"A combination of those. It's complicated, but there's no longer a Commonwealth where I come from. There's only the one ship with a makeshift crew. And there was a much larger threat coming. People from either side were too busy squabbling and bullying one another, preying on the weak, to focus on what would bring them advantages in the long term."

He takes a drink from his glass again, swallows and purses his lips as he looks at the rim of it. "Do you suppose you'll be able to return to your Starfleet?"