Please

The captain stood before her viewport, her mind a chaos of fear and regret. The chime was unable to penetrate her thoughts, but the man outside was persistent.

Again the sound, breaking the woman from her reprieve.

Kathryn turned to the offending barrier.

“Kathryn?”

Still, she did not speak.

“Kathryn, let me help.”

But the captain could not surrender, not ever.

“Kathryn, please” whispered the man, desperately.

But it was too late. They were all too late.

Today, she paid the price.

Today, she would fix everything.

Kathryn Janeway turned back to the lines of stars, blurred by unshed tears.

-K