STF

Conference room (2021 Sim)

Posted June 6, 2022, 4:38 p.m. by Captain Calvin Marius (Captain) (Luke Hung)

Posted by Lieutenant Tom Jarvis (Internal Security) in Conference room (2021 Sim)

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Vanessa Slade (CNS) in Conference room (2021 Sim)

Posted by Captain Calvin Marius (Captain) in Conference room (2021 Sim)
Posted by… suppressed (54) by the Post Ghost! 👻
SNip
Both Chichak and Lepto look horrified at the XO’s explanation. “Really,” Lepto commented, “then the advancement of your Federation must be rather slow; or at least the members must be angsty. Those who are more advanced must be less contented because the efforts put in to improve themselves would be used by the less advanced with no consequence. The less advanced would then benefit without any effort of their own.”

GM

Magnus raised an eyebrow and smiled a bemused smile “I think that’s the first time I’ve heard that point made” He said stepping from his chair and walking to the side of the table, hands still clasped behind his back “I don’t think that’s a common sentiment within the more advanced members if such a term can be used. Members of the Federation all share certain cultural values, cooperation, co-existence, benevolence and peaceful exploration amongst other things. Our species, humans, are amongst the four founding members of the Federation and I don’t think once in our history we’ve ever been angsty over less advanced members joining. Helping others does not mean you can’t help yourself”

XO

“That’s the problem with tolerance!” commented Lepto sarcastically, “Language is used to muddle and confuse such that manipulation of the emotions is possible. Things never get done if the truth is couched in alternative and politically correct words. The Lesscoo just says as it is. The strong either decimate the weak to gain ascendance, or make the weak as part of the strong.”

GM

“Do we look weak?” Calvin stood suddenly with his fist hitting the table. “One ship of the thousands of the Federation starships, basically walked to the doorstep of your home-world, and only the fact that we are ‘tolerant’ kept us from doing whatever we wanted.” Marius looked around the table.

“If the Lesscoo wants it plain, then so shall it be. I have no proof of your borders and ironically as far as we are concerned both yours and the Messi world are within our borders according to the rules of our space you can not claim a world that isn’t your own. If you don’t like it your welcome to attack us again and this time I wont use our words and I’ll actually fire back. Or we can get to the point of our fancy words and negotiate a deal that will make me less angry and perhaps you might get a little something out of it too. A wise man in your position would get to dealing.”

Marius

Now that’s what I am talking about. Big dogs in the howwwwwwssssahhh, Vanessa had a hard time not letting her fervor with her two superior’s officer’s action take her to the next level. If she said what was really on her mind that level would probably be two levels down and the brig but it was not like she wasn’t raised with some couth.

Vanessa did not have the experience or rank to match the stinging reprisal delivered by Judge Calvin and his gavel fist bringing decorum to the room in one swift move; however, she wasn’t totally without a little fire of her own. Picking up the PaDD, she decided a visual display to punctuate the CO and XO’s words would help drive the point home. Bringing up the standard star charts known to anyone who had a console and could enable the galactic search engines of Gaggle or Bang she displayed the visual image of the borders Marius just spoke of on the large wall PaDD in the room. To add a bit of snark, she added a little yellow arrow pointing down to the Lesscoo system with the words above it stating YOU ARE HERE and bolded all the Federation planets to accentuate just how small of a fish their guests were in the galactic pond so to speak.

“As you can see our galactic maps are clear and our borders are defined. I presume you have some sort of documentation to make discussion more productive… but I wouldn’t know since despite me asking a dozen times for some sort of information you so far have declined to do so.”

Standing up, Vanessa smiled that soft grin her father claimed all girls learned at a young age and developed into the in right your wrong smile of a woman who had dug her heels into a conflict. “Maybe we need some more refreshments,” she gestured to the replicator. “Coffee…tea....treaty papers for you,” she gestured to Letpo and Chichak, “from the diplomatic division of let’s be reasonable or you are going to get a boot up your ass.”

