The Search for Honor

Posted on 10 Jan 2024 @ 7:03pm by Lieutenant Aria Rice & Commander (La) Kuran

1,899 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 19 - Tomorrow's Galileo
Location: IKS Praxis - Main Bridge
Timeline: MD 01, 1715 hrs

[ON]

After Tarin disconnected, Aria had sat there for approximate ten seconds, frowning. Then she had gotten up, found a replicator and changed. Her measurements were still on file and getting a Klingon uniform had not been an issue. She had learned from last time though and adjusted the trousers to fit her better and be more comfortable. And she had replicated black boots closer to the type she would have worn privately, just with a thicker heel to run and fight in. She put streaks in her hair again and let it hang free...no Starfleet Regulation out of the face sort. Then came the weapons.

On the inside of the collar sat the pin from Jessamine, close to her heart her father's commbadge. Her mind had counted the seconds away. It had taken 340 seconds for the uniform, another 120 to put it on, another 120 for final touches.

She knew the way to the bridge well, walking with her head held high. By now, she assumed that Blake and Tarin were talking. But judging how furious Tarin had been, maybe it called for whoever was left of the senior staff.

Stuff it. Didn't matter.

She entered the bridge and moved to the side of the Captain's chair, giving a quick look to the Klingon who stood in that space. A silent challenge, before the Klingon stepped to the side. Good. She was not in the mindset for a fight. "What is the Galileo-A doing?" she asked, frowning as she watched the images in front of her.

Within the warship's primary command center were a multitude of Klingon junior officers manning their stations, with five on one side and six on the other with an additional eight situated within the aft section of the bridge. Each one of them focused on their own specialized tasks because they did not posses the sort of broader training and adaptability many Starfleet officers did. They were not less competent, merely more specialized. As was the Klingon way.

The Human's arrival within the bridge and her subsequent distinctive voice caused heads to turn as the officers observed the short Starfleet woman now clad in Klingon dress. When she spoke, they then returned to their duties but not without subtle grumbling from several of them.

"Observing, as Starfleet always does," answered Kuran who had stealthily entered the bridge just behind the short Human. He suspected there might be more to this Captain Tarin of which he had little Klingon intelligence. "What did you say to your commanders? Have they accepted your decision?"

Aria considered it for a moment before she let out a breath. "Captain Tarin was, in a way, not impressed. I would say she has not accepted it and views this as treason. She cut the link before I could even officially render my resignation from Starfleet. Perhaps my own fault, I was trying to make her understand." And that had been futile. "And wasted valuable time."

A klaxon emanated from several of the operations stations lining the far wall. "La!" yelled an older, grey-haired cranial-wrinkled officer. "The Starfleet vessel is penetrating our hull with transporter targeting scanners!" The alarm in the senior warrior's deep voice reverberated throughout the room.

"I take it Captain Tarin is extremely angry," Aria said, lightly, before she stepped forward. Despite the tone, her entire body had tensed with disbelief. "I suggest we cloak the ship, to prevent them from getting a transporter lock, Captain Kuran."

The tall and slim commander flexed his hands, tightening them with an audible creak from his targ-leather gloves while he narrowed his eyes at the small Federation ship on the main viewscreen. "So'!" he ordered in his accented native tongue. The bridge's ambient lights suddenly dimmed as the D8-class battlecruiser activated its cloaking device. "It is time to leave," he then said to Rice with a light dose of urgency. "Your captain will continue to pursue you if we remain close to her vessel's sensor arrays."

"Then we cloak and we go," Aria said as she looked at him, her eyes focused. There were a lot of thoughts in her mind, but her focus was now her mission and this crew. "As quietly as possible, we don't want to draw attention on us through Federation-controlled space."

"If what you say is true of this future and the Federation is facing defeat...perhaps this is no longer Federation territory," Kuran quietly mused while stroking his robust fu manchu goatee. His dark brown eyes then brightened with a decisive course of action. "Helm, set a direct course for our - Klingon - space. If we are fortunate, we will encounter one of the Empire's subspace relay stations. If we wish to obtain true information about this war, then this will be our greatest opportunity."

Aria gave a small nod, looking thoughtful. "We need to get all the information we can. Klingon, Romulan, any neutral parties still skirting the edges. There will be groups as well, resistance, aid groups...any information we can gather will help."

He silently contemplated her desire for expansive and diversified knowledge of this new time, but his own priority was ultimately that of his crew's. To learn what state the Empire was currently in and why this conflict had begun in the first place. His strategy wasn't completely at odds with Rice's but it didn't perfectly align together either. Yet, the two shared a common goal, and for now, they would remain allies. Would they remain so throughout the future days or weeks? Only Kahless could predict the future with such accuracy. "Engage!" he barked to the helmsman.

