniggered.
"I have nothing to be jealous about Captain. I am a Vulcan."
Sam chuckled. "Lieutenant Commander Sola, how long would it take to survey the star?" he asked, not taking his eyes off his First Officer.
"Eight hours sir."
"Very well, Kaci?"
"Yes sir?"
"Set a course for...Kaci...what is that on your neck?"
Kaci's hand moved to her neck and she blushed a deep crimson.
"Nothing sir..." she squeaked.
Sam chuckled lightly. "Set a course for the star, Warp 8."
"Yes sir," she replied, carrying out the order, one hand still covering up the mark on her neck.
"Ensign Stephans, my ready room, right side, top draw. That's where Keelah keeps her makeup, I'm fairly sure there's a concealer somewhere." Kaci nodded and jumped up, rushing into Sam's ready room. He turned to Alfred. "Any idea?"
Alfred didn't respond verbally, rather, he looked over at Operations where Henry was seemingly absorbed in a very detailed plan of the ship. Sam raised his eyebrow. "Interesting," he mused. "Now then Alfred...what's this about you being jealous of the First Officer of the al Haytham?"
Alfred was saved by a chime.

"Reeder to Alfred"
"Go for Alfred."
"Did you tell the Captain about the thing?"
"You have seemingly beat me to it Doctor."
Sam leaned over.
"What thing?"
"That pointy eared...come down to my office Sam...bring your useless First Officer with you,"
"We're on our way Jaidan,"

Sam tapped Alfred's combadge. "What's his name? Sulayman? I'll have to request a transfer," he chuckled. Alfred stood and walked over calmly to the turbolift.
"First Officers seem to be in demand these days."
Sam chuckled and followed. "Lucy, you have the bridge. Don't let Romeo here get anywhere near our Juliet," he winked as Kaci walked back onto the bridge.

As the lift moved down, Sam looked over at Alfred. "If he pulls it off, he would have done a lot of work. It was a daring plan. What was it? Over 500 experiments?" The lift door opened and Alfred lifted his arm out to let Sam go first.
"Indeed, the plan was very daring. I have heard he has been working the crew very hard. He himself has logged in an entire week of overtime."
"Kid has no social life. Every time I've seen him, nose in his PADD, tapping away at something or other. I've heard he has poor social skills. Poor kid, he needs some friends." Sam shook his head as he turned into the medbay. "What's this thing Jaids?"
Jaidan looked up from his desk and signalled for the two to sit down.
"Linda Masatame,"
"What about her?"
Jaidan shook his head in response.
"She is suffering from a severe cardiovascular problem," Alfred explained. "I will assume that her condition has worsened?"
Jaidan nodded. "She wants to step down from her role, and work part-time."
"Granted. Linda has served us for a very, very long time. She deserves this rest. But that means we need a new Head Counsellor?"
Jaidan looked at Sam and Alfred. "I have someone lined up but you might not like it Sam. Especially since you're going to be having to see her a lot more from now on..."
"As per orders from DS 13 Command and Counselling, as well as both mine and the Doctor's recommendation and encouragement from Captains Timoreev and Se'Lai, you are to see the Head Counsellor at least once a month, and have them as a permanent part of the bridge crew."
Sam blinked. "You've got to be kidding me?"
"Sorry Sam."
"Who did you say you had lined up?" Sam huffed.
"You're not going to...Natasha Larson."
Sam's jaw dropped. "You're not...TASHA? Not our Tasha?" Jaidan smiled slightly and nodded.
"What...when did she work for me?"
"Captain Voxazil here hired her," Jaidan smirked.
Sam turned and looked at Alfred, deadpan. "What else did *Captain* ImjealousofatwentysomethingyearoldLieutenantCommander do whilst I was away?"
Jaidan chuckled and then looked back at Sam. "Look, both of us have a history with her, but she's a damn good counsellor and the most qualified. We can't pass her by because of history, Sam. You need her skills more than ever."
Sam sighed and stood up. "You are right...besides...that was...a long time ago." he threw a glare at Alfred. "Very well...what rank is she?"
"Lieutenant Commander."
"She's going to receive a promotion before she takes the role. Head Counsellor is a big position, I want to make sure she's up for it."
"Wait...she'll out...never mind" It was Jaidan's turn to give Alfred a dirty look.
"As of Stardate 94086, Lieutenant Commander Natasha Larson is promoted to Commander and she will take on all duties and responsibilities of Head Counsellor. Tell her to report to me straight away," Sam ordered. "Anything else? No? That will be all." With that, he turned and strode out.

