Convincing Hardened Survivors (Part 2)

Posted on Thu Jan 18th, 2024 @ 2:57am by Major Chiyo Shimada & Lieutenant Tatsuo Shimada & Commander Chisato Nishikigi & Lieutenant Jasad Yuvek & Lieutenant JG Nezuko
Edited on on Thu Jan 18th, 2024 @ 2:58am

1,376 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Starship Graveyard
Location: USS Redemption, bridge and conference room
Timeline: After 'Convincing Hardened Survivors (Part 1)

Previously, on Star Trek: Tokyo:

Nezuko simply watched the room. The bridge, open to the outside. Monitors were off. This room was in use but not for command. For gathering? Maybe. The completely offline control centre was enough to keep her on edge.

She had met plenty of Bajorans in her career and knew of their history. If this one was claiming to be a freedom fighter, then she knew things between the Redemption crew and Mr. Yuvek might get violent very suddenly. And after all, while priority number one was connecting the Tokyo and Redemption crews, priority number zero was always safety and security of the pack. Or rather, the away team.

And now, the continuation:

"Fascinating." Said a feminine voice in Nezuko's direction.

It was a Vulcan female, wearing a sciences uniform from the era in which the ship was last in service.

"You wear what I can only presume to be a Starfleet uniform, and yet you see us, fellow Starfleet officers, as if we are illogical beings." She deduced.

Nezuko turned to face the Vulcan and shook her head. She gestured toward Tatsuo’s group and pantomimed shooting a weapon, and then gestured to herself and her people. Then did an exaggerated shrug of her shoulders. They shot at us. What do you expect?

"Oh, I wouldn't quite call it illogical, per se..."

Much to Nezuko's relief, Chisato had broken off from Chiyo and Kisad (having gathered all the information on the Bajoran that she felt would be relevant to their cause) and had overheard the Vulcan's comment.

"We're just trying to gain a better understanding of everything that's happened since you crashed here, rationalize it to the best of our ability so we can determine the best plan of action," Chisato explained. "I'm sure you can attest to the fact that a lot changes in 14 years, Lieutenant...?"

Her voice trailed off, as if gesturing for the Vulcan to introduce herself.

"T'Shin, Acting Chief Science Officer of the Starship Redemption." The Vulcan responded before continuing in a hushed voice: "So, tell me, Commander; is the Starfleet of the present suspicious and paranoid like the old Cardassian Union?"

"Well, I'd sure hope not," Chisato replied. "I mean, yeah, we do occasionally have our suspicions, but when have we not? I'm sure you can attest, Lieutenant, that this has been a thing as far back as the United Earth days; we wouldn't have stuff like shields or phaser banks if we weren't just a little bit concerned about people shooting at us first."

"A logical point." T'Shin said. "However, it is your Cardassian friend that is feeding evidence in the theories already forming in my head. One does not need to look at him too long to understand that his sense of logic is... Warped. Perhaps his idea of logic is that we're the ones who should be dead, and you and your comrades should be righteously picking through our bones."

Chisato glanced over at Jasad, and then back at T'Shin.

"Lieutenant, with all due respect, you can't measure the greater organization by the quality of a single... somewhat paranoiac individual," she pointed out. "I'd think that you, as a Vulcan, would see the illogic in that argument."

"Perhaps, if it were a single individual, I would agree, Commander:" T'Shin responded. "However, I can see in your eyes that you too are somewhat distrustful of us. The only welcoming face I see of your lot is Mabuchi. Though perhaps that is because she is naturally friendly looking."

Chisato glanced over at Nezuko in disbelief. This sort of attitude was virtually unheard coming from a Vulcan; an overly-proud and mildly superstitious Romulan? Perhaps, but coming from the species whose entire society was governed by principles of hard logic?

Nezuko could only shrug. These people had clearly been tested by harsh conditions and time. The Tokyo crew would need to accept their…eccentricities.

Lt. Yuvek continued to walk around the bridge and observe the darkened consoles. He made his way over to the Helm console, or at least what used to be considered Helm and stared at the aged device. The Cardassian laughed to himself as he looked at the device. This system of control was out-of-date and used for training purposes only back when he was in the Academy. It was amazing that this was once considered the top of the line technology in Starfleet navigation.

Tatsuo made his way to the command pit, home to the chair where Captain Hisako Reizei once sat. He turned to his Science Officer, T'Shin, currently engaged in conversation with the Intel Commander from Tokyo:

"T'Shin:" He said loudly enough to get her attention. "Is everyone gathered?'

"All senior staff are present and accounted for:" T'Shin responded flatly. "They are awaiting us in the conference room."

"Excellent: Let's not keep them waiting, then." Tatsuo said.

As Tatsuo, Kisad, T'Shin, and the Tokyo away team filed in to the Redemption's conference room, a hush fell over the room which when the doors had opened had been abuzz with casual conversation. There was some hushed whisperings about Chiyo Mabuchi as Tatsuo made his way to the head of the table with Chiyo by his side.

"I'm sure some of you are thinking I've finally lost my mind, bringing freshies aboard our ship." Tatsuo began. "However, I believe these particular freshies to be a special case: They've heard me out when we encountered their ship on our salvage mission, and have come to us with an offer I attempted to extend to the Saviors after our war with them: The opportunity of cooperation. A mutually-beneficial relationship to get us all off of this rock."

"Captain, you and the surviving Saviors both knew that cooperation was nothing but a pipe dream." Kisad pointed out. "So, what makes this any different?"

"I do..." Chiyo spoke up, taking command of the room. "Many of you might recognize me as Chiyo Mabuchi, but on the ship I've come from, I'm known as Major Chiyo Shimada. Our captain believes forging an alliance with a crew that has been here longer than we have would be mutually beneficial in both keeping us safe from groups like the... Saviors? and providing us with a better lay of the land to help us salvage components to make our ship flightworthy again."

"If I may." A hand rose up. It was a junior Lieutenant from Flight Control. "Commander K'rala once thought like you do; and you're standing in the results of his hubris."

"And who is this 'Commander K'rala' you speak of?" Chisato inquired. "If you don't mind our asking, that is."

"Commander K'rala was the Redemption's first officer:" The intelligence brunette explained. "After Captain Reizei passed away, he assumed command of the Redemption and tried to complete what Captain Reizei started and get us off this rock. Unfortunately, he was killed in our second crash landing."

Nezuko held up two fingers and cocked her head, the universal gesture for “what do you mean?”

"When we initially crashed on this planet fourteen years ago, the damage sustained was minimal." T'Shin explained. "Captain Reizei estimated that it would only take a matter of weeks to conduct repairs and get out of here. Weeks became months, which became two years, at which time, Captain Reizei, a diabetic, passed away during an extended power failure. Captain Reizei had the insight to chronicle the conditions behind the power failure during her final personal log, which she made in her final days."

"Following her passing, Command of the Redemption fell to Commander K'rala, our Caitian First Officer." Kisad continued. "He believed that Captain Reizei had brought us close to flight-worthiness, but was holding us back because she refused to stray from Starfleet's morals. He did whatever was necessary to get us back to flightworthiness, even if we lost a few people along the way. But, in the end, this planet's gravity well proved too strong for us to break into orbit, and Commander K'rala's dream of getting us home came crashing back down with the rest of us."

To be continued...

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