Posted by Lieutenant Julien Smith (Doctor) in Captain’s ready room

Posted by Fleet Captain Ghubari Koraia (Captain) in Captain’s ready room

Posted by Lieutenant Julien Smith (Doctor) in Captain’s ready room

(snip)

He watched her looking out of the window and understood why she did that. His glance followed hers, out into the vastness of space and in his mind’s eye he saw the wreckage parts of the old Genesis floating around aimlessly as if it had been yesterday. Vividly he remembered his own thoughts back then, his gut-wrenching feelings… had they found all bodies? Could he have done anything differently to prevent it? Had been his fault?
He looked back at her and took a deep breath.

“My first thought when we lost the old Genesis and some crew members was a very egoistic one that I never told anybody. I wished I was one of the casualties.” he said. “I just wanted to be free of it all, and in those seconds I’d have given my life for that.” he lowered his glance and shook his head slowly.

“You don’t act on such thoughts of course, you just feel guilty for them.” he said. Did she want to tell him what weighed so heavily on her mind? He didn’t knowm, all he could do is give her the opening. If she wanted to there were ways to make the classified information safe with him that a normal human being did not have.
He was also curious about the story of her pervious XO, a being not entirely unlike him, and one he would have loved to meet. But he was gone and his disappearance was classiefied as well*.

• Julien Smith
  OOC: *I suppose it is

OOC: That was the plan.
IC:
“Yes,” she said in agreement, finally shifting her amber gaze back to him. “It’s harder now. It’s difficult to admit that, but when it just 100 people on a tactical destroyer there was a certain understanding about the dangers inherent in the type of missions we went on or were dragged into. So much death, Julien,” she said, hearing the own ache in her voice. “But now, I wander the corridors thinking, ‘What the hell am I doing?’ Because it feels like there is a perpetual target on my ship regardless of its mission profile and crew. By the Ancestors, Julien, there are families and children on this ship. And we’re still going about the galaxy like we’re on perpetual red alert and our weapons are hot. It’s been necessary, but damned if I don’t feel guilty.”

Fl. Captain Koraia, CO

He caught the fear between the words and inwardly came to alert, raising his eyebrows. “I know that feeling so well. My son stayed on the ship as a baby before La’kia left with him and when there was a life-and-death situation on the bridge, it took all I had to not loose it with the fear for him. Loosing crew is bad enough but children is even worse. To be honest, when she left one part of me was devastated and another part happy. Again something nobody can really fully understand. So… you do believe that somebody has painted a target on the Athena, don’t you? The Conclave? It would help me to assimilate those mission logs, becuase I have a suspicion…” he said.

• Julien

“I will have to see. I think under the circumstances it shouldn’t be a problem, since that’s what you’re here about, even if I’ve been told to handle it as I see fit. What that really means is, ‘We’re going to turn a blind eye and let you pursue this, but don’t complain to us if things go wrong,” she said a bit bitterly. She wasn’t given oversight and restrictions, but she also had to find her own resources. This was, after all, not an officially sanctioned operation.

Rising to her feet, Ghubari moved away from the sofa in a motion that clearly suggested she wanted to pace. “It’s not just the Conclave. There’s been a perpetual target on my ship from the day I took Command. The Borg and Species 8472, the Romulans, an unknown agent working for a group experimenting on my entire crew, the Romulans again, then The Conclave and then just recently, Time itself.” She rubbed her face. The last years had taken their toll and she had fought hard to find and claim her joy, even if it came to her in small doses sprinkled sparingly. After all, no one would want her to get used to it or anything.

Turning back fully to face Julien, Koraia looked determined. “Right now though, you have the opportunity to help me dig deeper. Kallen Reese died in an altercation that shouldn’t have happened, because The Conclave was messing about in things they shouldn’t have. Just like they did back on the Venture. Is it a coincidence that it’s my ship and crew that have gotten involved in their messes? I don’t know. Maybe, maybe not. I’m not so egotistical to think they sought me out for some unknown reason. It’s not like I was moving against them all those years ago. Hell, I helped them, Julien. Unwittingly, but I did. But I do know that Israel Price accidentally killed Kallen Reese because she got too close to finding out he was with The Conclave and likely compromised as a Starfleet Officer. And Israel’s sister is the one who fed me the information on the Venture during the War that saved a situation but still led to the death of a man that never had the opportunity to face justice for his crimes. It’s all weaving too closely and I’m in danger of getting lost in it. I need a fresh perspective, Julien. That’s why you are here. I need your help. Help me get justice for Kallen, please.” Her pale amber bore into him, desperation so clearly evident.

Fl. Captain Koraia, CO