Posted by Lieutenant Mwezi (Chief Tactical Officer) in Ready Room - Meeting with the Captain

Posted by Captain Zachariah Cobb (Commanding Officer) in Ready Room - Meeting with the Captain

Posted by Lieutenant Mwezi (Chief Tactical Officer) in Ready Room - Meeting with the Captain
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻
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Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻

Mwezi thought about it for a few moments, then shrugged and shook his head. “I’m not sure, but I don’t think so. If the A.R.U., (I’m assuming you shorten it?) exists in my timeline, I wasn’t high enough clearance to know about it. I can tell you are all on the more… classified side of things. I don’t think they would have told me that kind of classified info.”

Could his ARU be unique across all known times and dimensions? Cobb’s features beamed with tentative pride at such a thought.

“Ah, yes, well…you are correct on the classified nature of our missions,” he allowed caution to dull any further temptation to brag. “Although your very presence on my ship dictates that you be given access to certain information. For your own safety.”

“I wasn’t a full Starfleet officer, to be honest, sir.” He commented, scratching his nose briefly. “Legally I am, or was, still an officer of the Interstellar Alliance. I assume your people know it as the Galdori-Okinos Alliance, just as the Starfleet of my time did. I was on trade to Starfleet as an experiment to see if our people could handle living among aliens for long-term missions. Along with a few other things. Our people were studying each-other to see if we could become allies, or even part of the Federation one day.”

• Mwezi

“I…have heard of the Galdori-Okinos Alliance, yes,” Zachariah rubbed at the bridge of his nose, his lack of experience with the Galdori embarrassingly evident. “I can submit a request for contact with a Galdori ambassador, if you wish? But our current mission has drawn us a great distance from the heart of the Federation and contact with any organisation will, for the time being, be limited.”

“I think for now it’s best to… Not do that.” Mwezi said softly. There was no reason to worry everyone with news of his existence, of his timeline. If he and Kula ever went to Galdor, it would probably be under new identities, not as alternate universe travelers.

He felt, in that moment, a great sorrow for these two stowaways, torn not only from their people but their very world and thrown into another fraught with danger and despair. The smile he offered Mwezi was pitiful remedy for their situation, but it came from the heart of the old man just the same.

“But perhaps one area is no worse than another when all are wholly new?” He shrugged, ran a hand through silver-kissed hair. “In time I feel confident that my scientists will develop the means to send you home. Or, if not there then at least to others resembling your own kind. But all of that must come secondary to our current mission. You see, in our timeline, the ARU is critical. And deviation from our objectives could herald the destruction of the universe itself.”

“I understand,” Mwezi said with a quiet nod to each of Cobb’s points. The possibility of going home was enticing, but if he stayed here forever he wasn’t sure he’d mind. If he was with Kula, he could manage. Until such a time, he was on this ship, and there was nothing to change that fact.

He paused to allow the full scope of his words to sink in.
“So for the time being, I shall do everything within my power to make you both comfortable. But one thing I can not do, I am afraid, is allow either of you to leave.”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

Mwezi contemplated the situation. If it had been stated in another tone of voice or by another man, he might have thought that last phrase was a threat. But from Cobb in this moment… It was a sad certainty. Kula and him had stumbled onto a classified vessel with classified missions, and they were in the thick of things now. There was nothing to do but let things play out. Maybe one day they’d go home, to Galdor if not to their old Timeline. But that day wasn’t today, or any day in the near future.

The Laleri nodded gravely, giving Cobb a look of understanding. “I understand, Sir. For the stability of the universe, this is our new home. At least for a long while.”

• Mwezi

Cobb appeared almost relieved. “It’s not a bad home, for the most part. Three decks of pernicious anomalies and countless more on the horizon aside.” His laughter was brief. And while genuine, did nothing to diminish his words serious intent.
“I can offer you no promises on your personal safety, as I can not for any member of my crew. But what I can offer is anything else you may need? Our guest quarters are comfortable and spacious and Mr Durheim can configure an environment to meet almost any specification. As for your time, you are of course free to spend it as you choose. Although they say the devil makes hard work for idle hands. So if you have any skills or talents that could be put to good use?”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

Mwezi nodded quietly as Cobb spoke, quietly contemplating what the future had in store for him. “I’ll talk to Mr. Durheim about those environmental settings. We’ve found our quarters to be rather warm for a heavily furred species like ourselves,” he said with an amused expression. “I do have some skills, although I’m not sure how useful they’ll be in this time and age. On the Chernov, I was in charge of Security, weapons, and tactics. I was the guy who all the security officers reported to, and I kept them in line and well trained. I was the guy who made sure the Torpedoes and Phasers were in good working order and I made sure the Torpedo Tubes were cleaned and refilled regularly, as well as inspecting the torpedoes we purchased, were assigned, or made in the machine shop were up to snuff. I was also responsible for the weapons/Tactical Station on the bridge, either filling it myself or assigning another security team member to the position.”

