Philosophy Pudding

Posted on 29 Sep 2013 @ 3:21pm by Raifi Zaren & Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm

3,816 words; about a 19 minute read

Mission: Episode 04 - Exodus
Location: USS Galileo: Deck 2, Messhall
Timeline: MD01: 1300 hrs

[ON]

Sighting the Captain across the messhall, Raifi hurried past the pickled prunes and Dionysian eggs to have a word. "Captain," he greeted her with a broad smile as he approached. "It is a shame to see a female of your standing eating alone. May I join you for a moment?"

Sitting by herself at her table with a half-eaten sandwich on her plate, the Orion captain looked up when her rank was called and took in the familiar and very distinctive appearance of the tattooed Trill FNN journalist. He had been a welcome presence on her ship throughout the course of the last two weeks, despite some of her crew's objections to having members of the press aboard. Lirha, however, thought it very refreshing to have investigative reporters aboard her ship, and Mister Zaren was one of strong integrity and character. "If you would be so kind." she answered with a welcoming smile while gesturing to the vacant chair across from her.

"I have not seen you for quite some time after the rest of your team departed...I trust you are still enjoying yourself?" she added with a playful glint in her green eyes.

"I try to do little else," he grinned back at her. "I had forgotten how much I love this sense of constantly being on the edge of new discoveries. And your crew provides a welcome sounding board for the diversity of my audience in subspace. I should thank you again for allowing me to remain with your compliment; I know there have been a few disgruntled voices on that score."

"Disgruntled scientists? You don't say..." she let out a soft laugh. "I suppose it comes with the territory. In my experience, many in the academic community are rather...introverted." she chose her words carefully and in a quiet voice, glancing around and not wanting to possibly offend any of the many blue-collared science officers current present in the mess hall. She folded her legs underneath the table and continued.

"Personally, I find your presence aboard the ship to be refreshing. Our Rojar survey was very promising, and I hope we have been able to give you an up-close look at what it is we exactly do out here in the corners of explored space."

"Not 'exactly'," he twisted the ring around his thumb a few times. "I hope our continuing to travel together will continue to expand my understanding. Ancient civilizations. Previously undiscovered planets. Has there been any word on what Starfleet plans to do regarding Rojar II R01?"

Lirha picked up her sandwich and took a small bite, then nodded while she chewed and swallowed. She had not thought much about the new moons her crew had recently discovered, but did have a bit of information to share with the inquiring mind across from her.

"I have been informed by the Planetary Sciences Division that R01 is scheduled for colonization within the next several weeks. There is currently a convoy of support ships in route to the system to verify our findings and conduct detailed atmospheric and biological studies to ensure the safety of any future-colonists. And from what I have been told, R02 will be surveyed in much more detail, and several archaeological expeditions are also on their way to explore many of the ruins we encountered. Starfleet seems to be very interested in these 'Rojarians' which once lived on the moon." she explained.

"Hard not to be, considering the state they were found in. A ghost town is one thing. A ghost moon - quite another. Have you any idea if the plans for colonization include the Romulan denizens of MS1?"

The captain gave him a private look with narrowed eyes. "On the record... or off?" she quietly asked, not wanting to divulge any information which might leak its way into public knowledge or be used for some type of political campaign.

Zaren's smile grew intent. "The situation on MS1 is of personal interest to me; that's why it became professional. But if you'd prefer, I can promise not to repeat any information on the subject to my listeners."

"Very well," Lirha kept her voice low, "should this information -- which I am about to tell you -- be leaked...I will know where to find you." she half-teased, but with a sincere glance. "Starfleet has detected multiple Romulan convoys in the nearby sectors, some of them even military convoys. We do not know their exact intentions, but we believe they are looking to expand and relocate part of their population. Because of this, and our special relationship with MS1, Starfleet has no current plans to move MS1 personnel into this vicinity."

The Trill straightened. "So the presence of a habitable planet, unclaimed and untouched, is opened to... whom? Because Starfleet believes that there are Romulans with plans to move into the vicinity, the ones who are even now barely scraping out survival on MS1 are to be left where they are? One Romulan is just as good as another?"

The captain continued to munch away at her sandwich with a rather strange calmness to her in respect to the issue at hand. "I have not inquired much into the matter but from what I understand, Starfleet feels that its own interests would be better served by not moving a group of refugees into what could turn out to be a contested region of space." she said after swallowing, then took a long drink of water from her glass while looking at the Trill man and attempting to gauge his reaction.

