Praxis (Part 2 of 2)

Posted on 30 Aug 2022 @ 6:55pm by Commander Morgan Tarin & Lieutenant Aria Rice & Ensign Mimi
Edited on on 30 Aug 2022 @ 6:56pm

4,087 words; about a 20 minute read

Mission: Episode 18 - Cold Station 31
Location: IKS Praxis - Conference Room
Timeline: MD 10, 1428 hrs

Previously, on Praxis (Part 1)...

Aria looked at him, taking a deeper breath. "I want the lives of the Ferengi prisoners," she said, as simple as that. "For them to stay alive. My concern comes from my uniform, and the values that came with it. From Starfleet's point of view, in any battle, those who choose to surrender should be given their lives." She considered it, before putting a hand on the table. "I do not know how many of them are left, but I would see them live, to have a chance to earn their freedom and honour in the future."

And Now, the Conclusion...

[ON]

There was a stunned silence while several of the Klingons looked between each other as if to determine if this was a form of Human jest. When they realized the Starfleet security chief was being serious, boisterous laughter burst from Torn and Brin't'a. Kuran, however, visibly expressed disgust and spoke his mind without hesitation. "The Federation's hubris is just as we have been told!" he proclaimed. "Do you have no sense of spatial awareness? You want to grant these Ferengi criminals freedom and honor after they ambushed your own ship and captured your commander?!" Kuran scowled at Rice, putting his fist firmly on the table.

Brin't'a followed her first officer's rejection with one of her own. "Listen to yourselves. Your uniform. Your values. You recite them thinking you can change the Ferengi from what they are. That everyone in the galaxy should become like you.." The young Klingon woman bared her pointed teeth with disdain. "Your hypocrisy would dishonor even Fek'lhr!"

Aria looked at Kuran, watching him for a moment. "What honour is there in killing those that have surrendered?" she asked, without any hesitation. She looked at the Captain again, her eyes meeting his. "Captain KehG, you asked me why I was so concerned for the Ferengi, and that was why. I do not expect you to share those ideals. But you invited me here, and you asked me. I will not lie to you." She took a slow breath, shaking her head. "I may, to you, be just a human. But I come from warriors too, and on my honour, I do not believe I can change the Ferengi. But I know enough to leave survivors, who can tell others about the consequences of stealing from the Klingons. The Ferengi uphold profit. Right now, they have lost all their profit. They saw it as a venture. Now? It is a disaster. If the technology had a buyer, that buyer most likely invested latinum into the ship, the crew, and the engineers to adapt the technology to their ship. In other words..." she stood, properly, a small smile coming to her. "They have suffered both a financial loss, and a loss in credibility for their customers. But if there's no survivors, who will know? Who will know it was you who stopped them? They'd think that the ship either got destroyed by accident, or that the crew took the tech and ran. Either way...you will not be seen as the victors."

Commander Torn, the weapons master, smirked with devious dark brown eyes. "The 'investors' will know it was us when we transport their DaiMon's severed ears back to Ferenginar and collect our bounty from the High Council! None of them need to be alive for our message to be sent. It is already well-known what happens to those who steal from the Klingon Empire. Leniency changes nothing!"

"Oh, but it does. Legend grows," Aria said, looking at Commander Torn. "It is a living thing that evolves, from word of mouth. You send ears back and collect your bounty? Oh. They died, and had their ears cut off. No one to say the terror of a Klingon warrior charging at you..." she shook her head, looking at the Captain. "Leniency changes everything, because it becomes a lesson. A Ferengi has a relative who died when chasing something for profit? They become a hero to the family, because they took a gamble. A Ferengi returning home, with nothing? They become a creature of weakness, someone with bad business sense, who did not get profit." She stopped and looked at the Captain. "We can send over emergency supplies, so you do not have to feed them from your stores. If you do not want to use them as labour, you can hand them over to the first Starfleet ship you see. What they have done is a crime under Federation rules as well." Although she doubted she'd be popular with the Federation for it, Aria didn't see many other options than to offer those things. She was bargaining for lives, a dance she had not done before. It was dangerous. The worst thing she could do was fail. But she had to try.

