Of Families And Empires
Posted on Wed Aug 19th, 2020 @ 1:54am by Commodore Tyler Malbrooke & Lieutenant Commander Vaebn tr'Hwersuil
Edited on on Wed Aug 19th, 2020 @ 3:02am
1,795 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
Episode 10 - New Home, Same Pioneers
Location: Office of the Chief Science Officer - Deck 8 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD001 1600 hrs
Tyler had gone over the orders from Admiral Lancaster a hundred times, and a hundred times again. The Pioneer was not simply regrouping with the fleet. It seemed that there were plans for the Pioneer, and while the message did not go into too much detail the plans including going into Romulan space and extending the olive branch of sorts.
Malbrooke was not happy about this mission, there were too many questions. In a time where the fleet is pulling back they are being sent outward. To deal with a people who have never wanted help from Starfleet, and the one time they took it things went horribly wrong. Tyler sighed as he leaned back in his chair and sipped his coffee. He ran his hand through his hair when a new brief from Earth caught his eye. It seemed that a certain cadet had made it into her senior year at the Academy at the top of her class. Tyler smiled and grabbed the PADD.
A moment later he found himself out side his CSO's office. Tyler rang the door chime determined this time to not only put a smile on the Romulan's face but to get a little more than one word answers from him.
Vaebn was scrolling through a list of work and requisition orders from his department leads that he would need to approve prior to arriving at the next Starbase, and looking wistfully at the stack of PADDs on his desk that held all the research notes that he had been putting off reading when the chime alerted him to the door.
He sighed briefly, realizing that he had forgotten to set up the do not disturb notification, then too a deep breath and answered, "Enter."
Tyler smiled and entered the office. "Afternoon Commander. I thought after that has transpired it might be nice to check in with everyone..." Tyler paused while he ordered two cups of the Captain's blend special coffee from the replicator. "You look like you can use a cup." He said as he set one in front of his Science Chief. "Is your department coming back together?"
Tyler knew that Vaebn was not one for small talk however, he wanted to gauge how the Romulan felt about the prospect of going home again. That was not a topic that you rushed into.
"You're onto my secret I guess. I always need another cup." Vaebn said with a wry grin. "I'm just trying to catch up on everything that has languished on my desk through the past many weeks. That and the requests from my staff, from the mundane to the outrageous. I guess it is what it is." He took a long drink from the mug.
"Now that you have satiated me with coffee, I gather that there is something of importance that you have to discuss with me?" he asked with a melancholy look in his eyes.
"The job of a scientist is never over I guess. I would hate to add to your pile. But there are some new transfers into your department when we arrive at Starbase Sirius..." Tyler sipped his coffee and tilted his head in thought. "...And you have found my secret." He began and the tone of his voice was one of more familiarity. "I wanted to tell you before we told the rest of the crew. But our next mission is to well take you home of sorts. We will be dealing with the Romulan people. It seems that Starfleet wants us to have a look at the upheaval. I know that you did not leave on the best of terms."
Vaebn paused as he slowly lowered the coffee; "Thank you for informing me sir. I did notice through our astrogation path that we were headed towards the edge of what was once the Neutral Zone, however, I did not realize that we would be engaging with the Romulans directly." He stood and pulled up the most recent astrometric charts for the area surrounding Starbase Sirius on the viewscreen behind his desk and looked into the space that was his former home. "You may rest easy sir; as I will not let my, as you say, baggage, interfere with my duties to you or the crew."
"I know that you will do your duty with the utmost professionalism. But, Vaebn I am here more as a friend then as your Captain. I mean you must be experiencing some amount of trepidation. At the moment I have nothing to do except listen. That is if there is anything you would like share." Tyler knew that the Romulan kept everything close to the vest, right now though Tyler needed Vaebn to open up.
"There is some, but I left most of my feeling on most matters behind me when I chose to leave. What remains of my family, has pretty much come with me to the Federation." He paused to take another drink, "I still have a few contacts within the remains of the Empire, and have kept abreast of some of the internal politics, which hasn't changed much from before Hobus." He turned to the Captain, "Other than knowing how my people are, I'm not sure what else I am able to tell you. Much has changed since my final days as a Romulan citizen, and not all of it for the good of the people."
