CPT Mei'konda Delano & LTCDR Lael Rosek - Loyalty (Part 1)
Aaron Nichols
((Captain’s Ready Room, Deck 3, USS Chin’toka))
{{Time Index: Day 3 of Shoreleave}}
Technically, she didn’t have to hand deliver her reports to the Captain. It was much simpler to send them electronically. But it was a convenient excuse to talk with him in person. It was an old habit from their many years of working together. They had a rapport and she found it was much more comfortable to communicate with him face to face.
Lifting her hand, she pressed the door chime and grasped the PADD in front of her with both hands as she waited for his response.
Mei’konda was enjoying a rare luxury for a Captain. A day off. Granted, a day off generally meant handling a few miscellaneous things via his terminal versus Bridge duty, a price he was perfectly willing to pay. Particularly when he was greeted as he was this morning, with a welcome message from an old friend. The Caitian smiled as he gazed down at it.
//
To: Captain Mei'konda Delano
From: Lieutenant Commander Chythar Skyfire, MD
Subject: Congratulations
Hey, Mei.
So word has reached me through various channels that you are once again reinstated as the captain of a ship. That is cause for celebration, and I wanted to share the recipe for the BC drink I named in your honor, the Mei'konda Delano Spiced Latte.
Recipe attached with this file, and a pumpkin spice variant appropriate to the season. Congratulations, my friend. Fair winds and following seas.
Respectfully
Chai-thar, Coffee Jockey
As the door chimed, he glanced up, and Odin pushed up to his feet over in the bedroom, trotted over to the door, and sat down a meter away from it as he’d been trained to do.
Mei’konda: Come in.
The doors parted and she smiled at the familiar sight of Mei sitting behind his desk. They’d served well together over the years and she’d come to consider him a dear friend. Despite the rank disparity that had grown between them since Mei’s promotion to Captain, she trusted him.
He had impeccable judgement and was always fair. She’d screwed up enough over the years that he’d be right to question her. Yet he remained patient and gave thoughtful, constructive advice that hadn’t steered her wrong yet. She’d worked hard to earn his trust and was determined never to do anything to lose it.
Mei’konda rose to his feet as Odin leaned in to nose politely at Rosek, then stepped back to give her room to enter.
Rosek: Good afternoon, sir.
She approached the man’s desk, offering him the PADD in her hand.
Rosek: My report from the encounter with the Valcarian ship.
Mei’konda made his way over to the replicator while offering Rosek a slight smile. Dressed in comfortable, loose black clothing, he accepted the PADD.
Mei’konda: Thaank you. Your timing is good. I just got a message from Doctor Skyfire, with a spiiced latte recipe. Would you care to try it with me?
The mention of Chythar caused her to smile. She hadn’t had the chance to mention to Mei about the change in her and Chythar’s relationship. Her and the Caitian had quite a lot to catch up on. Had it really been over a year.
Rosek: ::smirks:: Oh, boy. Another one of his concoctions?
Chythar had mentioned it to her once or twice of course during their weekly communications, but she hadn’t been aware he’d officially finished the recipe.
Rosek: I’d love to.
Mei’konda turned to the terminal, ordered up two of the drinks, and picked the two cups up from inside before passing one over toward the engineer. With that, he headed for the sofa in the compact living area, and eased himself down onto it before scrolling through the contents of the PADD.
She accepted the mug, crossing to an open chair and tucked one foot behind the other. Momentarily studying the drink, she took a cautious sip. The very slight pumpkin flavor caught her by surprise. She likely wasn’t tasting it fully due to her dulled taste buds. A wry, unamused grin crossed her lips and she made a mental note to ask Chythar for a sweeter version so she could fully appreciate it.
She took another sip as Mei studied the PADD.
Mei’konda: Thorough, as usual. Did you deliiver it in person for any partiicular reason?