The comment about cutting off the Ferengi's ears made Mimi's twitch even more nervously. She had seen first hand what Klingons would do for trophies, the horrifying sight of bodies of her own kind with their tails cut off and once a group of Klingons trying to do it to her.

"Tssst," uttered Captain KehG through his teeth. The verbal command was accompanied by his raised hand which indicated for all parties to be silent. He wasn't a man of many words. When he spoke, it was with purpose and for good reason. The complexities of Starfleet's ethos obviously conflicted with that of he and his crew, as had just been evidenced by the verbal sparring. But there was more to these negotiations than honor or trophy rights. He looked Rice in her pale blue eyes. "You ask me for the lives of the Ferengi we captured. What do you offer in return?"

Aria met his eyes, holding them for a long moment. She couldn't offer much, because it was not within her power. So she decided to be honest, because she had said she did not lie. "Not much. I can offer supplies, within reason, yet this ship seems well stocked. But if you tell me what you want, if it is within my power, I will provide it. I could offer you the thing most precious to me in the universe, but I fear for a warrior like you, it would not...have much appeal, and seem a silly trinket. It would not help you, or your crew."

A period of reflection graced the Klingon captain's features while he considered her words. His ridged brow and eyes remained neutral and seeming disinterested by her initial proposal. "We have been hunting these Ferengi petaQ for over six months," he slowly spoke. "The bounty is now ours but..." he gestured with a leather-gloved hand to the surrounding bulkheads, "we have exhausted many of our stores during this journey. My ship requires resupply and replenishment. Blood wine, fresh gagh, new targs. And shore leave for my crew."

"You want comforts and rewards," Aria said, clearly thinking it over. Now this was going to be difficult. "We won't be able to supply targs, and usually I'd invite you to our holodeck, but I am unsure you'd find as much enjoyment in it as Starfleet personnel do." She didn't look at Tarin, as she found herself bartering with resources she would have to pay for. "But we can provide your food supplies, and the blood wine." She just had to use a few overrides, and most likely condemn her own crew to the fresh food they did have. Restricted replicator privileges would not go down well.

KehG scrutinized Rice. He was a veteran warrior and commander of the finest warship in the Alpha and Beta quadrants. "You will grant us shore leave aboard your starbase designated Regula I and allow us to explore the planet it orbits." That portion of his request had conveniently been ignored by the Starfleet officer.

Aria looked at him, holding his eyes before she gave a small smile. "Explore for recreational purposes, Captain KehG?" she asked, a genuine question. In her head, she was going over the rules. She could probably swing it, with some luck...if Saalm was still around, she could back her. And if someone at Starfleet got angry, it was only Aria's career on the line. So actually, in the great scheme of things, not a biggie. "Regula I is a science starbase, there will be areas off limits to you...as it was to us. If that is understood and accepted, I can make that happen. The Mutara Nebula is beautiful enough to inspire an opera."

Commander Morgan Tarin shifted in her seat and finally spoke. She'd given the young security officer the leeway to be the face of Galileo in its current situation, but what the Klingon captain was now asking for was beyond her jurisdiction to authorize. Tarin had been the strategic operations officer aboard Regula I for years before the Nova-class arrived. She possessed intimate knowledge of Starfleet's interests in the area including its ship deployments and logistical networks. "We can offer you a temporary berth at Regula I," she confirmed, "...lasting no longer than two weeks. Access to Remidia II will have to be cleared with the starbase's science and operations teams. I can't guarantee that from where I sit, here."

Watching the Federation commander finally speak her mind, KehG subtly smiled to himself with private satisfaction. Knowingly or not, the Starfleet cadre had just opened themselves to the most lucrative of his demands. "I also wish to explore the other 'science' station you have cleverly hidden in this nearby asteroid field..."