[Sam]

Spoiler: Stardate 94087.7Show

Stardate 94087.7 (2 February 2417)

Sam slunk into his armchair, a glass of whisky on the table, and a book in his hand. A physical, hardback, old Earth book. He was content. Okay, so his meeting with Natasha had gone...professionally, and the impending dread of his brother's arrival hung on his mind but as the ship hurtled ever closer back to DS 13, he grew more and more relaxed. He couldn't wait to see Keelah again, spend some time with her before Seb came and screwed everything up. He couldn't wait to see Lara again. Couldn't wait to get a drink with Timo, or talk to Chance about the reunion he had wanted planned. He also couldn't wait to be back in time for Captain Konieczko's promotion ceremony either. He still knew the man, still worked with him, and the promotion was something he deserved. At the back of him mind too, Sam also knew that he was not to blame for the order, but that was a bridge too far for now. Impulse speed, not warp speed.

Taking a sip from his glass, he opened the book to the page he was on, just as his badge beeped.
"Alfred to Captain Bishop"
"Bishop here, what is it Number One?"
"Urgent message for you Captain,"
"Patch it through,"

Urgent message? He looked up as a hologram shimmered to life.

"Doctor Bishop."
"Kala?" Sam stood up.
"We need your help...we were on our way back to Bajor when we were attacked by pirate vessels. We are carrying valuable scientific cargo. We have repulsed the initial attackers but long-range scanners show that there are more enemies following our movements and they could attack at any point. Yours is the only ship in range."
Sam's mind raced. Could this be a Branded Lady attack? Scientific materials. His thoughts flickered briefly on Keelah and how much he wanted to be in her arms, not out here, but the thought disappeared as soon as it arrived.
"Standby Kala, we're on our way,"

Sam strode out onto the bridge, "Red Alert. Helm, set coordinates, bearing 34828.23, ahead Warp 9. Engage!"
"Yes sir!" Kaci did as she was told with complete precision and no wasted time, no longer the young Ensign that had stepped onto the bridge years ago.
"Henry, transmission to the Attar that we are moving to intercept what may be Branded Lady pirates and that we will be escorting Dr Anjar's ship to the end of the sector."
"Yes sir,"
Sam took his seat. "ETA?"
"Two hours sir,"
"One and a half, Ensign, give me everything you've got."

As the Endeavour turned away from DS 13 and warped out towards the threat, his mind once again fell to home. To Keelah.

"When you're on duty, you are Starfleet, Samuel" Konie's voice reminded him gently. "Prove me wrong,"

Sam did not know if that was a word of encouragement or a challenge, but he did not wish to find out. He was Starfleet. He was going to do his duty. Duty was not something *he* needed to be told about.

[Sam]

Spoiler: Stardate 94091.2Show

Stardate 94091.2 (3 February 2417)

"I'm sorry Keelah, but I couldn't just ignore his distress call."
Keelah's face on the console smiled lightly. "I know love, I don't blame you."
"The plan worked?"
"Perfectly. We lost a few of our own though...I just hope their lives weren't wasted for nothing."
Sam's hand instinctively reached for the screen to cup Keelah's face, but he realised quickly that he couldn't and frowned. Keelah laughed. "Missing me I see?"
Sam sighed. "Of course I am. We'll see it through Keelah, right to the end. We always do."
Her hand went up to touch her cheek, where Sam's hand would have been. "I know." she smiled again. "I see you were trying to be my knight in shining armour though! Responding to the distress call?"
"Well, I wanted to get a mention in the AAR," he chuckled. "Besides, I'm part of the squad too, whether or not Command sees it the same way. I helped devise the plan and I will damn well come to the aid of my friends whether Command likes it or not!"
Keelah looked at him softly, but stern. "Sam...please...I know you don't like the order, and neither do I. But you need to be careful. I don't want you getting into trouble for something so trivial."
Sam paused for a long while. "I know sweetheart...I know..."
"When are you coming back home?"
"I should be back in time for my brother's arrival."
There was a pause on both ends before Keelah finally spoke.
"I miss you."
Sam looked up at her. She looked beautiful, just like the first day they had met. The same confident, emotional, and beautiful Vulcan. "I miss you too. I love you."
Keelah smiled gently. "I'll see you soon. I love you,"
There was another pause as the two looked at each other, wanting nothing more than to be able to step through the screen to be together, to hold each other, to kiss each other...
The moment was lost as the console turned off. Sam leaned back in his chair, his eyes drifting over to Keelah's portrait on his desk. Sam didn't know if the shake came after minutes or hours, only that it hit the ship hard. His hands flew to his desk to steady himself.