Vanessa Slade CNS and card-carrying member of Team M rocks

Marius

Chichak looked grave, “Your intentions are now clear. You enter our territory and claimed that you visit in peace. We request that you remove yourselves from our territory and you refuse. We warn you and you resist. We make good our threat and you claim we are wrong. We are prepared to hear you out and you speak about how great you are. Your Federation is out to force us into submission into your philosophies and politics. You say you have no proof of our borders. We have no proof of yours. You infer that the Lesscoo is less than you in qualities. All these are of your standards and your values. You are in our territory and you dictate to us your values. I admit that you are mightier than us. If you wish to subjugate the Lesscoo, I have no doubt you could do it in seconds. The Lesscoo has no interest in your Federation if it means we have the choice to do so. The Lesscoo does not welcome the Federation into its territory. The Lesscoo requests that you leave our systems at once!” Lepto and Chichak stood up and Chichak continued, “These talks have concluded!”

GM

“Must be downright terrible to have a technologically advanced species appear out of nowhere to impose their will on you” Magnus still hadn’t sat down, this was the most delicate time during their meeting “Dictating values and philosophies behind the strength of arms, a superiority complex, spouting how great we are” He spoke slowly and calmly, the tone he’d learned working with Federation Diplomats “I imagine this is what those you wish to subjugate feel” He took a single small step forward to emphasize his words “Before you leave Representative Chichak, consider this, your species is taking its first steps into the galactic scene and whilst we will happily let you be within your own system we can’t sit back and watch as you subjugate a species with military might. Our conflict is not with your sovereignty but that of theirs.”

XO

He shoots. He scores and the quarterback is toast Vanessa had a hard time not smiling. This was why she had joined Starfleet. It was to be around people like Marius and Magnus giving glasses to the masses that could not see past the end of their noses so they could see a clearer path ahead. When this was done, she was buying the rounds in the lounge. The two men she saluted needed it for a job well done. She needed one because Vanessa was wound tight as a cork. At least the cool heads of the M-Team had prevented the cork from popping.

Vanessa Slade

Chichak just glared at the XO. “Are we now prisoners of yours?” he asked with dignity.

GM

“Why would you be our prisoners? Have you committed a crime to be arrested? You are free to come and go as you please. The Federation sees all sentient beings as equal and respected. Frankly it’s why your views of the Messi aren’t sitting so well with us. People are their best when they are free to think and create.” Inside Vanessa slightly cringed. She sounded like a starry eyed cadet. The problem was she really did believe this. Honestly everyone around the table wearing the uniform thought like this. It was what made them get up and ready for the day. The thought that each one of them could make the universe a better place day by day.

Vanessa thought about it for a second. “I mean if we were on your ship would be be arrested?” She hoped her comment would explain why the man’s question seemed crazy to her

Vanessa slade.

Magnus raised an eyebrow at his question “I only ask that you consider what we have to say and not just leave because we seem to be at an impasse right now” He looked towards the Captain, Right now they’d been going back and forth, the Captain was harsh so Magnus would be gentle, he waited for the Captain to decide what would happen next.

XO

“Clearly,” said Chicak, “You have decided that our claim on Messi is invalid, based on your laws. We operated by our own laws and you are expecting us to operate under yours. You are the more advanced race and is thus entitled to subdue us and force us into submission of those laws. I do not see what else is there to consider?”

GM

“No, I state - you continue to claim a world based on borders that aren’t defined by any objective measure. You say this space is yours, I say it isn’t. You claim the weak must make way for the strong, if that is your law… then you have decided who is right in this discussion. If you want to do it our way… you have to prove it.”

“By the manner in which you defined your law we are fully in compliance to name the Messi world within our space… as such that world is free to develop without your interference.”

Marius

Damn I hope I am never on the other side of the table when you decide to get all captainy on my arse, Vanessa looked at Marius. Normally a counselor only learned about the people on one side of the table. Today Vanessa was learning about both and frankly she was glad she was on the M-team’s side of the old oak slab.