Aria looked at him, holding his eyes for a long moment. So. He wasn't stupid. And there was no point in denying that the station existed, or who it belonged to. In all fairness, Aria wasn't convinced that it was even their station. She found herself liking Captain KehG. He was a player. Hell, she would have loved to try and pickpocket him as a kid. She looked over at Tarin, holding her eyes for a moment with a look that said sorry about this, but this smelled fishy ages ago, before she looked back at KehG. "I don't have the authority to authorise that," she said, bluntly. "And also...I have no clue what is going on there. None of us do. So...exploring that place? I can't give that to you. No one in this room can. We could try running it up the chain, but I am not even sure they'd be able to authorise it."

Mimi spared a glance across to Aria, she was somewhat surprised that the Klingons were aware of the Cold station but if they had been following the Ferengi and the Ferengi knew about the station it made sense to her that the Klingons had discovered it too.

Beneath the table, Tarin discreetly yet firmly kicked Rice in her shin. Hard. The Klingon captain had eloquently baited them with his request, and knowingly or not, the security chief had nibbled on the lure simply by acknowledging the cold station's existence. The fact that KehG knew about the facility and its location wasn't the most intriguing question, however. The how was far more pertinent especially as far as strategic operations were concerned. "What do you know about our research station, captain?" Tarin half-demanded. Her demeanor had stiffened and she narrowed her eyes at the large Klingon.

A satisfied smile graced the large warrior's facial features. One of interpersonal victory. He leaned back even further in his chair and tilted his chin up ever-so-slightly while bringing his tented fingers to his chest. "The Klingon Empire is not as incompetent as the Federation believes. We, too, have intelligence operatives in your ranks. Just as you have within ours." He then motioned to Tarin, Rice and Mimi. "Even without this knowledge, you betrayed your own hand. A single Starfleet Nova-class vessel orbiting the position of an inconsequential asteroid field in the farthest reaches of space?" He chuckled with throaty bass. "When my officers boarded your ship and found most of your senior officers missing, it became obvious!"

Aria had managed to grit her teeth through the pain in her shin at the kick, remaining standing and still. Thanks for that, but honestly, what did you expect me to say? she thought, wishing she was telepathic in the moment. But nope, she wasn't, and hey, that too was something to be grateful for. She focused on what was happening right here and now, in front of her. "I am not surprised you put together this puzzle, Captain KehG," she said easily, holding his eyes. "But as you understand, there are things we can't disclose, or allow. So the station, unfortunately, is not a place we can give permission for you to go to at this time. But the other conditions can be met. Do we have a deal?"

Kuran leaned over and whispered into his captain's ear. The distance and hushed nature of the comment was too obscure for the universal translator to interpret. Captain KehG considered the words spoken to him for a long moment while his dark eyes remained on the Federation visitors. "If you will not allow us access to your 'research' facility...we deman--" he corrected himself for the sake of diplomacy, "-- require that we join you in recovering your crew from the station. As...observers. And allies." He smiled, baring his crooked and pointed teeth.

Aria looked at Kuran, studying him, before back at Captain KehG. She wondered what Kuran really was to the Captain. A First Officer, yes, but perhaps with an intelligence background. He clearly had more brains than most of the Klingon ship's senior crew. And here, came honesty again, doing a loop around for the cause. "I have no problem with that. Although that decision is a little above my paygrade, as I am not the mission commander..." she looked at Tarin, meeting her eyes. "Commander Tarin?"

The tall Starfleet commander looked up to the battlecruiser's ceiling. What KehG just requested was difficult to accommodate given the geopolitical consequences involved. Such decisions were well beyond her own purview, but the option of consulting Starfleet Command for authorization would require at least a day of waiting for the transmission to traverse the subspace network back to Earth and a subsequent delay in reply back to the Pleiades Cluster. That wasn't an option. Out here, in the furthest reaches of space, Tarin found herself acting as the final authority. "I'll allow you to observe our operations. Nothing more, nothing less," she decided. "Praxis will maintain a suitable distance outside of the asteroid field and not interfere with our mission. Then, once my crew's finished their business, we'll escort you to Regula I. Agreed?"

