LtCmdr Tristam Core, "Futureplan."

[Deliera Jay]

((Clearing, Kidman I))

Rahman: Uh-huh. So things are going well then?

Core: Well, it's no warp fifteen engine, but it's solid technology. We can fire it up later today if you like -- I imagine Washington might appreciate the sitrep.

Rahman: Not a bad idea. I think you should be the one to make the call. You deserve the credit and the glory.

Roshanara snickered to herself.

The Rodulan lightly bumped his shoulder into hers. 

Core: I appreciate that. It's still not finished, though. I've got the small matter of Karakka to sort out.

Rahman: Ah... yes. Finding a way to get the signal through the Shadows I imagine would be a real #$%@& to sort out.

Core: Definitely no cakewalk.

Rahman: Aren't they still running on the same network the Klingons left?

Core: To be fair, they're still maintaining the network there.

Rahman: Hmmm... I wonder if the KDF might be interested in helping out.

Core: It's a matter of finding a common ground with them to build that relationship. Have to wait for Kinan to have the time to argue with them for me.

Rahman: Well... either way, you should be proud of what you've done out here.

She grabbed onto his arm and leaned up against him as they both sat on the blanket, taking in the view.

Rahman: It's going to be a real game changer... a new era and way of life for the colonists, merchants, and everyone else in the region.

Core: ...I think you over-estimate this region's reliance on communications. They've been operating on the lowest available capability for so long that I wonder whether it'll really make an impact.

Roshanara tilts her head to look at him slightly.

Rahman: Do you ever think about what you want to do after Starfleet?

He opened his mouth and struggled to get any coherent sentence out. Rodulans had a typical lifetime of 300 years -- standard for any Rodulan, but he learned Humans were less so.

Core: Starfleet operates with a different sense of time than I do. The organisation tends to rush things. I haven't really considered how long I want to do this for. Why?

Rahman: Well, don't get me wrong. I'm not thinking of retiring anytime soon. When my tour with Veritas finishes, I'll go where Command sends me... but as you always like to point out, we both may have another couple hundred years or more on us... I don't know if we'd really spend it all in the service.

Core: There might not be a service in a hundred years. Starfleet might get absorbed into Federation Security, or be disbanded. Terrans tend to want answers to things straight away, immediately. Starfleet has had many variations on what it does and does not do -- I've no doubt things will change over the next century. We might not even notice.

Rahman: So what would you do if you had to leave all of this behind?

Tristam hummed at the question.

Core: Probably go back to working on medical technology. Communcations and transporter tech are interesting subjects, but they're luxury items. The Federation is about a century behind Rodulan technology when it comes to standard medical equipment.

He moved away slightly, glancing down at her with a raised brow.

Core: You can't tell me you don't intend to perform a hostile takeover of some Galaxy class somewhere and remain in the centre chair for a long while.

She smiled and reached up to run her fingers through his hair and pull his head closer to hers before kissing him.

Rahman: I guess it doesn't really matter as long we have each other.

Tbc . . .

LtCmdr Tristam Core

Components Expert

USS Veritas

C238803SB0