"Bishop to bridge, report?"
"Unknown Sir, the ship has fallen out of warp and has suddenly come to a full stop. It looks like something grabbed us.

Sam had already left his ready room and was on the bridge before Alfred could finish his message.
"Damage report?"
"Hull shows signs of stress damage but is holding. The warp drive has overloaded and has initiated automatic safety shutdown and we are showing red on a number of systems. Power is draining quickly."

"Bishop to Engineering."
"Engineering here; Captain, we are in a situation, couplings and power relays have all blown, the warp core was close to imploding and systems are shutting down left, right, and centre."
"Damage control Hamish, let's get the ship safe."

Sam started to issue orders to the rest of the officers.. "Sound general quarters Sejanus. Get shields up, then take your security teams and let's get non-essential personal into the living decks and prepare for evacuation. Henry, get down to engineering and give Hamish a hand. Lucy, get down to the secondary command centre; prepare for command transfer and begin to shut down non-essential systems and decks as soon as they are clear of crew. Kaci, go join her; take us into orbit around that planet, quarter impulse, then shut the engines off as soon as you can." The crew nodded and jumped to action. Sam turned to see Natasha sitting cross-legged, on the third bridge chair.
"And my orders Captain?"
"Damn it, Tash, I forgot you were bridge crew. I'll need you to help with evacuation procedures if it comes to it."
"Captain, my team can handle it, I should be on-"
"God damn you, Tasha, I don't have time for this crap right now. You have your orders, I expect you to follow them or so help me God, I'll send you to the brig. This is an emergency!" Sam snapped.
Tasha opened her mouth to speak but shook her head. "Yes sir," she turned and left.
Sam tapped the intercom.

"All hands, this is the Captain. We are reporting a shipwide loss of power and systems failures. Yellow alert, I repeat, yellow alert. Captain out."

Sam looked at Alfred; the bridge empty as the officers had headed down to the secondary command centre."Coms still working?" Alfred tapped on a console.
"They are sir."
"Send an emergency signal to DS 13, then broadcast a general distress call to any ships in the area." Sam ordered and Alfred assented. "I'm -"
Sam was cut off by the sound of clicking from behind and he turned to see a figure on the viewscreen. It was dressed in black and had a white visor. "Bishop."
"You. I should have known." Sam snarled.
"Your time is up." came the reply and almost instantly, Sam had been transported out and the figure on the viewscreen disappeared. Alfred didn't waste any time. Quickly tracing the transporter signature, he found the location.
"Highly illogical." he muttered as he transferred the data onto the viewscreen. Before his very eyes, he saw a part of the planet shimmer and then, out of nowhere, a base complex came into existence. "Fascinating," he raised his eyebrow and tapped at his console to try and take a sensor scan, but then, a beam came arcing out from the surface of the planet, hitting the Endeavour. The ship shook and lights seem to flicker. Alfred looked at the console. "We seem to be experiencing a power syphon, " he commented to himself before flicking on the comms. He knew he had little time.

"This is the USS Endeavour to any nearby Federation Vessels. Requesting urgent assistance. The captain has been taken hostage. We repeat, the captain has been taken hostage. Request immediate assist..."

The comms feed cut out as the system shut down. Alfred stood and looked at the Captain's chair very briefly. For the third time in a space of five months, he had been made acting Captain of the Endeavour. With a turn, he strode to the turbolift. "Deck Fourteen." The lift doors slammed shut.
[/justify]

[Sam]

Spoiler: Stardate 94093.0Show

Stardate 94093.0 (3 February 2417)

