The Grand Tour (Part 3 of 3)

Posted on 22 Mar 2013 @ 9:18pm by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Trija Natyal & Raifi Zaren & Justin Baker

3,451 words; about a 17 minute read

Mission: Episode 03 - Frontier
Location: USS Galileo - Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: MD 03 - 1545 hrs

Previously, on The Grand Tour (Part 2)...

Not speaking, Justin had to wonder why Jool had missed a perfect opportunity to show the personal side of Starfleet. The Captain had self admitted that her background wasn't science but yet here she was commanding a science vessel. Even though facts of Starfleet were important, even he knew too much would drag down the average viewer who didn't understand and so there needed to be a balance. Jool had had opportunity to interview the woman about who she was and then lead into this but the opportunity was now gone...unless...Justin glanced across at Zaren.

And Now, the Conclusion...

[ON]

"True enough," Zaren agreed with a slight nod. "Do you think that's why they brought you in to command the Galileo? Intelligence and communications work don't seem to go hand in hand with the aims of the planetary sciences..." he trailed off, leading her with a quirky wag of his brows. "And a follow-up question on that - how are you finding the differences, working with the planetary sciences division of Starfleet versus your previous posts?"

Lirha had her suspicions about why she had been chosen to command Galileo, but she had no concrete explanation and did not want to speculate while she was on camera, where the rest of Starfleet Command would no doubt be observing her answers to certain confidential questions. "I cannot say for certain why I was chosen for this particular assignment." she answered, "Unfortunately I am not privy to all of the admiralty's decisions." she added with a slight smile. "But so far, I am quite enjoying the post. Galileo is a small yet very capable starship and I've grown quite fond of her over the past several months. As for the differences between my assignments, the Planetary Sciences Division is a subset of the Science Corps, so we mostly perform tasks relating to ongoing research and scientific investigation. It is certainly a departure from my previous posting aboard a heavy cruiser which served on the front lines while responding to the Hobus disaster."

Trija took that opportunity to pull out her PADD and send a single word to Zaren. NO.

Zaren felt the vibration of his PADD, but didn't look. "So you were there. What measure of the response unit were you? How long were you there?"

"Yes, I was there." Lirha answered simply. "For the better part of two years." she added, declining to comment on the details of her assignment.

"Your example, then, would be a highlight of how Starfleet careers are varied and mutable?" Jool asked, jumping in before Zaren could start whining about the plight of the Romulans again. "Perhaps a case of allowing a person the freedom to fully explore their aptitudes or even to discover talents and interests they may not know they've had?"

The Orion captain smiled and nodded at Jool. "Yes, absolutely. Starfleet offers a variety of opportunities for its members. Officers receive training in a variety of subjects at the Academy and are able to pursue other areas of interest once they graduate." she explained. "Enlisted personnel are also afforded those same opportunities after they have completed their basic preparatory courses."

"Talents," Jool said, laughing merrily, "That's an interesting turn of phrase considering the array of talent you have aboard your ship. Let's see, looking over the manifest, you have Petty Officer Tiffany Darwisch, a one time pop princess and a Chief of Security once known as the 'Singing Security Officer', operatic I believe, several other accomplished musicians. Are you hoping to start up your own opera company?"

"Well...not exactly." Lirha answered with a wry grin, "But we do encourage our crew members to pursue their hobbies and interests during their free time. Being in space can get lonely at times and it is always a good idea to keep one's self occupied."

"Continuing with the them of the diverse nature of the crew," Jool said, "Aside from 'typical' Starfleet crewmembers such as Terrans, Vulcans, Andorians and the like, the Galileo is quite diverse in that it has members of races outside of the Federation. In fact, members of races that were once bitter enemies appear to be quite welcome on the Galileo. Can you tell us more about the choice to have Vortas and Orions and - Cardassians? - oh my," Jool smiled at the thought of that, "as members of the crew?"

