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CH05: S [D04|1230] The Captain's Invitation

Chapter 05: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1230 hrs. ] The Captain's Invitation

[Tesserarius Lorad | Personal Quarters | Deck 08 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @CanadianVet
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Lorad hadn’t gotten very far when he heard a chime at the door. Luckily, the first thing he had done was figure out how to open the door and get out of his quarters. Walking back into the main room, Lorad opened the door and was confronted by the sight of two men wearing the same colour uniforms as the men from the transporter room earlier. They were armed but their phasers were holstered.

“Tesserarius Lorad,” the closer of the two men said. “The captain has extended an invitation for you to meet with him. If you would accompany us, please.”

“May I collect my visor?” Lorad asked in Reman, indicating the item on the desk in the room. “It helps to protect my eyes from the light.”

“You may,” the man replied, obviously having no trouble understanding Lorad’s speech. Lorad could not say that the reverse was true. Lorad collected his visor, putting it on as he exited his quarters. While he didn’t need it and could function without it in the current light levels, he was more comfortable wearing it.

The trio walked along the corridor to the nearest turbolift to Lorad’s quarters. The wait for its arrival passed in silence before the doors opened to admit them.

“Yeoman’s office. Deck One,” the second security officer stated, and the doors shut. A few moments later, they opened again onto a different corridor. Lorad didn’t get too much of an opportunity to look around as he was escorted across the floor and through the door opposite the turbolift.

The officer was neat and tidy though it appeared that it was not currently in use. The guard in front stepped up to a door in the wall to the left of the entrance and pressed a button beside it.

Re: Chapter 05: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1230 hrs. ] The Captain's Invitation

Reply #1 –
[ Cmdr Carrigan Trent, Captain | Captain's Ready Room | Deck 01 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Stegro88

Carrigan Trent was staying off the Bridge, mostly. 

Even in their state of reduced manpower, there were sufficient officers on board who could stand as officer of the watch without having him sitting there for more than a few token hours per day, and not all of them in a row.  And from the initial sensor contact, he had left the handling of the Reman ship in Dewitt's hands.  Though, frankly, he was buried in reviewing the current tactical situation and poring over the scans of the Versant, trying to find a weakness, he also needed his XO to get some experience as a part of a starship's command team; she needed room to grow, to expand, herself. 

Though that did not mean he did not keep tabs on the situation, and it was not until a little while after he had confirmed their new passengers had been installed as well as could be arranged under the circumstances that he made a call to Security to have their ambulatory guest brought to him for a conversation. 

When the chime sounded and one of the guards announced himself and the Reman, Trent spoke softly, the pickup making sure he would be heard regardless.  "Come in."

As the trio walked in, he gave a slight nod towards the door thus sending the guards to wait outside for now.  Then, rising from his chair, he gestured towards one of the available seats in the office.  "Mister Lorad, I am Captain Trent.  I understand if you think your hand might have been forced in coming to see me, but I would like to thank you for coming up so quickly.  Please, have a seat."

Waiting for his guest to be seated, Trent returned to his own chair and started speaking again.  "I understand your sister is in our Sickbay, and that with time and treatment, she will make a full recovery."

Re: Chapter 05: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1230 hrs. ] The Captain's Invitation

Reply #2 –
[Tesserarius Lorad | Captain's Ready Room | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @CanadianVet
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"I did not think I had choice," Lorad said in Standard as he sat down in a seat opposite the captain. "Your doctor, the hologram, he said that Samala was in stasis. That she could be healed in time. That it was this ship that was now keeping her alive."

As he sat, he looked across at Captain Trent and studied the man. He spoke in quiet tone, but one that was firm. His left hand was artificial and he had obviously chosen to leave it exposed for some reason; a reminder of some sort. And the look in his eyes, it was difficult for Lorad to describe. Conflicted came to mind but he wasn't sure if that was due to his presence or not. One of the news broadcasts he had seen while escaping Romulan space had said that the Theurgy had defected to the Romulan Empire. Whether that was true or now, Lorad didn't know but even he knew that if their pursuers discovered his presence aboard, it would only justify their words.

"Thank you for saving us, Samala and I. And I am Lorad, not mister," Lorad said slowly in Standard, trying to be polite. "It does not fit me."

