Ensign Imril - A Leader Stands Alone!
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Chris Taylor
Jan 7, 2025, 4:58:32 AM1/7/25
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((USS Griffin - En Route to Kahines II))
Imril: ::Moving after Sadar into the next section of the shuttle:: Doctor? May I speak with you privately?
The Doctor exhaled softly before addressing them. (Always a good sign.)
Sadar: Of course, Ensign.
She gestured them to a seat in the shuttle’s common area.
Sadar: What’s on your mind?
Imril: If I may be so bold as to say, Doctor, if we're to forestall any problems with the Klingons, they’re going to have to respect us. And if that’s to happen, then what just happened in the cockpit… Well, to put it bluntly… You should have been the one to step in and stop that thing between Lyara and Berman from escalating. I respectfully recommend you present yourself with a little more bearing as team lead at the site.
The Doctor’s discomfort was more than obvious, which rubbed off more than a little on Imril. It wasn’t an easy, let alone enjoyable, thing to criticize a superior officer. But offering counseling viewpoints to them was a duty that could not be shirked. Stuck in two positions as they were, there was no path but to move forward. If they didn’t, they’d be ignoring the very advice they’d just imparted.
Sadar: C-Concern noted, Ensign, thank you. ::shaking sigh:: Do you have much experience collaborating with Klingon scientists?
Imril: Not Klingons particularly, no. I just tried to do my prep for the current mission. And I do suppose I have more of an interest in exploring alien cultures than most engineers. Some day, I want to sign up for the Officer Exchange Program. See the Quadrants from some other fleet’s point of view.
Sadar: I see... ::looks down at her anxiety band:: ‘Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations.’
Imril: Something like that, yeah.
Sadar: I am sorry if my poor conduct as a senior officer has caused you to have concerns about the coming mission, Ensign, but allow me to make one thing clear: I am not going to be respected by the Klingons, nor am I going to make any attempts at earning that respect.
She smiled bitterly.
Sadar: If my suspicions are correct, they will already have written us off based on my presence on the team alone. Klingons are no strangers to Mizarians and our culture, and we did not leave a very favorable impression on our former occupiers.
Imril knew of the Mizarian history of multiple occupations by reputation, but they hadn’t known that Klingons were one of those occupiers.
Imril: It’s not just you, honestly. I worry a little about being brushed off, myself. ::Self-deprecating grin as they wave their hands along their sides as though showing themself off:: I know to some folks I look like a walking toothpick who never hit puberty. Not all that physically imposing. So, with the Klingons, I’m going to try to win them over with direct statements and clear intent like my language guide says to do. No nonsense, short on small talk, that sort of thing.
Sadar: I may not be the most inspiring or confident leader, but if there is one thing I won’t lose in, it’s work ethic. ::wry smile:: We’ll work ourselves to the bones, if that’s what it’s going to take.
Imril: ::Returning the smile:: Work, I can do. I think I’ll start with an inventory of the supplies that have been packed for the team. Thank you for your time.
With that, Imril left the Doctor to her solitude and headed for the storage room. With luck, there’d be a motorcycle or three aboard to help in getting to and from the dig site.
((Two Days Later - Conference Room of the Vahr’sto, Wallace Colony, Kahines II))
The initial conference was held within the belly of a civilian Klingon vessel. Doctor Sadar and Imril representing Starfleet, Colony Administrator Baum the local citizenry, and a half-dozen Research Team members attending. The Research Team was fronted by a grey-haired woman who looked to be very much in charge without a word to that effect being spoken by anyone as the participants took their seats. The lights were a little brighter than might be expected for a Klingon ship, but not so bright as would be considered normal on a Starfleet vessel. A subtle indication that the Vahr’sto’s captain would extend certain courtesies to their Federation guests, but only so far.
Baum: All right, so this’ll be everyone then. This is Lieutenant Sadar and Ensign Imril. And these ::he gestures to the Klingons:: are our guests from Brestant.
A round of introductions followed. The Chief Archaeologist turned out to be named Ebova of House Krilvaj. Further names came with indications of diverse specialities filling out numerous roles.
Baum: And you all, of course, know who I am.
Administrator Baum spoke with little enthusiasm. The well-worn jacket he wore could not hide all of the tension in his shoulders.
Sadar: Thank you for hosting us, Administrator. ::to the Klingons:: My team aren’t scientists, but we are here to support the dig in any way possible.
