JP - Lt. Cmdr. V'Len Kel, Lt. Cmdr. Lhandon Nilsen, Commander Avandar Pormontory - The Trilldorian Upgrade Bacchanalia Part 6
Don K
((Lumina Coves Ecological Retreat, Lolagi IV))
Promontory: Sounds like she’s in a pretty good place, all things considered.
Commander Avander Promontory was glad for the break from station life, even more so for the chance to catch up with some friends. But the special liberty had come with an even more special assignment–the repatriation of their former colleague Lieutenant Vala Morton.
She had been turned into a tree, but had gotten better. Well, mostly.
Nilsen: She is. It sucks that her service ended this way, but I’m glad I got to take her home.
It was a sombre note in an otherwise happy affair; Lhandon was once again dressed in what some would describe as the only outfit he owned: a white t-shirt with a yellow lumberjack jacket, jeans, and brown boots.
Promontory: Fair enough. (beat) Hey, after Kel’s shindig, I was thinking of checking out the Celestial Tide Sanctuary for some stargazing, if you and Wes want to join. I hear it–
Avander left off speaking in the middle of the sentence, seeing the man of the hour coming back to their orbit.
Promontory: Hold that thought.
Nilsen: Oh?
Making the rounds was like taking a walk through his Starfleet career. Present were people from almost every ship he’d served on. Everywhere people were not only greeting him, but greeting each other. Rox and Peri were catching up and it seemed like Rhodium and Avander had more in common than he would have thought. V’Len was still trying to make his way over to Niac and Greaves before his promotion was rescinded. First however he wanted to greet one the mentees who he was perhaps most proud of.
Kel: Lhandon, how are you? I’m glad you could come, ::glancing at Avander:: Remind me where you’re both stationed, I feel like I should know, but with the relaunch of the Thor it’s hard to keep track.
Promontory: Oh, I’m stationed at Deep Space 14, but I know these knuckle heads from our time on the ‘Oumuamua. Kel was there for my first day as an ensign–was very nice to me even if I dropped some sensitive scientific equipment.
Nilsen: And Mr Promotory here was my first officer on the OEB before he got himself a nice safe desk job.
Lhandon nudged Avander with his elbow in jest. A small laugh came about him, the first in what seemed to be a while for the newest XO in the fleet.
V’Len smiled, but couldn’t help thinking perhaps Avander had made a wise decision. His recent foray into the command had seen the Ronin battling temporal anomalies, a runaway Sencha Reactor and both the Tholians and the Sheliak. There was something mildly enticing about the safety of paddwork.
Kel: ::turning to Nisen:: Did I read correctly that you’ve been making diplomatic in roads with the Zet?
Avander turned to the diplomatic officer. The situation in the Gamma Quadrant was complex and ever-changing and Lhandon was in the thick of it–for better or worse.
Nilsen: There’s a lot of work going into them. I’m involved in some work.
V’Len was silent for a moment considering the situation. The Zet he’d known had been vicious and barbaric. Barely capable of decent warp drive, the species had come on the stage through violence and willingness to expend the lesser members of their society for the greater ones.
Lhandon first spoke with pride but then he felt the silence hit hard, a side of his old friend came out, and for the first time, Lhandon knew V’len, he saw a rockier side, it took him aback, and his head tilted.
Kel: ::insincerely:: Best of luck on those talks.
Promontory: Lhandon has the advantages of not being exposed to the slave markets.
Avander’s first mission out of the Academy had seen himself and Kel go undercover with Greaves at a Zet slave market, looking for the remnants of Jack Kessler’s parent’s crew.
Nilsen: I know all about them, and I think….
His hand unconsciously went to cover a wound on his chest. He then tried to distract a little.
Nilsen: They are a species that didn’t manage warp on their own, and we’ve got to figure out how to stop them from doing what they did to the Danni, to others. Don’t you think there’s a chance for some peace?
Kel: ::somberly:: No I suppose I don’t. I’m afraid the Zet and I are like Kirk and Klingons. There’s a lot of history to overcome.
The image of the group of scared children in a cage, Krystal Kessler amongst them, was seared in his mind. There was also the year the Oumuamua crew had spent looking for Jack. He knew it was not the Starfleet way to hold grudges, but there it was.