Re: Chapter 05: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1230 hrs. ] The Captain's Invitation

Reply #3 –
[ Cmdr Carrigan Trent, Captain | Captain's Ready Room | Deck 01 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Stegro88

A wry chuckle escaped Trent's lips.  He had informed Security to carry over an invitation to Lorad to come when he was at leisure, not to compel him to come up immediately.  A word would be needed with the Acting C/Sec at some point, with some definitions getting clarified.  "I did request a meeting with you, but at your convenience rather than mine.  It would seem someone was a little overzealous in carrying out those instructions."

Seating himself, Trent folded his hands before him.  At least, this visitor understood the meaning of civility, particularly after getting rescued, and was making no demands of any sorts.  That certainly was a pleasant change of pace.  But, what remained would be finding him a role on board should he wish to extend his stay beyond the need to care for his sister.  But that would be a conversation for another time. 

"I understand you've donated a sizable amount of small arms to our armoury; than you for this.  However, I am afraid I will have to impose on you.  To be honest with you, we were in little condition to rescue you and your sister, and our situation is, to be honest, strained.  Your ship was damaged, but it seems it is nothing we can't fix.  However, once she is space-worthy again, I am afraid we might have to bring her into our service for some time."

Re: Chapter 05: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1230 hrs. ] The Captain's Invitation

Reply #4 –
[ Tesserarius Lorad | Captain's Ready Room | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @CanadianVet
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Lorad was confused, and not a little bit angry. He had been honest, even generous in his opinion in giving them the disruptors and access to the Reman cloaking device within the Apache. And now they wanted to take his ship as well. That was not going to happen.

Lorad gripped the armrests of his chair, resisting the urge to dive across the table and attack this human. But then his mind settled from the initial outrage of what he had heard the man, Trent, say and instead tried to understand it. His father had taught him that anger leads to mistakes and at this point, Lorad could not afford to make any.

He had seemed apologetic, hard to tell with how even he kept his voice, about Lorad being brought up to him so abruptly. And he had thanked him for the disruptors. But then he had spoken about the Apache and Lorad had only heard him say about bringing it into their service. He had not heard the part where he described their situation as ‘strained’. As Lorad understood it, they had been on the run for some time. And pursued during that time. Resources and supplies might be running low. And he had no idea of the capabilities of this vessel. Jennifer had called it the helmet section of a multi-vector dreadnaught. It sounded big but even size could be a hinderance.

As it stood, there was nothing preventing this man from ordering Lorad’s, and his sister’s, removal from his ship. They would find it difficult to access the Apache without him but eventually, they would succeed. Perhaps there was a different approach he could take, instead of anger. It would not be easy, for Lorad’s emotions were broiling and bursting to come out. But for his sister’s sake, he would try.

“Of what use is Apache to this ship? It is Reman ship,” Lorad pointed out in standard as he took off his visor and stared at the human captain across the desk. “Why Starfleet need it?”

Re: Chapter 05: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1230 hrs. ] The Captain's Invitation

Reply #5 –
[ Cmdr Carrigan Trent, Captain | Captain's Ready Room | Deck 01 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Stegro88

Trent had expected that his guest would not take kindly to his plans for his ship, this Apache.  He was not particularly familiar with Remans, but the Captain did know they had spent entirely too long as a client race, at best, of the Romulans and they had been used as everything from slave labour to cannon-fodder shock troops.  So, to take from him what he must have deemed to be his most prized possession was bound to rankle on more than just a surface level. 

And, it would seem, Lorad seemed ready to jump across the desk and settle matters the hard way... but he contained himself and instead he removed his visor to look the Human directly in the eye. 

With their gazes locked, Trent reached for the illumination controls and lowered the light; his guest would be more than a little uncomfortable in the illumination of the Ready Room, so that much he could do for him.  Especially to answer his questions.

"Lorad, I am not saying this lightly, or capriciously.  This is only one of three vectors of our ship, and it is the one that is the least capable in all the ways that matter.  Lesser-armed, with far poorer propulsion, and the defences to match.  We have been heavily damaged in a battle and forced to scatter.  I only have a tithe of my fighter complement, and no ordnance to re-arm them unless I devote replicator cycles to mass-driver rounds or draw torpedoes from the ship's magazines.  I don't even have a proper ground crew for them.  What other support craft I have are either combat-ineffective, or severely damaged.  Your ship represents an asset I can't afford to ignore, for all of our sake."

