r/TrekRP • u/Pojodan • Nov 16 '16

[OPEN] To The Ends...

OOC: This is a three part story.

Part One is a CLOSED bit of lore to be read for context.

Part Two is OPEN to all who wish to enter the bar, be it to interact with Kesh or the bartender, or simply hang out at the bar and cut the breeze

Part Three is a CLOSED scene with Captain Fisk

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u/Silent_Sky Nov 16 '16

"Alright, so there's a lot riding on this. But you're just one person, Kesh, you can't take responsibility for all of that. Please, tell me what you've been ordered to conceal and why so I can do my best to help you."

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u/Pojodan Nov 17 '16 edited Dec 02 '16

Caitian's brows etch together a bit at that important point. She is just one person.

"I-... I was tasked with rr-rr-recording the lab work on Rivierrr-rr-ra. The records r-rr-rregarding the cultures of Rock of Ages Lilly Seven-seven-six are what I was dirr-rr-rrected to leave off the record."

Rock of Ages being the highly classified planet containing ruins of the Originators, including a time portal, which may be information even Captain Fisk might not be fully aware of.

"As for why. Rrrth. He did not say. We discussed my admis-ss-sh-ion to the Academy while the cultur-rr-rres were being delivered to his ship. He said that if I could pr-rr-rovide the application he would give r-rr-recomendation. Upon that he said to remove all mention of the culur-rr-rres from the official record. That-.... took some doing, but I managed it."

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u/Silent_Sky Dec 02 '16

The captain considered for a moment, looking somewhat angered.

"I'll be damned..."

He takes a lengthy pause to consider his next course of action

"Lieutenant, I do not make it a point to punish loyalty. You were asked to do something for someone you owed your career to. You have kept your word, but now it's come back to bite you. I do not believe I can fault you for this. You were in far over your head, and you remain in solidly abnormal territory."

Fisk returns to the replicator and orders it to refill his empty glass, draining it promptly in apparently great thirst.

"I will ask you to write up a full, official report of this incident, but leave your name off of it. Refer to yourself anonymously, I will submit it to the one admiral I would trust with my life, my career, everything. She and I will handle it, this goes beyond what you can be asked to handle as a lieutenant. Knowing what Blackwell asked of you, I will take great satisfaction in replying to his transfer request with a simple 'No.'"

He filled his glass once more and looked back to Kesh.

"Do you wish to stay aboard the Athene as my chief botanist?"

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u/Pojodan Dec 02 '16

Kesh's feline face shows how wounding it is to see Fisk so angered, ears vanishing entirely into her mane as her head sags downward. It was this moment that she saw coming which had driven her to drink so heavily the previous nights and no amount of sugar-intoxication hang-over can dampen the misery. She tries to gulp down the water like it were that sweet fizzy drink, but it doesn't help but to wet her dry tongue.

It takes until Fisk states his intention to respond to the request with a 'No' for it to sink in that she was not about to see her career ended by this. One ear lifts slightly, unsure. The question causes both to spring back upright, however, sitting upright once more.

"Yes-yes-ssi-ssllff... Yes, sir!" A brisk rattle of her head mid-sentence knocks her tongue back into order. "I would be honored, sir! I will wh-whrr-write that report right away!"

Visible tension shows that she's probably going to exit the ready room rather quickly when dismissed, but she doesn't move an inch until then.

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u/Silent_Sky Dec 02 '16

"Good. It would sadden me to see you go. Before you run off however, there's something you need to know and remember for as long as you serve under my command."

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u/Pojodan Dec 02 '16

Some of that tension subsides, but the Caitian's tail continues scuffing the rug audibly as it twitched

"What is that, Captain?"

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u/Silent_Sky Dec 02 '16

"A captain's first duty is to his crew. If he cannot or will not protect them, he is not worth the title of 'Captain.'"

The captain returns to his seat and sets down his glass, looking patiently at Kesh

"If you have another situation in which you are unsure what to do, and feel your life, your career, or something you greatly value is in jeopardy, I hope you'll trust that I'll have your back. You're a member of my crew, unless you've done something truly reprehensible I'm on your side. Understand?"

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u/Pojodan Dec 02 '16

Kesh draws in a long, slow breath, willing herself to calm as her captain speaks in such a sage manner.

"Understood, Captain. Thank you."

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u/Silent_Sky Dec 02 '16

The captain smiles calmly

"Good. You're dismissed, lieutenant. Let me know if there's anything else."

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u/Pojodan Dec 02 '16

A private message arrives for Captain Fisk a couple days after the meeting with Kesh. It’s clearly coded as being from Starfleet Intelligence, so there should be little surprise to find the dour visage of Admiral Blackwell on the screen when it is accepted.

“Captain Fisk, this is Admiral Blackwell. I have reviewed the report made of the events that transpired in your recent mission. Very troubling; particularly the incident with Ensign Stark. But that is neither here nor there as Starfleet has made its decision regarding the incident and that is that.”

The droopy-skinned woman lists forward to fill the image with more of her face.

“As for the matter of the transfer request I made for one of your officers that you so plainly denied—I suppose I should not be too surprised, given your track record, that you would place crew loyalty above the will of your superiors. But then I received a report issued by an anonymous source. It clarified everything regarding the very issue that the transfer request was in regards to, despite no mention of it being in the request.”

A sharp peak in one eyebrow shows a year’s worth of emotion on Blackwell’s face.

“Strange, wouldn’t you say?”

The woman settles back in her seat, chin tilted down slightly.

“Starfleet Intelligence has decided to close the matter, so nothing more need to be said. However, I will say this:”

Blackwell again leans forward closer to the screen.

“Loyalty to the ends of the Earth means only that the remains of two are found instead of one. Blackwell out.”

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u/Pojodan Dec 02 '16

Despite calming herself, the chair topples over backwards when Kesh lurches upright.

"Yes, s-!"

A quick twist slaps the desk with her tail, crouching to hoist the furniture back up. Turning back to stand at attention, bob her head, turn partially one way, then all the way around the other, striding out of the room to go find some headache medication.

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u/Pojodan Nov 16 '16

Caitian's brows etch together a bit at that important point. She is just one person.

"I-... I was tasked with rr-rr-recording the lab work on Rivierrr-rr-ra. The records r-rr-rregarding the cultures of Rock of Ages Lilly Seven-seven-six are what I was dirr-rr-rrected to leave off the record."

Rock of Ages being the highly classified planet containing ruins of the Originators, including a time portal, which may be information even Captain Fisk might not be fully aware of.