Once again, Kuran leaned in to whisper to his captain and was joined by the other two Klingon officers who appeared to subtly nod at the suggestion. KehG's face remained stoic for a moment before another satisfactory smile spread across his lips. "I...accept your terms."

Aria nodded at the Captain's words. "On my honour, we will fulfil our side of it," she said, before she met his eyes, giving him a small smile. "Is there a formal Klingon way of finalising this agreement, Captain KehG?" She wanted to make sure it was binding for both sides. And she also was unsure how much her own honour was measured for the Klingons. Something more formal would make sense.

The Klingon first officer narrowed his brow at Rice with a fresh dose of contempt evident in his glare. "You have just been given the word of a Klingon warrior. Or do you question our honor?!"

The weapons master, Commander Torn, was the next to voice his displeasure at the offensive words. "Perhaps we should be asking you for formality. The Federation is well-known to betray its people and so-called principles whenever it suits them!"

Seated next to Torn, Brin't'a joined the verbal assault. "We are well aware of your Prime Directive. General Order One, as you call it. And the countless times you abandoned it because it did not suit your personal interests..." The Klingon security chief scoffed at Rice, like a discerning mother toward a disobedient child. "You give your word and Human 'honor', then ask us for more. Once again, you cannot even recognize your hypocrisy!"

Aria ignored the Klingons' shouting, her eyes on the Captain. "When we came onboard, you greeted us in the human way, with a handshake. Our cultures are different, and I want to do this the Klingon way, with the same curtesy you showed us. I am not questioning your honour, I am questioning how you view mine, a human's. So, I will take whatever oath needed to seal this, so that you can trust my word, Captain, and know that while I draw breath it won't be broken."

Captain KehG again held up his hand to silence his fellow officers. There would be no more interruptions from his people no matter how legitimate their concerns and grievances with the Federation were. They obeyed and became quiet, yet remained visibly tense while they waited for him to reply to the lieutenant. "I do not need an oath from you...or your commander," his eyes flicked to Tarin. "If your honor is as strong as you claim, you should not need anything more. But! In the interest of diplomacy, I will...meet your hand again if you wish it. We will spare the lives of the Ferengi aboard our vessel until we arrive at your starbase, then transfer most of them to your custody. DaiMon Nok and his senior officers will remain with us to return to Qo'noS as bounty. Along with his ship," he started to clarify.

"In return..." KehG continued, "you will replenish our stores including bloodwine and gagh at your starbase and allow us shore leave. My vessel also requires repairs...your people and mine will see to that as well." He tented his fingers again. "And...we will follow your starship during your mission here at your secret base. As observers." With finality, the Klingon captain stood from his seat at the head of the table, his leather-plated armor once again audibly creaking. Firmly and awkwardly as he'd done the first time, he extended a stiff arm with widely-spread fingers toward Rice.

Positioned next to the security chief, Tarin mentally reviewed the entirety of KehG's proposal then gave Rice a subtle nod of approval. It wasn't ideal. A Klingon warship operating within Federation territory along the frontier was a recipe for disaster the longer they lingered. But if they could be placated and sent on their way back to their homeworld within two weeks, it would hopefully avoid any lingering presence. It was a difficult strategic decision.

Aria had listened to every word, and tallied it up in her mind. She nodded and took the hand in hers, her eyes meeting the taller Klingon's. "A good bargain well struck," she said, although she didn't know where she had picked that up. The differences in sizes was obvious when they shook hands, but she didn't mind. This was the best deal they were going to get, and at least the lives of the regular Ferengi had been spared. The senior crew...well, it was not ideal. But she would write it up in a report regardless, and be judged for it. A part of her didn't find it the worst idea ever to have the Klingons with them for now, if only as another ship capable of fighting.

