Stormfront

Posted on Wed Sep 11th, 2024 @ 12:35pm by Lieutenant Commander Keishara Davaris & Captain Stryvek

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: Year One: Strange Bedfellows
Location: Ready Room, USS Moore
Timeline: MD001 0800 hours

Once the briefing had been dismissed Keishara had stewed in the conference room for a couple of minutes before she decided she needed to speak to, no confront Stryvek about the Orion Syndicate.

They were pirates, slavers, butchers. She could go on with various descriptors of them as a organisation, and calling them that was being kind. She had been imprisoned, beaten, abused by similar every day for 40 years before managing to escape and to think Starfleet were in bed with these people... these thugs was unfathomable.

Walking up to the ready room door she didn't even press the chime and instead just entered the room. Stryvek knew of her past, all that she had been through. Their mindmeld had showed him so much of her tortured soul but even now he would defend what Starfleet was doing with cold logic and try to calm his hot-headed emotional friend.

"Commander Davaris I expected you would be here. In fact I did not think it would take this long for you to arrive. I presume that you have come to discuss the Orions. If I am correct then please sit and let us discuss. Would you like some tea." Stryvek would not defend the Federation's move to work with the Orions. However, he would do it and expect his crew to do the same. He hoped that the Vulcan blend tea he had would calm his friend enough for them to talk.

"I tried breathing." Kei responded to the commented about not being in as quick as a whippet. It was in reference to something she'd been talking about with Koaruh as a way to give her time to think things through and not be so reactive to things. It wasn't working.

"I can't sit." she added whilst taking some tea. Her hands shook with a mixture of emotion. Anger, anxiety and even a little fear as to working so close with the type of people she truly hated.

She began to pace with the cup in hand, the contents fighting to stay within the cup. "Why them?" was all she could ask.

Stryvek poured himself what was then a second cup, sipped and leaned back in his chair as Keishara paced the room. "In truth I do not know anything for sure. However, I have ideas. Since Captain Naal had informed us I have sought to find the logic in that decision. The only logic I can see is that when others refuse you, you must turn to the one who won't if you are in dire need. It is possible that the years that the Federation has refused assistance to others have come around and now no one will help them."

"You know how I feel about pirates, about slavers." Keishara said with a hesitation she rarely showed, and a vulnerability even rarer. "I can't be the only one who see's the major pitfalls of this. They cannot be naïve to think the Syndicate will not take full advantage of having us over a barrel." she still paced the room.

"You and others who think the same as you seem to think that the Federation Council is acting without any forethought. In order for someone to take advantage of a situation you have to allow them to do so. It is my belief that Starfleet and the Federation by extension is ready for this exact scenario. Do not think for one moment that I will allow any Orion to gain the upper hand during this next mission. All eyes will literally be on them." Stryvek paused to take another sip of tea. "It was not so long ago that people said the same thing as you are about Klingons and look at the situation now. Yes, I know the relationship with the Klingons took decades. However, everything begins with a first step. It is entirely possible that this is the Orion's first step."

"You cannot predict the actions of these people, not all the time, not every scenario." Kei replied. "You don't think they've done exactly the same thing? Seen how much they can get out of us? Manipulate us?" she added before he mentioned Klingons. "Say what you want about the Klingons, I've never had any problems with them. They at least have a code of honour, these Orion's have none. The Human's have a saying "I'm only Human' implying they are not perfect and can be at fault for many things. I think Starfleet, the Federation, whomever you want to use, those that sit behind the safety of desks, made this deal out of desperation. I'd have rather dealt with Nausicaans than Orions." In the back of her mind she could hear the faint memories, the sounds of whips, chains and the buzz of their slave collars. A shiver ran down her spine but she tried hard to conceal it.

Stryvek like all Vulcans was only a touch telepath. However, you did not need telepathy to know what went through Keishara's mind. Stryvek had seen it in the meld, he knew why this mission bothered her. He also knew that no amount of words was going to sway her from these emotions. "I will admit that I too would rather have dealings with anyone save the Orions. However, we have already looked the other way when it came to certain members of that race. We have Orions who serve in Starfleet, one such is on this vessel. Is it not possible that other Orions have taken the same steps as Lieutenant Zhevou? I do not ask you to forget anything, I ask perhaps that you forgive." Stryvek paused and sipped his tea. As he swallowed he cocked an eyebrow. "Perhaps we can use this entire situation to gauge the Orion people. If they do what most think they will then we will have proof to take to the Council and put an end to this."

"I will never forgive the actions of those that choose to subjugate those who are vulnerable. Those that steal, and sell, people. People are not commodities." Keishara rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I shouldn't have said Orions, but more specifically the Syndicate. I know not all of their species is complicit in the acts of the majority. Sadly that's what most people see."

She had moved to stare out the window at the stars. How many of those had similar pirate activity? It was impossible to tell. She could hear the whips in her mind playing over like some sick song of the depraved. "I can promise you that they'll be watched very closely."

"I would expect nothing less, and I am going to hold you to that promise. For what it is worth I agree with you. People are not commodities. However, I also believe that a people can change. My people did, Humans have, so why cannot Orions change." Stryvek knew that this line of thinking was wishful, but perhaps wishful thinking is what was needed at this time.

"I don't believe species change, not really. Just adapt and find better ways to cope with who and what they are, or become better at hiding it." Keishara replied. "If your people hadn't found how to stuff down your emotions I doubt we'd be having this conversation. If the Human's had nearly decimated their planet in a world war then they wouldn't have been as open to Vulcan's helping them. I highly doubt with all their fractures and division they would have came together to welcome an alien ship. My people, arrogant, hubristic to say a few. That led to us being hunted by the Borg and look where that got us. Even on our new world we think we know better just because we have lived so long..." she sighed. "I don't believe people change. If backed up against a wall all the traits of a species come back out. However, we'll see if these Orion's are smart enough to know not to poke and prod us."

Stryvek was impressed the argument presented by Keishara was logical and looked at the facts from a different side than he did. He knew he would have to take this into advisement and devise a new outlook on the situation. "Is it not possible that the Orions have found a better way to cope with who and what they are. In the interest of complete honesty it is not them poking or prodding that I am worried about. It is us doing it to them."

Keishara agreed. "Yes, well I'll only be doing that if they start it." she commented. "I'll try my hardest but if they start the holier than thou pirate/slaver thing then they've just slapped all my buttons with an open palm."

She'd calmed down significantly now. Maybe talking to a Vulcan could have one of two effects, calming you into submission by lack of emotion, or frustrate you more by again, their lack of emotion.

Stryvek sat in silence for a moment and allowed her last words to hang in the air. Fact was he would hate to have to put his friend in the brig. However, if she did what she just threatened to do he would have no choice. All that said Keishara did visibly seem calmer, so that was something that went in his favor.

"Can I interrogate one? Maybe two?" Keishara joked with the man unable to understand humour. "It would make me feel better and I promise I won't break much..."

"If any Orion commits any offense on this vessel you will be the first on the scene. Then you will have someone to question." Stryvek saw the logic in the want for information from the Orions. However, he also had to make sure he could explain it to his superiors.

"I know I will be." Keishara arched a very Vulcan brow before sighing and looking towards the door. "I'm fine now. If you would see me dismissed sir?" she asked.

"I want you to know that you can always come to me in an official or unofficial status, old friend." This comment was as close to Stryvek showing emotion as he would allow for the moment. "You are dismissed."

With a curt nod, and no answer, Keishara about turned and left the ready room. Inside she still felt a fire burning but she wasn't quite at the point of ripping anyone's throat out anymore. Progress...

 

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