A Drastic Change

Posted on Sun Aug 13th, 2023 @ 12:06am by Captain Maxwell Culver & Captain Lorut Vila & Admiral Albion & Lieutenant Commander Chester Ripley

2,970 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: A Drastic Change
Location: Triton Seabase: Mess Hall
Timeline: MD 30: 0800 hours

Captain Maxwell Culver stepped into the Mess Hall for his morning briefing with Colonel s’Khev, but the Romulan wasn’t there. The Romulan never missed a shift, a meeting and he was never ‘on time’. Max opened himself to the feeling of the space around himself and even that felt discordant. The only thing making sense this morning was his cup of coffee.

Lorut Vila was one of those women who wasn't liked by most of the top brass. She was liked by her team, and those under her -both for the same reason. She was lax with her people, but she had a loud mouth, sense of justice and spoke out loudly and repeatedly when she felt something was wrong or unjust.

Luckily for these people, they didn't know that yet. She was just here for some coffee, and then she had to go check out her new digs. The Fleet was hush hush about her job here - Chief Science Officer "PLUS" other duties. What were the other duties, though?! She had simply made some snide comments to the Admiral, but packed her things and hit the nearest shuttle out of the AQ.

She passed the man on her way to the beverage replicator, then stepped backwards. "Hello, Captain Culver? I am Lieutenant Commander Lorut Vila, your new Chief Science Officer," she said. She didn't offer her hand for a handshake, though, or anything. She simply walked forward to the replicator, and asked for a black coffee, dark and hot as the deepest recesses of the underworld. After a few goes with the computer, because it insisted on preciseness, Vila had her coffee. She approached the table with the man sitting at it. "Is this the senior staff table, or do we want a more formal meeting?" she asked.

Max looked at his watch and realized it was nearing 0835. The crew didn’t dare enter before 0830, knowing he and Galen would be in a meeting. This seemed a different day to them, much brighter without the XO around. Max felt suddenly befuddled, anxious, almost on the verge of a panic attack.

Callan approached the table. Looking from Max to the new Bajoran…Lorut!…sprang to his mind. “G’day, Captain Culver, G’day, Commander Lorut, I have Admiral Albion on Starbase 17 holding….very impatiently…on Priority one, sir.”

“That’s Captain’s Eyes,” Max corrected Lieutenant Armidale.

“With special dispensation for Commander Lorut, sir. He did say that if you weren’t both in the meeting in five minutes, I would be missing some parts that would be delicious and only take a few weeks to be cloned for replacement.”

Max sigh heavily. It wasn’t enough that the Caitian appeared like little more than a few body parts held behind an elaborate new transparent aluminum casing for his organs, followed by a duranium body shield and a personal shield based somewhat on his own implant, overall, it felt like Starfleet was possibly perched on the edge of giving the Borg the ultimate in immortality. If they hadn’t died at the Sol system, and Max knew they hadn’t.

Vila shrugged. So much for a pastry today. "Lead the way, I guess," she said to Armidale. She indicated that Max should go first. She was curious; this was the first time she'd been asked to sit in on a meeting like this-where SHE wasn't the one about to be Captain's Masted or something, anyway.

“Clear the holodeck,” Max groaned. “Set up a…”

“Standard office, and by the looks of your mugs, black for the Cap’n. Anything special for the Commander’s coffee?” Callan asked, his Aussie accent brimming with excitement.

Vila looked at him, but shook her head. "Black for me, as well, thank you," she said.

“I was going to say a secure transmission, but the rest will be nice, Lieutenant Armidale.” Callan was about two meters away from the table when Max called back, “Send Chet down too. I’ll take responsibility!”

Cal seemed to deflate. Max smirked. “I love having that effect on people,” he chuckled as he sipped his coffee. Looking down at the aft fourth deck, his eyes landed solely on his ex, dressed in a light blue and white SPF shirt and some white board shorts with a white bikini underneath; a habit Max had yet to break.

A wistful sigh and a quick step to catch up, Max hoped she hadn’t noticed his dumb stare, and, either way, he was right back next to her.

"You always lag behind in the morning?" she asked.

“Not always, no,” Max admitted. “Colonel s’Khev would typically hear the day’s issues and update personnel rotation. He’d update me on the Romulan goings on in the Senate and to be honest, it’s thrown me off quite a lot.”

She nodded. "Sounds boring, but I understand the necessity. I would like to hear about the Romulans in this area, myself. Is he going to join us later? This base is beautiful, though," she remarked of the topic of the missing XO. "The men aren't bad looking, either," she joked.

Max chuckled. “No, I suppose they aren’t, but there’s only one that has my heart and he won’t be keeping on with us. He’s a civilian and he’s off, doing himself a favor, I think. Anyway, we’ve gone off topic, I have no idea what this meeting is about, much less why you’ve been invited to a Captain’s Eyes Only communique, no offense.”