The Klingon captain's grip was firm. Hard. Strong. He squeezed the young Human's hand with little concern for her biology, feeling her knuckles compress within his grip. It was a satisfying sensation; a test of strength. Perhaps he could learn to enjoy this alternate form of acknowledgement. Before he broke any bones in the small woman's hand, he released his grip then grunted. Beside him on both flanks, Kuran, Torn and Brin't'a all stood from their seats however reluctantly. "As a final condition...I request a tour of your ship. I wish to see Starfleet's best science vessel for myself."

If the handshake had hurt Aria's hand, it had a bit she didn't show it. Instead she just smiled, giving a nod. "We are a bit battered, but I am sure you can forgive it. Can I invite you and your senior officer over for dinner? I find a meal a good finish after the tour of a ship." It was only common curtesy, and she wanted to show off her ship. "We have a mess hall, and our cook can put up a decent meal too." Although she doubted Nesh Saalm could do Klingon food, but she wouldn't go on a Klingon ship and expect fish and chips. They'd have to try new things some time. She looked at Torn and Brin't'a, or Heather and Heather as she now mentally called them. She had seen less dramatic teenage dancers, and that was saying something.

What this also meant was the moment they were over, Commander Tarin was the Captain. Aria felt a little odd about it and realised what it was. I think maybe one day, I should become a Captain. I think I'd be good at it. Not yet, but one day.

KehG glanced to his left then his right, observing the subtle yet visible reactions of scorn from his officers. He looked back to Rice and her commander. "We are honored to accept you invitation." He smiled again from his mouth, his narrowed eyes subtly contradicting his pleasantries. "Prepare for our arrival in six hours. Qapla'!" The entrance to the war chamber hissed open and two guards entered to escort the Federation cadre back to the transporter room.

"Qapla'," Aria echoed, because that was one clean word she knew of Klingon. Since Aria's vocabulary of Klingon was limited to swear words and insults, she had decided against saying anything. Because of universal translators, languages were sort of a lost skill. She walked out with the Klingon guards, with Tarin and Mimi with her. She glanced at Mimi, taking a deeper breath before she glanced at Tarin. It was going to be a long six hours.

"That went better than I expected." Mimi said after a breath of relief, glad that all of them had made it out of the negotiations with all of their body parts and their prides intact. "Though I would like to be excused from anything more to do with these Klingons."

Aria glanced at her, taking a deeper breath. "It isn't my call anymore," she said, her voice soft. "I understand your position though. If we can avoid it, I see no issue with it. You have a ship to make sure is up and running properly again, so those duties may see you...too busy to entertain." She glanced over at Tarin as they went up on the transporter pad, before looking ahead. "No matter what, it is going to be interesting."

Overhearing the conversation between Mimi and Rice, Tarin spoke curtly in reply as she took her place within the beaming chamber. "You're not excused, ensign. None of us are." The Klingon transporter operator paused for only a fraction of a second to ensure the Starfleet officers were in their proper places before initiating the transport sequence. Crimson transporter beams dematerialized the team back to Galileo. The respite was welcome yet only a delay in the inevitable diplomatic encounter with Captain KehG and his crew.

[OFF]

--

CAPT KehG
Commanding Officer
IKS Praxis
[PNPC Saalm]

CMDR Kuran
First Officer
IKS Praxis
[PNPC Saalm]

CMDR Torn
Chief Tactical Officer
IKS Praxis
[PNPC Saalm]

LCDR Brin't'a
Chief of Security
IKS Praxis
[PNPC Saalm]

CMDR Morgan Tarin
Acting Commanding Officer
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Saalm]

Lieutenant Aria Rice
Previously default Commanding Officer, now Acting XO and Chief of Security
USS Galileo-A

Ensign Mimi
Deputy Operations Manager
USS Galileo-A

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