On Crisis Resolution
Posted on Mon Apr 8th, 2024 @ 9:21pm by Commander Fan Shuren & Commander Hikari Karibuchi & Captain Takami Karibuchi & Yulena Shastakar
1,357 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Season 1, Episode 0: "A Time To Heal"
Location: USS Yorktown (NCC-91781), Deck 27
Timeline: 14 June 2403- sometime between "Starfleet Runs In The Family" and "An Unorthodox Examination"
"Would you take a look at these floors?" Hikari gawked as Takami led the three of them down a winding labyrinth of corridors. "they're so clean, you could fry an egg on them..."
"Such efforts are a needless expenditure of resources," General Shastakar scoffed. "Why go to the trouble of polishing a surface that's only going to get dirty again?"
"Captain Karibuchi?" a voice called out from directly behind them.
The three of them turned around and were met with the sight of a tall, shapely Commander with jet-black hair and gold-amber eyes.
"Ah, Commander Fan! Perfect timing!" Takami remarked. "Hikari, I'd like you to meet Commander Fan Shuren, your Executive Officer; she specializes in disaster relief operations, so Starfleet Command feels that her insight would prove invaluable for this assignment."
"Captain, Commander," Shuren bowed politely to the two Starfleet officers. She had arrived earlier and had begun her own tour, but hers had crossed paths with her new CO's, apparently.
"A pleasure to finally meet you in person," she said to Hikari. "Conversations over subspace don't compare." She faced the one in a uniform she recognized from her reading though had not yet seen in person. She bowed to the guest. "Commander Fan Shuren, at your service."
"The pleasure's all mine, Commander," Hikari smiled. "Given everything I've been hearing, the situation with the Annexari sounds particularly bleak, so your expertise in this field will likely be of great use to us."
"Commander Fan's parents were Hydrological Engineers affiliated with the Colonial Administration, so this particular line of work has been somethings she's been familiar with her whole life," Takami went on to elaborate. "Her keen eye for crisis management actually came to Starfleet Command's attention during Operation Gatecrasher, when her security team was trapped by an enemy bombardment and she managed to successfully lead them to safety."
"Wait, hold on- you were in Operation Gatecrasher?" Hikari gasped.
"I was," Shuren replied. "I was an Ensign on USS Renown. Our team was clearing the spaceport buildings on Hobson Delta II when SKS artillery fire pinned us down. The whole port was a mess of rubble and fire, and my senior officer was crushed when a roof came down. It was me, another Ensign, and two fire teams of POs and Able Crewmen. I knew the spaceport map like the back of my hand. I took charge and managed to find us a way into the service tunnels and out of the artillery zone. Ten of us beamed down and all but our deceased team lead beamed back."
"You are a soldier, then?" Yulena commented.
"Well... not quite- at least not as you know it, General," Takami replied.
"We don't have Soldiers the same way many other states do," Shuren told Yulena. "I was a Security and Tactical Officer, with a primary role being ship and crew safety and security. But I expect I have similar training and experience to an infantry officer in many armies." She looked to Hikari. "Supplemented with recent diplomatic and political training, of course. Don't worry, Captain. I won't see every problem as solvable with a phaser," she added with a wink.
"Always good to know..." Hikari chuckled nervously. "So, uh, getting back on topic, commander... what are we looking at so far as the situation with the Annexari is concerned? I've only heard the basics."
“I have a briefing in the works for you,” Shuren answered. “And I’ve already spoken with our Chief Medical Officer and Chief Intelligence Officer. I’m gathering input for a comprehensive answer for you, Captain.” She looked to their Annexari guest. “Any specific advice from our visiting advisor would be greatly appreciated, of course.”
Yulena tilted her head to one side, a look of confusion evident in her expression. "What more is there to say that wasn't already made clear in my initial report, Commander? We've already lost millions in this conflict, and we stand to lose millions more because we have already exhausted most of our resources. Fringe worlds are at greater risk for starvation and anarchy, as our old trade networks were fairly sparse the further you got from Annexar, which in turn made them easy to uproot with a well-placed minefield. I know of at least a dozen worlds we've lost contact with since the start of this conflict- and that accounts for nearly a third of our domain."
"Sounds bad," Hikari remarked. "Are we talking about a near-breakdown of socioeconomic infrastructure?"
"Sounds like we might be," Shuren observed. "Recommend filling the cargo bays with food and medical aid before launch. Unused quarters, too. Any space that doesn't compromise ship safety should have aid crates. Resupply lines will also be crucial. I have some ideas." She had just come directly from a lot of book-learning about bigger-picture command and a lot of ideas, unpracticed, came to mind. "General, how likely is it that Federation aid workers will face violence from local fighters on the fringe?"
"While we cannot say with absolute certainty, the Provisional Government anticipates that there are still a handful of loyalist holdouts scattered through the region," Yulena reported. "Furthermore, we anticipate the possibility that there will be one or more groups looking to restore the previous regime by any means- up to and including acts of violence against the Provisional Government and its perceived allies."
"So, long story short, that's looking like a yes..." Hikari muttered.
“Sounds like it,” Shuren agreed.
"And given what information we've received regarding the recent political climate within the Star Empire, that may not even to account for the possibility of a Romulan splinter faction meddling in Annexari affairs," Takami speculated.
"If they have, the Provisional Government certainly doesn't know about any such interference," Yulena added. "We did not even know what a Romulan was prior to making contact with your Federation."
“Many would argue that you haven’t been missing out,” Shuren observed wryly.
"So, where does that leave us, then?" Hikari asked, turning back to Shuren. "loyalist holdouts, possible Romulan interference... it sounds like something straight out of the 'Warring States' period!"
"It leaves us to help the neediest, Captain," Shuren said with a smile. "Regardless of militant extremists or foreign involvement, the end goal remains the same, as do our first steps. And as we rebuild infrastructure and make sure the people are fed, clothed, and housed, details surrounding ongoing threats will emerge."
Hikari grinned. "I can see that you and I are of similar priorities, Commander," she remarked. "How long do you estimate it will take us to procure the necessary supplies?"
“The last estimate I read was seven days,” Shuren answered. “But I’ve not spoken with any Ops Officers yet, and I understand Chief F’Rar is only arriving tomorrow. I’m hoping we can shave a day or two off of that but it’s too early to tell.”
"Then I suppose I'll make a note to speak with Chief F'Rar about it as soon as they're settled in," Hikari replied. "In the meantime, will there be anything else requiring my attention?"
"Not to my knowledge, Captain," Shuren answered. "But if I notice anything during my own tour, I will let you know immediately."
"Right then," Hikari nodded, reaching out to shake Shuren's hand one last time. "Well, it's been a real pleasure getting to meet you, Commander, but I really ought to be getting back to the tour. Be seeing you in a day or two?"
"See you soon," Shuren said with a polite bow. "Good to meet you too, Captain, and I look forward to working with you, General," she added, acknowledging the others. With that, she set about continuing her own exploration of the ship, eager to see what else there was -- and where she would be living.
A post by:
Commander Fan Shuren
Executive Officer, USS Yorktown
Commander Hikari Karibuchi
Commanding Officer, USS Yorktown
Captain Takami Karibuchi
Commanding Officer, USS Hornet
General Yulena Shastakar
Annexari Special Representative
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