STF

First Impressions

Posted Feb. 13, 2023, 9:18 a.m. by Civilian Aiofemi T. Oshiro (Director of Medical and Social Services) (Mika Jackson)

Posted by Civilian Kenzo B’tren-Hyrushi (Governor) in First Impressions

Posted by Civilian Aiofemi T. Oshiro (Director of Medical and Social Services) in First Impressions

Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in First Impressions
Posted by… suppressed (3) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Kenzo took a steadying breath. He looked at Eela and his eyes conveyed more frustration than anything else. He looked back at Oshiro and said “Doctor… you are not a reporter. You do not have ‘sources’. What you seem to have is someone or some-ones who like to gossip and speak without having any kind of basis of actual fact. And we cannot have a Senior Cabinet member walking around listening to far-fetched, sensationalistic garbage and then spewing that forth without consideration of the ramifications of their words. Oed does not have a rebellion. Oed does not have ‘an issue’ with organized crime anymore than any other remote world with millions of people does. Our police force is quite adept and very good at their job, and they rooted out such many years ago. And no… this is wholly and completely not your area of focus, nor is it why we wanted you here. You are here to provide health and social programs to assist the people of this colony. And like it or not, Doctor, you are now in the public eye. Everything you say outside of your home is likely to be heard and reported on. You have the ear of the people whether you want it or not. So I would like you to make a choice right now, if I may be so bold as to impose on you. Do you wish to be a rumor-monger? Or do you wish to ensure the health and mental welfare of the people of this colony? Because you cannot do both. And one is wholly detrimental to the other.”

Hyrushi, Governor

She accepted everything he said. However she was annoyed when he called her a....”A rumor monger?” she said as she laughed, “That is an interesting term that I have never heard before, possibly because it has never ever applied to me. However, I think I understand the meaning of it.” She said the words fast and sarcastically even though she knew she was teetering on the side of getting fired on her first day. “I have not shared this information with anyone else but you two. Wouldn’t you rather I bring information like this to you? Or is it best to keep it to myself the next time I come across such information? Also, although I am not a reporter, I do have sources.” She despised that he had the audacity to tell her what she do and do not have. “As you said I have the ear of the people. If you really want to know where I heard these rumors it was from some of the citizens in the colony. However, I will not share their names with you. If you say there is no rebellion, I accept that. I you say there is no issue with organized crime, I accept that too.”
She frowned then said, “Of course, I want to ensure the health and mental welfare of the people of this colony. That is why I applied for this job. However wouldn’t that require me to listen to them, even the rumors that might come from them?” None of this was going the way she planned. She was starting to become frustrated herself because now she realized that Mr. Hyrushi was super sensitive and her question had caused issues. It was possible, she would get fired and find herself on the next shuttle back to Earth. She took a deep breath and then said, “Mr. Hyrushi. Is it possible to get a cup of tea? I have not drunk or eaten anything since this morning and I feel it may be affecting my mood.”

Dr. Ai Oshiro, DMSS

Eela raised her brows for a brief moment. Sure they hadn’t had a chance to enjoy all of their beverages before she brought Oshiro up here, but it wasn’t like she had skipped that bit of hospitality.

Ignoring the request for a moment, Hyrushi leaned forward and said “Then your sources need to wither pay more attention to reality and less to sesationlistic trash-vids; or you need better sources. And yes, your feelings are correct… this is not going well.” He pressed an icon on his desk and said “Ms. Fen, could we please have some tea and other refreshments brought in? Thank you.” Hyrushi then fixed his gaze on Oshiro.