Vanessa Slade counselor

“It’s your word against the word of the Lesscoo,” said Chicak. “You ask for proof, I also ask for proof that the Messi are within your borders.”

GM

Marius glanced at the map that Vanessa popped up on the screen a few minutes ago, but he guess that wasn’t good enough.

OOC: If I shouldn’t get involved here just disregard this post.
OOC: Go ahead everyone’s welcome… ironically your ability makes your sudden pop in totally in character.

IC: “And what would you consider acceptable proof?” the voice asked from the shadowed corner, “Consider carefully as the answer will determine what both sides must bring to the table.”

Jesus Mary and Joseph, Vanessa half came out of her seat hearing a voice out of no where. In fact, she had not come out of her seat that fast since she was sixteen and watching the jump scare holomovie The Borgman Cometh. In some was the spectral voice that seemed to float from the edges of the dark made every hair stand up on her arm.

How long had he been there? He was little more than a vague shape in the corner.

Tom had listened. He wasn’t a diplomat, at least not today. Calvin and Magnus were edging the prime directive but that always happened. The prime directive, like plans, never survived it’s first encounter. It was never about the prime directive being broken, it was about the de”gree of infraction and Tom saw nothing to advise about as of yet.

  • Tom, IntSec

Marius looked over, he shook his head for a moment and double clicked his comm badge, which normally didn’t have any special function, but Marius had made some modifications since Jarvis had come aboard years ago…

Magnus ignored the urge to jump at the officer’s voice suddenly appearing out of nowhere. He looked at the face he didn’t recognize and knew who this was, the only things he knew were what he’d written down in a diary specifically made for him. Lieutenant Tom Jarvis, Internal Security. It was a good question, he only hoped that the two aliens wouldn’t be overly concerned with the officers appearance, sudden as it was.

XO

Marius

Chicak looked wearied, “Our records show how long we have been present in the Messi system. You would no doubt find that unacceptable. Do you have any documentation that show that you have influence over the Lesscoo and the Messi?”

GM

Influence isn’t what the Federation did. In fact not influencing is their rule. Certainly they could demonstrate relations and probably settlement and worlds all around these… right?

Tom stepped out of the shadowed corner, his appearance unremarkable except for the black on black of his IntSec uniform.

Getting her first look at Tom, Vanessa had only one thought in her mind. I’m putting a cowbell on that one. If the man was in IntSec and always wore black, she was going to make sure next time he decided to lurk in a shadow, the ring of a cowbell was serve as an early warning system to the rest of the crew. Although it was never actually going to happen, Vanessa took a small sip of her coffee to hide the smirk imagining a man with Tom’s stealth being deceived by the tinkling of a small bell.

“We are outside Federation borders. We are explorers and meeting new races is one of our goals but, due to our Prime Directive guideline, we rarely interfere with pre-warp civilizations. We use burgeoning warp capability as a determining factor for introduction. A civilization becoming warp capable means they will meet new potential allies, foes, and threats that they should be prepared for. A system could be under observation for over 100 cycles and never know of the bigger community around them due to low level civilization and/or insufficient technical advancement. We have a hard time accepting subjugation of one race by another however there can be exceptions…”

Marius stared at Tom for a moment. He didn’t think that was going to help their argument.

Tom knew that Magnus and Peturson wouldn’t like this part but it had to be said if they wanted everything on the board.

OOC: Just so we’re on the same page … The Genesis is exploring outside Federation space.

OOC: Made some small changes.

OOCL I wasn’t 100% sure. But it doesn’t change how Marius is playing the game.

