[MISSION START] JP: Rahman and Kinan: To Boldly Go… (Part 2)
Rich Yulin
[MISSION START] JP: Rahman and Kinan: To Boldly Go… (Part 2)
((Banquet Hall, Khitomer))
::After both Federation President Narala and Klingon Chancellor Daeshon had delivered their speeches, each filled with moments of standing ovations, Roshanara felt surely everyone had exhausted their supplies of applause. But no, there was yet one more final speaker, and as he droned on about various platitudes of galactic peace and honor, the Krioisian found herself fading fast, when she had the unsettling feeling that all eyes had suddenly fallen on her.::
Kinan:::whispering:: Captain, you’re supposed to stand up.
::She looked around, and indeed, everyone -- including the Federation President and Klingon Chancellor -- was now staring right at her.::
::Now she knew how Captain Kells must have felt when President Bacco had called on him during her State of the Federation address to announce the launch of the Invicta Expedition with him as its captain.::
::The speaker at the front of the room called out.::
Chatok: Please, Captain Rahman. If you will stand.
::Well, if interstellar peace depended on her being a puppet, so would she dance. She stood, the shadows helpfully providing some last refuge of anonymity, but within moments, a spotlight found its way to her.::
Rahman: oO Oh, that’s just… unnecessarily illuminating. Oo
::Holoimagers began clicking as reporters documented the Kriosian still wearing her mid-23rd century uniform replica. Her father would be proud. Mother, more appalled.::
::Chatok continued his speech.::
Chatok: We have heard now in this room about the great historical events we are celebrating today, that took place right here on this planet. But the story of that momentous day actually begins decades before that. That crucial first chapter towards peace has been left out of history’s record.
::The elderly Klingon looked around the room.::
Chatok: Well, I am here to share that story with you all tonight, so that a true act of honor and gallantry can finally be recognized.
::Roshanara really wanted to know what the hell he was talking about--and why he’d insisted she stand through all of it.::
Chatok: We Klingons are a proud people. And when these events I’m about to tell you now first occurred, the political climate was such that it was quickly buried into the void of forgotten military records. For it was the bravery of your ancestor, another captain of the Venture, who came to the aid of a Klingon ship 126 of your Earth years ago. And aboard that ship was the future Chancellor of the Klingon Empire, who was so moved by the bravery of that “Earther” ship’s crew that he knew it was only right to match their courage with his own, battling the factions of old to dare forge peace with our once mortal enemies. Through these acts of courage, that peace has led to our great alliance.
::He lifted his mug of bloodwine towards her.::
Chatok: So I say today, 'IwlIj jachjaj! To the Venture!
::Everyone else in the room echoed the toast, and once Roshanara sat down, she still wasn’t sure what to make of it.::
::The Trill next to her whispered.::
Kinan: Did he just say one of your ancestors captained the Venture? I don’t have any records of that.
::The Kriosian was still processing what he’d said before she looked back at Kinan.::
Rahman: ::grimly:: I have no idea what he was talking about.
TBC…
Lt. Cmdr. Kinan Venroe
Starfleet Administration and Khitomer Centennial Event Organizer (Federation Representative)
C238803SB0 (I am not a sheep, ser)
&
Captain Roshanara Rahman
Commanding Officer, USS Venture
I238705TZ0