“You asked if I would rather you bring those ‘perspectives’ to me or keep them to yourself?” he asked in an even and calm voice. “You should certainly do the latter. Until you do your due diligence and verify such statements, broadcasting them is a significant risk. What do you suppose would happen if a reporter overheard you saying such things? Or even just a random person on the street? You, Doctor… who is here to provide health care and address the social needs of the people of Oed… would potentially be the cause of mass panic. And that does not reflect well on you, your efforts, or the rest of the government. I am not saying close yourself off from the people. I am telling you to be very careful who you decide is a dependable source of information. And even then, be even more careful of what you choose to speak about where you may be overheard. Here, in this room, you do not need to worry about. But outside? Doctor, if you spoke about those ‘beliefs’ in a restaurant at breakfast; I can assure you the headlines that evening would read ‘Senior Government Official Prepares For Armed Uprisings As Organized Crime Takes Over Oed’… or something equally ludicrous. And then I, the Lieuetemant Governor, and you would be spending the next few months defusing the situation instead of getting things done to actually help the people. Does that make sense to you?”

Hyrushi, Governor

It was strange to her that he kept making it as if she was running across the colony spreading false information like she’d done something wrong by asking a question. She hadn’t broadcasted anything. A migraine was forming in her head and she wasn’t going to be able to sit there for much longer. She placed her fingers on her forehead, shrugged her shoulders, and said, “Sure. I will make sure to not repeat this type of information, even to you. However, I can’t help what I hear or what people tell me.” She studied the tea for a moment, then drank it.

Dasca had folded her arms across her chest wearing a thin frown, though it was only partly because of what was happening in this room. In addition to taking a moment to batten down her mental shields a tad more so she could focus, Eela was personally disturbed by the fact that there were even casual rumours of rebellion on the colony. No doubt it was an offhand comment related to protest she had arrived during that had been spun a few dozen times into something more, but she was weighing the implications. They were overwhelming, especially given recent events with the Vren and her own excitement dealing with the incident at House Duroc. Those events spoke of challenges ahead that were going to test various parties and the colony as a whole. What Oshiro didn’t recongize twaas that those ‘sources’ could very well be security threats.

“I think it’s important to remember that your inclination, and mine was when I first arrived too, is to equate what happens around us here on the colony with something familiar from our Starfleet life. The problem is that on a Starfleet assignment, the people you work with day in and day out all have start with the same framework of rules. Even when your philosophies and experiences are vastly different, we have something consistent to bind us. That is not how it is here, and part of your challenge will be to not approach the colony you would your department on a starship, and see it as an organic creature all its own that doesn’t care one bit about your rules if it believes that it is in the right. Our job”-she gestured to the three of them-“is to build general consensus and allow the reasonable majority to lead the path forward. But we cannot ignore the loud minority who would actively undermine all the hard work many different people are doing. Not only would that be a mistake, it would be negligent of us as leaders.”

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Ai considered what Eela had said. She nodded in agreement, “Yes you are correct Lieutenant Governor Dasca. I am going to have to differentiate running a whole department on a planet that serves 4 million people from running a department on a starship that serves 400 people. I think that will be my challenge here.” There was a pause. She did understand why they wanted her to tell them who told her about the rebellions, but she didn’t think it was relevant. “The person who told me about the rebellions mentioned them nonchalantly, just in conversation. I honed in on the subject, pressed for more information, and was told I should not be worried about them. In any case, the conversation stuck with me and I was prompted to ask you about them so that I can understand your take on them. Our conversation was secure, no one else was around when it was discussed.”

Dr. Ai Oshiro, DMSS

“Four hundred people who shared a common goal. Similar day-to-day lives. And a belief in a system that applied to everyone. Here will vastly different.” Hyrushi said. He took a breath and then gave her a small smile. “But I do believe that you will be capable of handling that. I just want you to be aware that this path you are on is far more than just policy creation and meetings. You are a face of the colony. What you say and do, officially or otherwise, can and will effect millions of people… whether you intend it to or not. We, all of us, have to be careful.”

Hyrushi, Governor

“I understand,” she said. “My next question is not so ....controversial. I was wondering how the policies are decided on. Are they put before a board for approval and then the citizens vote on them? How do we know we are doing things that the citizens want.” It was a serious question before she could talk about her idea of holding an intergalactic health fair for the citizens of the colony.

Dr. Ai Oshiro, DMSS


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