IC:
By the end of this meeting Vanessa would be sporting a neck brace from self-induced whiplash at the number of times she whipped her head around to look at someone candy coating or in Tom’s case appearing to accept subjugation as a fact of life. Frowning slightly, she waited to see where Tom was going with his line of thinking as she picked up the PaDD and made a note to contact HR. If they made her any crazier at this meeting, she would roll into the next meeting one of those stupid HR holovids titled something Prime Directive and You....what does that mean or the ever popular one Do onto others because when you are not looking they will do it back to you. It would save time and probably lull the opposing party into an agreement. While the M-Team had gotten fiesty in the end, Vanessa was waiting to see how Tom would turn his comment around and explain for the third time how the Lesscoo were idiots only far more eloquently.

“If both civilizations elect not to apply for Federation membership, then they will remain independent entities and will neither be helped nor hindered. In that case, what you do to each other, no matter how reprehensible, will remain none of our concern. Either path they choose, they will know of your presence before we leave.”

Tom knew his last line wasn’t in line with the prime directive, but as he reasoned before, infraction was a matter of degree.

  • Tom, IntSec

Marius shook his head slightly. You never showed your cards during a negotiation, nor tell an enemy all the things you weren’t going to do unless its served your purpose. Tom basically was giving them the whole game and then was going to try to talk his way out of the knots they were going to put him him.

Wait what, Vanessa looked at Tom with a confused expression. Is there something in the coffee, she briefly thought before clearing her throat. “Dignitaries,” she addressed the Lescoo across the table, “what our esteemed officer means is we will not leave until some form of diplomacy has been reached even if that is a demilitarized zone because we are not going to let you and the Messi just duke it out like common brawlers on a Saturday night outside of Murphy’s pub. So in the interest of expediency for everyone parts, what is it going to take to have you see the Messi as something other than a bug under your size nine shoe.”

Vanessa Slade counselor

Chicak had a few moments to process what the counselor had said. “We claim the Messi as part of our territory. There should be no interference in our internal affairs from external forces. You claim that we cannot do that. I think that counts as external interference.”

GM

Tom looked at the counselor for a moment. It was an emotionally based outburst but it was expected.

“You can’t claim another race and another planet.” His junior officers were running away with this negotiation but one thing was clear. “We don’t have slavery in the Federation… or servitude of an entire planet.”

Hell yes. Thank you, Marius. Thank you for pointing out the one thing that I can absolutely agree on in Starfleet rules and regulations. Like with any political system there were upsides and downsides but at least the concept of no forced servitude was accepted by anyone wearing the uniform.

“According to you, the Messi are subject to you. According to us, they’ve met first contact requirements.”

Tom looked studiously at Chicak for a moment.

“If they acknowledge your claim then we would have to accept that and move on but, from our observations, they don’t even know of your existence yet, much less your claim over them. Why is that?”

  • Tom, IntSec

Chicak was not fazed, “Yes, you are not in the Federation and thus, you cannot insist that the Lesscoo follow your principles. The Lesscoo has the right to operate in our own territory the way we have always done so.”

GM

While this was her first official meeting on the Genesis and Vanessa was as green and ideological as they came, it didn’t stop her from trying to look at it from her counselor’s angle. On some level this was no different than any other counseling meeting with two parties. Emotionally it was the same as two parties in a conflict. Suddenly a realization popped into her head. This is a marriage gone wrong scenario. Glancing to her right, she would never admit that suddenly she saw Marius as the wife who held the family together and was trying to raise amazing young Mariusian’s to be productive individuals in the greater expanse of the galaxy and Chicak the stuck in his ways husband that could not see past the edge of the recliner where his world ended once he came home from work. If she just focused on the Federation as the wife and Lesscco as the husband, maybe she could help the situation to resolve.

“If you will grant me a question,” she looked at Chicak directly, “you have stated that the Messi are subject to you and as a highly intelligent race you have developed a thriving and enlightened society,” Vanessa began stopping to take a breath. Easy on the flattery Nessie, her internal voice piped in. They are essentially Uncle Guido with the ideology that one should never go against the family. Blinking to stop her internal monologue, she continued with the public one.

