From Curzon Bennett, With Love [Part 1]

Posted on Sun May 5th, 2024 @ 8:46pm by Captain Takami Karibuchi & Commander Hikari Karibuchi & Yulena Shastakar & Lieutenant Commander Sakaan
Edited on on Sun Sep 8th, 2024 @ 1:03am

1,345 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Season 1, Episode 0: "A Time To Heal"
Location: USS Yorktown (NCC-91781), Deck 9
Timeline: After "A Living Relic?"

"Now, as I'm sure that any star chart will tell you, what we classify as Sector 5591 lies within a Sector and a half of the Romulan Star Empire- or, in Layman's terms, striking distance," Takami explained as she led Hikari and Yulena down the long and winding corridors of Deck 9. "As I'm sure you're also aware, our current diplomatic relations with the Star Empire are not great, but good enough where we're mutually benefiting from one another. However, our Intel reports indicate that the Romulan political climate has become wildly unstable since Shinzon's attempted coup of the Romulan Government. There's now at least three major political factions all vying for supremacy- some whose agendas may not be as favorable towards the Star Empire's ongoing ties with the Federation."

"Sounds like a slippery slope," Hikari surmised.

"It is a slippery slope," Takami admitted. "We're talking about climbing-the-Streif-while-coated-in-vaseline, slippery. Starfleet Intelligence has very carefully been monitoring the situation, and while the current government has expressed no concerns with our having a presence so close to their territory, we know at least a handful of factions who might. Therefore, as a precautionary measure, Starfleet Command has seen fit to furnish the Yorktown with a full Intelligence compliment, who will be carefully monitoring the situation with the Romulans, and can offer advice based on the ever-evolving nature of their political climate."

"So, I take it you've gotten me an Intel Officer who specializes in Romulan Affairs?" Hikari asked as the three of them drew up to a door.

Takami looked over her shoulder and grinned. "Well... not me, necessarily, but a certain someone who's more than qualified for this line of work."

And with that, she reached up to ring the buzzer.

Having not been expecting company, Sakaan was partway through her pre-workout meditation. Frowning, and sighing softly to herself, she extinguished the oil lamp, and slowly got to her feet. There was no time to change in to more formal clothing, so her meditation pajamas would have to do. Hurriedly arranging her hair to best show the shaved side and her expression into a neutral, emotionless mask, the Vulcan padded barefoot to the door.

She idly wondered who it would be. She had noticed that the ship had gotten busier since her first days aboard. Filled with fire from Commander Fan's briefing, Sakaan had hightailed it to Mars, pausing only to collect some personal effects from Washington state.

The door opened, allowing Sakaan to see her new Commanding Officer in the flesh along with a Captain who must have had a familial link to her superior officer, given her features. The third person she didn't recognise but was sure she would learn the identity of momentarily. 'Captain,' Sakaan addressed Commander Karibuchi in the traditional manner reserved for the master of the ship. Arching an eyebrow to cover her embarrassment she stated, 'I'm afraid you've caught me in the middle of my morning meditation. Had I known to expect company I would have dressed more ... appropriately.'

"Oh, no, that's perfectly alright, Lieutenant," Hikari insisted. "If you need just a little more time to make yourself presentable, we can always come back-!"

She held up a hand, 'No need, Captain. May I invite you in?' Sakaan moved to the side, peach pajamas fluttering lightly in the breeze her movement created.

"Well, if isn't too much of an inconvenience..." Hikari muttered as the three of them filtered in.

Quirking an eyebrow, Sakaan had to remind herself that humans seldom remembered that Vulcan hearing was more sensitive than their norm. She had yet to unpack any of the possessions that travelled around with her on assignments - they were in boxes stacked neatly to one side. As she lead them to the rear of the room, avoiding the meditation lamp, she indicated the three comfortable office chairs arrayed in front of the large working desk and chair she had had installed as soon as she had come aboard.

"Alright, first thing's first," Takami began once they'd all gotten situated. "Hikari, I'd like to formally introduce you to your Chief Intelligence Officer, Lieutenant Commander Sakaan, a veteran of both Romulan and Interstellar Criminal Affairs; she was specifically hand-picked for this assignment on Commodore Bennett's behalf."

"As in, Theta Fleet's Head Of Intelligence Assets, Curzon Bennett?" Hikari gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"The one and only," Takami grinned. "He's known Commander Sakaan since he was a child, so if there's one officer he can count on to get the job done right, it's her."

Settling behind her desk in her oversized comfy office chair, Sakaan suppressed a small smile. 'It is true; however, I have a much longer association with the Bennett family. His father was an accomplished Intelligence Officer himself, and later in life, a skilled diplomat. Maccabee Bennett was my mentor, and for a time, Curzon was was my mentee. Thankfully he was the one who was promoted out of the chair, and I was the one left to work in the field.'

'As formerly mentioned, I have extensive expertise in Romulan affairs, including two undercover tours of the Empire. At various points in my near-fifty-year career with Starfleet, I have also dealt extensively with the Cardassians, disrupted various interstellar smuggling and crime cartels, and have run into the Orion Syndicate on numerous occasions, both aboard ship and in undercover missions.' Sakaan listed off her experience dispassionately. Though she felt pride, she knew it was unseemly and un-Vulcan to display it. 'There are those with a wider skill-set than I. There are those with more pertinent experience with regimes in tumult. But I am more than willing to put in the work necessary to make the Yorktown's mission a success.' She looked at both Karibuchi's, 'and I would like it to be a matter of record that I am grateful that Commodore Bennett saw fit to mention my ability to take this berth to Commander Fan.'

"My God..." Hikari gasped, before quickly moving to shake Sakaan's hand. "Well, if your service record is going to be anything to go off of, then it would be a high honor to have an officer of your caliber working in our company."

Ignoring the social faux-pas of being touched - it was lucky that Sakaan was not a touch-telepath like most Vulcans, she let Hikari shake her hand. An excitable person, she thought.

She chuckled a little at the thought. "You know, almost feels like I don't deserve this crew; a veteran of "Operation Gatecrasher", the sister of Beatrix Zephyrin, and now an interstellar affairs officer hand-picked by Curzon Bennett himself? I'd be half-expecting a group of A-listers such as these to be reserved for someone of Kaede Kayano's caliber, not a rookie Captain in her first round of the Command Circuit!"

"Oh, you more than deserve it, Hikari," Takami smiled. "Who was it that outscored Annika Hansen on the Command Seminar again?"

Hikari blushed. "S-Sis! No need to flex me in front of my own crew..."

Sakaan arched an eyebrow. 'I am unfamiliar with some of your references. However, regardless of the Captain's experience, command of one of the newest classes of ship, with a mission as sensitive as the Yorktown's would not be given to someone that Command does not believe is suitable to the task.' She paused, and cocked her head, 'having the crew knowing of your achievements would also be beneficial to you, in order to build trust.'

"Well, you got me on that one.." Hikari chuckled. "So, switching topics, Commander, word from my sister is that there's been stirrings of... political discontent within the Star Empire; is there any information that you're at liberty to share regarding thesituation, as well as how it might potentially affect our mission?"

To Be Continued...

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