She shrugged. "I see," she said, simply. What else was she supposed to say? "I don't know, either. Usually, when that happens, It's because I am in trouble, but I can't recall anything I've done the would've warranted that in the past 22 hours since I've left my former posting and arriving here." She sighed.

=/\= Starfleet communique, Captain Maxwell Culver. =/\= came the measured, feminine voice.

“Authorization Culver 7292-Delta-11,” Max said as he sipped from his coffee cup. A massive Caitian stood out on the screen before them. Unlike all other Starfleet officers, Albion was wrapped in a form of body armor. “You look better than the last time I saw you Admiral,” Max admitted.

“Last time you saw me, Captain. You were still on my list of officers yet to be promoted.” The Caitian cocked his head for a moment. Blinked his eyes, shook his head and sighed. “The Borg.”

“Aye, Admiral, just like you, Starfleet thought I’d make a decent commanding officer…on a Romulan planet and steering a boat that clocks 30 mph. I imagine I’m doing as well as you are, sir?”

“And you, Commander Lorut? Are you as bored as Captain Culver?” the massive beast rumbled through the room just as Lieutenant Commander Chester ‘Chet’ Ripley enter and quickly had the doors close behind him.

Vila watched as the Admiral appeared. "Not today," she said. "Why am I here? Captain T'Lenn said it was on your orders," she said, "That I was reassigned." She shook her head. You sleep with your Captain once, and you're a marked woman. 'Course, it didn't help that he'd had a fatal heart attack in the middle of a tryst, but she couldn't help that. She raised an eyebrow, waiting.

The Caitian, now more cybernetic than biological, looked at both with his deadly angry eyes. “You’re to finish your current investigation and then you’re to be reassigned to the USS Intrepid. One of the newest starships, the Neo Constitution, will see you through your mission. You’ll be exploring an area in the Beta Quadrant, a wide swath of previously unexplored territory.”

Max felt like he couldn’t get any words out as his heart leapt with anxiety. As much as Admiral Albion thought he was bored, Max was enjoying his time on Triton Seabase. He wanted to ask, Why me? Before he could say a word Albion was on him, like prey.

“You’ve been specifically requested for this mission, Captain Culver,” Albion answered the unspoken question. “And, Lieutenant Commander Lorut, if Captain Culver finds you acceptable for this mission, he may field promote you and take you as his Executive Officer.”

Max swallowed hard. “You say I’ve been asked specifically to undertake this mission, sir. Why me specifically?”

“I’m sending the mission briefing, Captain. I think once you see the territory to be explored, you’ll understand why you’ve been requested. You can offer something and they can offer something to you as well, Maxwell.”

Max’s brows drew together in confusion. “Understood, Admiral. I’ll take a look at the mission briefing and go from there.”

“It doesn’t happen often, Captain, but we are offering you carte blanche on crew choice. Take only those you have absolute trust in based on the delicacy of the mission. I will be available leading up to your transfer of command.”

“Admiral,” Max asked, feeling the conversation coming to an end. “Who will be taking command of the base?”

The Caitian’s laugh was more like a rumbling growl. “Ironically, a request was put in to be first after your departure. An old, familiar face to the planet, Captain Joshua Hart.”

Max smiled, but his heart dropped into his stomach. He and Dani had agreed that Dani would stay with Joshua Hart’s father as his health failed. Now, the old man would have his whole family and where would Dani fit in?

“That’s good news, Admiral,” he lied through his teeth. “I look forward to handing the base over to Captain Hart.”

“Unnecessary, Captain. Captain Hart has been given permission to lead the seabase from afar. Colonel s’Khev is training to take command now. You and your crew will make off without fanfare.”

Max was just getting more confused as all the accomplishments he’d built with the Romulans up til now felt worthless. “Understood, Admiral. It sound like we have much work to do. If it’s all the same, I think we best get to it.”

“I couldn’t agree more, Captain.” The holographic felinoid looked at the Bajoran. “Lieutenant Commander, I hope you’ve done enough work to join Captain Culver. I’m not sure you and Colonel s’Khev would get along well.”

Vila just stared at the Admiral. "You must've already known that, Sir," she said, knowing she was walking a fine line. "Otherwise, you'd have given me Spe'lec's job and promoted her." She sighed. The Fleet and their nonsense again. "I am sure we would've butted heads, from what I read of his file. I think he's a fine choice as a CO for the base." He was by the book, calm, a local. Made sense to her.

She looked at Culver as the hologram died out. "Well. Looks like we're a team now," she said. She felt like crying and screaming, at the same time. What now?

Max looked to Lorut. “Not yet,” he said. He waved Chet to come further into the room. He touched the file and opened Albion’s last bit of data and Max felt like he’d been slapped.

“Computer initiate intelligence protocol Culver 01-56-theta-7.” Max counted to ten the gave five more seconds. “Lorut, how well can you keep a secret?” he asked her, pressingly. Almost as if he wasn’t asking, but ordering.

Vila raised an eyebrow. "Very well, why do you ask?" Her interest was piqued. "I carry many secrets. That's why my ass is so big," she said.

