Have a seat [6/6]

Posted on Sat Sep 5th, 2026 @ 12:27pm by Captain Jaro & Lieutenant Commander Riaani ek'Meru

1,052 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Episode 1: The Fissure
Location: Bridge - Deck 1 - USS Amazônia

Jaro chuckled softly, his eyes crinkling with quiet amusement as he set his own demitasse back down onto the coffee table. "Memory is a fascinating puzzle like that," he said, offering an encouraging nod. "Though I assure you, if the answer suddenly strikes you during the quiet hours of a night shift, please do update me. I’d be eager to give it a try." The light banter settled comfortably between them before Jaro leaned forward, resting his forearms together over his knee as he guided the thread of conversation back to where they had started. "Which brings me back to my earlier question, Lieutenant Commander. Beyond the unexpected echoes induced by Terran coffee, how are your quarters treating you? Our quartermaster and engineering teams attempted to reconfigure the atmospheric controls, acoustic dampeners, and sonic shower frequencies to better suit Kodaaj'ek physiological standards with limited information on rather short notice, so their efforts may still fall short of genuine comfort. Is there anything that needs rectification to ensure you feel properly equipped to settle in?"

"It may take a little practise to make peace with the shower," Riaani reflected, a curl of faint amusement softening her otherwise pensive expression. "But if I'm honest, Captain, outside the necessary adjustments to minimise any nuisance I may cause, I am content to experience daily life as authentically as possible. It is likely a far more effective way to understand what your people hope to achieve this far from home."

As eloquently-worded as the response was, there was a keenness to the way ek'Meru's eyes scanned the Denobulan's face as she spoke that emphasised Riaani's sincerity. She wore her enthusiasm with greater composure than Jaro but, in a moment of mutual scrutiny, the pair gazed at each other across the great divide and seemed equally invested, Riaani noticed, in discovering the best way to bridge it. It was too soon to properly understand Jaro's motives but she at least held out some hope that he would entertain her questions and there seemed a decent chance he would answer them honestly, even if she did suspect a degree of fanciful philosophy that may take some getting used to. Riaani herself was not a great storyteller, at least amongst her kin. Detailed analysis lacked the necessary imaginative embelishments to engage an audience and she could already hazard that her new commanding officer was not similarly restricted when it came to spinning a tale for entertainment sake.

"Physical comfort aside, it is perhaps a more pressing matter to discuss the practical aspects of my role, starting with our new course setting. I assume you are already aware that your destination is a rather inhospitable region. Most indigenous powers have it flagged as a no-fly zone, it would be remiss of me not to question the wisdom of venturing too close, especially given your lack of local experience."

Jaro steepled his fingers beneath his chin as he weighed her caution. The lightheartedness in his eyes shifting toward an analytical focus.

"A no-fly zone? Now that is a fascinating piece of intelligence."

He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees, near the remaining steam wafting from their demitasses.

"Our long-range scanners and navigational instruments catalog Orellia IV as an exceptionally turbulent gas giant—rife with severe thermal currents and a dense ionosphere—but we have detected nothing that would constitute an explicit, imminent threat or a declared defensive perimeter. If the local powers give the region such a wide berth, I am immensely curious to know why. Is it simply due to the environmental hazards, local historical precedent, or something else entirely?"

Before Riaani could offer a breakdown of her people's records, Jaro continued, offering her a look of open candor.

"To answer your concern: Vanguard Station picked up a rather intriguing energy signature emanating from deep within Orellia IV's upper atmosphere—a faint, anomalous sub-quantum reading. Our orders are to investigate and assess, but we won’t charge in recklessly."

He gestured toward the window to his left, where the streaking warp stars framed the room.

"Lt. Khatri planned our approach around stealth and emissions discipline. The moment we drop out of warp, the Amazônia will transition to Silent Running. We will dial back our reactor output and modulate our emissions to match the natural electromagnetic noise thrown out by the gas giant itself. We intend to slip in quietly, gather our data, and evaluate our next steps without raising an alarm or disturbing whatever might be down there."

Amongst those who had the most cause to associate with them at all, the Kodaaj'ek were renown for the compelling nature of their gaze. It stemmed from a mixture of pure physiology and a cultural tenacity for being particularly forward-facing when it came to their emotions, inclined towards honest expression that didn't leave a lot of room to cultivate a deceptive veneer. Within the dynamics of their homeworld politics, this meant that the canyon-people were rarely tasked with any covert operations that required creative interpretation of the truth; that was usually left to the charismatic Deshaal'ek or, at a pinch, a stoic Baroond'ek with an atypical spark of imagination. What they were suited for, and this would eventually present as a pivotal piece of evidence to support the Oshaal's sincerity in forging diplomatic relations, was getting to the heart of complex matters both objectively and, where applicable, empathetically. Compassion was a core cultural inclination.

It took a long time for Riaani to blink. When she did, it was immediately followed by a visible swallow that spoke volumes of her rising discomfort.

"Captain," the Kodaaj'ek began. "Though I don't doubt your crew's capabilities, I would advise caution." That was part of why she was here, right? To make sure they didn't blunder into anything that might cause harm. "I may not be able to provide you with all the details you would prefer, that will likely require consultation with my superiors. What I can tell you, however, is that the planet's unstable atmosphere is only part of the problem, though not an insignificant one."

ek'Meru's eyes, radiating expressive concern, held Jaro's fast.

"We should talk, I think, about the Borg."

[End]

Captain Jaro
Captain
USS Amazonia

Lt. Commander Riaani ek'Meru
On-loan Executive Officer
USS Amazônia

 

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