In the dark and nebula-spotted cosmos within the Pleiades Cluster, IKS Praxis invisibly aligned itself along a new course trajectory toward the nearest last-known Klingon starbase. Its two large warp nacelles glowed bright green beneath the cloak before flaring and snapping the battlecruiser away from the Galileos at high warp.

The familiar view of star streaks within the main viewscreen manifested and Kuran experienced a sense of overdue freedom and relief from no long being attached to the Federation's diplomatic protocol and procedures. Once again, they were a true Klingon warship free to pursue their own objectives without foreign interference. He glanced back to Rice with a new, authoritative demeanor. "I hope you have prepared yourself well for this journey. I cannot ensure your safety anymore, or that you will even be able to return to Galileo."

Aria looked at him for a long moment, studying him for a long moment. "Things will be as they will be," she said before she looked ahead. It wasn't about her or her survival, not really. It was about finding out what had been going on and to see if this new alliance had any hope for peace in the quadrate. "I'll stand and fall on my own two legs, so to speak."

"And if the time comes for battle and you have not found your answers...are you prepared to die with glory and honor and take your place in Sto-vo-kor as a true warrior?" he attempted to confirm, now projecting his voice loud enough to be heard by all the Klingon officers within the bridge. "Or will you hesitate and return to your Starfleet principles of 'neutrality' and 'diplomacy'?" He then leaned his head down next to her ear and spoke in a subdued, private voice. "..You must show them - the crew - you are now one of us. Speak to them as a fellow warrior and gain their loyalty.."

Aria turned her head a little towards her and spoke in a quiet voice, the same tone and volume he had said, privately to him. "The Starfleet that I believe in and serve stands up for those who can't defend themselves, for truth, for understanding, for transparency, for peace and exploration. Don't think because I am here with you, that I am throwing away that," she stepped away and turned to face them all. "While I am on the Praxis, I am the First Officer and I serve this crew and this ship. We are one crew, united, against all who stands in our way. Whoever and whatever they might be. If it that is the Starfleet and Federation of this time..." she held her hands out to the side, raising an eyebrow. "Then so be it."

The surrounding Praxis bridge crew had all turned to observe the small Human when she started to speak. Judging. Observing. Determining her worth in silence with only visual scowls and frowns on their faces being the initial sole indicator of their acceptance. Then, once she finished - after she pledged herself to their cause and the Empire - several of their chins raised and were accompanied by murmuring grunts of acknowledgement. A muted thud then sounded, then another, then another in a slow building chorus as each of them pounded their fists against their stations' metallic bulkheads in synchronization.

Kuran stood tall and proud next to his new first officer, his posture upright and strong. "They approve," he translated.

Aria looked at him before she took a deeper breath. "At least for now," she said, her voice quiet so only he got to hear it properly as she moved closer to him. "We both know that it might change, for both of us, as sides are drawn between the past and this time. Not everyone will be happy working with Romulans if that is what we end up doing."

"I have no intention of 'working' with such dishonorable baktag," he countered, refuting the entire notion with private disgust. "The Romulans have always been cowards. They would rather create elaborate deceptions to fool their enemies than face them directly in battle. I doubt much has changed in twenty-five years. But," he stroked his goatee again in thought, "it is not impossible that other warriors of mine aboard Praxis may find...sympathy with them if this alliance can lead to the destruction of the Federation. We must remain vigilant."

Aria gave him a small nod, clearly thinking it over. Well, she'd burn that bridge when they got to it. "That we must," she said before she arched an eyebrow. "And we will have to judge each encounter on its own merits. That is my advice anyway," she looked away at that, considering it for a moment. A long moment, just as she considered it all. For what it was worth, she held hope.

The time for philosophizing had come to an end, for now Praxis' task was clear and without ambiguity - to seek out this new Klingon Empire, and determine its state of honor and verify this new intelligence the Humans presented. "Assume your station, Sogh," Kuran instructed, "and prepare yourself."

Aria nodded as she moved to her station, her hand touching it before she looked ahead. Her lips parted with a soft intake of breath as it settled in her. Fate had closed its hands, and she would finally see what she was made of. Good, or bad.

[OFF]

--

CMDR Kuran
Commanding Officer
IKS Praxis
[PNPC Tarin]


Lieutenant Aria Rice
First Officer
IKS Praxis

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