As soon as Sam materialised, he made to jump at his captors but instead, he ended up smacking his face on what looked like a glass wall.
"Oh fu..." he muttered and moved his hand up to check his nose as he looked around. He seemed to be in a small circular booth with clear sides, and he could see the room he was in looked like it was high maintenance; thick cables ran over the floor to large screens on one side of the wall. It was dark, the only illumination coming from a strip of three red lights overhead. Sam leaned back in the cell and tried to kick the wall to break out but his attempts were fruitless.
"Don't bother. The cells are unbreakable. Not even one of your "photon" torpedoes could break it," came a voice.
Sam turned to see one of the black armoured, white visored creatures walk around to stand in front of him. "The great Captain Bishop. You have been very elusive."
"Not particularly. You guys suck at catching," Sam replied through gritted teeth.
There came a chuckle. "Ever the joker, as your "Jenny" said."
Sam looked up sharply at the mention of Jenny.
"You would have thought by now that a man of my calibre gets used to his reputation proceeding him. Still surprises me to this day," Sam scowled.
"You would be surprised at how often that happens,"
"Enough with the crap - what do you want with me? Where is my ship?" Sam snapped.
The creature clicked gently and looked over Sam, before turning to the console and pressing a button. The screens lit up to show a picture of the Endeavour trapped in orbit around the planet. "We will make this easy for you Captain. You answer my questions as fast as possible, and then your ship is saved. Fail to answer them, or take too long, and your crew slowly die as the life support fails."
Sam scowled. "Threatening a man is one thing. Threatening his ship and his crew?"
"Then answer my questions! And your crew's life will be spared. Where is the artefact?"
Sam looked at the creature. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
The creature clicked. "Such tenacity Captain." he turned away from Sam to talk to another creature who seemed to have materialised out of the darkness.

"The chamber. Have we drained enough power to make it work?"
"Yes, but only for a short period of time."
"Good. Turn it on."
"On? The Leader said..."
"The Leader said bring him back for questioning. I am merely starting the process now, whilst our ship is charging.
Now do as I say."

Sam watched the clicking between the two creatures before the one who materialised, dematerialised, and almost instantly, his cell seemed to power on. He chuckled darkly. "Of course."
"Where is the artefact, Bishop?"
"I am Captain Samuel Alexander Bishop, Commanding Officer - U.S.S. Endeavour," Sam spat out as a response. The pain from the chamber was excruciating and Sam threw his hands to the wall to stop himself from falling to his knees. "Going...to...have to try...a lot harder than that..."
"You are a fool, Bishop. The longer your ship remains trapped and her energy drained, the more this is going to hurt. Do not be a hero Captain. Give us what we want."
"Did your parents ever teach you good manners? I want never gets."
The creature clicked angrily. "I am going to enjoy this."
"As am I," Sam stared down at the creature.

Sam lost track of how many hours passed, how many times he had been questioned and tortured, how many times he had slipped from consciousness. He knew that it was only a matter of time until he broke; he was good, but not invincible and every second he was in pain, he battled with the idea of giving in to their demands. He had nothing to lose. But as much as he wanted to, he couldn't. Something was there, stopping him from giving up. Every time he opened his mouth to answer the questions and be done with the pain, something came and switched the words around. Sam would not realise it now, but the fact that he saw the Endeavour drifting above the planet, gave him more hope and allowed him to stay strong. All he needed to do, was hold out until the Endeavour escaped. That was it. He was sure that his crew would be working on a method to break out...wait. Did the Endeavour...move?

Sam opened his eyes and fell against the side of the wall, his face pressed against the glass. It did. The Endeavour moved! Something was pulling it out! Sam leaned back and looked around the cell. If only he could escape...do something to create a diversion. Just then, the red lights started to flash, and an alarm started to blare. Sam's hands flew to his ears and he squeezed his eyes shut. The next thing he was aware of were hands roughly grabbing him.
"Looks like your Federation friends are here. Not that it would be of any help. Start the evacuation protocol. Anyone left on the planet as the base phases out will be dead. You can say goodbye to your "away team."
It took a while for Sam to understand. "Away...team? No...no...save the ship..." he muttered as he was pushed against the back wall.

"They're breaking through, two of them are on their way down!" came frantic clicking.

"Place the transporter on him. Set a course back to the Leader -"

Sam was vaguely aware of two of his colleagues burst into the room. He could sense the exchange of fire...was that...Nimitz? Sam tried to move, to try and help his friends, warn them of the danger but he was too weak.
"A...Al..." was all he could manage before his voice gave up on him. He could see a creature come towards him holding a device, and he tried with all his might to move, to fall, to do anything to aid his two rescuers but all he did was move sideways an inch. As soon as the device touched him, he could feel himself vanishing. As he looked up, his eyes caught the eyes of Nimitz, very briefly.

