Cause and Effect

Posted on 04 Jun 2024 @ 2:07pm by Commander Morgan Tarin & Lieutenant JG Saelihn Valenis

3,918 words; about a 20 minute read

Mission: Episode 19 - Tomorrow's Galileo
Location: USS Galileo-A - Deck 2, Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: MD 04, 1551 hrs

[ON]

Within Galileo-A's small administrative chamber solely dedicated to the captain, Commander Morgan Tarin found herself slowly pacing around the room with her head lowered and eyes focused on the deck's carpeting while in deep thought. It'd been less than 15 minutes since she'd closed her comm terminal following the contentious discussion between Admiral Saalm and one of her own junior lieutenants, Mister Vala.

What was still so difficult to understand about the obligation to our past and future selves? To honor the oaths every crew member took at the Academy to affect positive change and always speak truth to power? To...violate the Temporal Prime Directive when necessary...? She shook her head privately to herself. The quandary of all quandaries. The more she questioned her own judgement, the closer she traveled to the realm of self-doubt. And that certainly wasn't a place Tarin had ever spent any significant time indulging.

She needed something to do in these immediate minutes, and of which she had plenty. Her desk was stacked with administrative PADDs but those could wait. Right now, she needed to reinforce order and discipline aboard her ship - just as she'd had to do when her crew was first brought through the temporal anomaly and struggled to accept this new reality and the consequences of their actions; more precisely, her own actions.

Tarin returned to her desk then sat in her chair before contemplating for a short moment. Her long and slender fingers reached out to tap her commbadge. "Tarin to Valenis. Report to my ready room."

The day had been long enough for Saelihn already. She wasn't sleeping too well but she pushed herself through every hour because it was expected and also because she had so much responsibility on her shoulders now being put in temporary charge of security.

Lieutenant Rice's departure had left a bit of a hole that seemed unable to be filled as the crew asked questions, pointed fingers and poked their noses into business that was not their own. Thankfully though the ship was small and there wasn't a lot that many didn't know within hours of it happening.

Saelihn had been walking down the corridor, heading for security, when the CO called. "Yes ma'am. I am on my way." she replied as she looked for and entered the nearest turbolift.

As the lift began to move she fidgeted with her uniform, pressing out any creases and trying look her best. She fixed her hair a bit as the doors of the lift opened and she left moving towards the ready room.

Pressing the chime gave its usual chirp and she waited.

"Enter." The small silver door hissed open and presented the interior of the office. A large desk was stacked with various reports, ship logs and personnel files which littered its surface; directly across from it were two chairs accompanied by a full-sized sofa along the near wall; and a small replicator was embedded into the aft bulkhead within the corner.

Commander Tarin's tall and athletic frame stood with its back to the door with her hands clasped behind her waist while she stared out into the distant stellar nursery clusters through the room's sole large window. She was silent and still, and didn't initially move to acknowledge the presence of the new arrival.

Saelihn walked in to the captain's space. It was neat and tidy, if you took in the well piled stacks of PaDDs you could see this would be a welcome distraction for her.

She hadn't met the captain, not directly. Saelihn reported to Lt. Rice when she came on board so had only heard the captain's voice over comms or seen her in passing, even on little trips to the bridge when called upon.

Captain Tarin stood facing out, lost in the distance that was space and what it held. "Lieutenant Valenis reporting as ordered captain." she said softly trying not to startle the woman who seemed to be deep in thought.

The security officer's verbal report finally prompted Tarin to turn her torso and briefly observe the yellow-collared woman. Galileo's captain possessed sharp hazel eyes and subtle freckles lining the bridge of her nose and forehead. Her loosely-curled brown hair was let down and slowly bobbed across the tops of her shoulders when she turned her head. "Good. Come," she motioned for the shorter blond-esque woman to join her in front of the viewport. "Tell me what you see out there...in the stars."

Saelihn gracefully moved herself up towards the captain to see of what she spoke. There was a small creak in floor as she did so forcing her to look at it for a second, crinkle her nose, and then return to the captain's question. Standing next to the captain she tucked a stray blonde hair behind her left ear.

Looking out, "I see potential, connection." Saelihn said simply. "Hidden in those stars could be the potential for life, death, rebirth. My people have a saying that loosely translates into 'Look beyond what you see, embrace your vision and you will reach your potential.'" she shook her head a little, her slightly messy hair becoming more erratic. "I don't think that translates very well." she admitted.