“A society as advanced as yours has laws and codes to which the people live by. So if your Messi are your subjects and not just in your servitude, I suggest you bring the represented leaders of the Messi up here so that they can confirm that life is in perfect balance for both groups on your highly civilized and advanced society.” The point of Vanessa’s question was so thin it was almost transparent but if the Lesscoo and the Messi did have some bizarro dysfunctional family thing going on there wasn’t much the Federation could do: however, if the Lesscoo did state the Messi had no rights, in theory, Vanessa thought Marius could forgo diplomatic negotiations with the Lesscoo and proceed with the Messi. Biting her lip, Vanessa wished in that moment she had paid far more attention in her diplomacy 101 class at the academy. She knew the M-team had probably gotten straight A’s in that class and were experienced in this sort of matter even if she wasn’t.

Vanessa Slade

Chicak turned to look at Slade, “Madam, you assume that the beings on the planet in Messi is equal to the Lesscoo. I can assure you that they are not. The Lesscoo does not see any reason why there is a need to have a meeting when the Messi are already subject to the Lesscoo.”

GM

“You’ve said that repeatedly. You also said with very little contact we are your equal. Can you explain how you make that determination?”

“We do not make that assumption,” said Chicak coolly. “You have decided not to dominate us as superiors and we respond accordingly. When we asked you if you have come to conquer us, you have replied in the negative. You have approached us to talk, and so we have come to talk.”

Vanessa plunked her coffee down on the table with a loud thunk allowing its contents to splash over and onto the hard table. Standing up she raised one finger and pointed it to the door. That’s it. Get out. Don’t pass go and do NOT collect two hundred credits when the door hits you in the arse on the way out. If you chose not to do that watch your back next time leaving the ship because I grew up with nine brothers and I am going to slap some sense into you. Who do you think you are? Subject to you. Leaning over the table with both palms flat she continued. Lemme tell you something Chicak. The second you leave this room I am going to make it my personal mission to give the Messi the means and opportunity to boot your asses straight off their turf. Then, she narrowed her eyes, we are gonna throw a planetary party with with banners saying NO MESSING with the MESSI. Take one look into my eyes if you think I am joking.

“We have spoken frankly as to our claim on the Messi and our sovereignty on the two systems.” Then his voice became very calm, “You have challenged us as to the claim of the Messi system. For the Lesscoo, this means that you are considering entering into war with the Lesscoo.”

To say Vanessa was riled up was an understatement. Her foot was twitching so fast under the table it probably could have generated enough power to run the Genesis from its pure kinetic energy. Slade had no idea if it was Marius’ leg she was occasionally kicking or the leg of the table but right now she didn’t care. Of course, everything that had just transpired was in Nessieland or what her family called her imagination but there was a chance that fantasy could become reality.

“Captain,” she looked at Marius with an age-old expression of let me at them. The look on her face spoke not of challenging his authority but more the please let me run my mouth because then you can reprimand me but everyone will feel better after telling these yahoos at the table to bend over and give them directions if necessary. As hot under the collar as Vanessa was however she did still understand rank and file. She needed Marius to take her off the proverbial leash.

Vanessa Slade

Tom read Vanessa’s body language and understood her feelings but this was not a time for high emotions, outside Federation borders, first contact with two races, one of which was claiming dominion over an apparently unaware and less advanced other. The Lescoo, who have already proven themselves hostile, refuse to understand that the crew of the genesis are required to treat them as separate independent races under the circumstances observed.

Technically everything outside the Federation was more in the bailiwick of Intelligence but, their Intel officer, Reia, was currently making contact with the Messi.

  • Tom, IntSec

“Our scans of the Messi do not show evidence of a significantly inferior intelligence, moral code, to the general races in the galaxy…” He had to stop himself from saying and in this room. Although technically his landing party could be part of a human sacrifice right about now so did take a moment to consider he might be defending a planet full of murders from a planet of nazis.

Marius

Tom was playing a very different game, attempting to play to the Lescoo’s arrogance to get them to provide any proof that their claim over the Messi is true beyond just their own presence in the system.