Ebova: ::disinterested snort:: The facility is mostly unearthed, though the easternmost wing is still buried underground.
The screen on the wall shimmered to show schematics of the digsite, with numerous lines and symbols identifying which parts of the structure had mostly survived the test of time. The Klingon hadn’t been at the colony for very long, but they’d clearly already done some great work at establishing the boundaries of the digsite and labelling the different areas according to characteristics.
Sadar: Have you discovered anything that could identify the ruin yet?
Ebova: My team is going to be working in this section ::indicates an area of the ruin on the western edge:: and working our way inwards.
Administrator Baum’s mouth pressed into a slightly tighter line.
Imril: Have you encountered any technical issues that may slow your work or endanger anything inside?
Ebova: Nothing that we cannot overcome. We are equipped with a ready supply of excavation gear.
The Administrator shifted slightly in his seat. Not happy, it seemed, to have whatever as-yet-unseen machinery present in his territory. Admittedly, with good reason: Anything that could be used to dig tunnels into old ruins could also be used to dig the Klingons into a defensive position. If this factoid had occurred to any of the Research Team, none of them showed it.
Sadar: Response
Imril: How did you determine the site to be a prison so quickly?
One of Ebova’s subordinates, a very tall Klingon woman who looked to be the youngest of their group, rose to move to the map. B'Equ Daughter Of Koral wore a fur-lined vest that left her muscular arms bare. Secured under her belt were two utility gloves, the back ends of which resembled the leather gauntlets that were part of Klingon military dress. They blinked with red and yellow lights indicative of embedded electronic tools. She had been introduced as the team’s environmental archeologist.
B’Equ: ::Pointing to a northern section of the ruin:: Observe these surviving tower foundations along the outer defensive wall here. One would expect such structures to use the wall itself as part of their shielding from attack. These towers were built against the wall’s outer side, facing inward. The tactical reasoning behind this placement is clear. Those who manned the towers were tasked to keep those inside of the facility from getting out. Not stand against an enemy laying siege from beyond.
B’Equ spoke directly to Imril, her eyes target-locked on them. Clearly refusing to look directly at Doctor Sadar, whom the Ensign was sitting right next to.
Sadar: Response
-----------------
Ensign Imril
Engineering Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240110I12
Imril: ::Moving after Sadar into the next section of the shuttle:: Doctor? May I speak with you privately?
The Doctor exhaled softly before addressing them. (Always a good sign.)
Sadar: Of course, Ensign.
She gestured them to a seat in the shuttle’s common area.
Sadar: What’s on your mind?
Imril: If I may be so bold as to say, Doctor, if we're to forestall any problems with the Klingons, they’re going to have to respect us. And if that’s to happen, then what just happened in the cockpit… Well, to put it bluntly… You should have been the one to step in and stop that thing between Lyara and Berman from escalating. I respectfully recommend you present yourself with a little more bearing as team lead at the site.
The Doctor’s discomfort was more than obvious, which rubbed off more than a little on Imril. It wasn’t an easy, let alone enjoyable, thing to criticize a superior officer. But offering counseling viewpoints to them was a duty that could not be shirked. Stuck in two positions as they were, there was no path but to move forward. If they didn’t, they’d be ignoring the very advice they’d just imparted.
Sadar: C-Concern noted, Ensign, thank you. ::shaking sigh:: Do you have much experience collaborating with Klingon scientists?
Imril: Not Klingons particularly, no. I just tried to do my prep for the current mission. And I do suppose I have more of an interest in exploring alien cultures than most engineers. Some day, I want to sign up for the Officer Exchange Program. See the Quadrants from some other fleet’s point of view.
Sadar: I see... ::looks down at her anxiety band:: ‘Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations.’
Imril: Something like that, yeah.
Sadar: I am sorry if my poor conduct as a senior officer has caused you to have concerns about the coming mission, Ensign, but allow me to make one thing clear: I am not going to be respected by the Klingons, nor am I going to make any attempts at earning that respect.
She smiled bitterly.
Sadar: If my suspicions are correct, they will already have written us off based on my presence on the team alone. Klingons are no strangers to Mizarians and our culture, and we did not leave a very favorable impression on our former occupiers.
Imril knew of the Mizarian history of multiple occupations by reputation, but they hadn’t known that Klingons were one of those occupiers.
