The Midnight Oil
Posted on Tue Jan 30th, 2024 @ 1:29am by Lieutenant Callan Armidale & Lieutenant Wara Tête & Lieutenant JG Kaydren Aukai & Fleet Captain Maxwell Culver & Commander Lorut Vila
Edited on on Wed Jan 31st, 2024 @ 2:15am
1,756 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
Home Sweet Home
Location: USS Intrepid: Bridge
Timeline: MD1: 2325 hours
“Captain, we brought that little freighter aboard, the one with the Starfleet distress call. Turns out we’ve got an android named Xavier X-1 and a synthetic Diplomatic Ambassador. Security is legit, sir,” Wara Tête explained as her reports came through.
“Clear Lieutenant Soong through medical. Xavier X-1 knows our policies and protocols, but I’m sure he’d like a place to rest and recharge,” Max responded to the Bolian. She was efficient, if nothing else.
The minute his foot landed on the bridge, she barked out, “Captain on deck.”
Max waved his hand dismissively. “As you were,” he responded automatically. It was an odd tradition that Starfleet had rolled over.
This was literally her shift, but it was also locally early morning for Kaitos. He was dragging, to be sure, but the mug of coffee in his hand kept him awake. He was wearing his field jacket because the bridge seemed colder at night.
On the view screen was a red and yellow whorl of radiation. A nebula that blocked Kaitos’ existence to most. It was a lot like the Briar Patch in appearance, but was quite tame in comparison. El-Aurians like to call it ‘The Mist’, but it was far from an official designation. On any map, it was designated MJ-275-Beta.
“How are we doing tonight, Commander Lorut?” Max asked.
Lorut was standing, arms crossed, but staring at the viewscreen. "Nothing of too much excitement," she said. "Which is a nice change, actually. This nebula is giving the science probes a bit of a problem, but I think I managed a back door in," she said. "Just waiting for Lieutenant Aukai to recall it, and we'll have some data. I realize it's MJ-275-Beta, but I've always wanted to study it," she said. She was aware of the seriousness they were about to undertake. "Any orders this morning?" She turned to settle in.
“Just waiting for final approval from Starfleet to take her into the nebula and on to new business. I’m getting rumors the Klingons are getting a bit rowdy again. I imagine you would have to expect as much since they’ve pulled out of the Khitomer Accords again and nearly doubled their Emperial borders by gobbling up all the former Romulan held resources they could get their hands on.”
“Doesn’t help that the Remans are seen as equals under their new treaty. I mean, what the hell do the Klingons want with constantly dark planets? There are plenty of those for the Remans too in their new shared space.” Max sighed. It was a matter of time until they were at war with the Klingons again.
Vila sighed. "No, it doesn't. They have also pulled out of the Federation Science Council, and the Federation Medical Accords, too," she said.
"I assume they turned the dark planets their ice prison planets, but I don't honestly know anymore.”
“Oh, I think they have much worse ideas, like turning them all over to the Remans, two warrior races to fight for honor and territory. I another decade, we’ll be fighting them,” Max guessed.
Vila nodded. “I have only had the fortune of working with a few Klingons in my career - there aren't many in the sciences, and less in the Fleet at large than most people think," she added.
"Do you think that Dr. Gocx is...a problem?" she asked, carefully. The man seemed nice enough, but she hadn't interacted with him much.
“I haven’t had time to think about those type of things. I’ve got security and intelligence departments checking in on him at all times but so far, he’s just a Klingon doctor. He was probably denounced at a young age and ousted from the Empire for being soft…but to be honest, he could just be invented. Time will tell, but it’s a long reach to learn medicine just to be assigned to a Starfleet starship. Let alone the Intrepid.” Max answered her as best he could.
Vila nodded. She agreed with his assessment.
“Anyway, it’s time to begin if we want to make our rendezvous time. Ensign Sh’rai, take us through the nebula, full impulse. Adjust as needed for ionizing hot spots and, Callan, let’s use the Bussard Collectors to pick up some basic elements that we might need.”
“On second thought, Lieutenant Aukai, we’ll be passing near the probe soon enough that you can break off your return mission protocol,” Max said to the small crew.
Max leaned in to Vila and quietly said, “I can see the allure of working the night shift. The lighting isn’t as bright and there’s a lot less people on the bridge.”
Vila nodded. "Exactly," she said. "I can think," she said. "We haven't had ANY problems since we switched. Sometimes, I DO know what I am talking about," she said. "Aukai, as the Captain said, and for Prophet's sake, don't damage the damn thing!" she sighed.