Tom could return to his seat on the other side of the divider, if necessary, out of sight in the shadowed corner for a few minutes and then him, and everything he’d said, would vanish from their memories. Unfortunately it would affect everyone in the room.

  • Tom, IntSec

Chicak looked unusually calm. “Lady and gentlemen, I believe that that is all that is needed to be said is already said.”

GM

Magnus raised a hand to both Vanessa and Tom, indicating silence for the meanwhile, they had gone in circles a few times, the cultural difference was too great to make any more headway in this first meeting. He looked at Marius, it would be his decision to end the meeting or if the ambassador decided to leave “I am saddened to hear that belief. At least convey our arguments to your leadership. If you’ll allow me to summarize, our argument is simple. Proximity does not grant a right to own other sentient beings, nor do feelings of superiority over said species.” He turned to the Captain again and said in a lowered voice but still loud enough to be heard “I belive it may be time, sir”

XO

Calvin leaned back, they just didn’t have a coherent argument so it made debate impossible. I’m sure, he thought, that they would have the same opinion. The fact of the matter is that all Calvin needed to know which set of rules he was going to play by. Frankly the Lossco rules were easier. The Genesis would disable every military ship in their entire fleet and come back in a month to do it again. The real issue was Star-Fleet wouldn’t let them do that… if they found out. He glanced around the room.

Marius

“Thank you ambassadors, you have made things very clear.” Tom said to the Lescoo reps before giving Marius a nod.

  • Tom, IntSec

Marius was done with them unless they were actually going to be more forthcoming or be willing to negotiate. He suspected he had enough to work along the edges of the Prime Directive… less so since the boundaries were already defined, but enough. Marius stood up. “It is my intention to table this discuss until our diplomats can reach this location from Earth. I suspect it will take about a month maybe two.”

“What is the maximum range of your weapons?”

Marius

Magnus ignored a strong desire to look at the Captain, the man wasn’t exactly subtle, but perhaps subtetly wasn’t going to work with these people. He simply looked at the diplomats with a stoic expression

XO

OOC: Sorry for being absent. I had to cover the work of an absent colleague and was overwhelmed at RL work.

IC:

Before Chicak could speak, Lepto said, “That is confidential information! I am sure that you would not divulge the specifications of your ships and weapons to us, would you?”

GM

Marius nodded, “Understandable, but since I do not know what the range of your weapons are. I am forced to put a .25 light year exclusion zone around this ship and the planet in question. If any of your vessels approach within that distance I will destroy them. Likewise if we approach within .25 light years of your world I acknowledge we are in violation and subject to attack.”

Marius

Chicak and Lepto looked at each other in silence. They were afraid but their expressions remained stony.

She thought back to a recent therapy session with one of the members of the crew as Marius took on his command tone. Yeah I might have been wrong on saying you put your pants on one leg at a time skipper. Right now I feel like you are doing that Iron Man thing where they all fall into place the second you snap your fingers, she thought. This meeting was far more informative than just meeting a new race. Vanessa was learning a lot about the crew. Marius wore the air of command like a t-shirt. It was snug and fit him perfectly yet breathable to that he was able to do what he needed without feeling constricted. The XO was highly intelligent and loyal. It was clear Marius trusted the man implicitly which although would seem to be something one needed in a CO-XO dynamic it was not always the case. Marius and Magnus moved with rhythm like they were dancing. Each of them perfectly in step with each other to achieve the same outcome. Tom. The name lingered in her mind for a second as she looked around the table. Why did she think there was a Tom here. MacGregor had never been present but for some reason, akin to deja vu, Vanessa swore someone else had been in the room with them and the name Tom seemed to be the only thing she could remember. Shrugging it off, she waited to see what the alien visitors were going to say to Marius’s statement.

Vanessa Slade

OOC: Tom hasn’t left the room yet so she hasn’t forgotten him yet.

“Very well,” said Chicak. “We will convey your message to our people.”

The two Lesscoo delegates stood up and moved towards the exit of the conference room.