"Of course its own interests are better served. That's why they've been lavishing, unminded, for months - starving and dehydrating and at the mercy of raiders." He shook his head sadly. "And you've no say over this. I understand you're only following orders, but you must be able to see how ludicrous it is. The idea that something might happen being used as an excuse not to take action against something that is happening. And wouldn't Starfleet's looking after Romulan refugees serve as a peace effort, even, in the eyes of Romulans in search of a new home?"

Lirha could understand his concern but sadly, as he had just pointed out, she had no control over Federation policy. She was simply a starship captain whose duty was to carry out the orders delegated to her. "I understand your frustration, Mister Zaren. The situation is..." she paused to think of a diplomatic word, "delicate, to say the least. I think there are many in Starfleet who feel the same way as you, but there are also those who are more conservative in their thinking."

"Conservative?" he wondered. "Or afraid? So many species spent so long facing off against the Romulan's military structures, they never actually experienced Romulan culture. Who are they when they are not having their borders threatened? Why did they grow so fiercely defensive against outsiders?" Zaren sighed. "And now they have no home to protect or work to keep from the manipulations of Vulcan. Now they're in the wind, with doors slamming in their faces. Their refugees treated as less than. There is no future peace coming out of this treatment, only more hostility. If your admirals could be made to understand this; to see the ripples of the droplets they fling thoughtlessly into the sea of time. Perhaps they could find some way to overcome their personal misgivings and fears and misunderstandings. Perhaps they could lead the way for others in the Federation to do the same. A show of faith, from both sides, would bring wondrous opportunities for peaceful collaboration out of the Hobus disaster. A chance for a new beginning. For everyone."

"You have a great way with words." Lirha gave him a sympathetic smile and a slight nod; a brief signal that she understood at least some of his feelings. "Personally, I believe the MS1 situation is more fluid than we both think. In fact, I believe the entire Romulan situation is more complex than any of us care to admit." she took another drink from her glass then gave Zaren a curious look accompanied by a tilt of her head. "Have you ever considered working for Starfleet's Diplomatic Corps?"

As quickly as he had become impassioned, the Trill dropped back with a sly smile. "Can you see me," he gestured vaguely at his worn leather jacket, varied piercings and jewelry, and body full of tattoos, "in a uniform?"

The captain looked over Zaren's decorative appearance for a long moment then finally let out a warm laugh despite her attempt to remain professional. She couldn't deny that his projection was a bit unorthodox, to say the least. "What is the Earth term? 'Never judge a book by its cover'?" she teased. "I think you are selling yourself short. You have the passion of any good diplomat, as well as a strong ethical core it seems."

"I thank you for the compliment," he tucked his tongue against the inside of his cheek. "But it's got nothing to do with selling myself short. I don't want to be one of a hundred drones, following orders, having places that I'm 'supposed to be' and things I'm 'supposed to do'. There's a great deal of perspective to be gained from standing on the outside of Starfleet looking in, but likewise there is the most important thing, for me: freedom. Plus, people actually read my stories and listen to my broadcasts from the FNN. If I were in the Fleet..." he laughed. "Every word would be censored and I'd only have the ear of a few individuals who could easily ignore me or order me silent."

Lirha felt a bit of sadness when he referred to Starfleet personnel as being drones. She had worked her entire life to be able to have her own command, and thought very highly of Starfleet as well as their ideals and principals. But she also knew that as with many political organizations, Starfleet wasn't perfect, and Raifi had many valid points which she was unfortunately unable to help deal with at the current moment.

"You think you can do more good for the Federation as a journalist than as an officer? Because of your objectivity and broadcasting influence?" she asked in a non-judgmental manner, trying to repeat his sentiment so she fully understood his position.

"More good for the Federation, yes. And for the Romulans. And for my people. The latter most prominently, really. I've a duty to them, to expand our knowledge of the universe and pass that knowledge on to future generations of Trill." Zaren leaned forward, resting a hand on hers. "Allow me to clarify: I'm not saying that officers of Starfleet do not benefit the Federation. Far from it. For all the flaws of the organization, it does do a tremendous amount of good. But as with any group, once an organization takes up the mantle of 'good for all species', they are beholden to that statement and any lapse can become a glaring problem. I only hope that it will rectify these lapses in time, rather to allow them to expand and swallow it whole. The key is keeping everyone thinking for themselves, rather than nodding and accepting whatever they're told. You've got a mix on board here. Perhaps that's the balance that's required."