Re: Chapter 05: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1230 hrs. ] The Captain's Invitation

Reply #6 –
[ Tesserarius Lorad | Captain's Ready Room | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @CanadianVet
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Captain Trent was, a confusing man. He threatened to take his ship yet had been apologetic about it. He had sat calmly in the face of Lorad’s reaction, even dimming the lights to make it more comfortable for the Reman. And he had answered Lorad’s question; revealing information about their current situation that Lorad could not say he would have revealed if their positions had been reversed. But what to do about it?

“And what of me?” Lorad asked in Reman, switching to his native language so that he could say what he meant without a barrier. “Am I to be brought into your service as well? Am I one of these assets than cannot be ignored? Is my sister?”

He had tried to keep his voice, his emotions under control but the idea that he would be controlled once again; it was not an idea that Lorad could not react too. But what could he do? The Apache was out there, possibly unrepairable. And Samala; his sister was only alive now because of this ship and its crew. Without them, she would die.

So, everything came down to one simple question to Lorad. What would he do to protect his sister? And as he thought about what he would/could do, his shoulders slumped.

Re: Chapter 05: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1230 hrs. ] The Captain's Invitation

Reply #7 –
[ Cmdr Carrigan Trent, Captain | Captain's Ready Room | Deck 01 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Stegro88

Lorad's anger was still plain, even as he kept his voice and reactions under control.  And he had every right to be, so far as Trent was concerned.  The Romulans had done to Remans very few favours ever since they had made their way there from Vulcan, and what had just transpired was bound to make the Reman feel as though he'd just escaped one whip and set of shackles only to land into another. 

Under normal circumstances, Starfleet would have been content to just crawl all over his ship, get all the data it could about its cloaking technology, and release it once there was nothing more to be learned from it, while the two on board would be honoured guests for the duration.  But these were not normal circumstances. 

And he asked, with reason, if he was going to be conscripted.  A very valid question. 

"I'm given to understand you are a soldier, a skilled one at that.  Your skills could indeed be an asset to this ship and this crew.  But I also know that I cannot compel you to put them to use for us."  He paused for a moment, and considered the man before him.  As the ship's commanding officer, he had a wide latitude as to what he could, or could not do.  And this fell within his prerogative.  "In fact, I would be willing to offer you a position in my crew in the Security department.  You have skills we could use, and doubtless much you could teach us as well.  I cannot bring you in as an officer, and as you are unfamiliar with Starfleet operations, I cannot even bring you in as a non-commissioned officer.  But I could offer you a Crewman First Class' berth.  You would have to wear a uniform, and accept orders from your superiors, and learn Starfleet procedures and regulations on the fly, but we have good people to help you with this."

"Of course, you do not need to decide immediately, and while you are considering it, and even should you refuse, you have my word that we will continue to treat your sister to the best of our abilities and you will both be treated as our guests."

Re: Chapter 05: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1230 hrs. ] The Captain's Invitation

Reply #8 –
[ Tesserarius Lorad | Captain's Ready Room | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @CanadianVet
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A Reman in Starfleet. Was this man serious? It was only 2 years ago when Remans staged a coup of the Romulan Empire and almost attacked Earth. They would never go for it. But then Lorad remembered where he was. He may have been on a Starfleet vessel, but it was now a declared renegade. A traitor to its government. Lorad could sympathise. Lorad straightened himself up as he considered what Captain Trent had said to him.

He knew Lorad had skills, but not what they were. Offering him a position in the Security department made sense if he even had some background of what Lorad was capable of. But it was also unwise to leave him unwatched. Or perhaps, a sign of trust? Lorad was no officer. He had served under enough Romulan and even some Reman officers. Something about their training turned them into idiots, even the ones of his own species. He had no idea what a non-commissioned officer was. Was it like the Decanus and the Tesserarius of the Remans?

Lorad cared not about uniforms. They were only something that covered you. It was what was underneath that mattered most. And he was Reman. The retraining and learning was obvious. All good soldiers continued to learn new things. If you didn't learn, you died. 

"I am Reman Shock Trooper. A Tesserarius. In past I commanded a unit of 20 brothers and sisters on a ship like Apache. We fought and died as one," Lorad declared in Standard. He paused as he thought about what he wanted to say next. "But that is past. Now, now I here with my sister. And while offer is interesting, until I speak with Samala, I do not think I can decide to stay or not."