Tarin slightly lifted her chin with private admiration for the new officer's interpretation of the great expanse known simply as 'space' to she and fellow Humans. Once more remaining quiet for an extended period, her head turned then shifted its focus to the security officer. "Potential already surrounds us, lieutenant, from the day we're born" her sharp and dry inflection countered. "As do connections. Neither of those require us to travel through space in starships. I'll ask again - what do you see out there, beyond the main sequence stars and Class B nebulae? You're an El-Aurian and sensitive to temporal effects. Tell me what you truly perceive." It wasn't phrased as a question but rather an order.

"I respectfully disagree ma'am." Saelihn replied. "If your species didn't want connection, or to reach its fullest potential, it would not have reached for the stars in 2063 and we would not be here now. Connection is what makes you Human, you seek it out as it helps you understand something so much more." Relaxing her shoulders as she spoke. She wouldn't try and claim much wisdom, certainly not as much as her elders, and even if she tried she'd receive the stick of arrogance across her knuckles for her troubles.

Saelihn was still a child to her people. 70 was a good age for most longevity limited species but to El Aurian's she was nothing more than a teenager acting out by not staying on the home world and helping it grow, not doing her duty in one of their institutions. However, she wasn't the only one of young El Aurian's not exactly following the syllabus.

"But if you want an honest opinion of what I 'feel' when I look out the window... I feel torn. The universe pushes back, it knows we aren't meant to be here in this time it is like tiny pricks against my skin every second we are here." Saelihn closed her eyes and took a breath before exhaling and looking back out the window. "I am more sensitive to temporal events, Gods only know why... but the vibrations are more violent, like an itch in your mind you cannot scratch. Eventually the universe will push back with something that'll force us to react but in what form that is I can't predict. Sadly I've not got precognisance abilities."

Tarin began to open her mouth to rebuke some of the woman's interpretations of her own species, but then closed it and exhaled through her nose. The security officer was certainly not shy to express her opinions; a trait she privately valued in all of her officers. More importantly, however, Valenis' stated perception of this time period now occupied her thoughts. "This future - this continuation of our timeline - appears to be the direct result of our actions in the past. My actions, if what Starfleet's temporal scientists deduced is truly correct. In this case, we don't have to be a Q to predict what will happen. It's already occurred and now we bear witness to this horrible aftermath. But we have a chance, a rare one, to alter this outcome. You agree that this is the best course of action, yes? To return back in time and correct our transgressions? To reach its 'fullest potential', as you mentioned?"

It was a tough question, not one that is easily answered. Saelihn bit her lip as she thought, it was a very metaphysical quandary. "If we change things in the past, and once we are free of the protective time bubble, we won't remember anything from this time period. So I guess the question in itself doesn't matter after that decision is made. We will continue on as if it was what were always meant to do and be none the wiser." Saelihn said with a little frown. She wondered if things would feel out of sync for her should that happen but thought as it was a continuation of a timeline she was in and not one that was altered she would hopefully feel fine.

"Can I ask you a question on your question?" Saelihn looked at the captain. "Well, another one beyond these two?" she added as the captain nodded. "Who is to say that this was not what was meant to happen? That this disaster, the fall of Starfleet and the Federation, was meant to run its course so that it could be fixed here and now? We already have a record of an account by Admiral Archer about his encounters with Crewman Daniels, that the Federation and Starfleet are present in the 30th century so logically we can assume that it is possible this is what allows that continuity of the timeline to that effect. I'm no scientist, personally all that stuff still confuses me no matter how many times Professor Fa'ta tried to get it to stick, but I think you are making a choice that would benefit more than it would hurt. I can't imagine a galaxy that is better off with Romulans and Klingons in charge. No offence to Klingons, I love them but I'm not ready to give them the chance to assert dominance over us all. Romulans even less so."

The Human commander had been struggling with this same conundrum for the past four days. The opinions from her crew had been varied even from the beginning yet each one of them held firm in their personal judgements of how best to deal with this temporal dilemma. Valenis wasn't so different in that regard, but she was one of the few who Tarin agreed with and could somehow understand what the Alpha and Beta Quadrants would turn into under the control of the Romulan and Klingon empires.

"No planet would be better off under either of their domains," Tarin agreed. "Their populations would be exploited, indoctrinated and suppressed. Free thought and exchange of knowledge and information - as we know it - would cease. And the subsequent destabilization of the quadrants would result in only more conflict...only more conquest and violence." She let her eyes return to the carpet before answering the existential question Valenis had asked. "I don't believe in fate, lieutenant. Or any form of pre-determined destiny. We create our own futures through our actions in the present...and sometimes we have to face those consequences. If we're afforded the rare chance to go back in time and correct our mistakes? Then that is what we must do."

