Bajoran Inquisitions

Posted on Mon Jul 17th, 2023 @ 1:50pm by Captain Malcom Llwyedd & Lieutenant Commander Jörgen Leed & Lieutenant Harren Kalur

1,580 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: A Long Hard Road Ahead
Location: USS Firebird, Deck 1, Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: 23 August, 2396, 1245 Hours

[ON]

Malcom picked up the PADD he'd been reading, and his coffee, and made his way over to the couch. He sat down, his eyes never leaving the PADD. In the last couple of hours, everything had changed. Outside his window, the spectacle of warp speed was putting on a show for anyone watching. Even without looking though, Malcom could feel the thrumming of the Firebird's warp engines as they were pushed to the maximum.

He had his cup halfway to his mouth, paused, and then set it down. He tapped his combadge. "Commander Leed, this is Captain Llwyedd. Please report to my ready room at your earliest convenience. Llwyedd out," he said. He let his gaze turn to the windows, watching the colors flash and dance.

"Computer, pause program," Jörgen said. Everything around him froze, his sailboat tilting starboard, stern high, at the top of a wave in an angry sea. He checked the time. Still hours before the Firebird would drop out of warp. He sighed, looked around him, checked his charts, and sighed again. He was about to capsize. Again. "Computer, end program."

Twenty minutes later he stood outside the captain's door, mind wondering at the possibilities. Tired, frustrated by a computer program, he triggered the door chime.

"Come in," Malcom said. He smiled when Commander Leed came in. "Please, sit down Commander. I'm sorry to disturb you during your holodeck time, truly. But given what we are facing I didn't feel I could wait."

"Accepted Captain, of course." Jörgen sat down, his frustration evaporating into the air like sea foam. "What new development has come to your attention?"

"I've received a message from the Bajoran government. As you know, they already have one colony in the Gamma Quadrant and they've got a seed colony started in another system. They are bearing a large portion of the construction burden for Deep Space Eighteen because it will allow them to expand further. But they are, understandably, upset with what's going on and they want to attach a ship to us when we pass Bajor and head into the Wormhole," Malcom said. He glanced out the window again. "I'd like your opinion on the situation and whether I should agree to have this ship accompany us."

"My instinct of this situations says we should decline. We are answering a distress call, have no reinforcements available, and details on the sector barely qualify as scant. At best we will only have to protect the base and ourselves. An additional civilian ship, Captain, is tactically and actionably unsound," Jörgen said. Despite his answer, Jögen's eyes were narrowed as if boring into the captain's desk. His mind deep in thought.

"You're right, of course. The delicate part is how do I tell the head of the Bajoran government to take a hike? Especially when they have legitimate reasons for making the request. What should I say?" Malcom said. "I can be diplomatic when I need to be but this feels a little more complicated, Commander."

"How indeed. Being well aware of the distress call, The First Minister and Bajoran Council will have discussed in detail everything I just said. They must have concluded that the risk to this new ship is worth it, and will lean on the weight of their financial backing of the station. In short, any approach we take to shut this door will likely result in them blasting the door open. Is there any new information that you have to add to our side of the argument?"

"A bit, yes. I'll tell you the couple of pieces we have managed to scrounge in the last few hours but they are unconfirmed," Malcom said. "First, Harlan, of all people, received a direct channel hail from a Chief Petty Officer who was working on DS18. His name is Stanley Truman. I've met him once. I don't know if they create all Chief Petty Officers out of the same mold but suffice it to say that he and Harlan are two peas in a pod. Anyways, Truman says that the attackers are attempting to block or close the wormhole from their side. Unfortunately the message was cut off and we can't reach him again. At the same time, Lieutenant Smith had an operative reach out to him with information that there was some kind of Gamma Quadrant Alliance forming against the Federation. There is a scheduled follow up but it isn't for 72 hours."

"Organized resistance from a loose alliance is a bad case for us." Jörgen eased back in the seat, his eyes focused past Malcom at something outside the starship. "Some factions on Bajor believe that expansion is the sure path for their survival. If they are the driving force then Starfleet may have to accept this as terms of Bajor's financial backing. I will make a formal request of denial if you want. I doubt Bajor will back down."

"I agree with you. I can't see them sitting on the sidelines and letting us take care of things. I believe the Firebird's reputation is better with the Bajorans than with the rest of the Alpha Quadrant. We've done a lot of work here over the years. But we are also a small ship and they likely want in. So is there any way we can contain them? Delay them?"

"I do have a suggestion. Two of them. Both unofficial, of course. One idea is that during their preparation you leave suddenly, detailing an urgent message from Starfleet, and travel at speed for the wormhole. You leave a shuttle behind as escort.

They may attempt to leave prematurely or arrive in a more dangerous position. A very skilled pilot will have to fly the shuttle; that is, Jackson will not be with us. The Council will be angry but it is the quickest solution." Jörgen leaned forward, tapping through content on his PADD as he talked.

"My second suggestion is that due to the many risks of the mission you demand a veteran pilot with a thorough knowledge of Starfleet tactics for their vessel. Many could be chosen. You want Erno Koss. Bajor will call this demand unseemly, highly unusual, but will also agree. Koss is a great choice, openly scoffs at Starfleet pilots, and has clashed with my wife several times in public. He has also attended several Leed family outings.

Erno Koss is smart, and knows the risks of a civilian ship. He will arrange for a problem that forces their vessel out of warp in the wormhole. He'll arrive only after some prearranged signal, or head back if we fail. The diplomatic back-and-forth will take longer but if gives us control at the end."

Malcom smiled as Commander Leed spoke. "You are a devious sort of fellow, aren't you Commander?" He asked with a grin and then continued. "I like your suggestions. I'll have Kipp inform the Bajorans that we will be rendezvousing with their craft near Bajor but then we will simply keep going. They'll eventually ask why we aren't there and we can respond that the situation deteriorated further and we couldn't delay. How do you know about this pilot, Erno Koss?"

"Shortly after my first post on Bajor, Anna took us to a small, out of the way place she had heard about--as it happened, a locally notorious dive. I was not even aware of the fight before I was knocked out from behind. When I came to, Erno had just tossed a man into a table. Soon after he proposed to Anna. Even later he apologized for knocking me out. He was quite drunk," Jörgen added. "He sees us almost every time we visit Bajor. I have helped him a time or two. He is rough, smart, and absolutely loyal to friends."

"Sounds like just the type of trustworthy, competent fellow we need. I'd like to have you handle these communications with Bajor and Koss. If everything works right, we can avoid bringing them along to the party and if it doesn't exactly work out, Koss will be at the controls and we can count on him to do the right thing. What do you think?"

"Of course, Captain. I will prepare Lieutenant Kalur to help state the position for the Bajoran Council and relay it to them as soon as possible. I would add, though I suspect you caught my meaning, that if it comes to battle Koss will make his own choices. He thinks his tactical mind is simply better. Also, Koss and I have had much more positive interactions since that first meeting. He can be a pain but a smart one."

"I'm glad to hear it, Commander. He struck me as a little bit... odd when I met him. Let me know if anything changes. And let's hope that the Bajorans don't make things too difficult. If you don't have anything else for me, I'll let you get to it."

"They have made an already perilous situation difficult enough. Another reason to enter the wormhole with all speed." Jörgen saluted Captain LLwyedd. "You will have copies of all my communications with Koss. Thank you, Captain."

[OFF]

Commander Malcom Llwyedd
Commanding Officer
USS Firebird NCC-88298


Lieutenant Commander Jörgen Leed
Chief Diplomatic Officer
USS Firebird NCC-88298

 

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