"But, I say this, until that day comes," Lorad said as he stood tall and proud. "If this ship is attacked, then I will defend it as my own."

Re: Chapter 05: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1230 hrs. ] The Captain's Invitation

Reply #9 –
[ Cmdr Carrigan Trent, Captain | Captain's Ready Room | Deck 01 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Stegro88

The offer hung in the air for what seemed an eternity.  Trent, truth be told, was not quite certain of what he should be expecting from it.  After all, he had just told the man he would commandeer his ship, and had to reassure him he would not press-gang him into service. 

And then, he learned more about the Reman's past in a few moments than he knew so far.  So, it made sense he could operate that armed transport, if he indeed was some sort of platoon-level commander.  But he heard absolutely no rancour at the prospect of getting busted down to a mere glorified grunt.  That was a good start all right.  And if he was as good as he seemed to believe he was, he would make a very valuable NCO in no time flat.  Assuming he could be accepted within the crew and be of the value Trent hoped he would be.

His further answer drew a nod; it certainly was honest, and he could respect that.  But that second vow, that was something else. 

"Tesserarius," started Trent as he extended his hand across the expanse of the desk even as he rose to his feet, "That is not a decision I would want you to rush, and you will not be pressured either way by anyone on this crew.  But in the meantime, as much as I appreciate your willingness to fight for this ship and crew, I cannot in good conscience put a passenger at risk."

Re: Chapter 05: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1230 hrs. ] The Captain's Invitation

Reply #10 –
[ Tesserarius Lorad | Captain's Ready Room | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @CanadianVet
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Did this man really think that he could stop him from protecting his sister? The sister that was now in stasis, her life tied to the survival of the ship they were both now on. Given their situation, their acceptance of the weapons and desire to study the cloaking device aboard the Apache; Lorad had thought that his declaration to defend the ship if it was attacked would be accepted happily, even gratefully.

But Captain Trent had, if he understood his words correctly, denied his offer. Lorad had never been a passenger and his entire life had been one of risk. The risk of constant death in the mines of Remus. The risk of death during his military training. Disruptors had no stun setting after all. Then there was his combat service during the Dominion War. Did he believe that this was riskless. And finally, breaking away from the Romulan Empire. You would have to be truly inferior as a Starfleet captain to think that was a riskless undertaking. Maybe he was not understanding what the man had said properly. His own knowledge of Standard was, incomplete.

"What does this mean? In good conscience?" Lorad asked, bewildered by the phrase. "Why would you stop me from protecting ship? The ship that is keeping Samala alive?"

Re: Chapter 05: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1230 hrs. ] The Captain's Invitation

Reply #11 –
[ Cmdr Carrigan Trent, Captain | Captain's Ready Room | Deck 01 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Stegro88

It would appear there was a failure in communications there.  The Reman was as tough as they came.  Hell, one had to be tough just to survive as a Reman.  Let alone one who had been a shock trooper for the Romulan Empire.  After all, the Romulans treated them as little more than cannon fodder to be thrown into the worst possible engagements so they would not have to risk their own skins.  And it would take a rare idiot to not realize just how devoted he was to his sister.

Which was making the matter even more difficult to deal with, especially with the language barrier in place.

"Tesserarius, to be honest with you, you are an unknown quantity here.  If you survived long enough as a soldier to the Romulans to make your current rank, then you are obviously good at what you do.  But you do not know our procedures, or the layout of this ship.  At least not well enough to not be a burden to our Security teams in the middle of action."

"Also, unless you choose to join the crew, you are a passenger.  I may have authority over you, but one thing I cannot do is order you into battle.  This ship might be attacked, and if I must order Starfleet personnel into danger that is one thing; but I can't do that with a passenger. "

Already, Trent knew his own honour would not escape this command unscathed.  And while he'd yet to announce it to the crew and his XO was keeping his position to herself, he had already committed himself to recovering the crew from the Savi.  Even with the justifications he had reached, quite logical ones at that, such actions would go against the spirit of Ives' last orders.  But on the other hand, Heather was on the Versant and abandoning her was just not something he would entertain.  Even if he had to go back to that monstrous ship alone in a shuttlecraft and tear it apart piece by piece with his bare hands. 

