[E] LtCmdr Montanez: Final Lesson (Egan Manno)
Rich
((Starfleet Research and Development, Tokyo, Earth))
Montanez: Frankly, you were lucky, captain, and I’m hoping to give you something more than just luck if and when you should next encounter these Kubarey.
Egan Manno: That would be welcome. Though I'd hope that our next encounter would be under better circumstances -- in fact, I'd hope there would be no hostilities next time.
Montanez: Interesting. You were never one for wishful thinking, as I recall. Especially when it came to drafting up operating limits for your work on Emissary.
Egan Manno: I spoke with a -- a, well, I'm not really certain what to call her. Someone with authority, however.
Montanez: And you trust this person? The same person who likely ordered the attack on your vessel?
Egan Manno: Well -- it was my responsibility. Of course it was, I mean, as ship's captain, but it was also my fault: I led an away team down to a Kubarey planet when our contacts didn't respond and interrupted a ritual. They likely would not have responded in the way they did had I not done so.
::Javier didn’t cut her off, but he paused for a moment--a warning that he was about to be blunt as usual.::
Montanez: Ms. Egan Manno, you are not their spokesperson. Do not make excuses for them or try to justify their actions. You are a Federation Starfleet captain, and your first duty is to your crew. By your own reports, these Kubarey--at least some of them--did in fact understand our language, did have the opportunity to respond to your repeated attempts to contact them, and as they clearly demonstrated, had the ability to neutralize your vessel if they felt threatened. That Starfleet Command has decided to classify this incident as anything less than an outright hostile act is pure politics as far as I’m concerned.
::He sighed as he sat back.::
Montanez: But then, I suppose that’s why I’m still wearing gold and not red.
Egan Manno: Perhaps -- and I suppose that's one way to look at it. More data for you, eh? (beat) Still, I don't want to fight them again, Montanez. If we can call what happened a fight. I am confident that diplomacy will prevail.
Montanez: I suppose I’m just being a cynical curmudgeon now. ::He let a small smile creep up.:: Sorry to lecture you.
Egan Manno: No. I wouldn't complain.
::He let out a hearty laugh.::
Montanez: Good. Because I have no intention of stopping, whether you have four pips on your collar or five stars.
Egan Manno: RESPONSE
Montanez: All right. Well, I better not keep Admiral Kjær waiting any longer. Have your chief contact my assistant Lt. Nesle, and we’ll go from there.
Egan Manno: RESPONSE
Montanez: Oh, and captain, one last piece of advice.
Egan Manno: RESPONSE
Montanez: Hopes for diplomacy aside, when it comes to your ship and crew: never leave them and yourself depending on the word of a politician--or a diplomat as the case may be. And that goes regardless if we’re talking about Federation, Kubarey, Klingon, or what have you. Any flavor of bureaucrat.
Egan Manno: RESPONSE
Montanez: I’m being serious. They’ll smile with one outstretched hand while another holds a knife behind their back.
Egan Manno: RESPONSE
Montanez: There are only three things you can count on out there--whether it comes to achieving a mission or staying alive: your crew, your ship, and yourself.
Egan Manno: RESPONSE
Montanez: If you can remember that, you’ll be one of the finest starship captains I’ve ever known. Safe travels, captain.
::After her image switched off the monitor, Javier sat back in his chair and gazed out the window overlooking a drizzly Tokyo.::
::How many starship captains had he known who like Cassie once had started amongst his engineering crew? How many of them had he given that same lesson? How many of them still were lost in action?::
::He shook his head as some of those faces flashed before him. She’d been damn lucky this time. It could easily have gone worse.::
::Your crew. Your ship. Yourself. If Cassie could remember that lesson out there, at least she’d have a chance.::
TAG!
Lt. Commander Javier Montanez
Starfleet R&D - Tokyo, Earth