He knew the Captain was digging for something specific, but he couldn't be sure of what. He thought of the wife he left behind in that alternate universe, and that perhaps this close to the border may give him a chance to look for her, but that wasn't it. He decided that he would make him fish harder, so he could figure it out, and decide if it was important enough to say.
Tyler could tell that his friend played coy at least for the time being. That said the Captain would have to come out a say it. "I have learned recently that what used to be the Empire has split into two factions. There is one group that wants to restore the Empire as it once was, and the other wants to create a more militaristic government run by what used to be the Tal Shiar. I was wondering what if anything you knew about that."
It seems that Romulan intigue never truly ends, and always infects others Vaebn thought to himself. "I have heard from a few friends and colleagues regarding the states of current affairs, as they are part of the reclamation of the former Empire as a whole. A restoration movement as it were, to repair the damages of the traitor Shinzon." he said, spitting the name as if it soured his tongue. "There are rumors, and shadows of rumors regarding the elements of the Tal Shiar. Nobody that I am in contact with knows who is in command. Not that anyone really ever knew in fact, but they are branching out to areas that have traditionally been off limits." He paused to take a long drink and collect his thoughts. "I can reach out for some friendly, information, while we are enroute to Starbase Sirius. I'm not sure how much my contacts know, but I'm certain it is more than we do, at the current time."
"I would appreciate if you could get some feelers out there. Coordinate with Ensign Raine, her diplomatic status with Romulus may open some doors. I am particularly interested in this thing only known as The Artifact. Starfleet has allocated a fair amount of resources to it, and there is not much in LCARS. The Romulans are being hush as usual. I would rather not be caught with our proverbial pants down." Tyler sipped his coffee and then leaned in toward the desk for a moment. "Vaebn listen, I know that you were hit hard by Hobus and the attempted evacuation. But right now we stand at a crossroads with your people. There can be an unprecedented peace. But there has to be open communication. I mean in the next year or so Starfleet Academy will be graduating their first ever class of Romulan Cadets. Congratulations to your sister as she is being advanced to her senior year. If you want I can pull some strings and have assigned here for her Cadet Cruise."
"Thank you Sir. I will convey that to her the next time we speak. Of course, the choice is hers, but it would be nice to have her around for a while." He stood and tapped the wall panel pulling up a tighter area of Romulan space from astrometrics. "All I have heard regarding the Artifact is that it is somewhere in this region of space," he highlighted a central area on the map, "as there are multiple layers of silent warning beacons and navigation buoys warning ships away from dangerous gravitational eddy's." He turned back to the Captain, "I will make some inquiries, but the only thing I have heard, and cannot confirm, is that it is a research facility working with highly experimental technology. I'm not sure what else I can uncover, but I will do what I can."
"For the moment I would love to simply settle some of the rumors and get the powers that be off my back. However, I am going to have to get a report to Admiral Lancaster sooner than later. So any help is obliged." Tyler said as he looked toward his friend and tried to read what the Romulan felt. Very often he seemed more Vulcan than Romulan Tyler thought. "I am going to need you to turn those sensors of yours told Romulan space. I want a look at what is there, natural and unnatural."
"Of course Sir;" Vaebn replied with a wry smirk, "I believe I can make some minor adjustments to our long range sensors that will help uncover a few of my peoples' secrets." He turned back to the map on the wall; "And I think I know just where to point them," he said darkly.
Tyler cocked an eyebrow and the sound in his friend's voice. He would remain and listen ans Vaebn outlined his plan for data collection. Tyler had come to rely on the Romuan's wiles in getting what was needed, when it was needed. However, right now there was something about Vaebn, something that Tyler could not put his finger on, at least not yet.
A Joint Post By
Captain Tyler Malbrooke
Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Commander Vaebn tr'Hwersuil
Chief Science Officer, USS Pioneer
RSS Feed