And then, he understood what he was asking of the Reman. 

"But perhaps we can reach a compromise," said the XO.  "If we have to go to Red Alert, I can have Security come and take you to Sickbay, where you will be given a weapon locked on a stun setting, and given a door to guard under the direction of the senior Security crewman present.  And you will not leave that room until we have secured from the alarm or are directed to do so.  Would this be acceptable?"

Re: Chapter 05: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1230 hrs. ] The Captain's Invitation

Reply #12 –
[ Tesserarius Lorad | Captain's Ready Room | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @CanadianVet
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Lorad considered the man on the other side of the desk from where he stood, thinking about what he had said and what he had offered. And what he had not said. Thinking back on everything that he had seen, heard and experienced before now, Lorad tried to piece together a picture of what this ship had gone through.

Crew unfamiliar with their captain and his orders. 2 parts of the ship missing. A hologram as the senior doctor aboard. That last one Lorad wasn’t sure about but assumed it was correct. It was not every day a Reman-Romulan hybrid came on board. The ship had been attacked and been forced to separate Trent had said. Why had they not re-joined? Could they not communicate with each other? Were they lost?

Lorad considered asking these very things but Captain Trent was also right, Lorad was an unknown to these people. A member of a species considered an enemy to the Federation. And he did not know this ship, yet. He did not know how the crew operated, yet. He was indeed, just a passenger at this stage.

But a compromise, that he could do. Armed and guarding his sister. This captain was shrewd. He had seen to the heart of the matter and locked onto a way to appease him. And it was effective, Lorad admitted. It answered all of Lorad’s concerns.

“Thank you, Captain Trent. That be acceptable, as you say,” Lorad answered the man. And then something else occurred to Lorad; the captain’s tone had not changed once during their entire conversation. And he had only compromised after he had mentioned Samala. Curious. “And, when time comes. I help you to return to those that are lost to you. No order needed. I volunteer.”

Re: Chapter 05: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1230 hrs. ] The Captain's Invitation

Reply #13 –
[ Cmdr Carrigan Trent, Captain | Captain's Ready Room | Deck 01 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Stegro88

So they had reached an arrangement. 

Truth be told, it was hardly one that would be in keeping with regulations.  But a starship's captain, ever her acting captain, had broad discretionary powers as to the internal running of his command.  And that fell within his prerogatives.  But what's more, the Reman offered to join the assault parties when they would go recover their crew. 

Well, that was interesting.  Trent had said no such thing yet but it would seem the soldier before him had understood he meant to go for their missing people.  And the thought of having such a skilled combatant on his side was a pleasant one; oh he certainly had faith in his people but he was a tactical officer by training; if someone offered you a mighty weapon, you had to use it.  Especially to retrieve Heather when he could not do it himself in person. 

"And I would be grateful to have you join the assault teams, provided you familiarize yourself with our procedures and weapons first.  In fact, I'll have Commander Dewitt grant you the access you need to get started in that regard." 

Rising from his chair, Trent extended his hand across the desk to his guest.  "Tesserarius, welcome aboard."

((Fin?))

Re: Chapter 05: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1230 hrs. ] The Captain's Invitation

Reply #14 –
[ Tesserarius Lorad | Captain's Ready Room | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @CanadianVet
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As he extended his own and grasped Captain Trent’s, Lorad pondered what the human had said in response. Lorad had been very, general, in his choice of words wondering if he might gain some insight from the man’s response. And it had worked.

Someone had taken this man’s crew by force and he meant to get them back. Otherwise he would have no need for assault teams. And that was something that Lorad could appreciate. Loyalty to one’s own. Despite the situation, whatever it truly was, Captain Trent was going to attempt to recover his missing, taken, crew. And the situation was dire enough that he would accept the help of a Reman Shock Trooper that he had only brought aboard hours ago.

Or was he desperate? Was one of the missing crew members more important to him than the rest of them? Lorad didn’t know and couldn’t think of a way to find out short of asking him. Which was not wise. Best to just wait and see.

“Thank you, Captain Trent. I hope I can help,” Lorad said slowly in standard. “When someone is chosen to teach me, Commander Dewitt can find me. I am happy to learn.”


CV, I'm happy to call it done here if you are. It's been a pleasure.
 
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