GM

Outside the Conference room two Security officers escorted the pair back to their shuttle.

After the delegates left Tom approached Marius and Magnus.

“It is obvious that they believe in a might makes right ideology as long as they are the ones with the might. While the prime Directive does admonish us to not interfere with the development of pre-warp civilizations, the Lescoo are not pre-warp. From observations and their intention to subjugate the Messi, I have to assume that they have, perhaps, stolen much of their technology form other lesser powerful developing societies. The Lescoo territory may be extensive. All mere speculation of course.”

“They’ve proved none of their boundaries, nor have we established official diplomatic relations. Right now I see them as a less advance combination of the Klingons and the Tellerites, with none of the honor.”

Tom pulled a device from his belt and held it as he spoke. There were isolinear chips in four of the eight slots.

“As for the Messi, they have warp technology and are on the verge of warp travel. We have not violated the spirit of the Prime directive, we’ve merely jumped the gun a bit.”

  • Tom, IntSec

Magnus nodded “This is real bendy territory here but the Lieutenant is right. The exclusion zone is a good idea, sir. It’ll only work as a stopgap for now until we hear from our away team. Once we know more about the Messi we can make a more informed decision on what to do.” He looked out the viewport “I also think keeping transporters a secret will help later on.” He rubbed his wrist absently “I recommend that we head back to the Messi system and orbit the planet and reach out to the team.”

XO

Marius nodded. “I agree to both thoughts, we might not have the right to work with the Messi, but we have all the freedom to do whatever we want to the Lessco.” He thought.

“Magnus get the tactical group together and put a full computer model for us disabling an entire fleet of the Lescoo. Tom take us back to the Messi homeworld, send a message to Star-Fleet for a diplomatic team, and make contact with the away team.” He looked at the internal security officer. “You’re a lieutenant now, you’re going to need practicing giving orders, not just doing your own thing.” He pause for a moment to give them a chance to reply.

Tom looked at Magnus a moment, there was a slight shake of his head before he simply replied, “Aye sir.” as he handed Magnus, Marius, and Vanessa each one of the isolinear chips and walked out.

A moment before the door closed, Tom turned. “Someone’s got three minutes to make note in their journal.”, and the door closed.

  • Tom, IntSec

Marius glanced at him. He had long previously sent his comm badge to record audio when he double taps it. Something he automatically did when he say Tom enter a room. It was frustrating that he at the end of the day had to listen to the tapes he made, but he was one of the few people who remembered Tom’s voice and actions perfectly.
d
He then turned and walked to the windows in this room. He had done a pretty good job not killing anyone, but if the Lescoo pushed it, the odds of him continuing to do so decreased. He knew the Federation wouldn’t kick up too much dust if no one got hurt but once the body count started climbing every corner of the Prime Directive he cut would be under the microscope.

Marius

“On the verge or zipping about the stars,” Vanessa waggled her head, “does it matter? It wasn’t like we were warp traveling when the Vulcans made that pit spot in Montana. Cochran was testing it and the Vulcans noticed us. Pike dropped his ship out of orbit to stop a planet wide genocide. The Prime Directive has to be a living breathing document and not a fixed set of rules. Besides the Messi are not some civilization that doesn’t know they are alone in the universe. While this is a first contact thing for us, it is not for them. My two cents say if we do nothing it is like standing on a street corner and watching some bully trounce a kid for their lunch money but doing nothing to stop it. If the Messi express interest in us I see us as complete within the rules of the Prime Directive.” This was her first application of the Prime Directive and for Slade it was cut and dry with little bendy room. Maybe one day when she had more experience this gray area would be more clearly visible to her.

Slade. Cns

Marius snorted, “That’s not how they wrote it. There aren’t supposed to be margins for us to make personal interpretations. We do, of course. Mostly because we want to not due to ambiguity in the regulation.”