Sam's knees finally gave way as he rematerialised and he crashed to the floor. As he lifted his head slightly, he could see that he was on a ship above the planet, and there was another ship coming towards him. Was it the Akagi? Sam tried one last time to get up. He managed to make it to his knees. Looking around, he could see someone at what looked like a helm control. If he could knock him off his seat, he could possibly delay the ship enough to give time for the Akagi to rescue him. Sam lunged but failed. He ended up sprawled on the floor as he helplessly watched as the base below shimmered from view before the ship went to warp.

"Strap in Bishop. This is going to be a long ride for you," came a mocking voice followed by Sam feeling the crash of a boot on his head and the world going dark.

[Sam]

Spoiler: Stardate 94116.9Show

Stardate 94116.9 (12 February 2417)

Sam had lost track of time. He drifted in and out of reality, his life alternating between unconsiousness and torture. He was hooked up to some sort of machine, a machine that pumped his blood full of nutrients to keep him alive, a machine that pushed volts into his nervous system to simulate the feeling of fire, of coldness. The machine that not just kept him alive, it held his life in front of him, teasing him with it.
"You still keep fighting Bishop? Why?"
"Because I am not going to give you the satisfaction of this victory," Sam spat back.
"All you need to do is tell me what I want. Where is the artefact? What do you know of us?"
"Go to hell,"
The torturer cackled. Hell - how...human. Sam's body was overwhelmed with the fiery sensation. "You are in Hell Bishop. Your Federation will never find you. The universe is a rather large place, and we far superior to you primitives. We can continue doing this for millennia. Can you imagine that Bishop? This pain for eternity? That is what your "hell" is, is it not? Eternal punishment. We can keep you alive for that long, and we can keep doing this forever. Not even death can save you."
"Put me in a room with you, one on one, and I'll show you what pain is," Sam muttered through gritted teeth. Another wave of pain, this time, a freezing sensation that made Sam want to curl up inside himself.
"Perhaps you would prefer to tell someone else?" the torturer said and Sam looked up weakly.
"If it means I don't have to look at your ugly mug, sure, drag someone else out...it would be good to talk to someone different."
Another cackle. "I'll tell you something Bishop, at least you aren't boring," the torturer clicked and stepped back into the darkness. There was silence for a long time.

"Samuel?"
"S...Sebastian?"
"Indeed, Samuel," Seb stood importantly, his hands clasped behind his back, and regarded his brother with a cold stare. "Tell me about the artefact Samuel."
Sam's eyes narrowed. "Seb, when I was seven, I fell off the roof of the house and broke my back. As we were waiting for the medics, you lie down next to me and got me to calm down by looking at the clouds. What shape was the cloud we first saw?"
"It is me who asks the questions here Samuel, not you,"
"What shape was the bloody cloud, Sebastian?"
"Oh I don't know, a car?"
Sam looked at the creature hard. "It was the Endeavour, Sebastian. The Endeavour."
More silence before another man stepped out of the shadows. He looked up at Sam. "You know me, Sam. Look how much we've been through. I'm your best friend," Timo smiled.
"Timoreev would never have me tortured for information," Sam chuckled and looked down
"My dear, Sammy boy?" the voice was soft and smooth.
"Jenny? No, you're not Jenny,"
"Sam...my dearest Sam. Look at me,"
Sam shook his head. "No, you're not Jenny!"
"Look up Sam, please..."
Sam looked up. Jenny stood there, her golden hair loose around her white shoulders, her captain's pins shining. "No...Jenny..." he looked down reluctantly, tears starting to form in his eyes as he shut them.
"What about me, my Samuel?" Sam looked up at the soft voice, a voice he thought he would never see again.
"Mother?" Tears started to stream down Sam's cheeks. "Oh Mother, I'm so sorry,"
"Shush...it's okay Samuel. I'm here. Just tell me what I need to get you out."
"I...I..." Sam struggled to focus. "Mother..." He looked up to see his mother disappear. "No, mother, don't leave..."
"Sam..." Keelah stepped out of the darkness towards him.
"Keelah?"
"It's okay Sam," she reached up to wipe the tears from his face. "You're safe now. We're here to take you home."
"I...I didn't tell them anything," Sam mumbled through watery eyes.
"I know my love. You can tell me though, and I have something to tell you too..."
"They wanted to know about the artefact."
"Yes? Where is it Sam?"
"I do...Keelah?" he looked up at her.
"What is it Sam? What were you about to say? You can tell me; I'm your wife..."
"No..." Sam shook his head. "No!" he yelled and thrashed around in rage. "Not her, you bastards! Not her! I will kill you all if you even touch her!"
Keelah stepped back and looked at him sharply. "They had me hostage on the Valley Forge Sam. What did you do then? Watch as I had to try to escape myself. Where were you then?"
"Starfleet...orders..."
Keelah scoffed. "Oh yes. Starfleet orders. You would choose Starfleet orders over me?"
Sam felt lost. "No...Keelah..."
"You failed me Sam. I'm trapped here too...just like you..."
Sam looked up. "No Keelah, you're free..."
Keelah's laugh was harsh and manic. "Free? Sam, ever since I met you I have been trapped. This ring?" she pulled out the ring from around her neck. "This is the bond that is keeping me hostage. Not those creatures. You."
"What...what are you saying Keelah?"
"If you love me Sam, then tell me what I need to know."
"I...I can't...Keelah...I just can't..." Sam looked up at her.
"You disappoint me Sam. This is why we will never get married..." Keelah turned towards the darkness.
"No...no Keelah, no..." was all Sam could manage as Keelah began to merge with the darkness. "Don't...leave me here..."
There was silence for a long time, broken only by the sound of Sam's sobs.