"I believe you are misinformed, Miss Fenta." Lirha began to answer, "Orions were never bitter enemies of the Federation. They simply are not members of the UFP, and that is by choice. Starfleet prides itself on non-discrimination and we welcome all races who wish to serve in our organization." she explained, then turned her thoughts to the Vorta and newest Cardassian crew member. "As for our crew members who were once part of the Dominion...well, the war is over and has been for almost fifteen years. During that time there have been many changes in the galaxy's geopolitical climate, and we would be foolish to dwell on the past and not embrace a brighter, more cooperative future."

When he'd been interrupted, Zaren had ducked his head and sent a series of memos out to his contacts to see what he could get back on Lirha Saalm and her involvement at the front. If she was empathetic to the plight of the Romulans, and if Holliday was, getting them both on a vidscreen to say so would go a long way to convincing Starfleet and the Federation core to take a more definitive look at the collapsing situation at the refugee camps... His head popped back up with a quick smile. "A brighter, more cooperative future is exactly what we all want," he agreed. "What is it that you all do here to integrate individuals from diverse cultures? Is there a system in place which encourages interactivity and cultural understanding?"

Lirha gave a single nod to Zaren's question then began to answer. "Cultural integration begins at Starfleet Academy and Starfleet preparatory institutes before any of us even set foot on a starship. Basic courses such as Inter-species Ethics and Inter-species Protocol are the first step to understanding the various cultures of the Alpha and Beta quadrants. In addition, there are several required reading texts from various cultural attaches which further prepare and train our personnel for the inevitable cross-species interactions they will encounter." she briefly explained.

"Has Starfleet ever thought of offering those courses to non-Starfleet officers? Seems like it should be implemented in education Federation-wide, doesn't it?"

"There are civilian versions of these courses available, yes." Lirha replied. "However, it is ultimately the decision of each world's government within the UFP as to how much they would like to educate their populace about other species' cultures and societies. But compared to the other major factions in the region, the UFP is far ahead in terms of cultural integration."

"Compared to which factions?" Zaren inquired.

"The Klingon Empire. The Cardassian Union. The Breen Confederacy. The Romulan Star Empire...what is left of it. In short, all of the major Alpha and Beta quadrant powers." she elaborated for the journalist.

"But those are largely homogenous factions," Zaren pointed out. "They have no need of cultural integration on a large scale. By comparison, the UFP is the only melting pot of cultures where different species and traditions come in direct contact and conflict with each other on a regular basis. Of course UFP integration is ahead of them in something they see themselves having no need of. Likewise, many of the planets within the UFP are only linked to them for the sake of safety in numbers and the protective influences of Starfleet, without any intent of mingling, let alone understanding, other cultures. Take, for example, the situation on the MS1 colony - you've got Romulans there - who are stereotypically portrayed as being xenophobic (falsely, I would suggest) who are desperately seeking aid from UFP and have been almost unilaterally ignored for the better part of the last year. That isn't a failing on their part. It's a failing on the part of the Federation planets in their sector and in the surrounding sectors. Would it not be logical to make one of the prices of UFP membership as a planet, the need to be willing to give back to the other planets and cultures around you, learning and integrating, while you receive UFP support and protection yourself?"

Lirha looked at Zaren with a bit of surprise, not that he had asked an inappropriate question, but rather that he was so knowledgeable about the fluid situation of the Romulan refugees. When Lirha had been a Chief Intelligence Officer aboard the Athens, she had spent a great deal of herself studying and responding to the Hobus disaster. Zaren's assessment was a bit biased in her opinion, but accurate. Unfortunately, Lirha did not make or influence Federation policy; she was simply a Starfleet captain who followed orders. "I hope you will understand that I must decline to comment on the refugee situation, especially while on camera." she answered with an apologetic look. "The handling of the Hobus disaster is a touchy subject, even amongst the ranks of the UFP's leaders. For me to give my personal opinion could potentially undermine their efforts and future policies."

"How about off-camera?"

"Perhaps." the captain answered with a knowing look in her eyes.

"Well, then, since it was brought up," Jool said - glaring momentarily at Zaren, "What about the many in the Federation - and yes, Starfleet - that believes the Federation shouldn't be helping the Romulans at all? Why should Federation resources be used to rebuild a people whose history has been to make treaties just so they could bide their time for another attack?"

Justin found himself blinking, he was severely surprised that at this point that they hadn't been thrown out after the intense questioning from both reporters. Even though he recognised that the Captain was more then able for it still...

