Here's Your Tip, Seek Advice

Posted on 04 Apr 2012 @ 8:55am by Lieutenant Commander Evelyn Coleman & Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm

1,473 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 01 - Project Sienna
Location: USS Galileo, Deck 1, Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: MD 01 - 1030 hrs

[ON]

Following the briefing Evelyn took her station on the bridge and waited for the Captain to arrive. The Klingons have become much more aggressive then the news media has been reporting, while nothing has come in regarding issues with Federation ships in Klingon Space, but from civilian vessels and independent traders the reports are disturbing.

As Commander Saalm walked off the turbolift. Evelyn rose from her station and walked towards the Orion. "Captain," she spoke up, "may I have a word with you for a moment?"

"Of course." Lirha replied with a nod, then made her way to her ready room with the intelligence chief in tow. As the doors swished open and closed, she moved to the nearby replicator and refilled her mug of hot chocolate. "Would you like a drink or snack?" she politely offered to Evelyn.

"No. thank you." She smiled stepping into the office. "I was wondering if we could discuss the mission some more."

Lirha moved from the replicator with her drink in hand and took a seat behind her desk, delicately placing her mug down on the table before looking up at the blond El-Aurian. "Please have a seat." she replied with a nod. "What's on your mind?" she asked.

Sitting down, Evelyn spoke; "What is your current plan with regards to the Klingons?"

"Could you be more specific?" she asked, not exactly sure which details Evelyn was interested in. She picked up her mug and took a long sip of her hot drink, then licked the froth from her lips as she set the cup back down.

"We're going to have to cross Klingon Territory in order to get to Starbase 152. I just want to know your plans should the Klingons decide to be difficult."

The captain nodded at the question and adjusted herself in her chair. The same question had been on her own mind since she had first been briefed in San Francisco, and she remembered the words of her fellow friend and captain, Jen Rosewell. "I fully expect them to be difficult," she answered, "And I plan to accommodate them as much as possible. Our journey to the research facility should be rather routine, as we won't be carrying any suspicious supplies or personnel. They can scan our ship all they like, and everything should check out fine." she said, then paused to take another sip of her drink.

"As for the return journey...that will be a bit more complicated. It's my hope that we can use some of the starbase's sensor refraction technology to mask the technological components of this new drive prototype. As for the bio signatures, Crewman Ziyal is very adept with biotechnology and is confident he can come up with a way to fool their scanners." she said.

"That wouldn't work." Evelyn said, "They'll have detailed scans of the Galileo when we first enter their space, once we make the return trip they'll know we had installed something with the increased energy usage."

"Install?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "I have no intentions of installing any part of that project on this ship. Who knows what type of havoc that would wreak on our systems. Our job is simply to transport the technology and personnel, nothing further. The last thing I want is to become some sort of test bed for this experiment, which Command has assured me won't happen." she said.

"I apologize, I misheard you." Evelyn realized shaking her head, running her fingers through her blond hair. "I just want to ensure we take proper strategy with the Klingons. They are becoming increasingly aggressive, and I am very worried about the future of this alliance with them."

"I agree with you, Lieutenant. And so does Starfleet." she replied with a solemn look in her eyes. "According to recent sensor activity in the region, there has been a slow buildup of KDF forces near the outer Neutral Zone over the last few months. Our listening posts have picked up multiple coded transmissions which could possibly indicate some sort of impending military action. Personally, I don't think the Empire would risk an all out war just to satisfy their curiosity, but I have been wrong about the Klingons before." she said. "What is your opinion?" she finally asked after a moment of silence.

Evelyn took a moment to organize her thoughts. After a moment her gaze shifted to her Captain's eyes. "War with the Klingon Empire is inevitable and it's our fault."

Lirha silently stared at Evelyn for several seconds as she considered her statement. Perhaps it held some truth. "Our fault?" she asked, wanting a more detailed assessment.

"Immediately after the Dominion withdraw from the Alpha Quadrant the Allies began to decide the fate of the Cardassian Union. Because of the Cardassian's 11th Hour switch, the Federation Council and the Romulan Star Empire decided on leniency. So in the final Treaty, despite the dismantlement of their military, the Cardassian Union was relatively unchanged. The Klingons protested." Evelyn rose up out of her seat, "I was there. I was part of the Federation delegation at this summit and the Klingons were...for lack of a better word, pissed."

She began to pace in front of the Captain as she remembered the moment. "Martok...Chancellor Martok took it well compared to other members of the High Council. The Klingons wanted territory. They were fighting the Cardassians before the Dominion War, they lost more ships, more people than the Federation and the Romulans. To them they were coming out of the war as victors but empty handed. But we were allies, and they were out numbered in the vote, so they abide by the treaty. Few years later, Martok is overthrown and a new Chancellor was named."

"So you think they would risk an all-out war with the Federation?" she asked, somewhat mystified. "The Empire has acquired plenty of new territory in the last two years along the Romulan border. They should know quite well about the dangers of expanding too large, too quickly." she commented.

"The Federation Council has a resolution in committee that will condemn the Klingon Empire for those territories." Evelyn said with disgust, "the Klingons are more...aggressive now. They remind me of how they were hundreds of years ago. I don't think they want War, but they don't want this alliance to serve as handcuffs."

"Their technology has advanced considerably in the last two decades." Lirha replied in an attempt to point out some of the positive results of the existing alliance. "And we have helped to greatly improve their terraforming capabilities. I would hope that our contributions haven't been forgotten so easily." she said with a sigh.

"You forget the Khitomer Accords were voided before." Evelyn replied, reminding Lirha the brief Federation-Klingon War before the Dominion arrived in the Alpha Quadrant.

The captain shook her head, her hair bouncing lightly across her shoulders. "No, I haven't forgotten." she replied in a quiet voice. "But the last fifty years have been rather peaceful compared to the earlier times of the Federation. You must know that as well as anyone."

"Yes, the Klingons that lived through the past 50 years are much more in favor of peace, but there is a new generation emerging that grew up with war, grew up with the urge of conquest, and that Generation is coming into power."

Lirha grumbled silently to herself. Throughout her youth she had heard and sometimes witnessed the varying forms of their bully and intimidation techniques. Growing up aboard an Orion trader ship had exposed her to more of their kind than she cared to remember. Now, she sat silently and stared at Evelyn while twiddling her thumbs in thought.

"It's not a pleasant thought, is it?" she finally commented in agreement. "For now, the best thing to do is make our preparations and plan our strategy. Hopefully they will have updated sector reports and mission intel for us once we reach Starbase 234." she said.

"I hope so. I have a long time friend on Starbase 234, he's holding items that I have saved in the cargo bay for a while. Might come in handy for this mission." Evelyn spoke formulating a plan in her head. "With your permission of course."

The captain tilted her head inquisitively, "What kind of items?" she asked, curious as to the contents of the cargo.

Evelyn shrug, "Few barrels of blood wine, might help smooth things over with our Klingon escorts."

A wry grin spread slowly across her gold lips. "I think that's a wise idea. Klingons always seem more level-headed after they've indulged in a few drinks." she remarked. Well, not always level-headed, but more tolerant at least.

OFF:

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Lt. JG Evelyn Coleman
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Galileo

CMDR Lirha Saalm
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

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