PNPC VAdm Renata Tyrel - The line must be drawn here
Tim
((OOC: This is a new PNPC that is supposed to show up more frequently between missions for a short debrief, I hope you enjoy <3))
((Admiral Tyrel’s Office, Deep Space 33))
Vice Admiral Renata Tyrel sat behind the metal desk of her temporary office aboard Deep Space 33. It was temporary in the sense that she was only aboard the station for brief periods of time. The room was cramped and utilitarian, far away from the spacious, polished halls of Starfleet Command, but it was enough. The dim station lighting cast long shadows across the bare walls, highlighting the few personal artifacts she allowed herself to keep: the model of the NX-class Intrepid, battered but dignified, and a replica of the Khitomer Accords sealed under glass, a silent reminder of the fragile peace she was sworn to protect.
Her chestnut hair was pulled back into her usual uneven knot, strands loose here and there from the long hours spent overseeing operations rather than preening. The skin on her face, weathered by years in the field and countless battles, showed no softness. Fatigue tugged at her, but she pushed it aside. There was no room for that in this role. The Federation’s survival depended on steady hands, clear eyes, and an unyielding will.
Her thoughts drifted briefly to the Khitomer’s mission reports. The ship had undergone a thorough refit, its systems overhauled with experimental defenses against Sencha radiation—one of the Lattice Alliance’s deadliest weapons. Considerable resources had gone into that endeavor. Testing these modifications in a stellar nursery was a calculated risk, but a necessary one. If the Federation was to stand against the Lattice, new technology like this couldn’t remain theoretical; it had to prove itself under fire. She was aware that such systems were sensitive, and that removing them from the Khitomer or exposing them unnecessarily could risk espionage or worse. Keeping the technology onboard the Khitomer, at least partially, was critical to maintaining that edge.
Tyrel’s thoughts circled the recent mission like a hawk assessing prey. She had read the mission report in detail, there was no need for a recitation of facts. The Khitomer’s overhaul, the installation of experimental Sencha radiation defenses, the hazardous trials in the Lagoon nebula, the sudden loss of Captain Shayne to medical reasons, and Hobart’s abrupt assumption of command. The destruction of the probe. The near-catastrophe when the ship lost power and air. It was all clear on paper. What unsettled her were the decisions made under pressure—those that might have risked the invaluable technology onboard.
The door slid open quietly, and Tyrel’s gaze sharpened as the officers entered. Her voice was calm but carried the weight of command. She patiently waited until the doors closed behind the two men. With her left thumb she rubbed the inside of her right hand behind her back. A technique that often helped her focus.
She began with a low, but precise voice.
Tyrel: Captain, Lieutenant Commander. ::nod:: Please, sit.
Hobart/Shayne: Response
Her arm offered the two seats in front of her desk as she motioned toward the small service console in the corner of the office.
Tyrel: Coffee?
Hobart/Shayne: Response
She offered with a neutral tone but with a hint of familiarity. She knew Shayne well enough to expect his answer before he even spoke: strong, black, no frills. For herself, she poured a cup of unsweetened Tarkalean tea from a battered pitcher, the bitter-sweet taste a grounding ritual in the midst of endless crises. The quiet moment she needed to replicate the beverages was brief but intentional, a small concession to humanity before the hard questions resumed.
Tyrel: I have reviewed the report. What I want to understand now are the command decisions you made that risked the integrity of the Sencha defense systems aboard the Khitomer. The experimental modifications onboard are among the Federation’s most critical assets in the ongoing war against the Lattice Alliance. They cannot be lost, compromised, or exposed.
Hobart/Shayne: Response
Renata sat down at her desk and took the single PADD in front of her to look at the array of questions. Tyrel had been openly opposed to assigning the Khitomer as the primary testbed for the new Sencha radiation defenses. The ship’s frontline role and Shayne’s unorthodox command style made it a risky choice. She would have preferred a more controlled environment, away from operational pressures. However, with limited options and the urgent need to accelerate development in the face of the Lattice Alliance threat, somebody at Starfleet Command overruled her objections, believing that real-world conditions and the Khitomer’s experienced crew were the best proving ground.
Tyrel: Then let’s get down to business. Commander Hobart, ::raising eyes to directly look at Nolen:: Why, in the heat of the moment, was the decision made to destroy the probe rather than attempt to secure or retrieve it? Was that choice thoroughly evaluated against potential losses?”
She paused, eyes steady and expectant, waiting for answers.
TAG/TBC
Vice Admiral Renata TyrelChief Engineer & Second Officer
USS Khitomer
A239901CD3