"Playing your devils advocate..." Saelihn began wondering if she'd gotten the statement right, "just because you deem it a mistake doesn't mean it was, or is. In that moment, in your mind, you chose what you believed to be right, for the benefit of the galaxy, and if this temporal event had not happened you wouldn't have made any other decision. I am sure in this timeline the Romulan and Klingon peoples are thriving as a result of the Federations fall. By changing what is to happen we then affect all those lives, innocent and guilty alike. Some will cease to be, some will continue on." Saelihn scrunched up her nose as she paused. "However, I am of the opinion that the galaxy is a better place with the Federation and Starfleet in it. I wouldn't have joined Starfleet if I believed otherwise. My father was not in favour of it at all, but that's another story."

Galileo-A's captain rubbed her forehead with mild frustration. Not at the security officer, but at the situation they found themselves trapped in. She then gestured to one of the chairs across from her desk as she walked behind it and lowered her rear end into her firm seat. "Take a seat." Now her attention could be fully focused on Valenis. "You're not wrong. No matter what decision we make, we'll undoubtedly affect billions of lives by returning back to our time. Or so I'm led to believe. The question then becomes, as you stated, should we affect them for the better? Or the worse? I've already made my choice. I hope you have, too."

Saelihn followed the dark haired captain's instruction and sat herself down on the chair in front of her. It was uncomfortable, like not a lot of people had sat on it before... or maybe it was the opposite, that so many people had sat on it that it had lost all comfort to those in need of it. "I stand with you ma'am. It is not my decision to make and not an easy one you have made but I support you and know in my heart that it is the right move."

Tarin subtly nodded to the security officer. "I appreciate that. And call me 'captain' while we're on duty," she requested. One of her hands then reached out to retrieve a PADD from the top of its stack and her long, lithe fingers began to tap against its screen. "I called you here not just for your temporal insights but to give you an update on Lieutenant Rice. As of right now, I've received no communication from her or Praxis since they both cloaked and - I assume - left the sector several days ago...which means I'm still down a security chief and department head at probably the most crucial time."

She placed the PADD into her lap then looked into Valenis' green eyes. "That means you're it, for now. Or until you die or I find someone better," Tarin spoke with her naturally-dry inflection and sense of humor. "Do you think you can handle the responsibility?"

Saelihn internally chastised herself as Tarin told her to call her captain. Previous CO's both at the top and underneath had different preferences and she felt she should have asked first... but, now she knew. As she mentioned Lt. Rice a shiver, a dull quiver, up her spine. Still even now the almost sudden departure of Rice left a 5' 4" hole in the department.

Now, Saelihn had been doing what she deemed to be a decent job as filling in so far but the expectation was that Ana might come back, all would be forgiven etc etc but that was looking more and more unlikely. Also, would people accept them back?

Thinking for less than a millisecond Saelihn answered with confidence. "Of course captain. I have no doubt in my ability to stay alive, and hopefully you'll never find someone better than me." she added with what she felt was false modesty as she never liked 'bigging' herself up. "Also, I've been in charge for the past few days since Aria left. Nothing has changed, just now all responsibility lies with me and keeping morale up in the department."

Tarin studied the El-Aurian's youthful features and body language while she responded with apparent conviction to this new opportunity. She observed the youthful-appearing woman in silence; watching, judging. Evaluating. "Good," she finally replied with satisfaction. "We're 25 years into the future and out-gunned and out-classed by probably any hostile forces we'll encounter. It's also no secret the crew's still on-edge, and I fear it's only a matter of time before someone loses their composure. You have a lot on your hands and I need you to remain vigilant. Any minor problems which come across your desk? Report them to me immediately. Any squabbles between the crew? The same. Understood?"

"Of course captain." Saelihn replied with a curt nod of her head. "Being an empath comes in handy as well in gauging the mood of the ship and those I come into contact with. Usually I am quite good at being a calming influence. There is also my pheromones that can be almost like an intoxication but I don't use them without permission or if I feel a situation is strong enough. However, I will report anything that resembles a 'squabble' as you put it." The word strong came out rather slow as she said it. It wasn't a word she had heard before but understood from the context around it that it came to mean argument.