• Mwezi

“Aye, well unfortunately such devices remain essential in this timeline also. Technology can develop at a rapid pace, but the primal nature of man seems often left behind and battle remains a common occurrence to all. In fact, the Leviathan’s own armaments include type eight turrets and type X arrays for phasers,” cerulean eyes sparkled at the opportunity to boast about his ship, “and four torpedo launchers spread across two separate bays!”

Immediately he paused, studied Mwezi with a more critical eye. “Of course, access to primary weapons systems is not granted by mere whim. Now, I realise that your…unique situation presents certain challenges in terms of validating experience or credentials.” One hand raked through his beard as the captain silently considered options - of which, in that precise moment, there appeared to be none. “I shall have a word with my Intel Chief on the matter,” he muttered to himself. “Clever chap. He’s sure to have some ideas.”

Then, turning once again to Mwezi, Cobb continued, “and what of your wife…ah, Kula? Was she on trade to Starfleet the same as you?”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

“Partner is a more appropriate description for Kula,” Mwezi spoke softly, then thought for a moment. “Her specialty is, perhaps, a little more specific. She is a scientist, at the basic level. She has some special engineering skills, but her main specialty is in spacial dynamics and… A bunch of complicated physics that I don’t understand.”

Mwezi

“Ah, forgive me,” the captain shook his head, “I have an annoying tendency to slip into Earth parlance when discussing things that are truly universal. Particularly in matters of a more personal nature.”
In truth, Zachariah had been thinking of his own wife. Former wife. And the son he had turned away from so many long and angry years ago.

“It is difficult to find terminology in Earth Language that translates our terminology adequately without losing a lot of information or being verbally unwieldy. Kula and I have a relationship that is deeper than Earth’s ‘dating’ but not as deep as ‘marriage’. Partner seemed like the appropriate word.”

But any shame at his own ignorance was dissipated in a breath as he seized upon the remainder of Mwezi’s sentence and the intriguing prospect contained within.
“Spatial dynamics, you say? It just so happens that our current mission involves the study of a spatial anomaly. One that has become of great concern to the ARU. I would welcome most gratefully any expert commentary that Kula might be willing to offer on the anomaly itself? Or our own chances with it?”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

“I’m sure she’d be glad to help out where she can. Should I send her up here? I suppose you could summon her yourself,” Mwezi gave a slight chuckle, smiling.

Mwezi, CTO

Cobb shared the chuckle. “Aye, indeed I could. But for a friendly meeting I might instead have her expecting a reprimand. I think this invitation will be more welcoming coming from you.”

Reaching into his desk drawer, the captain rummaged for several moments before finding two small objects and placing them on the desk.
“I reckon these will come in handy for you both. Comm badges. So that you can communicate with anyone on the ship and us with you. Amongst many other uses.”

He handed one of the devices to Mwezi. “I doubt it will interface easily with any of your own devices. But if Kula is currently in your quarters then it will allow you to reach her there.”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

“I can reach her with this,” Mwezi held up his wrist, adorned with a wide cuff bracelet, “Or with this,” he touched his chest, referring to their now-private psychic connection. It was strange, having it so easy to reach just a single individual. He could always pick out her feelings in a crowd, but now there wasn’t a crowd to pick through.

“But thank you, this will be useful for many things,” Mwezi took the small device and struggled with it for a moment before pinning it onto his shirt. “Wonder if they come in plus-size,” he joked. “These big hands.”

He swiped his hand on the wrist device. “[Laleri term of endearment], Captain Cobb wants to talk with you about the spatial anomaly the ship is dealing with, I told him your specialty and he hopes you can help with our current predicament.”

• Mwezi

Kula had been eating in the mess hall when Mwezi’s message appeared in holographic form, spinning lazily above her wristband device. She opened it up and heard his voice projected through the outer ear implants that transmitted all non-native speech to her ears when using the Universal Translator.

She swiped her finger across the edge of her URI and composed a response. “You didn’t give a location so I’m assuming you want me in his Ready Room. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

She grabbed the three slices of apple and quarter bowl of soup she had been working on and slurped them down before turning to head towards the Captain’s Ready Room.

• Kula