Enter Minori

Posted on Tue Sep 8th, 2020 @ 4:02am by Admiral Tanaka Miyahara & Captain Minori Kushieda

1,523 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: The Elachi Return
Location: USS Armitage & USS Myogi

Captain Minori Kushieda, paced her bridge of the Starship Armitage. The Japanese woman, with red hair and a thin athletic figure seemed restless. "Screw this" she finally said outloud. She looked over at the Bolian Commander sat in the second seat. "Commander, you have the ship. I'm going over to the Myogi. I can't just sit here without finding out what happened with Captain Aisaka" she said simply. With that said and a swish of her shoulder length hair she strode off the bridge.

[USS Myogi]

Minori arrived a few minutes later on the transporter pad of the Myogi. She hadn't told the Admiral that she was visiting or that she was coming over at all. She simply nodded at the chief before making her way upto the bridge. The New Orleans Class bridge was similar to the Armitages and Tokyo's. A central design much like all Federation Starships.

"Admiral Miyahara" Minori said as she walked towards the center chair where the Admiral sat. She had not had much dealings with the man before now, but she had a plan in mind to getting to the truth about what had happened at Alvatar Colony.

After confining Captain Aisaka to quarters, Admiral Miyahara had returned to the bridge, relieving Commander Takahashi of his command. Despite Captain Kushieda having not called ahead, he had been alerted by transporter control of her arrival.

... Because nothing appeared aboard his ship without his knowledge.

So, Admiral Miyahara wasn't at all surprised that a fellow commanding officer's first instinct would be to head towards the bridge, and he swiveled the center chair in the direction of Captain Kushieda's voice to greet the new arrival:

"Captain Kushieda, I presume?" He said. "To what do I owe the privilege of speaking with you today?"

Minori nodded. "I wanted to speak to you personally regarding Tai...Captain Aisaka" she replied simply to him.

Though Admiral Miyahara found Captain Kushieda correcting herself to be odd, he simply brushed it off and continued with the conversation:

"Captain Aisaka is being confined to quarters awaiting her trial." Admiral Miyahara responded. "Unfortunately, I cannot allow you to see her at this time, if that's what you've come here to do."

Minori sighed. "Sir, with respect. I've known her a long time. I might be able to get something out of her" she explained. "I can honestly say she's not one to lie. But I don't think from what I've seen that we're getting the full picture here". She paused for a few seconds. "Shouldn't we at least as Starfleet Officers try and find the truth before anything gets brushed under the rug by Command or Intelligence?"

So, that was why she corrected herself... Admiral Miyahara thought.

"Captain Kushieda, I was hoping you wouldn't let your emotions cloud your judgement." He sighed. "What Captain Aisaka did could very well lead us to another war; the Romulans are probably plotting a retaliation as we speak, and I'm supposed to believe that some captain that just swaggers onto my bridge like she owns the place claiming to know Captain Aisaka for years can convince me that she's not a vital linchpin in the coming conflict? I'm sorry, but I have a hard time believing you."

Admiral Miyahara leaned forward in the chair, lacing his fingers together.

"Furthermore, the way she talked back to a superior officer, I have probable cause to believe that she's sitting there plotting a mutiny against me as we speak." He explained. "That, and the timing of your visit feels too convenient: What's to say that I let you in to see her and the next thing I know, the two of you are fighting your way through my crew, phasers blazing. Security exists for a reason, Captain, and letting you see such a high priority prisoner at this time is one hell of a risk. Unless, of course you'd care to explain how you're not part of a conspiracy by Captain Aisaka to mutiny against me."

"Admiral. That sounds very Romulan of you..." Minori stated flatly. "Do you genuinely believe that Aisaka would start a mutiny on top of whats already happened?" She asked. "What harm will it do really? You should know that Taiga has always had problems with authority, ever simce she was young. Its just tje way she is. This may start a war, but I don't believe she is responsible"

"It is Captain Aisaka's problem with authority that has me on edge, Captain." Admiral Miyahara replied. "Less than 24 hours before the colony attack, she contacted me talking shit about my former third officer. The fact that the attack happened so soon afterwards tells me that she had a point she wanted to prove. My suspicion of a mutiny is warranted by the fact that she likely has nothing left to lose: This trial will no doubt irreparably damage her reputation, so what better way to go out than in a blaze of glory?"

