The others walk out of the room and head for the same lift that the commodore just took and step into the sensor field that triggers the door to open. None of them speak, just stand waiting for the lift to take them to whatever level they need to be at. The lift opens and they step inside.

Commander Ison says, "Bridge," and the lift begins to move. She looks at Pam and shutters, "I can't believe that they regard our life with such nonchalance. Is it true that we treated lab animals that way?"

Michael says angrily, "Yeah, they used to do horrific things to them in the name of science and testing. I read about the things that were done and it made me sick."

The lift reaches the bridge and Mandy steps out along with Pam, Michael stays on and watches the door close without another word. He angrily says, "Deck 4," and feels the lift start to move.

The night passes without any further surprises and Commander Ison notices that her commanding officer has yet to exit her ready room and decides to check. She walks over to the room and steps into the sensor area to signal her presence but not open the door. When she gets no response she taps her badge and says, "Commodore, may I speak with you please?"

She still gets no response and so she orders the computer to open the door with her security clearance and enters the ready room. As she enters, she realizes that the room is very dark and quiet, and asks for the lights to raise 50%. When the lights come up sufficiently, she sees Juanita asleep with her head on her desk, realizing that this is bad for the neck and back, she goes to wake her up.

"Juanita, wake up, you need to go to your quarters or at least to your sofa," she says softly.

The commodore looks up at her stiffly and smiles weakly, "Now you tell me, I don't remember falling asleep but I can feel the stiffness in my neck and back."

As Mandy reaches to help her up she accidentally touches her hand, and receives a yelp in response. They both look down at her hand and see that it is quite swollen and red.

"What did you do to your hand, that can't be from sleeping on it Juanita," Mandy says.

"No, it's from hitting the wall in the turbolift, I guess I kind of broke it, oh well," the commodore says. She walks over to the sofa and lays down, "Turn down the lights when you leave."

Mandy laughs and says, "Well, you should at least let the doctor know that you have damaged your hand and it needs to be healed. But I won't bother you now, since you are obviously too tired to worry about it. Night Commodore, see you in the morning. Oh yeah, I think that you should at least change your uniform in the morning before the memorial. I will let Lt. Gamble know that you are asleep in your ready room, so he doesn't worry.

Commander Ison walks out and speaks to the officers entering the bridge; "The Commodore is not to be disturbed in her ready room. There isn't anything to report so you should have a very uneventful duty shift. That is something that I would have liked to have had. Good night." She walks to the turbolift and enters before anyone can respond.

Next Morning:

As the commodore enters the cargo bay she sees that it is quite full and everyone looks very sad and she shares their sentiments. Everyone stops talking as they see her and she steps to the front of the torpedo tube holding her friend's body.

She makes eye contact with each of them and then begins, "I want to thank all of you for attending this solemn and very sad occasion. We have lost a very dear friend and a vital part of our crew. He will always be a part of this ship and his spirit will always be in our engine room and warp engines."

"Lieutenant Commander David Perez joined the crew of the Ulysses while she was still at Utopia Planetia. His expertise in engineering played a vital part in helping us leave spacedock on schedule."

"David was a dear friend and will be sorely missed. I will miss his humor, although sometimes a little dark, and his easy laughter. His death was not in battle, but it was in trying to save his fellow crew members from the useless experimentation of another species. His sacrifice saved Commander Ison's life and I know that she will always remember that."

"Everyone please join me in a moment of silence for our fallen comrade."

After a moment Commander Ison speaks up, "Atten-hut. Honors."

As the gathered officers salute, the torpedo slides down the shaft and out into space. Commodore Gamble slowly lowers her hand and everyone follows suit.

"Dismissed," she says and exits the bay.

Everyone looks at the door and the abrupt exit made by their commanding officer, bewildered by her behavior they leave in pairs and groups.

Commander Ison and Commander Gengo look at each other. "Pam, do you know what that was about," Mandy asks.

"No, she has been acting very strangely since we found out the reason for our entrapment on the holodeck. I don't know what has been going through her head but I don't think it is good," Pam says.

They say good-bye and each goes their own ways, Mandy to her quarters and Pam makes her way to the turbolift. "Computer, locate the commodore please," Pam says.

The computer responds, "The commodore is in sickbay."

Pam tells the lift to take her to sickbay and her commanding officer. She exits the lift outside of sickbay and makes her way in. When she enters she sees that Juanita is having her hand looked at, and steps over.

"Commodore, I need to speak to you as soon as you have a little time," she says.

"Can it wait Pam, I'm a little busy," the commodore says shortly.

"Actually, it can't, it is about my tour of duty aboard the Ulysses," Pam says.

Juanita looks at her and says, "All right Pam, what is it?"

"Commodore, I am requesting an immediate leave to return to Earth. I have found that I am no longer able to function as a vital part of the ship and I am retiring, effective immediately," Pam says.

The commodore looks at her in shock and disbelief, "Is this because of David's death, or something else."

Commander Gengo responds, "It is for personal reasons that I would rather not discuss, but I ask that you please accept my retirement immediately and not ask for any further explanations."

"Very well Pam, you are hereby relieved of all duties and you may depart for Earth as soon as you like," the commodore says abruptly.

Pam leaves sickbay without another word and leaves everyone in stunned silence. The commodore waits impatiently for the doctor to finish repairing her broken hand and finally departs for her ready room to contact Starfleet Command.

When she gets to her ready room she contacts Starfleet, "President Haslage, I have just received the resignation of my Ship's Counselor, she wishes to retire effective immediately and I have accepted her resignation."

President Haslage responds, "I know, she already sent it to me, I was shocked but she didn't give any explanation to me either. I guess it is something that she feels very strongly about but isn't willing to share and we must respect that."

"Yes sir," Juanita says half-heartedly. "My crew seems to be dwindling quickly."

"Commodore, I have some other news for you that probably won't make you feel any better," the president says. "Commander Ison has been offered the command of the USS Athena and we are awaiting her decision."

"Oh great, first my counselor now my first officer," the commodore says. "Who's next, my husband?"

"No commodore, we aren't taking your husband, but we are giving you a promotion. You have been promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral and you have your choice of picking a new first officer," the president says.

"Thank you Admiral Haslage, I am grateful for the promotion and I will encourage my first officer to make her decision for you," the new vice-admiral says.