A light shone as a door opened and someone stepped in.
"Come on now Bishop. It is time for us to move." Sam saw the white visor briefly before he felt the machine inject something into him. His eyelids became heavy and they slid closed as Sam fell out of consciousness.

[Sam]

Spoiler: Stardate 94144.7Show

Stardate 94144.7 (22 February 2417)

"How dare you disobey my order!"
"Sir, we were only using the time wisely,"
"I asked you to bring him to me, for questioning,"
"I thought that I could get some answers from him, so I could present to you,"
"And torture was the right way to do this was it?"
"He refused to talk otherwise,"
"We shall see about that. You have failed me too many time SB-Zero One. Too many times. This mess is because of your incompetence,"
"Forgive me..."
"You would have been pardoned...had you not decided that you would wipe out an entire civilisation to make a point,"
"We were given the authority to do whatever it took to preserve our people. You gave the order, aeons ago,"
"And that was my mistake. You have been far too zealous,"
"I did my duty,"
"You failed. And I do not abide failure. You and your section are dismissed SB-Zero One. Begone, into the universe, alone. Should we ever find you...you will be purged. That is my final ruling."

Sam wasn't sure where he was. Pain had taken over his body and his mind...his mind was filled with the people he had loved, hated, killed, saved. All there...all talking...trying to force him...
"Captain Bishop?"
Sam stirred a little. "I... am... Captain... Sam... Sam... Samuel... Alex... ander... Bishop... com... command... Commanding... Endeavour..."
"I was told you were very good," the thing clicked. "Do not fear, I will not hurt you,"
"Bad...cop...didn't work...you...you the good cop?" he snickered weakly.
"I am not here to break you, Captain Bishop. I am here to make sure you are treated humanely, and justly, as is our custom. First, to remove you from your bounds," the thing clicked and suddenly, Sam's arms and legs were free as he slid down the wall, his legs too weak from exhaustion and pain. Blood trickled out from the points where the needles had sunk into his body. The chamber lifted and Sam was exposed to the world for the first time in three weeks. He could only exhale and pant as he struggled to breathe in fresh air, to hear something that wasn't his own thoughts or the voice of his captor. His senses overloaded with sights and sounds and emotion, and that was when he finally broke, curling up into a ball, able to feel his body; his tattered uniform.
"Tell me, Captain Bishop, what do you know about us?"
"N...n...nothing,"
"You do not know who we are?"
"You are...the ones who threatened Jenny...the ones who can turn into people...the ones who bugged the Endeavour, who threatened...Keelah..."
"We did that, to protect ourselves,"
"We...came...come...in peace...we don't want to harm you. You attacked us..."
"You cannot harm us,"
"Then...then why did you protect yourselves?"
"By protecting ourselves, we protected you,"
"I don't understand..." Sam turned weakly to face this different kind of torturer.
"You are weak, Captain Bishop. You are not in a state to understand," the thing replied."Your friends are looking for you. They will never find you,"
"So be it..."
"You would have them abandon you?"
"I would have them... not waste their time on me,"
"You wish to stay here with us? Forever?"
"No. I would wish to save them from a similar fate. They have other duties that go beyond the needs of a single man..."
"If we gave you to them, what would you do? Would you tell them of us?"
"Of course,"
"Even if we threatened to destroy them all, if you told?"
Sam paused and sat up. "Especially if you threatened to destroy us. We would rather die on our feet than serve on our knees," he spat and the thing was taken aback.
"We gave a similar choice to your Captain Cartwright. She decided that your life was worth keeping quiet about,"
"Jenny?"
"I do believe that is what she was called. She decided to remain quiet, so that you, and the others, may live,"
"And you are offering me the same choice?"
"What would you choose Bishop? Would you want to go back home to your family. Your loving wife?"
"We...aren't married..."
"It makes no difference. Would you like to see her again?"
"Of course..."
"Then tell me, now. If we let you go free, will you tell your Federation who we are?"
Sam moved to respond but fell quiet, his body searing with imaginary pain.
"Or would you rather they continue to search, and we continue to kill them until all who know about you are dead?"
"I...I...want to be free from this pain..."
"Make your choice, Captain Bishop. This can all be over soon, if you choose wisely. And be warned; if you choose to deceive us...then we will destroy the entire 38th Fleet.
"I... I choose..." Sam's mind filled with images of freedom, of meeting his friends, his ship, his colleagues. His mind flashed to his time in Argo; all the missions he had been on, all the laughs, the sadness, the people he had met, and the people he had lost. His mind flashed to Lara. His mind flashed to Timo. His mind flashed to Keelah. "I choose..."