Max offered a smile, he didn’t want to seem like a dick. That would get them going on the wrong foot. He’d already made that mistake. Inside he was roiling with rage at Hart, at Galen for getting what he wanted all along, and at the Romulan Senate for making him play games for months now. “Good,” he said, shutting down those emotions. “Computer open the map from Admiral Albion.”

The holographic map opened to show exactly nothing where they were going. “Inside this huge empty portion of Beta Quadrant space is a medium sized nebula. Inside that nebula is an entire civilization of El-Aurians. We live on a planet called Kaitos inside that nebula. Many call it New El-Auria, but whatever you call it, we are to investigate a new threat in the area.

“Many of the young El-Aurians will want to welcome the crew. They don’t see many new people since traffic is minimal. A freighter goes through the area and updates a small relay when new updates to equipment, warp drives, major news reports need to be updated.

“That’s going to be our job now.”

Vila sighed. Goodwill tours weren't exactly in her wheelhouse. "NOW it makes sense why they sent me here," she said. "I can't get in too much trouble in a deep-space Nebula where no one else goes," she said, rage and indignation building up. She fought it back; it wasn't Culver's fault. "Well. Gives me an excuse to order new uniforms," she said, with a shrug.

Lieutenant Commander Chet Ripley just had to ask the unasked, even by Max. “Do ya think this has somethin’ to do with your new brain powers since you were poisoned when we got here? You did say you needed a mentor.”

Max sighed and rolled his eyes. “Thank you, Chet. Yes, I’m sure it has something to do with that. I just didn’t want to blurt that out until I offered the job to Commander Lorut. BUT!!! Now that you mentioned it, what can of worms can we open next?” Max asked, looking at Lorut.

Vila let out a long sigh. Why had she asked? She thought she would be staying here, at the base, as Second Officer and CSciO.

She shut her eyes for a minute. "It's either I go along with you, or I am reassigned to the shipyards, so, ‘Let's roll’," she said. That goddamn cat owed her big time.

“If there are any questions, now would be the time to ask them,” Max said as he walked to the replicator and returned with a velvet black box. These were usually big days in anyone’s life in Starfleet. This was the last step before the big chair.

Vila shook her head. "Other than ‘What the hell just happened?’" she quipped. "I have no questions."

“Well then,” Max said as he opened the box with her next full pip, he added, “Congratulations on your field promotion, Commander.”

Vila simply nodded. "Thank you," she said. She took the PiP from the man, and put it on her uniform herself.

“Okay, then, Captain, last I read, they’re thirty or more available El-Aurians in Starfleet, why Maxwell Culver?"

“Thirty other El-Aurians didn’t come into their powers this late in life. Aside from that, even if they did, those powers haven’t grown exponentially.” Max smiled, trying not to crush the base like an empty tin can.

Vila glanced up. "You're El Aurian?! Interesting," she said. She was aware of the genetic makeup and mind-powers of the race, but hadn't met one close up before, only in passing.

Max laughed out loud. “Oh…thank you! For a moment there I was starting to get a little too serious. I know Starfleet has made some fucked up choices in regard to promotions since the Dominion War, most of which have finally worked their way out one way or another, but when was the last time you met a twenty five year old captain? At least, I’m told I look twenty five.”

“Twenty seven, at most, boss,” Chet answered with a snortly chuckle while he pointed at the captain happily again and again.

Vila considered. "It's been awhile, admittedly," she said. She could count on her hands the number of young Captains she knew. ONE hand. "Well. Good thing for you, I am all of my forty-five years," she said. And she felt them all today.

“In all fairness, I am almost fifty one. Is it that humans actually get wiser as you grow older, or do you just pretend?” he asked, almost feeling he knew from her records.

"I wouldn't know, I am Bajoran," she said, her eyes narrowed. "My ex-husband was human, though, and I think he got stupider," she said. "Anyway. Since you live a long time, I was remarking that my people don't, and I feel my age. It was meant to be light-hearted," she said. "I'll make a note to not make jokes," she said.

“Commander, if you don’t learn to make stupid jokes, even some occasional dark humor helps. Anyway, if you keep those things bottled up, you’ll go crazy. Just make the joke, nobody laughs at my jokes.”

Joke was on HIM, she was already crazy. Still, she nodded. "Got it," she said.

“Because they’re terrible and you’re so bad at telling ‘em,” Chet answered with his irreverent comedic tone. There was no one that didn’t like Chet. Still… “Commander Ripley, the bridge needs an officer. Commander Lorut and I have a bit of work to dive into this morning.”

Chet’s face soured as he read the intention. “Aye, Cap’n, I’ll have the CONN then.”

Max waved and winked at Chet just as he left the pair alone. Once the doors shut, Max settled back with the last of his coffee. “We’ve got a lot of work to do, Commander. Shall I just order the coffee by the pot?”

Vila nodded. "Yes, that would be prudent, unless it's late enough in the day to order up some Kanar," she said.

 

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