Fresh Beginnings

Posted on Wed Jul 19th, 2023 @ 8:01am by Commander Steven Greco & Lieutenant Commander Keishara Davaris

2,256 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Year One: Whispers in the Wind
Location: Solomon IV - Brighton Colony
Timeline: MD 001: 0830 hrs

After the shimmer of the transporter disappeared, Commander Greco looked around the area. Past the colony buildings, he could see gently rolling hills in the distance and green fields. After three weeks on the Moore, the warm sun and sounds of life from the birds in the nearby trees were welcoming.

Turning to Keishara, he grinned. “Nice place. I can see why they chose it.”

Keishara nodded. It was quite picturesque, to say the least. The warm sun on her face was very welcome, and a nice change from the glow of the poor lighting on the Moore.

"Yes, sir. Quite a scene." She smiled at him, and began to look around the colony.

Steve grinned back and led the tactical officer towards the settlement. He took in the fact there was a thriving community full of children and people engaging each other in the markets. Slowly they worked their way towards the community center to go meet with the Administrators.

Kei looked around, the smells of the market were quite nice, but the sounds of the children were a little irritating. A small group came up and danced around Keishara. One took her hand and danced around her before running away with a slight maniacal quality to their voice. Kei looked at her hands a rubbed them on her trousers whilst making a face. "Sticky creatures." she commented.

Steve couldn’t help but chuckle at her reaction. “You don’t like children?” He asked, “I would have thought living so long you had several of your own by now, or at least were used to them.”

"I have no problems with offspring." Kei replied. "I have lived a life where they were not common. As a courier, well it wasn't the life for a child. Starfleet? I just haven't found anyone worthy mating with for that reason. I... struggle..." she hesitated as her mind flashed quickly over the abuse of her past. "with people. Friendships are okay, mostly. When I was a slave I was subjected to 'visits' from the Overlords friends, and himself, so... no. No offspring... and the very idea of bringing them into a galaxy like this does not appeal to me."

Steve stopped and squinted against the morning sun as he looked at Keishara. He knew she was a former slave from her file, but to hear her speak so casually about it was disturbing to him. It was hard to imagine anyone coming to terms with something so horrendous that they could speak of it almost like an anecdote. “I’m sorry that happened to you, and that it made you feel this way.” He said much more seriously. His relationship with the Commander was contentious, at best. He prided himself on being a leader and someone the crews under him felt safe with and comfortable opening up to him. So far Keishara seemed determined to keep him at a professional distance, a long distance.

"It is what the Goddesses deemed my life path to be." Keishara shrugged. Truth be told she had buried a lot and she had sought faith as a refuge of sorts. It had worked to a certain degree but a lot of baggage still clung to her. "The last counsellor I opened up to needed to take time off." she joked an all too true joke. "Some people are too fragile for harsh worlds and harsher truths about the galaxy but I feel it make me a good protector. It is what the galaxy needs."

Steve just nodded in acknowledgment and walks with the security chief through the markets until they reached the main administration building.

They were greeted by a human female and a Betazoid male, both nodded respectfully. The woman stepped forward to address them. "Commanders, welcome to Brighton Colony. My name is Karla Bennett. This is Arun Norp." She said, gesturing to the Betazoid. "We are the chief administrators of the colony." She offered her hand to both of them while Arun nodded respectfully.

Greco accepted the woman's hand and shook it, nodding to the Betazoid. "I am Commander Steven Greco, first officer of the USS Moore. This is Lieutenant Commander Davaris, the ship's tactical officer and chief of security. We are your Starfleet liaisons during this process. A pleasure to meet you both." He added diplomatically with an open smile.

Kei also accepted the Human's hand and gave it a firm shake before regarding the Betazoid. She also nodded and gave a slight bow towards him but she could feel his telepathy pushing ever so. "Your colony is very nice..." Kei tried a compliment, "If not full of noisy, sticky offspring."

Steve bit his tongue and reminded himself not to bring Kei along on any first contact missions. He gave a slightly apologetic look to the administrators but didn’t address it, moving the conversation along. “Indeed, it is lovely. Considering it’s only been in existence the last thirty or so years, you’ve managed to thrive quite well.”

Karla nodded as they led them through the streets towards the administrative building. “Thank you both. It has been a lot of hard work, but we all believe here in mutual cooperation. We have chosen to keep the intrusion of technology at a minimum as much as possible. We believe for a society to thrive it is the people, not their technology, that leads to innovation and is ultimately responsible.”

While walking, Steve noticed the diverse mix of species amongst the colonists. He nodded diplomatically to the philosophy though. “I can see how that is both refreshing and inspiring. I can’t help but notice how…diverse, Brighton is.”

Arun nodded at this. “Many people first came here during the end of the tensions between the Federation and Cardassia, and again with the ending of the occupation of Bajor. We welcome diversity because as Karla said, it brings innovation. We have managed to build quite a space port and way station for ourselves, which has helped the colony immensely. “

They led the Starfleet officers into a conference room within the building for them to speak comfortably.

"How do you settle disputes?" Kei asked. "With all the different species here there must be at times discord. Is there much crime here?" she asked. Her security mind was always ticking over, and this was also to see how safe Brighton was for them to be there, and for others to beam down if and when.