“Personal interpretation is what sets leaders apart from those that follow them. We jump because you both,” she waved a finger between the CO and XO, “give a command and we follow it. Your personal interpretations hold lives in the balance.” Getting up from the table Vanessa walked to the replicator and made another cup of coffee. She had to do something to expel the energy in her body.

“That’s the paradox isn’t it.” He said without glancing away from the window of transparent aluminum. “Why have Captains and crew if regulations and orders mandate behavior. We could have a bunch of probes with directives pre-programmed into it. ‘Captain Dunsel’.”

He shook his head and chuckled. “That’s not really true, that’s why we are here. Star-Fleet doesn’t have crew-less ships.”

With all their years of command experience between the CO and XO it probably would have been obvious to the men Vanessa was struggling a bit with a case of moral superiority. As a counselor she had always had the high ground until now. Her service record was filled with commendations for her work in the field. The few dings were almost exclusively in regard to her tactics. Vanessa had spent her entire career fighting the good fight as one said: pulling veterans out of PTSD, getting officers into drug and alcohol rehab programs, and dealing with kids and spouses who had lost their loved ones to the Starfleet. Few people could find faults in her dedication.

This however was a different situation. The enemy was not so clear cut. The moral high ground of supporting someone in need was not being balanced by an abusive partner, an addiction, or mental illness. As distasteful as the Lesscoo were, they were possibly protected under the Prime Directive and this was what Vanessa was angry about. Some counselors might be better at hiding their emotions but she had always found showing emotion wasn’t always bad. As a counselor she struggled with things as times no different than those in command. If she ever expected Marius and Magnus to come in and show weakness or frustration to her, she had to be open enough to show them. With the room sealed to just the three of them, it was the best place for the moment. “We aren’t going to just let them subjugate another race and hide behind some random rule light years away…right?”

Vanessa Slade CNS

“The Federation has done worse for less of a reason. It isn’t my intention to let the Lessco use the Prime Directive that way.” He thought back to what Tom said. Fortunately there were a moment or two left before he forgot him and before the evening where he could review his tapes and refresh it. “It might have been easier if Tom hadn’t explained the Prime Directive to such a detail. There is no obligation to tell them the rules in which we play by.”

Listening to the Captain reply to Tom on the bridge, made Vanessa cock her head slightly. “So are you taking the negotiations here or are we going to head to the bridge,” she asked the captain. “I mean you don’t delegate stuff like this…do you?” It was her first time on assignment and while she thought she knew how it all worked, this experience was not at all like anything she had expected.

Vanessa Slade CNS

OOC: Apologies for being absent. RL again.

IC:

After the Lesscoo had returned to their planet. the Lesscoo ships were found in a defensive stance around their planet.

GM

Marius

He faced her, “There is no situation to deal with yet. Young officers can’t learn to lead unless they get the opportunities, unwatched by big brother.” He glanced to the window. “Moving a ship into orbit and getting a Sit-rep from an away team should be well within the realm of a Lieutenant. After I get the information, I’ll decide if it needs me or if Jarvis can handle more. Its one of the ways I teach, by letting them do.”

Marius

“And if someone gets trigger happy?” Vanessa leaned back crossing her arms.

Listening to his response she nodded. “So when do I get my time in the big chair?” While the question sounded legitimate and reasonable, Marius had spent enough time with Vanessa to know it was the absolutely last place she ever wanted to park her rump. The idea of commanding a ship had about as much appeal to her as getting a cavity filled without novacaine.

Vanessa Slade. Cns

It wasn’t long till Tom was back with the answer.

=^=Lieutenant Shandy says they’re moving to a site 5 hours ground travel time from their current location and will advise en route.=^= Tom commed Marius.

  • Tom, IntSec

“Hun,” Marius thought to himself, where the hell were they that they had to travel 5 hours before a transporter could pick them up. =^=How does that make sense,=^= He started, =^=Jarvis get me a full scan and a report on where they are and what they are doing?=^= The could be in danger for all they knew and who ever had them needed time to hide their crimes.

Marius


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