Chapter Eighteen
Audacter Ire - 'To Boldly Go'

"Is everything all right, Admiral?"

"Yes, everything is just fine." He stood on the observation deck overlooking the shipyard staring at her again; slowly studying each line and curve. He still couldn't quite believe that in less than a week she would be his - finally.

"Jean-Luc, you're staring again," Beverly warned him as a group of technicians appeared in the background.

He tugged his uniform into place and quickly focused his gaze through the window. He knew every inch of her from the diagrams but now she was real. He could walk her corridors blind-folded even though he had yet to actually step on board. Their future lay just through that window. He smiled as his hand found his companions and squeezed it gently.

"One more week," she whispered before sneaking a kiss to his cheek. He checked to make sure the technicians had passed before pulling her close for another kiss.

"So, what do you think of our new home?" he asked.

"She looks great from the outside. When do we actually get to go aboard? Are you sure they're going to have everything done?" the impatience clear in her voice.

"Relax. I'm sure everything will be done according to your specifications. All you have to worry about is showing up to your wedding on time."

"Relax? How can you be so calm? Have you seen what the guest list has grown into? Not to mention the fact that we haven't actually seen the reception area and if-"

He stopped her words with a kiss- the only method proven effective in the past weeks. She sighed then rested her head against his shoulder for a moment, staring at their new home.

Leaving France was not going to be easy. Their time there had been some of the most wonderful moments of their lives. Indeed they both felt as though they had put the honeymoon before the wedding. They knew their new life would never be as peaceful as their days on Earth had been; their mornings filled with new light, their evenings of shared sunsets and wine.

And what of their nights? They both held positions that require they be on call 24 hours, 7 days a week. But she could see the light in his eyes as he looked into the sky at night. And she knew he wasn't ready to settle into comfortable just yet. Truth be told she was just as anxious to get back in space as he was. She was still searching for cures that only the stars held. He was still searching.

"One week," he whispered as they turned to leave. There was still a week of memories to fill.

"Sometimes it takes courage to try. . . And courage can be an emotion also." JLP, ST:TNG, "Generations"