[edit]

“I see! Well, thank you for explaining that, and I do appreciate the time you have taken to speak to us and to give us the opportunity for you to have heard our voice,” Glen said. “You have certainly given us much to think about. As you mentioned earlier Josan, while our mission to EP19 is not quite as fruitful or complete as Starfleet would have expected from us, given what we have now discovered, decisions about any future actions or meetings will need to be passed up the chain of command. So, we will conclude this meeting now and my apologies for it taking longer than scheduled.”

”..It is quite alright Captain Glen. I shall alert our VA station for EP19 and others elsewhere to be alert for your Federation and the other Ascended of our discussions here and tentatively agreement for the status of EP19’s inhabitants. May your continued journeys among the stars be ever fruitful..” Josan said, then without anything further they shown brightly as a bright light and then energy form before whisking from existence back to their plane of ascension.

With this it seems their mission was concluded, they would have to return the scrolls and probably cook up a quick slight lie if they no longer wished to do the dilithium trade or they could press on with it within the bounds of the agreement they talked with to Josan. Either way the final choices would be with the higher ups as Glen had said. Once they had this handled they could set course back to Deep Space K-5 for their next assignment.

Glen approached Verity, his XO, “We need to debrief about this mission and the consequences before we return to Station Deep Space K-5, and when I’ll have to make a report to the hierarchy. Many crew are going to be angry about the events that have occurred, the attitude of the Ascended, and our inability to make any change. Telling people, “c’est la vie”, will only make them more angry still. And my idea to effectively seal off this Sector with a General Order is dependent of having my crew lie to authority, something they have been made to do twice before… it’s a need to know thing, and you don’t need to know.... but that wears thin after a while. Also, sealing off this Sector to the Federation only leaves it open to the other rising threat powers that I mentioned earlier, especially a large Empire flexing beyond a recently discovered planet called Bajor. So, I need a sounding board and there is much to discuss…”

“We have a few days to meet up before we reach DS K-5,” he added, although he was already thinking that he might backtrack on his General Order idea, and he could see that Maximilien Mullins wasn’t happy at all about altering his geological survey reports. When the Federation Council found out about the dilithium reports, there wasn’t a chance in Qo’noS of getting a General Order passed.

With that, Glen brought the meeting to a close. “Thanks everyone for stepping in, and for providing questions and answers for our guest when i was in the Sickbay. I appreciate that it was a tough meeting with tough options, and no acceptable resolution… We can all now look forward to a little rest and recuperation at DS K-5 in a few days time… I guess that will be all for today. Please collect up all of your PaDDs, take them with you, and throw out any garbage on your way out. Thanks!”

Verity nodded in understanding as Glen concluded the meeting. She knew that the situation was indeed complex, and emotions were running high among the crew. She had always been a loyal and trusted confidant to Glen, and now was no different.

“Thank you, Captain,” Verity said, her voice steady and reassuring. “I agree that we have a lot to discuss. The crew’s morale is at stake, and we can’t afford any more internal divisions. As for the General Order idea, I share your concerns. It’s not a sustainable solution, and we need to consider the long-term implications.”

She paused for a moment, then continued, “I suggest we convene a senior staff meeting tomorrow. We can discuss the alternative options, assess the potential risks, and come up with a more pragmatic approach to dealing with the Ascended and the dilithium reports. We’ll also need to address the concerns of Dr. Mullins and the geological survey team. In the meantime, I’ll talk to the crew, try to gauge their sentiment, and help ease their frustrations.”

Verity knew that it was her role to provide practical advice and a calm voice in these turbulent times.

“I’m not sure that I can face another full staff meeting, with all the negative vibes,” Glen replied. “I will speak to Max privately with he wishes, but any meeting that includes Cross is going to be hard work.” Glen fully understood why Cross felt so strongly. Her ‘kind’ had been persecuted for a century or more. “She feels very strong about genocide, and make no mistake about what the Ascended propose, it is genocide. I just wanted to know if you agreed with me, and it appears that you do. I’ll make a decision tonight and complete my reports in the morning.”

Verity nodded in understanding. “I understand you wanting to address the matter privately with Max. It might help defuse the situation a bit. And I also understand your concerns about a full staff meeting, especially with Cross’s strong feelings on the matter. But we can’t ignore her perspective, and it’s crucial to keep the dialogue open.”

She continued, “I’ll do my best to mediate, Captain, and ensure that everyone’s voice is heard. I’ll also have a word with Dr. Mullins and the geological survey team to understand their concerns more clearly. We need a balanced approach that respects both our principles and the practical challenges we face.”

“Don’t worry,” Glen replied. “Cross and I go back a long way. I know things about her that no one else does. I respect her opinions, and I very much understand her perspective. My problem is that, for that reason, I often let her get away with far too much insubordination and disrespect of authority. When I write my report, I will make her point of view as strongly as I can, but no one in hierarchy will take them on board, unless I stick with the boundaries of what is acceptable. Sometimes change is not a revolutionary change, but very small movements over time which are able to pull along people who otherwise would never budge. So, I’ve changed my mind from earlier. I believe that over time, we might yet get the Ascended to change. As you say, it’s crucial to keep the dialogue open with them too!”

When Glen mentions “insubordination” that is a strong word, and a word that Cross, herself, would strongly disagree with. However, there were several occasions in the past when Cross had not followed orders, and not following orders is insubordination. On any other ship she might have been dismissed for that. There were extenuating circumstances. Glen owes her his life, at least twice, if not more, for not following his orders. The missions were secret and the circumstances often unusual, and they cannot be disclosed. Sometimes, what Cross did was actually the correct thing to have done, so it was better that she didn’t follow the orders. Glen won’t dispute any of that, and that is why Glen allowed it. However, he feels like a weak commander that he has allowed it. That is certainly his own problem to work out.

Glen just needs his XO to be on the same page as him. Verity seems to think that a senior officers meeting solves every problem. Glen knows that sometimes, the person put in charge, must make difficult decisions and run with them, whether or not everyone likes it or not. Being a Captain is not subject to a popularity vote. He needs her to understand why a senior officers meeting would never convince Cross because Cross has always had her “own mind”. He will take on board the views of everyone, but it is impossible to make a decision that everyone likes, so a meeting is not going to be helpful. Glen just needs some time now to think alone.

• Glen, CO