“There is a volunteer peacekeeping force as well as judicial process and we still follow Federation law. We do have a series of arbiters here for the more persistent or egregious issues, but most disputes are handled by the colonists.” Arun explained as he took his seat. “Simply put, we have few issues as the laws are clear and no one is here unless they want to be.”

Karla looked at both officers. “If you question is regarding more specific physical safety, we do not allow weapons within the colony itself. That would be with our guests as well. Colonists who live outside of the colony limits are permitted to have weapons, but they used mostly for protection or hunting. Anyone with a weapon entering the town has their weapons confiscated for their duration of their time in the colony and then returned upon their leaving. We find the policy has greatly helped regarding public safety and crime.”

"Good to know." Keishara nodded. She always kept hidden weapons on her, it was just her way. She had not brought down a phaser as that was requested by the Brighton Colony beforehand. "I'm pleased to hear that your colony is well protected. I think I actually saw a Nausicaan playing with a puppy earlier and not try and eat it." she shook her head at the thought.

Karla gave a smile. “I believe you will find, Commander, many interesting facts about various facts different species here. Many assumptions we make are based on ignorance. Nausiccans are not as stupid or violent as they appear. We value the individual here, not their dna.”

Steve nodded at this. “I am hopeful that will extend to our Romulan friends as well. They have been through enough and despite their history with the Federation, they are still people who deserve dignity and respect.”

He saw the administrators exchange anxious glances to one another at the mention of the Romulans.

"Fortunately for you my assumptions are based on facts having dealt with Nausicaans many times." Kei grumbled quietly. The slight insinuation of Kei's species ignorance not going unnoticed. She almost educated the woman on how she'd met more species in the galaxy than she could have dreamt about.

Kei noticed the awkward glances. "Do you have reservations about Romulans joining this colony?" she asked.

Karla sighed and looked at them both. “We agreed to take them and allow them to setup their own colony on the planet out of a sense of obligation. But if I am honest, many are concerned. We don’t like the problem of the core worlds coming to our home. It’s why many of us settled here.” She said honestly. “We are aware of the problems on other colonies and the growing violence. Most people here do not want to be….associated with Romulans. This is a Federation colony first.” She explained.

"If we are being objective... they no longer have a core world for them to bring problems from." Keishara countered. "By your own words 'many assumptions are based on ignorance.', and you accept all kinds here. If we go by assumption alone a Nausicaan is far more dangerous outright than a Romulan. The only difference is that a Romulan, will kill you in your sleep and not out in the street for the world to see." Sometimes Kei sounded more like a Vulcan than her own people. She had spent too much time with Stryvek that was for sure.

Karla went to speak, but Kei stopped her. She felt the Betazoid probing and she pushed back. This let him no she was no Human, and every much of great mental strength.

"I understand your concerns however. When anyone new settles there are always fears of the unknown and with the reports from other colonies I am not dismissing your worry. If it makes you feel any better I can have some of my officers train with your law enforcement staff here whilst we are in Brighton. I will however not supply weapons or ammunition of any kind, but with my staff we can show how to better patrol your colony. Maybe look for areas to strengthen."

Arun nodded at the woman. “That would be most appreciated, Commander. I’ll arrange for the head of our security services to meet with you.”

Karla spoke up. “The arrival of the Romulans has made people tense. We may have to coordinate our efforts to setup a separate colony for them. We have already received communication of several offworld vendors pulling out of the First Contact Day celebration out of protest.

Steve nodded at this. Reports indicated several convoys like theirs were met with frigid greetings. More than one was driven offworld and the escorts scrambled with an alternative plan drawn up between Starfleet and the URC. With a sigh, Greco looked at both administrators. “I’m afraid that is a matter for the URC representatives. Our assignment was merely to escort the transports and off load them.” He said diplomatically.

"Which we have done." Kei said rather bluntly. "When do your First Contact Day celebrations take place, as in time... obviously not day." Kei made clear. "And what do you have planned for it?"

Arun looked at the two officers. "They are scheduled to begin the morning of the fifth. Usually the vendors start opening at around eight in the morning. It's a point of pride for our colony. This settlement was built on the ideas of mutual cooperation and diversity. Many come from around the quadrant to share their unique culture here be it with food, trade, music. It is a rather lively time."

"Of course, you and your crew are welcome to join us. A bit of rest sounds like what everyone could use in these troubled times." Karla added to make sure it was clear that Starfleet should hold no grudge against them.

Steve gave a smile at the thought and looked at Kei, "It's worth bringing up to the captain. A day or two of shore leave maybe in order, given everything."

"Yes, I'm sure he'll find it all too logical for the crew to relax for a bit given we have been working hard for weeks now with convoys." Kei replied poking a little fun at her Vulcan CO.

She also could help but shake her head slightly at the irony of First Contact Day and the comments made by Arun. Mutual cooperation and diversity, but they were already pushing back at Romulan migrants entering the planet. Wasn't her problem overall, she'd assist with their security as she'd promised and move on to the next assignment soon enough.

The group all nodded in agreement and began to stand. “Good, it’s settled then.” She commented, “if you’ll follow us to the transport, we will take you to the site of the Romulan colony further down river, it’s about fifty kilometers away. Our survey teams have already scouted the area.” She said as she lead them back outside and into the colony.

 

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