Her brow furrowed slightly and she hesitated. To the point as usual. It was no surprise really. They’d served together a long time and he had her pegged by now.
Rosek: ::pauses:: I did actually have something I wanted to talk to you about.
She set the mug on a nearby surface and leaned forward, elbows on her knees. After a moment or two, she looked up and met his gaze.
Rosek: It’s my brother. He’s in a bit of trouble.
Perhaps it wouldn’t be such a day off after all. Mei didn’t know a whole lot about Lael’s family, though he suspected that he knew more than most. Cupping the steaming mug in both hands, he nodded slightly.
Mei’konda: What is it?
Rosek: ::runs a hand through her hair and sighs:: The short of it is my dad is suspected by the Al-Leyan government of treason, and my brother is being tied in as an accessory even though he knew nothing about it.
Mei’konda wasn’t necessarily surprised at the severity of the situation. The Al-Leyan government wasn’t one that he was particularly fond of, and Lael was capable of resolving most things on her own, but if it was this serious? He let out a short sigh. Odin picked up on the emotional shift in the room, and trotted over to push his nose on the Caitian’s arm. He reached over to stroke the dog between the ears.
Mei’konda: Well. Certainly a little more seriious than needing to help your family move to a new home, or something along those liines. How can I help?
She had a prideful streak a mile wide and didn’t like asking anyone for help. But this was her brother. If she couldn’t set her pride aside for family, what kind of person was she?
Rosek: I was wondering if it would be possible to grant him temporary asylum here aboard the Chin’toka. He’s a doctor and is willing to work for it. He could be an asset in Sickbay.
Furrowing his brow, Mei’konda lifted his tea up to his lips and took a sip from it, while resting his other palm on top of Odin’s head.
Mei’konda: You’re putting me in a difficult posiition, Lael. This is not exaactly a good time, either. Serala and I have been investigaating a security breach. Hidden transmissions have been sent from deck nine, and we aren’t sure who we can trust.
She grimaced, well aware of what he was talking about. Kiax had confronted her about it earlier and she’d been forced to offer more details than she would have liked. Given her confession to Kiax, she was certain that information would soon cross Mei’s desk.
It really was for the best that she said something now while she had the chance. There would still be consequences and it would still be a breach of his trust. But at least she wouldn’t be adding insult to injury by daring to lie to his face.
Rosek: About that, sir. ::pauses and exhales:: It was me. I encrypted a personal message to protect the recipient.
Mei’konda blinked once or twice. He wasn’t sure whether he was more irritated or more relieved. He leaned forward in his seat.
Mei’konda: It was you? Lael, do you know the securiity regulations you broke? I was consiidering bringing this ship back to port and requesting an audit by Starfleet Intelligence!
Her gaze dropped momentarily to the deck and she nodded solemnly. She genuinely cared for Mei and didn’t like it herself. But Kellan had very limited options to keep him safe. At least if he was here, she could have more control over that.
Rosek: ::lifts her gaze to meet his and nods:: Yes, sir. I understand.
Mei’konda reached up to brush a few fingers through his mane of light hair. He let out a short sigh.
Mei’konda: I’ll notify Commanders Serala and Kiax that they can relaax a little bit.
Rosek: ::nods:: I will speak with them both in person at the earliest opportunity to apologize for alarming them.
Mei’konda: That said. Back to your faamily. What would be the long term goal? Would your brother be comiing on board as well?
She paused thoughtfully, her brow furrowed. What would she be happy with that wouldn’t make things more difficult for Mei than they already would be? While nothing would have made her happier than for Kellan to stay long-term, that wasn’t reasonable. It wasn’t fair to Mei and it certainly wasn’t fair to the crew.
========================
Captain Mei’konda Delano
Commanding Officer
USS Chin’toka, NCC-97187
M239002M10
And
Lieutenant Commander Lael Rosek, Eng.D.
Chief Engineer
USS Chin'toka, NCC-97187
I238110RH0