Drastic Measures

by Dayton Ward

But I know it will be a while before I get past it.” He placed his hand on the catwalk’s guard rail. “I may never be completely past it. Balayna was . . . something very special.” The smile returned, and Georgiou could tell it was not forced for her benefit. “She was everything I wasn’t. Spontaneous, serene, maybe even a little too wild on occasion. Balayna was a free spirit, and a caring soul unlike anyone I’ve ever known. She was a descendant of the original settlers, but she wasn’t caught up in all of the isolationist talk and the movement to declare the planet free of Federation oversight. When relocation happened, she was one of the strongest supporters once the influx of refugees started. There were all kinds of committees and task groups designed to help with the transition into the community, and from what her friends told me, I think she volunteered for all of them.” He paused, his features softening as though he was recalling a pleasant memory.