Looking back at Jool, the captain cleared her throat and did her best to remain calm and poised. She had just told the Trill journalist that she did not wish to speak about the Hobus situation, and had no idea why Jool was now asking about it. "As I said, I must decline to comment on the refugee situation." she answered rather simply. "However, I will be happy to answer any questions pertaining to Galileo and our current mission."

Zaren blinked at Jool as the woman glared at him and then proceeded to enter into a debate... ostensibly with him... during their interview with the captain. It was... strange and completely off course. Maybe she wasn't feeling well. He shrugged in the face of her glare and turned his attention back to the Orion. "I'd love to get back to your roots. What was it that led you into your particular specialties? Inspirations, mentors, that kind of thing."

"Well, I was born and raised aboard my parent's trade vessel." Lirha began to answer, grateful that the conversation had been shifted away from the Hobus situation. "By the time I was ten, I was able to speak most of the major Alpha and Beta quadrant languages, and had a good understanding of the nuances of other species' cultures. I had also visited over a fifty different worlds and trade outposts. When my mother finally settled on Earth during the Dominion War, I felt as if I was a bit out of place, being stuck planetside. I eventually set my sights on Starfleet because they offered me the opportunity to travel the galaxy, and I found it appealing that I would be working for an organization which valued exploration and social progress as opposed to bars of gold-pressed latinum. When I entered the Academy, my knowledge of the various races and cultures was a natural fit for communications and intelligence, so I was fast-tracked within the OCS program and graduated four years later as a communications specialist. From there...well, my career sort of took a life of its own."

Jool busied herself with taking notes, hoping Zaren finally got the point regarding his current obsession with the Romulans. Though, his thought of himself as 'wise' and 'above it all' because of the thing in his gut hadn't let him understand her earlier point regarding his cooperation so she doubted it. He also didn't understand collective audience demographics and intelligence as a whole. He had the luxury of 'catering' his stories to particular audiences where she needed to draw in the numbers - which meant the average viewer. While a niche audience might find the constant talk of 'intelligence' work exciting, adventerous and romantic, the common Federation citizen distrusted 'intelligence' operatives. She sighed. At least she would have the option to edit the material for broadcast.

"What are you most proud of through your career so far?" Jool asked, taking the opportunity to try to turn the conversation - again - away from demographic death to something that she had a better chance of working with, "And to follow that up, can you tell us about your biggest regret in joining Starfleet?"

That was an easy question for Lirha. "My proudest moment was when I was assigned command of Galileo and visited her for the first time in dry dock back at San Francisco Fleet Yards. I will never forget that memory..." she answered with a happy smile. "As for regrets...well, I have had to make some tough decisions over the course of my career. I suppose my biggest regret is that not all of our officers and personnel are able to return home safe and sound after each mission." she added in a somber voice.

Jool blinked at that last statement, uncharacteristically going quiet for a few moments. "Are your missions that dangerous?" she asked. "What could be going wrong on scientific missions?"

"Well, I was referring more to my previous postings as opposed to just Galileo. But space is a dangerous place; the very idea of being on a starship means that we living inside a metal contraption surrounded by one of the most harsh and inhospitable environments known to exist. The nature of space travel has always been somewhat riddled with risk, and the nature of space exploration can be even more risky at times, especially when dealing with the unknown." Lirha answered.

Jool turned to Baker, "We're going off the record here for a moment." She turned back to Lihra. "Captain, while your honesty is very much appreciated, Starfleet Command is looking at our presence here as a means of putting a good face to Starfleet - as well as recruit more into the Sciences division. I'm sure you can see how the talk of prevalant doom and gloom is - counterproductive - to those goals?"

What what what? Zaren goggled at Jool. She'd asked questions, leading the captain towards discussing the dangers of space and was now criticizing her for answering honestly? What was she thinking? He cleared his throat. "I didn't hear any 'doom' or 'gloom'. Only truth, which is also we want to share, isn't it?" he smiled. "You're doing great, Captain. We really appreciate you taking the time to speak with us like this. What was it you were saying - about dealing with the unknown?"

