I'd like to take this opportunity to dedicate this story to my wife, Dina. She is my inspiration as well as the namesake for MacDermott's first love.
Captain’s Personal Log - Stardate 50490.4: It is my extreme pleasure later today to perform the wedding of my executive officer Thomas Kern and Miss Anya Keller, the woman from his past that he saved from Altair IV before it’s destruction. Tom will be taking some leave afterward for a honeymoon and to spend some time with his new bride. I wish them the very best for their future together. Ironically, it would have been eight years ago this month that Dina and I would have been married. Even though I am in love with Melora, I cannot help but wonder what Dina and mine’s live would have been like together.
Duncan sat back on the couch in his quarters and stared at the painting on the wall. The medieval castle was on the shores of Loch Scheel. He wondered what it was like to live in those times. Times when you woke, went to war with the neighboring clans, and were home in time for dinner. More times than not, the men did not come home. With this war with the Dominion going on, things were almost the same as they were nearly one thousand years ago. Men going off to war and never coming home, but instead of being buried in some foreign lands. They are buried on strange worlds or encased in a photon tube and hurled into space. Duncan dozed on the couch until door chime woke him. “Come.” Came his groggy reply.
As the doors parted Anya Keller walked in. “Excuse me, Captain.” She noticed how tired he looked. Duncan was out till oh four hundred with Kern, T’Gerran, Kelley, and Connor O’Roarke at Tom’s bachelor party. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”
Duncan raised his hand. “It’s perfectly all right. I had just dozed off for a minute. What can I do for you, Miss Keller?” He said rubbing his eyes.
“You know that Melora is my maid of honor. Yes of course you do.” She said nervously. “Would it be all right if she wore something other than her dress uniform?” She was a typical nervous bride, wringing her hands, talking fast.
Duncan thought for a moment, remembering how nice Melora looked in civilian clothes. He smiled. “I think Starfleet would allow it.”
“Thank you, Captain.” She said with a smile as she bounced out the door.