Promontory: Well, we could always use you back in the GQ.
Lhandon hooked on to this too, and took the chance to move the topic away from the Zet. The reports muffle the horrors that the young species had committed, but if there was to be peace in the gamma quadrant, the Zet couldn’t be ignored, and peace had to be pursued.
Nislen:Yeah, it’s not been the same without you.
V’Len smiled thinking of his earlier days in the Gamma Quadrant. Not everyone was as well traveled as he was. He’d been stationed, however briefly, in all 4 quadrants, which pleased him overly much.
Kel: I don’t know. With the Lattice Alliance becoming more aggressive by the day, I think we’re going to need more ships in the Alpha Isles, not less.
Promontory: The fleets spread too thin–we need more ships everywhere.
Nilsen: And then some. In the reach, it feels like there is a new problem to solve every week. When you say the Alliance were getting aggressive, how so?
Kel: It seems some Sheliak and Tholians felt their governments weren’t aggressive enough. They seem bent on taking territory in the Isles using some of the most dangerous technology possible.
Nilsen: That would go some way to explain why a lot of the FDC’s resources were diverted your way.
V’Len nodded. For all the efforts the Federation put forward to promote peace and cooperation, it seemed the whole galaxy was full of people who took exception to the idea. Traveling through time to save an endangered species seemed like a lark compared to some of the missions he’d undertaken.
Kel: How is Trake doing on the Thor, Avander? I saw him at the academy recently and he seemed to be settling in.
Promontory: Oh, Trake and the Thor are killing it! They’ve made dozens of first contacts, discovered an ancient progenitor race that had rock and crystal-based technology, even found a planet of humans out in the GQ! Hopefully they’re doing your and Greaves’ legacy for the ship proud!
Lhandon smiled; there was a sense of pride in what became the OEB’s adopted sister ship. A few of Lhando’s old friends were posted there. What he wouldn’t give for the Thor and OEB to team up one day.
V’Len raised his eyebrows. He was always down to hear about first contact. He'd only been a part of a few, but he treasured the memory of speaking the first words to a new group of friends.
Nilsen: Ancient progenitor race? Huh? So the reach isn’t that unique then? Letting my mind drift, I wonder if they’re related.
Promontory: Perhaps we all are… if you go back far enough. I mean, we’re all star-seeds, at least!
Kel: I believe it was Kansas who said, “All we are is dust in the wind.”
V’Len let the profoundness of the comment settle in and then looked at Lhandon.
Kel: By the way how is Toxin?
Nilsen: Tox is erm…he’s taken time to deal with some family matters.
Which was the truth, it was just the manner in which he left that gave Nilsen a bad taste in his mouth, even if he did fully understand why he had to go so quickly. He tried to smile and gave a chuckle, but no one was fooled.
Avander pursed his lips and exchanged a knowing glance with V’Len.
Kel: I see.
V’Len couldn’t help but feel like he was missing some context, but the look Promontory was giving him suggested the subject was better dropped.
Kel: Well I really appreciate you both traveling all the way from the Gamma Quadrant to celebrate with me. It means more than I can say.
Promontory: Well, we’ll get you back some day. I think the Thor could use you and Jack again!
Lhandon nodded, he gave a smile.
Nilsen: I think the OEB could use you and Jack again.
He let a small chuckle escape him, a little friendly nudge at their adopted sister ship.
Kel: I’ll have to beg your pardon and take my leave. I don’t know how I’m going to see all these people, but let's plan to catch up more later, after the ceremony.
Promontory: Count on it!
Nilsen: Seriously, don’t a stranger
Kel: Excellent. Enjoy yourselves.
Promontory: You too! (turning to Lhandon) Now, speaking of promotions…
V’Len hurried off to the next group of people he wanted to greet. Would he even have a voice left by the end of the evening?
--
Commander V'Len Kel
Chief Science Officer/Second Officer
USS Ronin NCC-34523
T239811VK2
He/Him (player/character)
&&
Cmdr. Avander Promontory
Intelligence Officer
Quadrant Chief
Deep Space 14
O239910AP4
&&
Lieutenant Commander Lhandon Joseph Nilsen
Executive Officer & Senior Diplomatic Officer
USS Octavia E Butler
O240007LN1
He/Him/His (Both player and character)