"Ah yes, the bureaucratization of Starfleet." she winked while looking down at his hand. It felt warm and comforting, a feeling which she had unfortunately not felt recently due to the rigors of her command schedule.

"Interestingly enough, I have always been amazed that the UFP has existed as long as it has. Fundamentally, it is simply a loose collection of worlds who share a common goal and ethical belief structure...but aside from that, each world is free to govern their own people as they see fit -- more or less. I have always viewed Starfleet as the 'glue' which binds these worlds together, but I suppose every political entity sometimes loses track of its greater purpose." she admitted.

"The trouble, I think, is a lack of regulation. Self-regulation only goes so far and there appears to be a great deal of fluidity ship to ship and base to base as to what rules apply and which do not. Starfleet doesn't really appear to exist as a whole; it is a collection of various vessels operating on their own guidelines with vague marching orders from on high. And the marching orders seem to be largely concerned with maintaining a status quo and expanding borders, rather than acting as the peacekeepers Starfleet claims to be. You're a military force that stands for what is 'right', and yet 'right' tends towards keeping your hands to yourselves and allowing atrocities to happen under your noses. Like the Bajoran enslavement, and the near catastrophe of the Klingon rebellions. Like what is even now happening with the refugees of Romulus. Wait and see. The military forces of the planets of the UFP expect Starfleet to correct these injustices, so they send no aid themselves, but then when nothing is done... You see, it's all a bit of an intergalactic muddle."

Lirha took another long drink of water from her glass and adjusted herself in her chair to a more comfortable position. "So you think Starfleet should police the UFP more heavily? What about those worlds which would object to such increased enforcement?" she asked with a wry smile, then continued.

"I understand your point of view but I believe that some of those cases, like those dealing with the Klingons, Romulans, and even Bajorans and Cardassians, are a bit more difficult to deal with because they involve groups of people who aren't necessarily members of the UFP. And so, in cases like that, there becomes an added element of diplomacy which could affect relations between the UFP and the other major powers in the quadrants."

Zaren smiled slyly. "I didn't say you had to go in phasers firing. Action through diplomacy is still action."

"Wise words, Mister Zaren." Lirha agreed. "Are you completely sure you wouldn't want to join Starfleet's Diplomatic Corps?" she teased again but with a hint of seriousness in her voice.

"And wear pajamas to work every day?" he teased back at her. Patting her hand once more, he sat back and looked fondly around the mess hall. "But I am glad to be here while the story is and to shed my influence where I can." He tilted his head, considering her carefully. "How are you doing?"

The Orion shrugged and pushed her plate to the side with her free hand. "I am doing alright, I suppose. It was not ideal to find USS Venture so devastated, but at least their saucer section is safe back in the Rojar system along with most of their crew. I can only speculate as to what occurred to the stardrive section here in the nebula, but our personnel are surveying the debris field and looking for clues as to what as transpired."

"Any leads so far?"

"No, but we have recovered the stardrive's data recorder thanks to the help of one of our engineers. I believe they are attempting to interface it with our systems as we speak, so it should hopefully only be a matter of hours before we have full sensor logs of what occurred during the attack." she answered.

"In addition, we have been attempting to interview some of the survivors we brought on board...many of them seem to indicate that there was some type of ambush, but they are not entirely sure who the culprit was." she added. It was indeed a very important mystery which needed to be solved, and she had been on edge ever since her ship had discovered the wreckage.

Zaren nodded, considering her carefully. "And when you learn what happened... what then? Would you go after whoever was responsible, or leave that decision to Starfleet Command?"

"Out here, far away from the rest of the fleet?" she replied with a bit of surprise at the question. "There are no other starships in our nearby vicinity and we are not equipped to go to war." she paused and sighed. "That said...there are still many of Venture's crew who are unaccounted for, so if we find evidence of some sort of kidnapping or hostage situation, then I am within my rights to plan and execute a search and rescue operation."

"And would you? Should it come to that?"

The FNN journalist was quite a curious man, and Lirha wanted to do her best to give him some insight into her thought process as well as that of all Starfleet captains. "Well," she paused to turn the tables on him, "What would you do? Imagine you are a Starfleet captain who has sworn an oath to defend the Federation, and you just discovered a Galaxy Class stardrive destroyed with multiple survivors and over a hundred of their personnel still missing in action...personnel who had selflessly taken the same oath as you and who deployed on each assignment to help further the advancement of our civilization and scientific knowledge. If you found evidence of their destruction and then subsequent abduction, and thought you had a chance to rescue them...would you?"

