Posted by Ensign Mwezi (Security) in The Trouble With Timelines

Posted by Captain Sara Kiernan (Commanding Officer) in The Trouble With Timelines

Posted by Ensign Mwezi (Security) in The Trouble With Timelines
Posted by… suppressed (3) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Four people in Starfleet Intelligence uniforms stood with Sara. “It was an oversight. One we were allowed to believe was contributory to your defection from starfleet.”
“I didn’t defect. Neither did Mwezi. No one did.”
“We’re not telling you what happened after you went dark, we’re telling you what we understood the situation to be. At the time.”
“Mwezi is a fine officer, he doesn’t deserve-“
“Allowing him to be in the fleet at all is a risk. He can stay on the ship. But his station changes. That’s final.”

Sara left that meeting knowing that this was like so much of recent times, doing something wrong ostensibly in the name of preserving what’s right. She wandered to Mwezi’s quarters and pressed the door chime.

-CO

Mwezi was seated at the table in his quarters, quietly reading when the door chimed. As was common for him when he was alone in his quarters, he wore no shirt, and his legs were clothed in traditional Laleri legwear, although these were replicated instead of being made of real animal hide. He put down his book, making sure to place the bookmark in his spot before he stood and stepped over to the door, pressing the little button that would cause the door to slide open. He tilted his head, slightly confused to see Sara at his door. Then again, it was rare to have any visitors at all. “Captain?”

Ensign Mwezi
Security USS Asimov

“Mwezi. May I come in? I need to- I need to speak with you.” Sara seemed shaky at best.

“Of course!” Mwezi didn’t miss Sara’s apparent nerves, but didn’t call attention to it as he stepped aside and let the woman enter his quarters. The room was.. sparse. He’d decorated it a little bit during their cover as pirates and traitors, but the personalisation that existed now was a picture of him and his partners on the table, and a small bookshelf filled with books. He sat at the table, and Sara continued.

“Let me say first that your service to the Asimov has been excellent. And you’d be hard pressed to find someone to argue with that. But after all the investigations into our actions over our last mission… your file got opened. Intel got a good look at you. Orders came in from high up. I tried my best but… I’m going to need two of your rank pips back. Best I could do was keeping you in the security department.”

-CO

Mwezi didn’t wilt as much as Sara likely expected him to. He simply nodded, a thoughtful look on his face. “I expected as much,” the Laleri said softly.

Ensign Mwezi
Security USS Asimov

Sara nodded, not sure if it was better or worse that way. “They’re not comfortable with someone from… an alternate past serving in a position of authority. And no matter what I do, your code clearance is going to get revoked by people who outrank me. But as long as you want a bunk on this ship, I can protect that much. And your family- they could come aboard. Our mission profile has changed but outside of deep cover, protocols allow for families.”

-CO

Mwezi dipped his head. “It was… mentioned, when we discussed my future in this timeline. Thank you for trusting me, as your XO. It was an honour, Captain.” Her offer to let him stay on the Asimov, followed by the invitation for his mates, made him perk up slightly, a slight smile on his face. “I will speak with Kula and Shilo regarding that possibility. I assume I will need to vacate these quarters and move to different ones?” Mwezi stood and walked over to his closet, then pulled out the small case he kept his pips and commbadge in when he wasn’t wearing his uniform. He walked back over to Sara and plucked two of the pips out, handing them to the woman.

Ensign Mwezi
Security USS Asimov

Sara gently took the pips from Mwezi’s hand. “You’ll be assigned to new quarters, yes. Probably on deck 4. But they’ll still be private and reasonably sized.” She hoped that little bit of hope was enough to balm the rest of the conversation. “I’m sorry this has to happen Mwezi. But maybe” she glanced at the photo of Mwezi with his partners. “Maybe you can salvage some good out of this.”

-CO