[sb118-butler] Lieutenant Morro Caras, Petty Officer 3rd Class Valk - Blood or Thieves, a test of thickness
Robert Forsyth
((Lower Main Engineering, Deck 11, U.S.S. Octavia E. Butler))
It was a busy time on the Butler as Valk was working on getting many of the internal systems back online and was making good progress. He found this kind of work relaxing, which also gave him some peace from the Three Amigos. Thankfully, they were busy with waste disposal repairs and under supervision after their comments about the Half-Vulcan.
Lieutenant Morro Caras was making some of his final rounds here in engineering. He had been reassigned. He wouldn’t call less of a reassignment and more of a coercion, but that was more about the position than the transfer to the ship itself. He wanted to make sure that he would leave a legacy here on the Octavia E. Butler. He needed to know if someone had what it took to do what he did. His possible selection lay with an unlikely choice…
Caras: Petty officer Valk.
Morro was a higher rank than Valk but Morro never really took rank a whole lot into consideration as far as work went. He knew plenty of Chief Petty officers that knew more than the Chiefs of engineering. It was a different skill set altogether.
Valk: Lieutenant Caras, what can I do for you?
Morro did a semicircle around Valk for a minute confirming what he was working on.
Caras: Can you walk with me for a moment?
This couldn’t really be said in engineering. Morro was certain that someone would overhear them and immediately begin talking about it.
Valk: Of course, I was just about to take my break.
That was a lie, as Valk was going to just keep working until he had fixed everything, Miss Lahl had entrusted him with. He packed up his tool kit, as there were reports of a tool thief about and followed Morro out of engineering.
Caras: Great!
Caras was pretty sure that wasn’t true. He had been watching him this morning and had specifically interrupted during an irritating point to have to come back to. Valk had just possibly lied to a senior officer. Just the kind of guy Morro was looking for.
Valk: So what do you wish to discuss, sir?
Morro walked in the direction where a lot didn’t go on this deck unless they had something in the cargo bays..
Caras: Mostly about your work, but a little bit about who you are.
Morro turned to look at Valk but kept walking.
Valk: Is there something wrong with the way I work, sir.
The orion kept up a brisk pace that the Half-human half-vulcan matched.
Caras: I don’t have anything necessarily directly about your work per se, but your personal philosophy. More… how you conduct your work.
Lt. Caras finally stopped. The very long corridor on the starboard side of the ship on deck 11 seemed to go on forever. Their words, unheard by anyone but them.
The Half Vulcan raised his eyebrow, and was curious about what Caras was trying to say.
Valk: I see, go on.
Morro chose his words carefully.
Caras: How closely do you adhere to the vulcan philosophy of logic?
Morro looked at him inquisitively. Knowing that his answer would be a make or break on this choice.
Valk pondered the question for a moment. He had grown up with grandparents on Vulcan, and had logic pretty much ingrained into his head by them.
Valk: Hmm, well, as much as any Vulcan does. I was raised on logic; it is very much a part of me.
Morro nodded sagely, his inferences were correct.
Caras: That’s what I had figured working with you these past few months.
Valk: May inquiry as to why you wish to know, sir?
Caras: yes. Valk, I have a legacy here. Something I want to pass down to you.
Valk: To me?
Caras has surprisingly enjoyed Valk’s company, Valk seemed insightful and while Caras didn’t tend to appreciate the Vulcan point of view too often, Morro swore he saw more of his human side than one might think upon initially meeting him.
Caras: I think you’re the right man for the job because you’re the only engineer that operates on logic. You might care about your career, you might care about protocol, but at the end of the day, I think It would be logical that you would pick the option that would save the most lives. Particularly the members of this crew. Is that correct?
Valk: Indeed, your logic is sound.
Caras: Would you agree that protocol and ethics sometimes get in the way of true logical action? Doing the most good or "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few", or in this case "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of starfleet protocol"
Valk: I would, but why are you telling me this?
Caras: I’m leaving soon. I want to make sure this ship is safe. In the time that I have been here, Starfleet protocol has… gotten in the way of the safety of this crew. The entire crew. It’s possible if not for these actions, the ship could have been lost.
Valk: I see, but there's another reason?
Caras: A certain individual, who shall remain nameless, may or may not have committed crimes of smuggling, possession of contraband, unauthorized access, and several other violations of the SCMJ in order to secure and preserve the safety of this crew.
Morro knew better than to ever outright admit to committing crimes. Ferengis might have the rules of acquisition, but Orion’s had their own set of guidelines, and one was never to incriminate yourself. Plausible deniability was a card you always needed to have in your hand.
Valk: What about Miss Lahl? Do you not trust her?
Morro did and he had thought of it, but he didn’t want to get yelled at again, or written up. She was the boss now and he had no ground to stand on as her subordinate.
Caras: She’s a Chief now, and while I know she’ll do what’s right, I don’t want her to jeopardize herself on her way to captaincy. She’s made of better stuff than myself.
Valk nodded and should have known better than to doubt Morro's trust in Lahl. He felt very conflicted about doing illegal acts for the safety of the crew, but also wanted to help his friend.
Valk: I will have to decline, sir.
Morro looked pensive.
Caras: I see, that’s unfortunate, and somewhat expected. Not that I didn’t see you as the logical type but I saw you holding your emotional values higher for a reason.