Imril: It’s not just you, honestly. I worry a little about being brushed off, myself. ::Self-deprecating grin as they wave their hands along their sides as though showing themself off:: I know to some folks I look like a walking toothpick who never hit puberty. Not all that physically imposing. So, with the Klingons, I’m going to try to win them over with direct statements and clear intent like my language guide says to do. No nonsense, short on small talk, that sort of thing.
Sadar: I may not be the most inspiring or confident leader, but if there is one thing I won’t lose in, it’s work ethic. ::wry smile:: We’ll work ourselves to the bones, if that’s what it’s going to take.
Imril: ::Returning the smile:: Work, I can do. I think I’ll start with an inventory of the supplies that have been packed for the team. Thank you for your time.
With that, Imril left the Doctor to her solitude and headed for the storage room. With luck, there’d be a motorcycle or three aboard to help in getting to and from the dig site.
((Two Days Later - Conference Room of the Vahr’sto, Wallace Colony, Kahines II))
The initial conference was held within the belly of a civilian Klingon vessel. Doctor Sadar and Imril representing Starfleet, Colony Administrator Baum the local citizenry, and a half-dozen Research Team members attending. The Research Team was fronted by a grey-haired woman who looked to be very much in charge without a word to that effect being spoken by anyone as the participants took their seats. The lights were a little brighter than might be expected for a Klingon ship, but not so bright as would be considered normal on a Starfleet vessel. A subtle indication that the Vahr’sto’s captain would extend certain courtesies to their Federation guests, but only so far.
Baum: All right, so this’ll be everyone then. This is Lieutenant Sadar and Ensign Imril. And these ::he gestures to the Klingons:: are our guests from Brestant.
A round of introductions followed. The Chief Archaeologist turned out to be named Ebova of House Krilvaj. Further names came with indications of diverse specialities filling out numerous roles.
Baum: And you all, of course, know who I am.
Administrator Baum spoke with little enthusiasm. The well-worn jacket he wore could not hide all of the tension in his shoulders.
Sadar: Thank you for hosting us, Administrator. ::to the Klingons:: My team aren’t scientists, but we are here to support the dig in any way possible.
Ebova: ::disinterested snort:: The facility is mostly unearthed, though the easternmost wing is still buried underground.
The screen on the wall shimmered to show schematics of the digsite, with numerous lines and symbols identifying which parts of the structure had mostly survived the test of time. The Klingon hadn’t been at the colony for very long, but they’d clearly already done some great work at establishing the boundaries of the digsite and labelling the different areas according to characteristics.
Sadar: Have you discovered anything that could identify the ruin yet?
Ebova: My team is going to be working in this section ::indicates an area of the ruin on the western edge:: and working our way inwards.
Administrator Baum’s mouth pressed into a slightly tighter line.
Imril: Have you encountered any technical issues that may slow your work or endanger anything inside?
Ebova: Nothing that we cannot overcome. We are equipped with a ready supply of excavation gear.
The Administrator shifted slightly in his seat. Not happy, it seemed, to have whatever as-yet-unseen machinery present in his territory. Admittedly, with good reason: Anything that could be used to dig tunnels into old ruins could also be used to dig the Klingons into a defensive position. If this factoid had occurred to any of the Research Team, none of them showed it.
Sadar: Response
Imril: How did you determine the site to be a prison so quickly?
One of Ebova’s subordinates, a very tall Klingon woman who looked to be the youngest of their group, rose to move to the map. B'Equ Daughter Of Koral wore a fur-lined vest that left her muscular arms bare. Secured under her belt were two utility gloves, the back ends of which resembled the leather gauntlets that were part of Klingon military dress. They blinked with red and yellow lights indicative of embedded electronic tools. She had been introduced as the team’s environmental archeologist.
B’Equ: ::Pointing to a northern section of the ruin:: Observe these surviving tower foundations along the outer defensive wall here. One would expect such structures to use the wall itself as part of their shielding from attack. These towers were built against the wall’s outer side, facing inward. The tactical reasoning behind this placement is clear. Those who manned the towers were tasked to keep those inside of the facility from getting out. Not stand against an enemy laying siege from beyond.
B’Equ spoke directly to Imril, her eyes target-locked on them. Clearly refusing to look directly at Doctor Sadar, whom the Ensign was sitting right next to.
Sadar: Response
-----------------
Ensign Imril
Engineering Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240110I12
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