[Sam]

Spoiler: Stardate 94147.9Show

Stardate 94147.9 (23 February 2417)

Sam could see nothing but white, the harsh lights assaulting his corneas. He grimaced and lifted his arm up to shield them from this new torture. He was reminded of Captain Picard's torture at the hands of the Cardassians.Just remember...there are four lights he told himself. Sam, however, did not know how long he would be able to last. He had completely broken and there was nothing else for him to give. In a moment of defiance, he had stated that he would never, ever remain silent should he be freed. With that, he was told, he had sealed his fate, and was to remain held here for the rest of his life.
"Sam...Sam, it's Keelah, can you hear me?"
Sam opened his eyes slightly to see her face peering down at him. This was not her, this could not be her. They were tricking him, torturing him.
"K...Keelah?" he heard himself say before could stop himself. He shook his head violently. "No...I told you...I made my choice..." They were trying to get him to change his mind. They couldn't...they...would...he heard someone speak from his other side, and he instinctively braced his body for the wave of pain he was so used to by now.
"Shush...it's okay Sam, you're not with them anymore, we got you back,"
"No...stop this," he pleaded. He couldn't take it...he wanted it all to end. "I'd rather spend my life here, then let you harm them..." he mumbled, the hidden defiance that had caused him so much pain, so much suffering, stood up and spoke words Sam did not want to say.
"Captain Bishop...Sam... it's me...Rick. You're on the Valley Forge. We got you out,"
"Rick...no...no...stop this," he yelled, moving his hands to his face to block out the light, the sound, trying to do anything to stop the pain in his head.
"Sam, this is not one of their games...I promise you...you are home now." He felt a gentle hand on his, moving them away. He offered little resistance; too weak now for anything. He felt Keelah's lips gently press against his own and at that moment, something happened, as though someone had breathed in a new life into him. His eyes slowly opened again, to see Keelah's own.
"Keelah...Keelah?"
Her hand against his cheek was soft and gentle. "Welcome home, my love."
Home...he was...home?
"Don't you remember Sam? I can prove to you it's us. Remember we made a promise we made to each other, in those trenches at Kobali? To reach the rank of Admiral... do you not remember?"
Sam turned his head to Wilson. "It was a joke Rick you bastard, to keep you alive. You'd never live long enough,"
Keelah threw his arms around him and hugged him tightly. Sam felt her body on his, could smell the sweetness of her hair, the same aroma he had been able to smell the morning after their first night together, a long time ago. That smell had made the magical night real the next day. It was that smell that made his rescue real too.
"I missed you so much, my love,"Sam moved his arm around her, pulling her closer. "I promise you...I'm not leaving you ever again," His hand moved to her cheek as she stood up slighly, his eyes filling with tears. "Never again,"
Keelah's own eyes were full of tears. "Damn right you're not," he chuckled, using her sleeve to wipe her eyes.
"I'll leave you two," Wilson said, as he stepped away. "We'll catch a drink sometime," he said as he left. Sam slowly lifted his head up and struggled to sit.
"Where am I?"
Keelah helped him sit up. "Easy now Sam...you're on the Valley Forge,"
Sam's eyes closed slightly at the bright lights and his mind began to tip back towards his timidness. "Have the lights always been this bright?"
"You've been kept in the dark for a long time...here, this should help..." Keelah nodded at a doctor who gave him a hypo. Sam blinked as the lights seemed not so bright anymore, and he could finally see Keelah, in all her beauty, properly. It seemed...to surreal.
"Keelah...is that really you?"
Keelah took his hand and pressed it against her chest, where Sam could feel the beating heart. "Feel that Sam? That heart? Beating for you?" Sam could feel it alright, each beat giving him more and more strength. He swung his legs over the side and got to his feet, almost collapsing into Keelah's arms. "Sam...please. Get some rest...don't make me pull rank on you..." she smiled, kissing him again and holding him tightly
"I'm...fine...just a bit dizzy is all..." Sam gripped the bed tightly. He looked around to the filled medbay, tending the wounded. "I've...been resting...for the last few weeks...these people seem to need it more." His eyes snapped back to Keelah. "Keelah...where's my ship?"
Keelah chuckled lightly. Only Sam could care more about the Endeavour than his own health. "The Endeavour is fine; she's not leaving our side. We had to kick your doctor out because he was making so much of a fuss,"
"I...must go to my ship..."
"Sam. No. You can use my quarters to rest,"
Sam turned to look at her. "Well...I was't going to use the First Officer's quarters. Though...they are still empty..." Keelah bit her lip, realising that she had even more than she thought to catch him up on. "Keelah...I need to get on my ship...I promise you I will rest there," he looked to the doctor who nodded her assent.
"Come on then Sam...I'll take you myself," Keelah replied.
[/justify]