"A choice between rescuing those lost and risking those who are still with me... I can't say I would feel comfortable making that decision for anyone else. I suppose I'd put it to a vote." Absently, he twisted his ring around his thumb. "But I am not you."

Lirha glanced at some of the tattoos on Zaren's neck while she pondered his reply. "It is a difficult decision, to be sure. But it is one of the burdens of command, something which is always tough for me. On one hand I have to weigh the safety and protection of my crew, and on the other I must do what is right for those in need." she smiled to herself. "A vote would be easier, but sadly Starfleet is not exactly a democratic organization."

"Indeed," he agreed gravely. The ring twisted again. "If it is not a matter than can be shared and discussed among peers to come to a decision that suits the needs of the majority," he pondered. "You must take it down to a practical level. Are the missing officers a security threat to the larger organization? If they are not found, what is the result?"

"If they are not found, I am not sure what would happen to them -- if they are still alive, that is." she admitted. "Torture, imprisonment, prolonged suffering. Those are just a few of the worst-case scenarios I can think of. I am not exactly sure what knowledge the missing crew members might possess, but I do know that Captain Sutherland is among those. As a Starfleet captain, she no doubt holds a great of important and classified information in her mind." she adjusted herself in her seat, her agitation becoming slightly visible at the thoughts of what could happen to captured Starfleet officers.

"It could be a security threat but more importantly, I am concerned for their well-being. If I were to be captured...which has happened before, I would want someone to come rescue me." she added with a solemn and private smile to hide the terrors of her past captivity.

"There is something quite nice about being pulled from the jaws of certain torment and demise, isn't there?" he murmured, a strangely uncomfortable grimace crossing his features. The look didn't belong on his youthful, ink-ingrained face; it was the expression of an older man who'd survived more than this young man could have hoped to live. "I do not envy your position, Captain Saalm. My only advice would be that you look to your fellows for counsel. Whatever decision is made, must not rest on your shoulders alone."

But that was precisely the problem for Lirha. The decisions she made for her crew did rest solely on her shoulders...or at least she thought so. New commanding officers were taught at the Academy to never second-guess themselves and always think to the future for that exact reason, but it was much easier said than done in Lirha's eyes. Though she would never admit it, she often thought about those officers and crewmen who had lost their lives under her command, and she knew she was the one ultimately responsible. For each one who perished, she felt a little part of herself being chipped away, especially when she wrote the letters of condolence to their families.

"I..." she began to reply but stopped and sighed with a sadness that she couldn't cover up this time. "Thank you for your kind words." she tried to recover and forced a smile across her lips. "Being a CO is extremely lonely at times."

"One of many reasons I retreated from military life long ago," he agreed with her. "Lonely and unforgiving. But. You do get the Comfy Chair. So that's something, isn't it? Makes it all worth while?"

"I would not trade it for the world." She paused and cocked her head in thought. "Well, maybe two worlds," she joked.

"There you are." He winked. "Good humor wins in the face of everything." Zaren bit his lip. "Say... you don't happen to be a fan of tongo, do you? I've been looking into getting a game together. A little risk and strategy might be just what you need, if you have a few minutes somewhere."

"Tongo?" Lirha repeated with surprise, unable to resist the grin which spread across her lips. "I have not played in ages but I would love to. It was not the most popular game on Earth amongst Humans, but most Orions are very fond of it. I will warn you, however...I used to be very good." she teased.

"My shift ends in three hours. Would you like to come by my quarters for a couple games?" she proposed.

Zaren rubbed his hands together with a pleased expression. "If you're willing to gamble, I'm willing to take your latinum." Chuckling, he sat back. "Something to look forward to."

"Yes, very much." Lirha enjoyed the friendly banter but had to now head back to her ready room to finish out the remainder of her duty shift. She collected her plate, napkin and cup then stood from the table. "I must return to the bridge but I will see you soon, Mister Zaren." she winked, then turned on her heels and deposited her belongings in the recycling bin before heading out of the mess hall.

[OFF]

--

CAPT Lirha Saalm
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

Raifi Zaren
FNN Journalist
USS Galileo
NPC Lilou Peers

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