"Excellent. Make sure you do. Your talents are...unique. I need you to put them to good use in our current situation." Tarin then absorbed a deep breath followed by a straightening of her torso with firm posture in her chair. "Any questions for now?"

Unique to my people. Saelihn thought.

"I'll endeavour to use them as best I can captain." Saelihn replied out loud. "And no questions aside from how you'd like me to handle our two 'guests' in the brig?"

Doctors Quil and Mulder. Tarin hadn't considered their fates for at least 24 hours and was currently content with keeping them as far away as possible from any of her ship's personnel or systems given the current extreme circumstances. "Keep them there and under close observation. We can't risk releasing them to quarters and introducing an unstable element into a volatile situation. Make sure they're fed and kept warm but limit your interactions with them. Their ethical research standards are non-existent and they have a way with words." The tall commander then formally rose from her chair and excused the acting security chief. "That's all for now. Dismissed."

Saelihn nodded. She wasn't going to suggest releasing them anyway. Aria had dealt with them mostly so Saelihn's knowledge of them was only what she had heard second hand and what she had read. She knew they were slippery, could twist things to their own advantage so had placed slightly stricter controls on them than Aria had.

As Tarin rose, so did Saelihn. It usually meant the end of their meeting was coming and she wasn't wrong when she was dismissed. "Captain." she said simply with a nod and made for the door.

As Tarin watched the El-Aurian officer head toward the exit, she suddenly remembered an important query she wanted to inquire of the woman who would now be in charge of Galileo's security and tactical operations. "Lieutenant, one final question: where does your allegiance to duty lie? Is it to me, the captain? To the ship and its crew? Or to the mission?" she tested with those same observant and judging hazel irises.

As the gap to the door drew shorter the captain spoke forcing Saelihn to stop and return her gaze to the taller woman. The question itself caught her off guard, never had her loyalty been questioned in such a manner and she was curious as to the captain's mindset as to why she was asking. The feelings coming from the captain were a mixed bag of human emotion.

"Why does my loyalty need to be placed specifically in one of those?" she rhetorically asked in return. Her features softened as she continued. "Captain, my loyalty is to myself and to what I believe to be right and wrong. By extension that goes into how I do my job. If one cannot be true and loyal to oneself then what are they? An actor, a puppet of their own mind. Someone who will do and act like others do because they want to be seen as what they think others need." she took one step closer and furrowed her brow slightly.

"I am loyal to you, this ship and its crew. There is no distinction in that, no separation. I would protect any of you with my life not because it is expected of me, but because its what I believe to be right and the need for me to be me. I may not be tall, full of big muscles or look the most intimidating but I'll still take anyone down to threatens my people." Saelihn paused and sighed. "I know I am still new here, that people don't know me well yet but this uniform means a lot to me and I am proud to wear it."

Tarin intently listened to the older El-Aurian's philosophies of duty. The woman's sentiment rang true across almost all accounts and revealed an emotional maturity she privately coveted. And yet, the nuances of command had recently proved otherwise from a more practical point of view. An attempted coup had occurred on the bridge during a critical evolution less than two days ago which had fortunately been unsuccessful. That distinction - between competing duties - was as important as ever now in the captain's mind. Tarin pondered in silence if she should rebuke the security officer but decided against it. Valenis had made her stance clear and no good could come from further questioning this initial test of loyalty. Actions always propagated over words and it was time to let her prove herself to both she and the crew.

"You speak with confidence and conviction," Tarin replied. "That's what I need from all of my officers and department heads. You're correct, of course, that blind loyalty is a detriment to us all. And I appreciate your candor. But make no mistake, lieutenant...if I give an order? I expect it to be carried out to its full extent regardless of your personal opinion or perceptions of our mission. If you ever have any doubts about my orders, my ready room is always available for discussion. But the chain of command must be adhered to at all times."

Knowing that most of the captain's decisions would greatly affect the ship and crew there was no question in Saelihn's mind as to ever not following her orders. There was a chain of command on the ship and she respected it, and she would follow it. "Of course captain." was her simple reply. There was no need for anything else but the confirmation of her understanding, and hopefully the captain's trust in her only growing from here.

A single curt nod came from the red-collared commander. "Very well. Carry on, then," she dismissed.

"Captain." Saelihn replied with a quick snap to attention before turning about and leaving the ready room.

[OFF]

--

CMDR Morgan Tarin
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo-A

LT JG Saelihn Valenis
Acting Chief Security Officer
USS Galileo-A

RSS Feed