JP: Cmdr. Karrod Niac & Lt. Cmdr. Toryn Raga with VAdm. Makisig Corcino - The Longest Road - Coda
Karrod Niac
((A short time later, Lounge 47, USS Ronin, In Orbit of Ferenginar))
As the crew continued to mingle in the main area of the 47 Lounge, Makisig and Karrod walked into a small service compartment that was used as a staging area for food service for special events such as today’s awards and promotion ceremony. The admiral snapped his fingers, directing the staff inside to clear the area. Once the two men were alone, Makisig went straight to the point.
Corcino: How good is your XO, Captain?
Karrod bristled slightly at the implied challenge to one of his officers and narrowed his eyes.
Niac: Better than you were, Maki. By a wide margin.
The admiral waved off the insult.
Corcino: We don’t have time for all that. Is he ready to go out on his own or not?
Blinking in confusion Karrod’s arms crossed and his scowl deepened.
Niac: Planning to give my XO his own ship?
Corcino: Yes. Yours, in fact.
Reflexively glancing at his fourth pip, Karrod wondered how hard he could throw it and if he could choose which eye it would go in.
Niac: What the hell are you talking about?
Corcino: Oh, relax, Captain. I’m talking a temporary change of command. You wanted Starfleet Command to take your report seriously? Well then you’re going to need to come with me to meet with Fleet Admiral Washington at Cait Spacedock.
Pressing a hand over his eyes and rubbing at his temples, Karrod let out a long and entirely miserable breath.
Niac: It’ll take us weeks to get there…and what’s he going to do that Starfleet Command isn’t?
Corcino: San Francisco is a dead end. Hell, all of Sector 001 is. The First, Second, and Fourth Fleets have been recalled to Earth for parade duty, and Starfleet Operations has been shuffling captains to new assignments. If I don’t take you now, we might not get another chance, and I don’t trust the comms network. I need you to deliver what you’ve seen in person.
Karrod deeply disliked the picture that was being painted for him as it aligned closely with his own experiences dealing with command over the last several months. They were bizarrely detached from most operational matters but had become increasingly fixated on the pomp & circumstance of the elaborate Frontier Day celebrations. He hadn’t realized so much of the fleet’s strength had already been recalled months before the celebrations were planned.
Niac: What’s different about Washington? I’ve never met him, but his reputation as a hard man is pretty well known.
Corcino: And earned. I served with him during the latter half of the Dominion War. Stubborn hardass that would always find a way to get the job done.
He looked at Karrod for a moment, shaking his head slightly.
Corcino: You and him share some similar thoughts when it comes to the… effectiveness of the bureaucracy of Starfleet.
Karrod snorted at the oxymoron and shook his head.
Niac: ‘Effective Bureaucracy.’ We’ll crack transwarp before we ever figure out how to do that right. So you think Washington will listen? Get me some of the resources I need to protect this region?
Corcino: He’s managed to keep the ships assigned under his watch from getting pulled back to Earth. After Astrofori One’s destruction, he’s been focused on the Tholian border near the Shoals. If you tell him what you told me, though, he’ll see where the true threat is coming from and send reinforcements to the Isles.
Karrod felt his attention being drawn back to the compartment door and all the people standing outside. He wanted to be back among his crew, celebrating their new laurels before they returned to the Isles. He pursed his lips, weighing the needs of the entire sector against his own desires, then made his decision without hesitation.
Niac: Fine. When do we leave and what do I tell my XO?
Corcino: The Valley Forge is leaving the area in the next 63 hours. Pack your bags and say your goodbyes, but keep it vague. We don’t want any leaks about where you’re going.
Karrod’s scowl found a new and profound depth.
Niac: You’re starting to make me paranoid, Maki. But if this gets me resources, I can’t ignore the possibility. I’ll be ready to beam to the Valley Forge by the deadline…Lt. Cmdr. Raga has my complete confidence…the ship will be in capable hands during my absence.
Corcino: Good. ::nods:: As for the paranoia, welcome to the big boy’s table, *Captain.*
[End]
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Vice Admiral Makisig Corcino & Captain Nehir Sahin
Starfleet Command
I238705TZ0
&
Captain Karrod Niac
Commanding Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
V239509GT0
&
Lieutenant Commander Toryn Raga
First Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
A239410TR0