Damn deranged koala. But actually, as much as she hated it, he was a good scientist and probably about the only other person on this ship who could match her temper and passion. She wouldn't want to fight him if she ever had to.
“Aye, aye, Cap’n, ma’am,” Kaydren responded. He wasn’t telepathic, and he didn’t know any telepathic Bajorans, but he definitely got the feeling Lorut didn’t like him. ’Fuck it,’ he thought. ’I live with the captain, so what’s she really gonna do?’
As the Intrepid entered, the red and yellows started to change to blues and golds within the interior. Max had forgotten how pretty the aurora was as it separated into dozens of colors, even hid, Kaitos was just as pretty as planet. He set down his PADD and deactivated the holographic displays that interrupted his view of the nebula.
“I forgot how pretty this is. It’s been almost thirty five years since I’ve been home. You’d be surprised the simple things you forget. Double suns shine down on glorious beaches in Lua Thelena, my home region. At night, four moons traverse the sky at different intervals, with no more than two shining at a time.”
“You’d be surprised how long it took to get used to the absolute nighttime darkness of Earth,” Max rambled as he watched the interior of the nebula change again to blues, reds and brilliant purples. ’A rainbow in the night…’ he thought and it brought a smile to his face.
“Do you ever think fondly about Bajor, Vila?” Max asked.
"Oh, yes. I love it. Even as it's still rebuilding...every time we dock at DS9, or even get close enough to see Jerrado...I am struck by this...feeling like I'm experiencing it for the first time. But at the same time, I feel like...I am home," she said. "That is another reason why the Occupation was so terrible. They destroyed everything...the beauty, the skyline I had grown up seeing every day," she said. She fell silent then, already having said too much.
“I never got a chance to see El-Auria. The Borg had long since assimilated the world and ripped out all the resources, technology, entire land masses to feed the Collective." Max looked pensive for a moment but it soon passed. “My mom used to tell me how different Kaitos was. All I ever knew was Kaitos is my home. The lavender waves crashing against the white sand beaches. Humans called it sugar sand. Sure to make its way into and onto everything. All day long we’d play along the shores, until the second sun set in the north. Two silver moons would chase each other through the sky, making sure a full moon night was lit up like magic.”
“We stopped reaching for the stars. Aside from A'ransari, no great spires, no reaching out toward the stars in our architecture. For many of the elders, even the thought of having our own station and defense force was anathema, but needs must, of course.” Max suddenly realized the room had gone quiet behind him.
Her planet occupied, her people treated like slaves. His planet decimated, his people assimilated. It hadn’t been easy for either of them, growing up. A counselor could have a field day with just these two. Max smiled.
“I saw Rena the other day,” he mentioned offhandedly. “I’m glad that you’ve decided to follow that gnarled pain in the ass’s advice. Albion, I think, knows where to push. Even if he does sound like Darth Vader these days.”
Vila chuckled… "Indeed. I've heard some stories of Kaitos. Haven't had the chance to step foot yet," she said. "And yes, Albion knows what to say...doesn't he?" Since the call earlier, the three had formed a quiet alliance, though she wasn't sure if any of them would admit it. She wouldn't. She just knew that the Admiral had pissed the three of them off enough that they'd work together out of spite.
“I’d pay to be a fly on the wall in one of his counseling sessions.” Max chuckled weakly.
Returning his attention to the bridge, Max asked, “Time to orbit?”
“Thirty eight minutes, Captain,” Callan said, having left the ETA countdown on his console.
“Steady as she goes, everyone. Steady as she goes,” Max responded quietly, calmly. If he wasn’t careful, he might put the crew to sleep with the calm vibes he was putting out. He sipped his coffee and walled away his ‘vibe’.
Vila's face returned stony, and she turned around to face the Bridge, settling into the XO's seat. "Callan, prep us for docking. I'll wake Ripley," she said. It'd be her pleasure. She tapped her comms badge.
=/\=Commander Ripley, report to the bridge, please. NOW.=/\=
Forty five minutes later, the nebula gave way to a hidden binary solar system. Binary stars orbited each other, one similar to the Sol star and the other just a bit smaller. Orbiting them were a dozen more planets.
“Ladies and gentlemen, asexuals, transsexuals, and all other sexual identities and pronouns, welcome to Kaitos. Make way for the seventh planet, ensign.”
=/\= Kaitos One, this is the USS Intrepid, prepare for docking, please,” Max said after opening his own line.
“Kaitos One is prepped for soaking at station alpha. Welcome home, Captain.”
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