First Secretary Aitas - Making it my fault

[Aitas]

((Bridge, USS Independence-B - At the edge of Trenvonn space))

Aitas: =/\= Information is always crucial, Grand Expert, and even more so when the unexpected appears. We have no wish for repeated incidents. =/\=

There was something well-worn in her voice, a touch of memory. Of the lessons she’d learned so very young.

She’d spent much of her youth around a Vulcan scientist, after all.

Shanaak: =/\= Then we are in agreement. I will apprise you of any developments. For this to have the outcome that everyone wants, your three officers returned to you, your ship must remain in its location. Do not deviate from this instruction. =/\=

The view screen promptly turned back.  

Ukinix: ::playful mimicking:: Your ship must remain in this location, do not deviate from this instruction, ::hand puppet gesture:: Blah blah blah.

Aitas turned toward him and raised an eyebrow. 

Ukinix: ::Hands on head, legs crossed:: No wonder they’re isolationists, nobody would wanna hang out with them.

Aitas: I cannot say I’d invite them over for drinks, but they are at least clear in their expectations. ::she inclined her head:: Shall I return the bridge to you?

That there were a great many sorts in the Federation she wouldn’t invite over for drinks didn’t seem a useful point to make. 
 
Ukinix: You may as well stay there in case Madam Superior calls back, besides, it’s a comfy chair. ::Reaching out, tapping console with one hand:: But I suggest we look into anything to do with Vaadwaur and underspace since Voyager. ::Inspecting console screen:: Ever heard of Operation Brightstar?

Aitas: Only in passing. 

She did not have a perfect memory, but she did have a quite good one. She’d heard about a great many things in passing. 

Ukinix: A lot of the detailed information is classified. But Deep Space 17... occupied for three months by the Vaadwaur who had popped up out of underspace, as you do, but in the Alpha Quadrant. Wow, after they got busted they then set up an agricultural colony on a place called Devinon V, there you go. You learn something new every day.

Aitas: That would explain much about the current situation. 

Given that they weren’t playing host to guests who’d travelled to Amity via underspace on a regular basis, she had to presume there had been some difficulties with such routes.

Ukinix: I’m going to see what I can find out from the Starfleet database in the ready room, bridge is yours, First Secretary. Helm, maintain position, don’t move or we might get in trouble with Lady Holierthanthou.

Helm: ... aye, sir.

Aitas, being no longer in Starfleet, simply acknowledged Wil’s words with a nod.


((Bridge, Fourteen minutes later))

Aitas had possessed a very few minutes of meditation before Wil had returned. He was now pacing the bridge, mug in hand, and reading a report off to her. 

Ukinix: ...  “by the possibility that the Vaadwaur could move from the Delta quadrant to the Alpha with those corridors, the Challenger was launched as soon as the repairs were done to find out more about the corridors of the Underspace, while the Captain Samal Frazier was called for important talks about the recovery of DS17”-- ::looking up at Aitas:: bloody hell, it sounds like an ordeal.

Aitas: By Starfleet standard that sounds less atypical that I might like. 

Her time on Amity had already involved ship to ship battles, explosions, and some possessed gestalt entity that flowed into different shapes like water. Let alone considering her time on Starbase 118. 

Ukinix: Any word from the Trenvonn yet?

Aitas: No. Though the medical team should be almost there. 

Ukinix: ::Looking back at PADD:: I guess it’s a don’t call us, we’ll call you thing--

There was a noise over comms, and then D’Cyra’s voice. 

Varati: =/\= OPs to Daintree, Miombo and Independence-B: Whoever receives it first: the scouts must get away from the vicinity of the subspace rift! Immediately! Part of the rift is on the verge of collapse! Get out of there! =/\=

Ukinix: Oh no...

With Fureri still at a console, Aitas did not have to move to read the message, though a careful eye might have noticed the way she twisted her hands together until her fingers turned even paler. 

 Ukinix: The Miombo’s caught in an eddy, and the Daintree’s heading right for them. There’s an unidentified vessel nearby as well. ::to Helm:: Raise them, now!

The warning tones from the helm officer’s console were a clear indication. 

Helm: There’s too much interference. Comms won’t go through. ::Turning in seat:: We can’t make contact.

Aitas: Let me take a look. I might be able to reach them.

Aitas promptly stood up and stepped down from the chair. Wil’s chair, really, even if he seemed to be preferring the other one quite a bit at the moment. 

Ukinix: We can’t stay here. Bugger the Grand Expert, we’ll have to leave a note or something. That’s two lots of crew in trouble. We gotta help ‘em. ::To Helm:: Set a course but don’t engage yet.

Helm: ::tapping at console:: Aye sir, setting a course to the scouts.

Wil seemed to pause just long enough to think, rather than react. 

Ukinix: This is ultimately an FDC vessel. It’s the FDC’s call.

Aitas bit down all her bitter thoughts at that; the crew would not have obeyed her over Wil. To make her choose was to pass the burden of the consequences on to her. 

But he likely knew what choice she would make. And it was not such an unfamiliar weight, in the end. She turned to Wil and did not bother to steel her expression. 

Aitas: We stay. If we leave now then we put everyone at risk. We’d lose Seleya, Wong, and Nevark, and the Miombo will not be aided by drawing conflict with the Trenvonn into the situation. 

Ukinix: Response

Aitas: Some of our best personnel, our best scientists are already there. ::a deep breath:: And I will be the one informing Taelon’s family once again should we lose him.

She did not say more than that; she simply let an echo of grief stretch out from her thoughts. She knew all too well how much his family had already lost.

But she knew very well just how much he, and the others had survived. 

Ukinix: Response

Aitas: It is a point the Trenvonn might understand; I suspect they might find Taelon’s expertise particularly interesting. Might I ask you to be the one sending them an impatient message about the situation? The Grand Expert expects better from me.

She was, after all, the one expected to smooth things over. To clarify. To apologize for Wil’s lapses. What was one more, so long as they obeyed the instructions they’d been given?

Ukinix: Response


Tag/TBC

First Secretary Aitas

Federation Diplomatic Corps

Amity Outpost

O239307A10