Lirha wasn't sure what she had said to prompt Jool to stop the interview. She had been asked a question and had answered, but somehow it was not an appropriate answer? Biting her bottom lip, she replied to the gold-skinned woman. "My apologies, Miss Fenta. I was simply attempting to explain the difficulties of operating in space, as well as highlight the brave and selfless nature of Starfleet's personnel. I believe that discussing and understanding the risks of space travel is something that everyone should realize, and not be censored. To ignore or omit the dangers we face is a discredit to our organization."

"Yes, Captain, while I'm sure we'd all like to know the truth of every situation, you must understand that sometimes you can't always tell the whole truth about situations. Starfleet Command has made the decision to highlight certain aspects of service over others. We can continue to discuss how your missions are so dangerous that people are dying on them and see what that does to recruitment, especially for the sciences." She looked over at Zaren. "Unfortunately, Captain, people like you and I understand realities of situations where some may live in a La La Land of some perfect utopia."

Jool could continue the line of conversation, allowing Captain Saalm to continue with those comments. She'd love to use them in her segments. She could see the ratings coming in from that and how they'd spin and angle the promotions for those segments. However, Starfleet Command would be unhappy. Jool, Zaren, Naytal and Baker - they were untouchable in this. The worst Starfleet could do to them for the information getting out would be to make access to future Starfleet stories difficult and Jool was confident in placement of her contacts that she'd come out relatively unscathed. Captain Saalm, however, was another story. If Zaren were as truly 'wise' and 'zen' as he believed himself, he'd have the wisdom to realize that part of their job was also to protect their sources and interviewees when there was nothing else on the line. Allow Saalm to burn herself would only cause unnecessary problems. Jool shook her head. Mental deficients she thought to herself.

"I'm sure we all have different opinions on the matter," Trija cut through them all flatly and crossed her arms. "Let's move on. You were saying, Captain."

Lirha glared at Jool. She found the woman uneducated, rash, and sensationalist, and she also seemed to lack a certain respect for what Lirha and her crew were trying to accomplish. Clearing her throat, she shook her head. "Actually, I think that will be all." she said to the team, not wanting to have to deal with Jool's absurd interviewing techniques or attitude-laden personality any longer. "I hope I have been of assistance, and," she turned to Zaren, "we can discuss the Romulans in private if you like in the near future. Off the record of course." she added.

Trija sighed. "Cut," she agreed toward Baker. Jool Fenta was being blatantly ridiculous. Criticizing the captain, asking leading questions, clearly furthering her own agenda. The last half of this interview segment was completely unusable. She sent a glance to Baker and met his eyes, giving him a silent nod and an arched eyebrow. They would have to do some extensive editing. "Thank you for your time, Captain. I know you've got your work cut out for you during this mission, so we'll let you get back to it." Her voice held a small hint of sincerity that easily could have been missed.

Justin was still reeling from what had happened. Once again, Jool had shown a complete and utter immaturity in her behaviours. Trying to hide his frustration, he called Remo back over to his hand before turning a calm smile on the Captain. "If you have a moment Ma'am, I'd like to try get a few stills of you to use in our presentation material. It would only take a quick few moments." There was something about the Captain when Jool had attempted to put the woman down..a certain vulnerability he'd seen in a flash of a moment with the woman's body language. If he could get that again, it would be vital in the editing of this piece, showing the humanoid side of the woman incharge of this ship.

Smiling widely at the cameraman, the captain nodded and slowly rose from her chair. She moved over until she was standing in front of the large window, and clasped her hands behind her back as she struck a series of (what she thought) were her best poses. She really did enjoy being on camera, as was evidenced by her happy smiles and enthusiasm.

[OFF]

--

CAPT Lirha Saalm
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

Raifi Zaren
Journalist, FNN
USS Galileo
(pNPC Lilou Peers)

Trija Natyal
Assistant Producer, FNN
USS Galileo
(PNPC Liyar)

Justin Baker
Cameraman, FNN
USS Galileo
(PNPC Pola Ni Dhuinn)

Jool Fenta
Reporter, FNN
USS Galileo
(PNPC Jeremy Stone)

RSS Feed