Morro made sure to keep the conduit he was about to open closed. This wasn’t going how he had hoped.
Valk: While I do agree about protocols getting in the way of what is right, I’m afraid I can’t commit criminal acts like that.
Caras: Not even to save this crew? I would have figured this crew’s well being was held in high regard unless there is something else that you wanted that was higher.
Valk: And also, because of my sister.
Alex would not approve of her brother breaking the law, even in the name of the crew. He did not want to be under her ire, and decided to play it safe instead.
Caras: I see, so there is something that tops logic in your order of operations, when it comes to things morally.
Morro was disappointed but not that disappointed. He hoped someone would step up to fill the gap here but he didn’t want to compromise anyone’s existing morals. This did bring up a lot of questions, however.
Valk: However, if you need help. I will be there for you, as a friend.
That was sweet, Morro wanted to give him a hug, but Valk was technically on duty. He was told once, no hugs on duty.
Caras: I appreciate that Valk. If I ever need anything from you, you know I will not hesitate to call. In the meantime I can give you what I have on my Journals when it comes to shield frequencies, and some of my other side projects on the Butler. I never got around to finishing them and they won’t work for where I am going. And of course if you ever want to play Kal-toh, I’m not good at it, but I do enjoy it.
Valk: I would…like that, although I'll admit I'm not good at the game myself. :: Beat :: What information do you have that would be of great help, sir.
Maybe Morro actually might win a game of Kal-toh… for once.
Caras: The OEB has two warp cores and its borg technology that allowed me to tap into things I might not otherwise have, and I won’t have on the USS Thor. These journals contain a lot of my notes, theories, and work on the projects involving the inner workings of the OEB. things that Lahl and I agreed shouldn’t go into reports, but should probably be noted somewhere. I entrust them to you as a friend.
These were hard to part with, but he had no use for them. The number of unfinished projects came in just over a dozen. A lot of them were personal ambitions, he hoped Valk would find a way to continue them with his own spin.
Valk: Thank you, I will hold onto them…. dearly.
Caras: One thing though. I’ve never seen a Vulcan, even a half Vulcan hold the moral judgment of someone else over logic. What is it about Alex that makes you do so? Have you seen something about the way she carries her morality that makes it sublime to you? Or could you simply just not live with her hating you for the rest of her life if you did something morally reprehensible in her eyes?
Morro was genuinely curious. He had usually had a problem with Vulcans and their “no fun” culture. Everything was an exercise in logic, or self improvement, never anything for leisure, or with more risk than it needed. Morro lived his life on the edge of those areas. He weaved in between them. The day to day life of just chatting and getting to know people for fun, and the business of engineering.
Valk: She is my sister, my only sister. She has shown me kindness that I've never given before. I don't want to lose them, even if that does conflict with my morals…. It is very complicated, believe me….
Caras: I will also state that I don’t think either of those things are very logical. And while I don’t hold them against you, far from it actually, it does leave me intrigued.
Valk: Maybe she doesn't mind breaking the law to save the crew, but she does give me the impression of someone who cares deeply about her friends.
That brought up a good question.
Caras: How long have you been reunited with Alex?
Valk: I've only been a part of her family for one and half years, but she has done everything for me, and has supported me since becoming a part of this crew. I feel more motivated than I ever had been before, all because of Alex.
Morro knew how much someone’s friendship could impact someone. It was something that now impacted all of the decisions in everyday life. If Valk had discovered friendship, real friendship around the time that he had, it would make a lot of sense on how that had impacted his worldview. Morro then realised he might have even more in common with the half-vulcan than he had initially thought.
Caras: If she’s had that much of an impact on you in such a short amount of time, Imagine what that will look like when she’s Captain. I do understand not wanting to lose that bond.
Valk: If she started to believe more in herself as she does for others, but from what Miss Lahl tells me that is slowly improving.
Caras: That kind of thing takes time to build. The question is, is there a spark there?
Valk: I see potential in her, but she needs to see it in herself more. She is apparently very good when she is in the right mindset, just needs little encouragement.
Caras: I agree with you. And speaking of encouragement…
Morro caras slapped the conduit with his hands.
Caras: If you ever do need to break the rules or find you or yourself in a situation where you need something that does. This conduit… right here… is your friend. Can’t say why, but if you ever need it, it’ll be here.
Valk nodded, examining said conduit with a Vulcan curiosity.
Valk: I see, keep that in mind.
Caras: Please take care of my journals. I’ll call you over subspace to check up when I can. Just because I’m gone doesn’t mean I'm cutting all of my friends here off. Not by a longshot. If anything I just made a dozen pen pals.
Morro felt good. His problem with Vulcan culture had seemingly been superseded by a very human desire to appeal to your loved ones this day. Maybe he could one day find common ground with others.
Valk: Of course, good luck.
Caras: I’ll be seeing you around, friend.
Valk: you as well, live long and prosper.
Valk gave the Vulcan salute, and then turned back towards engineering.
[end scene]
Lieutenant Morro Caras
Engineering Officer
USS Octavia E. Butler
O240106MC1
he/him/his (player/character)
Petty Officer 3rd Class Valk.
Engineering Officer
USS Octavia E Butler
D239910AF1