"You're not getting it at all are you?" Minori sighed. "So far I've noticed one thing. Both Starfleet and the Romulans blame her for the attack. Now tell me Admiral; why is no one prepared to listen to her? Why would her crew follow her orders to commit genocide when its against everything The Federation stands for?" She paused again. "Do you not find it a little bit suspicious that not one member of her crew objected? Does that not raise questions you want the answers to? Because it does for me".

"You're wrong in one area of your statement, Captain:" Admiral Miyahara responded, leaning back in the chair. "My former third officer, Lieutenant Nakazato: We still keep in touch, he tells me he tried to warn Captain Aisaka that trespassing in Romulan space violates multiple treaties, but as Lieutenant Nakazato puts it, Captain Aisaka has decided she doesn't want to hear anything more of what he has to say."

"Did he tell you why she did that?" Minori asked simply. "No Starfleet Captain would violate the Neutral Zone without good reason. Doing so would mean suicide and I don't think she would even consider that"

"He tells me that she was pissed at him for enacting my values of discipline." Admiral Miyahara explained. "So pissed, she ripped the very position he applied for right out from under his nose. If you ask me, doing something like that is only going to squander the lieutenant's potential."

"That sounds like that lieutenant was emotionally compromised" Minori stated simply. "But how does denoting an officer lead to her presuming attacking innocent civilians?" She asked. She took a deep breath. "All I'm asking Admiral is for a chance to talk to her. As her friend I can get things out of her you or others might not. You may not like her, but losing any Starfleet Captain is not just a loss to their crew, but the fleet as a whole. Is that not worth the effort?"

"Well, when I spoke with her prior to the colony attack, she sounded pretty emotionally compromised herself." Admiral Miyahara explained. "So, it's nothing I would put past her in that state. I'd be happy to give you those recordings if you so desire."

Admiral Miyahara sat on Captain Kushieda's words. The tone of voice she was using held sincerity in it, and her request was simple and logical, but precautions still needed to be taken, considering that Captain Aisaka was still a high priority prisoner.

"If your intentions are sincere, and you don't intend to conspire with Captain Aisaka against me, than I suppose letting you see her couldn't hurt." He clarified. "However, I must insist that I send my Chief Security Officer to accompany you. I hope you understand that we can never be too cautious."

Admiral Miyahara clicked a button on the armrest.

"Lieutenant Tristana, can you come to the bridge?"

"Si, Senor (Yes, mister) Miyahara." The voice of the CSO replied. "I'll be there in five minutes."

Admiral Miyahara turned back to Captain Kushieda.

"If privacy matters to you that much, she can wait outside." He explained. "Be sure to clarify with her."

"If I was planning to conspire with her then I wouldn't be asking you to talk to her" Minori said simply. "I'll try to get some answers, thankyou Admiral".

[Five minutes later]

Tristana made her way to the bridge. Her department had been fairly busy with the detainment of Captain Aisaka, and she was in the middle of catching up on paperwork when Admiral Miyahara called her to the bridge.

"You wanted to see me, Senor? (Mister?)" She asked as she approached the Admiral.

"Yes, Lieutenant." Admiral Miyahara replied. "Escort our guest, Captain Kushieda here, to the place we're holding Captain Aisaka."

Admiral Miyahara then noticed his CSO was revealing a bit too much...

"And for goodness sakes, button that shirt up!" He added. "Is this a Starfleet vessel or a brothel?"

"Si, Senor. (Yes, Mister.)" Tristana replied. "Captain Kushieda, right this way, please."

Posting by

Captain Minori Kushieda
Commanding Officer
USS Armitage

Admiral Tanaka Miyahara
Commanding Officer
USS Myogi

Lieutenant Tristana
Chief Security Officer
USS Myogi

RSS Feed