“Captain, I don’t have any official idea that this may work. You’re–this is, in my honest opinion, near impossible.” Plimmitt sighed as he walked down the hallway with Captain Dowe.

“Lieutenant, you’re thinking about this too in the box.” She smiled as the turbolift came into view.

For the past four hours, the two senior officers of the USS Morro Bay had been going back and forth about what to do with the dying star in the Drekar system. It had been mostly cordial—even productive. But with the two now on their way down to Engineering, and nothing to do, the Captain and her Engineer would have to be in uncomfortable silence.

“Engineering.” Jetta spoke, and the turbolift came to life.

“Captain.” Plimmitt eventually spoke after some silence. Jetta glanced over to him.

“Yes, Lieutenant?” Jetta responded. Plimmitt’s eyes looked at the ground and then very quickly back up at Jetta, a deep inhale rumbling through his chest as he spoke. It was almost like he was regulating a sense of anger.

“I still don’t agree with your decision to try and put a hold on the wormhole project.” Plimmitt seemed far more levelheaded then he did before. “This magnifying glass idea could work in theory, but too much research would be placed into it before they could even get a full model in.”

Jetta’s gaze wandered to the Saurian, brow furrowing ever so slightly. While Plimmitt had a somewhat valid point, there was far too much resting on her shoulders to consider an alternative that could destroy entire planets in mere seconds. But with every time she denied the Saurian his wishes, he got more distant—more uncooperative.

“I–Computer, stop turbolift. Why?”

“What?” Plimmitt looked fully at her. “What do you mean?”

“Why are you so against this, Lieutenant? Even if it takes a while, they would still have time. We can also help aide the Kaelthri in their research.” Jetta turned to him. “You’re not telling anyone the full truth, and unless you do, there’s nothing I can do to help you.”

“That’s nobody’s business, Captain.” Plimmitt glared up at her as he spoke. “It’s just something that matters to me. Something that I’ve lived, and sitting around is going to do nothing.”

“It may be nobody’s business, but you make it everyone’s problem when you let it interfere with your work.” Jetta rolled her eyes and turned back to facing the doors. “You don’t have to tell me anything, but you have a job to be doing, Ruuvon. Please do it. Computer, resume turbolift.”

. . . .