---

The turbolift opened on the Valley Forge to reveal a cleaned up couple, holding hands as they exited.
"So...Sam... As I said earlier...there's a lot for you to catch up on," she said as he led him to her quarters. "This...might take some explaining..."
"You didn't redecorate did you?"
Keelah's face quirked into a slight frown as she keyed in the code and walked in. "Not...quite..." Sam followed her in and looked around, his eyebrows quizzically furrowing as he looked at all the toys, paper and crayons on the floor and table. "The thing is Sam...something happened whilst you were gone...something rather wonderful..."
"Keelah...what happened?" Sam wondered further into the bedroom, looking around.
"Sam, I... that is to say, you are - we are..." she was interrupted by a rustling from the bedroom, and Sam's eyes shot up, instinctively taking a step forward to stand in front of Keelah. Out of the room came a young woman, stretching as she woke from her nap. She beamed at the sight of her parents standing together. Keelah's hand flew to her mouth as she realised what had happened, tears welling in her eyes. "T...T'Pia?"
T'Pia beamed at Sam. "Hello Dad!"

A short while later, Sam found himself sitting on the sofa, his arm around this young lady as she showed him drawings she had made just hours ago. Keelah was resting in her room from the mind meld she had just had to do to get T'Pia caught up with the last ten years she had missed.
"I'll have to show you around the Endeavour...and even get you a room on board!"
T'Pia looked around. "You're right...I may have to get a room here too. Or maybe a bigger room so we can all stay together,"
Sam smiled "I would very much like that T'Pia. The last thing I want to do now is leave you, or your mother behind,"
T'Pia snuggled up against him, resting her head on his chest. Sam gently stroked her hair.
"What about your ship?" she looked up at him.
"My ship... has done without me for some time now. I'm confident that it can live another few weeks. Besides, I'm not clear for command yet."
"Oh, we're going to have the best time!" she beamed.
"I know, my love...I know," Sam looked her in the eyes, at her face that was so similar to her mothers, and he was hit with emotion. T'Pia could feel it too, as she dived into his arms again, burying her face in his chest. "I love you, Dad!"
"I love you too," Sam said before hugging the girl tightly. "I love you, my darling daughter," he whispered, as tears began to stream down his cheeks, thick and fast. Hours earlier, he was certain that he would never see home again. Now. Now he was holding his daughter in his arms. His daughter, who, alongside with Keelah, were the most important people in his universe. They were his family.

The End