"Of Friends..." Commander Stephens does not believe a vampire is capable of being honest. After a tragic accident proves to Captain Hollander that her faith in her new friend, the vampire Charles, is not unfounded, she orders Commander Stephens to find a way to accept their new passenger as a friend. By the captain's command, Commander Stephens invites Charles for an evening of bonding in the method of men since nearly the beginning of time: Drinking. Ensign Ellison Ducrates witnesses the debacle that follows and manages to cement his place in Captain Hollander's inner circle by proving he is more than just a dutiful sailor. "...and Escalation" A non-natural presence on the Brigadier leads to questions for which the Captain herself can not find an explanation. The threat continues to grow more deadly as the Brigadier draws closer and closer to her destination. Old friends and older enemies gather aboard the Brigadier and form an alliance against a threat the Captain hoped to never face in her lifetime: God.