On Matters of Trust

Posted on Tue Oct 31st, 2023 @ 7:33pm by Lieutenant Jasad Yuvek & Major Chiyo Shimada

1,103 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Starship Graveyard
Location: Marine CO's office, Deck 16
Timeline: After 'This is Home for a While'

Following the Tokyo's crash, Chiyo's office on Deck 16 was in complete shambles, and while Chiyo and Liz were otherwise occupied, a team of marines led by 1st Lieutenant Hann Rudd had worked to get the office back into a useable state. By all accounts, it was still a disaster, but 1st Lieutenant Rudd and her team had made a good start.

Following the senior staff meeting, Chiyo had time to get some work done before the expedition launched. While she worked, she had summoned the Cardassian helmsman to Marine country to discuss his little outburst during the meeting.

Since the dismissal from the meeting, Lieutenant Yuvek had spent the interim making his way to Deck 12 towards the Primary Maintenance Support Center in hopes of retrieving the repair and extraction material he would need for the upcoming mission. He was in the process of pulling a dilithuim extraction device when he received the summons to report to Major Shimada.

The Helmsman made his way over to the Marine Commander's office, but it was certainly a trek to make it past through the various barricades of uncleared debris. Despite backup power starting to operate, it was still doing so in essential areas of the ships. Non-essential areas were still a hazard to try to traverse.

Finally, Lt. Yuvek made it to the Commander's office and pressed the chime button.

"Come." Chiyo called out.

The Cardassian entered the Commander's Office and walked towards her desk. "Ma'am?" He asked while standing before the superior officer.

"Take a seat, Lieutenant:" Chiyo requested. Her tone was serious and firm.

He nodded as he took a seat before the Marine Commander's desk.

"Lieutenant, have you ever lost someone who was important to you?" Chiyo asked.

The Cardassian narrowed his eyes as he took a deep breathe. He exhaled slowly as he contemplated how to properly yet respectfully respond to the Major.

"Yes ma'am, I have. But I'm a Cardassian, you'd be hard-pressed to find one that hadn't lost someone in either of the previous wars." He replied in a measured tone.

"Okay, then. Allow me to rephrase:" Chiyo said, folding her hands. "Is there someone you have lost that you would give anything for a second chance with?"

Despite not growing up around them, Jasad had come become familiar with Humans and their customs during his time in the Academy and on Earth. One trait that he could never seem to understand was their need to talk around an issue instead of getting straight to the point.

"Ma'am, I take it you are referring to my outbursts against Mr. Shimada during our briefing?" He said, purposely refusing to acknowledge the pirate's Starfleet designation.

"Yes, I am, Lieutenant." Chiyo said. "Now, Captain Aisaka or Commander Johnson wouldn't tolerate it for one second if you made disparaging remarks about their spouses, so what makes you think I'm going to be the exception?"

"Finally, she is getting to the point" Jasad thought to himself and he settled into the chair more.

"Because, ma'am, that man led an assault on this vessel and against its crew." Lt. Yuvek said, stating the obvious. "I lived through the Klingon invasion of my people, I know a Pirate when I see one." He continued defensively.

Chiyo sighed.

"Lieutenant, the man you call a pirate today is a man I fell in love with many moons ago." She explained. "A man I spent the past 14 years being told was dead. Now, Lieutenant, I did not spend 14 years holding out hope that he was still alive only to have you drive a wedge between us after we were reunited. The simple fact of the matter is, Tatsuo Shimada is here to stay. And if that is not a fact you are willing to accept, I will be happy to help you find a new assignment once we return to Federation space."

"That Pirate has spent the past 14 years scavenging off of the bones of countless other crews on this planet." The Cardassian responded.

"The man you knew did die 14 years ago the moment he chose to raid another downed vessel. You have no idea what man he has become in the 14 years since you last spoke with him." He said specifically.

"And perhaps you're right." Chiyo responded. "However, until evidence presents itself that he is indeed beyond redemption, we have to give him the benefit of the doubt. Because otherwise we are simply acting on our preconceived notions of who he might be."

Cardassians were naturally mistrustful of others. Considering the strife and struggle his people had suffered through prior to the rise of the Central Command, it was quite understandable. They had learned that the key to survival was being willing to do whatever was necessary to secure vital supplies, food, tools, and anything else just to see the next sunrise.

The reality had become even more certain after the devastation wrought upon them by the Klingons and the Dominion. It had taught the people of Jasad's generation to always have a survival plan, because you never know when the next decimation of the Cardassian people might be around the corner.

So it was only naturally that he would view Mr. Shimada with such a large amount of skepticism.

"Ma'am, having preconceived notions of another person's hostile intent has saved my life more time than I care to recount." He said ruefully. "The Captain has ordered me to cooperate with him for the duration of our mission to recover necessary supplies, and I intend to follow my orders." He said as he sat up straighter in his char.

"But that doesn't mean I will consider him to be anything other than a Pirate." The Cardassian said pointedly.

"Then I have one request for you, Lieutenant;" Chiyo said. "And I will make it into an official order if you do not comply with it as a request: Stay the fuck away from my family: I believe I can make things work with Tatsuo, but that will only be possible if you're not around sabotaging me at every turn."

Jasad didn't need to be a Betazoid to recognize that the Major was clearly being driven by her emotions and was not thinking logically.

"Will that be all, ma'am?" He said respectfully, but with an obviously strained tone to it.

"Yes, Lieutenant:" Chiyo said. "Dismissed."


Posting by

Major Chiyo Shimada
Marine Commander
Second Officer

Lieutenant Jasad Yuvek
Chief Helmsan

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